The Only Political Question I'll Ask All Damn Year

I'm not the political type. It's just not my bag. So when topics involving politicians pop up on my radar, I tend to vurp a little in my mouth, gag a little, swallow it down like warm well Tequila at a seedy strip bar with a stripper who smells like the outhouse on a Tuna boat on my lap, and then I move on.

I also am not one with a very strong opinion on President Obama. He won the election. The GOP lost. Hannity and Beck are still crying on their cock shaped pillows. He is up for a job review in a tad under 1,100 days, whatever. He's the POTUS and I respect the position regardless of who sits in it. Fucking Kermit the Frog could be Prez and I'd still be indifferent. Pathetic on my part? Perhaps.

But tell me if this guy belongs on this list of people:

Mahatma Ghandi.
Kofi Annan.
Nelson Mandela.
Bishop Desmond Tutu
Mother Theresa
Martin Luther King, Jr...

Barack Obama?

Heh. Okay. Now, if he does belong on this list, what exactly has Obama done, citing crystal clear, incontrovertible examples, to win the world's most prestigious Peace award, the Nobel Peace Prize? Especially in light of the fact that the nominations were turned in on February 1st, a mere two weeks after his Inauguration.

Again, not a hater, I really just want to know how I can win one of these bitches to put on top of my kegerator.

Please discuss.

Comments

[Rich]

Interestingly, Ghandi never won a Nobel Peace Prize.

[Jack Klompus]

"Mahatma Ghandi"

Gandhi never won the Nobel Peace Prize. But Yasser Arafat did.

"Now, if he does belong on this list, what exactly has Obama done, citing crystal clear, incontrovertible examples, to win the world's most prestigious Peace award, the Nobel Peace Prize?"

First off, the Nobel Prize for Peace isn't about concrete accomplishment. That is why they cite each winner for his or her "efforts." You don't actually have to achieve peace. You just have to appear to be the least George W. Bush-ish person at the moment. It's the Scandavian equivalent of the Sportsmanship Award. Which is fitting since Scandanavia is the world's equivalent of the Sportsmanship Award (aka this guy sucked at the game but didn't stomp on the terrible towel).

All things considered, I'm at the very least proud that an American has won something. Now SNL can stop doing skits about how he hasn't accomplished anything (and CNN can stop fact-checking SNL skits making fun of Obama).

[Aaron]

I think that's right - it's the NPP recognizing Obama for being a stark departure from W. It's that he WANTS to acheive worldwide peace and him at least expressing that in his statements throughout the world has inspired people and given people hope - nevermind that he hasn't actually reduced the number of nuclear weapons in the world yet. In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations ...and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."

OK - Obama has probably done some for fraternity between the nations just by being him, and going on the Europe tour and inspiring folks, etc. But the second part... not so sure. Isn't he thinking about OKing another 40K troops to go to Afghanistan? Wouldn't seem to fit the "reduction of standing armies" qualification.

[Dr. Whatley]

Interestingly, Ghandi never won a Nobel Peace Prize.

You're right. I screwed up. I could've sworn he did. He was nominated a lot though. Next time, I'll do a little research on a topic I clearly have no idea about. Unlike strip clubs. Or as Pacman Jones so eloquently put them, "Scrip clubs". How rebellion.

Side question. Did Ghandi deserve one?

First off, the Nobel Prize for Peace isn't about concrete accomplishment. That is why they cite each winner for his or her "efforts." You don't actually have to achieve peace. You just have to appear to be the least George W. Bush-ish person at the moment.

Boy, that Bush cat really was a worldwide asshole wasn't he? And it's not so much that he might or might not have been an actual asshole, but, let's face it, perception is reality.

[Schmoopie]

President Obama's NPP does seem a tad premature. It's really the Nobel committee's "fuck you, George Bush" message. Which...could be more timely than it is.

Maybe I can get in the running for next year's NPP if I can get people to remember that it's spelled Gandhi. G-A-N-D-H-I. Because he liked to say HI to the world—there's your mnemonic device.

[Dr. Whatley]

Maybe I can get in the running for next year's NPP if I can get people to remember that it's spelled Gandhi. G-A-N-D-H-I. Because he liked to say HI to the world—there's your mnemonic device.

Sweet Jesus. I should totally write myself off on this blog. Misspelled name, no fact checking...wow. Brutal on my part.

[Jack Klompus]

"Isn't he thinking about OKing another 40K troops to go to Afghanistan? Wouldn't seem to fit the "reduction of standing armies" qualification."

Not to mention, that has was his position throughout his campaign.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton is probably wondering, "What, are my humanitarian efforts chopped liver? Who do I have to let suck my dick in order to get one of these medals?"

[Faith]

President Obama's NPP does seem a tad premature. It's really the Nobel committee's "fuck you, George Bush" message. Which...could be more timely than it is.

This is entirely the same message I took from it as well. As I listened to the interview Diane Sawyer had with one of the NPP committee members on GMA this morning, I could hear the glee in his voice, and almost expected him to end the interview with a "Hahahaha! SUCK IT G.W.!!!"

But maybe that's just the Republican in my head making things all about my party again.

[Vandelay]

You don't actually have to achieve peace. You just have to appear to be the least George W. Bush-ish person at the moment.

That's it right there.

Sometimes, image really is everything. I think after the election was won, Assman wrote something about being able to go to another country and say you are an American without being made to feel like a complete asshole. You saw people all over the world on that night dancing in the streets celebrating over an election in another country. Whether he uses that likability to truly execute peace remains to be seen I guess but I think that's the logic.

[Mr. Kruger]

I think Obama pretty much made it clear in the flattest acceptance speech I ever heard that he thought this was a joke.

I think after the election was won, Assman wrote something about being able to go to another country and say you are an American without being made to feel like a complete asshole.

I can verify this is true at least for South America. Euro-pods probably still have their fists stuck in their asses.

[David H]

Nobel Prize=Heisman trophy....fluff

[Faith]

Nobel Prize=Heisman trophy....fluff

Um, I'll take a bit of that $1.4M "fluff", thanks. Jeezy chreezy...