With trepidation we link Rush Limbaugh, the formerly amusing and now ranting voice of conservatism, for his distinct interpretation of the Obamnobel:
Of course, this approach didn't work with Arafat, so we'll have to see. With a max of 60k troops needed additionally to anti-insurgentify Afghanistan, the cost will be high enough as it is. Pursuing the legacy of the Nobel may be just what tips the scales of presidential decision-making.
Meanwhile, even Mickey Kaus says that Obama should politely decline. This is not a good day for the President, who now must deal with the obvious disparity between his most ardent supporters' ardor and the reality of the present.
By the way, anybody remember when Ken Griffey, Jr. was selected for baseball's All-Century Team, ahead of Reggie Jackson and with more votes than Stan Musial? Prematurely awarded prizes are not feel-good occasions for the recipient, who has to live the rest of his life in light of the prize.
4 comments:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-09/whats-wrong-with-winning/?cid=hp:mainpromo2
Nobody blames him for winning. But this "tribute to American influence thing" is a little trite, given the fact that American influence has been dominant since WWII but BHO is the first to be prized for it.
True dat. But Bush had American negativity at an all time high and i have to think that at least some of this is "thanks for not being Bush." But you have to admit he is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he declines, he runs the risk of offending the international community; and accepting puts him in the awkward position he is in now. I don't think he had a good option.
This is the Nobel committee's fourth thumb in Bush's eye: Carter, El Baradei and Gore were the first three. Next up: John Kerry, for throwing away someone else's medals and mispronouncing "Genghis Khan" before a Congressional committee.
Obama is definitely trapped on this. He needs to remain cool and humble until the acceptance speech, and then accept on behalf of all of America, which has put a lot of blood and treasure into the world-peace-and-democracy thing. That will also silence his critics who say he rejects American exceptionalism.
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