Congratulations, Dude

I second Al's comments.

Nobel Peace Prizes have typically been of two kinds -- to an older person, for lifelong achievement, or to a person still involved in a cause, in order to strengthen it. Obama believes he represents a new form of American leadership in the world, less belligerent and welcoming of everyone's views. This is a Nobel award that is actually quite shrewd:  For some time, it will coax and remind Obama to consider whether he is living up to that standard.  So he'll show us, going forward, the scope of his conscience, the degree of his ingenuity in strategies to end violent conflict and repression, and the extent of political risks he is willing to take for the sake of people's rights and opportunities.  The award is an investment in a new direction for America's role in the world.

It is also a rebuke to those who are willing to discard hope at the first sign that the American president may not fulfill their every wish.  Presidents don't change the world by making sudden decisions or signing laws.  They change it the way it is always changed:  to paraphrase Al, by organizing that change.  Successful organizing does not mean calling upon heaven to drop manna on us.  It means getting fractious people to shut up and start contributing to the process, in order to bring to bear more than your own personal power on a problem, and it means developing a strategy to present opponents with difficult choices so they end up doing what you want.

We haven't begun to see what Obama is capable of.  The Nobel prize will on his mind for quite some time.  It's a good thing.

 Nothing. It is a good thing.

Like Al said:  Walk your talk.  A challenge to us all.  This, to me, is the point of the prize.  This award, given to President Obama, show the importance of "grass roots support and action"; it changes the world.

A comment I made earlier today here @ The Field:

One year ago, many of us were working our collective ass off to get Barack Obama elected.  Obviously there is plenty of work to do all over the world in the promotion and actual "Living Peace".

A question:  How much $$ does he get?  Maybe he could kick in a bit to the School for Authentic Journalism...Hell, give all the $$ away!

Today is John Lennon's Birthday.  Imagine Peace.

Now, about all the wars...

Pitch, tone, perfect, Al.  I kinda want to say "you're welcome" to the world - and now, as Lorie reminds us, Imagine Peace - and work for it!

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.

More than 3,500 lives hae been lost in Afghanistan and Iran since February 2009.  Not one military base is closed.  40,000 more troops will be sent. 

1984 Doublespeak:  WAR = PEACE

"closed a particularly terrible chapter in the United States’ relations with the world" ?

Not "closed" in the sense of ending the war crimes in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or in shutting down our gulag of extrajudicial detention and torture.

If "closed" means simply "replaced Bush in office", they might just as well have given it to President McCain.

Am I wrong to assume that your reaction to that would not have been "Congratulations, dude" ?

Couldn't have said it better...

"Because President Obama has not been on a timetable of a fast-paced music video but rather has approached governing at a measured pace working for long term results the smart ass part of the left, raised on high sugar content breakfast cereals and too much TV, a group of people who think in soundbites and 30 second news cycles, will somehow, like the far right, turn this good news into bad news.

The rest of us who have steadily stood by our man, worked to get him elected and have faith in his brilliance, good humor, patience and kindness will rejoice."

...Frank Schaeffer at Huffpost

I wish I was surprised anymore by the childish, begrudging behavior of some on the left, but I no longer am. I think that Obama has set in motion a lot of things (especially in regard to nuclear disarmament and relations with the Muslim world) that if allowed to come to fruition will make it clear the Nobel Peace Prize was more than deserved.

Joe - I bet if you lived, worked and organized abroad, as I do, you'd see a chapter definitively closed and a new one opened. Even Hugo Chavez - in his recent UN appearance - while criticizing the "two Obamas" added that "it no longer smells like sulfur here. It smells like hope."

The problem with so many Americans of right and left is you can't see yourselves from outside of yourselves. It's a very insular society in that way. I would encourage more of you to get out of the "house" more!

As longtime FDL commenter Sara pointed out this morning, the Nobel Peace Prize is often awarded for work not yet done.

Furthermore, it's not as if Obama hasn't actually done anything concrete in the past eight months:

President Obama is slowly putting Iran in a box. His cancellation of the useless and expensive so-called missile shield program in Eastern Europe, which had needlessly antagonized Russia, has been rewarded with greater Russian cooperativeness on Iran. The U.S. right wing accused Obama of a failure of nerve. But in fact his move was shrewd and gutsy, since he predisposed Russia to increased cooperation with the U.S. in regard to Iran's nuclear research program. Obama's full-court press for a United Nations Security Council resolution on nuclear disarmament also pulled the rug out from under Iran's previous grandstanding tactics, whereby it accused the U.S. and its allies of only wanting nuclear dominance, not the abolition of nukes.

Obama chaired the U.N. Security Council at the summit level on Thursday, and managed to get through an important resolution on nuclear disarmament.

In less than nine months, Obama has turned around America's image abroad, to the point where we're the most admired nation once again.

I think this is nothing but a liability for the President - and he's boxed in by it. He undoubtedly cussed a blue streak when they told him.

Al's right about one thing - it's just an award. But it's added a political weight to his neck at a difficult time.

I say, "More of this, please."

That is the message I hear from the Nobel committee.  They are telling world leaders, we want more of what this guy is saying and doing.

I also say this to the US political pundit class. 

Americans want more of the kind of thoughtful commentary that Al offers, and less about who won the day inside the beltway.

More of this, please.

You really should crosspost at DailyKos...the teeth-gnashing is unbearable...

You would think for one day all Americans would be proud to be Americans. Not everything is about left or right politics, and this is good for America.

After eight years of, fear mongering, my way or the highway diplomacy, the rest of the world is starting to look to America as a leader for peace and hope in the world again, and we should as Americans be proud.

btw...how do I register for an account...I keep trying but never receive my pwd after confirming my account request.

Call me naive, but I think it's possible that the award might actually give Obama even more pause about escalating the war in Afghanistan, or undertaking other military adventures.

He's probably inclined in that direction anyway.  But I think that Obama appreciates the value of the new American image, and may try even harder to maintain it in view of the award.

@ Joel - thanks so much for posting the remarks from Frank Schaeffer. Sometimes I feel like I'm in Bedlam when listening to the crazy talk from left and right.

Thanks also to Al for always keeping it real and in perspective.

Fully agree with you, Al - I made basically the same argument. The world salutes the return of the US from barbarity to civilization, and gives a sigh of relief.

The White House has confirmed to CBS News that President Obama will give all of the roughly $1.4 million that comes with the Nobel Peace Prize to charity.

No word yet on which charity or charities will be the beneficiaries.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/09/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry...

In my view, the Nobel Prize is a very good thing. I remain on board with the POTUS (even with areas of disagreement).... because in the larger view, as Al says above, this is the “thanks, America, for electing this guy and, by doing so, giving us all more maneuvering room to work for peace.”

Saludos!

Tonya

Rejoicing all day. Thanks, Al. Congratulations to our President. Remember how hard we all worked to get him there and how hard he's working to get us there--where we dreamed we might be headed. Thanks again, Al.

The special Nobel Bonus Prize (it's two-for-one day) has been watching the Repubs squirm on this. The anti-American meme is solidifying around them. And the fact that the Taliban is in agreement with the Republican party made me want to crack open a bottle of wine early this morning.

Go-effing-bama!

As you are quite often:-) I should not spend so much time on dkos. I got quite frustrated reading comments over there.

I don't know how but you continue to surprise me with your sense of proportion and priorities with political events.  Thanks.

Americans of course are extremely insular.  What amazes me about the criticism is how people seem to think they know Obama hasn't done anything to earn this but they would be the last ones to keep track of events like the abandoned missile deployment in Poland, anti-nuclear agreements, relationships with Cuba or coordination with the OAS.  There has been some good work by his administration (no, I'm not completely happy either) even as key appointees continue to be blocked by Republicans.  And what is more, words count too.  They are not completely irelevant.  Obama's speech in Cairo was significant.

So yeah, congratulations dude.  Now let's go change the world.

Another very worthwhile read, for those interested in arms control, and more of the Nobel rationale.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-cirincione/its-about-the-bomb-not-ob_b...

Tom, I disagree that the Nobel has "added a political weight to his neck at a difficult time."  Obama clearly doesn't regard antagonism from the attack-prone cable news outlets or from right-wing Republicans -- who have already become the chief source of wailing and contempt for this award -- as worth his attention, so that's not going to weigh on him.  On the left, there will be enough praise -- from the human rights community, which will hope that it encourages him to be tougher on rights-violators, and from Social Democratic leaders and presidents around the world (like Lula in Brazil) -- not to complicate his room for maneuver abroad.

Internationally here's how the award is going to have a positive effect politically:  It will be as if he's been re-inaugurated, giving him a full head of steam in terms of prestige and renown, to enter the most serious phase of negotiations with Iran, and negotiations with Israel re the peace talks with Palestinians, with much more clout.  The Nobel Peace Prize is basically a seal of approval for his intentions from the international peacemaking community.  If Netanyahu is inclined to continue to stiff-arm him on the Palestinians, and if the Iranians don't fully come clean on their nuclear program, they know they will face an American president with consolidated global goodwill behind him.  This adds to pressure on the very people whom Obama has to deal with, to get progress on nuclear non-proliferation and on peace in the Middle East.  If they spit in his face, they're now spitting in the world's face.

And imagine that!  An American president who wants peace at the vortex of our previously most intractable animosities in the Middle East, now given a fresh mantle of praise and confidence from the most respected source of tributes to those who make peace.

I started the day with my jaw open in disbelief, shaking my head at the premature nature of the award, and preparing myself for the annoying talking heads going on about how little Obama has done. But looking at King and Tutu, who recieved awards when they too had not yet triumphed, I decided that this was (as the excellent commenter Jack DuVall pointed out above) a re-christening of Obama's agenda: nuclear non-proliferation, de-escalation of the Iranian nuclear escalation, peace in the Middle East, and winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (and so much more).

They have given him a brand new pair of shoes, now he must fill them. I believe he can, and I'll be helping to carry the burden placed on his shoulders.

great post. I was shocked, but the more I listened to the Nobel guy, the more I understood.

I was pleasantly surprised too by the news, and agree with Al per usual. I decided to celebrate by avoiding the media today, other than read the lead story.

One thread I picked up on there was the comparison between Obama and Bush-Cheney. I was wondering "why would they do this" and then thought about the world's fears of this reckless ideological war machine... and how it called Obama "reckless" for hoping for peace and so on. He was able to marshal and get through a groundswell of support in the US for an entirely different approach to foreign policy and one that involved not villainizing Muslims. His ideas are "dangerous" enough that Cheney felt compelled to call them out., etc.

You might compare it to Gorbachev in some ways.. in terms of resisitng hardliners, etc.

Al, are you sure it's Constitutional to call the President "Dude"?   :)

Thank you for this post Al.

I heard the announcement very early this morning and my heart lifted. We have been through a traumatic reversal of all that the US stood for during the Bush years.

The Berlin speech was understood in Europe, but not here. It shows the ignorance of the loudest media grabbers.

The Taliban have been making public comments for some time. I see this as a hopeful sign. They want to be heard and that can lead to negotiation.

The US was seen as a threat to the world when Bush was out there making those stupid statements.

It is change. There is hope.

We are in a narssisitic time. Too many people in this country are all about themselves and infantile. They know everything and because they are so self absorbed, they don't take in new information. They are limited by their beliefs that are lies that they tell themselves. If they don't know something, the make it up and state it as fact.

We have come back from the brink of failure as a nation and a permanent loss of rights.

A year ago, Bush was getting the cold shoulder and a pair of shoes.

We are now able to hold our heads up.

and playing it civilized. A welcome break.

To the right and to the left: Chill!

Especially to all of us who worked so hard last year to get Barack Hussein Obama elected, and watched with amazement time after time as he demonstrated he knew what he was doing.

To long-time Fieldhands: remember Al's Chicken Little shots? I think some here need another dose!

O ye of little faith!

I think the President's next award needs to come from the International Chess Committee (if there is such a thing...)--c'mon guys...THINK!

Those who say "he doesn't deserve it because he's ONLY been in office nine months" then turn around and say "he's been in office NINE WHOLE MONTHS and he hasn't done this, this, or this..." make up your mind!

GWB was right about one thing: campaigning and governing are two different things...

Be like Tammy Wynette AND Hillary Clinton and "Stand by your Man!" Geez!

Give O an effing break!

waterprise2 AKA Pam

Liberal with a Capital L!

Honestly, doesn't it just seem somewhat wack to give the Peace Prize to someone who has escalated a war (and is about to do so again)? This is not to belittle the good first steps Obama has taken on other diplomatic challenges (Iran, Israel, Honduras, Russia, and others), but I have a very hard time equating Afghanistan with Peace Prize. I know he inherited the war, but instead of shutting it down, he's trying to win a "victory."  (And yes, I realized that was a campaign platform plank - that doesn't mean I supported it, or that the Nobel committee should ignore it)

I think it's perfectly fair to offer him support on issues where good moves are being made, while still finding this award to be a little too close to "War is Peace" 1984-esque.  Indeed, I find the "Stand by your Man" attitude really concerning: shouldn't we be trying to get our man to do what's best?  That doesn't imply blind support.

Gotta say, my gender-pioneering inner feminist cringes at the "stand by your man" meme.  Do I want to be some guy's dumb, enabling, silenced, abused and neglected chickie-babe?  Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and then roasted it over a bonfire in the middle of the desert.  There was a reason feministas were made queasy by Tammy Wynette.

But I'm glad--and determined--to stay with this Obama guy.  It's not a matter of "holding him accountable".  What I elected him for is what he's doing--the best he can with a disfunctional, moderately corrupt, and fractured government in a whacked-out country (dope, religion, or Froot Loops, what does it matter?).  The only thing that's bugged me is the number of issues on his agenda.  But even that might be strategery--I mean, how many things has he gotten done while we were all staring at something shiny?

As for me, I'm thinking of joining the UCJW to see what kind of ruckus we can raise on social issues during this year's legislative circus--uh, session.  Nothing like a bunch of pissed-off Jewish ladies knocking on the door to disorient the good-old-boy sagebrush rebels.

Bless those Nobel guys.  Organizing Obama is the new black!

Thank you for very thoughtful writing, Al! I am becoming a fan of your blog :)))  I got your point, but don't you think that the Noble Prize is too reputable award to be given "in advance"? Winning the elections and doing something for establishing global peace that deserves the Noble Prise are two different things, aren't they? I have nothing serious against Obama and his policies, but giving him the Peace Award didn't seem logical to me, I am sorry...

Obama's actions speak perfectly clearly. He's not a man of peace. He's a corporacrat - it's not likely that one would get the US presidency although, hopefully, Manuel Zelaya will give future contenders some ideas - and he behaves like one. What's a corporacrat? A handy way for me to answer that would be to suggest to you good people to go pick up a second hand copy of Naomi Klein's bestseller, The Shock Doctrine. Those who sell and help maintain corporatocracy governments are not innocent.

Where's the peace in Palestine? Where's the hope for it even, as a Gywnne Dyer piece in the Straight recently noted (interestingly, a link, in a comment by a poster to Narco News's 'Field' section, that was supposed to take us to a Dyer article about Honduras landed me on a Dyer article about Palestine). Where's the peace in Haiti? Where's the peace in Honduras, which the US has indirectly backed?

Then there's the matter of the Nobel Peace prize itself. I hope I'm a principled person. So I just don't get the equanimity with which 'progressives' view this whole award process and the award itself. I don't share Al Giordano's sentiments about it, I'm sorry to report. I'm more in tune with what Stephen Lendman says about the Nobel Peace prize, which others can consider for themselves:

http://bit.ly/GZ2Ok

Other than that, I'm a fan of Al Giordano and team's work. I'm very happy there are those out there (bloggers, for example, commenting in The Field) who aren't going to let go of this matter of the Honduran Coup and the US turning it's hostile attention back toward South America.