President Obama and The Nobel Peace Prize?

Stephens, Bret. “The Perfect Nobel Pick.” Wall Street Journal. Wall Street Journal, 12 October 2009. Web. 15 October 2009 <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704429304574467080047317314.html>.

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In "The Perfect Nobel Pick", Bret Stephens implies that the selection of President Obama as the newest Nobel Prize winner should not be much of a surprise because his choice is consistent with many of the past winners. While some of the winners have been deserving people who accomplished much, like Martin Luther King and Mother Theresa, many over the last 100 years have been obscure figures that have not left a lasting mark on history. According to Oriana Fallaci, they share a common characteristic, they are what he calls "Goodists". He defines Goodists as "the people who believe all conflict stems from avoidable misunderstanding. Who think that the world's evils spring from technology, (as in military-industrial), and everything else, except from the hearts of men, where love abides. Who mistake wishes for possibilities. Who put a higher premium on their own intentions than on the efficacy of their actions. Who champion education as the solution whatever the problem. Above all, Goodists are the people who like to be good." The Nobel Commitee tends to recognize people like the Goodists. An example of a Goodist is past Secretary of State Kelloge who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1929 for trying to ban war "as an instrument of the government."

I have had a hard time understanding how President Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize when the nominations were due just twelve days after he took office. If Stephens is right about the way the Nobel Committee thinks, then that explains how they could have selected Obama. It does not matter to them that he has not accomplished much, it is enough that he pledges to "reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease U.S. conflict with Muslim nations, and strengthen the U.S.'s role in combating climate change." In other words, he fits the definition of a Goodist and is the "Perfect Pick" according to Nobel Prize winning standards. President Obama's winning the award has not made me think more of him; it actually has made me think less of the award. Most Democrats and Republicans agree that the award was given very premature and it should take more than just getting elected as president to receive it. President Obama now needs to back up what he said he was going to do in order to fulfill the standards of the Nobel Peace Prize or at least what the standards should be.