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Nobel Chief: Why We Picked Obama

'It's better to speak than to shoot'

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 24, 2009 8:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – Republican assertions to the contrary, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize panel that picked Barack Obama says the choice isn't meant to be a repudiation of George W. Bush. "This prize is not against anybody," Thorbjorn Jagland tells Deborah Solomon. He added, however, that he agreed it's "better to speak than to shoot."

In his Q&A session for the New York Times Sunday magazine, Jagland says Obama "has reduced tensions in the world to a large extent—namely, the divide between the Muslim world and the Western world, which is very dangerous. What he did was to go to Cairo and reach out to the Muslims. There must be a starting point, and this was a very important starting point." We also learn that Jagland drives a Volvo.

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Thorbjorn Jagland, with a photo of President Obama. (AP Photo/Torbjorn Gronning)

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I knew this would launch a big debate. But we have to look strictly to what Alfred Nobel said in his will—namely, to give the prize to the person who has done most for peaceful development in the world. - Thorbjorn Jagland, Nobel official

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 22 comments

Face-Of-RNC

Nov 30, 2009 5:51 AM CST

Case open.

riffran

Nov 1, 2009 11:11 AM CST

"Why does every argument become a battle of right vs. left".............Uh Nixon.....welcome to newser...it's almost comical....post something even slightly conservative oriented and watch the nattering......But there are a few "lefites" that are not really all that bad, and make very very good sense when they drop the anger......but they are the more rare ones

Ucantusethatname

Nov 1, 2009 7:14 AM CST

What has Obamessiah done to merit the award? A lot. To paraphrase Tom Sowell, because of Obamessiah the federal government can now arbitrarily cut the pay of private executives by 90%. The federal government now talks about restricting free speech on public radio and television. Federal legislation may well determine who receives and who does not receive medial treatment. Obamessiah talks about establishing a federal police force. He associated with a minister who says, "God damn America" and an academic who plants bombs. He has appointed czars who praise Mao. He has appointed persons to high government positions who reject traditional American values and our country's postion in the world. Obamessiah, little by little, is dismantling America. Not bad for his first year in office. The socialists in Norway are lovin' the new America.

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Nobel Peace Prize • President Obama • Thorbjorn Jagland • Obama Nobel Peace Prize

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Nobel Chief: Why We Picked Obama