Herman Cain sliced through the surface like a shark’s fin and got everyone’s attention with his bombastic personality and inspiring story of self-made wealth. For a long while, his Republican candidacy became more and more likely as he presented fresh ideas and outperformed his political rivals during the endless number of GOP televised debates. Eventually, he sank to the ocean floor with his Tiger Woods’ like parade of extramarital affairs.
Nonetheless, he was undoubtedly the freshest political figure to emerge in the last four years.
Here are the other top figures of 2011: