It’s a privilege and an honor to nominate Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, Key Bedfellow of the Bush administration, Defender of the Faith, Most Valued Ally in the Global War on Terror, and Asshole Incarnate.

He has to have made the single most offensive public statement by a public figure in 2005 when he said:

“You must understand the environment in Pakistan. (Rape) has become a money-making concern (for the victims). A lot of people say if you want to go abroad and get a visa for Canada or citizenship and be a millionaire, get yourself raped.”

And just so we can appreciate this astounding statement in its full glory, let me stress that it was not an unguarded statement which accidentally came on the public record because a microphone happened to be on when he thought it was off. This was a considered, on-the-record statement made during an interview with the Washington Post on September 13. (A recorded interview. That didn’t stop Musharraf from later trying to deny having said it.)

Like I said, a privilege and an honor.

And this is a guy whose hand George Bush cheerfully shakes in public. This is almost our best friend in the whole wide world right now.