Obama recieves the Nobel prize for hope-n-change. [Note by Dan]

As Dahlhalla already noted, from the AP comes word that Obama has been awarded a Nobel peace prize.  I didn’t know there was a category for hope-n-change, or for not actually accomplishing anything! 

The stunning choice made Obama the third sitting U.S. president to win the Nobel Peace Prize and shocked Nobel observers because Obama took office less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline. Obama’s name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president.
[snip]
The Nobel committee praised Obama’s creation of “a new climate in international politics” and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage. The plaudit appeared to be a slap at President George W. Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama’s predecessor for resorting to largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
[snip]
Rather than recognizing concrete achievement, the 2009 prize appeared intended to support initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.

[emphasis-ed.]
So it appears that this award is less about Obama’s actual accomplishments and more about his committment to the trans-national agenda as well as not being Booooooosh!; very nuanced criteria indeed. Or, maybe it’s a consolation prize for the snubbing by the IOC, or a recognition of him diminishing American power abroad as well as moving our domestic government in a  direction that is more palatable for the Euro-socialist dominated Nobel committee.  The article says it is unclear who nominated him for the prize; maybe Al Gore, Vladimir Putin, Hugo Chavez, or Ahmadi-Nejad?  What’s certain is it appears to be more of an honorarium than anything, and suspiciously seems designed to enhance his domestic popularity at a time he most needs it. I know I’ll be called a hater for questioning the timing and intent, but it smacks of the UN and the “one -worlders” meddling in our domestic politics.  I guess it was easier than doing so on behalf of freedom in Iran…

As always, the British newspapers don’t pull any punches:

Rarely has an award had such an obvious political and partisan intent. It was clearly seen by the Norwegian Nobel committee as a way of expressing European gratitude for an end to the Bush Administration, approval for the election of America’s first black president and hope that Washington will honour its promise to re-engage with the world.

Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace.

[emphasis-ed.]

Considering the title of the article is, “Absurd decision on Obama makes a mockery of the Nobel peace prize”, you can get an idea of just how phony this comes off, even in the enlightened global community.

Dan’s note: Lots of people are upset about this, but I think it’s friggin’ hilarious, and I’m also pleased about all the money I’m saving on acid, even though this attitude appears to make me an asshole.

UPDATE: Predictably the Democrats are breathlessly denouncing any and all who would not be ecstatic about Obama’s Nobel award, or any who might point out the seemingly political and contrived nature of it.  In fact, they lump those who do in with terrorists! and…wait for it…The Taliban !?!

“The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists – the Taliban and Hamas this morning – in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize,” DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse told POLITICO. “Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize – an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride – unless of course you are the Republican Party.

“The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It’s no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it’s an embarrassing label to claim,” Woodhouse said.

Wow. I guess they didn’t get the memo from the White House that the Taliban are no longer terrorist, but moderates. The quote is from a site that will not be linked here at POWIP, so instead I’ll point you to Cap’n Ed’s thoughts on it as well as Ace’s; both of whom link to the source of the official DNC quote. The only question I have for Mr. Woodhouse would be, does that make Peter Beinart, certainly no knuckle-dragging wingnut, also on the side of the Terrorists?

I had always thought the way these things worked was that you helped bring peace or democracy to some corner of the globe first, and then you won the Nobel Prize. But this year, the Nobel Committee has turned that logic around: It clearly likes what Obama is trying to do: on nuclear disarmament, climate change and Middle East peace—and so, in a “preemptive” strike, it’s giving him the award now, in hopes that doing so will boost his chances of success later. It’s an interesting idea. Perhaps next they’ll start giving Oscars not to the people who have made the best movies of last year, but to the people who have the best chance of making the best movies next year. After all, once you’ve already made the movie, you no longer need the encouragement.

I like Barack Obama as much as the next liberal, but this is a farce. He’s done nothing to deserve the prize. Sure, he’s given some lovely speeches and launched some initiatives—on Iran, Israeli-Palestinian peace, climate change and nuclear disarmament—that might, if he’s really lucky and really good, make the world a more safe, more just, more peaceful world. But there’s absolutely no way to know if he’ll succeed, and by giving him the Nobel Prize as a kind of “atta boy,” the Nobel Committee is actually just highlighting the gap that conservatives have long highlighted: between Obamamania as global hype and Obama’s actual accomplishments.

[emphasis-ed.]
Make sure to read the links for more reactions from media outlets and pundits on both sides of the political spectrum.

UPDATE II: For a more humorous take on the matter I suggest diving into the comments at the Hostages that accompany this funny post.

UPDATE III: Too good not to check! EddieBear at doubleplusundead UNLOADS! on DNC communications director Woodhouse’s risible remarks.  This is a great rant so make sure you read it all!

Who the fuck are you to throw around the “President’s Critics=Traitors” bullshit after the eight years of stupidity, where your side defended and praised rooting for DEFEAT AND DEATH IN A FUCKING WAR, just to score political points? Who the fuck are you to claim that I, as a critic of Obama, want to see this country suffer, while your side treated every lost job, flag-draped coffin, stock market drop, or uptick in oil prices as a chance to start measuring the drapes in the Big Boy Office? Who the fuck are you to sit there and smugly claim that satire and mockery of the President no longer is justified, after what you said and did for eight years? And who the fuck are you to tell me that my exercising of my First Amendment Rights puts me in league with people who torture and kill, shoot rockets at schools, behead people just for earing too short of a burqa, and burn little girls with acid if they want to learn how to read? I would say a comment as foolish as the one you uttered was beneath contempt, but since you already have to look up to see contempt, I guess that is an upgrade for you.

It gets better, trust me!

UPDATE IV: Don’t miss these photoshops by Slublog, inspired by this prize awarded to the O!nce …

UPDATE V: And, as usual, Doc Zero knocks the hide off the ball as he jacks it out of the park.

Obama was given the Nobel Prize, not because of anything he has done as President, but because of what the committee thinks he will do. His achievements are as non-existent now as they were on the day he was nominated. His agenda, however, is clear. He spelled it out in that insipid speech he gave to the United Nations a few weeks ago. Speaking as the leader of the indentured world, he made it clear that he plans to dim the lights on an America in decline, and humbly step aside as the post-American century begins. That’s why he won the Peace Prize. The Nobel committee has long seen the United States as the greatest threat to world peace, and the man who plans to bankrupt and disarm it has earned their admiration.

Another must-read by the Doctor.

UPDATE VI: The mustache of truth, justice, and the American way, John Bolton, restates my earlier intuitive assertion that this award was politically motivated. Based on his long foreign affairs experience and credentials, and the agreement of our independantly arrived at position,  I’d say that my gut instinct was pretty good; affirmation baby! sweet, sweet affirmation.  Cap’n Ed has the video here.