Not since Woodrow Wilson has a sitting American president received the Nobel peace prize.
In accepting the award Friday, President Obama recognized that the honor reflected his goals rather than his achievements.
“To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures who have been honored by this prize,” he said. “But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women … want to build.”
Barack Obama
Could the pressure to produce be any greater? Some commentators even suggested that it was the first Nobel in history that the recipient would rather not receive.
However, Obama noted, as did Nobel Foundation authorities, that the prize is sometimes awarded to help build momentum for humanitarian causes.
“I will accept this award as a call to action,” Obama said, repeating his dedication to preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and addressing the problem of climate change.
Republicans harrumphed.
The RNC issued an official statement saying: “It is unfortunate that the president’s star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights. One thing is certain - President Obama won’t be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action.”
The president intends to travel to Oslo in December to accept the award.
In the meantime, he faces decisions that may conflict with the spirit of the prize. Chief among them is whether to escalate troops in Afghanistan.
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1 Comments
#1. Russ 10.11.2009
Obama also won an Irrational Exuberance Award….
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVDWYAikpYo
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