Obama Wins...Nobel Peace Prize?!?

Right, so you'll have to just imagine a semi-decent imitation of Gary Coleman as I say, "Whatchoo talkin' bout, Nobel Prize Committee?"

I mean, in spite of various qualms, I basically support Obama's agenda, but even if he were to successfully enact most of it -- which is certainly an open question this early in his tenure -- I don't know that even then he'd be deserving of the freaking Peace Prize. Like, health care reform could still be an excellent change for this country (assuming it passes, and assuming it isn't just an insurance industry boondoggle without a solid public option), but even that would have very little to do with peace per se. Granted, this thing he's pushing about eliminating nuclear weapons sounds nice, and peaceful, enough, but that's a pipe dream that I'm sure even he doesn't take seriously. Meanwhile, the dude's presiding over a couple major wars, and even though he's obviously going to be far less belligerent and trouble making than his dimwitted predecessor, it's kind of a central part of his job description to, you know, be in charge of violent military operations.

In short, while Obama's election has already meant a significant change in tone, and while he may yet prove to be a great president, there's really not any plausible scenario in which he could really be deserving of the prize, at least not while in office. Ergo, this was an extremely stupid selection by the prize committee. And in fact, while they may have hoped to somehow encourage Obama with the award, it's hard to see how this will be anything more than a distraction and mild embarrassment to him considering how undeserving he is in comparison to countless activists around the world.

Of course, this is hardly the first time the prize committee has made a stupid decision, and while Obama's selection is something of a head-scratcher, to say the least, it's nowhere nearly as outrageous as the time they gave it to that war criminal Henry Kissinger. In fact, there are arguably plenty of other selections (Yassir Arafat, Menachem Begin, Teddy Roosvelt, etc.) that were significantly more ridiculous than today's. So, if anything, this will just serve to further blemish the award's already shame-stained reputation...Which is too bad, because it often does go to people who actually deserve it, just as it should every year.

Finally, how much does the prize committee hate George Bush? I mean, you'd think that with the Carter and Gore wins they'd have made their point, that maybe they'd give it a rest now that the fool has finally been put out to pasture. But no, it's hard to see this as not being at least partially a third rebuke to the cowboy president, a "here's-to-you-for-not-being-that-asshole" award for Obama. And while I, and I'm sure most of the rest of the world, can sympathize with the impulse, I think the award could certainly be put to far better use. History is already rendering its judgement against Bush, and it doesn't need anymore of the Nobel input to do so, thanks very much.