Actually, I'm not sure apoplexy is strong enough to describe the coming reaction from many on the right regarding the POTUS being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Though I offer my hearty congratulations to Obama, I have to admit that this seems rather premature. It was definitely politically motivated. As the New York Times reported, Obama was selected because "[h]e has created a new international climate." And it was also noted that the Nobel committee wanted "to enhance Mr. Obama's diplomatic efforts so far rather than anticipate events in the future."
Seems to me that this is a direct slap at the foreign policy legacy of the Bush years, which for the most part deserves that slap. But, to give Obama the Nobel Peace Prize, simply for climate change (meaning the change in the realm of American diplomacy), just feels like a reach. Further, this is change for which we have seen no real results come to pass. Of course this is not Obama's fault; the man has been in office for less than a year. There is little that anyone in his position can do outright in that amount of time.
However, I am sure of at least this: some on the right will have even more horrific things to say about Obama than they had before. This move by the Nobel committee was akin to adding gasoline to a raging (and completely irrational) bonfire. Yet, there is a small part of me that is smiling this morning, because I know that they will be soooooooooooo pissed by this.
Again, I totally congratulate Obama. Well done on being selected. But, I would not be surprised if Obama is as surprised by this announcement as most of us are.
5 comments:
It wasn't just for climate change. And there have been some big changes...Obama's EPA is regulating carbon, delaying or blocking coal fire plants, and making some radical changes to the Bush administration's approach.
Rather than scuttling all global climate change talks, the White House is facilitating and encouraging them. It's a huge difference.
Still - this wasn't about climate change. It was about GW Bush and the instability he caused in the world.
But that makes it even less special. It's as though Obama were given the award, based on your statement, simply for not being George W. Bush.
Again, I hope that Obama does do something extraordinary and good in the Middle East, but I just think it's just odd to give him this award just for not being someone else. It's less about Obama that way, and that isn't fair to him.
I'm a conservative and I'm not apoplectic, I'm laughing. The whole thing is a joke. All it does is serve to expose the Nobel Prize as another liberal award, by liberals, for liberals. Look at the recent winners: Carter, Gore, the head of the IAEA, Kofi Annan. It strips any pretense of objectivity or legitimacy that the award might have left.
Here's a Slate article on how to win a MacArthur genius award, another left-wing award.
http://www.slate.com/id/2174676/
And because it involves anything from a liberal perspective it's easily dismissed. Uh, sure.
Not necessarily dismiss it, but certainly identify it for what it really is.
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