Not even a year into his presidency and Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize. He didn’t even need to make a documentary. And it will look good between his two Grammys.
There will most certainly be both many praises and many criticisms floating about regarding the bestowal of this honor upon the young American President, but I really must say that my first reaction was overwhelming joy. Why? I simply believe that while standing up for what he believes America needs, President Obama still retains a considerable amount of respect from the rest of the world (or at least from those who vote for the Nobel Prize).
Once again, I am working from the assumption that two-way communication with the rest of the world is a positive thing. From my view I would say that President Obama is not bowing down to the demands of the ‘enemies‘ of America (part of the reason for his winning of the Nobel Prize is the fact that he has really amped up calls for nuclear disarmament and human rights).
Still, while I am filled with joy, I wonder how the President of the United States could have won this award after only being President for roughly eight months (let me also add that the nomination proceedings for the Nobel Prize took place before he had even been in office for one full month). [But let’s not also forget that one need not be a President to be awarded a Nobel Prize, i.e. he could have received it (in theory) even if he had not won the election.] And in the back of my head is the thought that perhaps President Obama simply looks so much more attractive to the rest of the world in contrast to the administration that he followed…
Either way, I hope that people won’t get nasty about this award: Obama didn’t ask for it. This is meant to be a gift from the Norwegian Nobel Committee to someone who has contributed significantly to the cause of peace. I think it would be difficult to defend the belief that President Obama has yet to actually impact the global political climate/landscape. Even North Korea is changing its tune (for now).
Whether or not the world is unanimous in approval of President Obama’s receipt of this award, we can all agree that a world where peace flourishes is a good goal; may we hope and pray that President Obama would continually make decisions that point the way (in as much as one man can) to that goal.
- Another disappointing day.
Lost in the Cloud 
Love the picture of Hilary.
I won’t get testy, because as Paul Mirengoff says, “…these days the Nobel Peace Prize impresses those in the know to about the same degree as a positive column by Tom Friedman.”
Not that I’m “in the know”, but there are very highly suspect winners from the past that seem to greatly diminish the award in my eyes. But I think you’re absolutely right that anyone getting in a huff needs to acknowledge that he was not lobbying for this award, and maybe didn’t even know he was up for it. Can’t blame someone for an award others give them.
Mark,
Perhaps sometimes being “in the know” is a matter of lacking an international perspective (i.e. other countries don’t always share the negative [or positive] sentiments that you – a conservative libertarian American – would).
If you watch his address I think that you will find that he has most definitely responded with grace and his words are probably just what the Nobel Peace Committee desired for this prize: to be wind in the sails of reconciliation, nuclear disarmament, and a general shift in the global political landscape.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Building-a-World-that-Gives-Life-to-the-Promise-of-Our-Founding-Documents/
I’m beginning to think that Mr. Obama may actually be the antichrist after all…I mean, what’s next? Will the Romish church make him POPE? Will Paul McCartney invite him to become a member of a re-united Beatles?
J/K Elijah…while I don’t always see eye to eye with the president I helped elect, I do think he is a great leader (while perhaps overly ambitious & idealistic in his goals). On the other hand, I would give so much to see a glimpse into an alternate universe where John McCain won the 2008 election (first ideas…he’d probably have died from the stress of the economy/wars and we’d be invading Iran right now under Commander-In-Chief Palin–I can just see her commandeering a high-powered rifle from some helicopter gunner and picking off a fleeing Iranian soldier).
Greg, don’t you know that the recession would have immediately ended, and with heavy-hand Palin second-in-command that North Korea and Iran would have forfeited all their nuclear plans and adopted democracy? Did you not watch any of the debates?
That’s true…we all know how good Palin would be at sweet talking foreign heads of state!
“We LOVE YOU!”
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24589707-5006301,00.html