In order to be a successful politician, a person has to exhibit several specific qualities: charisma, poise, a certain degree of shamelessness. Since a politician won’t be elected unless she knows how to sell herself, it also helps to have a healthy amount of self-esteem. But some politicians take self-regard to a whole new level—and now, writer Darren Garnick has conducted a semi-scientific study that reveals which elected officials can rightfully be named the vainest of them all.

Larry King has been on a roll lately. Between confirming David Paterson’s blindness to calling Johnny Weir “fierce” and getting Toyota President Akio Toyoda to admit his fears of not being considered compassionate enough, Larry King Live has made for some must-see TV. Yesterday was no exception, with DNC Chair Tim Kaine and RNC Chair Michael Steele meeting for the first time in quite a while after circling each other on the cable news rounds for months to discuss the health care reform, Jim Bunning’s pseudo-filibuster and business as usual in Washington.

Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning has kept the Senate on its toes for days with his (technically not a) filibuster to prevent extending benefits for approximately 1.2 million unemployed U.S. citizens. In addition to keeping the Senate on stand-still, Bunning has spent the last several days yelling at reporters and hiding in elevators. But now Bunning has agreed to end the filibuster, on several conditions.

Thanks to Senator Jim Bunning the nation is becoming acquainted with the ins and outs of the dark side of the filibuster. This despite the fact that what Bunning is doing is not technically a filibuster. Nevertheless! Bunning, thanks to a general ignorance of the term filibuster, is giving filibustering a bad name!

The subject of Republican obstructionism came up at yesterday’s White House briefing, as Helen Thomas asked Robert Gibbs to explain why the GOP, along with a small minority of Democrats, oppose everything the administration tries to do. Gibbs shied away from criticizing conservadems, but when asked if he could shame elevator cop Jim Bunning, Gibbs said “I’m trying as best I can!”

Senator Jim Bunning (R-Ky), coiner of awesome new GOP slogans, pulled a pretty weak move this morning when he fled for the elevators to avoid talking to ABC News cameras. According to Jonathan Karl and producer Z. Byron Wolf, Bunning also flipped them the bird before the cameras were rolling.

Still, I like to believe that what unites us is greater than what divides us. To that end, I’d like to point out that, at least when it comes to fleeing reporters, Congress has managed some bipartisan action.

Just in case there was any remaining question about Senator Jim Bunning‘s status as cranky old man, we submit the following video evidence. Some background: last week Bunning made some news by blocking Senate action needed to prevent an estimated 1.2 million American workers from prematurely losing their unemployment benefits next month. He then complained when his own tactic caused him to miss a basketball game. When pressed by reporters seeking comment, the Senator from Kentucky became a bit unhinged.

At today’s White House briefing, the subject of Senator Jim Bunning‘s obstruction of an extension of unemployment and COBRA benefits came up several times. Bunning held up the bill despite the fact that his own leadership doesn’t support his objection, and when a Democratic Senator implored him to drop it, replied “Tough shit.”