Betting on the come: Mr. Obama’s Nobel Prize
R.J. Matson/Post-Dispatch
Stud poker players are familiar with the tactic known as “betting on the come” — holding three or four cards with good potential, but only if cards to come turn the hand into a winner.
Betting on the come is precisely what the Nobel Peace Prize committee did in naming President Barack Obama as this year’s Peace Prize laureate. Mr. Obama is a world leader of great potential, but there are a lot of cards yet to be played.
Mr. Obama, 11 days short of nine months into his presidency, now has been named to a pantheon that includes the likes of Mother Teresa, Norman Borlaug, George C. Marshall and Andrei Sakharov.
To be sure, the Nobel Peace Prize is not always a lifetime achievement award. Martin Luther King Jr. was only 35 when he was awarded 1964 prize, but he already had ignited a movement. West Germany’s normalization of relations with the Soviet bloc had only begun when Chancellor Willy Brandt was awarded the 1971 prize.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland, chair of the five-member committee that considered nominations that closed 11 days after Mr. Obama’s inauguration, explained that the prize sometimes is awarded as a kind of carrot.
“The committee wants to not only endorse but contribute to enhancing that kind of international policy and attitude which [Obama] stands for,” said Mr. Jagland said at a Friday news conference.
By that measure, the committee’s decision is entirely appropriate. Mr. Obama, in speeches in Germany during the campaign and in Prague and Cairo as president, has worked hard to change the face America shows the world.
He may have clinched the Nobel in Prague in April when he said the challenges facing the world “demand that we listen to one another and work together; that we focus on our common interests, not on occasional differences; and that we reaffirm our shared values, which are stronger than any force that could drive us apart. That is the work that we must carry on.”
The Prague speech focused on controlling nuclear proliferation. His speech in Cairo focused on repairing U.S. relations with the Islamic world. He has sought to make the United States a leader in addressing global climate change.
Sadly, there is far more consensus in Europe on these critical global issues than there is in the United States. Among European nations, Norway’s politics are the most consensus-driven; it is no surprise that the five Norwegian politicians on the Peace Prize committee rewarded Mr. Obama’s repudiation of the unilateralist policies of his predecessor.
That an American president — any American president — would win the Nobel Peace Prize should be cause for celebration at home. Tragically, our nation is now so polarized that many Americans — including some who should know better — are whining about it. Republican National Chairman Michael Steele said, “It is unfortunate that the president’s star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights.”
But on CNN, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Mr. Obama’s rival in last year’s presidential election, had a better perspective: “I think Americans are always pleased when their president is recognized by something on this order,” adding, “I think part of [the committee’s] decision-making was expectations. And I’m sure the president understands that he now has even more to live up to.”
How contorted, how insipid.
Like Al Gore (funny, not mentioned here), Obama was rewarded by European Socialists for being a vocal champion of U.S. adoption of leftist policies, particularly the international global warming…er, climate change tax scam. It’s got nothing to do with achievements and everything to do with leading “the fight” to persuade the “world community” that it too is entitled to a share of your wallet.
Our little America monster Gremlins are just never going to cease their little pathetic attempts to tire their President down.
I don’t think anyone on the left is characterizing this as a “well deserved” award. Certainly, the President has a great deal of potential and it is a shame that our politics have come down to one side “wins” only if the other side “loses.” The bottom line is that it is a nice recognition from abroad but it now it is time for deeds, not words.
For the editorial board to say this was an appropriate action shows just how deep the bias runs in our society. Anyone with one shred of common sense can see that this is a ridiculous action.
He has not done anything to deserve this. To say he deserved the prize because of his speeches is ridiculous. Remember that the tone of these speeches was “America is bad. We are sorry”. If that is what he got the prize for, then I am completely insulted.
America is good. We are the best nation on the planet. Where else can you go in the world to start a life of freedom and opportunity?
This award will be a nice joke for years to come. The only way he’ll shut the people up on this one is if he actually lives up to his campaign rhetoric. Good luck with that Mr. O.
Michael Steele’s statement was a valid one and you, the editorial board, claim HE is whining?
Yes, the Nobel Peace Prize should be cause for celebration at home. And it would be if it were’nt so glaringly political.
I feel bad for President Obama. I think he got into office by making a lot of promises that he soon discovered were not as black and white as he thought. I think he is under tremendous pressure and this arrogant attempt by the prize committee to manipulate him is only going to make matters worse.
The same people who criticized Obama when he lost his plea to the Olympic Committee …are the same people who criticize Obama for winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
If he turned water into wine some people would complain they wanted Zinfidel.
To Garrison,
You give them too much credit for taste, more likely they’d crave Thunderbird, Night Train, or MD 20/20.
Stolen from someone…..
“President Barack Obama won the Heisman Trophy on Friday, in a surprise pick from New York’s Downtown Athletic Club that cited the president’s creation of a “new climate in college football” and his work on establishing a playoff system.
Though Mr. Obama has been president for just 37 weeks and technically never played college football, the Heisman voters praised him for giving the world hope for a better post-season and encouraging the need for change.
….he is also expected to win the Stanley Cup, be crowned Miss America and gain the Triple Crown — by several lengths in each race.
…In related news, obama has been nominated for:
* Pulitzer
* The Cy Young award
* Oscar
* Grammy
* Golden Globe “
However…the ultimate college cheer went to George W. Bush.
(Comment: Not stolen from someone).
American’s are happy for their President’s when he is legitimatley awarded an honorable prize. However, we all know this was nothing more than European liberals showing their approval of the left’s victory in America last November, and more conspicuously showing their continued hatred of George Bush. Furthermore, when a President’s ego is so inflated adding a prize like this only creates more skepticism of a President, who thus far is unaccomplished.
The PD editorialist, left wingers, and fawning media members might not like that, but it’s the truth.