Reality reportedly shrugged and exited stage right, allowing for his understudy Parody to take over the lead role for the next four years or so. At the deadline for nominations for the prize, Obama had been in office for 11 days. The decision to award the prize to him was unanimous. Mickey Kaus has a great suggestion. I know it's great, because I think I would heartily approve of Obama's doing it, and I'm a rather tough audience for him. Could his ego allow it?
Turn it down! Politely decline. Say he's honored but he hasn't had the time yet to accomplish what he wants to accomplish. Result: He gets at least the same amount of glory--and helps solve his narcissism problem and his Fred Armisen ('What's he done?') problem, demonstrating that he's uncomfortable with his reputation as a man overcelebrated for his potential long before he's started to realize it. ... Plus he doesn't have to waste time, during a fairly crucial period, working on yet another grand speech. ... And the downside is ... what? That the Nobel Committee feels dissed? ... P.S.: It's not as if Congress is going to think, well, he's won the Nobel Peace Prize so let's pass health care reform. But the possibility for a Nobel backlash seems non-farfetched. ...
White House Aide: ""It's not April 1, is it?" London Times: "Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration." Nobel Committee Chairman: "We hope this can contribute a little bit to enhance what he is trying to do," he told a news conference. The 1983 Laureate, Lech Walesa: "Who, Obama? So fast? Too fast - he hasn't had the time to do anything yet," Walesa told reporters in Warsaw. Hugh Hewitt hopes: "Perhaps the award will encourage him to end the dithering and confirm again America's strong resolve to defeat the Taliban and it s al Qaeda allies." Ed Rollins: "I think this may be way too preliminary," Rollins said on CNN's American Morning. "At the end of four years, maybe he has accomplished something and deserves it. I think it has diminished the award itself." Allahpundit: "There was no one more deserving? Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's nemesis in Zimbabwe? Iranian protesters? Hello?" Washington Post: "The announcement astonished observers -- drawing gasps from the audience in Oslo." AP finally writing about how Obama's more hope than accomplishment: "The Nobel committee, it seems, had the audacity to hope that he'll eventually produce a record worthy of its prize." Riddle: Why didn't Barack Obama win the Nobel Prize for Literature? Answer: He wrote 2 books. Marc Haines of CNBC: "Despite bombing the MOON, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize." Andrew Moylan: "Today's Nobel Prize announcement: clear evidence that the Nobel committee is a strong believer in the doctrine of pre-emptive action." Ezra Klein: "Obama also awarded Nobel prize in chemistry. 'He's just got great chemistry,' says Nobel Committee." BOTeleprompter: "Big Guy says Bill Clinton called and was gracious in defeat; offered to fly Kanye West over 4 the Nobel awards ceremony." Frank J.: "This makes a mockery of the prize. There is no way Obama has had time to accomplish as much peace as Arafat did." A Friend of the Weekly Standard: "Is the Nobel Peace Prize some sort of consolation prize for losing the Olympics?" Update: Rush Limbaugh: "They love a weakened, neutered U.S and this is their way of promoting that concept. I think God has a great sense of humor, too." Nicholas Kristof: "I admire his efforts toward Middle East peace, but the prize still seems very premature. What has he done?" The inevitable Carter quote: "Former President Jimmy Carter says the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to President Barack Obama is a 'bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment.'" Fred Thompson: "Shouldn't the Nobel Peace Prize have a higher bar than high expectations?" Abe Greenwald: "Obama makes an unprecedented, no-holds-barred effort before one international organization, the IOC, to obtain something for his country and fails in an immediate and spectacular manner. But after doing absolutely nothing, he wins a prize for himself from another international organization, the Nobel Committee, for insulting his country for nine months."