** 9:52 am updated**
He is, as one WBZ producer joked this morning, the first Nobel Peace Prize winner to suddenly launch an aerial assault of rockets within hours of garnering the prestigious award.
President Barack Obama. Peacemaker. Moon Bomber.
Yes, it is the topic of the day. How does a President win a Nobel Peace Prize nine months into a presidency? How does a President win an award for peace on the same day he meets with his top commanders about how to handle a war?
Well, according to www.nobelpeaceprize.org, the awards committee has "attached special importance to Obama's vision of, and work for, a world without nuclear weapons." And this Associated Press article says it is a "myth" that the "prize is awarded.... only after they have proven successful... more often, the prize is awarded to encourage those who receive it to see the effort through."
Basically, the committee is saying: President Obama hasn't been successful yet, but this will encourage him to be successful in the future.
I'm worried that a "did he deserve it" discussion will quickly turn into a "we don't need health care reform" or "where's his birth certificate" discussion, so I'll throw out this question(s) instead:
Do you think he has done a lot for diplomacy in his first 9 months???
Are you proud or excited about President Obama becoming the first sitting American president since Woodrow Wilson to win?
Or... do you think this is a glorified "Man of the Year" award for someone who hasn't really had a chance to do anything diplomatic?
Our political analyst Jon Keller has blogged his thoughts on Obama's big win. If you want to comment on Jon's always provocative perspective, click on this link.
Otherwise, stay here in the Nation and debate. We'll share some of your comments on TV.
