Huckleberries Online

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Posted by DFO

Oct. 9, 2009 8:20 a.m. • 67 comments

Item: President Obama wins Nobel Peace prize/Associated Press

More Info: President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism. Many observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline and has yet to yield concrete achievements in peacemaking.

Question: Has Obama done enough this early in his presidency to deserve the Nobel Peace Prize?

67 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Phaedrus on October 09 at 8:28 a.m.
was the popping noise i heard earlier this morning hmosuite’s head exploding? actually, i am stunned by this news, but i’ll enjoy the bleatings of beck, limbaugh, hannity and the rest of the ‘vast right-wing conspiracy’ — pure entertainment. ;-)
hmoffsuite on October 09 at 8:33 a.m.
It is a joke. An absolute joke. Not only has Obama accomplished nothing while in office, the nomination closing date for this years winner was 12 days after Obama took office. This diminishes the significance of the peace prize even further. It lost its luster when Jimmy Carter and Al Gore became winners but this is the ultimate. The award has made a mockerly of the Nobel Peace Prize. Maybe Barbra Streisand will win it next year for her song entitled ‘People’.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6867711.ece#
Me on October 09 at 8:33 a.m.
This puts immense pressure on the President to follow through, after winning this based on what he might do. In my opinion it will be very difficult to live up to.
Phaedrus on October 09 at 8:36 a.m.
Good points, Me. Mr. Suite, how’s your blood pressure? ;-)
hmoffsuite on October 09 at 8:38 a.m.
Phaedrus. I am popping blood pressure pills as if they were M&Ms. Thanks for asking. :~)
toadman on October 09 at 8:41 a.m.
;-)

It made me laugh, when I heard this news this morning. Seems the Nobel Peace Award people had a premature…well.. heh.. it’s ok.. it happens to all societies every now and then.. now they can just cuddle for a while.

;-)

Still, if there is ANYTHING we can still blame George W. Bush for, it is this. Premature? Yes.. I agree. But, it makes sense to me, actually. You see, the whole planet (outside of whatever planet many Bush lovers are still living on) hated Bush’s persona, the way he represented America outside of our borders, and his general unilateral asshattery SOOOO FREAKIN much, that Obama’s cool good-natured friendly “hey man, let’s talk this out” kind of approach, has completely, and utterly, won them over.

I predicted this. I said, mark my words, the entire planet will like Obama better than many in his own country. Does that make me mad? Hell no. I welcome it. It’s about time America stopped being the unilateral pompous loud-mouthed and unwanted guest at the global bargaining table. It’s about time we became the friend.

So.. I’m sure my friend HMO, along with many others, will have plenty to say today about this…poo pooing the Nobel committee, calling it meaningless, and so on and so forth, ad naseum, blah blah blah.. whatever.. but, fact remains, this is a parting gift from Dubya… and a signal from the world saying “ok.. don’t EVER let that crap happen again….m’kay?”

Of course, there will be people who say “why should we listen to what the rest of the world says! who cares!?” Again I say.. you’re blind if think we can just do whatever the hell we want here anymore. We can’t…what’s more…we shouldn’t.

Oh… and Phaedrus.. I think that “POP!” you heard, was the collective heads of almost every person in North Idaho exploding this morning. Kinda funny, wasn’t it? Just like the fourth of July!

;-)
OrangeTV on October 09 at 8:43 a.m.
Mixed feeling on this one, but I think I like it.

Definitely a surprise! Obama would not have been my first guess to win this simply because, like the opening sketch on SNL last week said, he really hasn’t done squat. But I still like the guy.

Maybe this will make him feel like he has to live up to the award and actually start DOING some of the things he promised in his campaign.
scootermom on October 09 at 8:47 a.m.
Pleasantly surprised.
MamaJD on October 09 at 8:55 a.m.
Still shaking my head on this one. I guess there’s nothing more peaceful than doing nothing, which is something President Obama does well.
Cabbage Boy on October 09 at 8:58 a.m.
Toad, thanks for that. You made me chuckle with your apt analogy. The cuddle part is particularly appropriate. What a wonderful picture. All the big media lining up to cuddle with Obama.
BlueinIdaho on October 09 at 9:02 a.m.
Damn. It is so much better for America when our leaders are despised. This is terrible.
toadman on October 09 at 9:05 a.m.
@Cabbage - you don’t know what your missing. He smells like cinnamon. Mmmmmm….

;-)

Still, I joke about it… because the media seems to still have this unnatural urge to gush over him, but I will openly admit, I still like Obama. While I do agree this award is a little premature, and mostly an attempt at positive reinforcement of the behavior the world would like to see come from us, I still think he has great potential.

Don’t get me wrong though. While I do like Obama’s demeanor, I do have a growing list of things I’d like to see some more forceful action on…most likely things that HMO and Cabbage, et. al. would like to see a lot more inaction on…like repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, strengthening gun control laws, legalizing gay marriage, forcing the health care bill to have a public option, closing Guantanamo, etc.. etc…
toadman on October 09 at 9:06 a.m.
@Blue - can you wait until I finish my coffee before you write things like that? You owe me a keyboard.

;-)
BlueinIdaho on October 09 at 9:11 a.m.
Sorry, toadman, I was just trying to…er…cuddle, with HMO and Cabbage.
toadman on October 09 at 9:16 a.m.
Don’t cuddle with them Blue.. they smell like Old Spice, and disappointment.. respectively.

;-)

…just kidding guys…
nic on October 09 at 9:20 a.m.
Whatever… we all know that the Nobel committee is a socialist organization and this is one more step toward the Marxist plan to take over America!

/sarcasm off
Kage_Mann on October 09 at 9:22 a.m.
I guess this means the general in Afganistan won’t be getting anymore troops, anytime soon so we can win that war.

Here are the results of an MSN Poll.

Poll Question:”Do you think President Obama deserves to win the Nobel Peace Prize?

Yes- 23.7%

NO-62.7%

Someday/premature- 12.9%
Bent on October 09 at 9:31 a.m.
I’m throwing my hat in the ring during the next nomination because I plan to solve global warming, feed the world and bring peace to all nations… I would appreciate everyone’s support!
BethB on October 09 at 9:33 a.m.
Do you have a cite to that poll, Kage? I’m only finding polls on line that are self-selecting (meaning, vote if you want to).

I’m probably in the category that it’s too early for the prize, but I’m fine that he receives it. I haven’t voted in any poll though. So I am unrepresented in the poll that KM describes.
toadman on October 09 at 9:38 a.m.
I’d vote for you Bent! Especially if you bribe the committee (meaning, ME) with FREE BEER!
pthompson on October 09 at 9:42 a.m.
Idi Amin should have got it.
Arpie on October 09 at 9:43 a.m.
Toad, take the day off so you can comment more. You’re on the top of your game today.
Joker on October 09 at 9:46 a.m.
This seems very premature considering President Obama has been in office less than a year.

President Obama hasn’t ended the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

On top of that Iran wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, they can’t even admit the Holocast happened.

North Korea keeps building nukes and missles. Pakistan is edging toward civil war.

I’ve seen a lot of talk from him, but very little action. Those wars aren’t his fault, but c’mon what has he actually done besides expouse platitudes.
brentandrews on October 09 at 9:51 a.m.
I think it’s wonderful. I hope the right’s venomous attacks don’t spoil this like they nearly spoiled the election of our first black president with a bunch of birther nonsense and outright racist “not really black” propaganda. President Obama changed the whole international discourse - the world loves America again! Why not get behind this president and push hard for a new future for our children? Change, people, change! Instead the radical right will now step forward like Kanye West taking the mic from Taylor Swift - insisting someone else did better work, except in the case of the Republicans there’s no one in particular in mind. The sentiment in that camp is more “anyone but Obama” than getting behind their man. As for me I will be proud of this president. This is an historic achievement.
hmoffsuite on October 09 at 9:53 a.m.
I watched Obama speak to this subject this morning and it sounded like he even thought this award was not warranted. He was very gracious and mentioned he thought it was for the hope that good things might happen and said it was for all Americans. What else is he going to say? From this point forward, the Nobel Prize will be looked upon as being a worthless prize. The fun part will be to see what the late night guys will have to say about this. Except Letterman who is irrelevant now.
BethB on October 09 at 9:54 a.m.
John McCain’s take: “Oh, I’m sure that the president is very honored to receive this award. And [the] Nobel Committee, I can’t divine all their intentions, but I think part of their decision-making was expectations. And I’m sure the president understands that he now has even more to live up to. But as Americans, we’re proud when our president receives an award of that prestigious category.”

And: “Well, I think all of us were surprised at — at the decision. But I — I think Americans are always pleased when their president is recognized by something on this order.”

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/09/mccain-says-nobel-award-based-on-expectations/
Kage_Mann on October 09 at 9:56 a.m.
Joker on October 09 at 9:46 a.m.

“This seems very premature considering President Obama has been in office less than a year”.

Joker, did you know that President Obama was nominated for the prize, two weeks after he took office.All he did was talk about what he might do in the world.
hmoffsuite on October 09 at 9:57 a.m.
Brent Andrews >> This is an historic achievement.

Please tell me what Obama achieved to receive this award Anything? He didn’t EARN this award, it was given to him for no reason other than the feely good aspect. Its a shame
BethB on October 09 at 10:00 a.m.
Hmo, you sound like you’re mad at the president for winning the award. That can’t be true. Can it?
Kage_Mann on October 09 at 10:03 a.m.
BethB, give me three good reasons why Obama deserved to win the prize?
Arpie on October 09 at 10:03 a.m.
Okay folks, Who should have won?
LarrySpencer on October 09 at 10:06 a.m.
The Nobel Peace Prize has become more like a Holywood award each time it is handed out. It once meant something.
LarrySpencer on October 09 at 10:07 a.m.
Holywood??? That is worse that when I once refered to the treasure valley as the “pleasure valley”

;)
BethB on October 09 at 10:10 a.m.
KM, I am not one of those who is saying that he should have won the prize this early (note earlier comment), though I do think he has worked very hard to change the tone of politics in this country, and I also think that history will prove the Nobel Committee right. But I’m concerned with hmo’s tone of anger seemingly directed at the president himself, as though this is just something else to blame Obama for. That’s just weird. It’s why I added John McCain’s comments - as a model of honest but respectful reaction.
brentandrews on October 09 at 10:11 a.m.
He did nothing less than turn an increasingly dangerous and warlike nation into one that seeks peace. Sure there are battles left to fight, but no longer is America led by some uncouth cowboy who thinks he’s a Texas Ranger. He has brought diplomacy back to the conversation with Iran and North Korea; he has personified the promise of “America” by rising from humble beginnings to the presidency. He is adored by millions in America and elsewhere in the world. The negative reaction to this achievement is nothing more than sour grapes.
Cindy_H on October 09 at 10:14 a.m.
I’m voting for Bent.
I think we should start strategizing as soon as your next batch o’ beer is ready.
Ron_the_Cop on October 09 at 10:18 a.m.
OK IMHO this is all about style over substance. I have little patience with many LL Europeans and their view of the world. It was the force of the US Military and the US Taxpayer that kept the Soviet Bear at bay so that they can throw darts at us. We’ve pulled their bottoms out of the fire twice in the 20th Century and rebuilt their economies.

Anyway there is a parallel discussion going on over at Community Comment. Garfnagn as usual had me LMAO. Here’s my two cents:

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/commcomm/2009/oct/09/president-obama-wins-peace-prize/#c76206
BethB on October 09 at 10:20 a.m.
And looking back, he has taken very important steps. As one blogger (not here) pointed out, he gave a seminal speech on race relations that was intended to see from everyone’s point of view, not just black or white. He ended torture in this country - so critically important to our image worldwide. He’s got a big, big mess to clean up - not all GWB’s fault (other than he was in charge at the time and so the buck should stop there). And he’s doing what he can. I’d like him to move faster too. But I knew when I campaigned for him that I was working to elect a man who believed not only in outcome but also in process. Apparently the Nobel Committee sees those same qualities.
Bent on October 09 at 10:21 a.m.
Lol… I’ll have to get brewing then… all the canning lately has put me behind in the beer making. I may try to brew a winter porter this time…
poolman on October 09 at 10:29 a.m.
I would ask all the naysayers out there - who would be more deserving of this award at this point in time than Obama?
tarynahecker on October 09 at 10:32 a.m.
It might as well have gone to Spencer for his mullet.
Ron_the_Cop on October 09 at 10:40 a.m.
Taryn,

Spencer would have been a better pick:-)
MatthewRoot on October 09 at 10:45 a.m.
Three reasons:

President Obama has changed the tone of U.S. international relations from one of aggression and belligerence to one of listening to our allies and trying to resolve problems, such as those with North Korea and Iran, with diplomacy.

He has promised to close Guantanamo and he ended policies that condoned torture.

The award was likely made to encourage the international engagement that the Obama administration has started, in stark contrast to the previous policies.
keithincda on October 09 at 10:46 a.m.
Seriously Poolman? Maybe this guy I dunno….

Compare this to Greg Mortenson, nominated for the prize by some members of Congress, who the bookies gave 20-to-1 odds of winning. Son of a missionary, a former army Medic and mountaineer, he has made it his mission to build schools for girls in places where opium dealers and tribal warlords kill people for trying. His Central Asia Institute has built more than 130 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan - a mission which has, along the way, inspired millions of people to view the protection and education of girls as a key to peace and prosperity and progress

(taken from YahooNews)
Sisyphus on October 09 at 11:00 a.m.
Chip’s got it. This was a vote of approval on the new direction he’s taken the country and endorsed by the will of the American people. I think its also meant to be a rejection of the policies embraced by neo-cons which destabilized the planet and made war more likely by creating enemies. Since we’re the most powerful country on the planet, such an endorsement by an entity as august as the Nobel Committee makes me proud that America made the correct choice last November.
Cabbage Boy on October 09 at 11:04 a.m.
So if Chip has it right, peace has to do with unfulfilled promises and hope.

My kids should have won. They never clean their room like they promise and the hope I will change my mind on ice cream for supper.

Nice spin Sis. Pure Spin.
poolman on October 09 at 11:20 a.m.
CB - why are you and the other righties so bitter all the time? Can’t you for once take a little pride in the country you live in and respect the value that comes with a better image within the global community? Sis - I disagree with you on one point. The US is not the most powerful country in the world anymore – the most influential, maybe – we’re getting back to that point I think. China is holding the hammer now…
Ron_the_Cop on October 09 at 11:25 a.m.
Chip Jones,

I’m sorry but there is real Evil in the world that will not be appeased. This is a fact of life. Unless we realize this we are destined to repeat history circa 1939. The Iranian people as a whole actually look to the West favorably. Our MSM does little to report their revolt under this oppressive Regime. They are held in the grips of an Arabic minority ruling Messianic religious cult. This is a Fascist misogynistic theocracy that rules by terror, torture and murder.

This is a extremely radical Shiia sect of Islam - The Twelfthers. They are not deterred by MAD policies. They value death and are not deterred by dying. In fact they will initiate the War of Armageddon to hasten the return of the Twelfth Imam from a well in Iraq. This Imam in their prophesy will rid the world of apostates and bring back the reign of the Golden Age of Islam. Here’s a balance view.

Here’s a fairly balanced view:

http://www.payvand.com/news/09/aug/1050.html

“Individual Shi’ia believe that the Mahdi’s return can be hastened by one of two ways. He will reappear when the faithful build a just society to entice him back or when the world is consumed in an apocalyptic struggle between good and evil and believers need his protection.”

I believe Ahmadinejad falls in the later apocalyptic view of the world.

They are no different than David Korisch and the Branch Davidians or James Jones and the Jamestown folk except they are pursuing with all deliberate speed nuclear weapons. They will use these weapons in a heartbeat on the Great and Little Satans.

Sorry to burst your bubble.
OrangeTV on October 09 at 11:44 a.m.
Wow, Ron. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what flavor would you be?
hmoffsuite on October 09 at 11:53 a.m.
Since Obama was awarded the peace prize based on his good intentions, does that mean that if Iran developes a nuke and Israel takes them out, or something along those lines, that Obama has to give the prize back? Or if North Korea sells its technology to a terrorist group, and they use it, that the peace prize goes back? I always thought the Nobel was given to those that had actually assisted the world in achieving a greater peace, not making it more vulnerable. Obama has some heavy lifting to do with Iran, N. Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq, now that it his war. When the lifting is done, then, and only then, should the Nobel have been awarded. Good intentions, Sis, should not be the criteria for winning the prize. It was, however, noble of Obama to give the prize money to charity. Is ACORN the charity he will select? Did ACORN influence the voting for the nobel. Just curious. :~)
Ron_the_Cop on October 09 at 12:07 p.m.
OrangeTV

Chocolate Chip:-)
MatthewRoot on October 09 at 12:31 p.m.
Ron,
Iran is ruled by Persians, not Arabs. Sorry to burst your bubble.
MatthewRoot on October 09 at 12:45 p.m.
Well Cabbage, you may not agree with awarding the Nobel Prize to the President of the United States, but in my reading this morning, those were the kinds of reasons that the award was made (and mention was made of Obama’s efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons).
Diplomacy is not appeasement. Yes, there is real evil in the world, and Iran and North Korea pose real threats to the world. The whole appeasement thing is old, tired, and wrong.
Sisyphus on October 09 at 1:12 p.m.
The ‘spin’ comes directly from the award committee CB. Sorry you’re taking this award for the American people so hard. Do you think it was a mistake for the committee to have given the award to Bishop Desmond Tutu? While not agreeing with your characterization, he also hadn’t done anything you might term ‘concrete’. Yet when he won, it became instrumental in defeating Apartheid. This seems very valuable to me as a validation in the cause of peace.

Why do you hate America?
Don_Sausser on October 09 at 1:33 p.m.
All interesting discussion, but Sys, I’ve seen this phrase, “Why do you hate America?”) used often (usually by the left) on this blog. If one disagrees with the direction a leader is taking the nation does that equate to hating America?
Cabbage Boy on October 09 at 1:47 p.m.
Good analogy Sis. Bishop Desmond Tutu. Another marxist. You should really read your history better.

@Don, calling someone a hater is easier that providing an argument. Simple as this, when you don’t have anything to back your arguments, call em a hater.
Sisyphus on October 09 at 1:58 p.m.
“Why do you hate America?”—sorry Don, as Cindy pointed out the other day I sometimes fail to provide the necessary context thinking everyone knows my frame of reference. We on the left often use this phrase pejoratively as it was a very common refrain used by the neo-cons when we had questions on the reasons given by the administration in the lead up to the Iraq War. And yes, it was quite common to equate questions of policy with treason or at least a lack of patriotism after 9/11. Maddening, isn’t it?

I don’t really think you hate America. But y’all certainly are not accommodating when you’re out of power. Your leaders and pundits actually entertain notions of armed insurrection, secession, and one pundit even advocated a military coup recently. All we did was question policy. What was worse, we were correct in doing so.
Sisyphus on October 09 at 2:05 p.m.
I’m very comfortable with my degree in history CB. I even had the honor of visiting with his wife while attaining that distinction. Why would you diss a leader or your faith like that? Is that the best you got, dismissing people as marxist, like you dismiss health care reform as “socialist”. Trying adding some substance sometime.

Here’s a copy of a portion of the press release from the committee should you, too, would like to educate yourself. I, for one, don’t doubt their sincerity:

The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama’s appeal that “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”
Sisyphus on October 09 at 2:07 p.m.
Sorry Dave that was a little long.

I’m very comfortable with my degree in history CB. I even had the honor of visiting with his wife while attaining that distinction. Why would you diss a leader or your faith like that? Is that the best you got, dismissing people as marxist, like you dismiss health care reform as “socialist”. Trying adding some substance sometime.

Here’s the press release from the committee should you, too, would like to educate yourself. I, for one, don’t doubt their sincerity:

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html
Cabbage Boy on October 09 at 2:08 p.m.
Well, here is a History 101 lesson Sis. From Wiki no less.

“Tutu was the first black South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town”
Joker on October 09 at 2:13 p.m.
Years from now, Obama’s speechs will be prescribed by doctors to cure the common cold. Yes, he’s that good.
toadman on October 09 at 2:59 p.m.
“I watched Obama speak to this subject this morning and it sounded like he even thought this award was not warranted.”

Of course HMO. Because he neither sought it, or expected it…what this is, and I’ll continue to harp on this, is a very real reaction to how the world viewed the Bush administration, and how our nation has been lead over the last eight years. Brent A said it best, I think; “He did nothing less than turn an increasingly dangerous and warlike nation into one that seeks peace.” (Brent Andrews)…and I agree. It pays to be nice to the world.
Lark on October 09 at 3:00 p.m.
I cried when I heard that President Obama had paid all the back dues the U.S. owed to the United Nations. I doubt if anything has undermined our credibility and legitimacy as a world leader more than letting the rest of the world carry the financial burden of U.N. programs (many of which save human lives on a daily basis), while we dictate the political terms they would all be living with. Helping the U.S. become a world leader for its commitment to human rights and dignity, rather than through fear and intimidation wins the honor right there.
Ron_the_Cop on October 09 at 3:34 p.m.
Chip,

You are so right. The majority of Iranians are Persian and speak Farsi. The ruling theocracy though is largely comprised of an ethnic Arabic minority.
Cindy_H on October 09 at 4:38 p.m.
True Story:
My nail tech thinks she could be in the running for a Nobel Peace prize. She created this funky Halloweenie design for my pinky fingers that she believe is “so totally awesome it will make terrorists fall to their knees and encourage peace between Israel and Palestine, or at least make everyone you shake hands with in the next couple weeks, sigh and smile.”

She’s a 21-year-old nursing student.
Have you noticed how darn snarky young adults are these days?
MatthewRoot on October 10 at 2:34 p.m.
Ron, I think you need to check your information.
Ron_the_Cop on October 10 at 8:26 p.m.
Chip,

Complex situation:

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/egmatthews/worldinfo/asia/iran.html

The Arabs brought Islam to Persia. In any event the ruling Regime is fanatical as I explained above and hated by a majority of the Persians.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.