On the Peace prize by richard Baehr

A few reflections on the Nobel news. Even the Obama fans in the mainstream media (meaning pretty much all the mainstream media) are stunned. The Nobel Committee admitted the award was not for accomplishment. Of course that is nothing new: Jimmy Carter, Mohammed El Baradei, Yassar Ararat, UN peacekeepers, Kofi Annan, were all a bit short on the accomplishment side of the aisle. In Al Gore's case, he has the accomplishment problem as well as winning for promoting something completely unrelated to the directive of Nobel in establishing the prize. To be clear Obama won for these reasons: first and foremost, he is Barack Obama. In other words, he is America's first black President, and he is not George Bush. He also says things that are pleasing to hear to those who do not want America as a world leader. Ar list reader Ron Van Horssen, who is denying his 50% Norwegian heritage today, reminded me, Arizona State University had Obama speak at its commencement this year, but would not give him an Honorary Degree, since he had not accomplished enough yet to earn it. The Nobel nominations had to be in by February 1, 11 days after Obama took office. So somebody was very impressed with those first 11 days.

The Michael Moore of Oslo
JOHN PODHORETZ - 10.09.2009 - 10:06 AM

I can’t agree with my colleagues here on CONTENTIONS that a) Barack Obama should reject the Nobel Peace Prize or b) be embarrassed by it. The Nobel Committee chose him wisely because he does, in fact, represent the organization’s highest ideals.

He is an American president queasy about the projection of American power. He is an American president who rejects the notion of American exceptionalism. He is an American president eagerly in pursuit of legitimacy to be granted him not by those who voted for him but by those who do not cast a vote and who chafe at American leadership. It is his devout wish that America become one of many nations, influencing the world indirectly or not influencing it at all, rather than “the indispensable nation,” as Madeleine Albright characterized it. He is the encapsulation, the representative, the wish fulfillment, the very embodiment, of the multilateralist impulse. He is, almost literally, a dream come true for the sorts of people who treasure and value the Nobel Peace Prize.

It’s the most obvious choice, once you think about it, since Michael Moore won an Oscar forBowling for Columbine.