Obama's Peace Prize: The world reacts

Posted at 9:10 AM on October 9, 2009 by Ken Paulman (5 Comments)

The New York Times' Sharon Otterman has a nice roundup of global reaction from on The Lede blog this morning. The doubts that many people are expressing on News Cut this morning seem to be reflected elsewhere.

Be sure to listen to Midmorning today from 9-10 for more discussion - guests include Matthew Continetti, associate editor of The Weekly Standard, and Sen. Al Franken.

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Comments (5)

Listening to Mid Morning now about the wonderful honor bestowed on our President, I need to ask the begrudgers "is there anything this thoughtfu, man can do that you would consider positive in ANY way." ?You make it all sound so negative and endlessly boring and repetetive. Get a Life!!

Posted by MARY T. MOORE | October 9, 2009 9:52 AM

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Mary: Yes. We're just saying give him a chance to do it before you praise him.

Disclaimer: the above is based on comments in the News Cut entry, not on Midmorning.

Posted by Bismuth | October 9, 2009 10:05 AM

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For those who always see the glass half empty, you need to understand the strong desire for America's leadership in doing good in the world. It has been too long since the U.S. even talked about its traditional values, hopes and dreams for peace. Our actions have demonstrated imperialistic warmongering and complete disregard for anyone's welfare except for the richest in our own society and we are relatively a very rich society compared to those in most of the other countries of the world.
I have been to 18 underdeveloped countries and know that many people's lives are lived on no more than the hope for a better day. Finally we have a person who can give voice to those hopes even if he knows - and the rest of the world knows - that it will be a miracle to deliver on any of the promise for mankind to start acting like the superior species they fool themselves into thinking they are.

Posted by Dwight Bobson | October 10, 2009 2:40 PM

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For those who always see the glass half empty, you need to understand the strong desire for America's leadership in doing good in the world. It has been too long since the U.S. even talked about its traditional values, hopes and dreams for peace. Our actions have demonstrated imperialistic warmongering and complete disregard for anyone's welfare except for the richest in our own society and we are relatively a very rich society compared to those in most of the other countries of the world.
I have been to 18 underdeveloped countries and know that many people's lives are lived on no more than the hope for a better day. Finally we have a person who can give voice to those hopes even if he knows - and the rest of the world knows - that it will be a miracle to deliver on any of the promise for mankind to start acting like the superior species they fool themselves into thinking they are.

Posted by Dwight Bobson | October 10, 2009 2:40 PM

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I do not know what the problem is with President Obama being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is not like the Nobel Prize for physics or chemistry - it is not based on hard facts or specific research. It is not as if peace will be attained by our species in the near future. But those who work for it ought to be rewarded, as is the case with our president. He is in the process of ending an ill-begotten war. He has opened international dialogue. He is working towards equality at home, widening the scope of what is considered a hate crime. He has also, as Dwight eloquently stated, given voice to hope. Of course he has work yet to do, to continue earning it, but as he said, it is a call to action. He must dissolve Guantanamo, figure out a better plan in Afghanistan, and continue to open dialogue, but if people are saying he does not deserve the prize because he has not accomplished all this already, or has not done enough yet, I think they are letting their prejudices and impatience get in the way.

Posted by Benny | October 13, 2009 12:57 AM

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