As the year 2009 nears its end, it is time to reflect on which people in the public spotlight stood out as the most annoying, most outrageous, most despicable in the politics of 2009.
I will work down from ten to one on this list! This is no easy task! š
TEN: Senator John Ensign of Nevada, who became embroiled in a sex scandal with a woman on his staff, and had his parents pay “hush money” to her in order to keep it quiet, which it failed to do, and has refused to resign. A fundamentalist Christian who is shown to be a total hypocrite!
NINE: Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina, who also became involved in a sex scandal with a lady from Argentina, talked too much about it, and has been considered for impeachment, but is still there and refusing to leave. He is another very devout fundamentalist Christian who has proved to be a hypocrite!
EIGHT: Governor Rick Perry of Texas, facing a tough re-election battle against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison next year, and promoted the concept of “secession” this past year, and became embroiled in a scandal regarding the state Pardon Board. He has served longer than any governor and is hopefully to be retired next year!
SEVEN: Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Minority Leader, who promoted total obstruction and lack of cooperation with the Obama Administration as a basic principle. He did not add to his stature by so doing!
SIX: Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, who became more and more annoying and ridiculous as the leading critic of climate change, and made a fool of himself at the Copenhagen summit .
FIVE: Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina, who became the leading conservative of all in the Senate, and called for creating President Obama’s “Waterloo”. He has presidential ambitions for 2012, but hopefully will go nowhere!
FOUR: Radio Talk Show Host Rush Limbaugh, who made many wonder about his sanity this year, and promoted division and hate on his three hour daily talk show. He had nothing positive to contribute to the debates of 2009, and showed himself to be totally self serving!
THREE: Radio and TV Talk Show Host Glenn Beck, who became the most controversial talk show host of all, ranting and raving in an insane fashion, with wild accusations and hints of hallucinations if one paid attention regularly to his commentary. Many might think of him as a total joke, but unfortunately, like Rush Limbaugh, he has his devoted fans who fail to see how crazy he is!
TWO: Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who milked her Vice Presidential candidacy for all it was worth this year, but in so doing, made a fool of herself and showed total incapability to address any important issue with facts and truth. She was proof that an ignorant, very ordinary person could be a factor in politics since she appealed to those like herself, a scary thought for the upcoming election year of 2012!
ONE: The honor, or lack of it, for being Number One goes to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who proved to be the most divisive public figure of the year 2009, with his constant attacks and accusations against the Obama Presidency. Never before had a former Vice President been so public after leaving office, particularly ironic since when he was in office, he was very elusive and secretive!
I welcome commentary on this list, but let me add honorable mentions to this list in no special order: Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Governor Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, and Radio and TV talk show host Sean Hannity!