Top Newsmakers of 2012 and an insightful look ahead to 2013

From reality television stars like Honey Boo Boo to sports sensations like Jeremy Lin, 2012 was a year that kept many people fascinated and glued to their TVs. CNN Contributors Ana Navarro and Hilary Rosen weigh in on some of the top newsmakers of 2012 as well as their predictions of who will make news in 2013.

Rosen who is also a democratic strategist says one of the most silent and yet sensational stories of the year revolved around “campaign geeks taking over politics.” She adds, “election analytics are really so important to why Barack Obama won. You know that hidden group of guys that they hired and women that spent a year behind their laptops in campaign headquarters in Chicago made the difference showing where to pull out the vote.”

Republican strategist Ana Navarro agrees with Rosen, “I told my republican counterparts we need more geeks, we need less nerds and more geeks and there’s a difference between the two.” Navarro says that for her Malala Yousafzai is her top pick because she “really has shown such perseverance.” Navarro goes on to say that Yousafzai gives her hope as a woman and “is such an example for young girls all over the world.”