A Peace Prize for the President

World • Views: 3,305

Well, it’s still early in the morning on the west coast, but I think I already know what the outrage of the day will be in the right wing blogosphere: In Surprise, Nobel Peace Prize to Obama for Diplomacy.

OSLO — President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” a stunning honor that came less than nine months after Mr. Obama made United States history by becoming the country’s first African-American president.

The award, announced here by the Nobel Committee while much of official Washington — including the president — was still asleep, cited in particular the president’s efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

“He has created a new international climate,” the committee said.

For Mr. Obama, one of the nation’s youngest presidents, the award is an extraordinary recognition that puts him in the company of world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev, who won for helping to bring an end to the cold war, and Nelson Mandela, who sought an end to apartheid. But it is also a potential political liability at home; already, Republicans are criticizing the president, contending he won more for his “star power” than his actual achievements.

Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

The Nobel prizes for science and literature are still valid measures of achievement, and really mean something.

The Nobel Peace Prize, not so much.

UPDATE at 10/9/09 8:38:56 am:

Of course, Republican pundits are worked up into a fine froth over it.

UPDATE at 10/9/09 9:14:40 am:

And we have lousy behavior by politicians on both sides of the aisle, as Michael Steele misses an opportunity to be gracious, and a DNC official responds by saying the GOP is siding with terrorists.

Jump to bottom

767 comments
1 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:33:47am
I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

True, dat.

2 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:33:55am

This is an award that carries a lot of prestige if you’re of the unconstrained vision and think peace can be had through negotiations. His intentions are for peace and with the unconstrained vision, intentions are highly important.

If you’re of the constrained vision, you know that man has not yet reached that level of civility as a species, and while talk is preferred, it’s best to have an exceptional army behind you when all other options fail. It’s not about intentions, it’s about the history of our species.

So the unconstrained europeans have given Obama their award, and it bothers me not at all to tell him “Congratulations” because granting a person the nobility of their intentions is easy to do and costs me nothing. His intentions are good, and the europeans have noticed. Good for him.

3 shmuli  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:35:51am

You are right on that one, Charles.

But look on the bright side. The Nobel Prize winner will conjure up a health care bill and a CO2 / Energy management bill which will bring the United States to its knees, restrict our liberties and make the world more dangerous.

Sigh.

4 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:36:01am
what the outrage of the day will be in the right wing blogosphere

My first thought this morning (since I live in a household where Limbaugh is listened to) was “Rush is going to have a fit.”

When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

That was my second thought.

5 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:05am

Congratulations for winning an award that no legitimacy anymore.

6 filetandrelease  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:14am

It is a mockery and an attempt to influence Obamas’ foreign policy.

7 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:19am

HuffPo reacts:

Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Laureate: Whatever Happened to Awarding for Deeds Actually Done?


I am generally a supporter of Barack Obama. I voted for him and campaigned in print for his election. However, as I turned on CNN early this morning and saw the news that he’d been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I actually gasped in disbelief. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube videos were destined to be in overdrive, not to mention the texts on millions of BlackBerrys.

As the 2 a.m. PDT CNN commentator interviewed Norwegian experts and past Peace Laureates, just about all of them repeated the obvious: Obama was being honored for the hope of what he might accomplish as opposed to what he has actually achieved.

The Nobel Peace Committee has been accused in the past of trying to make a political statement, and perhaps, because they admire Obama and his groundbreaking presidency, in addition to his earlier anti-war statements and recent speech to the Muslim world, they are, by this action, hoping to jump start his ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why else give him the honor now? Whatever one might feel about Obama, he has not earned this singular award.

8 califleftyb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:20am

Breaking News - Dave Letterman just won “Husband of the Year”!

9 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:44am

re: #2 Sharmuta

One thousand updings for that comment, my friend.

I do also agree with Charles; when I found out that Yasser Arafat was the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize, any concept of the award actually meaning something was lost. Sure, he signed Oslo, but it’s not like that actually DID anything.

10 jackfetch  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:49am

When the Administration’s first response is: “Is it April Fools?” and even the President starts by saying, honestly in all appearance, that he really doesn’t deserve it…

I’m going to run out and give a speech on my desire to start playing sports… when are they sending my Olympic medal?

11 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:37:58am

re: #5 Walter L. Newton

Congratulations for winning an award that no legitimacy anymore.

P.S. and I am not outraged, but no doubt, very amused. This should be wonderful fodder for the comics.

12 Right Brain  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:07am

President Obama made an excellent speech, noted he didn’t deserve it, but since it was given to him he regarded it “as a call to action.”

Well done, Mr. President.

13 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:18am

OK. Now, fix the economy & get the prize for economics.

14 right_wing2  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:22am

“Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.”

100% agreement. Between Arafat and that naive fool Carter, it’s a joke of an award.

Obama won it simply because he’s not Bush, and because he seems willing to throw Israel under the bus, and throw freedom under a different bus.

15 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:26am

When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Based on his acceptance speech, I get the sense Obama may have similar feelings.

16 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:37am

Somehow the concept of “daming through faint praise” seems to come to mind.

But it will keep the blogoshpere well occupied for the rest of the weekend…

17 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:51am

re: #4 wrenchwench

That was my second thought.

Agreed with your first and second thoughts!

18 right_wing2  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:38:58am

re: #7 NJDhockeyfan


God. I may be sick here, but I agree with HuffPo.

19 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:39:06am
Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Correct. And for what it’s worth, most of the outrage already expressed downstairs is focused on the Nobel Committee rather than on the recipient - as it should be, given that he didn’t actively solicit the prize (*cough* Like Carter *cough*).

20 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:39:14am
21 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:39:14am

I agree about Arafat, but it seems unfair to tarnish an award for all time because of a blemish 15 years ago.

I think we should judge each award on its own merits, good or bad. No one is ignoring MLB’s “Most Valuable Player” award because Joe L. Badplayer won it in nineteen eighty-twelve.

22 snakedoctor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:39:47am

Obama should do one of two things: 1. Repectfully decline the award based on the fact he has done nothing to earn it or 2. accept the award and donate the money to the fallen Marines in Afganistan are giving their lives each day this President continues to vote “PRESENT”. My guess is he’ll won’t do either.

23 gregb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:40:27am

It was the hope that the prize wasn’t really dead, but this confirms it.

24 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:40:30am

re: #14 right_wing2

Between Arafat and that his naive fool tool Carter, it’s a joke of an award.

FTFY.

25 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:40:49am

re: #13 Ojoe

OK. Now, fix the economy & get the prize for economics.

And make EHS the leading cause of death is this country? I hope not!


E.H.S. - Exploded Head Syndrome

26 califleftyb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:40:49am

The London Guardian published a list of all the Nobel Prize winners, guess who was missing?

A. Menachem Begin
B. Yitzchak Rabin
C. Shimon Perez
D. All of the Above

oh ok
E. Ron Paul


answer - D

27 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:41:13am

re: #22 snakedoctor

Obama should do one of two things: 1. Repectfully decline the award based on the fact he has done nothing to earn it or 2. accept the award and donate the money to the fallen Marines in Afganistan are giving their lives each day this President continues to vote “PRESENT”. My guess is he’ll won’t do either.

I doubt he’ll decline the award, but your suggestion to donate the money to the fallen Marines is an excellent idea. I hope he does that.

28 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:41:16am
When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Ding. Ding.

I am laminating this quote and putting it by my “Person of the Year Award” and the Nobel I just won.
/

29 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:41:45am

re: #22 snakedoctor

Obama should do one of two things: 1. Repectfully decline the award based on the fact he has done nothing to earn it or 2. accept the award and donate the money to the fallen Marines in Afganistan are giving their lives each day this President continues to vote “PRESENT”. My guess is he’ll won’t do either.

I think he should take the money and buy a pony-shaped SUV for each of his daughters.

30 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:43:23am
Of course, Republican pundits are worked up into a fine froth over it.

Certainly rains on their Olympic Failure celebration.

That was short lived. Perhaps it’s karma.

31 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:43:29am

re: #14 right_wing2

” Between Arafat and that naive fool Carter, it’s a joke of an award.

You forgot Al Gore, another nadir in the committee’s selection process.

32 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:43:46am

re: #19 SixDegrees

Correct. And for what it’s worth, most of the outrage already expressed downstairs is focused on the Nobel Committee rather than on the recipient - as it should be, given that he didn’t actively solicit the prize (*cough* Like Carter *cough*).

Oh, there’s quite a bit of froth downstairs insisting that Obama needs to give the prize back, or that this is an attempt to ‘disenfranchise’ Americans, and the like.

33 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:09am

re: #30 Sharmuta

Certainly rains on their Olympic Failure celebration.

That was short lived. Perhaps it’s karma.

I guess the “Ego had landed” era is officially over?

34 Pawn of the Oppressor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:13am

I saw the headline on foxnews.com (which is not my preferred news source, just something I check as a matter of routine) and I thought it was some sort of perverse troll by a Fox writer.

Efforts to get rid of nuclear weapons? Wha…?

I know the prize is empty, especially if Arafat got one, but apparently you don’t have to actually do anything substantial to get one. A few high-minded speeches is enough.

I can’t help but wonder if European racism is a factor too.

35 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:33am

re: #21 Ray in TX

I agree about Arafat, but it seems unfair to tarnish an award for all time because of a blemish 15 years ago.

I think we should judge each award on its own merits, good or bad. No one is ignoring MLB’s “Most Valuable Player” award because Joe L. Badplayer won it in nineteen eighty-twelve.

Unless I am mistaken, the MLB is given AFTER a player has finished up a season and there is a pool of other players to gauge performance against.

So, this “premature congratulation” is a slap in the face to all the other politicians and citizens of the world how may have ALREADY accomplished something that has helped peace.

36 jaunte  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:37am

Funny, outrage-o-the-day was the first thought that occurred to me when I heard the news. The Friday announcement makes for a whole weekend of blogcontroversy.

37 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:50am

By the authority vested in me, I declare my chair a Nobel Prize recipient. Holding up day in and day out.

38 reine.de.tout  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:44:55am

re: #4 wrenchwench

Thank goodness for LGF and sanity - I might otherwise be living in a state of perpetual rage.

…I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Absolutely!

39 Pianobuff  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:45:00am

From Today:

LAUER: How about those gasps in the room. I mean, when the reporters were covering this, they gasped in shock. This is a surprise. We’re less than a year into the first term of this president and there are no — I’m not trying to be, you know, rude here — no major foreign policy achievements, to date. So why did he win?

GREGORY: Well, I think, as the citation points out, this is a lot more about tone than it is substantive accomplishment. In many ways, this is a European body who is more left-leaning, certainly, and opposed to the administration of George W. Bush. The Bush administration came in turning away from large international alliances, seeking to do away with the anti-ballistic missile treaty with Russia, doing away with the agreement over Kyoto on international climate change, and here comes Barack Obama and he’s got a much different outlook about international alliances, international organizations, about climate, about dialogue — even with your enemies. It’s a complete change in tone, and that’s what they appear to be validating.

LAUER: So, what you’re saying in some ways, and, again, not to be rude here, or sarcastic, that in some ways he wins this award for not being George W. Bush.

GREGORY: I mean, I think that that is an inescapable conclusion about all of this. The irony: they cite non-proliferation as a goal, a willingness to have dialogue, to re-engage in parts of the Middle East. The Obama administration, so far, carrying out in terms of non-proliferation a very similar strategy to what the Bush administration did on Iran and North Korea so far — notable differenc is a willingness to talk to the Iranians. And, in fact, there’s a debate within the White House about whether to escalate in the war in Afghanistan. And, as a political matter, climate change is still something that even the administration says is not going to be something that can be accomplished this year. So, again, this appears to be tone over actual accomplishment here.

40 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:45:20am

DNC official: GOP siding with terrorists

“The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists - the Taliban and Hamas this morning - in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize,” DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse told POLITICO.

Otherwise, I think it’s pretty clear this morning that EVERYONE is a little perplexed.

Matt Lauer and David Gregory are not right wing bloggers.

41 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:45:36am

re: #29 Ray in TX

I think he should take the money and buy a pony-shaped SUV for each of his daughters.

Don’t you mean a unicorn pony-shaped SUV?

42 Picayune  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:45:46am

The Wizard of Uhs gets the “Anti-Bush” award from the liberal Norwegian Congress. Hey, congrats. In other news, the sun did actually rise in the East today. The Taliban has another award awaiting BHO.

43 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:46:22am

re: #21 Ray in TX

I agree about Arafat, but it seems unfair to tarnish an award for all time because of a blemish 15 years ago.

I think we should judge each award on its own merits, good or bad. No one is ignoring MLB’s “Most Valuable Player” award because Joe L. Badplayer won it in nineteen eighty-twelve.

Arafat is hardly the only example of the meaningless nature of this award.

44 researchok  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:46:23am

Charles is right. The Nobel Peace Prize has been degraded long before today.

The prize is awarded as a socialist political statement with an emphasis on political correctness.

45 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:46:33am

re: #21 Ray in TX

I agree about Arafat, but it seems unfair to tarnish an award for all time because of a blemish 15 years ago.

I think we should judge each award on its own merits, good or bad. No one is ignoring MLB’s “Most Valuable Player” award because Joe L. Badplayer won it in nineteen eighty-twelve.

oh bullshit…their intentions were quite clear back then as it is this time…a political ploy

46 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:46:42am

re: #11 Walter L. Newton

P.S. and I am not outraged, but no doubt, very amused. This should be wonderful fodder for the comics.

It did look like an Onion headline.

47 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:47:09am

As I said in the last thread, he should win the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.

Joe Frasier could use the publicity.

48 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:47:21am

re: #35 Walter L. Newton

Unless I am mistaken, the MLB is given AFTER a player has finished up a season and there is a pool of other players to gauge performance against.

So, this “premature congratulation” is a slap in the face to all the other politicians and citizens of the world how may have ALREADY accomplished something that has helped peace.

My point is that controversial selections are sometimes made. We accept that selection as an aberration, but choose not to taint future selections with that mistake.

I wasn’t making a point about Obama, but about Charles’ suggestion that the all future Peace prizes are irrelevant now because of a mistake made 15 years ago. It’s not fair to the winners who legitimately earn those awards.

49 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:47:29am

re: #40 Ben Hur

DNC official: GOP siding with terrorists

Otherwise, I think it’s pretty clear this morning that EVERYONE is a little perplexed.

Matt Lauer and David Gregory are not right wing bloggers.

Add Joe Scarborough to the mix.

White House: Scarborough ‘A-Hole’ For Mocking Nobel

50 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:47:34am

Even before 9/11 I was disenchanted with the Nobel Peace Prize:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com…]

51 Summer Seale  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:47:36am

From what I can read online, even many people who really adore Obama think this is way out in left field and a complete and utter joke.

As I said earlier: Obama probably thinks the same thing himself right now.

52 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:48:05am
Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Exactly. Obama wouldn’t have been my choice either, but it’s not the worst award by any means, and why get worked up over something you see as devalued already?

53 gregb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:48:09am

re: #2 Sharmuta

So the unconstrained europeans have given Obama their award, and it bothers me not at all to tell him “Congratulations” because granting a person the nobility of their intentions is easy to do and costs me nothing. His intentions are good, and the europeans have noticed. Good for him.

The only other explanation is that they wanted to “insert themselves into the story” and think that granting him the honor would influence the outcome of what he’s trying to do.

At least that’s a little more understandable that the half-baked explanations so far.

54 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:48:27am

re: #41 Mad Al-Jaffee

Don’t you mean a unicorn pony-shaped SUV?

Don’t be silly. There are no such things as unicorns. They were all kind by global warming!

55 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:48:47am

re: #54 Ray in TX

Don’t be silly. There are no such things as unicorns. They were all kind by global warming!

And I can’t type.. *killed by global warming!

56 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:48:48am

The list of recipients.

I won’t call them “winners,” because a few of them made their careers being losers.

57 sffilk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:10am

My opinion was two words: “too early.” To me, if he would be successful over the next four years in promoting and actually achieving peace, then he would be worth nominating. I just think it was a case of “too early.”

58 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:14am

re: #50 Charles

i just set a personal record for old post updings.

59 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:30am

re: #35 Walter L. Newton

Unless I am mistaken, the MLB is given AFTER a player has finished up a season and there is a pool of other players to gauge performance against.

So, this “premature congratulation” is a slap in the face to all the other politicians and citizens of the world how may have ALREADY accomplished something that has helped peace.

astonishing and humorous people simply blow off this little factella

60 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:35am

re: #52 Jimmah

Exactly. Obama wouldn’t have been my choice either, but it’s not the worst award by any means, and why get worked up over something you see as devalued already?

ODS. Seriously.

61 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:41am

re: #32 iceweasel

Oh, there’s quite a bit of froth downstairs insisting that Obama needs to give the prize back, or that this is an attempt to ‘disenfranchise’ Americans, and the like.

Indeed. Couldn’t help but notice that too.

62 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:42am

re: #43 Lee Coller

Arafat is hardly the only example of the meaningless nature of this award.

Undoubtedly.

63 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:49:50am

re: #50 Charles

Even before 9/11 I was disenchanted with the Nobel Peace Prize:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com…]

So much for the talking point that you’re not consistent.

64 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:19am

This prize used to actually mean something. First it was debased by giving it to Arafat the terrorist. Then it was further debased by giving it to Jimmy Carter. Next it was even further debased by giving it to Al Gore & Co over people who helped save Jews during the Holocaust. Now, it seems the prize is entirely political and based entirely on hopes, wishes, and dreams rather than actual accomplishments. A listing of people who could’ve but never won the award was listed in the previous thread. Any one of them could’ve been given it, but they were not.

Now, it seems that the Nobel Peace Prize is the equivalent of handing out the Conn Smythe before the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals. They’re hoping for something, and will be very dissappoined when that something fails to materialize.

65 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:31am

re: #58 Danny

i just set a personal record for old post updings.

in bed?

66 sffilk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:39am

re: #26 califleftyb

The London Guardian published a list of all the Nobel Prize winners, guess who was missing?

A. Menachem Begin
B. Yitzchak Rabin
C. Shimon Perez
D. All of the Above

oh ok
E. Ron Paul

answer - D

Are you serious? Do you have a link?

67 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:40am

re: #48 Ray in TX

My point is that controversial selections are sometimes made. We accept that selection as an aberration, but choose not to taint future selections with that mistake.

I wasn’t making a point about Obama, but about Charles’ suggestion that the all future Peace prizes are irrelevant now because of a mistake made 15 years ago. It’s not fair to the winners who legitimately earn those awards.

it was NOT a mistake 15 years ago…good grief

68 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:50am

re: #50 Charles

Even before 9/11 I was disenchanted with the Nobel Peace Prize:

[Link: littlegreenfootballs.com…]

Well then you should love it now. After all.. 9/11 changed EVERYTHING.

Get with the program, dude.

69 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:50:51am

re: #39 Pianobuff

From Today:

LAUER: How about those gasps in the room. I mean, when the reporters were covering this, they gasped in shock. This is a surprise. We’re less than a year into the first term of this president and there are no — I’m not trying to be, you know, rude here — no major foreign policy achievements, to date. So why did he win?

GREGORY: Well, I think, as the citation points out, this is a lot more about tone than it is substantive accomplishment. In many ways, this is a European body who is more left-leaning, certainly, and opposed to the administration of George W. Bush. The Bush administration came in turning away from large international alliances, seeking to do away with the anti-ballistic missile treaty with Russia, doing away with the agreement over Kyoto on international climate change, and here comes Barack Obama and he’s got a much different outlook about international alliances, international organizations, about climate, about dialogue — even with your enemies. It’s a complete change in tone, and that’s what they appear to be validating.

LAUER: So, what you’re saying in some ways, and, again, not to be rude here, or sarcastic, that in some ways he wins this award for not being George W. Bush.

GREGORY: I mean, I think that that is an inescapable conclusion about all of this. The irony: they cite non-proliferation as a goal, a willingness to have dialogue, to re-engage in parts of the Middle East. The Obama administration, so far, carrying out in terms of non-proliferation a very similar strategy to what the Bush administration did on Iran and North Korea so far — notable differenc is a willingness to talk to the Iranians. And, in fact, there’s a debate within the White House about whether to escalate in the war in Afghanistan. And, as a political matter, climate change is still something that even the administration says is not going to be something that can be accomplished this year. So, again, this appears to be tone over actual accomplishment here.

And we all know where the path of ‘good intentions’ leads…

I can’t believe that Matt Lauer of all people is actually looking at the elephant in the room! This is not the MSM I once knew…/

70 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:12am

re: #60 iceweasel

ODS. Seriously.

ODS?

For thinking he is undeserving of the Noble Peace Prize?

It seems to me that the shock is cutting across all lines.

71 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:21am

re: #65 Mad Al-Jaffee

in bed?

The spirit of Kirk lives on…

72 gregb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:21am

After some more thought, I think I understand the motivations.

“We want to influence the future.” Altough, I think maybe they are looking at it through the speculative lens of the present.

But who are we to judge?

//

73 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:26am

re: #58 Danny

i just set a personal record for old post updings.

I really wanna downding mort, the lone commenter.

74 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:30am

I don’t understand what ridding the world of nuclear weapons means. If meant literally, it seems impossible to me. My guess is that its just propaganda, and if so, why not, if it makes others like the US more.

75 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:40am

re: #46 debutaunt

It did look like an Onion headline.

They are going to smack it out of the park on this one…mark my words.

76 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:51:55am

re: #64 Honorary Yooper

Now, it seems that the Nobel Peace Prize is the equivalent of handing out the Conn Smythe before the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals. They’re hoping for something, and will be very dissappoined when that something fails to materialize.

Or kind of like the Special Olympics, where everyone is a winner!

77 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:52:10am

re: #67 albusteve

it was NOT a mistake 15 years ago…good grief

Are you suggesting that Arafat was the deserving winner in 1994?

78 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:52:15am

re: #73 wrenchwench

I really wanna downding mort, the lone commenter.

We could report him!

79 Pianobuff  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:52:54am

re: #69 Oh no…Sand People!

And we all know where the path of ‘good intentions’ leads…

I can’t believe that Matt Lauer of all people is actually looking at the elephant in the room! This is not the MSM I once knew…/

I wonder if SNL is going to spoof this. It fits with the meme that they started last week that Obama’s two major accomplishments are “jack and squat”.

80 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:52:56am

This is going to be a pyrrhic victory for Obama. And not because of the upcoming crazy right outrage and seething, but because intelligent commentators and political pundits the world over is not going to see this as anything but world politics trying to influence U.S. policy.

The far right will go batty, the unshakeable sycophants on the left will see nothing but glory while the rest of the world will see a very flawed decision.

81 Charpete67  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:53:34am

I have to believe he doesn’t want this award, but he has no choice…he had nothing to do with getting it and he really can’t turn it down.

82 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:53:47am

re: #80 Walter L. Newton

This is going to be a pyrrhic victory for Obama. And not because of the upcoming crazy right outrage and seething, but because intelligent commentators and political pundits the world over is not going to see this as anything but world politics trying to influence U.S. policy.

The far right will go batty, the unshakeable sycophants on the left will see nothing but glory while the rest of the world will see a very flawed decision.

A lot depends on Obama’s response.

83 Spare O'Lake  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:53:50am

re: #2 Sharmuta

This is an award that carries a lot of prestige if you’re of the unconstrained vision and think peace can be had through negotiations. His intentions are for peace and with the unconstrained vision, intentions are highly important.

If you’re of the constrained vision, you know that man has not yet reached that level of civility as a species, and while talk is preferred, it’s best to have an exceptional army behind you when all other options fail. It’s not about intentions, it’s about the history of our species.

So the unconstrained europeans have given Obama their award, and it bothers me not at all to tell him “Congratulations” because granting a person the nobility of their intentions is easy to do and costs me nothing. His intentions are good, and the europeans have noticed. Good for him.

?

84 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:53:57am

re: #79 Pianobuff

I wonder if SNL is going to spoof this. It fits with the meme that they started last week that Obama’s two major accomplishments are “jack and squat”.

If they do, it proves there is a God.
/

85 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:53:58am

re: #61 Jimmah

Indeed. Couldn’t help but notice that too.

Yes. Amnesia sets in for some though, quite conveniently.

The temperature in here has noticeably dropped as well. Nice and cool now.

86 theheat  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:18am

I already had the stream of FW FW right winger emails in my inbox over this. I swear, I can’t take this barrage of bullshit any more. Obama gets a Nobel Prize, and next thing you know - I’m getting hysterical crap about communism in my inbox. Everything from Horowitz to Glenn Beck, and beyond. Stir the pot, and you get a bunch of angry bees, all hitting the FW button at once.

I must have hit my melting point, because usually I don’t respond, but today I fired back some unpleasantries. I’m tired of being sucked in to the vortex of stupid, and as long as I continue to ignore these firendly little warnings, they continue to pour in. Enough, I’ve fucking had it.

Why else give him the honor now? Whatever one might feel about Obama, he has not earned this singular award.

FWIW, I have to agree with Huffpo here. This is more of a gesture about being in love with an idea, than an award to a deserving recipient. Arafat? Carter? Winning one doesn’t always indicate a stellar individual. It could just be a well-meaning idiot, a tool, or a charming mass-murderer, in some cases.

87 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:22am

1988: United Nations Peace Keeping Forces
1990: Mikhail Gorbachev
1994: Yasser Arafat
2001: United Nations
2001: Kofi Anan
2002: Jimmy Carter
2006: IAEA
2006: Mohomad ElBaradei

Need I say more?

88 Haole  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:24am

There’s just nothing funny about this man.

89 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:26am

Maybe they think he’s going to disarm Israel.

90 meeshlr  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:31am

re: #32 iceweasel

Oh, there’s quite a bit of froth downstairs insisting that Obama needs to give the prize back, or that this is an attempt to ‘disenfranchise’ Americans, and the like.

What is “downstairs”? I feel like I’m missing something.

91 Pianobuff  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:36am

re: #80 Walter L. Newton

This is going to be a pyrrhic victory for Obama. And not because of the upcoming crazy right outrage and seething, but because intelligent commentators and political pundits the world over is not going to see this as anything but world politics trying to influence U.S. policy.

The far right will go batty, the unshakeable sycophants on the left will see nothing but glory while the rest of the world will see a very flawed decision.

I read that the nomination deadline was 2/1 of this year. So did he win based on how he ran his campaign and served for a dozen days as POTUS?

92 dwells38  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:39am

Agree 100%. It is irrelevant and obviously a purely political and far left internationalist popularity contest. They might just as easily given it to Michelle Obama for her tireless pursuit of high fashion, chiseled arms and being a great black mom role model (in that order).

Last I checked Obama’s commanding two wars despite having campaigned ostentatiously on ending them.

93 badger1970  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:40am

re: #48 Ray in TX

Legitimate winners in the last 15 years in your opinion are who?

94 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:43am

re: #76 Mad Al-Jaffee

Or kind of like the Special Olympics, where everyone is a winner!

No, those are actual competitions, and there are real medals handed out, and not to everyone.

95 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:54:47am

re: #83 Spare O’Lake

?

!

96 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:55:06am
97 meeshlr  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:55:54am

re: #81 Charpete67

He can and should turn it down.

98 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:03am
99 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:13am

re: #90 meeshlr

What is “downstairs”? I feel like I’m missing something.

A thread below, or further below. “upstairs” means the thread above or some thread above.

I guess right now, posting in the most recent thread, we’re all in the penthouse. :)

100 brennant  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:17am

re: #92 dwells38

Wow.

101 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:22am

re: #70 Ben Hur

ODS?

For thinking he is undeserving of the Noble Peace Prize?

It seems to me that the shock is cutting across all lines.

No, for getting outraged over it. There is a big difference. Like I’ve been saying all morning, he wouldn’t have been my choice for the prize either - but the foaming rage we are seeing from the wingnutsphere just now is a sure sign of ODS.

102 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:31am

re: #97 meeshlr

He can and should turn it down.

Too late.

103 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:32am

re: #87 Lee Coller

1988: United Nations Peace Keeping Forces
1990: Mikhail Gorbachev
1994: Yasser Arafat
2001: United Nations
2001: Kofi Anan
2002: Jimmy Carter
2006: IAEA
2006: Mohomad ElBaradei

Need I say more?

I misread 2006 as IKEA.

104 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:35am

re: #46 debutaunt

It did look like an Onion headline.

I wonder if SNL will do a follow-up to last week’s “Zero Accomplishments” skit?

105 krycek  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:37am

Almost as ridiculous as giving Obama the Cy Young award for throwing out the first pitch at this years MLB All Star game.

106 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:38am

re: #20 victor_yugo

A zillion downdings.

107 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:39am

re: #82 Ray in TX

A lot depends on Obama’s response.

Well, in my opinion, anything short of declining, he’s accepting everything that this award stands for, and he has not lived up to as of yet…

“I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership,” Obama said from the White House Rose Garden.

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

Obama said he did not feel he deserves “to be in the company” of past winners.

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

Looks like that’s not going to happen.

108 Charpete67  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:57am

re: #96 MikeySDCA

Of course he wants it. It’s a wonderful ego stroke for one of the great egotists of our time.

maybe…I’m just saying that politically it is bad for him…people will now be talking about what he has accomplished (fair or not) and I’m sure the SNL parody will get more play now.

109 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:56:58am

Of all places, the voice of rationality in the GOP is Pawlenty.

“I would say regardless of the circumstances, congratulations to President Obama for winning the Nobel Prize. I know there will be some people who are saying ‘Was it based on good intentions and thoughts or is it going to be based on good results?’ But I think the appropriate response is when anybody wins a Nobel Prize that is a very noteworthy development and designation and I think the appropriate response is to say ‘Congratulations.”

110 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:57:25am

re: #77 Ray in TX

Are you suggesting that Arafat was the deserving winner in 1994?

oh boy…I’m saying the committee knows exactly what they are doing…they don’t make ‘mistakes’

111 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:57:48am

re: #94 Honorary Yooper

No, those are actual competitions, and there are real medals handed out, and not to everyone.

Well, maybe he’ll get one for bowling.

Zing!

112 meeshlr  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:58:00am

re: #99 iceweasel

Thanks!

113 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:58:08am

Given that this prize has been degraded into meaninglessness over the decades, the real outrage will only be if Obama accepts it.

I voted for the man and I have no clue what he’s done to get this award.

114 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:58:10am

re: #67 albusteve

it was NOT a mistake 15 years ago…good grief

It was deliberate?

115 jimmyk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:58:24am

Well, the left is also in a fine froth over it. Seems that Barak has finally transcended partisan politics.

116 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:58:48am

re: #96 MikeySDCA

Of course he wants it. It’s a wonderful ego stroke for one of the great egotists of our time.

I sincerely doubt that. He knows his record of actual accomplishments is thin - he said he didn’t deserve it in his speech. I bet he’d rather have won it after his first term - if ever.

117 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:06am

re: #101 Jimmah

No, for getting outraged over it. There is a big difference. Like I’ve been saying all morning, he wouldn’t have been my choice for the prize either - but the foaming rage we are seeing from the wingnutsphere just now is a sure sign of ODS.

That I’ll agree with.

Look what the prize has become.

118 wiffersnapper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:16am

I won TIME’s Person of the Year in 2006, but I don’t see a raise in my paycheck! Rigged…

119 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:26am

re: #80 Walter L. Newton

This is going to be a pyrrhic victory for Obama. And not because of the upcoming crazy right outrage and seething, but because intelligent commentators and political pundits the world over is not going to see this as anything but world politics trying to influence U.S. policy.

The far right will go batty, the unshakeable sycophants on the left will see nothing but glory while the rest of the world will see a very flawed decision.

flawed decisions follow BO around like a bad penny…

120 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:26am

re: #93 badger1970

Legitimate winners in the last 15 years in your opinion are who?

I can’t believe that simply suggesting that each award be judged on its own merits requires me to do a historical analysis to defend it.

However, someone upthread just listed a lot of controversial awards in the past two decades. I will respond by pointing out that those listed awards represent a minority of the total years involved.

121 gregb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:34am

re: #93 badger1970

Legitimate winners in the last 15 years in your opinion are who?

I think Paul Simon deserved one. He got so much shit using South African musicians in defiance of the boycott. They wanted to hang him. Meanwhile, the true meaning of his album made it’s way through the populace and people cared and understood.

It’s a case where the music really changed the world.

In the absence of that. I liked Nelson Mandela as a recipient. I think he really deserved it. Same with Gorbachev.

122 iceman1960  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:45am

It’s amazing what kind of mileage you can get having a beer with a cop and a college professor.

123 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 8:59:49am

re: #113 Cato the Elder

Given that this prize has been degraded into meaninglessness over the decades, the real outrage will only be if Obama accepts it.

I voted for the man and I have no clue what he’s done to get this award.

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

(and thank you for the 2010 Super Bowl trophy, we hope that we can live up to this this coming year)

124 ChaimYermiyahu  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:05am

Never, in human history, have such accolades been handed to a man for doing so very little for anyone…anywhere.

For Since 1994 this has been a cash prize reserved for Muslims intent upon the destruction of the Nation of Israel.

125 webevintage  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:19am

I’ll admit I thought it was a joke when I read the news on a local blog.
I’m even a bit WTF? about it…

So far Tim Pawlenty seems to have the proper conservative response…”Congratulations”.

Folks can sit around discussing the “why” and “how” and say “WTF?”, but (and I hate to seem like a concern troll and I probably do) an “official” response from the Republicans that is anything but “congratulations, what an honor for our President and the American people” comes across as just, well, rude and a bit mean-spirited.

126 jamie  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:26am

re: #70 Ben Hur

ODS?

For thinking he is undeserving of the Noble Peace Prize?

It seems to me that the shock is cutting across all lines.

I don’t think it’s ODS to scratch your heard at this one—I don’t know too many ardent Democrats or Obama supporters who would argue that he was the deserving recipient of a unanimous Nobel Peace Prize vote. At the same time, it’s unseemly for an American political party to decry a major award for the President. This is at least as bad, and probably worse, than the people who felt a need to “apologize” to the world for President Bush’s re-election.

127 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:26am

re: #118 wiffersnapper

I won TIME’s Person of the Year in 2006, but I don’t see a raise in my paycheck! Rigged…

I keep thinking of the scene in The Big Lebowski where The Dude is staring into the framed mirror edition of the Man of the Year issue.

128 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:37am

re: #115 jimmyk

Well, the left is also in a fine froth over it. Seems that Barak has finally transcended partisan politics.

Heh. Maybe the far left and far right can finally get together. :-P

129 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:00:51am

re: #114 victor_yugo

It was deliberate?

ok, we are quibbling over my choice of the word ‘mistake’. That’s for catching that. I should have said ‘poor choice’.

130 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:20am

It’s unfortunate that here the issue is framed by how the “right wing blogosphere” will react, rather than the utter absurdity and disingenuousness of the award.

Obama could make himself look stellar, and earn worldwide plaudits, if he actually declined the prize by saying that it is premature to praise his agenda before he has had time to accomplish his goals.

Alas, the man’s ego and self-centeredness prevents such a gesture of humility.

131 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:21am

re: #107 Walter L. Newton

Obama said he did not feel he deserves “to be in the company” of past winners.

For better, or for worse, he will.

Time will tell which.

132 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:32am

re: #127 Mad Al-Jaffee

And I found a picture of it.

Image: lebowski-time.jpg

133 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:33am
134 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:34am

re: #125 webevintage


So far Tim Pawlenty seems to have the proper conservative response…”Congratulations”.

Given the current state of the Nobel Prize, I think “Condolences” is a more appropriate response.

135 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:01:57am

re: #123 Walter L. Newton

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

(and thank you for the 2010 Super Bowl trophy, we hope that we can live up to this this coming year)

Let’s please include the words that came before that quote:

“To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures” who won in the past, Obama said at the White House.

[Link: Poltico]

136 iceman1960  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:02:10am

I was just named Motor Trends Car of the Year so what’s the big deal.

137 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:02:43am

re: #123 Walter L. Newton

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

(and thank you for the 2010 Super Bowl trophy, we hope that we can live up to this this coming year)

I have a bad feeling that handing out the Nobel to Obama now is going to end up looking like giving the 2010 Super Bowl trophy to the Detroit Lions. There’s no way the man can live up to their expectations.

138 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:02:50am

re: #3 shmuli

You are right on that one, Charles.

But look on the bright side. The Nobel Prize winner will conjure up a health care bill and a CO2 / Energy management bill which will bring the United States to its knees, restrict our liberties and make the world more dangerous.

Sigh.

You must be fun at parties…

139 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:07am

Agreed, not an outrage at all, but it could be absurdity of the day.

140 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:11am

Who has declined the Peace Prize?

From 1901 to 2009, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded 90 times to 120 Nobel Laureates – 97 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations.

Vietnamese politician Le Duc Tho is the only person to have declined it.

He and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger were jointly awarded the 1973 Prize for negotiating the Vietnam peace accord. According to the Nobel Prize website, “Le Doc Tho said that he was not in a position to accept the Prize, citing the situation in Vietnam as his reason.”

Other Peace Prize facts, from nobelprize.org:

- Adolf Hitler was nominated once in 1939 by E.G.C. Brandt, member of the Swedish parliament. Brandt changed his mind, however, and the nomination was withdrawn in a letter dated 1 February 1939.

- Joseph Stalin, the Secretary General of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922-1953), was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945 and 1948 for his efforts to end World War II.

- Mahatma Gandhi was nominated five times but never won. He was ineligible for the final nomination – shortly before his assassination in January 1948 – because “a posthumous award is not allowed by the statutes.” However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee chose to make no award that year because “there was no suitable living candidate.”

141 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:18am

re: #135 Coracle

[Link: Poltico]

I did, in a comment up above… re: #107 Walter L. Newton

Doesn’t change anything… play again?

142 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:50am

re: #122 iceman1960

It’s amazing what kind of mileage you can get having a beer with a cop and a college professor.

Perfect.

143 bosforus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:50am

You down with Obama’s Peace Prize?

144 jill e  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:03:55am

“It is better to look good, than to feel good,” —Fernando Lamas (via Billy Crystal)

145 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:05am

re: #107 Walter L. Newton

Well, in my opinion, anything short of declining, he’s accepting everything that this award stands for, and he has not lived up to as of yet…

“I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership,” Obama said from the White House Rose Garden.

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

Obama said he did not feel he deserves “to be in the company” of past winners.

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

Looks like that’s not going to happen.

That’s the most diplomatic and reasonable response. Downplay the award without insulting the committee. Honestly, Obama’s lack of swagger is a little boring!

146 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:15am

re: #143 bosforus

You down with Obama’s Peace Prize?

Yeah you know me!

147 iceman1960  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:17am

It’s not an outrage it’s an embarrassment

148 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:25am

It bears repeating that it’s more than irrelevant. I stopped being outraged after Al Gore won over Irena Sendler. Little can top that as far as my “holy-shit-O-meter” goes.

149 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:28am

re: #143 bosforus

You down with Obama’s Peace Prize?

Heh.

150 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:37am

re: #136 iceman1960

I was just named Motor Trends Car of the Year so what’s the big deal.

I won Guitar Player Magazine’s blues guitarist of the year. And I only play the harmonica!

151 NYC Conservative  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:04:59am

Words have meaning and actions have consequences. You can’t just wave this award away as being irrelevant. Most people outside the US disagree.
A little outrage sometimes is healthy.

152 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:05:17am

re: #148 Equable

It bears repeating that it’s more than irrelevant. I stopped being outraged after Al Gore won over Irena Sendler. Little can top that as far as my “holy-shit-O-meter” goes.

Arafat won it over a nameless hobo that didn’t advocate mass murder.

153 Spare O'Lake  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:05:33am

re: #95 Sharmuta

!

:)

154 webevintage  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:06:02am

re: #126 jamie

a major award for the President.

Maybe they will send him a sexy leg lamp.
/

Sorry, “Major Award” always makes me think of A Christmas Story.
“Glowing sex in the window.”

155 Blue Fin  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:06:06am

I’m not an Obama policy fan in general but to be fair he should not be held responsibe for this and demeaned. I am sure he must be a bit embarrassed by this and it’s not what his perception of being over exposed needs right now. The blame is soley with the NP organization who I believe is trying to force the president into owning up to the award in the future.

Good ammo for SNL this weekend though

156 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:06:27am

re: #137 Honorary Yooper

I have a bad feeling that handing out the Nobel to Obama now is going to end up looking like giving the 2010 Super Bowl trophy to the Detroit Lions. There’s no way the man can live up to their expectations.

I think it’ll be the answer to a trivia question in a few years. Interesting to discuss, but in the end, a benign issue.

157 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:06:31am

“Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize – an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride – unless of course you are the Republican Party.

“The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It’s no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it’s an embarrassing label to claim,”

-DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse to POLITICO.

158 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:06am

re: #151 NYC Conservative

Words have meaning and actions have consequences. You can’t just wave this award away as being irrelevant.

Sure I can. It’s irrelevant. See? I just did.

Most people outside the US disagree.

And that matters … why?

A little outrage sometimes is healthy.

Then by all means, stroke out.

159 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:08am

re: #107 Walter L. Newton

Well, in my opinion, anything short of declining, he’s accepting everything that this award stands for, and he has not lived up to as of yet…

“I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership,” Obama said from the White House Rose Garden.

“I will accept this award as a call to action.”

Obama said he did not feel he deserves “to be in the company” of past winners.

[Link: www.cnn.com…]

Looks like that’s not going to happen.

Recognition is the first step…

(He even knows he hasn’t done much…But this all falls to blame at he feet of the minority party who the democrats really don’t even have to include since they have the supramajority to accomplish anything they want…)
/

160 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:23am

re: #155 Blue Fin

Good ammo for SNL this weekend though

And Red Eye. I’m sure it will be the topic of a Gregalogue.

161 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:28am

re: #154 webevintage

Maybe they will send him a sexy leg lamp.

I have one of these on my desk.

Sexiest lamp evah!

162 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:36am
The deadline for nominations is Feb. 1, meaning the president was nominated after being in office for just 11 days.

[Link: abcnews.go.com…]

163 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:41am

re: #157 Basho

“Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize – an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride – unless of course you are the Republican Party.

“The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It’s no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it’s an embarrassing label to claim,”

-DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse to POLITICO.

The funny thing is, I am still able to live my life after knowing that Mr. Woodhouse disapproves of my politics.

164 bosforus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:07:48am

re: #161 Equable

I have one of these on my desk.

Sexiest lamp evah!

Not a finga!

165 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:08:12am

re: #134 Lee Coller

Given the current state of the Nobel Prize, I think “Condolences” is a more appropriate response.

Not to be too pedantic, but please reserve derision for the Nobel Peace Prize, which richly deserves it. The remaining Nobel Prizes in the sciences are normally well deserved by their recipients.

166 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:08:26am

But this proves the world loves us now! *sniff*…

167 BillyFloyd  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:08:28am
I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.


Exactly.

168 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:08:32am

re: #164 bosforus

HAHAHA one of the best lines in that movie…

169 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:03am

re: #151 NYC Conservative

Words have meaning and actions have consequences. You can’t just wave this award away as being irrelevant. Most people outside the US disagree.A little outrage sometimes is healthy.

In this case, that would be a good thing for the US, since a US President won the award.

170 jill e  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:06am

People who refused the prize (on CNN.com):

• Le Duc Tho was awarded the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize with Henry Kissinger for their roles in brokering a Vietnam cease fire at the Paris Peace Accords. Citing the absence of actual peace in Vietnam, Tho declined to accept.

• Jean Paul Sartre waved off the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature. His explanation: “It is not the same thing if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre or if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre, Nobel Prize winner. A writer must refuse to allow himself to be transformed into an institution, even if it takes place in the most honorable form.”

• Afraid of Soviet retribution if he traveled to Stockholm to claim his prize, Boris Pasternak declined to accept the 1958 Prize in Literature, which he’d earned for Doctor Zhivago. The Academy refused his refusal. “This refusal, of course, in no way alters the validity of the award. There remains only for the Academy, however, to announce with regret that the presentation of the Prize cannot take place.” Yevgeny Pasternak accepted the prize on behalf of his deceased father in 1989.

• Swedish poet Erik Axel Karlfeldt won for Literature in 1918. He did not accept because he was Secretary of the Swedish Academy, which awards the prize. He was given the award posthumously in 1931. This was allowed because the nomination was made before Karlfeldt died — no candidate may be proposed after death.

171 iceman1960  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:07am

THIS JUST IN… Cubs win World Series!!!

172 bosforus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:13am

re: #168 Equable

HAHAHA one of the best lines in that movie…

Bumpuses dogs!
Sons of bitches!

173 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:14am

re: #163 Guanxi88

Eh.. When he’s right, he’s right.

174 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:09:59am

re: #150 Mad Al-Jaffee

I won Guitar Player Magazine’s blues guitarist of the year. And I only play the harmonica!

But you have the potential to accomplish great things on the guitar.

175 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:01am

re: #40 Ben Hur

DNC official: GOP siding with terrorists

Otherwise, I think it’s pretty clear this morning that EVERYONE is a little perplexed.

Matt Lauer and David Gregory are not right wing bloggers.

For the record, I’m not criticizing Obama on the award; I’m criticizing the committee for issuing it to someone with no achievements or a lifetime of work dedicated to furthering the cause of peace; as Lauer, NYT, and other media outlets are noting, this was unexpected but can be explained by one inescapable fact - Obama isn’t Bush.

176 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:07am

re: #157 Basho

Funny of Mr. Woodhouse to say that when a similar number of Americans admit to being Democrats, and the largest growing group of Americans is Independents. Also kind of funny to see that out of him due to the crap we’ve seen for the past eight fricking years. I think Americans are sick and tired of the shit that passes for politics. A minority of them associate with the two major political parties, and a minority of them vote.

As for Mr. Woodhouse, pot-kettle-black. We in the center, we Independents, put a curse on both your houses.

177 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:26am

re: #173 Basho

Eh.. When he’s right, he’s right.

Don’t deny that there’s a lot of booing of the guy. Don’t view the Nobel as the accomplishment that it will be made out to be, though, and don’t consider shooting the bird at the Nobel Committee as anything other than patriotic.

178 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:27am

re: #172 bosforus

Okay that does it, turning Pirates of Silicone Valley off and throwing in A Christmas Story.

That by far is one of the best Christmas movies ever. Hell, give it a Nobel Prize.

179 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:44am

re: #170 jill e

George C. Scott for Best Actor in Patton.

Wait, wrong awards.

180 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:10:55am

re: #175 lawhawk

Note my #162.

He was nominated after only 11 days in office.

That’s amazing.

181 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:09am

re: #162 Ben Hur

[Link: abcnews.go.com…]

He was probably chosen as the winner the minute he won the election.

Seems the WH thought it was a joke. From your link:

Two key White House aides were both convinced they were being punked when they heard the news, reported ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.

“It’s not April 1, is it?” one said.

182 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:25am

Important thing to remember in all this - Clinton DIDN’t get one. That’s something.

183 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:25am

re: #179 Mad Al-Jaffee

George C. Scott for Best Actor in Patton.

Wait, wrong awards.

Didn’t he refuse that award, citing the academy as some kind of meat market?

184 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:32am

re: #174 SixDegrees

But you have the potential to accomplish great things on the guitar.

That’s true! Ronnie Earl didn’t start playing until his 30s and now he’s one of the best known blues guitarists around!

185 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:36am

re: #158 Charles

Then by all means, stroke out.

BTW Charles, you have to watch this video posted at the deuce. It’s a carefully researched rebuttal of all of our pro-evolution arguments./

Youtube Video
186 Pawn of the Oppressor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:43am

I think Ahmedinejad should get the prize, for trying to rid the world of Iranian nuclear weapons… One at a time. In the middle of Israel.

Co-nominees include pretty much anybody with a five-figure paycheck at the U.N.

187 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:48am

re: #151 NYC Conservative

The Nobel Prize carries weight with Iran, Russia, China or the Taliban? Obama still has to deal with those threats, and there Nobel Prize does nothing to improve his chances in figuring out what to do. It will go on the mantle place and while he might be inclined to bring it out to claim some moral authority based on the award, everyone realizes that it was awarded because he simply followed someone that the media and the elites despised in Bush.

188 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:11:53am

re: #181 NJDhockeyfan

Two key White House aides were both convinced they were being punked when they heard the news, reported ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.

“It’s not April 1, is it?” one said.

ODS.

189 The Sanity Inspector  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:12:02am

Andrew Sullivan’s got a roundup of non-loony dissent from non-loony sources. Except maybe for that Taliban mouthpiece. My fave is the one from Jake Tapper:

Apparently the standards are more exacting for an ASU honorary degree these days.
190 webevintage  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:12:07am

re: #164 bosforus

Not a finga!

God, I love that movie.
Very few films make me laugh year after year…

191 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:12:12am

re: #182 Guanxi88

Important thing to remember in all this - Clinton DIDN’t get one. That’s something.

Careful. It’s not to late - for either of them.

192 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:12:27am

re: #180 Ben Hur

You should have seen my comments on the dead thread - they make that exact observation.

193 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:12:42am

re: #186 Pawn of the Oppressor

I think Ahmedinejad should get the prize, for trying to rid the world of Iranian nuclear weapons… One at a time. In the middle of Israel.

Co-nominees include pretty much anybody with a five-figure paycheck at the U.N.

To be entirely honest, I am surprised that he hasn’t been nominated.

194 NYC Conservative  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:13:24am

re: #169 Flyers1974


Yes, its good for US perception abroad but for what reason?
I think the SNL skit recently was pretty spot on.

“Yeah I did nothing, but I got an award for it now!”

195 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:13:29am

re: #176 Honorary Yooper

Funny of Mr. Woodhouse to say that when a similar number of Americans admit to being Democrats, and the largest growing group of Americans is Independents. Also kind of funny to see that out of him due to the crap we’ve seen for the past eight fricking years. I think Americans are sick and tired of the shit that passes for politics. A minority of them associate with the two major political parties, and a minority of them vote.

As for Mr. Woodhouse, pot-kettle-black. We in the center, we Independents, put a curse on both your houses.

That doesn’t make his statement any less true.

196 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:13:32am

re: #183 Equable

Didn’t he refuse that award, citing the academy as some kind of meat market?

Yeah. Read 170 again.

197 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:16am

Arafat’s Nobel Peace prize is every bit as legitimate as Walter Duranty’s Pulitzer prize.

198 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:22am

re: #193 Equable

For all we know, he was. Nominations aren’t released for 50 years after the date of the award. Hitler even was nominated once, although the person nominating him later rescinded the nomination.

Names that get leaked will come from those involved in the nomination process or the committee.

199 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:25am

re: #182 Guanxi88

Important thing to remember in all this - Clinton DIDN’t get one. That’s something.

Very true. It would not shock me to see a division among Democrats over this very issue. Neither Clinton has gotten a Nobel Peace Prize, yet Obama can claim one.

200 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:30am

FWIW -

1) heard Obama’s speech in the car - he nailed it. Made lemonade out of lemons.

2) Wanting a freer and more just world and using America’s power to do it is a continuation of Bush policies. heavy irony in all of this, seeing that Obama has tactically tracked Bush in a great many respects. But he is a vastly better speaker and doesn’t seem to have as polarized a staff so he is being more effective implementing much of the Bush policies.

3) If the radio show on KFI is any indication (hosted by Obama supporters) then it isn’t the right wing / ODS types who are ridiculing the award. Angry? No. Laughing? Absolutely.

4) Obama himself stated that the prize is about what is expected rather than what has been done. We will see if Obama holds back on Iran and tries to play Afghanistan to a “tie” as a result of being a laureate. I hope not.

5) Charles is right - this is a European Politics Beauty Contest now.

201 jill e  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:38am

“I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.”
—Groucho Marx

202 The Sanity Inspector  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:40am

re: #174 SixDegrees

But you have the potential to accomplish great things on the guitar.

No matter how far out of high school you are, you can always win a “great potential” award.

203 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:52am

re: #105 krycek

Almost as ridiculous as giving Obama the Cy Young award for throwing out the first pitch at this years MLB All Star game.

Athlete of the year.

204 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:52am

re: #192 lawhawk

As to be expected!

205 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:14:58am

re: #182 Guanxi88

Important thing to remember in all this - Clinton DIDN’t get one. That’s something.

Not yet, that is. He’s sandwiched between Carter and Gore, though, and with this most recent award you can be certain Slick is going to be pissed. Let the lobbying begin.

206 medaura18586  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:33am
Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

But if our president understood that much, he would gracefully decline the prize. Obama may have grand and noble aspirations, but he has not achieved much of anything in terms of world peace so far.

207 Honorary Yooper  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:38am

re: #195 Basho

That doesn’t make his statement any less true.

No, but it makes him look like an ass for saying it. Should the pot be calling the kettle black? It only makes the pot look stupid, even if he’s right.

208 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:39am

re: #198 lawhawk

You’re absolutely right Hawk, thanks for pointing that out.

209 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:49am

re: #184 Mad Al-Jaffee

That’s true! Ronnie Earl didn’t start playing until his 30s and now he’s one of the best known blues guitarists around!

The simple fact that someday, you might do something great, makes you deserving of an award now.

210 Mr Chompers  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:53am

What’s Obama going to do with the prize money?
Maybe buy some carbon credits or refuse it?

211 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:54am

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to mail a big flaming pile of poo to Crawford Texas?

212 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:15:58am

re: #182 Guanxi88

Important thing to remember in all this - Clinton DIDN’t get one. That’s something.

That’s kind of effed up, no?

I mean, looking back.

213 jill e  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:16:12am

Looking forward to hearing congrats from the Clintons.

214 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:16:13am

NY Daily News:

President Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize win mocks award; GOP has ammunition on Iran, Afghanistan

In one fell swoop, the Nobel Prize jury just made a mockery of the world’s most revered honor and handed Barack Obama’s opponents a great talking point. They wounded two doves with one stone.

Obama should say “Thanks, but no thanks. I really didn’t earn this. It’s far too early to know whether my efforts will further the cause of peace. There are countless people more deserving in America alone. And besides, I’ll worry about prizes after I’m the President. For now, I have a job to do.”

Do the folks in Oslo realize what a gift they just gave to the Republicans, who have been hammering away at what they view as Obama’s weak-kneed foreign policy, at his flying all over the planet to curry favor while he (in their analysis) neglects the economy and capitulates on basic American national security interests?

Thanks to the Nobel committee, less than a year into his presidency he’s President of the World, a label he won’t be able to shake.

OUCH.

215 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:16:44am

re: #155 Blue Fin

SNL took too much shit for mocking Obama. They may hold back. What you may see is a skit on the committee rather than Obama.

216 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:16:47am

re: #115 jimmyk

Well, the left is also in a fine froth over it. Seems that Barak has finally transcended partisan politics.

Tah Dah!

217 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:17:00am

WH press conference…Gibbs working hard to fend off the “more talk than substance” questions.

218 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:17:02am

re: #210 Mr Chompers

What’s Obama going to do with the prize money?
Maybe buy some carbon credits or refuse it?

I hear ACORN is in need of a few bucks.

219 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:17:04am

Let’s not forget that, among all the Nobel prizes, the prize for Peace is alone that one that carries broad political connotations. War and peace, after all, are the ultimate manifestations of international politics.

Politics and religion are always the two hot-button issues in public discourse because the participants are generally very invested, emotionally, in the topic.

As a result, it’s not a surprise that the Nobel Peace Prize receives so much scorn. No matter who is selected, someone is always going to be pissed.

220 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:17:10am

re: #214 NJDhockeyfan

“The world’s most revered honor?”

Excuse me while I snortle.

221 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:17:49am

re: #193 Equable

To be entirely honest, I am surprised that he hasn’t been nominated.

He will, after he implements a just and lasting peace, on his terms, in the Mid East. Once the radiation dies down enough, he’ll hold a press conference.

222 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:20am

re: #220 Charles

Well, it was the NY Daily News, which tries mightily to top the Post for outrageous headlines and statements.

223 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:30am

re: #214 NJDhockeyfan

Eh.

All of this will quietly disappear.

They’ll be initial outrage/or whatever by the media, then they’ll ignore the flames.

Sort of like the Obama Joker poster. They freaked until they found out it wasn’t some right wing white guy from Tennessee. Suddenly, no one speaks about it anymore.

224 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:34am

re: #209 SixDegrees

The simple fact that someday, you might do something great, makes you deserving of an award now.

We give them out all the time in schools. Awards for zippo. To build self-esteem.

The Nobel committee is obviously just trying to buck Obama up at the end of a bad week.

225 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:39am

re: #213 jill e

Looking forward to hearing congrats from the Clintons.

It’s always interesting to hear either of them talk through clenched teeth.

226 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:43am

re: #221 Guanxi88

Ding ding!

re: #220 Charles

“The world’s most revered honor?”

Excuse me while I snortle.

I threw in a guffaw for good measure.

227 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:18:58am

Snortle?

228 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:19:39am

re: #227 Ben Hur

Snortle?

snort + chortle

229 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:19:40am

Headline: Obama humbly returns Peace Prize.
GOP: Obama mocks allies, hurts foreign policy, loses political capital.

230 Dadaist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:19:41am

This is hilarious.

I mean, OK, it’s a completely ridiculous decision based on no significant accomplishments in bringing about, well, peace. Who knows, maybe in the years to come the current President will indeed greatly add to the sum of peace on Earth, but he certainly hasn’t done so yet. But to harp on that is to miss the point.

What really matters about this is that it will drive the frothing lunatics of the hard right fringe into yet further apoplectic spasms, involving howling, yapping, drooling and biting on the furniture. This will provide me with minutes, even hours of entertainment perusing their websites. And for that I thank the Nobel committee.

(Although like a lot of pleasurable but unhealthy things, afterwards I will probably feel slightly hollow and vaguely disappointed.)

231 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:20:12am

re: #210 Mr Chompers

What’s Obama going to do with the prize money?
Maybe buy some carbon credits or refuse it?

It’s usual for such recipients to donate their cash award to a charity of some sort, or something similar.

232 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:20:19am

re: #228 Cato the Elder

snort + chortle

Chortle?

LOL!

233 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:20:31am

re: #230 Dadaist

Hahaha. I share your sentiments :)

234 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:20:58am

re: #220 Charles

“The world’s most revered honor?”

Excuse me while I snortle.

The Daily News didn’t call it that when Hamas stole Arafat’s peace prize.

[Link: www.nydailynews.com…]

It was only “cherished” back then.

235 Rexatosis  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:05am

The selection of President Obama as a recipient of a Nobel Prize for doing nothing damages the value of the award in the public’s mind. Those who should be outraged are those recipients of Nobel Prizes in the Sciences, Math, Economics, and Literature who have actually spent their lives producing a body of work worthy of a Nobel Prize instead of just “being there.”

236 Mr Chompers  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:06am

Is Obama going to cancel the drone/bombing flights for Afghanistan today?

237 Blue Fin  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:19am

re: #227 Ben Hur

Obscure reference…see Suzanne Sommers’ character from the show ‘Threes Company.”

238 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:20am

re: #227 Ben Hur

Snortle?

Ernistine’s (Lily Tomlin’s) trademark laugh.

239 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:33am

re: #230 Dadaist

What really matters about this is that it will drive the frothing lunatics of the hard right fringe into yet further apoplectic spasms, involving howling, yapping, drooling and biting on the furniture. This will provide me with minutes, even hours of entertainment perusing their websites. And for that I thank the Nobel committee.

(Although like a lot of pleasurable but unhealthy things, afterwards I will probably feel slightly hollow and vaguely disappointed.)

The first thing I thought was how angry the blogs would be. I’m still laughing.

240 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:35am

re: #230 Dadaist

This is hilarious.

I mean, OK, it’s a completely ridiculous decision based on no significant accomplishments in bringing about, well, peace. Who knows, maybe in the years to come the current President will indeed greatly add to the sum of peace on Earth, but he certainly hasn’t done so yet. But to harp on that is to miss the point.

What really matters about this is that it will drive the frothing lunatics of the hard right fringe into yet further apoplectic spasms, involving howling, yapping, drooling and biting on the furniture. This will provide me with minutes, even hours of entertainment perusing their websites. And for that I thank the Nobel committee.

(Although like a lot of pleasurable but unhealthy things, afterwards I will probably feel slightly hollow and vaguely disappointed.)

I wouldn’t put it past the Nobel committee to have done it for that very reason. That’s how irrelevant the award has become.

241 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:40am
242 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:46am

Public Seems Skeptical of Obama’s Nobel Win

Youtube Video
243 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:21:59am

re: #137 Honorary Yooper

I have a bad feeling that handing out the Nobel to Obama now is going to end up looking like giving the 2010 Super Bowl trophy to the Detroit Lions. There’s no way the man can live up to their expectations.

Oh noes! The award must come with a list of suggestions!

244 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:12am

The Nobel prizes for science and literature are still valid measures of achievement, by the way, and really mean something.

The Nobel Peace Prize, not so much.

245 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:21am

re: #240 Cato the Elder

I wouldn’t put it past the Nobel committee to have done it for that very reason. That’s how irrelevant the award has become.

The award was just to piss of Michelle Malkin personally. ;p

246 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:24am

re: #206 medaura18586

But if our president understood that much, he would gracefully decline the prize. Obama may have grand and noble aspirations, but he has not achieved much of anything in terms of world peace so far.

What?! Getting us killed in unilateral nuclear nonproliferation will not achieve world peace?
/

247 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:31am

re: #237 Blue Fin

Obscure reference…see Suzanne Sommers’ character from the show ‘Threes Company.”

Got it.

248 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:45am

Nobel committee: “We did it for the LULZ.”

249 Spare O'Lake  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:54am

re: #241 Spare O’Lake

Let’s not bring his cocaine use into this.

Obama’s.

250 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:55am

re: #245 Sharmuta

The award was just to piss of Michelle Malkin personally. ;p

Then I may have to re-think my initial reaction to the news.

251 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:22:57am
252 NYC Conservative  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:23:15am

re: #235 Rexatosis

The selection of President Obama as a recipient of a Nobel Prize for doing nothing damages the value of the award in the public’s mind. Those who should be outraged are those recipients of Nobel Prizes in the Sciences, Math, Economics, and Literature who have actually spent their lives producing a body of work worthy of a Nobel Prize instead of just “being there.”

Spot on.

253 califleftyb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:23:48am

re: #66 sffilk

It looks like they reworked the page - here is an original screenshot from “Harry’s Place”
[Link: www.hurryupharry.org…]

Here is the current weblink -
[Link: www.guardian.co.uk…]

254 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:12am

re: #235 Rexatosis

The selection of President Obama as a recipient of a Nobel Prize for doing nothing damages the value of the award in the public’s mind. Those who should be outraged are those recipients of Nobel Prizes in the Sciences, Math, Economics, and Literature who have actually spent their lives producing a body of work worthy of a Nobel Prize instead of just “being there.”

Anyone who’s read the novel knows that Obama is, in many ways, Chauncey Gardner.

255 dwells38  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:22am

The only irksome thing about it is they only want to reward American weakness. They know Obama goes and elevates the prestige of our enemies by engaging them as equals, offers to give away our nuke arsenal without securing any committments from the Russians and looks the other way as autocrats crush freedoms all over the world.

They won’t be happy until the US is no longer a super power and cannot balance against the Russians and the Chinese who forge warm relationships with other dictatorial and WMD seeking rulers. Not sure what their game plan is after that. Or maybe they think democracy is wrong-headed and like the Islamists think, if you do it my way no one gets hurt.

Due to our current economic problems there may come a day soon when we can’t even service the national debt and therefore will be forced to scale down our military. Suppose we’ll just have to see how that plays out.

256 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:30am

Fark : Obama linked to terrorist Yasser Arafat

257 krycek  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:31am

He should dedicate this to all the former Miss America contestants who ever babbled about world peace. They were ahead of their time.

258 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:35am

re: #219 Ray in TX

Let’s not forget that, among all the Nobel prizes, the prize for Peace is alone that one that carries broad political connotations. War and peace, after all, are the ultimate manifestations of international politics.

Politics and religion are always the two hot-button issues in public discourse because the participants are generally very invested, emotionally, in the topic.

As a result, it’s not a surprise that the Nobel Peace Prize receives so much scorn. No matter who is selected, someone is always going to be pissed.

Only when the prize is awarded poorly. Real, lasting peace comes about through reconciliation; once accomplished, neither side has reason to gripe, as they’ve presumably already put the particular differences in question behind them.

That your statement is more often than not true is merely a reflection of how poorly chosen the recipients often are. The animosity that bubbles to the surface afterward is a clear indicator that the award wasn’t deserved in the first place.

259 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:47am

By the way, I’m not going to let this thread turn into an Obama-bashing session.

260 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:24:48am

re: #209 SixDegrees

The simple fact that someday, you might do something great, makes you deserving of an award now.

I feel so honored!

My band did get to the International Blues Challenge semi-finals twice. I guess that qualifies me.

261 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:11am

re: #248 Basho

Nobel committee: “We did it for the LULZ.”

I nominate that for rotating title. Along with “Blammo!”

262 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:42am

Interesting photo and headline at Ynetnews. Smug photo of Obama and the headline reads: Obama ‘humbled’ by Nobel.

Heh.

Obama calling this a call to action was the right tone for him, and sidesteps just how appropriate it was for him to receive it in the first place.

263 Banner  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:43am

What’s there to be gracious about?
Lets see, Arafat got it for Killing Israelis,
Carter got it for giving North Korea the Atomic Bomb,
Obama hasn’t done anything yet, is this supposed to get him to do something equally ‘peaceful’?

I think it’s safe to say all of the nobel prizes have now become nothing more than a poor joke.

264 schnapp  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:46am

His foreign policy is the exact same as George Bush’s. Just more lovey-dovey talk.

265 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:50am

They should feature WH press secretary on Discovery channel’s “Dirty Jobs.”

266 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:51am

Obama was actually pretty graceful in his speech, and sounded surprised that he had won. He clearly knows just like everyone else that it’s a political decision.

267 MPH  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:25:52am

BREAKING NEWS: Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech wins Nobel Prize for Literature!

Source: [Link: twitter.com…]

268 webevintage  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:11am

While the RNC handed the DNC some lovely red meat, I do wish the DNC had just ignored them.
sigh.
I hate the whole tit-for-tat BS…it is really getting old and draining.

I think Andrew Sullivan has summed this whole thing up right:
I’ve had some coffee now. Reading through all the reactions, compiled by Chris and Patrick, there are two obvious points: this is premature and this is thoroughly deserved.
Both are right. I don’t think Americans fully absorbed the depths to which this country’s reputation had sunk under the Cheney era. That’s understandable. And so they also haven’t fully absorbed the turn-around in the world’s view of America that Obama and the American people have accomplished.
Here’s the rest of his post:
[Link: andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com…]

269 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:18am

In other news, photographer Andres Serrano won the Nobel Piss Prize.

270 medaura18586  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:27am

BREAKING NEWS: Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech wins Nobel Prize for Literature!

271 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:40am

re: #244 Charles

Even literature has been demeaned as a result of politicization. The sciences awards retain their luster because of the demonstrated achievements that are necessary to be considered.

272 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:44am

I wonder, though, just what the Nobel Committee expects in terms of actions; I mean, he’s a pres, not a supreme leader - there are limits to what he can do, after all. And, dove-talk notwithstanding in come corners, the guy uses the drones and missiles and spec ops guys with quite the free hand (and wuite rightly, too).

273 KernelPanic  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:26:49am

It may just be the jetlag talking since I just got back from the last of two consecutive biz trips to Europe in the last 2.5 weeks but I believe I know the real reason behind this award …

The committee is rewarding Obama for secret actions taken this morning to save the entire world…

By bombing the moon this morning, Obama clearly protected us from an incipient alien invasion force. The timing CAN’T BE A COINCIDENCE — WAKE UP SHEEPLE !!!

//

274 medaura18586  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:27:13am

re: #267 MPH

err you beat me to it!

275 NYC Conservative  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:27:29am

re: #259 Charles

By the way, I’m not going to let this thread turn into an Obama-bashing session.

People are bashing the prize and committee more than the man.

*Goes back to stroking out*

276 ajaxlikid  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:27:43am

Yes, the prize doesn’t worth a dime - aside from the $1.5M, that is - since Arafat received it. (And Al Gore didn’t help in rehabilitating the prize).
True also that Obama doesn’t deserve it in any way.
To Obama’s defense: he didn’t ask for it.
That being said, there’s only one decent thing he can do: turn the prize down.

277 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:28:15am

re: #272 Guanxi88

I wonder, though, just what the Nobel Committee expects in terms of actions; I mean, he’s a pres, not a supreme leader - there are limits to what he can do, after all. And, dove-talk notwithstanding in come corners, the guy uses the drones and missiles and spec ops guys with quite the free hand (and wuite rightly, too).

Ultimately, they want a weaker, more pliable US.

278 shiplord kirel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:28:26am

I have such a low opinion of the Piss Prize in the first place that Obama seems a fairly decent choice compared to some they might have made. I mean, they could have awarded it to Roman Polanski, NAMBLA, or Paris Hilton and I wouldn’t think any less of it, and of the committee, than I already do.

279 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:29:07am

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

*deep breath*

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

280 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:29:15am

re: #235 Rexatosis

The selection of President Obama as a recipient of a Nobel Prize for doing nothing damages the value of the award in the public’s mind. Those who should be outraged are those recipients of Nobel Prizes in the Sciences, Math, Economics, and Literature who have actually spent their lives producing a body of work worthy of a Nobel Prize instead of just “being there.”

Not so much. The Peace Prize has been the object of scorn for many years now. The others have always been awarded to those who well deserved them, and they don’t share the taint the PP has attached to it.

Strong on science, short on politics the committee is. Very much like Noam Chomsky.

281 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:29:18am

re: #266 Charles

Obama was actually pretty graceful in his speech, and sounded surprised that he had won. He clearly knows just like everyone else that it’s a political decision.

But…but…as I said on the overnight thread, when I heard this, I immediately realized the true significance of the Crowley-Gates Beer Summit as a step toward racial reconciliation and world peace…no?

282 lawhawk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:29:33am

re: #268 webevintage

I’m curious who they think actually thinks the US is better with Obama in charge. Chanting death to America is common in Pakistan, Iran, and elsewhere in the world, although Obama hasn’t yet had enough time to get the whole world pissed off at the US; he’s still in the honeymoon period (if barely).

Making platitudes of change isn’t change. However, talking with despots and dictators while disparaging and ignoring allies isn’t an improvement. But it is change; just not the kind we want or need for long term peace and stability.

283 Mr Chompers  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:29:44am

I heard Paula Abdul is on the Nobel Committee. Just saying…

Maybe Obama could follow Mr. Shockley’s example below and donate some sperm?

—-
• William Shockley won for Physics in 1956 for his role in the invention of the semiconductor, but his support of the eugenics movement alienated the scientific community. Shockley also donated sperm to the Repository for Germinal Choice, a sperm bank developed to spread humanity’s best genes.

284 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:30:10am

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

285 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:30:27am

re: #277 Danny

Ultimately, they want a weaker, more pliable US.

I think, or should say, hope, that Obama will turn out to be the consummate politician everyone keeps reassuring me he is, and will look like a dove of the old school and a pacifist of the first water, all the while taking a big spiked club to the heads of evil-doers.

In terms of weaker and more pliable, well, we’re there already, and have been for a while (even pre-Obama, sad to say, W lost his grip, or things skidded, or both).

286 Achilles Tang  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:30:31am

Moving this comment up from below, just to add my two cents worth:

Assuming they did their research on finding someone to give the award to, it doesn’t say much about the rest of the world’s efforts to promote peace, does it?

287 sffilk  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:30:41am

re: #253 califleftyb

Thank you. Why am I not surprised?!

288 shiplord kirel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:31:05am

re: #281 dentate

But…but…as I said on the overnight thread, when I heard this, I immediately realized the true significance of the Crowley-Gates Beer Summit as a step toward racial reconciliation and world peace…no?

It’s more than some recent recipients have done toward that goal.

289 Blue Fin  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:31:11am

re: #259 Charles

It’s unfortunate as this isn’t or shouldn’t be about Obama who in this instance is an innocent bystander. Reminiscent of when Neil Young won the award over Metallica…not Neil’s fault (stretching it I know)

290 dwells38  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:31:17am

...

291 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:31:28am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

The prize isn’t worth causing a big fight over, really. Just take it with a nice, quiet acceptance speech - I didn’t hear it, but from everyone’s comments it was fairly respectable - and be done with it.

292 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:31:46am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

It would be ungracious. It should be accepted in the spirt with which it was given- nice intentions all around.

The prize money should perhaps go to charity.

293 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:06am

Gotta eat! Later all.

294 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:11am

I see the climate change denier ‘jackflash’ is running through the last environmental thread dinging up all the deniers’ posts and dinging down all the rational ones.

295 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:11am

The lefty bloggers I follow are in agreement that it’s kinda weird that Obama won, but are looking forward to the craziness that’s to follow.

296 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:11am

re: #290 dwells38

I’m not sure I agree. ;)

297 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:21am

re: #292 Sharmuta

It would be ungracious. It should be accepted in the spirt with which it was given- nice intentions all around.

The prize money should perhaps go to charity.

The spirit was influence US policy.

298 dwells38  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:22am

re: #284 Charles


Dont know what happened there.

My attempted response was:

OK. Shutting up now. :)

299 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:22am

Or spirit even.

300 Right Brain  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:28am

Tune in to Fox at 5:00 pm to watch Glenn Beck do a Geddan dance.

301 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:39am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

I’m with you there. Gracefully accept it - like he did - and keep doing your thing. Nothing to get outraged or upset over.

302 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:32:50am

There’s a link on The Plum Line to Gideon Rachman’s blog at the FT. I would not characterize him as conservative, and he’s been solidly behind Obama, as is clear from his articles. What he says is quite reasonable, and equally interesting are the comments from readers which show signs of having a moderator who actually is doing his job. There was at least one deletion. Note there’s a reader who refers to Tel-Aviv as though it’s the capital of Israel. It’s not clear if he’s being a numbskull or whether the deleted note to which he is responding was the culprit.

303 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:04am

I give the guy credit - modesty in his speech accepting it. He could have launched into some long drawn out deal about the road here, and the long road ahead, sure to be paved with as many accomplishments as the way thus far, but he didn’t.

304 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:08am

re: #286 Naso Tang

Moving this comment up from below, just to add my two cents worth:

Assuming they did their research on finding someone to give the award to, it doesn’t say much about the rest of the world’s efforts to promote peace, does it?

That’s actually the best response to this that I have heard yet, and should have been in Obama’s acceptance speech.

305 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:15am

re: #289 Blue Fin

Wasn’t that Jethro Tull?

306 windhorse  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:23am

I’ll give President Obama the benefit of the doubt on this one… it isn’t like he asked for it… (and no, he hasn’t really done anything to deserve this yet imo).

307 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:24am

re: #147 iceman1960

It’s not an outrage it’s an embarrassment

Yeah. It’s an embarasment to America that Obama won the Peace Prize, but cheering the rejection of Chicago for the Olympics is supporting America.

308 Spare O'Lake  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:29am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

Anti-Uproarite!

309 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:35am

The Nobel Peace Prize committee has been using the prize to encourage / bring focus for years. If it were solely about who saved “x” many lives with a risky peace making effort, then David Petraeus/US armed forces in Iraq would have been nominated and won for having adopted a strategy that put civilian welfare above force protection (a radical innovation for any military organization).

This is about encouraging Obama and Americans to use less force and go more multi-lateral.

Now if they could award the prize next year in a way that gets Europe to actually pay for its own defense in both money and blood (instead of outsourcing it to the Americans and bitching about tactics / who was consulted) then I would hold the award in very high esteem.

310 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:48am
311 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:53am

re: #300 Right Brain

Tune in to Fox at 5:00 pm to watch Glenn Beck do a Geddan dance.

That guy’s frikkin head is going to explode over this. Can’t wait.

312 medaura18586  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:33:55am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

I disagree. In declining it, he would not have to mention how useless the prize is, how a scumbag like Arafat receiving it devalued it beyond repair — all he would have to say is that he feels honored to be considered, but his efforts toward world peace have not borne fruit yet. He can play the humility card and act graciously.

313 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:34:03am

re: #297 Ben Hur

The spirit was influence US policy.

I know. I don’t think it will be as successful as the Nobel Peace Prize committee hopes.

314 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:34:28am

re: #258 SixDegreesThat your statement is more often than not true is merely a reflection of how poorly chosen the recipients often are. The animosity that bubbles to the surface afterward is a clear indicator that the award wasn’t deserved in the first place.

But my point is that the Peace prize necessarily carries political connotations with it. As a result, people will make often make their opinion about the merit of the award based on predetermined political emotions.

For example, Jimmy Carter was vilified by the Right for his economic policies as president. Was his Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 undeserved? I don’t think so. I mean, geez, he has spent his entire life working for peace in various regions of the world. But I honestly think that a lot of people can’t see past their political animosity to even grudgingly admit that maybe he deserved the award.

315 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:34:36am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

Which would just go to show that he doesn’t deserve it.

So, by accepting it, he’s justifying it.

Interesting tautology.

(Just an observation.)

316 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:34:49am

re: #313 Sharmuta

I know. I don’t think it will be as successful as the Nobel Peace Prize committee hopes.

I think it will backfire.

It just made a whole bunch of Americans pause and think, “What has he done?”

317 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:34:51am

re: #310 elmerf9000

That’s the last comment you’ll post at LGF.

318 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:06am

re: #253 califleftyb

I love how the author tries to weasel his way out in his explanantion for the ommissions:

It’s my fault, I’m afraid. I decided where there was more than one winner to put the joint one in the second column. Unfortunately, this caused a few problems, which we’ve now rectified.

319 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:16am

re: #297 Ben Hur

The spirit was influence US policy.

I think more to “support” Obama’s new US policy, and a back handed slap at the previous administrations.

320 Blue Fin  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:25am

re: #305 Equable

Yes and stand corrected. Neil Young would have deserved it actually!;)

321 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:36am

re: #259 Charles

By the way, I’m not going to let this thread turn into an Obama-bashing session.

Nor should it.

I’m here to bash the Nobel nobs.

322 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:38am

re: #317 Charles

That’s the last comment you’ll post at LGF.

It’s like I said earlier this morning. The ODS truly is in full swing.
*hands Charles a new clue-by-four*

323 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:57am

re: #319 avanti

I think more to “support” Obama’s new US policy, and a back handed slap at the previous administrations.

True. With one correction.

324 Dreader1962  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:35:58am

re: #294 Charles

I see the climate change denier ‘jackflash’ is running through the last environmental thread dinging up all the deniers’ post and dinging down all the rational ones.

Charles, maybe you should have a formula where every downding ‘costs’ you your own karma (maybe 1 to 1, perhaps some other ratio). Updings can be ‘free’, but to downding someone should incur a cost.

This way, if you see a chronic downdinger, his karma will be in the negative.

Just a suggestion - it would make people think before clicking the downding.

325 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:36:01am

re: #317 Charles

That’s the last comment you’ll post at LGF.

*tear*
I’m sure that one comment wasn’t representative of all the comments he’s posted.
/

326 filetandrelease  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:36:13am

re: #301 Racer X

I’m with you there. Gracefully accept it - like he did - and keep doing your thing. Nothing to get outraged or upset over.


My thoughts too. IMO, a shame the commitee gave it to Obama for “hope”, but not his fault either.

327 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:36:31am

re: #320 Blue Fin

Amen Fin, Young has forgotten more talent than those Metallica cats will ever have.

328 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:10am

re: #294 Charles

I see the climate change denier ‘jackflash’ is running through the last environmental thread dinging up all the deniers’ post and dinging down all the rational ones.

haha, as a fellow programmer, I can only imagine the auditing tools you’ve developed to combat trolls in your custom-designed blog!

/envy

And don’t think I don’t know why you have private lounge threads! /wink

329 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:17am

re: #282 lawhawk

I’m curious who they think actually thinks the US is better with Obama in charge. Chanting death to America is common in Pakistan, Iran, and elsewhere in the world, although Obama hasn’t yet had enough time to get the whole world pissed off at the US; he’s still in the honeymoon period (if barely).

Making platitudes of change isn’t change. However, talking with despots and dictators while disparaging and ignoring allies isn’t an improvement. But it is change; just not the kind we want or need for long term peace and stability.

I liked what one of Instapundit’s readers said: “It’s a peace prize, not a peace peace prize.”

330 califleftyb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:18am

Blame all of this on the Swedes - A world of faux furniture has lead inexorably to a world of faux honors for faux achievements.

331 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:48am

re: #325 Basho

*tear*
I’m sure that one comment wasn’t representative of all the comments he’s posted.
/

Well, if he doesn’t have the cojones to stand by every word he ever posted here, including where he said he was wrong…

332 BohicaTwentyTwo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:51am

I promise to cure all disease within the next year. Now if you will excuse me, I have a plane to Oslo to catch.

333 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:37:58am

re: #316 Ben Hur

I think it will backfire.

It just made a whole bunch of Americans pause and think, “What has he done?”

I think a lot of people are thinking that. It might also serve as a good reminder that European and American thinking about Peace can sometimes be very different.

334 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:38:23am

You don’t have to love Obama to recognize that he had no say whatsoever in the decision to award the prize.

335 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:38:27am

re: #329 Danny

I liked what one of Instapundit’s readers said: “It’s a peace prize, not a peace peace prize.”

Classic.

336 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:38:46am

re: #270 medaura18586

BREAKING NEWS: Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech wins Nobel Prize for Literature!

lol. classic!

337 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:38:54am

I am going to repeat, for the most part, a post to a previous open thread:

GREAT EXPECTATIONS! This sounds like a Charles Dickens novel — at least a novel. I will not say a fantasy novel, given that Yassir Arafat and Jimmy Carter are previous recipients of the Peace prize. Now that’s fantasy!

For what reason could Obama have earned a Nobel Prize for Peace other than for the expectation that he will make great strides toward peace?
He has not yet done anything to warrant such a prize; as a matter of fact he has endangered peace with his naivety and artlessness. I would really love to see Obama succeed and actually do something that promotes peace, but so far only the opposite has been achieved.

338 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:00am

re: #331 victor_yugo

Well, if he doesn’t have the cojones to stand by every word he ever posted here, including where he said he was wrong…

The joke was he only had one comment :P

339 windhorse  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:12am

re: #329 Danny

was that Whoopi?

340 Spare O'Lake  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:22am

re: #316 Ben Hur

I think it will backfire.

It just made a whole bunch of Americans pause and think, “What has he done?”

The ones who missed SNL last weekend?

341 Danny  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:42am

re: #339 windhorse

was that Whoopi?

Coulda been, who knows?

342 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:47am

re: #326 filetandrelease

My thoughts too. IMO, a shame the commitee gave it to Obama for “hope”, but not his fault either.

We are moving ever closer to an “entitlement” society. Forget about accomplishments; he’s a nice guys who brings lots of hope. Give him an award.

It kind of diminishes the actual accomplishments of others though.

343 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:39:55am

re: #26 califleftyb

The London Guardian published a list of all the Nobel Prize winners, guess who was missing?

A. Menachem Begin
B. Yitzchak Rabin
C. Shimon Perez
D. All of the Above

oh ok
E. Ron Paul


answer - D

In fairness to the Grauniad, they do provide a link to a list which does name A to C above. Oddly enough E. isn’t mentioned.

344 victor_yugo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:40:13am

re: #338 Basho

The joke was he only had one comment :P

Ah, I missed that part. The comment was already deleted when it appeared on my screen.

345 iceman1960  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:40:25am

re: #307 iceweasel

Yeah. It’s an embarasment to America that Obama won the Peace Prize, but cheering the rejection of Chicago for the Olympics is supporting America.

No that was an embarrassment too.

346 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:40:48am

re: #337 StillAMarine

I am going to repeat, for the most part, a post to a previous open thread:

GREAT EXPECTATIONS! This sounds like a Charles Dickens novel — at least a novel. I will not say a fantasy novel, given that Yassir Arafat and Jimmy Carter are previous recipients of the Peace prize. Now that’s fantasy!

For what reason could Obama have earned a Nobel Prize for Peace other than for the expectation that he will make great strides toward peace?
He has not yet done anything to warrant such a prize; as a matter of fact he has endangered peace with his naivety and artlessness. I would really love to see Obama succeed and actually do something that promotes peace, but so far only the opposite has been achieved.

How has Obama promoted or achieved the opposite?

347 simoom  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:40:49am

re: #91 Pianobuff

I read that the nomination deadline was 2/1 of this year. So did he win based on how he ran his campaign and served for a dozen days as POTUS?

I actually don’t find the nomination too surprising considering the typical number and breadth of nominees (for example President George W. Bush was nominated in 2002 for the Peace Prize). The more critical date would seem to be when the winner receives the majority vote of the full committee, which in this case just recently occurred.

The President’s award is just a reflection of the committee’s approval of the way he has been handling his relations with the rest of the world — similar to this recent survey of 20,000:

Reuters: U.S. most admired country globally

The United States is the most admired country globally thanks largely to the star power of President Barack Obama and his administration, according to a new poll.

It climbed from seventh place last year, ahead of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan which completed the top five nations in the Nation Brand Index (NBI).

“What’s really remarkable is that in all my years studying national reputation, I have never seen any country experience such a dramatic change in its standing as we see for the United States for 2009,” said Simon Anholt, the founder of NBI, which measured the global image of 50 countries each year.

I get that in the insanity of our domestic politics this may end up being a negative - but as far as international relations are concerned, is this all really a bad thing?

348 Snark Based Reality  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:41:24am

I think it’s pretty obvious the award is Western Europe saying:

Thank God! He’s not another Bush!

A sea change compared to Bush. That is how low the bar is set right now.

349 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:41:26am

re: #334 karmic_inquisitor

When Gibbs woke him up, he was as surprised as anyone, he apparently did not even know he was nominated.

350 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:41:33am

re: #341 Danny

Coulda been, who knows?

Whoopi said Roman Polanski “was accused of rape, but not rape rape.” I hate her.

351 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:42:11am

re: #200 karmic_inquisitor

2) Wanting a freer and more just world and using America’s power to do it is a continuation of Bush policies. heavy irony in all of this, seeing that Obama has tactically tracked Bush in a great many respects.

That was my fourth thought this morning. My third thought was, “Now he has the prize, he can do what he wants, they aren’t going to take it away. Now he can call for 40,000 more troops for Afghanistan.” That’s not very likely, but it is a thought.

352 jayzee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:42:20am

I agree with Charles, the Peace Prize is irrelevant. I also think this is frigging idiotic. Jimmy’s peace prize made more sense than this.

353 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:42:52am

Maybe Obama should give the prize to the pilot, Sully.

354 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:42:58am

re: #314 Ray in TX

That your statement is more often than not true is merely a reflection of how poorly chosen the recipients often are. The animosity that bubbles to the surface afterward is a clear indicator that the award wasn’t deserved in the first place.

But my point is that the Peace prize necessarily carries political connotations with it. As a result, people will make often make their opinion about the merit of the award based on predetermined political emotions.

For example, Jimmy Carter was vilified by the Right for his economic policies as president. Was his Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 undeserved? I don’t think so. I mean, geez, he has spent his entire life working for peace in various regions of the world. But I honestly think that a lot of people can’t see past their political animosity to even grudgingly admit that maybe he deserved the award.

Carter’s prize is a poor example. Carter shamelessly lobbied for it for years following the award to Arafat, and much criticism came from across the political spectrum because it’s award seemed to be more a slap at Bush I than to someone actually deserving of anything. Had Carter actually managed to bring about some sort of Middle East peace, the criticisms would have been much more muted, if they had arisen at all. A single glance at the ongoing fever swamp there, however, was sufficient to convince even his most ardent supporters that nothing of note had been accomplished.

355 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:43:16am

re: #350 Cannadian Club Akbar

I used to be a fan of some of her work - and I told Equable Jr. that we’re not going to watch her movies in my house any more, even The Color Purple.

So Equable Jr. (he’s 8 mind you) rolled his eyes at me and said:

“What daddy, you mean no more Jumping Jack Flash?”

… and left the room.

356 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:43:56am

re: #284 Charles

I don’t agree that Obama should decline the prize, by the way. There’s no point in doing that — it would achieve nothing but to cause an uproar.

Very true.

He should gracefully accept he prize and then really do something to promote world peace. Kowtowing to dictator thugs is not the way to do that.

357 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:44:04am

re: #355 Equable

I used to be a fan of some of her work - and I told Equable Jr. that we’re not going to watch her movies in my house any more, even The Color Purple.

So Equable Jr. (he’s 8 mind you) rolled his eyes at me and said:

“What daddy, you mean no more Jumping Jack Flash?”

… and left the room.

Even Star Trek TNG?

358 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:44:58am

re: #39 Pianobuff

GREGORY: notable differenc is a willingness to talk to the Iranians.

I see. So, following this to its illogical conclusion, “Norway” thinks that Haman is going to change his ways because of a Nobel peace prize?

359 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:45:00am

I wonder what the Iraqis think.

360 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:45:07am

re: #354 SixDegrees

Had Carter actually managed to bring about some sort of Middle East peace, the criticisms would have been much more muted, if they had arisen at all.

I mean, really.

If only Carter had managed to someone negotiate peace between countries in the middle east, he would have been deserving…

/sigh

361 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:45:10am

re: #357 NJDhockeyfan

Well see that’s where there is a dichotomy and where I become hypocritical. I was thinking about that and decided that I would only not watch episodes with her in them.

362 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:45:57am

re: #165 SixDegrees

Not to be too pedantic, but please reserve derision for the Nobel Peace Prize, which richly deserves it. The remaining Nobel Prizes in the sciences are normally well deserved by their recipients.

My bad, I had intended to refer only to the Peace Prize.

363 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:46:47am

re: #360 Ray in TX

I mean, really.

If only Carter had managed to someone negotiate peace between countries in the middle east, he would have been deserving…

/sigh

I give him the credit for the deal with Egypt and Israel, which has held up quite well. Past that, no.

364 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:47:35am

re: #357 NJDhockeyfan

Besides, Star Trek: Generations sucked so no big loss.

365 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:47:39am

Racial Profiling Totally Works

366 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:47:58am

re: #357 NJDhockeyfan

Even Star Trek TNG?

Only those episodes in which Guinan put in an appearance. It is left as an exercise for the Trekkies in this thread to identify which ones fall into this category.

As I recall, some of the better episodes would have to be cut.

367 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:47:58am

re: #349 avanti

When Gibbs woke him up, he was as surprised as anyone, he apparently did not even know he was nominated.

I don’t think anyone expected it except for 2 groups -

1) his most ardent, mindless admirers
2) his most ardent, mindless haters

He is responsible for neither group.

What Obama undeniably is is a strong PR guy for America. If you support Bush’s policies of an America that supports and pushes out freedom and will take on AQ anywhere (and use things like wiretaps and renditions to do it) and you also want the world to love us, then you have to credit Obama for being both focused and effective.

368 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:48:13am

So Obama gets the prize for wanting to get peace.
I suggest our LudvigVanQuixote get the Physics prize for whatever he has proposed to do as the highlight of his career.

Although, I suppose, giving the prize to someone who has done nothing is better than giving it to Arafat, who set back the chance for peace so far that anyone rationally looking at it can’t see how there can be peace for another generation, if then, and that is if Arafat’s successors stop training their children to be nothing but weapons against Jews.

369 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:48:28am

re: #350 Cannadian Club Akbar

Whoopi said Roman Polanski “was accused of rape, but not rape rape.” I hate her.

Yeah, I heard about that - I guess it was the “good” kind of rape?

Joining you in thoroughly hating on Oprah.

370 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:49:08am

re: #366 John Neverbend

Only those episodes in which Guinan put in an appearance. It is left as an exercise for the Trekkies in this thread to identify which ones fall into this category.

As I recall, some of the better episodes would have to be cut.

I saw one the other day with her & Q in it.

371 William of Orange  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:49:14am

It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to ridicule the president. They ” got away” with the Olympic Chicago farce. And they would have had a fieldday when Obama would have missed this prize.

If I’m honest it’s much too soon to merit him with this honor. It’s one thing to win it, it’s another to live up to it.

372 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:49:43am

re: #369 SixDegrees

Count me in, I can’t stand either one of them.

373 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:49:57am

re: #364 Equable

Besides, Star Trek: Generations sucked so no big loss.

TNG, on the other hand, rocked…sometimes.

374 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:50:59am

re: #373 John Neverbend

TNG, on the other hand, rocked…sometimes.

Yeah, you could tell when the writers ran out of material when you started seeing (too many) episodes centering around holodeck hijinks.

375 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:51:38am

re: #342 Racer X

We are moving ever closer to an “entitlement” society. Forget about accomplishments; he’s a nice guys who brings lots of hope. Give him an award.

It kind of diminishes the actual accomplishments of others though.

This is a move influenced partially or perhaps totally by politics. I’m not sure how “entitlement” enters into the picture.

376 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:00am

re: #360 Ray in TX

I mean, really.

If only Carter had managed to someone negotiate peace between countries in the middle east, he would have been deserving…

/sigh

I’m simply relating the opinions of those who criticized Carter when the prize was awarded.

My own take is that Carter did everything but offer the Nobel Committee fellatio for years, while whining about how Arafat got a prize and he got nothing, and that this unseemly behavior alone made the prize he received worthless beyond belief.

Of course, who knows what goes on behind the committee’s doors? It may very well be that it was his promise to never, ever offer the committee fellatio again that swayed them. I have no way of knowing.

377 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:01am

re: #370 NJDhockeyfan

I saw one the other day with her & Q in it.

She was in the first Borg episode with Q, the two “cliffhanger” Borg episodes when they attack earth and the one where the future timeline changes, to name but a few of the better episodes.

She was also in some dopey episodes which usually seemed to feature Wesley Crusher coping with his adolescent stirrings.

378 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:02am

re: #329 Danny

I liked what one of Instapundit’s readers said: “It’s a peace prize, not a peace peace prize.”

hahahahhahaahhaahahhaahaa

379 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:07am

re: #346 Flyers1974

He has achieved the opposite by pandering to thugs and dictators the world over, by “apologizing” for U.S. “misdeeds, and by generating an impression that the United States is weak and indecisive.

Truth be told, given today’s problems, it would seem impossible to be anything but appearing indecisive. Again, I want to reiterate that it would give me no end of joy to see our president succeed.

380 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:20am

Between when this started on the LNDT and now, there are about 1400 comments.

381 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:42am

re: #374 Equable

Yeah, you could tell when the writers ran out of material when you started seeing (too many) episodes centering around holodeck hijinks.

At least in the original show, when they ran out of ideas, they found some way to make aliens cause a plot that they could come up with, like A Piece of the Action, where the planet was run by aliens who thought a book on Chicago gangs of the 20’s was the way to run a society, or the aliens that made them relive the Gunfight at the OK Corral. (The former, at least, was good.)

382 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:44am

re: #367 karmic_inquisitor

I don’t think anyone expected it except for 2 groups -

1) his most ardent, mindless admirers
2) his most ardent, mindless haters

He is responsible for neither group.

What Obama undeniably is is a strong PR guy for America. If you support Bush’s policies of an America that supports and pushes out freedom and will take on AQ anywhere (and use things like wiretaps and renditions to do it) and you also want the world to love us, then you have to credit Obama for being both focused and effective.

Very well put. Nothing wrong with being a good PR guy if you use it to advance the right policies.

383 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:52:45am

re: #374 Equable

Yeah, you could tell when the writers ran out of material when you started seeing (too many) episodes centering around holodeck hijinks.

I wish I had a holodeck.

384 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:53:02am

re: #374 Equable

Yeah, you could tell when the writers ran out of material when you started seeing (too many) episodes centering around holodeck hijinks.

All shows have a shelf life. The best ones recognize it and bow out gracefully.

For example, the original Star Trek series was good for exactly 3 seasons and 2 movies.

385 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:53:29am

re: #375 Flyers1974

This is a move influenced partially or perhaps totally by politics. I’m not sure how “entitlement” enters into the picture.

Rewarding effort alone, and not paying attention to accomplishments.

386 Irish Rose  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:53:37am

The news this morning is giving me a headache.
Time to shut it off and watch some Andy Griffith reruns.

387 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:53:48am

“I want to cure cancer.”

“I really think we should find a cure for cancer.”

“Curing cancer is one of my highest priorities.”

“I will work tirelessly to cure cancer.”

There I’ve done enough…Please forward next years Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Nobel Prizes should be based on accomplishments, not aspirations and rhetoric!

388 karmic_inquisitor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:54:05am

re: #351 wrenchwench

That was my fourth thought this morning. My third thought was, “Now he has the prize, he can do what he wants, they aren’t going to take it away. Now he can call for 40,000 more troops for Afghanistan.” That’s not very likely, but it is a thought.

Interesting. I am not sure if he will feel handcuffed on this. My suspicion has been that he would feel more hesitant to use force, especially on Iran. My concern is the whole “legacy” thing that so many presidents get preoccupied with.

It is my firm belief that Clinton undercut Israeli/Palestinian moderates when he pushed hard for a peace deal that the political environment there wasn’t ready for. Arafat found it too easy to do the “intifada” thing rather than actually take a political risk. Clinton’s timetable was legacy driven.

389 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:54:08am

Kid Shreds on Accordion

Youtube Video

UN-friggin-BELIEVABLE.

390 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:54:13am

re: #386 Irish Rose

The news this morning is giving me a headache.
Time to shut it off and watch some Andy Griffith reruns.

Just remember, the protection of the free world is being run by Deputy Barney Fife.

391 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:54:31am

re: #379 StillAMarine

He has achieved the opposite by pandering to thugs and dictators the world over, by “apologizing” for U.S. “misdeeds, and by generating an impression that the United States is weak and indecisive.

I’ve never bought this. I understand disagreeing with is policies, but this “great apologizer” crap is just that - crap.

392 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:55:03am

re: #387 FigJam

Nobel Prizes should be based on accomplishments, not aspirations and rhetoric!

Er… peace by definition is an aspiration.

393 Pianobuff  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:55:48am

Rabid right-winger Mark Halperin on the award:

“It isn’t quite as inexplicable as Marisa Tomei’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar, but it seems pretty close.”

394 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:55:52am

re: #391 Coracle

I’ve never bought this. I understand disagreeing with is policies, but this “great apologizer” crap is just that - crap.

I agree. It’s a right wing talking point, and it has very little relationship to reality.

395 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:55:53am

re: #383 John Neverbend

I wish I had a holodeck.

Prediction: when holodeck techology arrives, it will be extremely expensive, and the marketing droids at the companies offering it will tout it’s immense educational potential.

It will rocket to success in the marketplace, however, the instant that holographic porn becomes available.

In other words, it’s development will exactly parallel that of the VCR.

396 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:55:55am

re: #387 FigJam


Nobel Prizes should be based on accomplishments, not aspirations and rhetoric!

The trouble is, this is easy to quantify for scientific fields - and, arguably, for literature as well, though that may be a bit more subjective. But the Peace Prize? Short of something truly world-changing, how exactly are you going to judge contributions to world peace?

397 Gus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:56:02am

re: #214 NJDhockeyfan

NY Daily News:

President Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize win mocks award; GOP has ammunition on Iran, Afghanistan

OUCH.

The title of that article suggests “GOP has ammunition on Iran, Afghanistan” yet it only refers to both countries in this brief paragraph:

Even as Iran pursues a nuclear weapon, the war in Afghanistan worsens and China rises ominously in influence. And in all these trials, the jury is out as to whether Obama’s efforts will succeed or backfire.

That Iran or Afghanistan may “back fire” has been the situation for several years now preceding the current president. There is not substance to the claim that the “GOP has ammunition” on these two issues. Unless of course the meme will be “now that you won the Nobel Peace Prize” and so on but that would show poor form.

398 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:56:53am

re: #394 Charles

I agree. It’s a right wing talking point, and it has very little relationship to reality.

What?

399 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:56:59am

re: #20 victor_yugo

That’s your last comment at LGF.

400 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:04am

Re:
And we have lousy behavior by politicians on both sides of the aisle, as Michael Steele misses an opportunity to be gracious, and a DNC official responds by saying the GOP is siding with terrorists.

What if they held an election, and nobody showed up?

401 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:13am

re: #392 Basho

Er… peace by definition is an aspiration.

No, peace is something tangible, not merely an aspiration.

402 JRCMYP  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:29am

Does Obama “deserve” the Nobel Peace Prize? Well, he deserves it more than I do and probably less than many other people. But he graciously accepted it and acknowledged that he has alot of work to do. But will we move on? No.

I’m so sick of the chatter. Politics has devolved into page 6 gossip. It’s depressing. I think I’m going to put my politics on hold for a while. Concentrate on the next 5K and my small business. Leave the vitriol and spin on the ‘net for everyone else to wade through.

403 Pianobuff  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:32am

WAPO’s Ruth Marcus on the award:

““Mom!” my 12-year-old yelled from the kitchen. “President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize!”

I told her she had to be mistaken.

This is ridiculous — embarrassing, even. I admire President Obama. I like President Obama. I voted for President Obama. But the peace prize? This is supposed to be for doing, not being — and it’s no disrespect to the president to suggest he hasn’t done much yet. Certainly not enough to justify the peace prize. “

404 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:33am

re: #395 SixDegrees

Prediction: when holodeck techology arrives, it will be extremely expensive, and the marketing droids at the companies offering it will tout it’s immense educational potential.

It will rocket to success in the marketplace, however, the instant that holographic porn becomes available.

In other words, it’s development will exactly parallel that of the VCR.

Except that if we think World of Warcraft is addictive now, we’ll have vast numbers of people who never get out of the holodeck.

405 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:41am

re: #381 Kosh’s Shadow

At least in the original show, when they ran out of ideas, they found some way to make aliens cause a plot that they could come up with, like A Piece of the Action, where the planet was run by aliens who thought a book on Chicago gangs of the 20’s was the way to run a society, or the aliens that made them relive the Gunfight at the OK Corral. (The former, at least, was good.)

Yeah I totally agree with you there. Good concept but mediocre implementation.

re: #383 John Neverbend

Ooh what I could do with a holodeck. Remember the movie “Brainstorm” where the guy took the porno tape and looped the “good part”? That’d end up being me.

re: #384 Ray in TX

All shows have a shelf life. The best ones recognize it and bow out gracefully.

For example, the original Star Trek series was good for exactly 3 seasons and 2 movies.

I wish I had a holodeck.

You didn’t like “The Undiscovered Country”?

406 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:57:51am

re: #394 Charles

I agree. It’s a right wing talking point, and it has very little relationship to reality.

You don’t think he’s “apologizes” for the last 8 years?

407 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:58:33am

re: #403 Pianobuff

WAPO’s Ruth Marcus on the award:

““Mom!” my 12-year-old yelled from the kitchen. “President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize!”

I told her she had to be mistaken.

This is ridiculous — embarrassing, even. I admire President Obama. I like President Obama. I voted for President Obama. But the peace prize? This is supposed to be for doing, not being — and it’s no disrespect to the president to suggest he hasn’t done much yet. Certainly not enough to justify the peace prize. “

And Obama obviously agrees with this viewpoint, by the way. That’s pretty much what he said in his acceptance speech.

408 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:58:44am

re: #389 Ben Hur

Dang and I thought that Weird Al was godly…

409 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:58:47am

re: #404 Kosh’s Shadow

Except that if we think World of Warcraft is addictive now, we’ll have vast numbers of people who never get out of the holodeck.

Updinged because I’m a Warcraft geek and I know a lot of people who are exactly like that. Sad, but true story.

410 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:58:56am

re: #395 SixDegrees

Prediction:…It will rocket to success in the marketplace, however, the instant that holographic porn becomes available.

In other words, it’s development will exactly parallel that of the VCR.

and the Internet

411 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:13am

re: #391 Coracle

I’ve never bought this. I understand disagreeing with is policies, but this “great apologizer” crap is just that - crap.

Most on the right forget to mention that Obama spreads the blame around, not just at the US. We have in the past mocked Europe for example and they were less than fair dealing with us and I see nothing wrong with pointing that out. In every speech I’ve heard, he accepts that mistakes were made on both sides.

412 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:24am

re: #379 StillAMarine

He has achieved the opposite by pandering to thugs and dictators the world over, by “apologizing” for U.S. “misdeeds, and by generating an impression that the United States is weak and indecisive.

Truth be told, given today’s problems, it would seem impossible to be anything but appearing indecisive. Again, I want to reiterate that it would give me no end of joy to see our president succeed.

That I agree with. Our problems are no where as dangerous as they were before, during or after WWII, but they are more complicated. And any given cure may be worse than the illness.

413 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:29am

re: #406 Ben Hur

You don’t think he’s “apologizes” for the last 8 years?

No, I don’t.

414 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:30am

I have a bone to pick with S.O.R.O.S. The Catobot was not properly informed of the Nobel story in advance, and thus had no time to formulate an appropriate response.

415 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:39am

re: #407 Charles

And Obama obviously agrees with this viewpoint, by the way. That’s pretty much what he said in his acceptance speech.

Talk about a literal rude awakening. “Whaddya mean, I won the Nobel Peace Prize? I wasn’t even nominated! You’re pulling my leg!”

416 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:41am

re: #376 SixDegrees
My own take is that Carter did everything but offer the Nobel Committee fellatio for years, while whining about how Arafat got a prize and he got nothing, and that this unseemly behavior alone made the prize he received worthless beyond belief.

Who cares about lobbying? All that matters is whether the recipient was deserving.

If someone we don’t like lobbies for the award and wins it, then we fault him for lobbying. If he doesn’t lobby and wins it, then we assume the lobbying occurred behind close doors. Moral: if someone we don’t like wins, we are just going to bitch and complain that the award was rigged. It’s human nature and sour grapes, imo.

For all of his political faults, Carter was a moral man who strived for peace in multiple regions of the world. That is pretty much not in dispute. My opinion is don’t complain about his award.. he was probably deserving and there’s a lot of worse options out there.

When I read comments like “fellatio”, “whining” and “worthless beyond belief”, I see someone who is arguing from an emotional position that they cannot get past.

417 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 9:59:53am

re: #396 thedopefishlives

The trouble is, this is easy to quantify for scientific fields - and, arguably, for literature as well, though that may be a bit more subjective. But the Peace Prize? Short of something truly world-changing, how exactly are you going to judge contributions to world peace?

Perhaps something like actually getting Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, or achieving a true solution to the Israeli-Palestinian discord. Those would be true contributions to world peace, not just giving a bunch of speeches.

418 Picayune  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:02am

re: #198 lawhawk


Was Hitler nominated because he signed a piece of paper that allowed Neville Chamberlain to proclaim - “Peace In Our Time”?

419 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:07am

re: #406 Ben Hur

You don’t think he’s “apologizes” for the last 8 years?

Not at all.

420 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:22am

re: #410 dentate

“Ho” lographics?

421 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:23am

re: #413 Charles

No, I don’t.

I find that hard to believe.

I think that’s the gist of his foreign policy.

422 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:36am

Wait a minute… the ‘we are being distracted’ moonbat sense has kicked in…

What major piece of legislation is up to a vote today they don’t want us to know about or focus on?

423 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:00:52am

re: #419 Coracle

Not at all.

I guess we all have our talking points.

424 Chekote  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:01:15am

I am glad that Obama said that he felt that he didn’t deserve it. He showed more common sense than the idiots in Oslo. I mean at least give the guy a chance to do something. Instead, the Peace Prize committee inadvertently has highlighted Obama’s lack of accomplishments.

425 William of Orange  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:01:58am

Now he’s officially regarded by Norwegians to be Superman it’s time for him to get to action.

Fix the economy, fix the world!

426 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:02:05am

re: #424 Chekote

Instead, the Peace Prize committee inadvertently has highlighted Obama’s lack of accomplishments.

Amen to that!!

427 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:02:25am

re: #421 Ben Hur

I find that hard to believe.

I think that’s the gist of his foreign policy.

I think you’re badly mistaken. Doing things differently - or with a different attitude - is not apologizing.

428 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:02:27am

re: #416 Ray in TX

[snip]

Who cares about lobbying? All that matters is whether the recipient was deserving.

[snip]

I don’t know if you already stated you opinion, but, a simple question then, yes or no, in your opinion, did Obama deserve this prize?

429 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:02:48am

Obama will pick up his prize Dec. 10. If this is already been said, sorry.

430 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:02:58am

re: #417 FigJam

Perhaps something like actually getting Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, or achieving a true solution to the Israeli-Palestinian discord. Those would be true contributions to world peace, not just giving a bunch of speeches.

Alright, so… Name me someone who’s won the Peace Prize recently that’s accomplished something of that magnitude.

I’ll be waiting.

And this is why we mock the Nobel Committee and the Peace Prize specifically.

431 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:05am

re: #425 William of Orange

Now he’s officially regarded by Norwegians to be Superman it’s time for him to get to action.

Fix the economy, fix the world!

This calls for a …Second Stimulus!!

I wish I could put a sarc tag on this..but it’s true…they are thinking about it..

432 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:10am

re: #417 FigJam

Perhaps something like actually getting Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, or achieving a true solution to the Israeli-Palestinian discord. Those would be true contributions to world peace, not just giving a bunch of speeches.

So who’s the alternative?

433 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:22am

re: #244 Charles

The Nobel prizes for science and literature are still valid measures of achievement, by the way, and really mean something.

The Nobel Peace Prize, not so much.

And by the way, on the Nobel Prizes that are valid look at the score card this year:

Physics - 3 Americans
Chemistry - 2 Americans, 1 Israeli
Medicine - 3 Americans
Literature - 1 Romanian
Economics - TBA

While many heads are exploding (including to be honest mine just a little) about the peace prize it is still pretty much a USA week!

434 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:23am

re: #409 thedopefishlives

Updinged because I’m a Warcraft geek and I know a lot of people who are exactly like that. Sad, but true story.

My son is a software engineer for WoW. I’ll pass along the holodeck request ;-)

435 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:25am

re: #430 thedopefishlives

Heck, for that matter, name me anyone PERIOD who’s accomplished something like that.

436 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:30am

re: #424 Chekote

I am glad that Obama said that he felt that he didn’t deserve it. He showed more common sense than the idiots in Oslo. I mean at least give the guy a chance to do something. Instead, the Peace Prize committee inadvertently has highlighted Obama’s lack of accomplishments.

I don’t post much on DK, but I saw a comment from a Obama supporter complaining about his lack of accomplishments. Someone immediately responded with a very long list of things that have already been done.

Even one of the GOP’s talking points is that Obama is trying to do too much, too soon and should slow down.

437 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:32am

re: #422 Oh no…Sand People!

Wait a minute… the ‘we are being distracted’ moonbat sense has kicked in…

What major piece of legislation is up to a vote today they don’t want us to know about or focus on?

Yes. This is a coordinated effort between the NPP committee, Reid, and Pelosi.
/

438 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:36am

re: #416 Ray in TX

For all of his political faults, Carter was a moral man who strived for peace in multiple regions of the world. That is pretty much not in dispute.

Hmm. I dispute everything in that paragraph, including the word “was”. He’s still with us, as far as I know (or did he plotz this morning when he read the news?).

He was not, is not, and never will be moral.

This is a man who played the race card to get votes from blue-collar whites.

439 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:38am

re: #425 William of Orange

Now he’s officially regarded by Norwegians to be Superman it’s time for him to get to action.

Fix the economy, fix the world!

The bar is set so high, the expectations must be eating him up.

440 NJDhockeyfan  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:42am

re: #425 William of Orange

Now he’s officially regarded by Norwegians to be Superman it’s time for him to get to action.

Fix the economy, fix the world!

I wonder how the Norwegians feel about the US starting a war on the moon?

/

441 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:03:54am

re: #427 Coracle

I think you’re badly mistaken. Doing things differently - or with a different attitude - is not apologizing.

We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one. (uch, I hate that term).

442 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:01am

re: #433 Big Steve

While many heads are exploding (including to be honest mine just a little) about the peace prize it is still pretty much a USA week!

Obama is American…

443 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:11am

re: #396 thedopefishlives

The trouble is, this is easy to quantify for scientific fields - and, arguably, for literature as well, though that may be a bit more subjective. But the Peace Prize? Short of something truly world-changing, how exactly are you going to judge contributions to world peace?

By results? For example, the START treaties resulted in a huge reduction in strategic nuclear weapons - a quantifiable achievement. The arrival of, say, a lasting cessation of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinians would be another measurable achievement. The opening of North Korea’s borders and the extension of basic human rights to it’s citizens, another.

I understand that there are shades of grey involved here, but there are also some very tangible measures that can be made of success, as well.

START, by the way, expires this December, so it’s incumbent on the current Administration to arrive at some sort of agreement to take it’s place. That means not just smiling and waving at Russia, but getting an actual agreement signed and approved in both countries - hopefully with another measurable reduction in nuclear arsenal on both sides. Passage of such a measure would provide a tangible achievement to hang an award on that consisted of more than a winning smile and good intentions.

444 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:13am

re: #428 Walter L. Newton

I don’t know if you already stated you opinion, but, a simple question then, yes or no, in your opinion, did Obama deserve this prize?

No, I don’t.

But I do object to the argument that he has done *nothing* to deserve consideration for it.

445 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:14am

re: #417 FigJam

Perhaps something like actually getting Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program, or achieving a true solution to the Israeli-Palestinian discord. Those would be true contributions to world peace, not just giving a bunch of speeches.

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

446 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:20am

re: #430 thedopefishlives

Alright, so… Name me someone who’s won the Peace Prize recently that’s accomplished something of that magnitude.

I’ll be waiting.

And this is why we mock the Nobel Committee and the Peace Prize specifically.

No one has and that’s why the Peace Prize has become a joke. Awarding it to Obama only strengthens that perception.

447 Charpete67  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:34am

re: #416 Ray in TX

When I read comments like “fellatio”, “whining” and “worthless beyond belief”, I see someone who is arguing from an emotional position that they cannot get past.

I’m not sure I know what I think when I see those three words together…but, I gotta believe there’s a really good snarky joke that could be made about being married for 13 years and not picking up around the house enough…:)

448 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:36am

re: #427 Coracle

Frankly, I have to disagree. Obama’s been largely — needlessly — apologetic for America whenever he speaks worldwide. It’s not a different attitude, it’s infuriating.

449 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:47am

re: #431 Oh no…Sand People!

This calls for a …Second Stimulus!!

I wish I could put a sarc tag on this..but it’s true…they are thinking about it..

You are lying and twisting this, they said it’s not a second stimulus, just dumping more money into the system.
/

450 Cannadian Club Akbar  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:04:57am

re: #441 Ben Hur

We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on this one. (uch, I hate that term).

Not as bad as ” It’s not you, it’s me.”
//

451 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:02am

re: #424 Chekote

I am glad that Obama said that he felt that he didn’t deserve it. He showed more common sense than the idiots in Oslo. I mean at least give the guy a chance to do something. Instead, the Peace Prize committee inadvertently has highlighted Obama’s lack of accomplishments.

I was thinking that earlier. It will probably set expectations for future accomplishments entirely too high and undermine real future efforts within the public eye; that is, the public that has a longer memory and an intellectual scope broader than when to set the DVR for American Idol.

452 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:10am

re: #404 Kosh’s Shadow

Except that if we think World of Warcraft is addictive now, we’ll have vast numbers of people who never get out of the holodeck.

And if they have sexy avatars in there, why would we want them to leave?

453 Charpete67  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:23am

re: #440 NJDhockeyfan

I wonder how the Norwegians feel about the US starting a war on the moon?

/

I think we all hate the little green men and no one is opposed to bombing them…

454 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:27am

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Fermat’s Last Theorem was proven :P

455 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:28am

re: #436 Ray in TX

I don’t post much on DK, but I saw a comment from a Obama supporter complaining about his lack of accomplishments. Someone immediately responded with a very long list of things that have already been done.

Even one of the GOP’s talking points is that Obama is trying to do too much, too soon and should slow down.

Can you point me to that please?

456 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:29am

re: #421 Ben Hur

I find that hard to believe.

I think that’s the gist of his foreign policy.

Name one speech where he apologizes for US mistakes without being critical of the mistakes from other countries. We were very unpopular in the world, and many on the right cheered the news. Now, every time the world speaks highly of our POTUS, somehow, that’s a sign of weakness to some on the right.

457 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:31am

re: #442 Basho

Obama is American…

And by the way, on the Nobel Prizes that are valid look at the score card this year:

458 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:35am

re: #437 Coracle

Yes. This is a coordinated effort between the NPP committee, Reid, and Pelosi.
/

Stranger things have happened..
//

459 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:42am

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Fermat’s Last Theorem has already been solved.

460 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:05:51am

re: #385 Racer X

Rewarding effort alone, and not paying attention to accomplishments.

The award wasn’t really truly for Obama’s efforts however - it was a method for the foundation/committee, to express their political views, in my opinion. And the kind of thing that has happened forever - in politics, business, whatever the case may be.

461 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:06:34am

re: #434 dentate

My son is a software engineer for WoW. I’ll pass along the holodeck request ;-)

More Sherlock Holmes and Klingon maiming rituals for me. That other guy can have the porn.

462 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:06:43am

re: #89 Mad Al-Jaffee

Maybe they think he’s going to disarm Israel.

And maybe they’re flat wrong.

Obama just renewed America’s pledge to “look the other way” on Israel’s nuclear weapons, by the way.

463 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:06:52am

re: #448 Noam Sayin’

Frankly, I have to disagree. Obama’s been largely — needlessly — apologetic for America whenever he speaks worldwide. It’s not a different attitude, it’s infuriating.

Yeah, the phrase “put yourself in our shoes” or something along those lines would probably carry a lot more weight.

464 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:15am

re: #454 Basho

Fermat’s Last Theorem was proven :P

Yeah, but not by Obama! That’s why he doesn’t deserve any prizes!

465 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:15am

re: #459 SixDegrees

Fermat’s Last Theorem has already been solved.


Substitute Riemann’s hypothesis.

466 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:19am

re: #457 Ben Hur

And by the way, on the Nobel Prizes that are valid look at the score card this year:

“While many heads are exploding (including to be honest mine just a little) about the peace prize it is still pretty much a USA week!”

467 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:33am

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Andrew Wiles for the Nobel Peace prize!

(note: Fermat’s last theorem has supposedly been solved)

468 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:34am

re: #448 Noam Sayin’

Frankly, I have to disagree. Obama’s been largely — needlessly — apologetic for America whenever he speaks worldwide. It’s not a different attitude, it’s infuriating.

I’ve heard that claim from only one side - the far right. I have not heard it in the words of his own speeches. We all have our filters. The “great apologizer” filter is, IMO, one of the more distorted.

469 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:07:49am

re: #444 Ray in TX

No, I don’t.

But I do object to the argument that he has done *nothing* to deserve consideration for it.

Honest answer. In response to your second point, I agree. The committee is free to accept any nomination they want. Whatever was on the nomination evidently was enough “something” to tickle their fancy.

470 Racer X  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:08:33am

re: #460 Flyers1974

The award wasn’t really truly for Obama’s efforts however - it was a method for the foundation/committee, to express their political views, in my opinion. And the kind of thing that has happened forever - in politics, business, whatever the case may be.

Well, that just makes it worse then.

471 gander  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:08:35am

I am embarrassed for my president. It’s like awarding an Oscar to a movie that is still in production.
I feel like I’m on Crazy Pills!

472 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:24am

re: #465 John Neverbend

Substitute Riemann’s hypothesis.

Or the meaning of life and all that.

473 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:30am

re: #462 Charles

And maybe they’re flat wrong.

Obama just renewed America’s pledge to “look the other way” on Israel’s nuclear weapons, by the way.

Good on him. I have to admit I’ve been surprised by the amount of brains the president has shown in many areas of foreign policy. He’s not quite the empty suit I, and many others, were expecting.

474 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:36am

re: #471 gander

I am embarrassed for my president. It’s like awarding an Oscar to a movie that is still in production.
I feel like I’m on Crazy Pills!

It’s entirely possible that he may feel embarrassed for the same reason.

475 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:44am

re: #471 gander

I am embarrassed for my president. It’s like awarding an Oscar to a movie that is still in production.

Excellent point! Couldn’t agree more.

476 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:46am

re: #466 Basho

“While many heads are exploding (including to be honest mine just a little) about the peace prize it is still pretty much a USA week!”

My intent was to say that excepting the peace prize for the Nobel awards that ARE valid, it is an American scoreboard deluxe!

477 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:48am

re: #412 Flyers1974

Yes. A deuce of a lot more complicated.

As far as the “apologizing” is concerned, it may easily have been less apologizing than bashing the previous president, something most politicians are good at. President Obama is no exception.

Then, reading some of the comments, I am reminded of the things our president did right, with continuing many of the positive policies of his predecessor, for one.

478 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:09:59am

re: #470 Racer X

Well, that just makes it worse then.

Nope, makes it par for the course. Have you not been watching?
/

479 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:10:01am

re: #80 Walter L. Newton

This is going to be a pyrrhic victory for Obama.

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

480 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:17am

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Actually, I believe Fermat’s theorem has been proven, although it’s been so long since I last heard about the status of it I may be wrong. There was a proof by Wyle that held up, I thought.

481 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:33am

re: #479 Charles

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

AND as far as I am concerned manned up and admitted he hadn’t earned it yet but would try. I thought his speech was exactly the right tone.

482 badger1970  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:40am

re: #289 Blue Fin

I thought that was Jethro Tull?

483 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:41am

re: #479 Charles

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

It is a hollow victory for him because it focuses attention his manifest lack of accomplishments to date.

484 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:46am

Hey, the Nobel has been awarded and completely political, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
/

485 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:50am

re: #466 Basho

“While many heads are exploding (including to be honest mine just a little) about the peace prize it is still pretty much a USA week!”

And?

His point that in OTHER areas, because it’s pretty widely accepted that the Peace Prize is BS, the US did well.

I don’t really get what your point is.

486 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:11:55am

I’m not re: #479 Charles

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

Somehow, this is good news for John McCain.

487 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:01am

re: #467 Ray in TX

Andrew Wiles for the Nobel Peace prize!

(note: Fermat’s last theorem has supposedly been solved)

It’s been proved, and the proof has been independently confirmed as sound.

488 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:37am

re: #471 gander

I am embarrassed for my president. It’s like awarding an Oscar to a movie that is still in production.
I feel like I’m on Crazy Pills!

I think more like awarding a Oscar for a movie that has yet to be a box office success, but the Oscar committee loved the plot.

489 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:42am

re: #472 Walter L. Newton

Or the meaning of life and all that.

The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything: 42

Douglas Adams had it all wrong. It was 44, not 42.

490 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:43am

re: #487 John Neverbend

It’s been proved, and the proof has been independently confirmed as sound.

Sure, but was it Obama who solved it? NO!

Hah. I rest my case. (Whatever it is.)

491 Land Shark  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:50am

Never, in the history of human endeavors has a man with so few qualifications and accomplishments received so many accolades. The cult of personality that surrounds this man is breathtaking.

Of course, Charles is absolutely correct when he hight lights how meaningless the Nobel Peace Prize has become since the father of modern terrorism, Yasser Arafat, got one. President Obama getting it just makes it even less meaningful.

In related story, in the spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize, the NFL announced the Pittsburgh Steelers have been stripped of the 2008 NFL Championship and awarded it to the Detroit Lions for their stellar 2008 season…

492 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:12:59am

Geez, I’m behind…

493 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:02am

re: #481 Big Steve

AND as far as I am concerned manned up and admitted he hadn’t earned it yet but would try. I thought his speech was exactly the right tone.

Me too. My favorite line was that this wasn’t how he expected to wake up this morning. I don’t think any American expected to wake up to this news.

494 shiplord kirel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:13am

Some predictions: Obama will not sell out Israel or bug out in Afghanistan. Even if he were the most nefarious stealth America-hater in DC, he would still (or perhaps especially) be unwilling to part with power. These actions would please a few lefty fossils and 60s nostalgists in the short run but they would lead to total disaster in the 2010 and 2012 elections.

495 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:26am

re: #476 Big Steve

My intent was to say that excepting the peace prize for the Nobel awards that ARE valid, it is an American scoreboard deluxe!

Yeah and I was playing dumb to tease your poor wording :P

496 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:26am

re: #448 Noam Sayin’

Frankly, I have to disagree. Obama’s been largely — needlessly — apologetic for America whenever he speaks worldwide. It’s not a different attitude, it’s infuriating.

There is a method to his madness, I think. Regarding terrorists, for example - the idea is to kill/capture them when possible AND foster a less hospitible environment for terrorists at home. The latter part is fostered by changing the atttudes of those who provide aid and comfort - even if that comfort is approval or silent disapproval. One reason why we don’t have a terrorist problem in the US - very few would approve or give any comfort. We would turn terrorists in to the police. Obama’s speeches are an attempt to foster this attitude.

497 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:26am

In other news, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

498 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:13:37am

re: #416 Ray in TX

The fact remains that Carter lobbied for the prize and argued that he deserved it if Arafat got one. It was a shameful, disgusting spectacle that cheapened the award even more than the actions of the committee had managed to do so in previous years.

I’m looking around the world, unable to see a single positive outcome attributable to Carter’s year-long commitment to peace, or much of anything else. Unless you include the continuing ascendancy of Iran in the region of the Middle East and the spread and encouragement of it’s militancy through so much of that part of the world.

You’re only reinforcing my point here - the prizes are given to those undeserving, and the evidence is the utter lack of any lasting achievement relative to peace. See above for examples that would qualify. See Carter for examples of a complete lack of such accomplishments on the international stage.

499 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:14:20am

re: #480 vxbush

Actually, I believe Fermat’s theorem has been proven, although it’s been so long since I last heard about the status of it I may be wrong. There was a proof by Wyle that held up, I thought.

Is it now known as Wyle’s first theorem?

500 Flyers1974  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:14:28am

re: #494 shiplord kirel

Some predictions: Obama will not sell out Israel or bug out in Afghanistan. Even if he were the most nefarious stealth America-hater in DC, he would still (or perhaps especially) be unwilling to part with power. These actions would please a few lefty fossils and 60s nostalgists in the short run but they would lead to total disaster in the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Very well said.

501 Dreader1962  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:14:28am

re: #479 Charles

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

I haven’t commented on the Nobel Peace Price yet; what I’m surprised at is all the energy being expended by the people who don’t think he should have received it. It’s wasted - the award has been given, the body that gives the award is outside US jurisdiction, and it does nothing either way to affect the serious problems we face.

I look forward to this disappearing from the news as quickly as possible.

502 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:14:38am

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Well, the first two won’t get Nobel’s, as there is no math prize. The wormhole one, though, was given in secret to Dr. Daniel Jackson and Dr. Samantha Carter.
/ on the last part

Rumor has it, Nobel’s wife had an affair with a mathematician.

503 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:09am

re: #498 SixDegrees

Carter deserves the “If I Had a Hammer” prize, anything more is a joke.

504 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:09am

re: #499 debutaunt

Is it now known as Wyle’s first theorem?

Good heavens, no…

505 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:17am

re: #497 Cato the Elder

In other news, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

I can see why you are called Cato the Elder.

Sir, you are old!

506 FigJam  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:24am

An interesting question: What will Obama do with the prize money? Keep it? Donate it to a charity? (ACORN, perhaps??)

507 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:33am

Hey…maybe some one in Norway just read the envelope wrong ala Marisa Tomei

508 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:37am

re: #485 Ben Hur

And?

His point that in OTHER areas, because it’s pretty widely accepted that the Peace Prize is BS, the US did well.

I don’t really get what your point is.

See 495. Loosen up man. This news isn’t that bad.

509 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:38am

re: #479 Charles

I don’t see how it can be a “pyrrhic victory,” when he didn’t seek the prize, didn’t expect it, and clearly understood that it was given to him for political reasons.

I was mistaken in the reference I was using, actually meant like Sisyphus. If these “expectations” that seem to be inherent in the reason for giving him this award are not meant, it may be a victory for now, but in the future he may have to take a few steps back and reconsider certain goals.

510 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:49am

re: #465 John Neverbend

Substitute Riemann’s hypothesis.

Actually, I came up with a disproof of that just the other day, but the text box offered here is too small to contain it… ;-)

511 ohpleaseno  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:15:50am

I’m interested in seeing the final destination of the prize money.

512 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:16:21am

re: #495 Basho

Yeah and I was playing dumb to tease your poor wording :P

Well aren’t you just so smart!

513 Basho  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:16:28am

re: #510 SixDegrees

Actually, I came up with a disproof of that just the other day, but the text box offered here is too small to contain it… ;-)

Hehehe. I’m probably the only one who gets that reference :)

514 Ben Hur  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:16:29am

re: #508 Basho

I’m loose.

Didn’t know you were being sarcastic.

515 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:16:49am

re: #506 FigJam

An interesting question: What will Obama do with the prize money? Keep it? Donate it to a charity? (ACORN, perhaps??)

Charity, and no matter which one he picks, some will question it.

516 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:12am

re: #510 SixDegrees

Actually, I came up with a disproof of that just the other day, but the text box offered here is too small to contain it… ;-)

Heh. You should be able to outline it, though…

/

517 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:19am

re: #445 Charles

Fermat’s Last Theorem has been proven. A**N + B**N = C**N is never true for integers A, B and C for N>2.

518 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:19am

They really, really want Obama to like them and come to their party.

519 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:20am

re: #506 FigJam

An interesting question: What will Obama do with the prize money? Keep it? Donate it to a charity? (ACORN, perhaps??)

oh man, I so hope that he donates it to ACORN.

please please please please. We need to keep the Exploding Heads Train moving at full speed.

520 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:28am

re: #513 Basho

Hehehe. I’m probably the only one who gets that reference :)

Ahem. No, you aren’t.

521 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:29am

re: #511 ohpleaseno

I’m interested in seeing the final destination of the prize money.

I am sure the Palestinians need to add to their 1.4 tons of flour per person..they are starving over there…
/

522 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:30am

re: #504 vxbush

Good heavens, no…

I’ve always had difficulty with theorem humor. Sorry.

523 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:34am

‘elmerf9000’ followed up his ugly comment and banning with a hate mail, of course.

524 shiplord kirel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:47am

It is odd, though, that the prize goes to a person who is currently in direct command of the largest set of active combat operations currently underway in the world.

525 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:48am

re: #511 ohpleaseno

I’m interested in seeing the final destination of the prize money.

I’d get a Corvette ZR1 and get myself killed within a week.

526 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:17:59am

re: #523 Charles

‘elmerf9000’ followed up his ugly comment and banning with a hate mail, of course.

Sharesies?

527 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:18:03am

re: #518 Sharmuta

They really, really want Obama to like them and come to their party.

good one!

528 captdiggs  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:18:29am

Another disgrace for the Nobel committee…along with the Arafat award.

529 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:18:38am

re: #468 Coracle

I’ve heard that claim from only one side - the far right. I have not heard it in the words of his own speeches. We all have our filters. The “great apologizer” filter is, IMO, one of the more distorted.

It’s there in many of his speeches, if not all of them. Does he have to flat out speak the words, “I apologize for America’s past wrong-doings”?

And just how often do you think the Left is going to challenge The Exhalted One on anything he says? For crying out loud, Wolf Blitzer fact-checked a SNL skit.

530 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:18:44am

re: #526 thedopefishlives

Sharesies?

Nah… just the usual insults and ranting.

531 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:18:54am

re: #506 FigJam

An interesting question: What will Obama do with the prize money? Keep it? Donate it to a charity? (ACORN, perhaps??)

I would assume it comes under the heading of “gifts from abroad.” Someone from the Ethics and Public Policy Center analyzes the issues here.

(I think it’s wrong of the author to suggest accepting the award may be unconstitutional. Not only did Wilson and TR take it, but the Nobel Commission is not a foreign state.)

532 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:20am

re: #511 ohpleaseno

I’m interested in seeing the final destination of the prize money.

It will be interesting. Whatever it is, it will surely be a source of wingnut outrage.

533 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:34am

re: #506 FigJam

An interesting question: What will Obama do with the prize money? Keep it? Donate it to a charity? (ACORN, perhaps??)

Buy a health insurance policy for Michael Moore

534 Hanoch  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:37am
Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

You are certainly right. But the current irrelevancy of the prize has to be disappointing to deserving winners of the past when the award meant something. If MLK were alive today, he probably would not be pleased about winning a prize that was also awarded to Arafat.

535 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:39am

re: #524 shiplord kirel

It is odd, though, that the prize goes to a person who is currently in direct command of the largest set of active combat operations currently underway in the world.

Precisely because the rest of the world desperately wants to believe that said Commander and Chief won’t use those troops on them.

536 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:42am

re: #530 Charles

Nah… just the usual insults and ranting.

Wouldn’t you then have to immediately delete your post for flouncing, anyway?

(I think that’s what a flounce is, correct?)

537 AtadOFF  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:45am

The Nobel Peace prize’s only value is in acting as a political wind vane.

538 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:48am

re: #529 Noam Sayin’

It’s there in many of his speeches, if not all of them. Does he have to flat out speak the words, “I apologize for America’s past wrong-doings”?

If that’s what you’re accusing him of doing, then…yes.

539 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:19:51am

re: #515 avanti

Charity, and no matter which one he picks, some will question it.

Yes, exactly.

540 Walter L. Newton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:20:05am

re: #532 iceweasel

It will be interesting. Whatever it is, it will surely be a source of wingnut outrage.

Bullshit.

Not if he gives it to ME

541 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:20:05am

re: #530 Charles

Nah… just the usual insults and ranting.

Feh. Trolls just aren’t as much fun anymore. *pout*

542 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:20:06am

re: #532 iceweasel

It will be interesting. Whatever it is, it will surely be a source of wingnut outrage.

Well, He can keep it. That’s always an option. I take it that is rarely done, but that could be his choice.

543 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:20:09am

re: #528 captdiggs

Another disgrace for the Nobel committee…along with the Arafat award.

This isn’t comparable to awarding the Peace Prize to Arafat. That was a true outrage. This is just a political statement of how much the Euro-left hated George W. Bush.

544 GreenSoccer  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:20:17am

Prager today said that the Nobel Peace Prize should be renamed the prize for persons the Left likes.

545 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:20am

re: #499 debutaunt

Is it now known as Wyle’s first theorem?

I think there’s a Nova program about it. Wiles made two attempts. The first proof was flawed, as was discovered when Wiles’ former student Richard Taylor was going through it. Then Wiles had another go, using a completely different approach (horizontal Iwasawa theory, if I’m not mistaken), and this time the proof was valid.

It’s was a tremendous achievement, but Riemann’s Hypothesis remains unproved, and I think it has far more important implications for mathematics as a whole than Fermat’s last theorem.

546 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:38am

re: #538 Cato the Elder

[Link: www.google.com…]

547 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:38am

re: #529 Noam Sayin’

It’s there in many of his speeches, if not all of them. Does he have to flat out speak the words, “I apologize for America’s past wrong-doings”?

And just how often do you think the Left is going to challenge The Exhalted One on anything he says? For crying out loud, Wolf Blitzer fact-checked a SNL skit.

Since ‘tone’ is a theme here…he, Obama, definitely exhibited an apologetic tone. A wise man named Krauthammer gave a great speech on it the other day.

548 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:43am

re: #542 vxbush

Well, He can keep it. That’s always an option. I take it that is rarely done, but that could be his choice.

He earned it. It’s his choice.

549 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:43am

re: #537 AtadOFF

The Nobel Peace prize’s only value is in acting as a political wind vane.

I agree, and the US is now sailing with the wind at our back, not a bad thing IMHO.

550 kirkspencer  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:21:51am

It is a minor point, I realize, but looking at the recommendations that Obama reject the award one question comes to mind.

Would he gain support from anyone by doing so?

I look at the individuals making this recommendation and doubt it. Instead I think a few would at best make a ‘good for him’ remark before once more finding something on which to vilify Obama. Many more would ignore it before returning to vilification. Some would immediately vilify Obama for rejecting it even after recommending that action. I do not believe any would say, “Hey, he’s principled. Maybe I should give him slack, or even consider supporting his endeavors.”

Am I wrong in suspecting this result?

551 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:22:29am

re: #510 SixDegrees

Actually, I came up with a disproof of that just the other day, but the text box offered here is too small to contain it… ;-)

I found a proof on the DI web site. It says God ID did it.

552 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:22:32am

re: #546 Noam Sayin’

[Link: www.google.com…]

Nice links. Fox News? Gimme a break.

553 shiplord kirel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:22:50am

re: #528 captdiggs

Another disgrace for the Nobel committee…along with the Arafat award.

The Arafat award was in a different league altogether. In his case, there were only about 6 people in the world, 8 tops, who were less deserving, and even that is arguable.

554 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:23:09am

re: #541 thedopefishlives

Feh. Trolls just aren’t as much fun anymore. *pout*

Maybe we can convince Charles to post samples of his hate mail in the subscribers-only threads. That way, he doesn’t publicly flounce but we get a few laughs.

There is a weekly hate mail post on DKos that is usually hilarious to read. I’ll bet Charles gets his own unique brand of hate mail.

555 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:23:23am

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

556 vxbush  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:23:25am

re: #545 John Neverbend

I think there’s a Nova program about it. Wiles made two attempts. The first proof was flawed, as was discovered when Wiles’ former student Richard Taylor was going through it. Then Wiles had another go, using a completely different approach (horizontal Iwasawa theory, if I’m not mistaken), and this time the proof was valid.

It’s was a tremendous achievement, but Riemann’s Hypothesis remains unproved, and I think it has far more important implications for mathematics as a whole than Fermat’s last theorem.

There’s also a musical about Wyle’s theorem, but that’s not nearly as fun as you might think. It talks about the flaw.

You have to use elliptical functions to solve the proof, and yes, I believe Iwasawa’s work was uesd. It’s been a long time since I looked over it.

557 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:23:57am

re: #555 Killgore Trout

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

That would earn him the prize in my eyes.

558 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:23:58am

re: #554 Ray in TX

Maybe we can convince Charles to post samples of his hate mail in the subscribers-only threads. That way, he doesn’t publicly flounce but we get a few laughs.

There is a weekly hate mail post on DKos that is usually hilarious to read. I’ll bet Charles gets his own unique brand of hate mail.

He puts up occasional “We Got Mail” threads.

559 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:24:13am

re: #555 Killgore Trout

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

lol

560 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:24:46am

re: #553 shiplord kirel

The Arafat award was in a different league altogether. In his case, there were only about 6 people in the world, 8 tops, who were less deserving, and even that is arguable.

Arafat was a bonafide, bloodthirsty murderer…really a shocking pick

561 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:20am

re: #557 Cato the Elder

That would earn him the prize in my eyes.

And I wonder, in that case: would they try to take it back, the Noblies?

562 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:28am

re: #532 iceweasel

It will be interesting. Whatever it is, it will surely be a source of wingnut outrage.

He should just put half the money in his daughters’ college fund. Donate the rest to a non-controversial charity. That would be my suggestion.

563 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:33am

re: #557 Cato the Elder

Makes one wonder why they put a crash program on for four bunker-busters to be fitted for the B2.

564 captdiggs  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:36am

re: #543 Charles

True, not the same as awarding a prize to a mass murderer.

Still, a disgrace. Obama has done nothing. His name was in no later than 12 days after taking office, so the award was based on his campaign rhetoric…or maybe his record as a community organizer.

Roosevelt, Ghandi, Truman, and Reagan were all bypassed for the award.

565 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:39am

re: #498 SixDegrees

The problem is that many Europeans, the Nobel Committee included, do not understand peace or how to attain it. Who was the Roman senator who said, “If you would have peace, be thou prepared for war.” In other words, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it.

566 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:25:49am

And to just save George Will the trouble I counted 18 “I” or “me” references in the speech.

567 Killgore Trout  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:26:06am

Glenn Beck does the Birch Society boogie (again)…
H1N1: Who Do You Trust?

Have you decided what you’re going to do about the swine flu vaccine yet? Have you heard anybody yet talk about it that you trust? Will you take your chances with the swine flu or the vaccine? Will you take the vaccine and give it to your children? How much do you trust your government?

568 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:26:22am

re: #556 vxbush

There’s also a musical about Wyle’s theorem, but that’s not nearly as fun as you might think. It talks about the flaw.

You have to use elliptical functions to solve the proof, and yes, I believe Iwasawa’s work was uesd. It’s been a long time since I looked over it.

And I thought that Horizontal Iwasawa Theory was something out of the Japanese Kama Sutra.

569 Dreader1962  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:26:24am

re: #558 Oh no…Sand People!

He puts up occasional “We Got Mail” threads.

I think the problem with pushing all of the hate mail into a restricted thread would be problematical because quite a bit would probably have to be edited to remove personal information and to avoid legal problems.

We can just use our imagination to dream up what someone who had a psychotic break on the internet would say.

570 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:26:39am

re: #555 Killgore Trout

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

As a snarky way of mocking the Nobel Prize?

571 dugmartsch  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:27:44am

re: #4 wrenchwench

Funny I’m a really liberal dude and my thinking was basically the same.

Also “wooo republican heads exploding this is AWESOME.”

Also it’s their award, they give it to whoever they want. Sometimes they make what I consider inspired decisions with their award (Norman Borlaug) sometimes they make what I consider awful decisions with their award (Henry Kissinger, Arafat). If it really bothers you that someone you don’t like got a prestigious award for reasons you don’t agree with, feel free to start your own.

Know though that unless you have the capacity to find truly exceptional people on a pretty regular basis for many, many years, and back it up with many, many dollars, no one will care.

I hope in thirty years this goes down in the ‘inspired’ column. What kind of an America hating peace destroying psychopath wouldn’t?

572 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:27:51am

re: #560 albusteve

Arafat was a bonafide, bloodthirsty murderer…really a shocking prick


fixed that a little…

573 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:28:03am

re: #567 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck does the Birch Society boogie (again)…
H1N1: Who Do You Trust?

Tear him for his bad…grammar. It should be “Whom do you trust?”

574 Earth56  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:28:06am

re: #570 debutaunt

I already though it was a mockery as in past tense. Its become the Elmer Fudd award

575 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:28:10am

re: #570 debutaunt

As a snarky way of mocking the Nobel Prize?

As a way of earning it, maybe?

576 albusteve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:28:16am

re: #570 debutaunt

As a snarky way of mocking the Nobel Prize?

that and a legit step to help bring peace to the ME…a twofer!

577 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:28:46am

re: #567 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck does the Birch Society boogie (again)…
H1N1: Who Do You Trust?

To answer the question “How much do you trust your government?”, my answer is: “A lot more than I trust you, Glen. They’re out to prevent disease, while you’re in it for the money. Also, unlike you, the people in Charge of the CDC are sane people.”

578 shmuli  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:29:00am

A little humor, and a page which is gaining additions rapidly —

From Volokh Conspiracy -
[Link: volokh.com…]


Top Ten Reasons Obama Won the Nobel Peace Prize
David Bernstein • October 9, 2009 7:07 am

With David Letterman somewhat distracted, I thought I’d solicit nominations for a top 10 list. Here’s a few to start off:

Consolation prize for losing the Olympics

Who gives a rat’s you-know-what about Afghanistan, anyway

The Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology were already taken

“We couldn’t give an ‘un-prize’ to George W. Bush, and this was the next best thing”

For extraordinary diplomacy at the Gates-Crowley “Beer Summit”

UPDATE: “Obama? I thought we were giving it to Osama“

The Norwegians wanted to honor one of their own, and the committee discovered that Obama was born in Oslo, Norway, the son of a Volvo factory worker.

ONE MORE: Norway needed to stimulate its prize industry, and Obama was willing to trade in an older, less efficient prize.

AND FROM THE COMMENTS: He was the 10th caller.

[ See comments for more ]

579 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:29:04am

re: #513 Basho

Hehehe. I’m probably the only one who gets that reference :)

Wrong.

580 rwdflynavy  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:29:33am

re: #575 Cato the Elder

As a way of earning it, maybe?

Sarah Palin was robbed!!!
//

581 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:29:47am

re: #567 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck does the Birch Society boogie (again)…
H1N1: Who Do You Trust?

Yeah, that was another disgusting show from Beck. He tried to make it seem as if he was … you know … teaching the controversy. When his real aim, as always, was to spread fear and stir up populist anger against the government.

582 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:29:59am

re: #550 kirkspencer

It is a minor point, I realize, but looking at the recommendations that Obama reject the award one question comes to mind.

Would he gain support from anyone by doing so?

I look at the individuals making this recommendation and doubt it. Instead I think a few would at best make a ‘good for him’ remark before once more finding something on which to vilify Obama. Many more would ignore it before returning to vilification. Some would immediately vilify Obama for rejecting it even after recommending that action. I do not believe any would say, “Hey, he’s principled. Maybe I should give him slack, or even consider supporting his endeavors.”

Am I wrong in suspecting this result?

In my case, yes, you’re wrong. I would stand up and applaud if he refused to accept the award on the grounds that there were others who were more deserving of it, and I would cheer if he added explicit criticism of the committee for politicizing the award. The Peace Prize may have once been a legitimate recognition of real accomplishment, but over the last few decades it has lost nearly all of it’s luster thanks to political posturing, at the expense of many who richly deserved to be recognized for their hard work and successes. It’s a shame, and awarding it for potential rather than actual achievement only cheapens the award further.

A rejection from someone with this high a profile would draw immediate attention to the committee’s questionable processes, and stands the best chance of any event I can think of to embarrass the committee into focusing on actual merit rather than proximity in ideology.

583 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:30:04am

re: #513 Basho

Hehehe. I’m probably the only one who gets that reference :)

Nope, it’s as clear as a bell.

584 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:30:09am

re: #552 Cato the Elder

Nice links. Fox News? Gimme a break.

13,700,000 results for that search. and I wasn’t really trying - I’m at work. You want to single out Fox news so you can downplay it? Go ahead.

585 Guanxi88  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:30:51am

re: #570 debutaunt

As a snarky way of mocking the Nobel Prize?

It would earn him the prize, in my opinion.

586 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:31:04am

re: #555 Killgore Trout

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

That would also serve as a wake-up call to the Nobel Committee.

587 efuseakay  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:31:22am

The freepers, as expected, are going a bit apeshit over this non-issue:

[Link: www.freerepublic.com…]

588 Land Shark  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:31:38am

In an update to the story about President Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel committee just announced that the price was awarded to President Obama’s teleprompter, no the President himself. They apologize for any confusion the mistaken announcement may have caused.

/

589 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:31:54am

re: #584 Noam Sayin’

13,700,000 results for that search. and I wasn’t really trying - I’m at work. You want to single out Fox news so you can downplay it? Go ahead.

The Heritage Foundation gives 10 examples from speeches. If you’re not into the Heritage Foundation, it would not be difficult to isolate the quotations (making sure they’re correct) and then analyze them.

590 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:32:17am

re: #571 dugmartsch

If it really bothers you that someone you don’t like got a prestigious award for reasons you don’t agree with, feel free to start your own.

Actually in the field of chemistry, my chosen field, there are some who, if given the choice of only one, would rather win the Welch award than the Nobel.

591 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:33:06am

re: #584 Noam Sayin’

13,700,000 results for that search. and I wasn’t really trying - I’m at work. You want to single out Fox news so you can downplay it? Go ahead.

13.7 million links all quoting the same bogus talking point.

Impressive.

592 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:33:23am

re: #575 Cato the Elder

As a way of earning it, maybe?

Well if you consider the outcome of both scenarios I don’t think either will earn anything that can be labeled even remotely peaceful.

1. Take out the sites and piss Iran/islamonutjobs off into a serious global jihad and annoy Russia further.

2. Ignore it and hope to God that Iran’s government doesn’t “do good” on their dreams of the 12th imam appearing and seeing Israel wiped off of the map.

To quote “bombs away” Curtis LeMay:

“You’re in a pretty bad fix…”

593 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:33:50am

re: #463 Equable

Yeah, the phrase “put yourself in our shoes” or something along those lines would probably carry a lot more weight.

Or how about, “Protecte your own f*cking shipping lanes. We’re tired of playing Cop to the World.”

594 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:34:05am

re: #587 efuseakay

The freepers, as expected, are going a bit apeshit over this non-issue:

[Link: www.freerepublic.com…]

I love how they also link a story where the Taliban condemns the award.

Strange bedfellows, indeed.

595 dentate  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:34:31am

re: #566 Big Steve

And to just save George Will the trouble I counted 18 “I” or “me” references in the speech.

Yeah, but this time it really WAS about him.

596 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:34:55am

re: #565 StillAMarine

The problem is that many Europeans, the Nobel Committee included, do not understand peace or how to attain it. Who was the Roman senator who said, “If you would have peace, be thou prepared for war.” In other words, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it.

Si vi pacem, para bellum. Allegedly based on something similar said by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.

597 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:34:58am

re: #581 Charles

Yeah, that was another disgusting show from Beck. He tried to make it seem as if he was … you know … teaching the controversy. When his real aim, as always, was to spread fear and stir up populist anger against the government.

And then he went on The O’Reilly Factor later and did it again. I forced myself to watch the segment, just to see what Beck was up to. I made it through the entire thing but had to pause several times to allow the Bad Craziness to dissipate.

598 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:34:59am

re: #591 Cato the Elder

Says you.

Impressive.

599 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:36:37am

Just spoke to a friend on the phone that brought up another angle. Who has been been more active on the world stage this year in talking about peace ? Obama has been trying to address the middle east, trying to talk to Iran and Korea. Talking may not work, but he has been putting a lot of effort into it compared to many others. Sure, maybe the award was based more on hope of success than actual success, and maybe they just want to support that hope.

600 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:36:57am

re: #523 Charles

I’m glad you jump in and delete the real garbage. I have to resist the spike of thwarted curiosity when I see the Deleted box. Must resist unhealthy impulse… LOL Thanks for keeping it nice around here.

601 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:02am

re: #596 John Neverbend

Si vi pacem, para bellum. Allegedly based on something similar said by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.

Should be “vis” not “vi”.

602 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:03am

re: #595 dentate

Yeah, but this time it really WAS about him.

I know you were being light but my thoughts are that this award is NOT about Obama personally and in fact the award should go to the American electorate for electing him.

603 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:10am

re: #567 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck does the Birch Society boogie (again)…
H1N1: Who Do You Trust?

Did he feature this helpful website for his viewers?

Do you have swineflu?

604 lostlakehiker  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:30am

re: #2 Sharmuta

This is an award that carries a lot of prestige if you’re of the unconstrained vision and think peace can be had through negotiations. His intentions are for peace and with the unconstrained vision, intentions are highly important.

If you’re of the constrained vision, you know that man has not yet reached that level of civility as a species, and while talk is preferred, it’s best to have an exceptional army behind you when all other options fail. It’s not about intentions, it’s about the history of our species.

So the unconstrained europeans have given Obama their award, and it bothers me not at all to tell him “Congratulations” because granting a person the nobility of their intentions is easy to do and costs me nothing. His intentions are good, and the europeans have noticed. Good for him.

If you’re not a reader of Thomas Sowell, your thinking runs along the same lines, putting you in very good company.

605 William of Orange  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:36am

re: #543 Charles

This isn’t comparable to awarding the Peace Prize to Arafat. That was a true outrage. This is just a political statement of how much the Euro-left hated George W. Bush.

In truth I also had my questions about the Bush administration. (and yes, I’m also European…) But this award to Obama is a wrong signal. A sign of weakness. If there wasn’t someone else a suitable candidate for the peace prize, why not skip it a year? NOT awarding this award is also a potent signal to the world.

606 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:46am

re: #603 iceweasel

Did he feature this helpful website for his viewers?

Do you have swineflu?

That is so win. Apparently, here in MN we have parents keeping their kids home from school, fearful of outbreaks.

607 Dreader1962  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:37:57am

re: #581 Charles

Yeah, that was another disgusting show from Beck. He tried to make it seem as if he was … you know … teaching the controversy. When his real aim, as always, was to spread fear and stir up populist anger against the government.

More like ‘creating the controversy’, ‘amplifying the controversy’, ‘advocating the controversy’, ‘pimping the controversy’ - this last phrase is more apt, since he’s making big money from purveying this crap.

The end result is the same - parents convinced not to immunize their children, and a return of diseases that we thought were conquered.

608 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:38:20am

re: #555 Killgore Trout

I really hope Obama takes out Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

I hope so, too, but I think if he did, the Nobel committee would take back the prize, even though he’d deserve it more.

609 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:38:22am

re: #532 iceweasel

It will be interesting. Whatever it is, it will surely be a source of wingnut outrage.

I say he should give the money to Butthurt Research charities.

610 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:39:45am

re: #596 John Neverbend

Si vi vis pacem, para bellum. Allegedly based on something similar said by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus.

Fixed that for you. Publius was a friend of mine. The full quote is igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.

I have several guns chambered for 9mm parabellum.

611 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:40:40am

re: #605 William of Orange

If there wasn’t someone else a suitable candidate for the peace prize, why not skip it a year? NOT awarding this award is also a potent signal to the world.

I agree, but there were other suitable candidates, if this list is correct.

612 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:41:54am

re: #605 William of Orange

In truth I also had my questions about the Bush administration. (and yes, I’m also European…) But this award to Obama is a wrong signal. A sign of weakness. If there wasn’t someone else a suitable candidate for the peace prize, why not skip it a year? NOT awarding this award is also a potent signal to the world.

There were something like 200 nominees. There’s no shortage of good works going on around the world.

And, without actually checking, I believe the Committee is required to make annual awards under the terms of the endowment, given to the most deserving recipient who can be found. But I could be wrong about that.

613 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:42:10am

re: #609 Jimmah

I say he should give the money to Butthurt Research charities.

Alas, there is no cure for Crepitating Butthurt. I say he should invest in more and better warning systems for Greater Wingnuttia, and perhaps some research into SDS: Snark Deficiency Syndrome.

614 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:42:18am

re: #596 John Neverbend

Thank you. Spot on.

615 John Neverbend  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:42:32am

re: #610 Cato the Elder

Fixed that for you. Publius was a friend of mine. The full quote is igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.

I have several guns chambered for 9mm parabellum.

All correct (I did my own fixing a little earlier), but it doesn’t harm to be fixed twice.

616 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:42:58am

re: #611 arethusa

I agree, but there were other suitable candidates, if this list is correct.

This guy would have been my pick:

Dr. Denis Mukwege jokes with patients outside the surgical ward of Panzi hospital in Bukavu, DRC. On this photo’s date, Dr Mukwege had treated 21,000 women suffering from devastating gynecological injuries as a result of rape in Congo’s brutal war. He is the only gynecologist treating these wounds in the country. Oct. 14, 2008

617 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:43:14am

re: #581 Charles

Leave to one big unhealthy prick to object to any healthy kind of prick. Jealous maybe?

I got my seasonal shot already, and since I have a wife at home who is immune compromised I’m getting the H1N1 mist ASAP. She has to wait for the “healthy prick” of the needle-No flu mist for asthmatics. We get these shots each and every year. Gratefully.

618 William of Orange  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:43:40am

re: #611 arethusa

I agree, but there were other suitable candidates, if this list is correct.

Sure, going for the highest prifile… I see what you mean.

619 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:43:57am

re: #610 Cato the Elder

Fixed that for you. Publius was a friend of mine. The full quote is igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.

And this attitude gained the world the 200-year-long Pax Romana, which pretty much benefited everyone from 27 BC-180 AD or so.

PS: Cato - shouldn’t it be “non” in your account motto?

620 Gearhead  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:43:57am

re: #612 SixDegrees

There were something like 200 nominees. There’s no shortage of good works going on around the world.

And, without actually checking, I believe the Committee is required to make annual awards under the terms of the endowment, given to the most deserving recipient who can be found. But I could be wrong about that.

I stand by my earlier comment about the committee’s laziness.

Personally, I think they’re each hoping for a DVD gift set.
/

621 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:44:23am

re: #616 Cato the Elder
Perfect!
(up) Ding ding ding

622 Gus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:44:34am

re: #613 iceweasel

Alas, there is no cure for Crepitating Butthurt. I say he should invest in more and better warning systems for Greater Wingnuttia, and perhaps some research into SDS: Snark Deficiency Syndrome.

This morning I was thinking it should go to free psycho therapy clinics for the Wingbat impaired.

623 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:45:06am

re: #612 SixDegrees


And, without actually checking, I believe the Committee is required to make annual awards under the terms of the endowment, given to the most deserving recipient who can be found. But I could be wrong about that.

I think the only years they skipped were during World War II, when Norway was occupied.

624 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:45:46am

re: #591 Cato the Elder

13.7 million links all quoting the same bogus talking point.

Impressive.

Now, let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

-From President Obama’s Speech at Cairo University

I cringed at this when Obama said it. GW put together the biggest multilateral group of allies in history for this effort.

625 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:46:43am

re: #613 iceweasel

Alas, there is no cure for Crepitating Butthurt. I say he should invest in more and better warning systems for Greater Wingnuttia, and perhaps some research into SDS: Snark Deficiency Syndrome.

Yes, I fully agree. In that case, I think the money should go to these guys. I hear they are doing amazing things with regard to those problems. ;-)

626 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:46:43am

re: #619 arethusa

And this attitude gained the world the 200-year-long Pax Romana, which pretty much benefited everyone from 27 BC-180 AD or so.

PS: Cato - shouldn’t it be “non” in your account motto?

Jeepers, you’re right.

That’s what happens when you’re forced to speak this barbaric English all day long. The only ones who understand me in my native tongue anymore are those clowns in the Vatican, and you should hear their accent…

;^)

627 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:46:57am

re: #599 avanti

Just spoke to a friend on the phone that brought up another angle. Who has been been more active on the world stage this year in talking about peace ? Obama has been trying to address the middle east, trying to talk to Iran and Korea. Talking may not work, but he has been putting a lot of effort into it compared to many others. Sure, maybe the award was based more on hope of success than actual success, and maybe they just want to support that hope.

You know Olbermann!?
/

628 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:47:52am

re: #604 lostlakehiker

If you’re not a reader of Thomas Sowell, your thinking runs along the same lines, putting you in very good company.

I’m very much a reader of A Conflict of Visions and I recommend it to everyone.

629 abbyadams  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:49:07am

re: #486 Ray in TX

So far, Mr. McCain has been one of the few to be gracious, so, yeah, in a way, it is good news for him:

I congratulate President Obama on receiving this prestigious award. I join my fellow Americans in expressing pride in our President on this occasion.

630 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:49:27am

re: #622 Gus 802

This morning I was thinking it should go to free psycho therapy clinics for the Wingbat impaired.

Heh. yes, that could work too. :)

631 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:49:32am

re: #620 Gearhead

I stand by my earlier comment about the committee’s laziness.

Personally, I think they’re each hoping for a DVD gift set.
/

It just occurred to me, out of nowhere, that the Peace Prize Committee would be well served to end this ongoing bullshit by forbidding the award of the prize to any member of government, anywhere, past or present. This instantly picks off all the really low points in the Award - Arafat, Carter, Gore, Obama and quite a few others - while leaving the award open to those who are actually busting ass on the ground and getting things done - and who could probably really put a million bucks to good use furthering their ends.

Probably too rational to gain any traction, and it would undermine the Committee’s political slobberings, but I offer it up for free, anyway.

632 avspatti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:49:59am

The outrage is not only on the part of the right wing blogosphere. Any thinking person should be outraged as the awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama, who has only been in office for nine months is absurd. They are making a mockery of the prize, not that they haven’t done that before. The nominations for the prize had to be in by February 1st when Obama had been president for an entire ELEVEN DAYS! What is he being recognized for? Being elected as a 1/2 African-American man? Gazillions of wonderful-sounding words? It is certain that it was not awarded for DEEDS as he hasn’t had time to accomplish much of anything yet. This premature award makes both Obama and the Nobel committee look foolish as it is clearly a political award instead of what it was intended to be … recognition of a person who has accomplished or promoted peace in the world THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS. The fact that they gave Obama the Noble Peace Prize at this time is depressing in the extreme. Why not wait and see what he does in the majority of his term?

633 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:50:24am

re: #624 Oh no…Sand People!

-From President Obama’s Speech at Cairo University

I cringed at this when Obama said it. GW put together the biggest multilateral group of allies in history for this effort.

You mean the “coalition of the billing”? Little countries bought and paid for with big barrels of pork?

Bush also based the whole thing on lies.

And where exactly does Obama “apologize” in that quote?

634 Gus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:50:26am

re: #630 iceweasel

Heh. yes, that could work too. :)

Maybe. Don’t forget, only libruls go to psycho therapy.

//

635 HoosierHoops  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:50:30am

Good Afternoon Lizards! TGIF
Guess what..Phil over at Bad Astronomy is number 3 on the recommended list for todays Tweeting..
Nice job Phil..
[Link: www.cnn.com…]

636 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:50:34am

re: #628 Sharmuta

I’m very much a reader of A Conflict of Visions and I recommend it to everyone.

I used to like Sowell as a rational conservative and he’s written some very good things. But lately he’s gone just as crazy as almost every other right wing pundit.

637 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:50:53am

re: #625 Jimmah

Yes, I fully agree. In that case, I think the money should go to these guys. I hear they are doing amazing things with regard to those problems. ;-)

They are spreading snark, but I think they are tormenting the butthurt. Certainly tireless in raising awareness about butthurt though!

638 arethusa  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:51:04am

A friend just suggested to me that the folks freaking out about the award should just show the Nobel Committee by boycotting dynamite (Nobel’s invention). Heh.

639 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:51:55am

re: #565 StillAMarine

The problem is that many Europeans, the Nobel Committee included, do not understand peace or how to attain it. Who was the Roman senator who said, “If you would have peace, be thou prepared for war.” In other words, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it.

I dunno… What is the longest duration of peacetime that the United States has ever enjoyed, and how does this give us any authority to lecture the Europeans on “how to attain” peace?

Europeans have endured centuries of bloody warfare across their continent. In a developing response to the last big one, they have cultivated an economic interdependence between their countries that has become so effective that most of the world now thinks of “Europe” as almost a single, unified country.

The prospects of any kind of mililtary war between members of EU seem incredibly remote now.

Americans have never really experienced war on the scale of the Europeans. Unless you count the self-inflicted Civil War or some very limited incidents, we have never been occupied, never had our cities firebombed (or nuked), never had Americans rounded up for detention or killing, and never had our borders redrawn by another country.

It is easy to sit back and tell Europeans that they don’t know anything about war or peace, but I think it’s more likely they look at us and think that we really have no clue about the real consequences of sustained, prolonged war on our own soil.

640 WaveriderCA  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:51:56am

I think most people are puzzled by this but who cares. If everyone was complaining about how irrelevant the peace prize has become, and then it gets awarded and you get into an uproar it’s funny to get upset about it then.

That being said Obama is turning out to be a president who’s pretty savvy in some areas, but devoid in others… so in otherwords … like any other decent leader. (One can only focus on so much at once) His about face from the campaign and the administration foiling the domestic terror plots this year was awesome and I applauded him for it, but somehow the nutjob right found fault with him for (and if it were GWB doing it flags would be waving and USA being chanted).

He’s done more to champion renewable energy technologies than past presidents, but in the world the US is really lagging behind on the manufacturing of silicon solar cells (technology pioneered in the US *sigh*) compared to the rest of the world just because in europe and china the politicians are committed to pushing it and are heavily shifting public policy to support it not just with money but structurally with the bureacracy. ( I just wish he did a better job making the case for and pushing renewable energy infrastructure which would have been infinitely better to plop a trillion dollars into instead of banks here and abroad.)

In short Obama is attempting to drive the US forward towards a goal scientifically moreso than the previous administration. We’ve let the rest of the world catch up quite a bit, and unfortunately I may have to vote democratic in the upcoming elections if the GOP doesn’t get their act together real soon. I say unfortunately because I’m not a fan of alot of their social policy, but comparing that to the GOP plan for science and tech of “letting the market” sort it out kiss the US scientific prowess goodbye. This doesn’t even take into account the GOP and their current anti-science stance.

641 jantjepietje  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:52:10am
Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics,

Correction leftist Nowergian politics.

The Nobel peace prize is the only of the Nobel prizes that is not awarded by the Swedish Nobel committee, instead it’s awarded by a Norwegian Nobel peace prize committee whose members are selected by Norwegian parliament. The speculation for Alfred Nobel’s choice to do this is that when he made this decision Norway was not an independent country yet, so in this way he removed the Nobel Peace Prize from foreign politics since Norway had none.
Unfortunately today the Peace Prize committee has become a sort of honorary job for retired Norwegian politicians. Witch is why the prize has turned more and more political over the years.


It’s too bad really because this discredits people like Nelson Mandela who really deserved to win it.

642 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:53:32am

re: #636 Charles

I used to like Sowell as a rational conservative and he’s written some very good things. But lately he’s gone just as crazy as almost every other right wing pundit.

I agree. It’s sad, but he’s in league with The Hoover Institute (they’re getting their funding from the usual suspects) so it’s not surprising. I still recommend that book, however.

643 Dark_Falcon  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:54:27am

I’m off to work again. BBT

644 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:54:41am

re: #633 Cato the Elder

You mean the “coalition of the billing”? Little countries bought and paid for with big barrels of pork?

Bush also based the whole thing on lies.

And where exactly does Obama “apologize” in that quote?

He doesn’t overtly apologize. It’s in the ‘tone’.

‘X’ amount of broken UN resolutions are lies? Forget the WMD’s… those broken resolutions are good enough for me…as well as a dose of ‘remove him on behalf of the Kurds as well as my gas tank to my vehicle’ was good enough for me as well.

645 Lee Coller  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:54:44am

re: #513 Basho

Hehehe. I’m probably the only one who gets that reference :)

No you’re not.

646 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:55:45am

Question for our resident wonks… Won’t Obama have to give away the cash prize? Would that not be a million dollar gift? If so where will he send the money? Or escrow until he departs office…

647 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:56:41am

re: #644 Oh no…Sand People!

He doesn’t overtly apologize. It’s in the ‘tone’.

‘X’ amount of broken UN resolutions are lies? Forget the WMD’s… those broken resolutions are good enough for me…as well as a dose of ‘remove him on behalf of the Kurds as well as my gas tank to my vehicle’ was good enough for me as well.

Bush’s father screwed the Kurds. If W had said, “I need to fix what daddy fucked”, it would have been fine by me.

648 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:56:44am

re: #646 Rightwingconspirator

Question for our resident wonks… Won’t Obama have to give away the cash prize? Would that not be a million dollar gift? If so where will he send the money? Or escrow until he departs office…

Rev. Wright needs a new home!
/?

649 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:57:02am

re: #646 Rightwingconspirator

Question for our resident wonks… Won’t Obama have to give away the cash prize? Would that not be a million dollar gift? If so where will he send the money? Or escrow until he departs office…

It was just announced that it’s going to charity.

650 crimeshark  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:57:41am

Does this mean Jimmy Carter will win it again next year?

651 Cato the Elder  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:57:58am

re: #649 avanti

It was just announced that it’s going to charity.

Which is the only correct thing to do with it.

Of course the ODSers will complain no matter what cause it goes to.

652 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:58:02am

re: #642 Sharmuta

I agree. It’s sad, but he’s in league with The Hoover Institute (they’re getting their funding from the usual suspects) so it’s not surprising. I still recommend that book, however.

That book is from the 80’s IIRC so he was still rational then.

653 Earth56  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:58:19am

re: #650 crimeshark

Does this mean Jimmy Carter will win it again next year?

No, Yasser Arafats wife

654 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:58:52am

re: #653 Earth56

No, Yasser Arafats wife

And his goat the year after…

655 Kosh's Shadow  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:58:56am

re: #650 crimeshark

Does this mean Jimmy Carter will win it again next year?

No, that is still up in the air. They might give it to Ahmadinejad if he destroys Israel, though.

656 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:58:56am

The funny thing with the peace prize today is that it has overwhelmed the controversy on the Nobel prize for Literature. That prize has been very Euro/Middle East centric for the last decade or so. Even the Nobel committee on this has recognized the bias. The last American to win was Toni Morrison in 1993 I believe. I was secretly hoping they would give it to John Updike, who died in January, but no dice.

657 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:00am

re: #654 Oh no…Sand People!

And his goat the year after…

//

658 Noam Sayin'  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:12am

re: #647 Cato the Elder

Bush’s father screwed the Kurds. If W had said, “I need to fix what daddy fucked”, it would have been fine by me.

…keep moving the goalposts, Cato.

659 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:19am

re: #649 avanti

It was just announced that it’s going to charity.

ACORN?

660 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:37am

re: #655 Kosh’s Shadow

/Destroying Israel would reduce a standing army.

661 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:38am

re: #652 iceweasel

That book is from the 80’s IIRC so he was still rational then.

Exactly. I certainly don’t recommend any of his current writing. From what I’ve seen, he’s joined the mob. If not for ideology, at least for a pay check.

662 SixDegrees  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 10:59:40am

re: #646 Rightwingconspirator

Question for our resident wonks… Won’t Obama have to give away the cash prize? Would that not be a million dollar gift? If so where will he send the money? Or escrow until he departs office…

It’s unclear whether this would be required, but it’s common for politicians receiving the prize to donate the cash award to a charity, foundation or other such organization.

663 Political Atheist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:00:12am

re: #649 avanti

Acorn just got re funded… LOL

664 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:00:46am

re: #654 Oh no…Sand People!

And his goat the year after…

What’s the difference?

Zing!

665 crimeshark  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:01:03am

re: #654 Oh no…Sand People!

There’s a difference? Show’s what I know…

666 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:01:59am

I hope this is an anticipatory award, and that Obama will achieve great chunks of peace, where none was before.

667 bosforus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:02:05am

new comments (457)
Yowsers! Guess that happens after a three hour lgf break. Equable, how was A Christmas Story?
-going on lunch break-

668 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:02:38am

/How will Obama pull off his acceptance speech? I mean he’ll have to make his meager accomplishments sound impressive. That should be hard for him.

669 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:02:46am

re: #644 Oh no…Sand People!

Yeah - when the anti-Hussein rhetoric really began to ratchet up I did a lot of research on the resolutions he defied and the “intelligence” being hurled at us. Also the “Iraq Liberation Act” which was signed into law by Clinton in 1998 seems to have fallen down the memory hole. It was explicit in its aim of regime change in Iraq and was fairly black and white.

The whole thing was set into motion long before Bush became our president.

Even if the intelligence was faulty it was coming in so many directions, it was difficult to keep track of it. Back then it felt to me as if the United States was being provoked - it reminded me of those school fights where the two potential combatants were nose to nose with antagonists pushing one into the other.

670 maxwellp  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:03:22am

re: #22 snakedoctor

Obama should do one of two things: 1. Repectfully decline the award based on the fact he has done nothing to earn it or 2. accept the award and donate the money to the fallen Marines in Afganistan are giving their lives each day this President continues to vote “PRESENT”. My guess is he’ll won’t do either.

What about the fallen Soldiers?

671 Equable  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:03:22am

re: #667 bosforus

new comments (457)Equable, how was A Christmas Story?
-going on lunch break-

Awesome, as always. Thanks for asking!

672 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:03:33am

still laughing at a post on another blog…”the Nobel Peace Prize committee just beclowned itself.”

673 avanti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:03:50am

Not all real, but cool to watch.

video.

674 J.S.  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:06:53am

It clearly isn’t the President’s “fault” — it’s the Nobel award committee…(I still like the way Obama spoke of how he became aware of being awarded the prize, his daughter waking him up and telling him that he’d won the prize, and also noting it’s the dog’s birthday!…lol…that’s hilarious. It’s all about “priorities.”)

675 Gearhead  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:06:57am

As it turns out, the charity in question is a home for retired Norwegian politicians.

/

676 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:07:47am

re: #639 Ray in TX

True. But there are some considerations. One is that Democracies rarely, if ever, declare war on each other. So it is no surprise that there is peace in Europe. Then, there is the sad and ugly truth that the United States interned many of its own citizens during WWII simply because of their ancestry.

But yes, Americans really do not understand the horrors of war, and perhaps the Europeans simply understand something we do not. Even so, as was stated before, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it and let others know you are prepared for it.

677 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:07:53am

re: #675 Gearhead
“Uff da.”

678 Gus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:08:34am

Redstate blogger: Nobel Prize is ‘affirmative action’

RedState.com’s Erick Erickson plays the race card on the Nobel criticism:

“I did not realize the Nobel Peace Prize had an affirmative action quota for it, but that is the only thing I can think of for this news. There is no way Barack Obama earned it in the nominations period.”

“… The Peace Prize reaffirms it s a joke. But now a sad joke. Somewhere Bill Clinton’s head just exploded.”

Erick Erickson sticks his foot in his mouth once again.

679 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:08:52am

re: #664 Mad Al-Jaffee

re: #665 crimeshark

GMTA!

680 debutaunt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:09:03am

re: #676 StillAMarine

True. But there are some considerations. One is that Democracies rarely, if ever, declare war on each other. So it is no surprise that there is peace in Europe. Then, there is the sad and ugly truth that the United States interned many of its own citizens during WWII simply because of their ancestry.

But yes, Americans really do not understand the horrors of war, and perhaps the Europeans simply understand something we do not. Even so, as was stated before, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it and let others know you are prepared for it.

Neville was a prime example for all.

681 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:09:04am

re: #678 Gus 802

Redstate blogger: Nobel Prize is ‘affirmative action’

Erick Erickson sticks his foot in his mouth once again.

*facepalm*

Ugh. My bullshit meter just broke again.

682 Sharmuta  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:09:16am

More on right wing think tank funding:

It is a telling marker of the ideological cohesiveness and extremism of this core group of philanthropies that three of the five founding members, Joseph Coors, David Koch and Harry Bradley, were members and financial supporters of the John Birch Society. The Scaife foundations, headed by Richard Mellon Scaife, are also involved, albeit in less direct ways.

In the past 20 years this core group of funders has, by many reports, built and strategically linked an impressive array of almost 500 think tanks, centers, institutes and “concerned citizens groups” both within and outside of the academy. It is particularly telling to observe the funding sources of these organizations during the first 10-15 years of their existence, when their ideological identities were being established. A small sampling of these entities include the Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the Manhattan Institute, the Hoover Institution, the Claremont Institute, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, Middle East Forum, Accuracy in Media, and the National Association of Scholars, as well as Horowitz’s Center of the Study of Popular Culture.

They’ve spent 20+ years building their machine, and we wonder why Beck is so popular right now. Well- here’s a clue.

683 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:09:59am

I think they should have given it to Harry Potter. I like his fictitious accomplishments best.

684 Rednek  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:10:39am

A sitting American President has won the prize again!

USA! USA! USA!

685 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:10:42am

re: #683 Baier

High snark

686 Mad Al-Jaffee  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:10:58am

re: #683 Baier

I think they should have given it to Harry Potter. I like his fictitious accomplishments best.

Or Frodo. Didn’t he save the world by destroying that ring?

687 Oh no...Sand People!  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:11:27am

re: #669 Equable

Yeah - when the anti-Hussein rhetoric really began to ratchet up I did a lot of research on the resolutions he defied and the “intelligence” being hurled at us. Also the “Iraq Liberation Act” which was signed into law by Clinton in 1998 seems to have fallen down the memory hole. It was explicit in its aim of regime change in Iraq and was fairly black and white.

The whole thing was set into motion long before Bush became our president.

Even if the intelligence was faulty it was coming in so many directions, it was difficult to keep track of it. Back then it felt to me as if the United States was being provoked - it reminded me of those school fights where the two potential combatants were nose to nose with antagonists pushing one into the other.

Exactly.

688 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:12:11am

re: #686 Mad Al-Jaffee

Gollum destroyed it. Frodo wanted to keep it.

Gollum should get the prize.

689 wrenchwench  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:12:14am

re: #399 Charles

That’s your last comment at LGF.

This is the same person.

690 Ojoe  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:13:02am

re: #688 Ojoe

But this discussion is silly.

BBL.

691 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:13:57am

re: #656 Big Steve

I was rooting for Joyce Carol Oates.

692 StillAMarine  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:15:28am

I really need to get back to work. Have a good weekend, everybody.

693 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:15:35am

re: #689 wrenchwench

This is the same person.

Good catch!

694 Baier  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:15:40am

re: #688 Ojoe

Gollum destroyed it. Frodo wanted to keep it.

Gollum should get the prize.

Gollum already got it…Arafat.

695 bosforus  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:16:06am

re: #671 Equable

Fa ra-ra-ra-ra ra-ra ra-ra

696 J.S.  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:16:57am

re: #656 Big Steve

The National Post had an article about that — and the London bookies — they were placing bets…(I figured no chance at all — zero, nada, nill — for Amos Oz winning the prize…he’s Israeli, after all. It went to a German writer.)

697 webevintage  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:19:45am

re: #383 John Neverbend

I wish I had a holodeck.

Meh, I want to be able to say “steak, rare” and have it materialize in a box in the wall.

698 jantjepietje  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:22:05am

re: #656 Big Steve

The last American to win was Toni Morrison in 1993 I believe.

So an American didn’t win it for 16 years, that’s hardly a reason to call bias.
Given the size of America’s oplation and the amount of literature produced over the world.

The real problem is the lack of Asian and African winners I’d say.

699 Ray in TX  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:23:04am

re: #676 StillAMarine

But yes, Americans really do not understand the horrors of war, and perhaps the Europeans simply understand something we do not. Even so, as was stated before, the best way of avoiding war is to be prepared for it and let others know you are prepared for it.

The Europeans seem to be pursuing a model of creating economic interdependence, and it seems to be working. But it’s not just economics… applicant countries have to meet standards with regards to democratic elections, constitutional protections and other very “American” concepts.

But ultimately it is the economic carrot that is working for them. Who really cares if a country is “bribed” into joining if the end result is both liberty and security for their citizens?

I think the best way to avoid war is to be prepared defensively. Mutual deterrence worked well for us against the Soviet Union.

But the problem is that our country spends SO MUCH on defense spending (over 40% of the entire world’s budget) that it creates a perverse economic incentive to use it rather than let it go to waste. To a defense contractor, the best bomb is one that has just been exploded, because it creates an economic incentive to build and explode more bombs.

This is exactly the danger that Eisenhower talked about with regards to the military-industrial complex, and we have to come to grips with our own, unintended role in escalating the world’s military tensions when we swing our fists at politically-convenient targets like Iraq.

This is not a “hate America” concept in any way. It simply means a lot of military posturing by our enemies is done specifically to counter our increased defenses.

Military spending is certainly important and should always be present, but it is never a substitute for diplomacy and trade.

700 Big Steve  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:25:26am

re: #698 jantjepietje

So an American didn’t win it for 16 years, that’s hardly a reason to call bias.
Given the size of America’s oplation and the amount of literature produced over the world.

The real problem is the lack of Asian and African winners I’d say.

That American writers are not up to snuff is fine, but the preponderance of Euro/middle east winners have even the Nobel committee talking about bias.

701 Interested and concerned CDN  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:30:21am

If it hasn’t been…

As noted elsewhere…Where’s Kanye West when you need him?

702 J.S.  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:31:11am

Here’s the Wiki article on the Nobel Prize for Literature controversies: link here…(there are claims that the award committee expresses, currently, a bias in favor of Europeans.)

703 Dr. Shalit  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:32:28am

My thought is that the award is premature, some years from now Pres. Obama might have earned it. Getting it now is like getting a Grammy for a recording one hasn’t done yet or an Oscar for a movie concept with no film being shot. That is all.

-S-

704 The Optimist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:36:05am

re: #632 avspatti

The outrage is not only on the part of the right wing blogosphere. Any thinking person should be outraged as the awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama, who has only been in office for nine months is absurd. They are making a mockery of the prize, not that they haven’t done that before. The nominations for the prize had to be in by February 1st when Obama had been president for an entire ELEVEN DAYS! What is he being recognized for? Being elected as a 1/2 African-American man? Gazillions of wonderful-sounding words? It is certain that it was not awarded for DEEDS as he hasn’t had time to accomplish much of anything yet. This premature award makes both Obama and the Nobel committee look foolish as it is clearly a political award instead of what it was intended to be … recognition of a person who has accomplished or promoted peace in the world THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS. The fact that they gave Obama the Noble Peace Prize at this time is depressing in the extreme. Why not wait and see what he does in the majority of his term?

The award will actually make it more difficult for Obama to succeed. First the prize confirms to Obama that he is operating perfectly and Obama’s ego will become fixed with the idea that he always was and will be right. Obama needs to be open to ideas and above all listen to the U.S. first and not the U.N. Has Obama received a Chicago style bribe to support Norwegian political goals?

Second, will expectations now exceed anything Obama is capable of accomplishing in a little over 3 years?

705 FrogMarch  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:37:22am

The right shouldn’t mock Obama. Obama did not give this to himself.

This type of political Nobel Peace prize has long been a joke. I feel sorry for Obama.

706 The Optimist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:38:51am

Let’s cut to the Chase. The World is waiting to see what supermodel Michelle Obama wears to Norway. I forecast she will be the most photographed Nobel Peace prize winning spouse of all times.

707 tradewind  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:43:36am

This is absolutely priceless. Looking up-thread, I surely hope that the racial slurs and stooping stop immediately because they should have nothing to do with this silliness. The vote for the Nobel was taken in February ‘09… so after less than a month in office, the committee decided that Obama had proven his good intentions, and after all… intentions are what matter to these people. Results?
Not so much.

708 The Optimist  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 11:59:07am

re: #707 tradewind

This is absolutely priceless. Looking up-thread, I surely hope that the racial slurs and stooping stop immediately because they should have nothing to do with this silliness. The vote for the Nobel was taken in February ‘09… so after less than a month in office, the committee decided that Obama had proven his good intentions, and after all… intentions are what matter to these people. Results?
Not so much.

I wonder if the Nobel Committee is having “buyers remorse” about now. Obama looked really good in the showroom window but months later they realize that the actual product was defective.

709 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:00:06pm

re: #632 avspatti

The outrage is not only on the part of the right wing blogosphere. Any thinking person should be outraged…

Eh. I’m not outraged.

710 teh flowah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:08:42pm

re: #709 Charles
Outrage? Probably not. But a long sigh of total exhaustion at how dumb people are. Definitely.

lol @ the thought of Republicans calling Democrats out for agreeing with terrorists because their opinions HAPPENED to coincide for vastly differing reasons. And then Democrats doing it right back when they get into power.

this is why I laugh heartily at anyone who claims their party has the moral high ground. Politics is a dirty fucking business and both parties are absolutely dirty for it. If you’re going to fight about purity, you’re going to lose. Fight instead about the ideas.

711 pre-Boomer Marine brat  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:12:43pm

(in late)

So? … Obama has been awarded the Noballs Peas Prize. Big f-ing deal.

It’s become merely a political statement by a leftist intelligensia.
It’s an “honor” only if one believes as they do.
Hypotheticalliy, if they gave it to me, I would take it as an insult.

/stalking from the room

712 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:17:38pm

re: #707 tradewind

This is absolutely priceless. Looking up-thread, I surely hope that the racial slurs and stooping stop immediately because they should have nothing to do with this silliness. The vote for the Nobel was taken in February ‘09… so after less than a month in office, the committee decided that Obama had proven his good intentions, and after all… intentions are what matter to these people. Results?
Not so much.

That’s incorrect. As posted either in this thread or the previous, the nominations took place then. The selection took place in Early October. Still too early, and still clearly politically/ideologiaclly motivated, but not what you said.

713 Fenris  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:19:54pm

Didn’t the nomination process start sometime in February? Obama wasn’t even in office long enough for Alex Jones to release his movie about him.

714 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:20:35pm

re: #707 tradewind

This is absolutely priceless. Looking up-thread, I surely hope that the racial slurs and stooping stop immediately because they should have nothing to do with this silliness. The vote for the Nobel was taken in February ‘09… so after less than a month in office, the committee decided that Obama had proven his good intentions, and after all… intentions are what matter to these people. Results?
Not so much.

False. The nominations came in in February; the voting only happened in the last two or so weeks. (They had to start sifting through nominees in August, IIRC, and the peace prize had 205 nominees— a record. )

But the voting didn’t happen til now.

715 sergeant major  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:22:46pm

I’m sure I’ll get some down dings for this but…It would be great when President Obama is giving his acceptance speech for the Noble prize Kayne West takes his micro phone from the president and says : I’ll let you finish but Beonce had the best music video of all time.

716 Fenris  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:23:52pm

re: #714 iceweasel

False. The nominations came in in February; the voting only happened in the last two or so weeks. (They had to start sifting through nominees in August, IIRC, and the peace prize had 205 nominees— a record. )

But the voting didn’t happen til now.

Maybe it’s kind of a blanket thing: You usually have about 200 candidates at a time; it’s only natural to throw leaders of nations in.

717 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:24:53pm

re: #632 avspatti

The outrage is not only on the part of the right wing blogosphere. Any thinking person should be outraged as the awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama, who has only been in office for nine months is absurd. They are making a mockery of the prize, not that they haven’t done that before. The nominations for the prize had to be in by February 1st when Obama had been president for an entire ELEVEN DAYS! What is he being recognized for? Being elected as a 1/2 African-American man? Gazillions of wonderful-sounding words? It is certain that it was not awarded for DEEDS as he hasn’t had time to accomplish much of anything yet. This premature award makes both Obama and the Nobel committee look foolish as it is clearly a political award instead of what it was intended to be … recognition of a person who has accomplished or promoted peace in the world THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS. The fact that they gave Obama the Noble Peace Prize at this time is depressing in the extreme. Why not wait and see what he does in the majority of his term?

There is certainly criticism and scepticism, but it’s the wingnuts who are going mental over it, and it’s funny to watch. You know, writing heated single paragraph screeds peppered with FULL CAPS - that sort of thing.

718 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:24:57pm

Time to dedicate a song, to all the trolls we’ve known before…

Youtube Video
719 aagcobb  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:25:21pm

re: #715 sergeant major

I’m sure I’ll get some down dings for this but…It would be great when President Obama is giving his acceptance speech for the Noble prize Kayne West takes his micro phone from the president and says : I’ll let you finish but Beonce had the best music video of all time.

I can almost guarantee that is going to be a SNL skit.

720 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:25:30pm

re: #716 fenrisdesigns

Maybe it’s kind of a blanket thing: You usually have about 200 candidates at a time; it’s only natural to throw leaders of nations in.

Actually, the 205 count was a record. Not usual.

721 Fenris  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:26:43pm

re: #720 iceweasel

Actually, the 205 count was a record. Not usual.

Wow.

722 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:27:03pm

re: #719 aagcobb

I can almost guarantee that is going to be a SNL skit.

Definitely a youtube mashup. (see 718)

723 elclynn  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:28:48pm

World reaction is one of disbelief. I’ve read a lot of papers today from Germany, UK, India, even the Arab papers. Not too many think it was a great idea, neither do I. One headline “Shiny prize for man who made the best speech”. Sums it up

724 Jimmah  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:29:29pm

re: #718 iceweasel

Time to dedicate a song, to all the trolls we’ve known before…


Nicely dedicated ice-ski. I think I can “Spare” a moment for one in particular who has recently departed us :

Youtube Video
725 Fenris  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:29:52pm

re: #720 iceweasel

Actually, the 205 count was a record. Not usual.

How many nominees are there usually?

726 straight_shooter  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:32:52pm

Seriously, if Bam won it for doing nothing, what if he actually does something. Like getting Hamas to sign a peace treaty with Israel (won’t be worth paper on which it was signed) or cut and run in Afghanistan thus contributing to “peace.” Could he then win it a second time? And if both of those events happened in separate years, could he win it three times? He could theoretically be the winner for eight years in a row. At least those leftists in Norway are not racists.

727 Coracle  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:38:25pm

re: #726 straight_shooter

If if if.
If my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a Nobel Prize winning bus.
And your last sentence puts you on terms with RedState.

728 iceweasel  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:45:53pm

re: #724 Jimmah

Nicely dedicated ice-ski. I think I can “Spare” a moment for one in particular who has recently departed us :


So sad. So, so sad. Another song spared for it, and some advice:

Youtube Video

Sniff.

729 oh_dude  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 12:50:48pm

I was listening to the local ESPN radio affiliate earlier and the host said “Isn’t it ironic… Obama gets the Nobel Peace Prize right after he orders the bombing of the moon.”

HA HA!

730 gander  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 1:00:59pm

I’m starting to understand now… G.W. Bush was the greatest threat to world peace. (I remember reading and hearing that). Obama defeated replaced Bush, thereby the world can now live in peace. Hence: the Peace Prize!

731 straight_shooter  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 1:31:16pm

re: #727 Coracle

I was been sarcastic with my last statement. Surely you know everyone who disagrees with Obama is supposed to be a “racist”. And if the guy can win the prize for achieving nothing, he can win many more also for doing nothing. Just to stick it to right wing America out of step with “progressive” Europe.

732 pdx_skeptic  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 1:59:15pm

I think it is way to early to honor Obama with the Nobel Peace Prize or with the Special edition chia.
[Link: www.chiaobama.com…]

733 avspatti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:06:13pm

re: #709 Charles

Eh. I’m not outraged.

Why not?

734 Kronocide  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:06:36pm

Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years.

Well damn CJ, you know the Nobel is still taken very seriously by the right wing. This is an abject outrage that such a distinguished award would be tainted by politics. It never has before!

735 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:06:49pm

re: #733 avspatti

Why not?

Try reading what I wrote above.

736 avspatti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:07:08pm

I am finding it disheartening to live in a world where image is everything.

737 avspatti  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:07:45pm

re: #735 Charles

Try reading what I wrote above.

Sorry, just got home and haven’t made it through the entire thread.

738 sngnsgt  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:18:51pm

I had a little chortle over this, my first reaction was, “For what!?”

739 harpsicon  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:29:16pm

re: #445 Charles

Don’t forget: solving Fermat’s last theorem, squaring the circle, and opening a wormhole into another galaxy.

Maybe somebody already pointed this out, but Fermat’s last theorem has in fact been solved by a guy named Wiles - turned out it was equivalent to the Tanimaya-Shimura Conjecture, so that was proved as well.

740 cenotaphium  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:40:12pm

As a Swede, all I can say is; this is what you get for leaving the Peace Prize to Norway. Just one prize to award, and they screw it up anyway. ;)

/

The general feeling in Sweden seems to follow the perplexed reactions I’ve seen here and elsewhere. Naturally, we also have a fringe element that are outraged, ours because Obama hasn’t pulled out of Afghanistan and Iraq - the idea being that someone engaged in and prolonging war is an oxymoronic choice for a peace prize.

741 Dave of Sweden  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 2:59:56pm

Charles,

I have read (and contributed to) LGF for more than eight years. I respect that you are non partisan and avoid polemics. What I do have a hard time respecting is that you presently seem unable to criticise anything regarding President Obama.

I know you don’t respect the Nobel peace prize committee (who does?!), but I would like you to comment on whether or not you think the President deserves such an award.

742 Jack Burton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:01:27pm

re: #741 Dave of Sweden

Reading comprehension is a lost art apparently.

743 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:01:30pm

re: #741 Dave of Sweden

I said everything I have to say about it in my post.

744 Dave of Sweden  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:05:35pm

re: #743 Charles

Exactly, that was what I was afraid of.

745 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:07:26pm

re: #744 Dave of Sweden

Exactly, that was what I was afraid of.

Clearly, you’re just trying to be a jerk. I have criticized Obama when I think he’s wrong. Why the hell should I criticize him for winning a prize that he didn’t seek and wasn’t even aware he was going to win?

Here’s what I wrote, since you don’t seem to be able to find it for yourself:

Even though this is pretty clearly motivated by leftist European politics, I can’t summon up any outrage, because I’ve believed the Nobel Peace Prize to be irrelevant for many years. When the prize was awarded to master terrorist Yasser Arafat in 1994, any legitimacy it might have had as a measure of achievement was forever lost.

Does that sound like I’m cheering and applauding this?

746 greengolem64  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:08:58pm

Sadly, I think the President has missed a teachable moment here (seriously). He could have graciously declined while suggesting that the committee look at his accomplishments in a year or two if he was THEN found worthy, by all means put his name in the ring.

He would have gained considerable cred from the majority of the ‘normal’ conservatives out there, with no negative affect (in fact quite possibly a positive affect) from his base which would have been a major boost to his overall reputation.

Humility and humbleness can project strength and wisdom as well.

GG

747 [deleted]  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:10:50pm
748 Charles Johnson  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:12:22pm

Saw that coming.

749 cenotaphium  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:14:36pm

He took quite the running start there..

Good riddance. Didn’t like his name much.. ;)

750 Jack Burton  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:15:11pm

re: #748 Charles

Saw that coming.

“I want you to criticize 0bama whether he deserves it or not! I’ll charge off to my room, slam the door, and hold my breath until you do!”

/d-bag

751 doubter4444  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 3:16:30pm

re: #644 Oh no…Sand People!

He doesn’t overtly apologize. It’s in the ‘tone’.

‘X’ amount of broken UN resolutions are lies? Forget the WMD’s… those broken resolutions are good enough for me…as well as a dose of ‘remove him on behalf of the Kurds as well as my gas tank to my vehicle’ was good enough for me as well.

Really?
Broken resolutions were enough? So what? They broke them all the time, why then, why when we were still trying to get Osama?
Why when the wounds were still fresh, against the advice of all of our allies, and the dissipation of the goodwill that the attack engendered?
And why right then?
Why not wait till we had Afghanistan sorted out?
Why not wait till we had the right equipment and personnel ready to go?
Why “go to war with the army you have”, if it was our choice to go, and when to go?

And your gas tank… how’d that work out for you?
Why not really try to get us off foreign oil, and why not aggressively find a different source of fuel, like the Manhattan project?

And the Kurds… you think we should of gone to war for the Kurds?
I’m sorry, we fucked them over royally, but the decision to invade Iraq is validated because of helping them?
Are we supposed to invade countries now that do bad things to their people? Or only those we left dangling?
No. I really think the decision to invade Iraq will go down as the worst forgin policy blunder in the history of the nation.
This is not a left or right thing, it was wrong to do, was a HUGE roll of the dice to the bet that it could possibly create a domino effect of democracy, and we came up snake eyes.

752 BrianK  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 4:01:54pm

Just home from a long day at work. So late to the conversation.

Hey, this was the talk of the water cooler crowd and nearly 100 percent thought it was a joke. The guy hasn’t done a thing to earn this. The prize has turned into a vehicle for the committee to push their political agenda.

Agree the other Nobel prizes still have significance. But this Obama all the time shtick is getting real old. Here’s how one commenter at another blog put it.

I think he should also have gotten the one for literature. He’s published—count them—two books.

And he should get the one for medicine. He has plans for the health-care system, so there you are. No contest.

And the one for chemistry. I mean, all you have to do is watch him give a speech, and wow there’s all that chemistry. So.

Also the one for physics should go to him. He’s always talking about how he’s going to bend the cost curve, and you have to be pretty good at physics to do all that curve-bending.

Plus economics. People in Detroit are lining up to get Obama Money, from Obama’s Stash. So he’s a great economist, right? Check.

What a guy. Really.

Heh.

753 bartok1001  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 4:02:42pm

Oh great.

I woke up this morning and found out that Obama won the Nobel Price. What makes it worse is that he took second place in my local school’s science fair by building a potato clock.

Curses…

754 starsfan914  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 4:18:26pm

Makes you wonder who the other nominees were.

755 boyo  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 4:31:40pm

re: #754 starsfan914

Makes you wonder who the other nominees were.

why do you wonder so much? why not just look it up online?
its all there for you to see…no need to wonder.

756 Tats66  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 5:10:27pm

Well, I cant criticize the Big “O” for winning the award, but i definately think its a huge joke and that he’s undeserving imho. But I felt the same way when Jimmah Carter was lauded…Im not exactly outraged, just a little tired of it all…:)

757 FlakMusic  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 5:19:18pm

re: #616 Cato the Elder

Say what you want about the Nobel being meaningless or Obama’s appropriately humble acceptance…it seems to me that the world would have benefited far more, and the award itself regained a modicum of its past credibility by awarding this prize to this doctor or a couple of other people on the list of those passed over in favor of Obama.

Troubling to me to see mere idealistic words triumph over actual deeds and suffering.

758 swamprat  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 5:25:57pm

No one has mentioned Obama removing anti-ballistic missiles from Russia’s’ border. I did not like his decision, but it definitely qualifies as a peace-making deal.

He has the penthouse suite, he calls the shots. I don’t envy him.

759 IanMc  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 5:37:56pm

re: #515 avanti

Obama could give the money to American tax-payers since he’s taken so much money from us already.

760 pyrodoctor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 6:40:16pm

I think it is hilarious. If I had to guess, the voting was done several months ago right after Obama’s inauguration, where the idiots in Norway thought that he would have been able to enact his agenda by now.

Epic Fail.

If Obama had an ounce of integrity he would refuse the award.

761 pyrodoctor  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 6:46:11pm

re: #482 badger1970

I thought that was Jethro Tull?

It was — best metal performance over Metallica. Showed the world how truly meaningless the Grammys are. Just like this shows the world how truly meaningless the Nobel Peace Prize is. Other than the $1.5M.

762 BethesdaDog  Fri, Oct 9, 2009 7:54:50pm

somebody pointed out to me that Gandhi was nominated five times and never got it. If that’s true, it means this prize is that much more politicized than I ever thought. It’s really just a way for some European leftists to express their outrage over anythiing they don’t like about America—in this case, it’s George Bush and his foreign policy.

This prize is a joke.

763 libertexian  Sat, Oct 10, 2009 12:06:03pm

The only relativity I can reach is voting for HomeComing Queen. I guess in this case the high school would be the same as that attended by Carrie.

764 Ray in TX  Sat, Oct 10, 2009 12:44:23pm

I know this is an expired thread, but I would like to amend an opinion I expressed earlier. Before, I said that I did not think that Obama deserved the Nobel prize (too early), but that he has certainly done things to merit consideration.

After viewing Rachel Maddow’s take on the subject (link below), I think that I am now more willing to consider that it was not an undeserved pick.

MSNBC Video
765 Elle Plater  Sat, Oct 10, 2009 4:21:41pm

re: #12 Right Brain

President Obama made an excellent speech, noted he didn’t deserve it, but since it was given to him he regarded it “as a call to action.”

Well done, Mr. President.

More like a call to inaction. This prize certainly ties Obama’s hands in a strong response to Iran if it is needed.

766 Sabnen  Sun, Oct 11, 2009 2:19:45pm

My daughter and I just got back from visiting Oslo this weekend, we’re living in Bergen right now, anyhow we were there when the announcement was made! The next day we visited the Nobel Peace Center and there were all kinds of activities going on, a Royal spoke, a grandson of Nelson Mandela spoke and the head of the Selection Committee spoke … it was all well attended. Curiously, the rotating exhibition in the downstairs part of the Center was entitiled ‘Fra King til Obama’ or “From King to Obama.” What is curious is that this exhibition was set up last month! There is little doubt that had not Martin Luther King Jr. (Nobel Peace Award recipient, 1964) done the things he did, then an Obama Presidency would never have happened, at least this is the contention of the exhibit (and I agree). Somehow, I think the exhibit may have really fired the imaginations of the Selection Committee into selecting President Obama for this years’ award. It is kind of a neat storyline and ties a past recipient MLK, Jr. to the present.

I must admit that being in Oslo and hearing the announcement and listening to the Norwegians write and talk about it has melted some of my cynicism regarding the Nobel Peace Prize, that, like Charles, was tarnished by the Arafat award among others. I am trying to believe in it’s significance again.

Now, if only I had a suitcase of Obama memorabilia with me when the announcement was made I could have more easily afforded my trip to Oslo this weekend! Take care!

767 goddamnedfrank  Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:17:15pm

re: #758 swamprat

No one has mentioned Obama removing anti-ballistic missiles from Russia’s’ border. I did not like his decision, but it definitely qualifies as a peace-making deal.

He has the penthouse suite, he calls the shots. I don’t envy him.

I agree with both him, and you. I never subscribed to the idea that scrapping the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty was a good idea, if for no other reason than the obvious fallout. Released from the constraints the treaty imposed, it took Russia a matter of months to a couple of years develop medium to long range missiles capable of inbound-phase maneuverability. I see that as bad chess, because by any objective measure we gained nothing.


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