Ig-Nobel

In a travesty out of Oslo, hope defeated change as Presidential candidate Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize today for precisely no accomplishments. Obama took office less than two weeks before the February 1 nomination deadline.

Noel committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland was pressed by the media to explain why Obama deserved the award, and could only offer this defense.


As to whether the prize was given too early in Mr. Obama’s presidency, he said: "We are not awarding the prize for what may happen in the future but for what he has done in the previous year. We would hope this will enhance what he is trying to do."

The prize committee said it wanted to enhance Mr. Obama's diplomatic efforts so far rather than anticipate events in the future.

Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning for President.

Good. Grief.

Update: With their typical dissembling, Media Matters links to this post and claims it represents "open disdain for American achievement under Obama. "

I, along with the rest of the world, can only ask, what achievement under Obama?

If the President had actual accomplished something of note in the twelve days of his Presidency before the Nobel nominating deadline passed, he would have at least some argument in favor of his award. As it presently stands, he was given the award for rhetoric. This awarding of the Peace Prize to Obama dishonors those who have done far more in the cause of peace than running a self-serving political campaign full of empty promises.

Even Obama—ever the narcissist—admits he is unworthy of the award:


I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize.

Being a liberal, however, he gladly took what he admittedly didn't deserve.

It would have been a mark of class if the President agreed with the rest of the world and declined an honor he admittedly didn't earn as an acknowledgment to those who risked so much more in the name of peace.

But that is asking too much of a man who has delivered so little.

Update: Verum Serum brings the Media Matters lapdog to heel, while the DNC wets themselves.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 07:24 AM

Comments

1 He mostly seems to have won it for not being Bush.


I also wonder if it's just the consolation prize for not getting the Olympics.

Posted by: Veeshir at October 09, 2009 08:05 AM (QbT7Z)

2 A worthless prez won a worthless award.

Posted by: Stephana at October 09, 2009 08:37 AM (olUEe)

3 Well, credibility of the Nobel Peace Prize is now gone. Too bad as they've been steadily losing credibility for years. There is absolutely no way the present winner can truly stand beside other winners such as Elie Wiesel, Mother Teresa, Lech Walesa, Norman Bourlag . . . . and NO I don't count Carter, Al Gore, Arafat, as winners.

Posted by: Nina at October 09, 2009 08:42 AM (+dRBA)

4 Actually there is an IgNobel Award sponsored by the Annals of Improbable Research. (http://improbable.com/)

When I first read your article, I concluded our president was eminently qualified for an Iggie.

Posted by: Jerry in Detroit at October 09, 2009 09:30 AM (ddkdK)

5 Notably, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by a bunch of people who don't live in the US.

Posted by: Penfold at October 09, 2009 10:06 AM (lF2Kk)

6 Nobel committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland is a socialist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorbjoern_Jagland

"Since 1999, Jagland is also one of several vice presidents of the Socialist International.[53]" (He is no longer listed on the linked page.)

The "Workers' Youth League" where he got his start sounds strangely like ACORN.

Seems like this prize is less a prize for Obama's promise or accomplishments as it is a cover for him to continue his disastrous policies.

Posted by: JAFAC at October 09, 2009 10:28 AM (5edyX)

7 I underestimated how much the Swedes hate the Danes. That'll show 'em for denying Zero The Games! Either that, or ACORN's new identity, COI, is more international than we knew. Truly, laughed till I cried when I read it. This is as rich as Yassar Arafat being crowned Prince of Peace. Albert Nobel is thinking his committee needs a nitroglycerine enema. Europe's rot smells all the way across the Atlantic.

Posted by: twolaneflash at October 09, 2009 10:29 AM (svkhS)

8 The administration had to know this was coming and SHOULD have refused before it was made public. But the ego of this president of course would not allow as he must know the only chance to win such an award is BEFORE he's had a chance to really fail.

Posted by: DavidB at October 09, 2009 10:40 AM (deX+q)

9 Pathetic. There is no meaning to this once prestigious award. It seems that anything the Leftist touch turns to feces.

Posted by: Scott at October 09, 2009 11:17 AM (mqy6N)

10 When I saw this headline today my first reaction was to send it to a friend like this:
"You have GOT to be kidding me!?!?"

His response was 'this will cheapen the award'.

My follow up was, "Cheapen the award?!?!?! After they've already given it to Jimmah, Yasser, and Algore?!?!. It is now a complete JOKE. Period. What's next? Vlad? Michael Moore? Dr. Evil? Emperor Ming? Darth Vader? Emperor Palpatine? Satan? Osama bin Laden? Who, could possibly cheapen this award more than what they’ve already done?"

As Nina said above...their credibility is gone.

Posted by: PhyCon at October 09, 2009 11:20 AM (4od5C)

11 Birds of similar feathers fly together in Norwegian rookeries.

Arafat,Carter,and now Obama who hasn't even yet taken wings.

Posted by: RiverRat at October 09, 2009 11:45 AM (RpON0)

12 That's just a cover story. He actually won it for his decisive victory over the Lunar Menace.

Posted by: Tully at October 09, 2009 12:02 PM (tUyDE)

13 The Nobel prize is now completely worthless. It was already worthless now even more so. These people are crazy.

Posted by: vrwcshirts at October 09, 2009 12:23 PM (8uAOW)

14 1. Well now, the Three Stooges have won their Nobel prizes: Jimmie Carter, Al Gore, and now Obama - isn't that special!

2. Interesting - Ronald Reagan freed 1/2 of a continent from the Evil Empire; George Bush freed 50+ million people in the Middle East and rid the world of one of it's worst dictators and mass murderers' - and not even an "honorable mention" or a thank you hand shakefrom the Nobel committee.

GO FIGURE!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: slimedog at October 09, 2009 12:38 PM (r1nhE)

15 Now if he could only bring peace to Chicago.

Posted by: TWoPolitics at October 09, 2009 01:13 PM (+QfDC)

16 Obama is becoming more like Carter every day, only without the backbone.

Posted by: iconoclast at October 09, 2009 01:16 PM (2Iq5c)

17 I am resigning from my job today to begin my round-the-world tour in which I will personally apologize to anyone who has ever been offended, hurt, or oppressed by an American. I figure I'm a shoe in for the NPP next year. All in the name of promoting peace of course.

Did the morons on the award committe actually consider the long term ramification of awarding the prize to a bozo like Obama? Namely, the prize just lost any cachet that was left and in the minds of most people it will now be a well known booby prize.

Posted by: Penny at October 09, 2009 01:27 PM (5sGLG)

18 Stockholm, not Oslo. Brush up on your geography guys.

Posted by: Pennypacker at October 09, 2009 03:03 PM (toe+h)

19 Pennypacker, it's Oslo. Unless the Swedes are now giving out the prize...

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at October 09, 2009 03:25 PM (gAi9Z)

20 Look at the ultimate results of the presidents that won the award:

Roosevelt (Teddy)--nothing really unless you could link his bluster to WWI

Wilson-- now here you have a link, his actions and those of the French led to WWII, with the ultimate loss of millions

Carter-- his weakness is endured to this day, we can lay much of the continued strife and war in the Arab world to his lack of backbone. Certainly he influenced our economy for many decades.

So if The Great One follows the previous presidents, we are in a bunch of trouble.

Posted by: David at October 09, 2009 05:57 PM (H56tc)

21 Obama does not believe he deserves the prize? Sure. He's merely politically savvy enough to give the appearance of humility. Real humility would mandate refusal of the "honor." Narcissism? Just the opposite.

Posted by: mikemcdaniel at October 09, 2009 06:00 PM (DJR56)

22 The big question now is "who nominated Obama" back in January or February? I don't know about you folks, but I smell a large furry rodent!

Posted by: Mescalero at October 09, 2009 06:53 PM (e7NAO)

23 Well, he can keep the metal, but as far as the money goes, I'm afraid the Consitution says he can't accept it.

So which favorite charity will he give it to?

I know!!

Acorn.........!

Posted by: Papa Ray at October 09, 2009 10:48 PM (JpVJn)

24 Think he nominated himself?

Posted by: tjbbpgobIII at October 10, 2009 12:56 AM (eXdIs)






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