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Nobel Peace Gift shows once again it is meaningless

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by jdclyde

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

[i]"The stunning choice made Obama the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline."[/i]

Two weeks into his term and he had already made the list. Either there is no one in the world worthy of this honor so they just looked for someone to gift it with, or it is no honor at all.

134 replies

by jamesrl

Despite 4 nominations.

I would hope that Obama someday actually does something to earn a peace prize, but even the biggest optimist would have to admit all he has time to do at this point is talk, and if the prize goes to intentions instead of actions, then millions of people would get it.

James

by 1bn0

Just what kind of accomplishment do you think merits this Nobel prize?

by jdclyde

then it would be the American people that voted for him that should get the award, not Obama.

by dmambo

Assuming that 60 million of us voted for him, then I want my $0.02 share of the prize.

by delbertpgh

then the American people who elected Bush, twice, should get the Nobel Screw-Up-The-World prize.

I'm still ticked off about that.

by Member 25348569

What has he done? OK, he's not George Bush, Arch Warmonger but he's done nothing but talk so far.

On top of the one for that cretin Al Gore, I have to really wonder what goes on in the minds of the Nobel Committee. Other than showing themselves up as racist and condescending in giving him the prize just for being there.

Neil :)

Oh noes! I'm agreeing with JD on a matter that relates to US politics. I'll just check...

Nope, the sky is still there.

It must be that HE is agreeing with ME. Phew. Getting a bit worried there.

by forum surfer

The nomination was made back in February? Obama had only hopes and dreams of what he could accomplish at that point.

neilb and jd dream of world peace and a brighter future for our children, why can't you guys be nominated?

I don't know. It seems to me that his winning the nobel peace prize due to noble intentions is similar to giving an employee a raise because he plans to further his degree. You wouldn't put your wagon in front of the horse, would you?

by charliespencer

that 100 days wasn't enough time to expect results, that it was too early to criticize him. I stand by that, so by extension two weeks isn't enough time to nominate someone for a Peace Prize. However, it's not his fault that the prize committee has been drinking the Kool-Aid at double-strength in 55-gallon servings. I encourage the committee to consider not awarding this particular prize in years when there is no deserving winner.

I haven't read all the other posts yet. Has anyone tripped over any conspiracy theories claiming Obama really went to Europe two weeks ago not to pitch Chicago for the Olympics, but to actually meet with the Nobel prize committee? That's why his speech was so ineffective; he was distracted by his pending award.

Alternate tin-foil theory: he's receiving the award for intentionally sacrificing Chicago's bid so another country could host the games.

by delbertpgh

Seems like the Nobel committee spent the last eight years waiting to exhale, and awarded the prize based on a Hope poster. I'd suggest they wait until he's actually done something.

Obama could dignify the prize by declining it. This is ridiculous.

by forum surfer

[b][u]"and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. "[/u][/b]

http://nobelprize.org/alfred_nobel/will/short_testamente.html

Obama, like him or not had only [i]hoped[/i] to accomplish these things. Particularly if you factor in the time-line of the nomination. This honor should be bestowed upon someone who actually accomplished something, not awarded to someone with good intentions.

by dmambo

it's awarded by a private committee which receives its funding from a private endowment. What could be more libertarian than that? All it's costing the Nobel committee is its own money and its own credibility, so there's no need to worry about it.

by jdclyde

And I don't believe for a second that Obama has either the honor or integrity to turn down the award.

by jamesrl

The world was bereft of worthy nominees when the committee met. I can't honestly think of who I would nominate for advancing the cause of peace in the last year.

James

by maecuff

He could graciously accept the award. He didn't nominate himself. He didn't vote for himself. He is just getting the award.

Say he turns it down, because he's not deserving. He would get ripped to shreds. People would see that as an admittance that he has no confidence in himself or what he is trying to accomplish. That action would be viewed as tasteless. Low class..whatever.

He's in a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation.

IMHO, graciously accepting the award would be his best course of action.

by maxwell edison

http://nobelprize.org/nomination/peace/process.html

God created the heavens and the earth in only six days, so between January 20th and February, Obama had plenty of time to bring peace to the world.

I'm actually not surprised. It was a foregone conclusion that Obama would win the NPP. The only thing that surprises me is the year - I would have thought that they would have waited a couple of years AND until the next election cycle. Oh, silly me - that's the year he's slated to win the SECOND one. (You heard it here first.)

To say it's a joke is the epitome of an understatement. For some reason, I actually feel embarrassed - for whom or what, I'm not quite sure.

by jdclyde

Clearly for Gore and Obama to both get it, while neither has [b]accomplished[/b] anything of global value in their lives, someone is paying for them to get their "awards"?

by dahak ii

I'm sure that like many other supposedly unbiased awards and functions, this one has become politicized and tainted via back-room, closed-door and paid-for deals. You know, the ol'boys network.

by nicknielsen

This precedent does not trickle over into the science prizes. I can just imagine a grad student receiving the Physics or Chemistry prizes based on their "potential."

by jck

I suppose Obama's work after winning the election:

- to work with the Bush Administration to get up to speed so that he could hit the ground running
- the fact that he took steps to ensure that America would no longer be seen as a "bully" because of the Bush Administration's bold move of international unilateralism
- the fact that he began reaching out to Muslim leaders in ways that Bush was too proud to do

had nothing to do with warranting his nomination?

Fact is, Obama turned the stance of America's ideology left after the Bush Administration of "we won't talk to terrorists" meaning we wouldn't talk to Muslim leaders who didn't do what we wished, to "opening dialogues with the leaders of Muslim countries" meaning talking with them to try and persuade them that their turning a blind-eye to terrorism by their radical Muslim bretheren was wrong.

I guess you have to be a bull-headed stubborn egotist to warrant any praise from you, rather than being a rational and persuasive thinking person.

Your bias still amazes me. You would rather pawn Obama off as unworthy, rather than congratulate him.

Go figure.

by forum surfer

Let alone the fact that the talks occurred after his nomination.

Do arab nations look at us differently? Do extremist groups hate us less? Are we still in a bitter war within Iraq's borders? Has the situation in Afghanistan gotten any better or have we in fact increased our military presence there?

I understand and respect Obama has talked a noble game with foreign relations. Exactly what did he accomplish though? We're still the big, bad bully on the Muslim block. The talks have accomplished nothing [i]yet[/i]. Maybe one day he will actually accomplish these lofty goals, and I hope and pray he does. That would be wonderful. Then he would deserve the prize, after he accomplishes something.

by jck

[i]Do arab nations look at us differently? [/i]

Actually, yes they do. They see us as more cooperative and willing to listen than when Bush was in office.

Go read the English version of things like the Al Jazeera website to see what the leaders of Muslim-based countries have said in regards to Bush and Obama.

[i]Do extremist groups hate us less? [/i]

No. But, that will never happen. Extremists thrive on the hate and conflict that their inbred sense of their own beliefs often derive from.

[i]Are we still in a bitter war within Iraq's borders? [/i]

Bitter war? Actually, no. We are now in a defensive posture and preparing to begin the rollout that will remove our troops out of the country totally.

[i]Has the situation in Afghanistan gotten any better or have we in fact increased our military presence there?[/i]

Actually, it got worse. But, that was already happening during the Bush administration. The Taliban have already said they have nothing against the west. They oppose any other nation coming into their country and telling them what to do, how to act, and who to elect. They want their independence. However retarded or misaligned their actions are, they simply do want independence.

As for troop increases, those are about to happen.

[i]I understand and respect Obama has talked a noble game with foreign relations. Exactly what did he accomplish though? We're still the big, bad bully on the Muslim block. The talks have accomplished nothing yet. Maybe one day he will actually accomplish these lofty goals, and I hope and pray he does. That would be wonderful. Then he would deserve the prize, after he accomplishes something.[/i]

Actually, we're not considered the "big, bad bully" by most Islamic countries anymore. Only with a select few and with the extremist groups are we held to still be that.

Obama has opened dialogues with the leaders of several Islamic countries. He even extended a hand out to the leader of Iran to talk things over.

As for deserving it, I am not sure who else would have for pure, total results in bringing peace. More violence and trauma has spurted up in the past year as much as any other.

Maybe someone who brokered peace between two warring African tribes deserved it more?

Who knows.

by jdclyde

The gift he receives specifically states it is suppose to be based upon achievements.

I suppose (if you decide to be honest for a change) that the BUSH administration had more to do with the hand-off than anything. After all, look at the transition from YOUR party did when Bush took office. No, I do not expect that, because as you have admitted before, you are not here for honest discussion.

by jck

Read my post in reply to Palmetto

https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=102&threadID=318789&messageID=3179818

BTW, please show me the reference on the Nobel Prize site where it specifically states the prize is only awarded for "achievements".

I dare you. They awarded it to Gorbachev in 1990 for "efforts". Not results. Not achievements.

You're full of crap on that assertion, jdclyde.

[i]I suppose (if you decide to be honest for a change) that the BUSH administration had more to do with the hand-off than anything. After all, look at the transition from YOUR party did when Bush took office. No, I do not expect that, because as you have admitted before, you are not here for honest discussion.[/i]

Actually, Obama was the one who pursued being involved within a month after being elected. That was well-documented in the press.

As for the "YOUR party" comment: I have been a registered Republican since 1988. Just because I don't hop, skip and jump like a fancied school girl to the party line like you do doesn't mean I am not Republican.

It just means I'm not a mindless lemming who can think for himself.

BTW, I tried honest discussion with you. It didn't work. You speel drivel on here like some kind of hack-attempt at being another Rush Limbaugh.

Your antics and extremist attitude toward a man who has done nothing but try and improve America's image in the wake of 8 years of the previous administration fall short of nothing but bias, ridicule, senselessness, and absurdity.

You can't even be happy for the man because you are so fixed on the fact that he isn't some brazen, arrogant fool who acts like some Teddy Roosevelt wanna-be.

He won an international award for his efforts to bring peace between nations, resolution to nuclear issues, and ending the suffering caused by economic hardship felt the world over.

Did you ever see Bush acclaimed for that?

Take a step back and be a man and be happy that YOUR leader has been recognized as having done the most for the world...rather than acting like a Rush-wanna-be.

by charliespencer

If an orderly transition between administrations was a criteria, why hasn't the prize been awarded to every previous new president? That's not Nobel prize worthy, that's part of the frickin' job.

He's taken steps to improve our image internationally; that doesn't mean our image is any better. I think it's still way to early too tell.

He's reached out to Muslim leaders, but so far that reaching out hasn't accomplished anything. Carter got his prize for getting a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, not for calling them up and suggesting lunch. Talking to people doesn't automatically you've reached useful agreements with them; ask any labor negotiator.

I've defended the man here a time or two, but it's way too early to be awarding him a prize that normally given for years or even a lifetime of work. Obama has done nothing yet to deserve mention in the same breath as Mother Teresa or Ghandi or Mandela. Even my die-hard lifelong Democratic wife, when she heard the news, responded "Whatever for?"

by jck

[i]If an orderly transition between administrations was a criteria, why hasn't the prize been awarded to every previous new president? That's not Nobel prize worthy, that's part of the frickin' job.[/i]

I don't think, if you go back and look, you will find that most presidents were as aggressive and put forth the effort to get involved so quickly as Obama did.

That includes Clinton.

[i]He's taken steps to improve our image internationally; that doesn't mean our image is any better. I think it's still way to early too tell.[/i]

I beg to differ:

[b]A recent Pew Research Center survey found that more than three-quarters of respondents in Britain, Germany, France and Spain approve of Obama's foreign policy.[/b]

- cnn.com

He has improved our image.

[i]He's reached out to Muslim leaders, but so far that reaching out hasn't accomplished anything. Carter got his prize for getting a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, not for calling them up and suggesting lunch. Talking to people doesn't automatically you've reached useful agreements with them; ask any labor negotiator.[/i]

Actually, Obama has George Mitchell over there right now trying to broker a real peace deal between Israel and Palestine.

As for Carter, he got no Peace Prize while in office for doing that treaty. He didn't get it until 2 decades later.

[i]I've defended the man here a time or two, but it's way too early to be awarding him a prize that normally given for years or even a lifetime of work. Obama has done nothing yet to deserve mention in the same breath as Mother Teresa or Ghandi or Mandela. Even my die-hard lifelong Democratic wife, when she heard the news, responded "Whatever for?"[/i]

I haven't backed everything the man has done. However, there are people here (jdclyde) who would lambaste Obama for anything he has done, and give praise to someone like Bush who really did nothing more than bring down the image we carry with everyone around the world.

And I think you said it best when you said "normally" it is given for a lifetime of achievement.

Obama has done many things to try and bring peace to the world. Of course, what can you expect after 8 months of being in office? Total world peace?

- He cancelled the Bush plan to put a missle defense shield in Eastern Europe that really served no purpose and was causing unnecessary tensions with Russia and other former Soviet republics.

- He has pushed further and harder (via diplomatic channels) to get nuclear programs reigned in that are reported to be making weapons-grade product.

- He has offered open dialogues with countries (such as Iran) that the Bush administration never attempted diligently.

As for this being premature, in 1990 they did the same thing for Mikhail Gorbachev for his (at that time) efforts to open the Soviet Union to the world.

What do other Nobel winners think?

[b]"I think it is extraordinary. It will be even greater inspiration for the world. He has shown how we can probably come together, work together in a cooperative way."[/b]

- Wangari Muta Maathai, Kenyan environmentalist and 2004 Peace Prize Laureate

[b]"I could not think of anybody who is more deserving."[/b]

- Mohamed El Baradei, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and 2005 Peace Prize Laureate for his efforts to prevent nuclear energy being used for military means

And besides, you'll notice jdclyde took no stake in the fact that Obama felt undeserving of winning it in light of who the past recipients were.

[b]Obama said he did not feel he deserved "to be in the company" of past Peace Prize winners, but would accept the prize while pushing for a broad range of international objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation, a reversal of the global economic downturn and a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.[/b]

- cnn.com

I don't know if anyone has proliferated peace anywhere in the world to a significant extent. Maybe someone brokered a deal between two tribes somewhere or something?

But of all the people who had the power to do so and did the most with it, I would think Obama qualifies highly if not at the top.

by puppybreath

that every contestant in a beauty pagent who wishes for world peace should now be considered for the prize.

The nomination list is going to become huge if they start basing their nominations on what people might accomplish in the future rather than what they've already accomplished.

by dmambo

I've gone 16 years preventing my kids from killing each other. The most recent example was keeping my oldest from scratching her sister's eyes out over a pair of Converse sneakers.

Hey, I did a future restore of eyesight to the blind!!! I'm like a prophylactic Jesus!!!

by jck

If I get a ballot, I'll nominate you! :)

I'll never get it. I'm too impatient with those who can't see that every year you can't have a Ghandi or Mother Teresa.

by jck

They're [b]scholarship[/b] pageants. ;)

mmm...i love the academics of a lovely bathing suit. :^0

by nicknielsen

in analyzing the complex curves of the [u]contents[/u] of those lovely bathing suits...mathematically, of course! B-)

by jmgarvin

I think this was a political choice rather than the correct one.

Nobel is rolling in his grave (now with dynamite!)

by jck

[b]"Due to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, lists of nominations are held for 50 years, so the official list of the Nobel Peace Prize Nominees for 2009 will not be available until at least 2059."[/b]

There's no way to really know who was nominated, accepted, put on the short list, etc.

by charliespencer

I can't hold him responsible for this. Apparently there's a clause in the committee rules that requires a randomly awarded 'WTF' prize periodically.

by older mycroft

Somewhat of a stunning award that was quite capable of taking your breath away.

I'm not finding any breathless quality in this latest award.

Like many other instances in the modern world that we are all stuck with, if anyone from 100 years ago could see us now ...

by jck

Of course, last year's winner was awarded it for mainly mediating talks.

He had gained no result at the time, but won anyway.

I suppose the prize has gone downhill since the 60s.

by delbertpgh

I couldn't believe how successful South Africa was in transitioning from apartheid to black majority rule, without violence or economic collapse. I was sure the place would run the course of Rhodesia, except with a socialist flavor. I'm still amazed. DeKlerk also got South Africa to dump its atomic weapons program; they had six fully-functional bombs already assembled.

I also admire the accomplishment of George C. Marshall. I don't know much of anyone else who got the prize. I think it's usually given to warm-hearted people who dedicate their lives to grand but ineffective gestures. I believe that the state of peace would not be greatly influenced if most of these prize winners had never been born.

Except for Mandela and Marshall, my favorite winner is the guy who got the prize in 1914, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1966, 1967, and 1972: "Not Awarded."

by puppybreath

Barack Obama was awarded the Heisman trophy today after it was verified that he watched college football over the weekend.

by jck

And, Bush is being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for reading "See Spot Run" last week.

by charliespencer

If he'd convinced the NCAA to institute a playoff system, I'd agree he deserved a Nobel, a Heisman, a MacArthur grant, the Palm D'or, and a genuine Marvel No-Prize signed by Stan Lee himself.

by jck

Me too!

I'd like to determine the area under the curves using a little integration. ]:)

by nicknielsen

:^0

I'm on site in the middle of a tape drive swap that had to wait until the pharmacy closed. THAT made my night! :^0 :^0 :^0

by charliespencer

I enjoy determining the stress load on the fabric, especially where stretched tightly over curved or mounded surfaces.

by jck

The whole world laughs at us because of him, yet some people have the "what does it matter what they think of us?" attitude.

At least, until it comes time for national diplomacy and the G-nations won't take us seriously.

Obama is out there doing and going and has things moving, and not at his personal home in Chicago 30% of his first year.

Some presidents work for a living. :^0

by jdclyde

Once the people that are viewing based upon their biases are not running the show, it will be interesting to see how the last few presidents will hold up to the test of time.

by av .

Premature? Maybe, maybe not. Obama sure is a breath of fresh air after GWB. He has turned around world opinion of the US. Still, the NPP? Even he doesn't think he deserves it.

I think they gave it to him to influence his future decisions.

AV

by jdclyde

but the majority seems to think it is unethical to accept something you and everyone else know you didn't earn, nor deserve. He even said as much himself.

This whole thing reflects more poorly on the award and the people that have hijacked it than it does for Obama not having the integrity to not accept a handout he is not deserving of.

by Member 25348569

As I usually do.

You would shaft him if he accepts it and also if he doesn't. What would make you happy in this particular instance? How [b]should[/b] he play it for you?

Personally, I think he should accept it gracefully, give the money to charity (although YOU would probably not approve of his choice of charity) and state that he didn't think he deserved but would try to be worthy of it. That should satisfy anyone.

Neil :)

Except you, I reckon!

by jck

[i]Personally, I think he should accept it gracefully, give the money to charity (although YOU would probably not approve of his choice of charity) and state that he didn't think he deserved but would try to be worthy of it. That should satisfy anyone.[/i]

Guess what he did?

[b]President Barack Obama said he doesn't feel he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, but will accept the award as a "call to action." [/b]

and

[b]According to a White House spokesman, Mr. Obama will donate the $1.4 million prize to charity. [/b]

- CBS News/Associate Press, October 9, 2009

I agree with you and Mae...and Obama.

by maecuff

The majority of all humans think that Obama shouldn't accept the Nobel Peace Prize? Since this isn't an American award, we really do need to include all of them.

Again, Obama didn't ask for this award, accepting the award says nothing about his integrity. Nothing. What I have been taught and what I teach my children is to be gracious. If someone gives me something, whether I deserve it or not, it is gracious to accept and say thank you. Because when someone GIVES you something, it's not always about whether you deserve it. Sometimes you accept a gift because someone wants to give you one.

And..

hand?out (hndout)
n.
1. Food, clothing, or money given to the needy.
2. A folder or leaflet circulated free of charge.
3. A sheet or sheets of paper containing topical information, distributed to people attending a speech, lecture, or meeting.
4. A prepared news or publicity release.

The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish and Norwegian: Nobels fredspris) is the name of one of five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize should be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".

There is a world of difference between 'handout' and 'Nobel Peace Prize'.

by jdclyde

"have done the most or the best work".

By last Feb, he had done nothing, and still has accomplished nothing.

The panel even had to do a back peddle on the guide for awarding, giving him the first place award before he even starts the race.

Again, it is the award and the people that are handing it away that are the disgrace of the day.

I have not seen a single poll anywhere that thought Obama should have got the award, nor that he should have kept the award.

Congrats to Obama for winning the "Not Bush" award.

by jdclyde

Sheila: It seems that everything's gone wrong
Since Canada came along

Everyone: Blame Canada, Blame Canada

Copy Guy: They're not even a real country anyway.......

by jackofalltech

Dick Cheney's daughter made a great comment. She said President Obama should not go himself, but send the wife of a wounded or killed American soldier to accept the prize FOR AMERICA and, in a speach, remind the committee that they owe their freedom and peace to the US.

by gregrocker

It reminds me of when the same right wing baboons tried to derail Obama by pretending to support Hillary in the Dem primaries. One morning on CSPAN, twelve calls in a row spewed talk radio nonsense about Obama, many adding what "Shock, Shock" they felt at being called racists. And every single one sounded like Gomer Pyle! This is the kind of clueless self-unawareness you'd expect of pasty 700 pound men who haven't even seen their manhood in 30 years.

by puppybreath

thoughtful, concise post by a typical California liberal. So how are those IOU's from the state working for you?

by jdclyde

Yeah, everyone that voted for Hillary is a fat redneck male?

Then again, there are many on this board that DID support her (I am not one of them). Are they ALL fat redneck males?

by maecuff

All Hillary supporters are fat, redneck males in the same way all Obama supporters are dishonest hypocrites.

Let's take a look at the word hypocrite for just a minute. In a previous 'let's bash the sh*t out of Obama' thread, you called all Obama supporters dishonest hypocrites. And now, you are making a point about ALL redneck males being Hillary supporters.

See, that doesn't work, does it? If you make a blanket statement that lumps an entire group of people together, then it's probably not a good idea to point it out when someone else does the same. Because other people will remember that and call you out on it.

by jamesrl

Blame smalltown rednecks from upstate Michgan,
Blame smalltown rednecks from upstate Michigan

Guess it doesn't scan as well.

James

by maecuff

Just because my husband and AV agree on the intention doesn't mean that is what actually happened. (No offense, AV). :)

by jck

[i]"Alfred Nobel wrote that the prize should go to the person who has contributed most to the development of peace in the previous year," Jagland said. "Who has done more for that than Barack Obama?"[/i]

- Thorbjoern Jagland, Nobel Peace Prize Committee Chairman, from an Associated Press Report, October 12, 2009

I guess you know more about the intent of Alfred Nobel than the chair of the committee though, right?

As for what Obama did?

[i]Jagland singled out Obama's efforts to heal the divide between the West and the Muslim world and scale down a Bush-era proposal for an anti-missile shield in Europe.[/i]

-same Associated Press report, October 12, 2009

by av .

To me, thats not enough for the NPP unless you have other motives.

AV

by jck

[i]Jagland said that was never an issue for the Nobel committee, which followed the guidelines set forth by Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite who established the prize in his 1895 will.

"Alfred Nobel wrote that the prize should go to the person who has contributed most to the development of peace in the previous year," Jagland said.

"Who has done more for that than Barack Obama?"[/i]

If it's about a person who brings about peace, rather than directly instituting it, then Obama was a valid candidate.

Besides, have you noticed how tensions with Russia are way down since we took down that Russian missle shield Bush wanted to setup?

Russia is playing a lot more nice now, and all Obama had to do was disband the project.

So, Obama has done something to bring about a more peaceful world.

by dmambo

Since he was nominated and awarded it during the course of his employment by the federal government, I think he should turn the money over to the US Treasury.

by jck

Maybe Rush will come out and say he shoulda bought 100,000 "dittohead" coffee mugs so he could more afford to buy the St. Louis Rams?

Or, maybe Richard Steele will come out and blab some more about Obama being undeserving and shameful for accepting it...like he's some sort of enigma of selflessness and virtue.

I get sick of the idiots on the extreme, both left and right, who will trash someone for winning something deservedly...or defending someone who truly did nothing.

The Nobel Committee has spoken on what the intent of the prize was from the originator, Alfred Nobel, and why they gave it to Obama under those terms.

Anyways. You were right to me. Others opinions may differ.

by jamesrl

Thought there is a little bit of payback there.

But just when we got through edumacating the whole durned Congress that no 9/11 terrorists came through Canada, then we get a new President, and now a new head of Homeland Security who says what (guesses? anyone?)? Do you think some passing acquaintence with the file would be good for the nominees for such a position?

So "Blame Canada" may be a silly South Park song but it also resonates.

I don't mind taking the blame for things we are responsible, but this making stuff up is getting old.

James

by puppybreath

We just had some major changes to the liquor laws here. You don't even have to join a "club" to drink any more. :-)

by jdclyde

Canada is being thrown under the bus about that to draw attention away from the Mexican border, short and sweet.

There are more Mexicans that will magically become Democrats (again) than Canadians, so you will just have to get over it while our new, more outwardly looking president, trashes you.

by gibsontb

The biggest mistake anyone can make is to think the president iss anythingmore then a figurehead. The second is to believe that their ar etow side fighting each other, when in fact their investments are in the same companies. An article was written last year sating that a senators average retrun is over 400% in his investments. Do you think either side cares about anythign but money and power?

by jck

Blind trusts are a crock. So they can't sell or buy investments? Whoop-tee-do.

They still vote on legislation that benefits their investment holdings, and that directly earns them dividends.

Like Bill Frist, R-TN, who was house speaker. His family held the controlling majority of United Healthcare stock. His family started the firm. He puts $100Ms of stock into a blind trust, then votes on legislation that gives his stock higher value through tax breaks, programs, and incentives.

Pretty F-ing pitiful of America to let the elite gain office and rape its citizenry.

by jck

First of all:

The Nobel Peace Prize Panel did not back peddle. 4 of the 5 spoke in defense of why they voted for him, the 5th declined comment.

All their quotes are available via the Associated Press website. Look for yourself.

Second:

I quoted for you the other day how the prize is awarded. Evidently you have not read that or choose to simple disregard anything other than what you want to believe as untruth.

Here [b]again[/b] for you is the Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize panel stating how the prize is awarded:

[i]Jagland said that was never an issue for the Nobel committee, which followed the guidelines set forth by Alfred Nobel, the Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite who established the prize in his 1895 will.

"Alfred Nobel wrote that the prize should go to the person who has contributed most to the development of peace in the previous year," Jagland said.

"Who has done more for that than Barack Obama?"[/i]

- The Associated Press, October 13, 2009

BTW, I have seen a poll that unanimously said Obama should have gotten it.

5 out of 5 Nobel Peace Prize panelists said it unanimously.

And, thanks for finally complimenting Obama by calling him "Not Bush".

People around the world like the fact he isn't Bush as well.

by jck

Get it right. Obama didn't trash anyone.

Who said it? Janet Napolitano.

You don't like anyone blaming Bush for what his people did and said.

So don't be a hypocrite and do it to Obama.

Practice what you preach.

by charliespencer

Don't Nobel prizes come with a cash award somewhere in the area of $1.4 million this year? Or is the Peace Prize exempt from the payoff?

I'll bet the USO could do a lot for our troops with that.

by charliespencer

I guess any plans to help with the Chicago Olympics has to be rewritten! Good college money for the girls though. :D

Seriously, has he announced which charity? I really think the USO would be a great choice. Deployed troops benefit and he picks up a huge chunk of political capital.