tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post2592925185078239004..comments2024-01-23T17:14:04.067-05:00Comments on Jaltcoh: The only possible explanation why President Obama won the Nobel Peace PrizeJohn Althouse Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-83990620961860588532009-10-15T20:51:36.133-04:002009-10-15T20:51:36.133-04:00Jason: Here are the only examples that piece cites...Jason: Here are the only examples that piece cites: <br /><br />(1) "The White House" sent an email referring to Obama in the third person, describing conversations Obama recently had with other world leaders, and mentioning that he thanked them for congratulating him on the prize.<br /><br />(2) A similar email describing a phone call with another world leader, mentioning that he thanked the leader for the congratulations on the prize. <br /><br />It's not clear who sent either of these emails, or to whom. (To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, I didn't know White Houses could send emails.)<br /><br />(3) There's an email that the reporter jokingly refers to as being from Obama himself, sent to that reporter on the morning the prize was announced. I say jokingly because he puts "Barack Obama" in scare quotes and mentions that Obama's email address is "info@barackobama.com," which is obviously the email address of a website administrator, not the president. Though it's addressed to "Toby" (the reporter), it's obviously not a personal message, but a form email intended to give reporters a quotable response to the news that everyone was talking about that morning. <br /><br />I hesitated to criticize the piece because it's so weak I almost thought it was a poorly executed joke ... but his tone seems pretty serious. I'm actually heartened: if people have to strain so much to come up with criticisms of Obama, he can't be that bad.John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-29265759130783145782009-10-15T19:00:59.909-04:002009-10-15T19:00:59.909-04:00Update: Some people are claiming Obama is mentioni...Update: <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/100013494/barack-obama-oh-did-i-mention-i-won-the-nobel-prize/" rel="nofollow">Some people</a> are claiming Obama is mentioning his prize every chance he gets.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-36798463316686216312009-10-11T14:29:44.033-04:002009-10-11T14:29:44.033-04:00And W can call himself President Not Not George Bu...And W can call himself President Not Not George Bush.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-42484007362904493012009-10-11T11:18:44.383-04:002009-10-11T11:18:44.383-04:00President Not George BushPresident Not George BushMeadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00117933390338651739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-60651070793494333292009-10-11T10:49:29.604-04:002009-10-11T10:49:29.604-04:00Mr. President,
I am available if you would like t...Mr. President,<br /><br />I am available if you would like to hire me.<br /><br />Too late. Looks like he went with the beautiful "call to action" line instead. Heh.Derve Swansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03588383169658816894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-8338950160125676102009-10-10T23:38:22.160-04:002009-10-10T23:38:22.160-04:00Johny :I seriously doubt that John McCain would...Johny :<i>I seriously doubt that John McCain would've been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize had he been elected; he never had the message.<br /><br /></i>Don't forget, McCain was portrayed as the same as Bush, so of course he wouldn't have gotten it under this theory.<br /><br />Look at who else got the Nobel during Bush's time in office: Al Gore and Jimmy Carter. It does look like the committee was trying to send anti-Bush sentiments through its choices. Maybe Bush is responsible for all three of these people getting the award. It would be ironic if true.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-32964094708689026532009-10-10T23:22:54.375-04:002009-10-10T23:22:54.375-04:00Hey old friend, this is Johnny.
I wonder how many...Hey old friend, this is Johnny.<br /><br />I wonder how many people have actually watched his speech after the announcement--<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbOWxc7Wwrg<br /><br />Anyway, I disagree with this sentiment--<br /><br />"They are handing him the Nobel Peace Prize because he isn’t George Bush."<br /><br />I seriously doubt that John McCain would've been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize had he been elected; he never had the message.Johnnynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-27023793266008491602009-10-10T15:24:01.952-04:002009-10-10T15:24:01.952-04:00Interesting -- I'll look at that. Thanks for t...Interesting -- I'll look at that. Thanks for the link.John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-59247328105534533052009-10-10T12:48:58.159-04:002009-10-10T12:48:58.159-04:00JAC, they're trying to figure out if Obama wil...JAC, they're trying to figure out if Obama will be able to do even that over at <a href="http://volokh.com/2009/10/09/would-an-act-of-congress-be-required-to-allow-president-obama-to-accept-the-nobel-peace-prize/" rel="nofollow">The Volokh Conspiracy</a>.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-84516484241902497512009-10-10T10:59:31.756-04:002009-10-10T10:59:31.756-04:00If I were Obama, I'd donate the entire afterta...If I were Obama, I'd donate the entire aftertax sum to the <a href="http://www.semperfifund.org/contact.html" rel="nofollow">semper fi fund</a>.Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00117933390338651739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-79154856635642864572009-10-10T10:41:45.646-04:002009-10-10T10:41:45.646-04:00He's said he'll give it all to charity.<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/oct/10/obama-nobel-prize-open-thread" rel="nofollow">He's said he'll give it all to charity.</a>John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-48862409998984834122009-10-09T21:36:50.932-04:002009-10-09T21:36:50.932-04:00MathMom, I don't think he can give the money t...MathMom, I don't think he can give the money to anyone, the US government is going to get it. And no matter what he does with his time, it wont garner the same attention for whoever he gives it to as if they had won the Nobel Peace Prize.<br /><br />If Obama had rejected the Nobel it would have shown he was worthy to receive it. He missed the opportunity of a lifetime. Instead of being noble, he has shown himself to be ordinary.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-63684055519708613342009-10-09T21:16:51.554-04:002009-10-09T21:16:51.554-04:00He could give the money to any of these people who...He could give the money to any of these people who did <i>not</i> win the Nobel Peace Prize, though they were under consideration:<br /><br />Chinese Human Rights Activist Hu Jia - imprisoned for campaigning for human rights in the PRC, not as worthy as Barack Hussein Obama.<br /><br />Wei Jingsheng, who spent 17 years in Chinese prisons for urging reforms of China's communist system. -- not as worthy as Barack Hussein Obama. (Not to mention the symbolic value of awarding a Chinese dissident on the 20th Anniversary of the Tianenmen Square Massacre.)<br /><br />Greg Mortenson, founder of the Central Asia Institute has built nearly 80 schools, especially for girls, in remote areas of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan over the past 15 years - not as worthy as Barack Hussein Obama.<br /><br />Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, a philosophy professor in Jordan who risks his life by advocating interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims, also not as worthy as Barack Hussein Obama.<br /><br />Afghan human rights activist Sima Samar. She currently leads the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and serves as the U.N. special envoy to Darfur and is apparently also not as worthy as Barack Hussein Obama.<br /><br />Unfortunately, he'll give the money to some "charity" like ACORN. Mark my words.MathMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12418059046929654822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-56857936675881872432009-10-09T18:24:34.619-04:002009-10-09T18:24:34.619-04:00tim maguire: I think you're being a little har...tim maguire: <i>I think you're being a little hard on JAC.<br /><br /></i>If JAC had won the Nobel Peace Prize and given a statement similar to Obama's I would have been fine with it. But Obama is President of the United States of America, he's supposed to be a political animal, not have the same responses as someone off the street.<br /><br />If I'm a little hard with you guys it's because I think you should hold our politicians to higher standards. Especially ones who want to keep us from making our own decisions and make them for us themselves.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-47411306344532311472009-10-09T13:53:50.033-04:002009-10-09T13:53:50.033-04:00Jason, I think you're being a little hard on J...Jason, I think you're being a little hard on JAC. This is really small beer. Accepting the award doesn't take much of his time and doesn't (need to) interfere with his duties as president.<br /><br />It's symbolic and while the best follow up symbol would have been to decline it, Obama did the next best thing by acknowledging the validity of the complaints while not further embarrassing the Swedes (however much they may have embarrassed themselves).<br /><br />Two cheers instead of three.tim maguirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13362216359107589053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-17923746980758378842009-10-09T13:46:44.962-04:002009-10-09T13:46:44.962-04:00And yet the damage still gets done and Obama does ...And yet the damage still gets done and Obama does nothing to remedy it. How can he solve any of the problems we elected him to deal with if he can't even deal with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee?<br /><br />People are dying somewhere and he's worrying about hurting the reputation of the Nobel. And Jac pats him on the back.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-76511537245665640662009-10-09T12:58:16.023-04:002009-10-09T12:58:16.023-04:00I think he accepted it rather than disrespecting t...I think he accepted it rather than disrespecting the Nobel Committee but still sending the message that it wasn't appropriate for him to receive it in the first place (which wasn't his choice). While turning it down would been a more forceful way to make this point, he still made the point.John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-11182706985058138862009-10-09T12:53:46.036-04:002009-10-09T12:53:46.036-04:00jac: Did I say that?
That's what the Nobel Pe...jac: <i>Did I say that?<br /><br /></i>That's what the Nobel Peace Price Committee said by giving Obama the award and what Obama said by not refusing it.<br /><br />You said you thought it was handled well; and as you mentioned in your post, we are judging people here on the subtext.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-79250482573489603122009-10-09T12:42:01.611-04:002009-10-09T12:42:01.611-04:00Well Jac, I suppose it is nice to know that there ...<i>Well Jac, I suppose it is nice to know that there isn't anyone in the world trying to do good things that needs more exposure or more money than they already have.</i><br /><br />Did I say that?John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-23002892045141072942009-10-09T12:37:30.503-04:002009-10-09T12:37:30.503-04:00Well Jac, I suppose it is nice to know that there ...Well Jac, I suppose it is nice to know that there isn't anyone in the world trying to do good things that needs more exposure or more money than they already have.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-3115300604779286682009-10-09T12:34:41.104-04:002009-10-09T12:34:41.104-04:00Cash for Clunkers.
Come on now, be nice to your s...<i>Cash for Clunkers.</i><br /><br />Come on now, be nice to your son.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-69340358635735387912009-10-09T12:30:57.881-04:002009-10-09T12:30:57.881-04:00He handled the moment fairly well, he certainly co...He handled the moment fairly well, he certainly could have done worse (despite his typical misuse of the word "humbled"--he wasn't humbled), but he should have turned it down for the same reason Jimmy Carter should have turned it down. <br /><br />Obama was given that award as a slap in the face to the United States government, it's political system, half its people and a former president.<br /><br />He should turn it down not because he is the protector of the Nobel label, but because he is the leader of the country being insulted by the awards committee.tim maguirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13362216359107589053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-30810239093961412682009-10-09T12:21:41.783-04:002009-10-09T12:21:41.783-04:00(2) Donate to a fitting charity.
Cash for Clunke...<i>(2) Donate to a fitting charity. </i><br /><br />Cash for Clunkers.Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00117933390338651739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-46975346249310399972009-10-09T12:19:18.204-04:002009-10-09T12:19:18.204-04:00He still has to go and give a speech,
Well, he&#...<i>He still has to go and give a speech, </i><br /><br />Well, he'll probably handle that well too. <br /><br /><i>then do something with the money. </i><br /><br />(1) Save up for his daughters' education. (2) Donate to a fitting charity.John Althouse Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11703450281424023177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4464222071440015933.post-54089618098062029472009-10-09T12:14:51.955-04:002009-10-09T12:14:51.955-04:00jac: President Obama, you handled this awkward mom...jac: <i>President Obama, you handled this awkward moment well.<br /><br /></i>He still has to go and give a speech, then do something with the money. There will be many more awkward situations to follow. And he has accepted them rather than deal with the slight awkwardness of turning down the prize.Jason (the commenter)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16045360562791361484noreply@blogger.com