Wow! That is all I could say this morning reading that President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. To say that the award feels a bit premature is an understatement. Do they have a category for most likely to succeed or something because it seems as if they awarded him presumptively. President Obama has engaged in far ranging diplomatic efforts with the Muslim world, in an effort to rid the world of nuclear weapons, and in trying to work through the UN an other multinational diplomatic channels. BUT, he hasn’t actually accomplished any of the things he has talked about yet. It is almost as if this award is an effort by the committee to help Obama’s efforts at diplomacy.
Stunned, utterly stunned…. This is more shocking than the first flash forward on Lost or the line drive to end the game that hit Matt Holliday in the gut last night or the thought of the Redskins scoring 30 points in a game. Did the Nobel Prize Committee just jump the shark?
In comparison to all the awards for scientific and literary and economic achievement this award just makes little sense. And this is coming from someone who is at least somewhat a fan of Obama’s foreign policy (let’s not get started today on domestic issues). Does Obama have to share the prize money with former President Bush? Without his history of foreign policy faux pauxs there is no way Obama wins this award. It should be a joint award at least.
Please somebody shed some light on this one for me.
Good article here from the Washington Post. I agree with the ideas that the awarding of this to Obama so early in his presidency may just add more pressure to already sky expectations of his ability to bring world wide change.
October 9, 2009 at 8:12 am
On Monday I had Progresso Italian meatball soup for lunch. On Tuesday I had roast beef on rye for lunch. On Wednesday I had left over chicken lunch. On Thursday I had an egg salad sandwich for lunch. On Friday Barack Obama won the Nobel prize.
That’s just about how significant this award is.
October 9, 2009 at 9:16 am
Did Gretchen hand out “A”s to students who simply promised to try really hard during first two weeks of the school year back in Denver? Since when is simply having “potential” more laudable than the results of actual effort?
October 9, 2009 at 9:42 am
Such snarkiness is really unbecoming of Christ-followers. Americans should be pleased that our leader is seen in this light. Matt. 5:9
October 9, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Jeff,
Thanks for stopping by the blog. I am certainly not intending to sound snarky just amazed and confused. I am glad that the rest of the world has a positive vibe for our president and wants to engage with his ideas. I just have no idea how that gets you such a significant distinction.
October 9, 2009 at 11:18 am
Seeing how Obama was nominated, at the latest, only 11 days into his term, it does seem quite ridiculous.
To me, it is kind of like giving the peace prize to Neville Chamberlain…even before his meeting with, and attempted appeasement of, Herr Hitler.
Liberals live in an “Alice in Wonderland” like world in which things are redefined to fit their skewed view of reality. They prefer appeasement and disarmament, regardless of realities and historical outcomes (and they especially love when America is talked poorly of and apologized for). In their world, symbolism trumps substance (like wearing a red AIDS ribbon as a statement that you care, but don’t do anything else) and intentions are superior to action. So…When someone comes along speaking their rhetoric (even though that rhetoric and actions have ticked off allies like England, Poland, Israel, etc.), they don’t need to wait (they can’t wait) for the outcome of the intentions and rhetoric, they are already able to make conclusions (but we see how it worked out for the naive Neville Chamberlain).
October 9, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Is snarky a real word?
Liberals aren’t the only ones living in an “Alice in Wonderland” world. Have you looked around the church lately?
October 9, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Perhaps the Academy (not that they have much cred, mind you) should now award the Oscar based upon how awesome an individual film’s trailer is rather than the finished product? If only all movies ended up being as cool as initially advertised…’course I have always been a sucker for flashy editing.
October 9, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Liberals aren’t the only ones living in an “Alice in Wonderland” world. Have you looked around the church lately?
I have. And…you are right.
October 9, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Okay, I found snarky on urban dictionary. I like it. I think I have been snarky or tending toward snarkiness a time or two or 10,000.
LOTS of what Christ-followers do is unbecoming…just look at yourself each day in light of God. There is lots of room for becoming and God is pleased to do what he does best if we’ll go along with it. Search us, Lord!
October 10, 2009 at 9:05 am
I coach youth soccer. I think I deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for that.
In honesty, the aware is way too early and continues the Nobel tradition of awarding the peace prize to people who are against Bush policies. I saw a statistic that three or four of the last six were anti-Bush in some way. But, Obama has to win the award on his own merit, and I don’t think he has. Has he made some effort on the international front? Sure. But, the other side of the equation is has he brought anyone along on the international front? It’s just too early.
As to the same, it is way too early to consider Obama for a peace prize.