Bando
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
I've got some regrets!
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Post by Bando on Oct 9, 2009 5:02:52 GMT -5
Wapo LinkUm, what? This really doesn't make much sense, and I'm sure the prez is just going to see this as a distraction. Cue conservatives going insane in 3, 2, 1...
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by theexorcist on Oct 9, 2009 5:28:34 GMT -5
You didn't win the right to host the Olympics, so here's a nice parting gift!
Really, it was apparently for his outreach to Muslims. He, um, didn't do anything to outreach to Muslims, save give some speeches.
Then again, the most recent slate of winners includes a lot of head scratchers. May be time to really modify the voting system.
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The Stig
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by The Stig on Oct 9, 2009 6:12:53 GMT -5
Maybe in 4-8 years' time, but now seems a bit strange.
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DFW HOYA
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by DFW HOYA on Oct 9, 2009 6:31:43 GMT -5
Then again, the most recent slate of winners includes a lot of head scratchers. Agreed--I think it has become a collection of figures little known outside the State Department and the ICC, so maybe this refocuses interest on the award as a whole. Does anyone even remember/care that the former president of Finland won it last year? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_Peace_Prize_laureates
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GIGAFAN99
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Post by GIGAFAN99 on Oct 9, 2009 6:34:35 GMT -5
Peter Gammons is reporting Obama is going to win the Cy Young for the first pitch at the All-Star game.
If it's ever bad PR to win a Nobel, this is it.
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DrumsGoBang
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
DrumsGoBang - Bang Bang
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Post by DrumsGoBang on Oct 9, 2009 7:21:55 GMT -5
I blame Arizona State for not giving him that honorary degree
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by theexorcist on Oct 9, 2009 7:28:26 GMT -5
Then again, the most recent slate of winners includes a lot of head scratchers. Agreed--I think it has become a collection of figures little known outside the State Department and the ICC, so maybe this refocuses interest on the award as a whole. Does anyone even remember/care that the former president of Finland won it last year? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_Peace_Prize_laureatesActually, the past few haven't been poorly-known. Poorly-known is actually not a bad thing. Ahtsisaari's not a bad choice. But ever since 2000, it's been a stink bomb. 2000 - Kim Dae-Jung - Questionable. Started the sunshine policy with North Korea, which keeps a despotic nutcase in power that keeps on working to get a nuke and make the world much less peaceful. But, North Korea was moved by his death. Since I'm not Korean and they seem to like him, I'll call a slight positive. 2001 - Kofi Annan - More a UN award than anything. Since then, Annan got busted for the oil for food scandal and the UN has remained blah. Push, at best. 2002 - Jimmy Carter - In the tank for Hamas, and keeps on saying crazy things so often that the USG has distanced themselves from him. Minus. 2003 - Shirin Ebadi - Worked for human rights in Iran. A good choice. 2004 - Wangari Maathai - Helped to knock out the ruling party in Kenya which had been in place for 40 years, and focused on the environment. A good choice. But, a year later, it was alleged that she had claimed that AIDS was designed by Western scientists to decimate Africa - and upon getting pressed, claimed that it didn't come from monkeys. Still, slight positive, but that's a big negative. 2005 - Mohammed El-Baradei and the IAEA - A rebuke to the US invasion of Iraq. The IAEA is getting creamed for their response to Iran, which has been largely toothless, but this is a plus. 2006 - Mohammed Yunus and the Grameen Bank - Awesome choice. Microcredit FTW. 2007 - Al Gore - Of all the people in all the world who have done stuff to address climate change, Al Gore is not prima inter pares. That's not a rock-star list. On the other hand, look at the 90s - Gorbachev, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mandela and de Klerk, Yitzhak Rabin, a UK NGO on nukes, two people who worked on East Timor's peaceful transition, an NGO working to eliminate landmines and two people who worked on the Norther Ireland peace process. It almost makes up for the fraud that was Rigoberta Menchu and the abomination that was Arafat winning. Almost.
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kchoya
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Post by kchoya on Oct 9, 2009 7:46:47 GMT -5
Don't you actually have to do something to win the award? This is the strangest thing ever.
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Post by WilsonBlvdHoya on Oct 9, 2009 7:48:59 GMT -5
I'm one of his biggest fans and I have to admit that this was ridiculously premature and completely unjustified based on the administration's record. OTOH, seeing the "vast right-wing conspiracy" reaction will be worth the price of admission! FWIW, I think he's outsourced too much of his leadership (see health care) and he demeaned his office by kowtowing to kleptocratic Eurocrats on the Olympic bid (a poor decision made with his Chicago cronies). He would regain immense stature by declining the prize and asking the Nobel Committee to reevaluate his candidacy after 8-10 years. Unfortunately, I don't think he has the guts to do it....
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TC
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by TC on Oct 9, 2009 7:53:59 GMT -5
I think you can throw away all the "world feels the same about Obama as they do about Bush" arguments now.
PS Suck on it Arizona State University Committee for giving out honorary degrees!
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nodak89
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Roy Roy Royyyyy!!!
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Post by nodak89 on Oct 9, 2009 7:56:09 GMT -5
He would regain immense stature by declining the prize and asking the Nobel Committee to reevaluate his candidacy after 8-10 years. Unfortunately, I don't think he has the guts to do it.... That is a brilliant idea!
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by theexorcist on Oct 9, 2009 8:06:18 GMT -5
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Oct 9, 2009 8:09:20 GMT -5
Can't argue that it isn't a silly choice, but does anyone think The National Review erupted in cheers again this morning?
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by Boz on Oct 9, 2009 8:49:21 GMT -5
The Nobel Prize for Peace lost all credibility with me -- and with many, many others -- when it recognized Yassir Arafat. Seriously, take a look at the list of winners. Pre-1994? Pretty commendable, overall. 1994 and forward? Head-scratchers (at best) galore. nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/I think you are all going to be disappointed in most of the conservative reactions, at least online. I'm sure talk radio will dish out heaps of outrage, but mild snark is about the worst I am seeing from my normal online haunts. The worst thing I saw was Erick Erickson make the claim that this was an affirmative action award. I'm pretty sure it was tongue in cheek, but that's because I've read him a lot; it certainly doesn't appear that way on the screen if you're not familiar with Erickson. (On the other hand, you have to give Erickson credit for his headline: "Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize: He's Becoming Jimmy Carter Faster Than Jimmy Carter" ;D ) Most of the conservative reaction I have read follows a few themes: - No, this is not a joke. - This is ridiculously premature. - He should turn it down. and - We are not at all surprised. As for me, well, I certainly think it is commendable for the prize committee to cite Obama's outreach to the Muslim world and his efforts to reduce nuclear proliferation. But, um, shouldn't we see some outcome to that outreach or, you know, actual results in reducing nuclear proliferation before we go handing out medals and 10 million kroner? (I also am unendingly amused that this award comes after last week's "I've done nothing" SNL skit.)
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Post by WilsonBlvdHoya on Oct 9, 2009 8:50:49 GMT -5
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derhoya
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by derhoya on Oct 9, 2009 9:13:03 GMT -5
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Oct 9, 2009 9:56:37 GMT -5
I think you can throw away all the "world feels the same about Obama as they do about Bush" arguments now. PS Suck on it Arizona State University Committee for giving out honorary degrees! That's the first thing I thought. Of course it is ridiculous. But I'm going to enjoy the explosion in some people's heads.
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Boz
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
123 Fireballs!
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Post by Boz on Oct 9, 2009 10:14:35 GMT -5
I think you can throw away all the "world feels the same about Obama as they do about Bush" arguments now. PS Suck on it Arizona State University Committee for giving out honorary degrees! That's the first thing I thought. Of course it is ridiculous. But I'm going to enjoy the explosion in some people's heads. Are you agreeing with the first part of the second part? The second part, fine. The first part seems like pretty flawed logic to me.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Oct 9, 2009 10:14:47 GMT -5
Like everyone this seems very surprising. One would think there are other more deserving candidates out there. But maybe I'm wrong. Can anyone name someone one out there who clearly got snubbed by giving it to someone who by most estimates, hasn't earned it yet? They do have the option of just not giving it out don't they?
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PhillyHoya
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Post by PhillyHoya on Oct 9, 2009 10:15:54 GMT -5
Nominations were due 12 days into Obama's presidency. Can I get an award after talking about something for 12 days? Cause I can/
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