The Reliable Source 2008 Year in Review

The Reliable Source Person of the Year: The 7-Year-Old

Sasha Obama, far right, with family at Democratic convention.
(Jae C. Hong/AP)

Years from now-- when they're vying to become senator from New York or something -- we may feel differently, but in 2008 everyone could agree on Sasha Obama and Piper Palin: Adorable. Couldn't keep our eyes off them.

Piper Palin with John McCain at the Republican convention (Melina Mara)

Runners-up: Tony Williams sprinted down K Street in pursuit of a thief who handed over the goods when he recognized the hero: "You used to be the mayor!". . . Jenna Bush, you had a heck of a wedding -- but you were Person of the Year in '07.

*********************************************************************

R. Kelly (Jive Records)

Most Unlikely Sightings of 2008 Hey, isn't that .... R. Kelly at the Columbia Cheesecake Factory?.... Marion Barry singing "Stormy Weather" at a Capitol Hill dive bar?.... J.Lo quietly visiting Barack Obama's Senate office?.... Barbra Streisand smooching President Bush on the cheek at the Kennedy Center Honors?

*********************************************************************

Susan Gailey, the unforgettable Ourisman Chevrolet Girl of the '70s and '80s TV ads. (D.C. Public Library)

Comebacks of the Year

You thought we were going to say Britney?

Patrick Fitzgerald: Our Very Special Prosecutor reemerged to take down some Illinois big fish in bleeping hilarious style.

Susan Gailey: The Ourisman Chevolet Girl emerged from years in the shadows to stand by her daughter, the victim in the sensational 1977 Roman Polanski statutory rape case and subject of a new documentary.

Ann Gillespie: "Beverly Hills 90210" star left showbiz to minister at Alexandria's Christ Church, returned to play the drunk mom again in the new series spinoff.

Marlene Cooke: Jack Kent Cooke's flamboyant widow, D.C.'s gossip superstar of the '90s, is back -- tanned, rested and ready to retake Washington by storm.

*********************************************************************

Bill Richardson (AP)

The Year in Men's Grooming

Bill Richardson grew a beard, but shaved it to become Commerce secretary. Joe Biden seemed to do... something to his face; wearing off now? Moustaches took over D.C. for the first time since the 1970s -- Eric Holder, David Axelrod, Henry Waxman

*********************************************************************

Quotable
Two gorgeous, quirky egomaniacs had so much to teach us about love this year.

Gilbert Arenas (Jonathan Newton)

Gilbert Arenas, sidelined Wizards star, engaged to Laura Govan, mom of his two kids:

"You hear people say you can't choose between children, but hey, people got their favorite children. Don't lie. Everybody got their favorite."

Carla Bruni (Gerard Cerles/Reuters)

Carla Bruni, supermodel and chanteuse, shocked the world with her whirlwind marriage to French President Nicolas Sarkozy:

"I was seduced by his physique, his charm and his intelligence. He has five or six brains, which are remarkably irrigated."

*********************************************************************

Scout O'Malley (Courtesy of Gov. Martin O'Malley)

Have you seen. . .?

Chris Hitchens smoking -- the infamous bon vivant gave up the habit cold turkey this year.

*********************************************************************

Eliot Spitzer (Mike Groll/AP)

Accounting Errors

Franklin Raines' $4.9 million luxury bachelor pad at the Ritz-Carlton (bought shortly after he settled a civil lawsuit with the feds over cooked books at Fannie Mae).

*********************************************************************

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Cooley (Tanner Cooley)

Love in '08

Sure, there was the Christie Brinkley's divorce, Anne Hathaway's split with the Italian conman, the deeply spiritual flirtation of Madonna and A-Rod. But also....

Happily ever after: Rep. Linda Sanchez (the first pregnant unwed congresswoman) and fiance, Jim Sullivan; former Rep. Harold Ford married fashion exec Emily Threlkeld; Redskin Chris Cooley wed ex-cheerleader Christy Oglevee; CNN's John King, who converted to Judaism before his hush-hush beach wedding to Dana Bash -- fortunately, the video popped up on the web!

Domesticated: "Washingtonienne" sex blogger Jessica Cutler wed NYC lawyer Charles Rubio; femme fatale CBS war correspondent Lara Logan settled down with defense contractor Joe Burkett.

Secret Couples: Decades late, we learned about Barbara Walters and Sen. Ed Brooke; also the Katharine Graham-Warren Buffett affair. It's always the prim and proper ones .....