Newsweek's Eleanor Clift Finds 'Worst Lie' of 2010 Is 'Obama's Policies Didn't Work'

The McLaughlin Group is still an easy place to identify Newsweek as a liberal rag. Over the weekend, Newsweek's Eleanor Clift offered several liberal howlers as the Group handed out year-end honors and dishonors. On "Worst Lie," Clift insisted: "The worst lie, that Obama’s policies didn’t work -- the recovery plan, the car, the auto-car bailout, and TARP, which began under President Bush – all worked quite well."

Then, when the category was "Person of the Year," Clift unfurled a Worst Lie, that conservatives love Bill Clinton: "President Clinton. He’s the man of the moment, was most in demand on the campaign trail. He’s now strategizing with President Obama on how to move forward with the divided Congress. And he’s a philanthropist around the world. And Democrats love him, even the liberals who had their problems with him when he was in the White House. Everyone loves Bill Clinton. Even conservatives do."

Clift had strong opinions about the female candidates of 2010. For Worst Politician, she declared: "Worst Politician, I'm happy to say it’s one of yours, Martha Angle, who ran against Harry Reid.” Monica Crowley corrected her, and Clift replied: “Whatever, Sharron Angle, my bad. With two Rs. And ran against Harry Reid and Harry Reid was given up for dead and she made it possible for him to win his race. Thank you, Sharron!”

Under the tag Biggest Loser, Pat Buchanan said simply "liberalism" as a new era of austerity kicks in. Clift replied: "Once they start downsizing, watch liberalism come back. The Biggest Losers I have are on the capitalism side and those are the three Republican CEO candidates – Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, and Linda McMahon -- who spent upwards of $200 million, and lost each of their respective races."

For Turncoat of the Year, Clift raved: "I interpret Turncoat as a positive thing and I give it to Lisa Murkowski, who left the Republican Party, ran as a write-in candidate. She stood up to the Tea Party, and lived to tell the tale."

Bummest rap? Clift said: "That the Islamic Cultural Center in New York is a terrorist threat. Bum rap." (Columnist Clarence Page agreed.)

Under Defining Moment of the Year, Pat Buchanan said the BP oil spill was "Obama's Katrina." Clift replied, "Oh, I don't think it was anywhere near the Katrina level of destruction. Defining moment. The passage of health care. This year, universal health care, it is the president's biggest accomplishment, and it is also put the biggest target on his back, but it will survive."

Under the category of Most Stagnant Thinker, Pat Buchanan said it was the Democrats whining about tax cuts for the rich. Clift shot back: "About 70 percent of the public is caterwauling right along with the Democrats. Stagnant thinker: Sen. John McCain and his opposition to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. Even his wife and his daughter have parted with him on that one."

Clift did cite Sen.-elect Marco Rubio as the Biggest Winner, and chose Sarah Palin as Most Charismatic -- but she also chose Palin in the Enough Already! category for the reality shows for both mother and daughter Bristol.