Freshman President gets Nobel Peace Prize

Yesterday morning, while rubbing my sleepy eyes and trying to fully wake, an exclamation came from the other side of the house, “Now that’s political!  OBAMA GOT THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!”

I actually heard myself utter the following words, ”What?  He hasn’t DONE anything yet!”  And then I was ashamed.  This is exactly the statement I keep hearing from the gay community, the progressives, the anti-war advocates, true healthcare-for-all supporters… and I’m usually the person who begs for levity in these discussions.  “Now wait a second,” I’ll say, then I’ll bring up diplomacy, appointing Clinton as Secretary of State (she’s doing an impressive job!  Just sign up for the Secretary of State email list & you’ll see what I mean).  Or how about trying to close Guantanamo — though I’m getting irritated at how long its taking.  Then there’s the fight for health care reform.  His appointment of Gil Kerlikowsky as drug czar (or wait, THAT one is backfiring).  Anti-corruption policies, etc.  I think North Korea is getting ready to talk with us.  Basically, I just think it takes a really long time to undo the damage this country has endured, and that we should give him the benefit of the doubt as he lays the foundation to fulfill his campaign promises.

That said, at first glance it seems premature to award a Nobel Prize to somebody who’s just dreaming at this point. 

Enter the Nobel Committee.  As Chairman Jagland put it, President Barack Obama won, “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” and his “vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.” 

The NYTimes quotes the Nobel Committee as saying it made its decision “based on Mr. Obama’s actual efforts toward nuclear disarmament as well as American engagement with the world relying more on diplomacy and dialogue.”

Can we say:  Take that, Bush!  Take that RNC!  Take that Rove!  Take that evil penguin who looks like he should’ve been a Batman character rather than VP.

This really seems to be what the Prize is about — showing worldwide appreciation for America’s new leader, his goals, and the ideals that this country elected him for.  Change.  And Yes We Can.  And Hope.

Andrew Sullivan writes in the Atlantic:

I don’t think Americans fully absorbed the depths to which this country’s reputation had sunk under the Cheney era. That’s understandable. And so they also haven’t fully absorbed the turn-around in the world’s view of America that Obama and the American people have accomplished. Of course, this has yet to bear real fruit. But you can begin to see how it could; and I hope more see both the peaceful intentions and the steely resolve of this man to persevere. 

This president has done a huge amount to bring race relations in this country to a different place, which is why the far right has become so vicious in attacking him and lying about him. They know he threatens their politics of division and rule. He has also directly addressed the Muslim world, telling some hard truths, and played a small role in evoking a similar movement of hope and change in Iran, and finally told the Israelis to stop cutting their nose off to spite their face.

Okay.  So maybe he’s done a lot.

France’s Nicolas Sarkozy said the award demonstrates “America’s return to the hearts of the world’s peoples.” Germany’s Angela Merkel (who seemed to be no fan of Bush’s southern “charm” toward the ‘little lady’) said it was an “incentive to the president and to us all” to put some elbow grease into the goal of worldwide peace.

And for people who wonder how it’s possible to award a new President such a prestigious prize, Gorbechev may well serve as precedent.

Finally, I suspect the world community is trying to send a message to America, and to Obama’s detractors — particularly those in the US Congress who have dug their heels in and voted against every damn thing he wants.  Recently, people have begun asking whether Obama stands a chance at making the reforms he’s promised.  There has been speculation that Obama may not be an effective leader after all. 

The world community has decided this is bullshit.  The Nobel Prize is a vote of confidence.  Thank you, we sure needed that.  And the next time someone accuses Obama of hiding “death panels” in the health care reform bill, maybe they’ll think twice about making such an accusation about a Peace Prize winner.  Maybe.  Hopefully.

And that’s the key.  Hope.   The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is about hope.  I’ll take that. 

Oh, and Rush, just for the record… Obama is NOT the second Kenyan to be awarded the Prize.  He’s the third sitting US President to win it.