This has provided more amusement than anything I can recall for a very, very, VERY long time:
President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prizeon Friday for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation.The stunning choice made Obama the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. Obama's name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president.
All together now: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...!!!
Okay, seriously, now. Did you notice that the deadline for nominations was less than two weeks after Obama took office? I suspect Obama had it wrapped up on November 5, 2008, but we'll never know. This win apparently caught everyone by surprise, including the White House. Anyway, let's look at a few more of the (apparently less deserving) choices in the running:
Speculation had focused on Zimbabwe's Prime MinisterMorgan Tsvangirai, a Colombian senator and a Chinese dissident, along with an Afghan woman's rights activist.
Eh. Chopped liver. I mean, look at all that Obama has done:
The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage. The plaudit appeared to be a slap at President George W. Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama's predecessor for resorting to largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Translation: we hate Bush. And also, Obama thinks America sucks.
Anyway, enough emetic.
Now for the commentary, which is really priceless -- whether intentional or not -- and I suspect will remain so all day long. Ironically, Hot Air points out:
Regarding that alleged "new climate in international politics," which aspects of Obama's foreign policy thus far are any different from Bush's? He's increased troop levels (slightly) in Afghanistan, he's kept up the drone attacks on Al Qaeda and the Taliban, he's broken his promise to close Gitmo by January, he's approved "rendition lite" and indefinite detention without trial for some terrorist suspects, and he's let himself be jerked around in nuclear negotiations with Iran. There's a reason why, aside from his handling of Honduras, he's gotten comparatively little flak from conservatives on international relations. To this point, contrary to what the Nobelistas would have you believe, not much has Hopen-changed.
More from Hot Air:
Even media Obamaphiles can't believe it. Check out the Financial Times — "It is hard to point to a single place where Obama's efforts have actually brought about peace" — or the Times of London, declaring that the committee's made a mockery of the award.
That, of course, ignores the fact that terrorist icon Yasser Arafat won it not too long ago, but facts have never been a liberal's strong suit.
Mr Obama has no concrete achievement to his credit...
The bestowal of one of the world's top accolades on a president less than nine months in office, who has yet to score a major foreign policy success, was greeted with gasps of astonishment from journalists at the announcement in Oslo.
The 1983 Laureate, Poland's Lech Walesa:
"Who, Obama? So fast? Too fast - he hasn't had the time to do anything yet,"
Up next: the Cy Young Award.
Nah, Jonah. Here I think we must insist that he first throw a pitch that at least reaches home-plate.
Since Obama's performance in office has arguably been closer to toe-stubbing than exemplary over the past nine months, the award was apparently based on hopey-changey expectations.Either that or the prize committee has affirmed that the Nobel Peace Prize is now a vehicle to push a political agenda rather than an award which recognizes superior achievement.
He's becoming Jimmy Carter faster than Jimmy Carter did.
...no one in his or her right mind could have voted to award the Nobel Peace Prize to a guy who has been president of the United States for less than nine months (I know -- it seems much longer, doesn't it?) and who hasn't accomplished much -- apart from destroying the U.S. economy.President Obama hasn't done much on the international scene either and what he's done has been for the most part bad.
This is the kind of decision that must have seemed like a really good idea at the time when once was completely plastered.
He won! For what?
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.
Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, notes that Obama "won't be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action."
Conservatives pounced on the the Nobel Prize committee's decision to award President Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize, with talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh calling it a "greater embarrassment" than losing the Olympics."This fully exposes the illusion that is Barack Obama," Limbaugh told POLITICO in an e-mail. "And with this 'award' the elites of the world are urging Obama, THE MAN OF PEACE, to not do the surge in Afghanistan, not take action against Iran and its nuclear program and to basically continue his intentions to emasculate the United States."
Limbaugh continued: "They love a weakened, neutered U.S and this is their way of promoting that concept. I think God has a great sense of humor, too."
Fox News explains how to win the Nobel Peace prize in 12 days:
Let's take a look at the president's first 12 days in the White House according to his public schedule to see what he did to deserve a Nobel Peace Prize:January 20: Sworn in as president. Went to a parade. Partied.January 21: Asked bureaucrats to re-write guidelines for information requests. Held an "open house" party at the White House.January 22: Signed Executive Orders: Executive Branch workers to take ethics pledge; re-affirmed Army Field Manual techniques for interrogations; expressed desire to close Gitmo (how's that working out?)January 23: Ordered the release of federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries. Lunch with Joe Biden; met with Tim Geithner.January 24: Budget meeting with economic team.January 25: Skipped church.January 26: Gave speech about jobs and energy. Met with Hillary Clinton. Attended Geithner's swearing in ceremony.January 27: Met with Republicans. Spoke at a clock tower in Ohio.January 28: Economic meetings in the morning, met with Defense secretary in the afternoon.January 29: Signed Ledbetter Bill overturning Supreme Court decision on lawsuits over wages. Party in the State Room. Met with Biden.January 30: Met economic advisers. Gave speech on Middle Class Working Families Task Force. Met with senior enlisted military officials.January 31: Took the day off.February 1: Skipped church. Threw a Super Bowl party.So there you have it. The short path to the Nobel Peace Prize: Party, go to meetings, skip church, release federal funding to pay for abortions in foreign countries, party some more.
And so on. Of course, many in the world community -- especially American liberals and European socialists -- think this is the most wonderful moment of their lives, or at least since Obama last opened his mouth. Serious comments seem to revolve around the fact that the Nobel committee is hoping that Obama will accomplish something in the future, or perhaps trying to nudge him into even more pro-global policies (as opposed to pro-American policies), or even just playing to his ego.
Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments...To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize......the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes...
The first two are actually correct. The third one is the danger. In his speech announcing he will accept, Obama then goes on to talk about how important it is to continue neutering America and submit it to global influence.
For some more serious analysis, try these links:
I think this is a good thing. The Nobel Peace prize has long been known to be a complete political scam, and this just ices the deal. Being the Nobel Peace prize, it is sure to get some major coverage, and it's so ridiculously over the top that it will cause normal, thinking Americans to scratch their heads and wonder just what it is that he's done to warrant such an acclaim. This could be a tremendous opening for the Right to set the record straight and reach a whole lot of people who don't normally pay attention to politics.
There's my two cents.
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