Monday, October 12, 2009

Obama's Nobel Peace Prize

I like a lot of people were stunned Friday morning in learning that President Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize "for his work to improve international diplomacy and rid the world of nuclear weapons."

Congratulations to you, Mr. President.

Not to take anything away the honor (its not like Obama lobbied for it anyway) but it certainly makes people wonder what the Nobel committee was thinking, considering that the nomination deadlines were due 2 weeks AFTER he took the oath of office! Ok, many people thought it was a good inauguration speech but I doubt anyway thought it was Nobel worthy. LOL

This leads to a couple of theories.

1. There are some title holders who likely get nominated every year regardless who holds it, in the hopes they'll actually do something to warrant it. The UN Secretary General, the President of the United States, the British Prime Minister, the Dahlahi Lami, the Pope, Director of Unicef, etc.

2. It just goes to show you that EVERYTHING is relative. During last Autumn's Presidential Campaign, I told nearly everyone that either canidate could do an absolute lousey job as President but since they'd be succeeding George W. Bush, they'd come off looking like a million bucks.

Think about it. Reagan was maybe mediocre to an above average President but because he followed Carter's lousey administration (particularly the last year & a half) & combine that w/ him making everyone feel better about themselves, the Old Gipper comes out looking like gold. Same w/ Clinton in a different respect. This is not to say that Bush, Sr was a lousey President, Clinton had that unique ability to A. get people to believe in his vision & B. HELPED create the conditions for people to prosper. If people are prospering, they likely feel good about themselves & their future.

Winning something like the Nobel Prize, any of them for that matter, so early in ones career/life has gotta be pretty dang tough. Its like any author winning the Pulitzer for his debut novel. Its like how the heck does everything that follows measure up?

Good luck to you, Mr President. I certainly do not envy your job.

--

Taken this past July during my stay in Boston. Its specifically of Government Center. The day inching towards dusk.

Photobucket

2 comments:

Brian said...

The concern I have is the law of unintended consequences. You know darn well that the far right is going to use this as "proof" that pansy Obama is more interested in sucking up to the wussy Euro cheese eaters. So he's going to feel pressured to show the macho tough guy bullshit to "prove" he isn't. I think it's another example of Europeans completely misreading the American mentality and end up doing something completely counterproductive to their own intentions.

semi234 said...

From a comedic standpoint, Obama sure can't win.

He's vilified by the Right for "losing" the Chicago Olympics. In less than 7 days, he's vilified for "winning" the Nobel Peace Prize.

Nevermind the fact that, the reward money's going to charity anyway. LOL

*sigh*