[Fasces]

Simple question. Should Obama refuse to accept the Nobel Peace Prize?

[DanDaMan]

Something stinks when the nomination deadline was less than two weeks after his presidency began.

[Brio]

Yes. I would have a lot of respect for him if he did.

Either that or accept it and donate the $1.4 million to me.

[Captain Sam]

He should. He'll probably get nominated once again 4 years later if he does turn it down now.

[Average Voter]

He should take it. The poor judgement would be fron the institute's side for offering it, not Obama's side for accepting it. I think they should give it another three or more years when they would have sound judgement because so far Obama has just been all talk and little play. Who were the alternatives to Obama anyway?

If Obama does refuse it and pretends to be modest, though, that would improve his image as a defender of peace more than accepting the prize would.

[Dr House]

He should, yeah.

[Guillotine]

On one hand, the U.S. I suspect will be pretty split on his award. So it would be better internally. But how would the rest of the world react to Obama snubbing the Nobel committee?

[Nets]

Arafat has one, which would make me decline one if offered.

[Paradigm]

Yes. He should state that he would prefer that they postpone the prize until after he's accomplished something. Though as someone else mentioned, it's all on the Nobel Prize committee's shoulders, not his. So he wouldn't be doing anything wrong by accepting it.

[Rodion]

Yes. He has done nothing - not a bloody thing - to advance the cause of peace. Also this:

Arafat has one, which would make me decline one if offered.

[Brio]

Arafat has one, which would make me decline one if offered.

Likewise, Henry Kissinger has one and Al Gore got one for essentially a power point presentation. Although if you are being honest with yourself, would you really turn down the prize money?

[Paradigm]

Although if you are being honest with yourself, would you really turn down the prize money?

I wouldn't, but I don't have two best-selling books.

[hannigaholic]

Yes

If Obama has any integrity, he'd accept that he has done nothing to deserve the prize.

[Brio]

I wouldn't, but I don't have two best-selling books.

I was referring to Nets claim that he would decline the Peace prize (and the money) if it was offered to him on the principle that it is tarnished for having Arafat as a previous winner. I agree that Obama is not hurting for money at all and he should probably turn down the prize.

[Little von]

He already said that he did not deserve it when he verbally accepted it. That was enough. Any more bitching about it should be directed to the Nobel Peace Prize committee.

Obama is the best president we have had since FDR. All you Obama haters are as un American as one can get. I don't think Obama deserved to win the Nobel Prize, either, but the way some of you are slamming the potus about it is pathetic.

[Nets]

Obama is the best president we have had since FDR.

Could you elaborate?

[Potemkin]

It would look very bad on the international stage if Obama refused to accept it. It would be interpreted as a snub to the Nobel Committee, and would imply to the international community that he is not seeking to mend the fences which Bush broke. Besides, Obama has stated that he doesn't think he deserves it; that's good enough. I suspect, however, that the Nobel Committee is playing politics here in a rather subtle way - by awarding him the Prize, they are challenging him to actually live up to it (which is probably partly what motivated them to give the Peace Prize to Arafat). They are nudging him, in the nicest possible way, in a policy direction they want him to go. That aim can best be accomplished by awarding him the prize as early as possible, rather than waiting a few years.

[DanDaMan]

All you Obama haters are as un American as one can get

I agree!
Lets' ship them all off to the EU!
Starting with the Bush haters first!

[Paradigm]

It would look very bad on the international stage if Obama refused to accept it.

Yes, that is something I've considered. But I figure if he claimed that he wanted to wait until he earned it, it might look more like humility than a snub. Maybe not. What's done is done, and it's probably best that he accept it.

They are nudging him, in the nicest possible way, in a policy direction they want him to go. That aim can best be accomplished by awarding him the prize as early as possible, rather than waiting a few years.

I still think it would've been better if they had waited a year. Then again, since mid-term elections are next year, that might come off as a duplicitous "October surprise."


Anyway, I think he played it well:

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee.

Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize, men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women and all Americans want to build, a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents.

And I know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

[Lightman]

Obama does not deserve the prize. However, I still believe he should accept it: to do otherwise would injure America's standing in the world.