Humbled
Barack Obama awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Washington Post has a good story about it here.
The Washington Post reported that the Nobel committee bestowed the honor on Obama for changing the climate of international politics. From the story:
The committee — made up of luminaries selected by the Norwegian government — noted a profound shift in U.S. policy and said Obama had “created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play.”
Criticism of the award came fast and furious:
But Hagit Ofran, of Israel’s dovish Peace Now movement, credited Obama for pushing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to endorse creation of a Palestinian state and consider settlement curbs. “He is being respected for his belief and determination to get things going,” she said. “It is not peace and it is not enough, but his rhetoric did change many things.”
A spokeswoman for the European Commission told reporters in Brussels that the award “is an encouragement for engagement by all those who can contribute to bring about a safer world.”
Obama’s work toward nuclear disarmament was cited by the committee as a contributing factor in awarding the prize. From a Wall Street Journal blog:
Agot Valle, a Norwegian politician and member of the five-person Nobel committee that chose this year’s winner, said the choice of President Barack Obama was primarily related his stance on nuclear disarmament.
“There is a criticism about the war in Afghanistan, and I understand that,” said Valle in a telephone interview. “But this was primarily an award on his work on and commitment to nuclear disarmament – and his dialogue. Of course there will be criticism, because he hasn’t achieved his goals yet. It will take time, but this is a support.”
On learning of the award, Wired magazine asks “How’s that ‘no nukes’ pledge going?”
A blogger at the Detroit Free Press, in a city that could use some peace, was incredulous.
What do you think?
Jamie Riley is the P-D letters editor and gatekeeper of the letters blog. Before joining the editorial page in May 2005, she was a reporter and page designer. Jamie lives in University City with her husband, Charles, daughter, Elise, and the world's best Jack Russell terrier, Logan, better known as Stinky. 
Too bad for the right. Now he’s no longer just a community organizer who happened to get lucky and become president. Now he’s a Nobel Award winner. What will the right do now?
He was selected after two weeks in office. I copied this from a posting by Tommy De Seno and have checked the facts and they seem to be correct. EJ, you must be proud that someone can win the Nobel Peace Prize by doing nothing. “His work and commitment to nuclear disarmament..” He did NO work on this when he was selected.
“Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. Over the last decade the only requirement to win the prize was that the nominee had to be critical of George W. Bush (see Al Gore, Mohamed El Baradei and Jimmy Carter).
President Obama has broken new ground here. Nominations for potential winners of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ended on February 1. The president took office only 12 days earlier on January 20.
Let’s take a look at the president’s first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize:
January 20: Sworn in as president. Went to a parade. Partied.
January 21: Asked bureaucrats to re-write guidelines for information requests. Held an “open house” party at the White House.
January 22: Signed Executive Orders: Executive Branch workers to take ethics pledge; re-affirmed Army Field Manual techniques for interrogations; expressed desire to close Gitmo (how’s that working out?)
January 23: Ordered the release of federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries. Lunch with Joe Biden; met with Tim Geithner.
January 24: Budget meeting with economic team.
January 25: Skipped church.
January 26: Gave speech about jobs and energy. Met with Hillary Clinton. Attended Geithner’s swearing in ceremony.
January 27: Met with Republicans. Spoke at a clock tower in Ohio.
January 28: Economic meetings in the morning, met with Defense secretary in the afternoon.
January 29: Signed Ledbetter Bill overturning Supreme Court decision on lawsuits over wages. Party in the State Room. Met with Biden.
January 30: Met economic advisers. Gave speech on Middle Class Working Families Task Force. Met with senior enlisted military officials.
January 31: Took the day off.
February 1: Skipped church. Threw a Super Bowl party.
So there you have it. The short path to the Nobel Peace Prize: Party, go to meetings, skip church, release federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries, party some more.”
Keep drinking the Koolaid EJ. The right will continue to question why our troops are dying while Obama is jetting off to receive the award for doing nothing.
Dear World,
I promise to devote my life to ending war, hunger, pollution, and hatred. I plan to give speeches, starting with this one, to talk about how I will do those things in the future. Can I go ahead and get my Peace Prize now, or will I have to wait till I’ve accomplished several years of work on all this stuff like everyone else?
Thank you,
Give me a break. Do they award medals to people that say they are going to win the Olympics or people that ACTUALLY win? Does the Lombardi tropy go to the team that says they are going to win or the ACTUAL winner?
Does the Pulitzer go to someone that ACTUALLY writes or someone that says they are going to write?
I have to hand it to Obama. He is a master at convincing people he’s great when his accomplishments thus far haven’t proven a thing.
Dear Jason F,
Good news! We recently ended the accomplishment requirement so the waiting period is no longer necessary. Your application is currently under review and we will make our decision shortly.
Thank you,
I wonder what Bill and Hill think about this? This is so appropos. The man who did nothing to be president now wins the Noble Peace Prize. Yes, Obama has definately been the best thing that ever happened to the GOP. I rest my case.
But have you heard this too is George W. Bush’s fault? Yeah, the world hated us so much while he was president, that Obama deserves this award because everyone just loves us now. I hope he takes the time to thank President Bush. Funny how President Reagan didn’t get this.
More and more things in common with Jimmy Carter every day. Lets hope that trend continues with a one term Presidency. By the way who sits on The Nobel committee besides Agot Valle? Mahmound Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-IL, Hugo Chavez, and Vladimir Putin?
Go MO Red… Oh, quit with the argument that Reagan brought down the wall. There were a multitude of factors at play — not just Reagan.
Carter won one of these two. Add another dud President to the list of winners.
Moedog - I couldn’t have said that better myself.
EJR- Well, at least it was more than what Nobama has done.