2012 was both dubious and wacky

It’s official: From presidential campaign politics to a world gone “Gangnam Style,” 2012 was the most dubious year yet.

Oh, and that’s without mentioning a Mayapocalypse that fizzled harder than “John Carter.”

As the year draws to a close — and with a nod to Esquire magazine — The Washington Times takes a final look back with our 2012 Dubious Achievement Awards.

Politics

Welcome to Washington! You’ll fit right in! — Brushing off media criticism over misleading campaign advertisements, Neil Newhouse, a pollster for Republican challenger Mitt Romney, declared, “We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact checkers.”

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At times funny, at other times puzzling, actor-director Clint Eastwood addressed an ... more >

What has four legs, one back and is more eloquent than Rick Perry? — Actor Clint Eastwood gave a rambling, ad-libbed speech at the Republican National Convention in which he pretended to debate an empty chair.

Where are all the empty chairs when you need them? — During the vice presidential debate, Vice President Joseph R. Biden interrupted Republican challenger Paul Ryan more than 80 times.

Understatement of the Year — Following the first presidential debate, President Obama reportedly told strategist David Axelrod, “I guess the consensus is that we didn’t have a very good night.”

Overstatement of the Year — Mr. Ryan said in a radio interview that his best marathon time was under three hours, a claim he later admitted was exaggerated by more than an hour.

“Relax! I was just referring to ‘Fifty Shades of Grey!’ “ — During a campaign rally in Virginia, Mr. Biden told attendees that Republicans would “put y’all back in chains.”

So, does your committee actually, you know, meet? — Missouri Republican Rep. W. Todd Akin, a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, told a local television station that abortion should not be allowed even in cases of pregnancy due to rape, because, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”

“No, that would be UnSkewedpolls.com” — During an election-night Fox News broadcast that saw analyst Karl Rove repeatedly insist that Mr. Romney would win Ohio and even ask the network’s own decision desk to un-call the state and the race for Mr. Obama, anchor Megyn Kelly asked Mr. Rove, “Is this just math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?”

Yes, and please start with your hairstylist — After networks called Mr. Obama’s victory on election night, Donald Trump said on Twitter that “We should have a revolution in this country!”

News

As Scooby and Shaggy looked on, “Justice Roberts” then removed his rubber mask to reveal New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — The Supreme Court upheld Obamacare in a 5-4 decision that involved Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. reportedly switching from agreeing with the court’s conservative justices to its liberal wing.

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