from washington the mclaughlin group. the american original. for over two decades the sharpest minds, best sources, hardest talk. >> if. for such a small word it packs a wallop.

it's the 30th annual mclaughlin year-end awards. here is the master of ceremonies john mclaughlin. >> biggest winner of 2011, pat? >> mohamed. islam is the most powerful force in the world today. >> i give a positive today to the arab youth protesters, but the occupy wall street crowd which has really changedle thli

concerns of the 99% on the national scene. >> rich? >> the navy seals who dispatched osama bin laden with lethal efficiency and did us all proud. >> i will give it to newt gingrich, john, if that surprises you. he went from loser to winner most effectively this year. i am not going to say what happens next year. >> thank you very much. the envelope. what am i doing? >> let's hear it from jay carson. >> johnny carson. remember him? the biggest winner of 2011 as pointed out the arabs. 2011 was the year when arab street rose unpassed from tunisia to egypt, from yemen to libya. the arab street brought to life the arab spring. so the arab street, the biggest winner of 2011.

okay. biggest loser, pat? >> penn state and joe paterno, sadly. >> republican brand. presidents vulnerable that can't get their act together. >> john corzine who is a symbol of everything that is wrong with the political and financial elite. it's one thing to lose $1.2 billion in the market. it's another thing to lose it and not know where it went. >> how can you trace that volume of money? >> how can you possibly lose that volume of money? >> clarence? >> corzine is a nice guy. you know him at all? >> he has trashed new jersey and then trashed this firm. >> so many losers this year, john. i gave a tie to anthony weiner and the news of the world newspaper. the biggest loser of 2011, the early obama economic team. geithner, goolsbee, bern teen, roamer, summers. they will all be associated with a plan that led to 9%

unemployment, to anemic economic growth and to a $4.4 trillion added to the national debt. the biggest losers of 2011. the best politician, pat? >> chris christie, john. he stayed out of the presidential race wisely. he is a republican who cut the budget at the same time retained his popularity. i think he did the right thing all year. >> best politician hillary clinton who is no longer seen as a politician. has won the hearts of everybody around the world. >> do you think she is presidential material? >> she is presidential material. whether she runs, i don't know. >> rich? >> hands down paul ryan. he swung his caucus around a brave and bold budget. changed the national conversation. and unlike many of his critics, he is civil, responsible and honest. >> another surprise, john. alan west who came in as a tea party favorite and who has proved to be an independent thinker, believe it or not, who

out raged other tea partyers. he is a rising talent. >> what does he do for a living? >> he is a congressman -- well, he is a former arm any colonel, an iraq war veteran. and he is from florida. >> republican from florida. and caused quite a ruckus against the democratic party chairman. >> best politician of 2011 as noted here, new jersey republican governor chris christie. christie said no, i am duty bound to new jerseyans who elected me governor. it's hard for a politician, as you know, pat, to put ego aside. best politicians. you were in a sense a policies. you ran for the presidency two or three times? >> very successfully. >> what was the name of that party you headed? >> the reformed party. we can't find it, john. >> in the canal. >> next category. worst politician? >> i think dominique strauss- kahn, the future president of

france. what were you thinking of? >> he is not staying with the move. he was set up, pat. >> i don't care whether he was or not. he ain't going to be president. >> no, he was framed. >> is this scoopville? >> there was enough guilt there he was easy to frame, i'm afraid. i give a joint award to the republican governors of wisconsin, scott walker, ohio, rick casick, rick scott florida. they blew enormous leads by pushing a far right agenda. >> hosni mubarak. his corruption and tone deafness created the predicate for that revolution overturning the entire order of the middle east. >> we became aware of when that when we saw where he put the billions of dollars. >> he if invested with corzine, egypt would be worse off. >> are you taking me seriously. >> i am. >> on my defense of hosni? >> on what basis?

>> he had lot of money and he was salting it away. i don't like that about him. but he was our ally, wasn't he? >> he was, but he lost his people. that's a bad politician. >> worst policies, john? >> silvio berlusconi. i mean, how can you beat the guy who -- he bought his way into the office. didn't know when it was time to leave. we will miss him because he is so much money to comment about and to say his name. >> worst politician of 2011. barack obama. he wants to create jobs and put a price forward of $450 billion. many democrats in the house and the senate face tough races in 2012. they won't vote for the $450 billion bill. many won't even be seen with him. if a president cannot inspire support and cannot instill fear, that makes him the worst politician. politician. not human being.

okay. pat, most defining political moment? >> the fall of hosni mubarak. i think it's the rise of islam across the arab world. >> are you believing that more on its works this arab spring? >> no, i think you have. >> i think the debt ceiling debacle drove the approval of congress down to single digits and has alienated this country thinking washington can get anything done. >> it was when president obama rejected his own simpson debt commission showing he was going to play the role of a cowardly demo going. >> arab spring was the defining moment or bunch of moments leading to similar up risings around the planet, like occupy wall street. it was europe protests. >> the most defining political moment, the withdrawal of the last u.s. troops from iraq. the withdrawal will bring to an end nearly nine-years of war

that cost over $1 trillion and nearly 4500 u.s. lives. it may be remembered as the worst foreign policy decision in u.s. history. turn coat of the year? >> rich lowry -- no, no. he opposed paul ryan as real hero. i agree with that. newt, as soon as he proposed his budget, newt stabbed him in the back. the back stab of the year. turn coat of the year. >> do you think newt would like to forget all that? >> he certainly would. >> do you think it will damage him more. >> he is going to live for a while, john. >> the thing is newt was correct in his assessment of the ryan budget. speaking the truth in washington always gets you in trouble. my turn coat is speaker john boehner, who walked away from the grand bargain with president obama. >> rich? >> turn coats of the year were all the newt gingrich aides who left him when he was down and betrayed their loyalty not for whales, but for rick perry.

>> my turn coat is mitt romney for turning against romney care. his own plan that he tried to run away from as fast as he can. >> let me see if i can enlarge the circle here. turn coat of the year, great britain. in 2007 british prime minister tony blair went to libya and he met with libyan leader moammar gadhafi. that meeting restored gadhafi's international standing. but when gadhafi's people turned on gadhafi, britain followed suit and kissed them off. turn coat of the year. >> the americans did the same thing. okay. most boring, pat? >> collective award, the super committee. good-bye, good luck. >> not only that, but they were in februarytual. why did that happen? >> i mean, who is on it now, john?

>> i could probably name who is on it and tell you what went wrong. i agree most americans don't share that obsession. my boast boring is rick san tarrum who does -- boring is rick cantorrum. >> did you see the automatic mechanism that took over in the absence of a super committee vote? you saw that. >> in the absence of. >> the absence of the vote -- >> john, we don't want to get into the sequester. >> it's a holiday show, john. no sequesters. the most boring politician. >> legislation is devised that way? >> the whole thing is a disaster. >> well, you know, you have an automatic mechanism to take over if the super committee can't reach a vote. i mean, who put that together? >> it was congress. >> it was out of desperation. they just wanted to get out of the debt limit and this was the mechanism to do it. it was convoluted and made no sense. >> was it obama's idea? >> can i tell you the most boring policies of the year?

barack obama. >> we are told how invigorating and inspiring he was, but we learned he is all too point pedestrian. >> buddy roamers who keeps complaining about not being in the debates. >> most boring, green energy. solar, wind, retrofitting, hybrid cars, hydroelectric. who cares? we all know that big oil rules and will continue to rule. most boring, but that doesn't mean green is not good. you got that distinction, pat? >> it's boring. >> most charismatic? >> will indicated and prince harry. one great thing this year was that wedding. >> well, you have always -- >> i am right with the british all my life. >> are you a monarchist? is that the seek rist --

secret? >> the fruit cellar in tunisia, who sparked the arab spring. what he did and his protest inspired a remaking of the middle east. we don't know the outcome yet, but i think a small democratic up rising is to be applauded. >> chris christie. he is a youtube sensation waiting to happen. he is the most brash and fat politician in america. >> i think it's herman cain was the most careis matic politician of the year. maybe too much in some ways. >> what does that mean? >> nevertheless -- i mean, here is a guy who became frontrunner and was riding the sails without a campaign staff.

>> i'm surprised this eluded the others on the set. the most charismatic is george clooney. he brought awareness to the humanitarian crisis in sudan. and his charms with women. i think that speaks for themselves. they also contribute to make him an inspiration to males everywhere, want you say, pat? okay. bummest rap? >> the rich are not paying their fair share of taxes. quack quack elmer. >> president obama hates business and everything else said about president obama on this show. >> rich? >> obama's rap that the bush- cheney policies were scandalous and criminal when they become the basis of obama's policy. >> the first round of stimulus created zero jobs. politifact and the congressional budget office says no, 1-3 million. >> women are the weaker sex. women may still make less than

men for the same work, but that pay gap is now at a record low today. and today women make up a majority of u.s. college graduates and over the past 30 years women have started twice as many businesses. i am woman. they ought to be singing that. okay. best comeback? >> i got give it to newt. after tiffany's and greek islands and the loss of his staff, he comes back to be the frontrunner. >> gaby giffords to came back to cast the vote on the debt ceiling debate after her tragic shooting in january. terrific grip. >> i say the best comebacks are all the late gain dramatics forged by tim tebow, the single most exciting figure in american sports right now. >> gaby giffords. >> best comcastback. american fiscal responsibility. americans this year paid down that credit card and mortgage

debt. very fiscally responsible. that enter advised american consumers to shop this holiday season a record black friday. most stagnant thinker? >> barack obama. i mean, soak the rich, the same old stuff. the old obama of 2008 iszon don't take it so personally, pat. >> grover norquist who crafted his no new taxes in the 80s. >> thomas freeman who harped on his envy for chinese style planning that it lost its ability to shock. >> what's left of the birther movement. >> most stagnant thinkers, the israelis and palestinians. hits and misses, commings and goings, highs and lows and in the end no solution to the 70- year-old conflict. most stagnant thinkers. okay. enough already award.

>> warren buffett. my secretary pays a higher tax than i do. cut it out, warren. pay the woman some more money. >> go, warren, go. the republican debates and the kardashians. maybe they can all get together on the stage. >> rich? >> joe biden. his scott hartnell glorifycation are occasionally amusing but always tiresome. >> donald trump and sarah palin. >> enough whining about political partisanship. the nation's future is in political play. consensus is essential. we will not be able to chart a clear direction without it. it may take one or two election cycles for that consensus to build. until then we need argument. rational argument. enough of whining over argumenttation. worst lie, pat? >> worst lie? i just don't know where that money went, says john corzi.

>> i am just a historian. >> occupy wall street and then president obama, the idea that some people are poor in this country because some people are rich. >> i have never done anything improper with anyone in my life. herman cain. even if were true, it sounds like a lie. >> worst lie. congressman anthony weiner. first he attempted to blame his underwear photo on unnamed enemies. then went on cnn claiming he did not send the picture to a female college student. later recanted and resigned. capitalist of the year? >> chinese. >> newt gingrich. he ate our lunch.

>> rich? >> peter keel. extremely successful investor in silicon valley who is pointing out the ways in which a four-year b.a. doesn't make sense. >> warren buffett who not only is talking good common intense inequality, but also is buying a hometown newspaper to keep it in business. i love the man. >> her online publication, the huffington post, was acquired by aol yielding her a cool the >> okay. best photo op. >> the photograph from the european summit last week, where nicolas sarkozy refused to shake the hand the david cameron and moved right by him. >> the photo taken in the situation room when president obama and the national security team waited for 38 minutes to

watch the mission to capture and kill osama bin laden unfold. hillary clinton is like this and the president is staring quite terrified because things could have gone awry. >> l wedding clearly the most picturesque event of the year. kate and her sister looked amazing. >> to me the best photo on was of osama bin laden sitting wrapped in a blanket watching tv with a remote control in utter loneliness in the last days of his life. >> vice president joe biden sound asleep while president obama was unveiling his plan to cut the nation's $15 billion debt. the best photo on. honorable mention, pat? >> i am going to borrow from rich. i take seal team six. magnificent job. risked their lives. the went in and did the job they were trained to do for their country. quite frankly, i am going to give barack obama credit for an assist on that one.

>> an honorable mention on the honorable mention for holiday spirit. >> a near assist for the commander in chief. okay. i like miss merkle, who is really carrying the problems of the euro zone on her shoulders and we are very much reliant on her. and i would also like to mention the sale six team and the soldiers who are serving all of us so admirably around the world. they get way too little credit. >> rich? >> the muslim brotherhood and their ilk, who are the big short-term winners from the arab spring. >> all right. the new class of political market capitalists, herman cain, mike huckabee, sarah palin, donald trump and everybody else that uses politics as a spring board to business and profits the other way around. >> honorable mention jill abrahamson. executive editor of the "new york times." this year the times hired its first woman to run the paper.

on her watch the times now boasts more than 300 how paying digital customers. she may perfect the model that could save newspapers in the internet age. pat, do you have any comments on the foregoing? >> i'm just stunned by your decision, john. >> i must say this is the new feminist john. some of your categories have left me with my mouth agape. so go girl. >> you see how she now has these classic photos on page 1? >> i think it's great. it's a historic moment to be named the top editor. >> and john's honorable mention. >> right. >> i know her, and she is quite brill lent. i think it was a great move on the time's part. i salute their decision as a sister newspaper. they can't be the greatest world newspaper like the chicago tribune, but they're

trying. >> as an old print head myself from the st. louis democrat days and a guy who subscribes 2- 2 newspapers a day and gets two for free, i hope these print newspapers survive because i don't really like going to the internet reading that. so i hope jill abrahamson's "new york times" survives. >> and let's hear it for magazines, too. >> contrary to your habitual frame of mind, government grants to keep newspapers in existence. >> private enterprise should keep them alive we can attack them. >> private enterprise is not behind the newspaper sufficiently. framing a government grant with the same time would not sacrifice the editorial independence of the newspaper. >> you are headed down the road to surrender, john. don't go there. >> you have the murdoch empire and the wall street journal going head to head with "the new york times." they are in competition to

figure out who can make the new business model work. >> you have to keep the media alive because what else would republican candidates do but attack the media? >> person of the year, pat? >>ered gone of turkey, who is the most powerful leader of turkey. he has brought his country up in the entire middle east. he is turning his back on europe. people accuse him of neoauto mannerism. turkey is a real force in the world. one of the real brick countries. >> i give it to steve jobs, who died earlier this year. but in his death he will have continued influence over our society. more influence than any of the politicians alive today who we've discussed in this program. he was a truly originaller and a person who -- truly original thinker and a person who left us with a life we could only

have thought of. >> angela merkle who is the center of vast historical mistake in europe, namely an attempt to create an undemocratic european superstate. >> my first joyce steve jobs. i agree, he has had more of an impact on this year and future years. my second choice was angela merkle. >> that's the bad thing about going last. >> we get one person of the year. person of the year is republican congressman paul ryan. that's echoing a thought here really. he critically examined the internal revenue service's tax code and how it effects individual and corporate america. he offered a plan for how to revise the current u.s. tax code. next week join us for the mclaughlin 2011 awards part two.

merry christmas and bye-bye.