Obama: I'm 'Surprised and Deeply Humbled' by Nobel

One says of critics: 'Where do these people come from?'

(AP) - The Nobel panel that gave the peace prize to President Obama is strongly defending its choice amid widespread criticism. "We simply disagree that he has done nothing," said chairman Thorbjoern Jagland. Another of the five panelists said of critics: "Where do these people come from?" The four who returned calls to AP said they expected the decision to generate both surprise and criticism. More»

(NEWSER) - Republican pundits reacted predictably to news of President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Noting that the committee gave the award on the basis of Obama’s efforts rather than accomplishments, John Bolton noted, “President Reagan called for a world without nuclear weapons; where was his Nobel peace prize?” But Reagan would have applauded the decision, writes Jonathan Curiel. More»

What do Sarkozy, Clinton and the Taliban have in common?

(NEWSER) - The decision to award President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize has clearly made some people unhappy, writes Katie Connolly for Newsweek. Here are six of the most peeved:

1. Nicolas Sarkozy: The French president was also up for the honor but was passed over for someone he’s described as “naïve and inexperienced.”
2. Michelle Obama: If you thought controlling “the one’s” ego was hard before…

Rush, fellow conservatives jump all over award

(NEWSER) - Rush Limbaugh doesn’t think the Nobel committee members were trying to honor President Obama—he thinks they’re trying to “emasculate" the United States. “With this ‘award’ the elites of the world are urging Obama, THE MAN OF PEACE, to not do the surge in Afghanistan,” he wrote in an e-mail to Politico. “They love a weakened, neutered US.” He added that he thought the award was a “greater embarrassment” than losing the 2016 Olympics. More»

Nope. Bo didn't go to Hawaii with Michelle...

(NEWSER) - Oh-oh. The star of the Obamas' holiday card is in trouble again. After the first family got a shellacking from Sarah Palin for featuring their dog, Bo, alone, on their White House greetings, they're now under fire for transporting the dog all the way back from Hawaii just to appear in a photo op with the president during a shopping trip in Virginia. It must have been expensive to ship Bo from Hawaii, where a neighbor reported seeing the Portuguese water dog and the first daughters, reports Politico . Not so, according to the White House: Bo didn't actually travel to Hawaii with Michelle and the girls. The family who reported spotting Bo in the Aloha state said: "We would like to apologize to Bo and the Obama family for any inconvenience this may have caused them." More»