Obama does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. Obama is a relatively decent, left-of-center President who has restored America's standing in the world and taken steps to ensure peace. Fine. But he still presides over a country that practices "extraordinary rendition," where people are nabbed and sent to countries where they can be legally tortured (in ways that make Gitmo look like Disney World). That is simply a defeating condition of his eligibility to receive a peace prize. And I am not even claiming he is a horrible president; I realize his actions are circumscribed by political realities he can't control. But so far he has done exceedingly little to transcend those realities, opting instead to prove how adept he is at working within them. Again, fine: he is a good politician. But so far he has not shown the moral courage that would make him truly deserving of the prize.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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I was really surprised by this one. If by nothing else, the fact that his nomination had to go in just a few weeks after he got into office. It's almost like they were handing out a "It's-Not-Bush!" prize.
Now, granted, I think our fearless leader could do some good, if he'd get out of the pocket of Rahm Emanuel (who, by all counts, is a brilliant strategist and is playing this whole game exactly as he should politically...but terribly in just about every other way I can think of. Of course, when your job is to keep the president in office and get him re-elected, well, you often bend the political branch.
Anyways, good to hear from you, Rooster.
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