President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Photograph of President Obama and his niece Savita by Pete Souza/White House

In a major surprise, President Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace prize, making him the first sitting American president to win the prize since Woodrow Wilson in 1919. (Theodore Roosevelt was in office when he received the honor in 1906, and Jimmy Carter won some two decades after he left office.) The Nobel Committee's press release said the prize was "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons... Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

In announcing the prize, Committee head Thorbjoern Jagland said, "The question we have to ask is who has done the most in the previous year to enhance peace in the world. And who has done more than Barack Obama?" So where was Barry when he got the news this morning?

In bed, according to a senior administration official, who tells the Times that press secretary Robert Gibbs called the president just before 6 a.m. to notify him. The source says, "The president was humbled to be selected by the committee"—and probably relieved he wasn't being woken up because the moon was obliterated. Rahm Emanuel says the White House had no clue Obama would receive the prize, which comes with a cool $1.4 million.

Asked why the prize had been awarded to Obama less than a year after he took office, Jagland said: "It was because we would like to support what he is trying to achieve. It is a clear signal that we want to advocate the same as he has done." Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, a former winner, told BBC, "It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope." It's funny to think that just one year ago we were faced the with possibility of a McCain/Palin administration, and now there's a Nobel Laureate in office. It will be fun to see how the right wing pounces on this; we're sure Fox News is going to have a very big day.

Update: Here's video of Obama discussing the prize.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 9, 2009 8:50 AM

Comments [rss]

anti-lib

yea do you lib thing and blame bush you bright

S.D.

(sigh)

"yea do you lib thing and blame bush you bright"?

Um, That's it? I'm "Bright" (Well, I think I am, but Shocked to hear you think so...)?

That's what you came back with? Are you crapping us?

Very Odd...

Tricksta

S.D.:

Stay after school and write on the blackboard fifty times:

"I will not feed the trolls."

S.D.

OOOOOkkkkk....

(Whew! Only 50 times!)

anti-lib

This P.O.S. president we have goes around the world bashing what America stands for and claiming we are a muslim nation in a post 9/11 world.

He refused to pay his respects to the dead at normandy because he didn't want to offend the german chancellor.

He targets the very system that put the spike through the heart of communism.

He violated the 5th amendment and 4th amendments of the constitution by taking over private banks and general motors and chrysler.

He destroys the value of the American dollar.

He writes in his own words when things go bad he will be on the side of islam.

He appoints perverts and racists as czars...

He fear mongers the country about how this is the worst economy since the great depression.... Last i checked i don't see any one on soup lines...

sends 780 billion dollars in the name to save the economy. 780 billion and there are more people unemployed than ever before..

Promised 2 million jobs.... They are no where to be seen...

covers name of jesus and symbols of god and jesus when he spoke at a catholic university.

This coming from a person who said he is a christian. He spent 2 yrs in pakistan when he was 19 yrs old... The guy had no job no money what did he do for cash...

promises transparency but seals all of his college records and passport records.

This is the person who call cops action very stupidly with out knowing all the facts...

So tell me where did he even exhibit any inkling of deserving a nobel peace prize when all his action have shown nothing more than prejudice and hatred towards America and white society.

Remember he was against the connecticut firemen who went before the supreme court to fight reverse discrimination.

So tell me again how he deserves the nobel peace prize?

Obama is nothing more than a agent for islam taking down our government from within.

S.D.

(sigh)

At the risk of feeding the Troll, O where to begin? Let's see:

This P.O.S. president we have goes around the world bashing what America stands for and claiming we are a muslim nation in a post 9/11 world.
Never actually happened but I sense you and reality have rarely met...

He refused to pay his respects to the dead at normandy because he didn't want to offend the german chancellor.
See above..

He targets the very system that put the spike through the heart of communism.
Ditto.

He violated the 5th amendment and 4th amendments of the constitution by taking over private banks and general motors and chrysler.
Wow, as the 5th regards "Grand Jury, Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, Due Process" and the 4th "Search and Seizure", I'd have to say: Put down the Crack pipe. At least this was new, usually it's the 10th amendment the radical right wingers bitch about...

He destroys the value of the American dollar.
Nope, Pres. GW Bush's admin did that. Pres. Obama was left holding the bag and cleaning up the mess.

(snip) Not worth commenting about...

He fear mongers the country about how this is the worst economy since the great depression.... Last i checked i don't see any one on soup lines...
...
Bwa-Ha-hahahahahahaaa!!!!!
(gasp)
Love it! A Whack job radical right winger complains about Fear Mongering!!!! So, bring a gun to any protests lately?

(snip) Not worth commenting about...

So tell me where did he even exhibit any inkling of deserving a nobel peace prize when all his action have shown nothing more than prejudice and hatred towards America and white society.
O! I get it! You're a Glenn Beck Fan! Now it all makes sense...
(Slowly, we should all back away from the really crazy man...)

(snip) Not worth commenting about...

Obama is nothing more than a agent for islam taking down our government from within.
O C'mon! You left out "HE'S NOT AN AMERICAN!!! ARRRRR!!!!! HE WASN'T BORN HERE!!!!"

You could do better than that, just go to "FoxNation", lots of Bulls__t there for you believe...

@Qraymond: I think it's safe to say he's Waaaaaaaaaayyy past tin foil hats.

Qraymond

I think I know someone who's going to be getting a call from the tin foil hat committee about his upcoming award...

potsmoker

SNESS-

it was an example, the man hours involved in picking the academy awards in more than TWELVE DAYS.

Obama was only in office for 12 days before the deadline for nominations ended.

you may not be familiar with the sciences, but scientists get nobel prizes based on their discoveries before the deadline, not what new discoveries or speeches they make during the consideration period.

apply that to the Academy Awards and thats like saying some great movie released last year shouldnt get an award because the current movie in theatres now sucks.

thefacts

I am shocked that all the conservatives and so-called patriots are not proud that an American won a Noble Prize.

Where is your national pride? Or does your agenda trump patriotism? Is YOUR being right more important than America being right?

Biff Sluggo

Once again, Beyonce gets screwed...

felixthecat2

President Obama and NOBLE PRICE winner just endorsed Thompson for Mayor. Sucks to be Red bitches.

Nyctini11

woot woot!

felixthecat2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8e28D4vxsU

Rooting Against America: Nobel Peace Prize Edition

felixthecat2

Poor conservatives, why did this have to happen to them on a 3-day weekend? :(

I did not realize the Nobel Peace Prize had an affirmative action quota," wrote Erick Erickson, of the site RedState.com, "but that is the only thing I can think of for this news."

potsmoker

with bill ayers and his homies from acorn

potsmoker

1.4MM will buy a whole lot of Newports for those times hes chillin on the white house porch.

felixthecat2

Joe Klein: "There is the sense that he has won simply by not being George W. Bush."

There is a slight whiff of condescension attending the announcement that Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize. There is the sense that he has won simply by not being George W. Bush. Effete Europe is congratulating rowdy America for cleaning up its act and not bringing guns to the dinner table...But let's face it: this prize is premature to the point of ridiculousness... And so, how to handle this "triumph" becomes a strategic puzzle that requires serious thought. Two immediate thoughts occur: he can't reject it, but accepting it can't be about him. He can and should immediately say something like, "I don't deserve this." That's a no brainer. The question is, what should he say after that?... I'm sure there are other things he can and should do--starting with finding an appropriate place to donate the $1.4 million that comes with the award. I'd give it to Greg Mortenson or someone else who has a successful track record of building schools in difficult places.

felixthecat2

Hamas Prime Minister: Nobel Peace Prize "Useless":

"Unless real and deep-rooted change is made in American policy toward recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people I would think such a prize would be useless," Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas prime minister in the Gaza Strip, told reporters after Friday prayers.