Last week Crikey asked its readers for nominations for the Crikey Readers’ Awards 2008. You can vote now, just follow the link.

Of course, not every nomination  makes our final voting cut. Here are a few … some made the finals, some didn’t … for teh coveted Person of the Year category, that stood out for the quality of the supporting comments.

Alexander Downer: For making it so easy to seem in-touch

Annabel Crabb: For throwing a humorous light on what is otherwise a stupid and pointless political scene in Australia. And being hot.

Barack Obama: No explanation necessary. However given the giddy heights he’s at, should be a shoo-in for an arsehat next year.

Barack Obama: Suave, elegant and sexy as hell.

Barack Obama: Because he has made it possible for me to stop pretending I’m Canadian.

Barack Obama: For managing to become US President even though his initials are “BO”.

Belinda Neal: For doing her bit to improve customer service in the vital tourism sector of the Australian economy.

Bill Henson: For giving us something to talk about at the water cooler.

Brendan Nelson: He filled the graveyard shift — the 12 months immediately following an election loss and change of government — with style. Like taking a day-long trip with a truckie. Like hanging out with Sydney’s homeless. I really feel for the poor fella. I liked ya Dr Nelson!

Bruce Guthrie: For witty parting comments after being sacked.

Carla Bruni: Will Australia ever accept a guitar-strumming-singing-ex-model-femme-fatal-who-looks-glamorous-in-flat-shoes as first lady? Only in France, I fear.

Cate Blanchett: She’s not a politician, she has no real impact on the policy/direction of Australia, but she’s pretty cool. And smarter than Kevin Rudd.

Chris Mitchell of The Australian: His wonderful commitment to family. Refined sensibilities and careful, intelligent judgement. His superb leadership of Australia’s premier organ. His astonishingly sure hand in guiding the PM on matters of state. Impeccable dress sense. Charming manner. The complete package, all round Australian to admire.

David Hicks’ old man: for persevering beyond despair.

First Dog on the Moon: For repeated and consistent awesomeness.

Gordon Ramsay: For a brief, f-cking moment, he was the f-cking saviour of Channel Nine.

John Daley: For living down to the media’s expectations.

John Howard: For copping it on the chin in 2007 and not whinging (like many of those he’s beaten have — Crean, Beazely, and that nutter Latham) in 2008.

Ken Henry: For lifelong public service to wombats.

Kevin Rudd’s cat: It’s f-cking obvious.

Kim Carr: Sheer genius.

Major Michael Mori: Not an Australian, but a damn good Yankee who stood by an Australian to receive his day in court when many others turned away.

Michelle Obama: For pissing off Germaine Greer.

Nicole Kidman: For keeping the ubiquitous and smuggly nauseating Cate Blanchett out of the news in the latter half of 2008.

People with disabilities: I am not going to nominate one person, rather I am nominating a whole group of people, people with disabilities for putting up with over 12 years of being cast aside as not important, being cast aside in the carer debate, being forgotten in the pension increase until pressure was applied to government, and for generally just putting up with the rubbish that life dishes out, when all we are is people just like you and everyone else, but we have a disability on top of that. WE ARE HEROES!!

Po: The Kung Fu Panda.

Ross Garnaut: The man’s got balls. Too bad our government is more interested in pandering to big business than saving the planet for my children…

Tony Abbott: For his humility in dealing with Aboriginal affairs.

Wayne Swan: For being the most understated and apparently laid-back dude in the global financial meltdown. Just like he didn’t own any shares and had bought $US at parity.

Have you voted in the Crikey Readers’ Awards 2008? If not, VOTE NOW!