Saturday
Oct102009
Obama's Nobel Prize: There's Concerned...And Then There's Stupid
Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 9:24
Instant Reaction: Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Video/Transcript: Obama’s Reaction to the Nobel Peace Prize
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The discussion on EA over the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama has prompted a heated but constructive debate amongst a range of opinions. In contrast, here is a Hall of Infamy of reactions, replacing considered criticism with vitriol, nonsense, and headline stupidity:
Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh: "Something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about and that is he doesn't deserve the award." (Friendly Tip to Rush: a bit of self-reflection might not be amiss here. How do you think you wound up on the side of Mullah Omar and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?)
Former New York Times columnist William Kristol: "Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. A year later, he was out of power and the Soviet Union had dissolved. Let's hope the parallel extends this far: that a year from now the Democrats suffer a major electoral repudiation, and that the New Liberalism goes the way of Reform Communism."
Erick Erickson of the conservative website Red State (who spent all day Friday tweeting unfunny "putdowns"): "I did not realize the Nobel Peace Prize had an affirmative action quota for it, but that is the only thing I can think of for this news."
Andy McCarthy of National Review Online: "If today's headlines said, 'Barack Obama Wins Yasser Arafat Prize', that would be perfect."
Fox News babbling head Brian Kilmeade: Did Obama delay troop increase for Afghanistan so he could win the Prize? (No.)
Video/Transcript: Obama’s Reaction to the Nobel Peace Prize
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
The discussion on EA over the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama has prompted a heated but constructive debate amongst a range of opinions. In contrast, here is a Hall of Infamy of reactions, replacing considered criticism with vitriol, nonsense, and headline stupidity:Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh: "Something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about and that is he doesn't deserve the award." (Friendly Tip to Rush: a bit of self-reflection might not be amiss here. How do you think you wound up on the side of Mullah Omar and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?)
Former New York Times columnist William Kristol: "Mikhail Gorbachev won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. A year later, he was out of power and the Soviet Union had dissolved. Let's hope the parallel extends this far: that a year from now the Democrats suffer a major electoral repudiation, and that the New Liberalism goes the way of Reform Communism."
Erick Erickson of the conservative website Red State (who spent all day Friday tweeting unfunny "putdowns"): "I did not realize the Nobel Peace Prize had an affirmative action quota for it, but that is the only thing I can think of for this news."
Andy McCarthy of National Review Online: "If today's headlines said, 'Barack Obama Wins Yasser Arafat Prize', that would be perfect."
Fox News babbling head Brian Kilmeade: Did Obama delay troop increase for Afghanistan so he could win the Prize? (No.)
Reader Comments (7)
Rush Limbaugh makes the point that the elites of Norway are trying to impose their pacifist views on the world and pressure(encourage)(embarrass) Obama to not send more troops to Afghanistan. He might have a point that, if not already, Obama is a laughingstock. Is this a bad thing -- a powerless, leaderless, U.S. with a good strut on the world stage? Out in front should be the entertainment. Deals are made in the back rooms and caves. Is this not true? The Nobel is a dynamite prize http://wp.me/snCIw-nb
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wow, the title's proving prescient... grab some popcorn...
Why is it stupidity? I fail to see the logic behind your claim. Giving the award to Obama is so absurd; it is beyond parody. There are far more deserving people than Obama.
What has he really done? I have not been able to stop laughing at the joke that is the peace committee. I stop taking them seriously since they gave the award to Arafat.
Rep. Grayson said it well the other day: "If Obama brought about world peace, Republicans would blame him for destroying the defense industry".
OK, so the award may be premature. Many recipients may have received the prize before achieving their aims; although in Obama's case they are definitely front-loading the payment on this one. Still, it's sad, but not surprising that many of the same people in the U.S. who are pillorying him for receiving the award (and the Nobel committee); were only a week ago celebrating the decision of the IOC to award Brazil the 2016 Olympics over Chicago.
Erickson's comment in particular is in a whole different realm of stupid.
JP
Rachel Maddow did a piece expressing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMJuEOaF84o" rel="nofollow">similar sentiments
Thanks for sharing the video Amy. Not much to disagree with in the Maddow clip. That Limbaugh excerpt in particular is just sad. When is that guy going to retire? He looks like a poor man's Mussolini when he gets worked up into his rages.