President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

[SB Shock]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/ap_on_re_eu/eu_nobel_peace

Evidently the peace price is less about actual substance but is more about "moods" and their own future expectations of what they want from Obama.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate.

[Maggie]

Re: President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/...eu_nobel_peace

Evidently the peace price is less about actual substance but is more about "moods" and their own future expectations of what they want from Obama.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate.

Yes...evidently.

This whole prize will actually be seen as absurd by a lot of people — here and abroad. Even by people who would someday like Barack Obama to win it. It is just too obvious this is way too soon and way too precatory. It may even have the effect of diminishing the currency of the award. I think most people regardless of their ideological leanings recognize this fact.

Look, I'm all for Americans winning international prizes, and especially the Nobel Peace Prize. I was also quite confident that Obama would win one as president, but I certainly didn't think he would win one so soon. One of the good things about the Nobel, especially in science and literature, but also the Peace Prize, is that they are about achievement, not promise. Even when the awards have been extremely problematic the recipients have done something, for good or for ill. Handing President Obama the prize this early strikes me as a cheapening of the award. If I were President Obama, I'd want to win such a prize in my fourth year (or preferably in a second term), rather than in my first.

Politically and practically, the Nobel committee actually did him no favor. If President Obama needs anything now, it is a sense of modesty, a willingness to tack and accept half a loaf, and diminish his grandiosity. His self-worship has created real problems for him and this will only feed into it. His vanity is his Achilles heel. If I were advising him I would tell the President to politely decline the award. I think such an act, heartfelt or not, would help his image. Besides, they will probably give it to him anyway down the road.

[rZ]

What gets me is that the nomination deadline was two weeks after he was sworn in as President. What did he do on the international scene in those two weeks to warrant such an award?

[RoyalShock]

It must have been all that work he did to clean up the streets of Chicago as a community organizer.

:roll:

[pogo]

I agree that an award such as this should be based on what most people would call "a body of work".

[martymoose]

I love all the sour grapes! Can't get enough of it!!!!

[SubGod22]

I love all the sour grapes! Can't get enough of it!!!!

I love how you always play the sour grapes card... :roll:

He'd been in office 12 days by the deadline for nomination and hadn't done anything but talk. He still hasn't done anything but talk. How does one win an award like this by doing nothing?

If you can come up with a good explaination I'd be shocked

[Maggie]

What gets me is that the nomination deadline was two weeks after he was sworn in as President. What did he do on the international scene in those two weeks to warrant such an award?

I didn't even realize the ten-day part. Wow. That is interesting. Odd.

Hmmm…I don’t think the Obama Administration needs people to be asking “for what” right now or saying “come on, really”, especially after that SNL skit. The fact is there is a weird cult of personality surrounding Obama – and frankly only the young and the really unhinged bought into it last year. The problem, if he accepts the prize, is it does feed into the perception that many in Obama’s circle are “out of touch”, i.e. their apparent enormous faith in the power of President Obama as a messenger and presence, the sense that the world would change its attitude about America simply because he was there (and that would result in real tangible progress), the endless stream of first person pronouns in his speeches, etc. This challenges, in my judgment, President Obama and his circle to assure the country that they are not delusional.

It is a dangerous thing for a president to become a joke, and between his Olympic Committee trip and this peculiar honor, he’s getting there fast, and in a way that could do him real harm. And by extension the Country real harm.

As an aside, if he accepts do you think that is any chance Kanye West could be persuaded to attend the ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize. Talk about a time for him to step up. ;-)

Now that I think about it that is exactly the right approach to take: mockery. The decision is not simply a mistake; it’s also a joke. Washington Post’s liberal columnist, Richard Cohen:

Palin, Vaughn, Rabinowitz Win Awards

[ISASO]

I love all the sour grapes! Can't get enough of it!!!!

But Moose, answer the question. Don't just make a worthless, irrelevent comment. Give a real argument if you can. Make your case with facts and evidence.

What did he actually accomplish in 10-11 days that was worthy of winning the award?

If you have to go before a judge someday and when it comes time for you to present your side of the case just tell the judge you have no facts with which to defend yourself and that the whole case is sour grapes on the part of the plaintiff. See how that works for ya.

[WuDrWu]

Re: President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Look, I'm all for Americans winning international prizes, and especially the Nobel Peace.

Politically and practically, the Nobel committee actually did him no favor. If President Obama needs anything now, it is a sense of modesty, a willingness to tack and accept half a loaf, and diminish his grandiosity. His self-worship has created real problems for him and this will only feed into it. His vanity is his Achilles heel. If I were advising him I would tell the President to politely decline the award. I think such an act, heartfelt or not, would help his image. Besides, they will probably give it to him anyway down the road.

True and brilliant. President Obama is one of those rare persons that could do something like decline the award and come out better for it. His popularity is that strong, regardless of what he has or has not accomplished thus far.

[ISASO]

The last US President to win the award was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. He ended WWI and created the League of Nations.

Moose, those are called accomplishments, something tangible - not just words, not just speeches.

[Maggie]

The last US President to win the award was Woodrow Wilson in 1919.

Actually, I believe the last US President to win the Nobel Peace Prize was Jimmy Carter in, I think, 2002 - give or take.

[ISASO]

Clarification, the last sitting President was Woodrow Wilson.

Interesting note: Ronald Reagan never won it.

The award should be re-named "Norway's Favorite Socialist of the Year".

[Maggie]

Interesting note: Ronald Reagan never won it.

Gorbachev did instead – who was a brave albeit flawed guy – he earned the recognition.

But you are correct, heaven forbid the committee award the Nobel Prize to Ronald Reagan who even Russian liberals admit did more than any other person, including Gorbachev, to end the Cold War and liberate half of Europe. Go figure.

[ISASO]

8 years versus 10-12 days. Gorby and Ronnie reversed 30 years of fear and extreme danger, Obama did ___________ ? in 10-12 days.