While Krugman is certainly biased, he deserved his Nobel. Greg Mankiw, a top econ adviser to Bush and possibly a future receipient himself, agreed Krugman was worthy and claimed there was no evidence that the economic Nobel has been politicized . He won the John Bates Clark award for best economist under 40 well before he was known for his politics.

He deserves his place on this list. But he also deserves his Nobel.