President Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

[palemale]

It is a fine pickle. He does deserve credit for bringing people to the table and for trying to start some honest conversation. My objections are that a person of peace doesn't prepare for war and peace at the same time. A person of peace would not look to add more and more troops. A person of peace would stand at the bully pulpit the people elected him to and stand down the rampant hate and ignorance that is brewing. He has a tendency to speak out of both sides of his mouth. He tries to please everyone and in return pleases no one. Good intentions only get you so far, and they have a way of paving the path to hell.

The other two sitting US presidents who won the Nobel Peace Prize were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Both men, obviously, got us into war. However, they received the prize for other reasons.

 

[grantt]

Did you guys listen to Obama speak this morning? I do think he spoke well under the circumstances. Of course, he does have the gift of gab....I wonder if he ever kissed the Blarney Stone in Cork, Ireland. Rhetoric is his thing.

The decision does not dull so much the president as it does the award, in so many people's eyes. All the media seems to be reflecting this premature coronation.

Obama has already said he was going to Stockholm for the award. Does that surprize anyone? Hey, if any of us Jubbers were awarded something big like this, we'd go, too.

 

[slynch15]

We can't seem to hold him accountable for the economy, because he hasn't been on the job long enough yet, but we can confer the Nobel Prize based on "what he is trying to achieve", not what he has actually achieved.

Like I said, it's their award to give. Whatever.

not a good day for you??

 

[slynch15]

I supported Obama during the primaries and of course, during the election, but one must try to maintain some sort of objectivity when it comes to lauding achievement (and especially prizes as distinguished as the Nobel), and one must always make a distinction between supporting the lesser of two evils (Obama vs McCain) and actually giving someone credit for being radically different. Giving Obama significant credit for advancing the peace process -- even without requiring achievement as two posters have suggested here -- is blatantly absurd and completely unearned

I mean:

1. Obama is still using Blackwater.

2. Obama is still pushing a war of absurdity in Afghanistan.

3. Obama in fact increased troops in Afghanistan.

4. Obama stated he was willing to attack Pakistan.

5. Obama supported surgical missile strikes on Iran.

6. Obama actively supported a bill to suppress photographic evidence of Americans systematically torturing and abusing detainees.

7. Obama has in fact implemented aspects of Bush's Iraq Policy.

If this is our definition of "peace" -- yes, even "attempting peace" -- then I don't want to know what our definition of war is.

oh sure he has to undo what took yrs to put in place in such a short time maybe next he can grow money on trees--

 

[White Eagle]

Following is a statement released this morning by the DNC, which pretty much says it all:

"The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists -- the Taliban and Hamas this morning -- in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize," wrote DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse. "Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize -- an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride -- unless of course you are the Republican Party. The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It's no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore - it's an embarrassing label to claim."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obamas-nobel-prize-inspir_n_315167.html

Whatever one thinks about the Nobel committee's decision, and whether or not Prez. Obama deserves it, it hardly seems fair to attack him for what the Nobel committee did.

Thank you for this post. And thank you kallipolis it is wisdom, indeed.
I think by now everybody has seen the Presidents speech this AM at the WH. Now there is no need to be guessing what it is why the Nobel Committee has given him this honor. I am so glad there are so many people on this forum that know better than the committee.
I think it is great and he gave a very humble speech and himself said he is not entitled to it. If you haven't seen the speech, look it up , it is great.

 

[palemale]

Aung San Suu Kyi (you know, people who actually deserved this award) wouldn't even recognize them.

What was it she accomplished? Let's see, she won an election that was stolen from her and then spent almost 20 years under house arrest. Boy, Obama's accomplishments really pale in comparison to hers.

 

[palemale]

How's that Nik2? Enlighten us.

 

[hotatlboi]

Seems kinda premature for this. I mean he's way better than Bush, but I don't consider his accomplishments that stellar at this point.

 

[hotatlboi]

And if anyone thinks this "gold star for effort" they're condescendingly giving him has nothing to do with Not Being Bush, then I have a bridge to sell you.

I think you are right. I mean the reasoning of "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples" seems like just a contrast to Bush.

I don't really think you can say Obama has any international diplomacy accomplishments yet that resulted from "extraordinary effort", but compared to Bush I guess the accomplishments he does have would seem outstanding. Bush did more to drive a wedge between America and the rest of the world than any president in recent history, so just being way much better than that seems worth of note I guess.

 

[Jack Springer]

Well if happy thoughts and inaction wins the Peace Prize I think next year i should get it.

LMAO, very funny Pumpkin

Please don't forget about all the beauty queen candidates that always wish for world peace -- maybe next year will be their year too. You think you could share it with them Pumpkin?

So much talk about nothing. We all have good intentions, I did this morning, I was going to work out -- but didn't follow through -- something more important came up.

Priorities will change as Mr. Obama will find out -- he is and will not be in charge of his own destiny. Ask George Bush what he has planned for September 12, 2001 or Franklin Roosevelt what he had planned for December 8, 1941.

It may not be the change he wants, but it's the change he will have to accept.


PS to Nik2 and Jockboy -- get a room, the sexual tension between you two is driving me crazy.

 

[NickCole]

I am looking for the list to see who else was on it. There were 205 names. I bet out of 205 their was a least one person on that list has has done more and is more deserving.

The full list of nominees won't be made public until 2059.

 

[NickCole]

Yeah and the nominations were do in Feb. How long was he in office when Feb. came around.

I'm curious who submitted the nomination because it would have to have been done before Obama even took office. The nomination submission period closed two weeks after the inauguration but a nomination is not just sending in a name. It involves a nomination package that takes some work to prepare and submit. The groundwork for the nomination came well before the inauguration.

 

[NickCole]

After snubbing the Dali Lama this week, dueling headlines today: "Obama Meets With War Council" and "Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize."

As Tom Lehrer wryly commented in 1973, when the prize was awarded to Henry Kissenger, this makes political satire obsolete.

 

[NickCole]

Everyone is missing the point of why he was awarded in the first place.

I think everybody gets it just fine.

It wasn't for achievements, although the committee has cited a few. Obama recognized this in his acknowledgement speech.

The Nobel Peace Prize was given to Barack Obama for reasons other than his achievement, or lack of achievement. We get that.

 

[palemale]

I first heard this on the car radio driving to get a burger at Wendy's. My first thought was "OMG..... will there be howls of sarcasm & protest coming from JUBBERS about this".

Now, three pages later of comments from the self appointed experts about why he shouldn't have received it I found I was correct. For someone who people are calling the "worst president ever", "undeserving" and everything else in the book, he's doing alright for himself, isn't he!

The Obama haters will have a field day with this, and I'm going to sit back and watch the fun of them making even bigger fools of themselves.

President Barack Obama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize!

God I love it! Congratulations Mr. President!

Amen, Brother. The self-important bloviators on here could really give the Sabbath gas bags and cable wing nuts a run for their money. Forgive me all if I sit this particular circle-jerk out.

 

[NickCole]

BREAKING NEWS!!!

Barack Obama Wins Super Bowl MVP!!!

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Translation:

That's quick, that prize also doesn't mean arse anymore.

A-men.

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Barack Obama seems to be going the way of Elena Ceausescu...

 

[Harke the Boeotarch]

116 recipients and someone thinks because Barack Obama won it destroys its reputation?

That reeks of bias.

The Nobel prize committee lost it's reputation in my eyes when they decorated that terrorist Yasser Arafat.

It's quite possible that Obama doesn't actually want the prize at this point in time, but tries not to let on.

 

[JB3]

I'm not quite sure what to think yet. My initial opinion (and I'm sure its one the President himself shares) is that there are people that are much, much more deserving than him.

Unfortunately, despite their good intention, the Nobel committee has cheapened the award by using it for political reasons instead of recognition of those that have made this world a better place. While it is laudable that they think so highly of Obama's agenda, it doesn't seem that this award is the best way of encouraging him. Its a distraction for him, and will only add fuel to the argument that Obama is all flash and no substance.