It’s official — 61% of the US public agrees with President Obama that he doesn’t really deserve the Nobel Peace Prize: Americans’ Views on Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize.

The poll breaks apart on partisan lines, of course.

PRINCETON, NJ — The majority of Americans do not believe President Barack Obama deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize (61%), but the public is split in its personal reaction to the announcement. Asked if they are “glad” Obama received the prize, 46% of Americans say yes and 47% say no.

I’m not sure where I fit, because I’m happy our president won the Nobel Peace Prize (although I haven’t had much respect left for the prize after they gave it to Yasser Arafat), yet I also think he doesn’t really deserve it. It was a political statement by the prize committee.

I don’t really blame Obama for it — he can’t help brainwashing these folks. It’s too easy.

From a political viewpoint he handled it just right, though. If he had made a big deal about turning down the prize it would have kept the issue alive for much longer and it probably would have gotten really crazy, because the longer this kind of issue lives, the crazier it gets.

By just accepting with a gracious, soothing speech he pretty much showed what it’s worth. And what it’s not worth: a big political brouhaha.