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Friday, October 9, 2009

Well, you're in good company, Michael.

Now here are some real patriots, eh Sanborn? (see Rush Limbaugh portion of videos) Still, the fact remains, that on Nov. 5, 2008, the world breathed a genuine sigh of relief. Obama's Nobel Peace Prize marks "America's return to the hearts of the people of the world," says French President Nicolas Sarkozy. I'll add that this would not have happened, had John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, or Mitt Romney been elected President.

In short, this is the Nobel panel congratulating us Americans for having returned to our senses.

I wouldn't be so quick to thumb my nose at them, if I were you.


6 comments:

Michael Sanborn said...

Bill,
I thought Obama handled the announcment well and agreed with many Americans that he did not deserve the prize.

His referring to the award as a call to action was honorable.

I don't agree that Obama is a laughing stock.

However, Obama is a lot of things, but he's no Mother Teresa. There are more deserving people on the planet.

Naming Obama politicized the prize and that's unfortunate.

Bill Fleming said...

Well, all I can say Michael, is that unlike the science awards, the Peace prize is a political award*. They give one out every year. The Nobel Committee was unanimous about this one. Maybe next year, your favorite, "more deserving" person will get it. Who will that be, by the way?

* According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize should be awarded to the person who: “DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR [...] shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." — Wikipedia

Michael Sanborn said...

So, what has our President done to: "... for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."?

Bill Fleming said...

Mike, see my post re: Andrew Sullivan's thoughts at the top of the blog today.

Here's Sullivan's nut graff:

"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."

Bill Fleming said...

Now, keep in mind, Mike, that Obama did a lot of those things BEFORE he was ever elected President.

Those leadership qualities were the REASON he beat both Hillary Clinton and (later) John McCain, and why the world breathed a sigh of relief when we elected him.

His was a singularly astonishing campaign reflecting a paradigm shift in American consciousness. And the whole world was watching and cheering him on.

It was a remarkable year. The Nobel Committee noticed and gave their nod of approval. That's my read anyway.

senor citizen said...

Sorry to burst your bubble, Bill, but Obama won because he is a charismatic speaker who promised transparency, no more taxes to those making under $250,000, an end to corruption in gov't, among other things. These all sounded great and people unfortunately believed him. He has not though accomplished any of these and apparently has no intent to. His administration is not transparent, he will raise taxes on everyone, and has appointed cabinet members and czars of questionable backgrounds and actual dishonest actions. He won because of his mantra of hope and change, which is a joke; it's more of the same and a lot of worse for the American citizen. He has not united this country, he has divided it and seems to take delight in it. He has made other nations happy because he is making America weaker. He is a fan of globalization, wealth redistribution, etc, and I dare you to disprove that.

He did not deserve the peace prize. If he did, I want to nominate myself for a future prize that I just might earn in either poetry or economics or something; I have great potential that just isn't realized yet!

This peace prize has lost all credibility. It lost with Gore's selection first and now Obama's. Sad.