In what basically amounts to an endorsement of underachievement, smugness and failure generally, the Norwegian Nobel Committee bestowed the Nobel Peace Prize on someone who couldn’t deserve — or, more correctly, need — it less: President Barack Obama.
Before Friday, Obama had little to show for his presidency, other than low approval ratings.
But failure was exactly what he needed. Presidential egos are invariably oversized, and require quick deflation if the president is to succeed in office. When Obama won the election, his nonchalance and self-congratulatory smirk said it all — I’m the O-bomb.
Time, however, has taken a heavy toll on that ego. In Copenhagen especially, where he learned that novelty and personal celebrity are not enough to win widespread support, President Obama got a much-needed reality check. Finally, Obama was being freed of his delusions of grandeur.
Until this — this joke, this sham! Obama is once again the cock of the international walk. Essentially, he starts afresh, his record of failure forgotten in view of this spectacular success.
There has been much talk of what this prize means. Is it more anti-Bush than it is pro-Obama? (Probably.) What did Obama do to deserve this prize? (Nothing.) Should we be happy for him? (No.)
The chairman of the Nobel committee, Thorbjoern Jagland, can answer at least one of those questions: “We are not awarding the prize for what may happen in the future, but for what he has done in the previous year,” he has been quoted as saying. “We would hope this will enhance what he is trying to do.”
This should appall us. It is not only sheer humbug — Obama has done nothing in the previous year, let alone in any year, to deserve this prize, and most everyone knows it — but it is also blatant political activism. The Nobel committee is here openly supporting Obama’s political agenda, when it should be doing the exact opposite. The winner should be someone of substance, a person who has dedicated his or her life to the advancement of world peace. Obama has spent all of nine months trying (and failing) to make the world a better place, and suddenly he deserves this grandest of honors? I don’t think so. Obama’s political posturing nearly always sounds impressive — who wouldn’t want a “world without nuclear weapons”? — but when it doesn’t translate into results, it becomes empty, and totally unworthy the honor of Nobel Peace Prize.
Also, it cannot go without saying that the Nobel committee would never dream of awarding Obama’s predecessor, President Bush, the prize, even if Iran were to become fully democratized. Such is the committee’s now-obvious political bias.
There are those who will no doubt argue that this wasn’t Obama’s fault. He didn’t choose to win the prize, they will say. In fact, he didn’t even know he was nominated. Therefore, we have no reason to criticize him.
Wrong. Obama could have declined the prize — and how honorable would that have been! He could have said, “Thank you for the honor, but I do not feel at this point that I deserve it. I would hope that in four years, my efforts might then be worthy of so great an accolade.”
Of course, he did no such thing. And yes, it has been done before. Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam refused the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 when it was given to both him and Henry Kissinger. There was, Tho knew, no real peace in Vietnam.
Alas, it is clear Obama does not share Tho’s virtue or humility. (I should mention, however, that Obama plans to donate the prize money to charity, and that counts for something.)
Am I being reflexively anti-Obama in my criticism — what Paul Krugman might call a kind of knee-jerk conservative spite? I don’t think so. I have given this due thought, and no part of me honestly believes Obama needed the Nobel Peace Prize. In the long run, it won’t make much of a difference. If Obama’s policies are good, they will work; if not, they will fail. But even if this whole episode blows over in a few months — as it no doubt will — we are still left with this one eminently regrettable fact: Never again will the Nobel Peace Prize carry with it the same prestige it once did.
What a sad day for peace.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
This is garbage. Find another job, you obviously can’t write.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Whatever people choose to feel about President Obama, you – and many others – have forgotten one thing: The President of the United States – OUR president – has been given this honor. America has been recognized, and one of our own, not someone from Ireland, or India, or Vietnam, but the United States has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Me, regardless of my disagreemens with Mr. Obama – or those of any other of our leadrs – I’m proud that the world has looked, once again, to the United States as worthy of admiration, respect and pride. That doesn’t constitute any criticism of anyone else, but a statement that “The United States is a place that leads towards the peace we all wish.” And if I was anywhere else in this world (and I’ve been on all but one continent to hear such things) I would resent any criticism of an American President being so honored.
So for all of you that disagree with him, that’s good. That’s part of why an American President can earn this while in office: We’re a free country, unlike so many others. But honor the Presidency, and let us honor one of us who has obtained an honor we all can share.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
This article is so heavily biased that it devalues writing in general.
Even if this whole article blows over in in a few months – as it no doubt will- we are still left with this eminently regrettable fact:
Never again will this journalist carry with it the same credibility it once did.
What a sad day for journalism.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
This article is a joke.
Even if this whole article blows over in a few months — as it no doubt will — we are still left with this one eminently regrettable fact: Never again will this journalist carry with it the same prestige it once did.
What a sad day for journalism.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
This is a non-issue. The extent that such issues receive outsize attention from the press and pundit classes reflects not upon the quality of anything in particular (like a president) but rather indicates that our public dialogues and discussions are nonsense. To the extent that this is true, we (ie. our country as a functioning democracy) is nonsense.
The real question is who are these foolish pundits and in whose service do they reduce our democracy with such self-satisfied zeal?
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Sounds like sour grapes to me. The whole world celebrated when Bush left office and this is just part of the celebration. Good luck Mr. Obama, you have one hell-of-a tough job cleaning up after Bush.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Pathetic…indeed.
This kind of B.S. just borders on SEDITION!
You can go to Norway and tell them(the nomination committee),that they are ’stupid’ and you know better…..And the whole world will have a laugh on you…schmuck!
Because the fact is,that no matter what Obama does,you (and likes of you) will employ your”talent” to make it look bad anyway.
You do not have nothing on him other,that you do not like him. And “inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government” is exact definition of SEDITION! And that is, what this kind of activities look like to me.
If I am getting anything out of reading this(and similar),it is a thought,that your kind of people and the activities and attitudes you promote should be looked at really close by FBI and government lawyers.
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
“underachievement, smugness and failure generally”
Wow, buddy what’s with the name-calling? Unfortunately, the American people haven’t heeded your well-intentioned advice; Obama’s approval actually went up over the weekend, after the announcement. Oh well, better luck next time huh?
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October 12th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
A comment comes to mind that was made by a former wife of mine. She said that her class was being given an award for excellence at a school music program. I asked which child was going to be given the award, knowing that either every child should receive an award or none of them should get it, and she told me everyone attending the special presentation would be given an award. Everyone. The children in the program, the other students just watching, teachers, everyone. She said that her brightest and most talented student came close to her and held up his now utterly worthless award and said, “If I’m not good enough to get it by myself, I’m not interested in getting it at all.”
The President was given a worthless award, because the reason he was given the award was not for his success but for his mediocrity or complete lack of anything worth getting an award for.
So when, Mr. President, are you going to give it back? A 5th grade child can see the hypocrisy, can you? Or is it just too precious for you to part with, something to put on your mantel next to your bogus basketball trophies that you can point to and pretend that you actually accomplished something of value.
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October 12th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Is it hard to type when your wearing that white hood? What an idiot!
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October 12th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
I’m quite shocked after reading this self appointed, mean spirited buffoon’s ranting telling us how we are supposed to feel when our President receives such a prestigious award as the Nobel Peace Prize! Are you kidding me? I feel proud that our President has received such an honor! Can’t you see through your own hate (be it political or racial) to be able to focus on the fact that this is an American sitting President that has won for us this great honor? Where is your American pride? Have you ever heard the old adage ‘crabs in a barrel’? If Bush would have won this prize I would have been equally joyful at the prospect of OUR President being honored by this award!
However, being the authority on who should win this prestigious award, it should be a no brainer for you to be the next recipient. We”ll look for your nomination in the news. In the meantime, perhaps you should ask yourself these 3 questions: 1. What have I done to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize or the ability to criticize through hateful rhetoric anyone who’s receives it? 2. Do I still love my country even though its run by a African American? 3. Am I a racist?
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