I Voted Gandalf for this reason:
From Unfinished Tales, The Quest of Erebor
Quote:
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“You may think that Rivendell was out of his reach, but I did not think so. The state of things in the North was very bad. The Kingdom under the Mountain and the strong Men of Dale were no more. To resist any force that Sauron might send to regain the northern passes in the mountains and the old lands of Angmar there were only the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, and behind them lay a desolation and a Dragon. The Dragon Sauron might use with terrible effect. Often I said to myself: “I must find some means of dealing with Smaug. But a direct stroke against Dol Guldur is needed still more. We must disturb Sauron’s plans. I must make the Council see that.’
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I think that few notices the role Gandalf played in The Hobbit, and what he had to do 'besides' stirring to pot enough to make the dwarves and Bilbo attempt the Quest.
Cheers T