President Bill Clinton deserved a Nobel prize too .....

[UndertheOcean]

At least considering the prize's current threshold of accomplishment.


He fought tooth and nail to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians . He might have failed , but not from lack of trying. Yet the Nobel committee snubbed him.

Why is that ?

[BlooInBloo]

1. Curses! They found out our dastardly attempt to slight Clinton!

Moar bitter tears plz. MOAR!!

[Cha]

11. Unreal, the poutrage

of whine and cheeze over PO getting the NPP. In the immortal words of Douglas Brinkley, "It was an Inspired Choice".

Cross posted from GDP

BeyondGeography (1000+ posts) Sat Oct-10-09 07:48 AM
Original message

Douglas Brinkley: Obama has already confirmed his place of greatness
Well-Deserved Prize

I was shocked by the sudden announcement that President Barack Obama won a Nobel Peace Prize. I just didn’t see it coming. But, after a half-day of reflection, I now firmly believe it’s an inspired choice.

...the Norwegian Nobel Committee never claimed they were giving President Obama the award for his nine-month old presidency. Barack Obama, it seems, deserved the Nobel for his audacious ability to navigate the curse of racism with unparalleled integrity and high-mindedness...Plus, let’s face it, Obama has become the world ambassador of hope — quite a burden to carry. Millions of mothers in the world, whether in a remote village or a forgotten corner of urban sprawl, often tell their sons and daughters: “Yes, you can grow up to be like Barack Obama. Oh, yes you can!” As the Nobel Committee knows, there is a huge battle being waged between the forces of light and darkness in the world.

President Obama is one of the brightest flames the human rights movement has seen since Mahatma Gandhi (who never won the prize) took up his loom and marched to the sea...No matter how his presidency develops or the planet evolves, he has already confirmed his place of greatness. For he didn’t just write “The Audacity of Hope,” he actualized it on the campaign trail of 2008. We spend billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to win over hearts-and-minds to the American Way. President Obama has done the same service on the cheap.

From Cairo to Johannesburg and beyond, he has inspired scores of marginalized teenagers to believe they have a chance at the Main Game, that ballot-box democracy does produce free-and-fair elections. Having our president win the Nobel should be a cause for national honor and civic pride. President Obama represents for the world the cornerstone of our heroic American tradition, where Horatio Alger-like personal biography intersects with our future dreams. Let’s be frank: without hope there is no peace...

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/what-...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8694906

[Number23]

81. Did you see the one yesterday asking if maybe Kucinich could get one next??

It was all I could do not to type "Get over it. JUST GET THE FUCK OVER IT."

[treestar]

2. When did he do that?

It depends on what was happening during those years.

If it was 1994, he got beat out by Yasser Arafat, but in that year Yasser may have deserved it more according to the committee that year.

See this year is what matters. So year to year the recipients can't be compared.

[madinmaryland]

3. The Clenis??

[Orrex]

8. The Clenis won its own award in 1998

[Arugula Latte]

18. The Clenis is quite upstanding.

[Orrex]

4. Clinton didn't have a plan to blow up the Moon

[joeycola]

5. I knew had to be something big like that.

[Cha]

13. He was a little busy dealing with

Rwanda.

[madrchsod]

15. did you mean not dealing with rwanda?

[madinmaryland]

14. ...

No, but he did get blown by the Moon.

:hide:

[DJ13]

6. Wouldnt that be a "Piece" Prize?

[Solomon]

16. snicker

snarf. LOL

[michreject]

48. I wasn't gonna say it

LOL.

[joeycola]

7. and don't forget his and Hillary's work in N. Ireland.

[tishaLA]

9. He will get one because of the CGI

It's doing important work and it's just a matter of time before he's recognized

[Orrex]

19. CGI is totally overused

[Bumblebee]

10. he just wants it too much and expects it every year. Committees -unfairly so in his case

have a way of not yielding

[handmade34]

12. nonstarter... moot point...

[TicketyBoo]

17. Unfortunately

Bill Clinton didn't limit his lusting to "in his heart."

He literally fucked up his chances at a Nobel Peace Prize, even if it was only a blow job.

[Beacool]

20. My, my, my, look at the responses..........

Bill Clinton, does not deserve a Nobel Peace Prize, but Obama does.

:crazy:

[Orrex]

21. Why, then, do you think Clinton should have gotten it and not Obama?

After that, why don't you give the Nobel Committee a call and tell them how to make their selections?

:crazy::crazy:

[Beacool]

23. If we are going to go by actual work done,

Clinton far deserves it over Obama. Obama may deserve it in years to come, but he sure as heck didn't deserve it at this point in time.

:shrug:

[Orrex]

24. Well, give them a call

[tabasco]

30. Says you

and the republicans.

Get lost.

[Beacool]

32. And most objective people.

;)

[tabasco]

39. Yeah, I just need to review your posts from the primaries

to see how objective you are.

[Beacool]

42. Hey, it works both ways.

Far too many on this board would not find fault with Obama even if he had a smoking gun in his hand and a dead body at his feet. To insist that after a few months in office he should have won a Nobel Peace Prize is just amazing.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

54. "Far too many on this board would not find fault with Obama even if he had a smoking gun in hand"

I could name 10 right off the bat.

Of course I won't, because that would be against DU rules.

:D


:hi:

[Beacool]

55. Hi Jesus!!!!!!

I hope that all is well with you, my friend.

:pals:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

58. Everything's great, Bea... UT won the ballgame today (against Georgia), and I've got pizza ordered.

Life is good, my friend.



:pals:

[Beacool]

59. Congratulations!!!

I'm a Gator, that's my school. Enjoy the pizza!!!

:hi:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

61. I actually rooted for the Gators when they played against the Vols (this year).

I didn't want TN to beat them in a freak accident when I knew the Gators were MUCH better anyway.

I'm all about the SEC when it comes to football!

I hope the Gators beat LSU tonight!

[Beacool]

62. Thank you!!!

:hug:

[Beacool]

82. Florida won!!!!

Gators 13 - LSU 3

Go Gators!!!!

:woohoo:

[Baltoman991]

75. Oh bullshit!!!

To sit here and imply that only those who aren't objective think Obama deserved this award is bullshit.

It's you who can't be objective when it comes to the man. You're living in a fucking time warp with all things Clinton.

Bill Clinton was great, but that ship has sailed. Hillary Clinton lost, time to get over it.

The committee explained it quite well. Many others have applauded the choice. Yet here you are still whining "what has he done". If you'd get your head out of the Clintons ass you'd know what he's done. But I don't expect that to happen any time soon.

[Number23]

83. Bra-FUCKING-Vo! Damn, I need a cigarette after reading that!

Sad thing is, Bea will go to her grave doing the complete opposite of what you so wisely advised her to do. Her ship sailed up the Clintons' butts far too long ago for her to steer it somewhere else now.

[Beacool]

96. Coming from two who are so far up Obama's butt, that is very funny.

Ironic, but funny nonetheless.

:rofl:

[Beacool]

84. Oh, take a chill pill!!!

I'm too happy that the Gators won to argue with you.

:7

[CakeGrrl]

31. Just read the explanation of the panel. If that ain't good enough, too bad.

But of course, I KNOW it won't be good enough because President Obama got something that Clinton didn't, and that no doubt bugs the hell out of you. Oh well.

[Beacool]

34. The explanation of the Committee?

a) He captured the attention of the world

b) He's not Bush

c) The US elected an AA

Not much of a criteria for awarding a Nobel Peace Prize........

:shrug:

[Toucano]

40. You are being myopic.

Perhaps it is deliberate.

[Beacool]

41. Nope, I'm being a realist.

I have said it repeatedly and I'll continue to say it, some day Obama may be deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize, but he is not deserving of it at this point in time.

[Toucano]

52. The committee unanimously thinks he is. Your grousing about it seems petty.

Perhaps you fail to recognise the impact the commitment to diplomacy has on the rest of the world.

Perhaps the committee does recognise this importance.

[CakeGrrl]

43. Talk about seeing what you want to see

If you decide to exercise selective cognition, that's your prerogative.

But it doesn't take the award away from him, nor does your fervent wishing that he didn't get it.

The President has won the Peace Prize, and he is now a Nobel Laureate. Period. The naysayers can kvetch and moan and grind their teeth and into a catatonic state for all the good it does.

[Beacool]

44. Oh, it personally doesn't affect me.

After a while it's all just a big joke.

:7

[CakeGrrl]

50. Whatever gets ya through any positive Obama developments

You keep on with your coping mechanisms, and I'll enjoy the fact that our President received this honor (or accolade, if you prefer the SoS's terminology, which I'm sure you do) and that he's receiving congratulations from around the world.

Win-Win!

[paulk]

70. what criteria is needed?

I mean, really - Henry Kissinger won the damn thing in 1973, it's not as if the bar is set that high...

[Beacool]

79. Well, that says it all and proves my point.

;-)

[BlooInBloo]

46. Thank the lawd you showed up. The bitter tears were drying up. Moar plz!

[Beacool]

47. What bitter tears?

It's all too funny if you really think about it. The Nobel Peace Prize is now a popularity contest.

:D

[CakeGrrl]

53. Ah, some acknowledgement of President Obama's world popularity

Yes, he's still got it. The Olympic vote didn't diminish his star power, and his political capital is increased.

It's funny how people try to trivialize something that they didn't want someone to get.

[Blue-Jay]

22. I just re-read the entire thread.

Did someone respond that he "didn't deserve it", cause I ain't seeing it.

[Beacool]

25. You didn't read the snide remarks?

:eyes:

[Orrex]

26. Some of the snide remarks are using Clinton to mock the thread

Rather than mocking Clinton himself.


A subtle difference perhaps, but a big one.

[Blue-Jay]

27. So "snide" is the same as "He didn't deserve one"?

The snide comments are directed at the silliness of the OP.

[sweetloukillbot]

28. Arafat and Peres won the prize in 94

Carter didn't win the prize in 79 for brokering Camp David - Sadat and Begin did. Maybe Clinton will get it 20 years later like Carter did for Camp David.

[dsc]

33. Carter didn't get it for Camp David but for his ex presidency

[sweetloukillbot]

64. Actually, that's what I thought initially....

But the line around here from the "Obama doesn't deserve it" crowd is that Carter won the prize for Camp David.

[onehandle]

29. No matter what the Clinton haters say, he will get one soon.

I'm glad Obama already got one, because that eliminated the speculation pretty much forever. "Is this Obama's year?"

[Are_grits_groceries]

35. I also think Clinton

has a good chance to get one. He is doing a lot of good work in a lot of areas.

[BlooInBloo]

36. Oh. Is there a rule that a person can't have it awarded twice?

I'm not up on the details of the prize.

[jmm]

49. Madame Curie got two.

I know it's happened to other people too. I think also in science categories.

[Orrex]

56. Linus Pauling won it for Chemisty in 1954 and for Peace in 1962

To name one example. But you're absolutely correct about Mme. Skłodowska-Curie, and she was the first to do it!

[harkadog]

66. The Swedes issue the science Nobels. The Norwegians issue the Peace Nobel.

[Orrex]

69. Cool to know, but....

What?

[harkadog]

76. If you read the posts someone asked if you could get it twice

Someone else said that someone had gotten it two time - one for for a science and one for a peace. I was just pointing out two separate organizations give the science and peace prizes. Under the rules you can be nominated many times but only receive it once as an individual (organizations can receive it more than once).

[Orrex]

78. Ah--thanks!

I saw the part about winning twice, but I didn't know about the per-organization limit.

[onehandle]

68. Highly unlikely in this political world.

Maybe in the eighth year of his Presidency. Maybe later.

I would bet big money that Clinton will get it before Obama ever does again.

[BlooInBloo]

93. So there is no such rule. Thanks!

[elocs]

37. Sometimes people get what they deserve, sometimes they don't.

It's their prize, their rules. They can do as they like. Such is life.

[Toucano]

38. The committee deemed the works of others more worthy at the time.

There's still time for Pres. Clinton, however.

It's not like the Academy Awards® where each YEAR recipients are acknowledged for their work from the previous 11 months.

There's no limitation.

[EmilyAnne]

45. No one ever said life was fair, UndertheOcean. nt

[UndertheOcean]

51. That is true.

[Greyhound]

57. I didn't even know there was a Nobel Prize for fucking people over with a big smile. n/t

[Beacool]

60. Well, now you know.

It's a popularity contest. You betcha'!!!

:7

[bigwillq]

63. How dare you bash a Democratic president.

:mad: :eyes:



:P :rofl:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

65. What a nasty comment. Bill Clinton gave me hope as a kid growing up in a...

nasty, homophobic, Republican household.



I remember sitting in church hearing the preacher talk shit about Bill and Hillary (and yet churches are supposed to be non-political).


I can only imagine the hope Barack is giving the minority children of today.



I've said it before, and I'll say it again... Bill Clinton gave me hope.


Was Bill perfect? Heck no. Is Barack perfect? Heck no.


I'm sick of people comparing Bill 15 years ago to Barack now.

[BlooInBloo]

71. :)

[Beacool]

80. Funny, I thought he meant Obama.

Don't get upset, Jesus. I'm glad that Bill gave you hope when you were growing up. He may have his flaws, but he's a good man.

:hug:

[Number23]

85. It's obvious that you thought he was referring to Obama, Bea. The comment was negative, wasn't it?

[Beacool]

87. Well, since talking is his specialty, I thought that's who he meant.

;)

[Number23]

89. Bill would be very offended to hear you, his number one fan, say that talking is his number one spec

I'm sure that he thinks it's his "between the sheets action" like every other man.

[Beacool]

91. I was referring to the current president not the former one.

As for Bill's prowess in bed, good for him........and Hillary.

}(

[Number23]

92. No need to backtrack. I'm sure that you are certainly not the only person to think that Bill's

greatest strength resides in his tongue.

[Greyhound]

97. I can see how a child would have that perception.

As one of the adults that had worked his ass off for years and taken on unreasonable debt to build a successful career, only to have it taken away in order to make a few billionaires, I have a different perspective.

Clinton destroyed at least two industries and wiped out thousands of families with his corporatist bullshit. All so that they wouldn't have to pay a living wage.

[lumberjack_jeff]

67. Because back in those heady days...

... the international community had higher expectations of americans.

[Cha]

86. Yeah, like not screwing around with

Interns.

[lumberjack_jeff]

94. Zell, is that you? n/t

[Cha]

95. No it's

fucking Monica.

[Liquorice]

72. He also deserved it for his involvement in the Irish peace process, which

resulted in the Good Friday Accord.

[showpan]

73. I would guess

that maybe some of the woman and children who have died as a direct result of so many years of economic sanctions would have something to say against this. Or maybe some of the millions of unemployed manufacturing workers who's jobs were shipped overseas might have a different view. While Clinton did a lot of good, he also did a few very, very bad things.

[Liquorice]

74. Obama has renewed sanctions against Iran and Syria. There goes that argument. nt

[Orwellian_Ghost]

77. For uh

bombing Serbian radio station and crushing millions of Iraqis?

Oh the standards of those crazy Norges perhaps could've allowed for such a thing eh?

Neo-liberal world order and all that?

[jasi2006]

88. I expect Clinton to get one eventually for his world-wide help

with AIDS and poverty through his foundation. Maybe he and G H Bush will get one together? The Freeps would go insane!

[Sultana]

90. PUMAs stop, embarrassing yourselves