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Joined: Jun 10 2008 Posts: 172

I'm a big fan of the president but I find it an incredible stretch to say he was deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. The nominations closed 12 days after he took office for goodness sakes. I know this could be viewed as a sort of cheerleading thing, offering the President praise to continue his foreign policies but stil... this is weird. Thoughts?

Posted: Oct 09 2009 02:07 pm

Yea I agree. I generally like him but this is pretty hard to justify in my mind. Nothing has really "changed" under him as of yet, although he has apparently improved international relations somewhat. Reminding us that you're not your predeccesor can only take you so far, though......he needs to start racking up some actual accomplishments before we begin lavishing rewards on him.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 02:12 pm

I cannot wait to see Syd, Jeebus, Cattivo and Kubo's reactions to this.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 02:23 pm

I don't agree with it, but if you remember, he carried a tidal wave of momentum and praise at the end of his campaign trail. At the time before his election, his approval rating around the world was at an all time high. Plus, he couldn't fuck anything up before he was inaugurated so the fact that he was in office only a few days is probably the reason why he won this award.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 02:27 pm

Rydog wrote:

I don't agree with it, but if you remember, he carried a tidal wave of momentum and praise at the end of his campaign trail. At the time before his election, his approval rating around the world was at an all time high. Plus, he couldn't fuck anything up before he was inaugurated so the fact that he was in office only a few days is probably the reason why he won this award.

Yea, but "not fucking up" isn't the same as actually accomplishing something.

Joined: Jun 10 2008 Posts: 172

On the other hand though reaction from conservatives and some right wing pundits has been a ltitle on the over the top side... the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:13 pm

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

On the other hand though reaction from conservatives and some right wing pundits has been a ltitle on the over the top side... the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

This. But in my experience, you might as well wish for the sky to change color at this point. No... just no.

And yeah, I'm a pretty big Obama fan, but I nearly spit out my coffee when I read that today. I mean, the man has great plans and almost unlimited potential for good things...but, um...don't you usually have to actually achieve RESULTS before winning a Nobel Prize? I mean you don't get the Prize for literature for a book IDEA. The guys who won the Prize for physics didn't win because they THOUGHT about fiber optics. They actually DID stuff. Al Gore winning, I totally understand and support. Obama may be worthy in the future, but now? No, I don't think so. A nomination, maybe (I have no real idea how the process works), but give me a break guys. He's not Mahatma Ghandi yet.

That said, Obama sounded just as shocked as everyone else, and seems to be interpreting it as something of a "don't fuck up your potential" award. Which is a good thing. At least from what he's saying now, I frankly don't think HE thinks he deserves it either. I know I wouldn't, in his shoes, and Obama's not a stupid man.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:16 pm

Screw tact! The man didn't EARN the Nobel Peace Price, the man was HANDED the Nobel Peace Prize. The fact that nominations ended 12 days after his inauguration makes it actually appalling to me that he was even nominated. The Nobel prize now has as much credibility to me as the Grammy Awards.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:25 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

He's not Mahatma Ghandi yet.

The funny part being that Gandhi never actually won a Nobel Peace Prize.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:28 pm

I'd stop short of calling it appalling, since I think I understand the thought process behind the nomination, but it was decidedly a bad move to actually give it to him.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:32 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

On the other hand though reaction from conservatives and some right wing pundits has been a ltitle on the over the top side... the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

This. But in my experience, you might as well wish for the sky to change color at this point. No... just no.

And yeah, I'm a pretty big Obama fan, but I nearly spit out my coffee when I read that today. I mean, the man has great plans and almost unlimited potential for good things...but, um...don't you usually have to actually achieve RESULTS before winning a Nobel Prize? I mean you don't get the Prize for literature for a book IDEA. The guys who won the Prize for physics didn't win because they THOUGHT about fiber optics. They actually DID stuff. Al Gore winning, I totally understand and support. Obama may be worthy in the future, but now? No, I don't think so. A nomination, maybe (I have no real idea how the process works), but give me a break guys. He's not Mahatma Ghandi yet.

That said, Obama sounded just as shocked as everyone else, and seems to be interpreting it as something of a "don't fuck up your potential" award. Which is a good thing. At least from what he's saying now, I frankly don't think HE thinks he deserves it either. I know I wouldn't, in his shoes, and Obama's not a stupid man.

I'm reminded of a quote by Sideshow Bob:

"I'm currently incarcerated, convicted of a crime I didn't even commit! Attempted murder? Now what is that, really? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry? Do they?"

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:37 pm

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

On the other hand though reaction from conservatives and some right wing pundits has been a ltitle on the over the top side... the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

This. But in my experience, you might as well wish for the sky to change color at this point. No... just no.

And yeah, I'm a pretty big Obama fan, but I nearly spit out my coffee when I read that today. I mean, the man has great plans and almost unlimited potential for good things...but, um...don't you usually have to actually achieve RESULTS before winning a Nobel Prize? I mean you don't get the Prize for literature for a book IDEA. The guys who won the Prize for physics didn't win because they THOUGHT about fiber optics. They actually DID stuff. Al Gore winning, I totally understand and support. Obama may be worthy in the future, but now? No, I don't think so. A nomination, maybe (I have no real idea how the process works), but give me a break guys. He's not Mahatma Ghandi yet.

That said, Obama sounded just as shocked as everyone else, and seems to be interpreting it as something of a "don't fuck up your potential" award. Which is a good thing. At least from what he's saying now, I frankly don't think HE thinks he deserves it either. I know I wouldn't, in his shoes, and Obama's not a stupid man.

I'm reminded of a quote by Sideshow Bob:

"I'm currently incarcerated, convicted of a crime I didn't even commit! Attempted murder? Now what is that, really? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry? Do they?"

Syd Twittered something along those lines this morning.

And maybe not appalling, but still. Twelve days in, the only thing he had done was not be Bush. That's not worthy of a nomination.

Joined: May 22 2009 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 353

It didn't surprise me when I found out he won the Nobel Peace Prize. I mean after all, they gave it to communists like Mikhail Gorbachev, civilian murdering terrorists like Yassir Arafat, and lets not forget about Jimmy Carter, the guy who paved the way for every radical Islamic terror group that exists today.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:48 pm

phantasmzombie wrote:

It didn't surprise me when I found out he won the Nobel Peace Prize. I mean after all, they gave it to communists like Mikhail Gorbachev, civilian murdering terrorists like Yassir Arafat, and lets not forget about Jimmy Carter, the guy who paved the way for every radical Islamic terror group that exists today.

Didn't Bono win it, too? *shudders*

Joined: May 22 2009 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 353

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

Didn't Bono win it, too? *shudders*

No Bono has never won it, though he has been nominated several times I believe.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 03:58 pm

phantasmzombie wrote:

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

Didn't Bono win it, too? *shudders*

No Bono has never won it, though he has been nominated several times I believe.

Ah, well it still proves that men responsible for crimes against humanity can still be in the running for the Nobel Prize.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 04:03 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

I'd stop short of calling it appalling, since I think I understand the thought process behind the nomination, but it was decidedly a bad move to actually give it to him.

Since even Ghandi never won despite leading like the only bloodless coup in the history of man, I'm very willing to call this appalling. Of course, this has nothing to do with Obama himself and I have nothing bad to say about him regarding this (Plenty regarding other stuff though!), but I think it reflects very poorly on whoever does the actual voting and makes the award pretty much meaningless from here on out.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 04:18 pm

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

No one congratulated Jethro Tull when they won the first ever Grammy Award given away in the Heavy Metal category. You know why? Because they didn't deserve it!

Barack Obama is not a bad guy. I disagree with 99% of the stuff he believes in, but he's also the type of guy who I could see SOME DAY winning the Nobel Peace Prize. But that day is not today. The man was nominated 12 days into his presidency, in the hopes he MIGHT do something amazing. And did he? Absolutely not.

Aside from slightly softened rhetoric from our president, America's presence in the world is the same as it was under Bush. Iran hates us, and there's no evidence that will change any time soon. North Korea hates us, and there's no evidence that will change any time soon. We have slightly troops in Iraq and slightly more troops in Afghanistan, but there's no sign we'll leave either soon. Israelis and Palestinians are STILL fighting over the West Bank. What exactly is Obama getting the award for? Pretty much, he's getting it just by virtue of being Barack Obama. Why? Because the vast majority Europeans are complete fucking idiots and they want to suck his dick. It's a goddam wonder that David Hasselhoff doesn't have a Nobel Peace Prize, because they irrationally and unconditionally love him almost as much.

You know, I'm not a fan of Bill Clinton by any means, but I'd say he is far more worthy of an NPP than Obama right now. The man has done some great work towards disaster relief, and he got those two poor reporters out of prison in North Korea.

I'd like to close with this: If Barack Obama was truly the best candidate this year for the Nobel Peace Prize, it must have been a really slow fucking year for peace.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 04:22 pm

Syd Lexia wrote:

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

No one congratulated Jethro Tull when they won the first ever Grammy Award given away in the Heavy Metal category. You know why? Because they didn't deserve it!

Dammit, I was just about to post that very thing. I did vote for the man, but yeah, he doesn't deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. As for who does, hell if I know. But I know it's not Obama.

Title: Titlating Joined: Dec 17 2007 Posts: 5042

I like Obama but I don't think he deserved the win or even the nod really. I think the main reason he won was for not being Bush, I think the prize comity would have given it to a stick of butter at this point.

But to Bam's credit he is being very good about all this, donating the money, saying he didn't even deserve to be among the nominees.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 04:31 pm

Syd Lexia wrote:

APLETHORAOFPINATAS wrote:

the man DID win the nobel peace prize, at least congradulate him. Have a modicum of decency and tact... don't be boorish.

No one congratulated Jethro Tull when they won the first ever Grammy Award given away in the Heavy Metal category. You know why? Because they didn't deserve it!

Barack Obama is not a bad guy. I disagree with 99% of the stuff he believes in, but he's also the type of guy who I could see SOME DAY winning the Nobel Peace Prize. But that day is not today. The man was nominated 12 days into his presidency, in the hopes he MIGHT do something amazing. And did he? Absolutely not.

Aside from slightly softened rhetoric from our president, America's presence in the world is the same as it was under Bush. Iran hates us, and there's no evidence that will change any time soon. North Korea hates us, and there's no evidence that will change any time soon. We have slightly troops in Iraq and slightly more troops in Afghanistan, but there's no sign we'll leave either soon. Israelis and Palestinians are STILL fighting over the West Bank. What exactly is Obama getting the award for? Pretty much, he's getting it just by virtue of being Barack Obama. Why? Because the vast majority Europeans are complete fucking idiots and they want to suck his dick. It's a goddam wonder that David Hasselhoff doesn't have a Nobel Peace Prize, because they irrationally and unconditionally love him almost as much.

You know, I'm not a fan of Bill Clinton by any means, but I'd say he is far more worthy of an NPP than Obama right now. The man has done some great work towards disaster relief, and he got those two poor reporters out of prison in North Korea.

I'd like to close with this: If Barack Obama was truly the best candidate this year for the Nobel Peace Prize, it must have been a really slow fucking year for peace.

Pretty much exactly this, minus the dislike of Obama and Clinton. I was actually hoping Clinton would win this year. I wasn't holding my breath, but he certainly has done a lot of good things as Syd noted. I mean, it WAS damn slow year for peace...but not give Obama the Peace Prize slow. Clinton would have been a far superior choice.

Of course, he once had sex with a woman who wasn't Hilary Clinton, so he's now unclean and unfit for such an honor, amirite? Rolling Eyes

While I agree that he doesn't deserve it though, I don't like a lot of the people acting like its somehow Obama's fault he won. I mean, its not like he campaigned for it, and he sounded as surprised as anyone else when it was announced. I mean shit, he wasn't even in Norway to accept the damn thing. Obviously it would be a huge snub for him to turn it down, but I do like the whole "call to action" spin he's putting on it. That's really his best option right now.

Asinine Nobel people. Don't they know this will probably do him far more harm than good at this point in his career? Sadly no

Posted: Oct 09 2009 04:53 pm

Yeah, it is not Obama's fault he won. He didn't nominate himself, or solicit it at all. It is a very stupid moment, but it's not something that we can or should criticize the president himself over.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 05:15 pm

Hell even Obama has hinted that he didn't want it or felt it was unjustified, most of his supporters me included said, " What has he done to deserve this award?".

The whole thing just pisses me off, because now it will be a two week news blitz over this award, while in the meantime we have a lot of more important things on the table. All news channels make me want to fucking puke anymore, nothing but a round table of clowns reading other peoples material, or shock jock pushing an agenda for whoever pays them the most, Democrat, Independent, or Republican they all do the same shit. I miss real news anchors where the news was the news and opinions were something you kept to yourself. (Sigh) rant off.

Posted: Oct 09 2009 05:16 pm

Syd Lexia wrote:

Yeah, it is not Obama's fault he won. He didn't nominate himself, or solicit it at all. It is a very stupid moment, but it's not something that we can or should criticize the president himself over.

Exactly. The sad thing about all this is a) it feels like it cheapens one of the most prestigious prizes in existence, and b) it undercuts anything Obama might do in the future that is ACTUALLY worthy of such a prize. I feel kind of bad for him...its like being forced into the peak of your career before your career has barely begun. Confused

Posted: Oct 09 2009 05:32 pm

I'm with most of you guys on this. So is anyone planning on e-mailing the committee and calling them on this bullshit?