Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been selected as winner of the 2009 Sitting Duck Award, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists announced Friday.

The award is given annually to the person who provides the best material for columnists facing deadlines. Palin, who became a national political figure overnight last year when Sen. John McCain selected her as his running mate, beat out former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"Being a prominent jerk or cretin is often a thankless job," said the society's current president, Samantha Bennett of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is our way of saying thanks for the low-hanging fruit."

Last year's winner was former President Bill Clinton, while the most recent woman to receive the honor was right-wing pundit Ann Coulter in 2006.