Congratulations, Mr. President
The Nobel Prize committee has been criticized in the past for granting its very prestigious peace prize prematurely. In 1994, for example, the year that the prize was shared among Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, the three men had not brokered a deal for Middle East peace. Nor did they after the prize — largely due to the resistance of Arafat.
The criticism that the peace prize is handed out for the hope of accomplishments, rather than actual accomplishments, will only increase now that the newest winner is Barack Obama, who has been in office for less than a year.
Indeed, reporters immediately asked committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland about Obama’s short tenure and lack of concrete accomplishments toward world peace — or peace anywhere in the world — so far. But Jagland was clear that they wanted to reward Obama for his efforts and encourage them.
“We have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do.”
Jagland, chairman of the five-member Nobel committee, said committee members were hopeful that the prize would add momentum to Obama’s efforts as he considers whether to expand the war in Afghanistan, prepares to withdraw from Iraq, and struggles to build momentum to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and assemble an international effort to stop Iran’s nuclear program.
Realistically, Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize is unlikely to prompt China to cooperate on Iran or to affect the White House war council as it deliberates on Afghanistan. It won’t help the momentum very much.
Nevertheless, it’s quite an honor, and President Obama deserves hearty congratulations.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
93 comments Add your comment
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
7:25 am
Cynthia, I knew you would be all over this like white on rice.
Obama spends months on his apology tour talking about how arrogant America has been and that earns him a Nobel Peace Prize? It’s downright disgusting. What’s next? People Magazine’s Man of the Year? Oh, brother!
Peadawg
October 9th, 2009
7:48 am
I didn’t realize he had done anything to earn it. I guess I’ve been under a rock since February.
Obammy is not worthy
October 9th, 2009
7:51 am
Peace Prize? Yeah right. Peace of cr@p prize…
Ben
October 9th, 2009
7:52 am
I’m not going to criticize his winning of the Nobel Prize but it is going to define him to the rest of the world for the duration of his presidency. As a matter of fact and opinion, it makes him look weak and appeasing to our enemies but if he and the people who elected him don’t mind that label so be it.
Huckabee The Next POTUS 2012
October 9th, 2009
7:54 am
How fitting, that’s about as funny as Sindy loo hoo winning the pullonthishereazer award. Both are deserving of these joke awards. I’m about as proud of the lying socialist winning this as I was when the communist loving idiot peanuthead carter received his. Way to go obozo, now how about doing your job, you know the one you fooled so many people into voting for your sorry butt for. You know maybe jobs for True Americans, instead of all of your chi-town gangster buddies on the czar a week program.
Peadawg
October 9th, 2009
7:56 am
I’ve worked @ the Boys and Girls Club and stuff like that…kinda like a community organizer. Does that mean I can win the prize?
TnGelding
October 9th, 2009
8:05 am
Maybe he’ll have the good judgment to turn it down. Looks like the committee is trying to give him some prestige for future endeavors.
cas
October 9th, 2009
8:12 am
The award has lacked any meaning since presented to Yasser Arafat. A bitter Jimmy Carter and Al Gore makes me believe the true winners are the losers. Congratulations indeed.
jconservative
October 9th, 2009
8:13 am
As a ciitizen of, and a big fan of, the United States of America, I think the Nobel for Obama is great. Good for us.
I hope an American wins it next year.
Call it like it is.
October 9th, 2009
8:16 am
Complete and utter joke. If the Nobel peace prize had any credibility, that has now gone out the door. This man has yet to do anything what so ever to earn this. Nominations were closed back in February. Absolutely pure political.
“We have not given the prize for what may happen in the future” But yet that is exactly what you have done! Everyone is shock by this, even the white house. It kind of like picking an old woman out of the crowd at the state fair and giving her the blue ribbon for the best apple pie, not because she actually made one and they tried it, but because she might have the best one. It’s just that silly.
And to the Obamatrons spin it anyway you want, this is a joke, the Nobel Pease prize used to be an honor, now it has just become a political game. This is what you get when your President spends the first half of the year jetting around the world, apologizing for American.
Enjoy your blue ribbon Obama, you truly do deserve it.
Atlanta Native
October 9th, 2009
8:21 am
BREAKING NEWS:
Fetus wins Nobel Peace prize. Experts see excellent potential based on genetic testing. “Although the fetus has yet to actually take a breath, the results of our DNA analysis says that, once born, the child will have the capability of speech and is likely to wish for world peace” said researchers about the 20 month old fetus.
Aliquando
October 9th, 2009
8:23 am
This man has done nothing. Even SNL realizes that. I wanted to run a 4 minute mile but never pulled it off. He won this for not being Bush. The same reason Jimmy Carter won his.
Pat Phelps
October 9th, 2009
8:28 am
Anytime your mentioned with Jimmy Carter and Woodrow Wilson it can’t be a good thing.
El Jefe
October 9th, 2009
8:38 am
Well, he is living up to the responsibility just like James Earl Cater, I mean, Jimmy, total failure.
Cater appeased everyone and pleased no one – sound familiar Barack?
El Jefe
October 9th, 2009
8:42 am
I know, my typing is worthless, yes, it should be Carter
Jimmy62
October 9th, 2009
8:44 am
Are you serious? What a joke! It’s not April 1st, but I still can’t beleive this isn’t some sort of massive prank.
Peadawg
October 9th, 2009
8:45 am
Atleast Jay can admit it’s a little premature. Cynthia, have you ever admitted when something a Democrat did was wrong?
El Jefe
October 9th, 2009
8:48 am
Well we have a grand crowd now, Jimmy Carter, Al Gore and now Barack Obama. Wow, no wonder why the world looks down on us. Anyone with three boobs will be stared at.
Degneration X (HHH and HBK)
October 9th, 2009
8:50 am
What a joke!
Degneration X (HHH and HBK)
October 9th, 2009
8:51 am
“PEACE IN OUR TIME” comes to mind… anybody remember who said that?
Finn McCool
October 9th, 2009
9:07 am
hehehe. I will HAVE to tune into Hannity today to hear his bobble head implode!
I got popcorn popping right now so you wing nutters keep up the good work.
Pat Phelps
October 9th, 2009
9:16 am
Hey Finn McCool – what has Obama done to deserve this award? He had been in office only 2 weeks when the voting was closed. He had not actually had time to surrender the United States to the rest of the world.
Thought Well
October 9th, 2009
9:20 am
Consider Hamas and Taliban thought President Obama did not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. I will not join with those detractors.
Just Say No
October 9th, 2009
9:21 am
MCOOL Its good to know that you watch that ratings juggernaut called Fox News . It’s amazing how they school MSNBC
Just Say No
October 9th, 2009
9:22 am
MCOOL Its good to know that you watch that ratings juggernaut called Fox News . It’s amazing how they school MSNBC and the rest of the liberal networks isn’t it.
George
October 9th, 2009
9:27 am
Yes it’s premature. But, while nominations closed in February, the committee did consider events after that time, so you can take that arrow out of your quiver, Obama haters.
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
9:28 am
Pat Phelps: You are trying to use reason and logic with an Obama lover. It just won’t work. Obama’s getting this award without any true reason doesn’t matter to the libs. It’s just one more thing to get closer to making Obama the ruler of the world.
Yeah! America
October 9th, 2009
9:29 am
Congrats! Mr. Prez, so much for the right-wing axis of evil drivel….
Finn McCool
October 9th, 2009
9:35 am
It’s not a matter of whether he deserves it or not. Ask 50 people to define “deserves” and you will get 50 answers.
What DOES MATTER is that we get to watch this dig into Republicans like a rock in the shoe. Oh yeah, they will say it doesn’t bother them but they will be moaning about it all weekend! And it’s a holiday weekend too!!!!
mwuahahahahahaha.
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
9:36 am
George: The fact that Obama may have had events since February considered, you are still omitting two things. 1) Obama hasn’t done anything worthy of the award. Nobody can possibly do enough in the short time period to earn it, so my opinion isn’t specific to Obama. 2)Just the fact he made it on the list makes the whole thing a bit suspect. While I don’t believe it’s a conspiracy, it sure does seem a bit “set up”. What earned him a nomination after only 2 weeks in office? Was it done “just in case” he did something to earn it? Come on.
Turd Ferguson
October 9th, 2009
9:37 am
Once again Ms Tucker shows her true colors and validates her pre-disposition(s).
Donovan
October 9th, 2009
9:37 am
Liberals give liberals awards. Look at the Academy Award Committee. Look at the main stream media awards. By doing so it is nothing more than a weak attempt by liberals attempting to validate their existence. After all, shouldn’t community organizers be recognized for their accomplishments? HEAVEN HELP US!
Reason
October 9th, 2009
9:38 am
I have never been so entertained by a blog! Do you mean to tell me that a Republicon has never won the peace prize? How shocking!
Finn, you have some of that popcorn to share?
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
9:40 am
McCool: You still haven’t provided your opinion of what he did to deserve it. You are right in that you would get 50 definitions of deserve, but one thing is for sure: many people don’t agree with it. Frankly, it’s a slap in the face to those who have earned it and truly did deserve it. Obama hasn’t done anything at all, let alone anything to deserve it. So enjoy your time in the Obama rear-end kissing club.
Finn McCool
October 9th, 2009
9:44 am
Reason, oh yeah. And grab me a soda while you’re getting the popcorn!
Yes He Did
October 9th, 2009
9:50 am
Not being GW is reason enough for me. Crawl back into your hole of hate neocons, evolution is weeding you out…
Pat Phelps
October 9th, 2009
9:53 am
Finn – be sure your not hiding three years from this November. I will take great pleasure in rubbing your nose in Obama’s defeat for re-election.
Finn McCool
October 9th, 2009
9:55 am
TheOne, So you think Carter deserved it?
Kevin
October 9th, 2009
9:57 am
Maybe on this trip to Scandinavia, he’ll actually bring something home with him.
This was premature, at best. And, Cynthia, this accelerates your concern about Mr. Obama being compared to Mr. Carter.
This president needs to actually DO something!
Finn McCool
October 9th, 2009
9:58 am
Pat, I predict you guys lose more seats.
You can’t blame the nutters for being upset.
Eight years of a bumbling incompetent who blundered into every aspect of his Presidency and now having a President who has like 8+ things going on and moving forward at the same time is bewildering to them.
They are just dazed and cornfused! They will catch up but it will be way after November 2010.
Jack
October 9th, 2009
10:32 am
I was wondering if Tucker would mention the award.
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
10:54 am
McCool: I can’t say that Carter deserved it either, but it’s clear that Obama has not been in his position long enough to earn it. And remember that Jim Jones was also a very good, convincing speaker. If you think our “President” has 8+ things going on and moving forward in the same direction, you apparently are not really looking at what’s going on. GW has more class in his pinky toe than Obama can ever hope to have. Just look at Obama’s associations in his past. He comes from the most corrupt government in our country. Your blind hatred of GW puts Obama on a pedestal in your eyes. God help you. One day you will be able to refer to yourself as McFool. You shall see.
YesHeDid: And don’t accuse “neocons” of belonging in a hole of hate. Look what you said and maybe you should realize that you are the hateful person.
Joey
October 9th, 2009
10:54 am
O.K. Cynthia:
Congratulations President Obama on winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
And a warning:
If you think world leaders are going to honor and respect you because of this, you are mistaken.
If you think this gives you any influence over other leaders of the world, you are mistaken.
Listen carefully to what leaders of other countries say, but watch carefully what they do.
This award at this time has the potential to leave you more alone, world wide, than you ever thought possible.
Peadawg
October 9th, 2009
11:00 am
“Pat, I predict you guys lose more seats.”
Ya ok! Everything’s been going down hill since the dems took over in 2006. Nice try though!
F. Sinkwich
October 9th, 2009
11:13 am
For those of you who are so quick to denigrate Chairman O’s Peace Prize resume, I point you to his greatest diplomatic achievement since he was elected:
The beer summit.
‘Nuff said.
joe matarotz
October 9th, 2009
11:18 am
I blinked and missed it. What did he do to earn this?
Joan
October 9th, 2009
11:22 am
All you have to do is bash America and Americans, show your hatred of our economy and capitalist system, and those Europeans will love you for it. Obama joins the ranks of Carter and Gore–all of them stink.
TheOne
October 9th, 2009
11:28 am
For the few liberals who have posted to this blog and enjoy calling us “neocons”, I still haven’t heard a single one of them explain the specifics about how Obama earned this.
I will never understand the liberal mind. These people love Obama. Even the most staunch conservative didn’t love Bush, but there is nary an Obama supporter that doesn’t think he is the best thing since sliced bread. And they say that conservatives watch Fox News and need someone to tell us how to think? Oh, brother. I have met many liberals who it would be fair to call sheep.
MissAnne
October 9th, 2009
11:54 am
Ha!!! Take that, you haters! Keep moving forward, Mr. President!
Pat Phelps
October 9th, 2009
12:06 pm
Finn – I hope you like crow because in a year and a month your eating a full course meal.