Comments on: ‘Ordinary Politician’ wins Nobel?

By: cmccleskey

cmccleskey — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:48:24 +0000

Of course he should accept it. If he didn’t accept it, it would be an admission that he doesn’t deserve it, which would be a stupid move. His remarks Friday were perfect and helped him take control over how this is viewed. But more importantly, what is he going to do with the prize? The White House got a lucky break in that Tom Friedman already wrote the president’s acceptance speech: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/opinion/11friedman.html

If only Obama would actually give that speech.

My guess — Obama doesn’t use the prize as a springboard for actual accomplishment. Just look at his speech to the gays this weekend, more feel-good rhetoric. At some point he’s gonna have to turn pretty words into concrete achievement.

By: schristman

schristman — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:32:35 +0000

Now I see where I got off track. The prizes for Physics, Literature, Medicine, Chemistry, and the pseudo-prize for Economics are all awarded by Swedish panels, and are awarded by the King of Sweden in Stockholm. The banquet for all the prizes is in Stockholm.

The Peace Prize, however, is the odd man out. I was wrong, and as an act of contrition, will go one day without saying “syncretic.”

By: sdercher

sdercher — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:32:36 +0000

New York Magazine called it the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee as well, if it makes you feel any better.

*As does the New York Times. So there you go.

By: Akumar

Akumar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:05:09 +0000

BBC news:
“Speaking at the White House hours after the Norwegian Nobel Prize Committee named him as a surprise winner, he said the award should be a ‘call to action’.”
Link to full article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8299824.stm
I knew I read somewhere that they were Norwegian.

By: DPT

DPT — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:54:51 +0000

Careful, Seth – the Nobel Prize, thanks to some goofy personal union of Norway and Sweden during most of the 19th century, is awarded in Oslo.

Not only that, but the committee which selects the Peace Prize winner currently consists of five ex-politicians from Norway’s major parties who probably all want Obama to come and visit them.

By: schristman

schristman — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:44:35 +0000

Swedish, Ajay. Swedish.

By: Akumar

Akumar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:26:41 +0000

Its interesting turn of events.It is just like those Norwegians to keep us on our toes. I think we are all asking the wrong question here, instead of whether this Nobel Prize was justified or not, we should look at how it will effect Obama’s ability to achieve his agenda. Both parties will try to spin it to suit to their respective goals, but most Americans will realize it is still an honor to be chosen. The Baucus Bill in the Senate is looking good after the CBO estimtes, but it is still gonna be fight. At least there is a light at the end of tunnel. If we get any kind of bill on healthcare combined with a Nobel Prize, this could be a very good month for Obama.

By: Dan Rozenson

Dan Rozenson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:25:51 +0000

“In fairness to the Nobel committee, the prize has been a joke for years anyway.”

Fair point.

By: DPT

DPT — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:38:52 +0000

If this is supposed to be influencing current events, the Nobel committee is going to be really embarrassed if Obama escalates the war in Afghanistan, is forced to deploy forces to an unforeseen contingency sometime in the next three years, and when he fails to get any traction on nuclear disarmament in Asia.

In fairness to the Nobel committee, the prize has been a joke for years anyway.

By: Dan Rozenson

Dan Rozenson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:27:51 +0000

I confess that I cannot think of a name who is especially worthy of the Peace Prize this year. Regardless, Obama is a silly choice for the prize. This is clearly an attempt by the Nobel Committee to egg Obama into pursuing the policies they want. If I was Obama, I’d consider declining the award.