Gentlemen. One of the joys of December is the end-of-the-year McLaughlin Group, where the panelists dress up in formalware and name their “award winners” for a wide variety of categories.  It’s kind of like their end-of-the-show “predictions” on steroids.

Some fun exchanges and predictions from last year’s show:

[When discussing “Destined for Political Stardom” award winners]

MR. O’DONNELL: Virginia’s Governor Mark Warner, a popular southern Democrat, who will be getting his presidential campaign started in 2006.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Right on. Right on. What about Romney?

MR. O’DONNELL: Oh, no. He’s not going to be a rising star.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: No?

MR. O’DONNELL: He’s going to fade very quickly.

And also:

MR. BUCHANAN: Destined for oblivion: I don’t see how Bashir Assad of Syria survives this year.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Eleanor.

MS. CLIFT: Ralph Reed, running for lieutenant governor of Georgia. He will lose the race, and he will also get tarnished in the probe looking into the bilking of Indian tribes.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: He already has. Tony.

MR. BLANKLEY: Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania is going to be beaten by Rick Santorum and will go into political oblivion.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Is that a close race?

MR. BLANKLEY: It’s a very close race.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Lawrence.

MR. O’DONNELL: Jeanine Pirro or anyone else who is foolish enough to run against Hillary Clinton will be destined for political oblivion, just like everyone who ran against her predecessor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Destined for political oblivion: Karl Rove, ensnared in the Valerie Plame case and maybe the Abramoff-Indian casino lobbying scandal. Like Icarus, Rove will crash and burn.

 So, anyway – with the bunch of us dressed our best…

… I submit that we ought to nominate some On Tap award winners for 2006 – if for no other reason, for the inevitable, “How could you name THAT GUY?!?” Going through last year’s show, the categories were…

Destined for Political Stardom:
Destined for Political Oblivion:
Best Political Theater:
Worst Political Theater:
Worst Political Scandal:
Most Underreported Story:
Most Overreported Story:
Biggest Government Waste:
Best Government Dollar Spent:
Boldest political tactic:
Best idea of 2006:
Worst Idea of 2006:
Sorry to See You Go: (Person who retired or passed away) 
Fifteen Minutes of Fame:
Turncoat of the Year:
Most Honest Person of the Year:
Most Overrated Figure:
Most Underrated Figure:
New Year’s Resolution:

UPDATE: After further review, we’ve decided to do each award in a separate posting, and attempt to do one category a day. Also, note Sharon’s intriguing nominations in the comments section.