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Obama's Nobel Is the 'Not George W. Bush' Award

He's now the fourth recipient

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 9, 2009 3:44 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Nobel Peace Prize President Obama won today is nothing more or less than the “fourth Nobel Prize for Not Being George W. Bush,” writes Michael Grunwald. The other beneficiaries of the NPNBGWB were Jimmy Carter in 2002, for criticizing the Iraq war buildup; Mohamed ElBaradei of the IAEA in 2005, for refusing to kowtow on WMDs; and Al Gore in 2007, as a contrast to Bush's climate-change denials.

"This ill-concealed crusade is clearly damaging the prestige of the Nobel," writes Grunwald in Time. "The winners are supposed to be honored for their achievements, not for symbolizing the committee's grudges. And it probably won't do Obama any favors; he wants to be a leader, not a symbol, and honoring him for his rhetoric about a new American approach to diplomacy only reinforces the meme of his critics that he's merely a man of rhetoric."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

President Obama arrives in the Rose Garden today. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Former President George W. Bush. (AP Photo)

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In foreign affairs, the US doesn't need to be loved, but it is nice to be less hated for a change...It's a point Obama should make more often. And he might want to add that a return to the Republican approach could win Daily Kos a Nobel Prize. - Michael Grunwald

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 27 comments

Toon

Oct 10, 2009 8:49 AM CDT

I agree but a crocus is beautiful for more than itself, both its timing to be first in the spring and that contrast with the snow that it emerges from make it all the better.

NewserScooter

Oct 10, 2009 4:27 AM CDT

WTH? What has he done? By weakening the US he is inviting aggression against us. He is emboldening our foes. I am certainly glad he brought us peace in our time. I wonder who else has done that this century. Let us also remember Santyana, and know our history before we repeat it. This kid president seems to not know the history of the last hundred years. Yeah the Taliban is so happy today!

NewserScooter

Oct 10, 2009 4:20 AM CDT

Or the Democratic Congress that wrote that budget, and passes half those things?

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Politics • Green • World

climate change • Al Gore • Jimmy Carter • IAEA • Nobel Prize • Nobel Peace Prize • rhetoric • George W. Bush • Mohamed ElBaradei • President Obama • Michael Grunwald • Obama Nobel Peace Prize

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Obama's Nobel Is the 'Not George W. Bush' Award