President Barack Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel Committee announced early this morning that President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” Obama has “created a new climate in international politics,” the committee said in its announcement, referencing Obama’s agenda to reduce the world’s nuclear stockpiles through international institutions, restart peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, and build greater alliances with the Muslim world.
I confess, my first reaction was the same one articulated by my son: "For what?" I mean, the guy was apparently nominated two weeks after becoming President. Of course, that wasn't too early for some people to start declaring his Presidency a total failure, but still.
But as it turns out, the prize isn't just awarded for efforts that have already paid off. According to this piece at CBS.com:
more often, the prize is awarded to encourage those who receive it to see the effort through, sometimes at critical moments.
Interesting. Of course, the "new climate in international politics" bit could be a polite way of saying "we're just so damn glad you didn't elect Bomber McCain and that crazy hillbilly from Alaska who thinks she's Metternich because she can see Russia from some frozen windswept beach."
So, which wingnut's head will explode first?
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