End-of-year lists are upon us. President Obama has already been named to the world’s “least influential” list by GQ magazine, and is a contender for Time magazine’s 88th annual “Person of the Year” award, where he currently stands at No. 11, behind Pope Francis, Russian President Vladimir Putin and “Ebola doctors and nurses.” Most popular at the moment? The “Ferguson protesters” are in first place in the competition with 10.7 percent of the vote, which ultimately features input from both Time editors and the public, the results to be announced later in the month. “The title is bestowed to those who have, for good or for ill, most influenced the news and our lives in the past year,” the magazine explains.

“The staff at Time magazine is aglow that the Ferguson protesters are now leading their online poll for ‘Person of the Year.’ They oozed that the protests over the grand jury decision this week have captivated international attention,” observes Tim Graham, executive editor of Newsbusters, and one observer who is irked over the way the events in Ferguson and other cities are characterized in news coverage.

“Time is offering the usual benefits in the media’s unofficial ‘rewards for rioters’ program,” he quips. “Burning businesses to the ground is merely ‘unrest.’ “

And while the list of contenders for Time’s influence derby is heavy with world leaders and pop stars, it also contains a few familiar names from politics. The most popular is Sen. Rand Paul known for his “libertarian conservatism,” Time explains, ranked 39th. Texas Gov. Rick Perry is next at 45th, followed by Sen. Ted Cruz and his “fiery brand of uncompromising conservatism” (46), business brothers Charles and David Koch (48) and incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at 49 — who faces “steep challenges in uniting a fractious party,” the magazine advises.

CASSIDY’S IRON-CLAD SUPPORT

Just another post-Thanksgiving Monday with not much to mention? Think again. A power luncheon of note is on the radar in the nation’s capital, this organized by the National Republican Senatorial Committee as a serious fundraiser for Rep. Bill Cassidy and his fight to best Sen. Mary Landrieu in the U.S. Senate runoff in Louisiana on Saturday. There to add some star power: Jeb Bush, Sens. Rob Portman and Roger Walker, Rep. Steve Scalise and Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus. Tickets for this swell affair range all the way up to $25,000 a person.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cassidy himself will be in Baton Rouge for the sole runoff debate with his rival on Monday night — not the most ideal situation for Ms. Landrieu, who was hoping the pair could face off a half dozen times.

She has her own fans, though. On Monday, Hillary Rodham Clinton herself will raise money for the incumbent at a private cocktail event, the tickets priced up to $12,600 a person; Stevie Wonder also appears on Ms. Landrieu’s behalf in New Orleans. In the meantime, political fundraising did not vanish with Election Day on Nov. 4. The aforementioned power lunch is not the only fundraising event to consider this week. There are 19 events in nine states, all with rollicking holiday themes, this according to the Sunlight Foundation, which tracks the parties with much precision.

SO-SO WEEK AT THE WHITE HOUSE

Ups and downs have punctuated President Obama’s job performance in recent days says pollster John Zogby, who offers a weekly White House grade for such things.

“Nuance alert. On one level it is never good when a major Cabinet official — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel — is pushed out over policy differences and is quoted as telling friends that he was ‘frustrated, very frustrated.’ It gets even worse when two obvious replacements don’t want the key job,” Mr. Zogby says.

“Still on the getting worse level, the president issues a plea to demonstrators to eschew violence in Ferguson, Missouri and the violence occurs anyway. Mr. Obama acknowledged how people can be frustrated but it merely reveals that while the racial divide is not worsening it is still very raw indeed. And applications for jobless benefits are higher than expected this week” the pollster continues. “On the flip side, Mr. Obama is in charge. He issued — and plans shortly to issue more — executive orders regulating the environment and food safety.”

And the grade: C

NEW SANDWICHES, POLITICAL FIXINS

It was inevitable. Subway, long the domain of meatball subs and turkey melt sandwiches, gets a boost of sorts for its new vegan fare in the nation’s capital with a little oomph from the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals. The animal rights group is only too happy to send a pair of attractive women clad only in salad to pivotal spots in Washington to promote “delicious faux-meat vegan sandwiches,” the group says.

“On Monday, D.C. residents can try the new sandwiches for free, courtesy of a pair of PETA’s sexy lettuce ladies who will brave the cold in nothing but strategically placed lettuce leaves as they encourage passers-by to turn over a new leaf and go vegan — the best way not only to banish the holiday bloat,” explains Lindsay Rajt, PETA’s associate director of campaigns and one of the lettuce models.

The new menu entries include a vegetable protein “Riblet” sandwich and the Malibu Garden sub, a vegan patty topped with fire-roasted tomato sauce. The ladies will also deliver sandwiches, they say, to the ever-patient D.C. Council.

HYPER CYBER MONDAY

Journalists roll out their inevitable favorite adjectives like “stunning” and “jaw-dropping” when reviewing online deals to be had during Cyber Monday, the hysteria-free cousin of Black Friday. But wait, there is still hysteria to be had; journalists also caution that deals can be temporary, rising and setting like stars in the retail firmament — and that shoppers still need old-fashioned lists to keep their priorities straight. The National Retail Federation predicts 126 million Americans will be manning their devices on Monday seeking whatever bargains they couldn’t find in the previous 48 hours — and hunting the “deal of the hour” on a site simply titled CyberMonday.com The group also notes that online shoppers shelled out $2.2 billion for their finds last year.

Meanwhile, electronics appear to dominate the wish list of those who are browsing their ways to bargains; Business Insider offers the most succinct list of such things. And here they are. Among other things, cyber shoppers are advised to go for these: Motorola’s new MotoX phone for a single penny with a two-year Verizon contract, PlayStation 4 for $450 at Wal-Mart; the Samsung’s 55-inch 4K Ultra for $998, also at Wal-Mart; Samsung’s 7-inch Galaxy Tab 4 at Radio Shack for $150; Windows Asus X-205-TZ laptop for $150 at Staples; Toshiba’s Chromebook laptop for $200 through Sam’s Club, Android Wear’s LG G smart watch for $99 through Google Play Store.

POLL DU JOUR

• 77 percent of Americans plan to purchase at least half of their Christmas and holiday presents online.

• 69 percent say it’s OK to do at least some online shopping while at work.

• 63 percent will treat themselves to a gift.

• 53 percent would like a drone to deliver their holiday gifts for them.

• 50 percent report that at least half the gifts they give this year will be electronics.

• 42 percent would like to receive a tablet; 30 percent will give one.

• 33 percent would like to receive a flat-screen TV; 9 percent will give one.

Source: A C-NET survey of 1,433 U.S. adults conducted throughout November and released Friday.

• Querulous queries, snippy answers to [email protected]

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.