2010 Political Awards w/ Daily Beast's Jacobs

Cenk Uygur (host of The Young Turks) filling in for Ed Schultz on MSNBC speaks with Sam Jacobs of The Daily Beast about the 2010 Political Awards.

The Muskie Award

Given to the person whose tears flowed like melting snow.

Winner: John Boehner

The future Republican speaker was given a run for his money by fellow GOP panjandrum Mitch McConnell, Kentucky's senior senator, who got misty-eyed when saying farewell to his departing colleague, Judd Gregg. When it comes to the waterworks, Boehner is a national treasure, a Niagara Falls of tears, who bawled on election night, bawled when TARP passed, and bawls at even the thought of school children. As exhibited in his recent 60 Minutes star turn, the Ohio congressman cries when asked about crying.

The Lazarus Award

Given to the politician who best resurrected his career.

Winner: Harry Reid

The Nevada Democrat was over; his career dead; his reign atop the Senate caput. Sarah Palin visited his hometown to dance on his grave. But somehow Reid eked out an unlikely win, unleashing scores of sweet-science metaphors about the former boxer delivering a knockout in the final round. In the runner-up category: Nancy Pelosi—for leading her troops to a ghastly loss on Nov. 2 and then deciding to trade in her speaker's gavel for the minority leader's office.

The Paul Hogan Award

Given to the Australian who most captured the American imagination.

Winner: Julian Assange

Not since Crocodile Dundee graced our movie screens has a man from down under turned our world so upside down. The WikiLeaks boss was on the run for most of the year while his websites dropped batches of confidential diplomatic and military information on the world. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates may have brushed Assange off as no big deal, but many of his fans and critics believed him to be the most influential person of the year.

The Reverse Roosevelt Award

Given to the person who spoke the loudest but carried the smallest stick.

Winner: James Jones

The canned national security adviser turned Chatty Cathy for Bob Woodward's chronicle of the White House war-machine. According to The Daily Beast's Richard Wolffe, Jones never found a way to influence White House policy but seemed to have much to say to reporters like Woodward.

The Elmo Award

Given to the most noteworthy tickler.

Winner: Eric Massa

Former New York Democratic Rep. Eric Massa ended up in hot water this spring when allegations emerged that he behaved inappropriately with male staffers. Massa went on Glenn Beck's show to defend himself, chalking the whole thing up to a big misunderstanding. "Now they're saying I groped a male staffer. Yeah, I did," Massa said. "Not that I groped him; I tickled him until he couldn't breathe, then four guys jumped on top of me." Massa said the tickle fight broke out in honor of his 50th birthday.