Who can forget Hillary Clinton‘s chugfest? Or John Edwards’ Liver Girl? Or Sarah Palin‘s wink? Or John McCain‘s entire campaign? It was a fine year for pandering, from the gas-tax holiday to drill-baby-drill to you-betcha populism. Even Barack Obama got in on the act, supporting half of George Bush’s policies before the Republicans could nail him for being a Democrat.

And the winner is…

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You expect nothing to get done in an election year, but Mitch McConnell and Tom Coburn made an art of it, blocking legislation so adroitly that a bill to circumvent the latter was called the Tomnibus. Bob Corker, meanwhile, made high principle out of venality, throwing a wrench into the auto bailout that had nothing to do with the foreign non-union manufacturers in his state. But it took somebody from the Executive Branch to show the amateurs how it’s done, as Hank Paulson rolled a seven and eight zeros, no strings attached.

And the winner is…

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A mix of the world-historical with the world-hysterical makes for a fascinating Foreign Stinque field this year. Robert Mugabe shows that you don’t need to be President of the United States to drag your country into the ground, while Hu Jintao shows you can ignore the President of the United States with impunity, if your country is a big enough market. Nicolas Sarkozy just shows too much, on the other hand, while Stephen Harper shows how adorable a Canadian constitutional crisis can be. And Fidel Castro? Ten Presidents and counting.

And the winner is…

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This year’s judging barely got started when controversy erupted over qualifications for the Golden Helmet. Traditionalists argued that “best hair” clearly indicates newscaster-quality coifs, while revisionists countered that anything above the neck must be considered.

“Change” won the day, with nominations going to Bill Richardson for his Beard of Indecision, Joe the Plumber for his Scalp of Sanctity, and Joe Biden for his Plugz of Destiny. More conventional nominees included John Edwards, whose name couldn’t be mentioned without the room breaking out in cooing, and Rod Blagojevich, who may be the first criminal target to have his hair bugged.

And the winner is…

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Where the hell is the tympani? We ordered a tympani. And spotlights. We insisted. Shit.

Well, shine a flashlight at the ceiling and pat your tummy, because The 2008 Stinque Awards wait for no incompetent vendor. We’ll be announcing winners every hour today, leading up to the Crystal Douchebag for Lifetime Achievement at 4 p.m.

The 2008 Stinque Awards for Achievement in Infamy are dedicated to Muntader al-Zaidi, wielder of the Footwear That Changed the World. This year’s award is a handsome Crystal Shoe created exclusively for Stinque by 24-Hour Novelties & Box Wine SuperStore of Tarzana, California, which also dropped a pallet of fine rosés, blushes and rieslings in the garage. Remember their slogan: “If we don’t have it, you can probably find it at the next strip mall.”

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Laura Bush on Muntader al-Zaidi:

“If Saddam Hussein had been there, the man wouldn’t have been released. And he probably, you know, would have been executed,” the First Lady said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Damn ingrate Iraqis. They don’t know how good they have it.

Shoe tosser lucky Saddam is outta power, says First Lady Laura Bush [Daily News]

Title: Ted, White, and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto

Author: Ted Nugent

Rank: 655

Blurb: “In his trademark unapologetic style, Nugent will praise God, guns, and red-blooded, full-throated Americanism against pantywaist politicians, nanny-state judges, and tofu-eating Obamamaniacs.”

Review: “Yet another chest-thumping screed from a guy who made damn sure he wasn’t in the line of fire during his draftable days.”

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