2009 Nobel Peace Prize

Award given to Barack Obama yes 20px 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Barack Obama Norwegian Nobel Committee https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2009/summary/ Official portrait of Barack Obama (3x4 cropped).jpg "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." 9 October 2009 (announcement by Thorbjørn Jagland) 10 December 2009 (ceremony) Oslo, Norway 10 million SEK ($1.5M) 2008 Nobel Peace Prize 2010 The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to United States president Barack Obama (b. 1961) for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/ The Nobel Peace Prize 2009 Nobel Foundation October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091010170600/http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/ October 10, 2009 live The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the award on October 9, 2009, citing Obama's promotion of nuclear nonproliferationhttps://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8298580.stm Obama wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize October 9, 2009 BBC News October 9, 2009 https://swap.stanford.edu/20100129055740/http%3A//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8298580.stm January 29, 2010 live and a "new climate" in international relations fostered by Obama, especially in reaching out to the Muslim world.https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize The New York Times October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 Steven Erlanger https://web.archive.org/web/20110501012645/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html May 1, 2011 livehttp://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/10/10/archives/retrospective/obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize.html Obama Wins Nobel for Peace The Saturday Evening Post October 10, 2009 November 5, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091113002914/http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2009/10/10/archives/retrospective/obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize.html November 13, 2009 live The Nobel Committee's decision drew mixed reactions from US commentators and editorial writers across the political spectrum, as well as from the rest of the world. Obama accepted the prize in Oslo on December 10, 2009. In a 36-minute speech, he discussed the tensions between war and peace and the idea of a "just war"Zeleny Jeff Accepting Peace Prize, Obama Evokes 'Just War' The New York Times December 10, 2009 https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.html December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120210122241/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.html February 10, 2012 live saying, "perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the commander-in-chief of the military of a nation in the midst of two wars."https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-acceptance-nobel-peace-prize Obama acceptance speech transcript December 10, 2009 December 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20170216154336/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-acceptance-nobel-peace-prize February 16, 2017 live mdy-all Obama is the fourth president of the United States to have won the Nobel Peace Prize (after Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson and Jimmy Carter, with Carter's honor happening after leaving office). Selection and announcement The winner is selected by the Nobel Committee from nominations submitted by committee members and others. Nominations for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize closed just 11 days after Obama took office. There were 205 nominations for the 2009 award, which included Chinese and Afghan civil rights activists and African politicians. Colombian senator Piedad Córdoba,https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=avBkvKQKUpOQ Colombia's Cordoba Contending for Nobel Peace Prize Bloomberg October 5, 2009 Afghanistan's Sima Samar,https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5964X920091007 Nobel Peace prize seeks return to activist roots Reuters October 7, 2009 Chinese dissident Hu Jia and Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai had been speculated to be favorites for the award. The five members of the Nobel Committee are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament to roughly reflect the party makeup of that body. The 2009 Committee comprised two members of the Norwegian Labour Party, one from the left-wing Socialist Left Party, one from the Conservative Party of Norway and one from the right-wing Progress Party. The chairman of the committee was Thorbjørn Jagland, former Norwegian Labour Party prime minister and Secretary General of the Council of Europe since September 29, 2009. The panel met six or seven times in 2009, beginning several weeks after the February 1 nomination deadline. The winner was chosen unanimously on October 5, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10oslo.html The New York Times Walter Gibbs From 205 Names, Panel Chose the Most Visible October 10, 2009 but was initially opposed by the Socialist Left, Conservative and Progress Party members until strongly persuaded by Jagland.Dagbladet, "- Nobel-flertallet argumenterte mot Obama" Jagland said "We have not given the prize for what may happen in the future. We are awarding Obama for what he has done in the past year. And we are hoping this may contribute a little bit for what he is trying to do," noting that he hoped the award would assist Obama's foreign policy efforts. Jagland said the committee was influenced by a speech Obama gave about Islam in Cairo in June 2009, the president's efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and climate change, and Obama's support for using established international bodies such as the United Nations to pursue foreign policy goals. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100900914_pf.html October 9, 2009 The Washington Post Scott Wilson President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize The New York Times reported that Jagland shrugged off the question of whether "the committee feared being labeled naïve for accepting a young politician's promises at face value", stating that "no one could deny that 'the international climate' had suddenly improved, and that Mr. Obama was the main reason... We want to embrace the message that he stands for." thumb|alt=Barack Obama with Thorbjørn Jagland|Barack Obama with Thorbjørn Jagland at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony Obama was the fourth U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, after Theodore Roosevelt (1906) and Woodrow Wilson (1919)—both of whom received the award during their terms—and Jimmy Carter (2002), who received the award 21 years after leaving office. In addition, then-sitting vice president Charles Dawes was a co-winner with Austen Chamberlain (1925), and former vice president Al Gore was a co-winner with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007). Obama was the first U.S. president to receive the award during his first year in office (at eight and a half months, after being nominated less than two weeks in office), although several other world leaders were awarded in the year following their election to national office, including Óscar Arias (1987).https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1987/ceremony-speech/ The Nobel Peace Prize 1987 – Presentation Speech Egil Aarvik October 12, 2009 Reactions Barack Obama Obama said he was "surprised" and "deeply humbled" by the award.https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5981JK20091009?sp=true Obama is surprise winner of Nobel Peace Prize October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 Reuters https://web.archive.org/web/20091012134156/https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5981JK20091009?sp=true October 12, 2009 live In remarks given at the White House Rose Garden on the day of the announcement, Obama stated, "I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.""Remarks by the President on Winning the Nobel Peace Prize" https://web.archive.org/web/20091012085332/http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-Winning-the-Nobel-Peace-Prize/ October 12, 2009, October 9, 2009, retrieved same day "Throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes," Obama said. "And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action—a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century." He said those common challenges included the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons (which he said might not occur in his lifetime), nuclear proliferation, climate change, tolerance "among people of different faiths and races and religions", peace between and security for Israelis and Palestinians, better social conditions for the world's poor, including "the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future." The United States, he said, is "a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies." The award, he said, "must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity—for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard even in the face of beatings and bullets; for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy [referring to Aung San Suu Kyi]; for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away; and for all those men and women across the world who sacrifice their safety and their freedom and sometime their lives for the cause of peace." He did not take questions from reporters after giving his statement. Obama announced early that he would donate the full 10 million Swedish kronor (about US$1.4 million) monetary award to charity.Kahn Huma Nies, Yunji de Travers, Karen https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize/story?id=8788973 Obama on Nobel Prize Win: 'This Is Not How I Expected to Wake up This Morning' ABC News October 9, 2009 December 10, 2009 The largest donations were given to the housing charity Fisher House Foundation who received $250,000, and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund which received $200,000. Eight organizations which support education also received a donation. $125,000 was donated to the College Summit, the Posse Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation, and the American Indian College Fund. $100,000 was donated to Africare, and the Central Asia Institute.https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/us/12nobel.html Obama Lists Who Will Get Prize Money From Nobel Cooper Helene March 11, 2010 The New York Times March 12, 2010http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/11/2010-03-11_bams_noble_gift_of_nobel_cash.html President Obama donates $1.4M in Nobel Peace Prize award money to 10 charities, as promised March 12, 2010 Daily News New York March 12, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100314034021/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/11/2010-03-11_bams_noble_gift_of_nobel_cash.html March 14, 2010 live In the United States Obama's winning of the peace prize was largely unanticipated and called a "stunning surprise" by The New York Times, though major oddsmaker Centrebet had in fact put him at 7–1 odds of winning, with Piedad Córdoba and Sima Samar at 6–1 and Morgan Tsvangirai at 7–1.https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL7572564 PREVIEW-Nobel Peace prize seeks return to activist roots Wojciech Moskwa October 7, 2009 October 12, 2009 Reutershttp://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/09/reaction_obama_wins_nobel_peac.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110427220900/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/09/reaction_obama_wins_nobel_peac.html dead April 27, 2011 Reactions: Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize October 9, 2009 September 22, 2009 The Washington Post In a USA Today / Gallup Poll conducted October 16–19, 61% of American adults polled responded that they thought Obama did not deserve to win the prize, while 34% responded that he did; when asked if they were personally glad that Obama won the award, 46% of respondents said they were and 47% said they were not glad (poll margin of error +/–3%).http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/10/620000171/1 Poll: Most don't think Obama deserved Nobel award USA Today December 31, 2009 October 20, 2009 David Jackson There was widespread criticism of the Nobel Committee's decision from commentators and editorial writers across the political spectrum. The New York Times published a mildly supportive editorial which said the prize was "a (barely) implicit condemnation of Mr. Bush's presidency. But countering the ill will Mr. Bush created around the world is one of Mr. Obama's great achievements in less than nine months in office. Mr. Obama's willingness to respect and work with other nations is another." It said that much remains to be done. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/opinion/10sat1.html October 11, 2009 The New York Times The Peace Prize October 10, 2009 Among those agreeing that the award was a criticism of the Bush administration were the editorial pages of the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, as well as Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times. Jonah Goldberg of the National Review said that "surely someone in Iran—or maybe the Iranian protestors generally—could have benefitted more from receiving the prize"https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/hilarious-and-sad-jonah-goldberg/ Hilarious ... And Sad Jonah Goldberg National Review October 9, 2009 August 6, 2021 while in CounterPunch, political journalist Alexander Cockburn said that, in historical context of other former U.S. Presidents winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the award to Obama "represents a radical break in tradition, since he's only had slightly less than nine months to discharge his imperial duties". Peter Beinart of the Daily Beast called the decision a "farce",http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-09/obamas-nobel-farce/ Obama's Nobel Farce Peter Beinart The Daily Beast October 9, 2009 October 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091011105341/http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-09/obamas-nobel-farce/ October 11, 2009 live while Noam Chomsky said: "In defense of the committee, we might say that the achievement of doing nothing to advance peace places Obama on a considerably higher moral plane than some of the earlier recipients"."Hopes And Prospects" https://web.archive.org/web/20100213162101/http://chomsky.info/talks/20091030.htm February 13, 2010, Amnesty International Lecture given in Belfast, Northern Ireland, October 30, 2009 Many were critical of the Nobel Committee. A Wall Street Journal editorial, noting Obama's comment that the world's problems "can't be met by any one leader or any one nation", opined, "What this suggests to us—and to the Norwegians—is the end of what has been called 'American exceptionalism'. This is the view that U.S. values have universal application and should be promoted without apology, and defended with military force when necessary. Put in this context, we wonder if most Americans will count this peace-of-the-future prize as a compliment."https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703746604574463142879190358 The Nobel Hope Prize: An award for the end of American exceptionalism The Wall Street Journal October 10, 2009 October 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013032327/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703746604574463142879190358.html October 13, 2009 live The Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson wrote that the committee members "have forfeited any claim to seriousness. Peace—the kind of peace that keeps people from being killed and oppressed—is an achievement, not a sentiment. ... Intending to honor Obama, the committee has actually embarrassed him."http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obamas_nobel_for_good_intentio.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120112211731/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obamas_nobel_for_good_intentio.html dead January 12, 2012 Obama's Nobel for Good Intentions The Washington Post October 9, 2009 December 31, 2009 Michael Gerson Commentary magazine's Peter Wehner wrote that the award, with past awards that seemed aimed at criticizing the Bush administration, showed the Nobel Committee "long ago ceased to be a serious entity; this choice merely confirms that judgment."https://www.commentary.org/peter-wehner/another-slap-at-bush-but-he-can-take-it/ Another Slap at Bush – but He Can Take It Commentary October 9, 2009 Peter Wehner August 6, 2021 According to The Washington Post news analyst Dan Balz, "even among his supporters there was a sense of surprise and even shock on Friday, a belief that the award was premature, a disservice and a potential liability." http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/09/a_weighty_prize.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120112211122/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/10/09/a_weighty_prize.html dead January 12, 2012 The Washington Post A Weighty Prize Dan Balz October 9, 2009 August 6, 2021 An editorial in The Washington Post began, "It's an odd Nobel Peace Prize that almost makes you embarrassed for the honoree", and compared the Nobel Committee's statement that Obama had "created a new climate in international politics" to a recent satirical skit on television. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100903860_pf.html October 10, 2009 The Washington Post Our Laureate: Neda of Iran August 6, 2021 A Los Angeles Times editorial said the committee "didn't just embarrass Obama, it diminished the credibility of the prize itself".http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-nobel10-2009oct10,0,1431554.story October 9, 2009 Los Angeles Times Obama and the Nobel: He loses by winning October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091011103326/http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-nobel10-2009oct10%2C0%2C1431554.story October 11, 2009 live Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times wrote, "It dismays me that the most important prize in the world has been devalued in this way". https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/opinion/11friedman.html October 11, 2009 The New York Times Thomas L. Friedman The Peace (Keepers) Prize October 11, 2009 Much of the commentary across the political spectrum involved describing the award as something risible, with the humor focusing on Obama's getting the award without having accomplished much. According to an analysis in The New York Times, "it ... [is] striking how so many people seemed to greet the Nobel news with shock followed by laughter". https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/weekinreview/11leibovich.html The New York Times Mark Leibovich Another Fine Mess: Comics Whack Obama October 11, 2009 On the morning of the announcement, several of The Washington Post opinion-page columnists, posting at the newspaper's "Post Partisan" blog, characterized the award as laughable or directly satirized it, including such supportive columnists as Ruth Marcus ("ridiculous—embarrassing, even"),Marcus Ruth http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/a_nobel_for_a_good_two_weeks.html#more https://web.archive.org/web/20100106113323/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/a_nobel_for_a_good_two_weeks.html#more dead January 6, 2010 A Nobel for a Good Two Weeks? The Washington Post October 9, 2009 February 22, 2010 Richard Cohen (who satirized the award),Cohen Richard http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/palin_vaughn_rabinowitz_win_aw.html#more https://web.archive.org/web/20120112212613/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/palin_vaughn_rabinowitz_win_aw.html#more dead January 12, 2012 Palin, Vaughn, Rabinowitz Win Awards The Washington Post October 9, 2009 February 22, 2010 and foreign-affairs columnist David Ignatius ("goofy" and "weird"),Ignatius David http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obamas_nobel_and_americas_popu.html#more https://web.archive.org/web/20120112212323/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obamas_nobel_and_americas_popu.html#more dead January 12, 2012 Obama's Nobel and America's Popularity The Washington Post October 9, 2009 February 22, 2010 and Michael Kinsley (whose satirical response came the next day). http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obama_wins_booker_prize.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120112211304/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/10/obama_wins_booker_prize.html dead January 12, 2012 October 10, 2009 The Washington Post Obama Wins Booker Prize August 6, 2021 Other prominent commentators who often supported Obama but responded with ridicule included Peter Beinarthttps://www.thedailybeast.com/obamas-nobel-farce The Daily Beast Obama's Nobel Farce Peter Beinart October 9, 2009 August 6, 2021 and Ann Althouse.http://althouse.blogspot.com/2009/10/riddle-why-didnt-barack-obama-win-nobel.html Riddle: Why didn't Barack Obama win the Nobel Prize for Literature? Althouse October 9, 2009 August 6, 2021 James Taranto wrote in The Wall Street Journal an article summarising various opinions on the Internet, concluding how the award was embarrassing for Obama. He said the award was a "staggeringly premature honor – the equivalent of a lifetime-achievement Oscar for a child star" and that it "makes yesterday's satire into today's news". https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703746604574463171820234630 The Wall Street Journal James Taranto Most Embarrassing Moment October 9, 2009 August 6, 2021 Fred Greenstein, presidential historian and author and professor of politics emeritus at Princeton University, told Fox News that giving President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize is a "premature canonization" and an "embarrassment to the Nobel process".https://www.foxnews.com/politics/obamas-nobel-is-premature-historians-and-political-scientists-say/ Obama's Nobel Is Premature, Historians and Political Scientists Say Joshua Rhett Miller Fox News October 9, 2009 October 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091011230815/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/09/nobel-prize-obama-embarrassment-process-expert-says/ October 11, 2009 live Slate magazine blogger Mickey Kaus,https://www.slate.com/blogs/kausfiles/2009/10/09/what_obama_should_do_with_his_nobel_peace_prize.html What Obama Should Do With His Nobel Peace Prize Slate October 9, 2009 October 10, 2009 Kaus Mickey The New York Times columnist David Brookshttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec09/brooksmarcus_10-09.html Brooks, Marcus Discuss Potential Peace Prize Backfire, Rangel Controversy PBS October 9, 2009 February 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100326175619/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec09/brooksmarcus_10-09.html March 26, 2010 dead and former U.N. ambassador John Boltonhttps://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bolton-decline-it-robert-costa/ Bolton: Decline It Robert Costa National Review April 16, 2007 August 6, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210806095516/https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bolton-decline-it-robert-costa/ August 6, 2021 dead amongst others, called for Obama to not accept the award; pundit Michael Crowley argued that it was a "mixed blessing".http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-plank/obamas-nobel-mixed-blessing-best Obama's Nobel: Mixed Blessing At Best The New Republic October 9, 2009 October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012075218/http://www.tnr.com/blog/the-plank/obamas-nobel-mixed-blessing-best October 12, 2009 live Crowley Michael Subsequent to the award many Americans now consider that Obama did not deserve it in the light of following events.https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1929415,00.html Top 10 Obama Backlash Moments Jak Phillips Time October 7, 2011 August 6, 2021 Opponents of the award cite the expansion of the war on terror and the large increase in the number of drone strikes carried out under Obama, specifically in Pakistan.https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/04/12/ron-paul-bradley-manning-deserves-nobel-peace-prize-more-than-barack-obama Ron Paul: Bradley Manning Promotes Peace More Than Obama Steven Nelson US News April 12, 2013 May 4, 2013https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/more-war-than-peace-nobel-peace-winner-obama-s-legacy/story-uaDiBjw9hqVNZ2qMYZKzQJ.html More war than peace: Nobel peace winner Obama's legacy Brahma Chellaney Hindustan Times June 5, 2012 May 4, 2013 There have been a number of calls for Obama to either return the award or to have the Nobel Committee recall it, most recently in 2013.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/the-growing-campaign-to-r_b_3007189.html The Growing Campaign to Revoke Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Brahma Chellaney Hindustan Times January 18, 2017 December 11, 2018 In April 2013 a petition was begun asking the Nobel Committee to rescind the Peace Prize. The petition garnered 10,000 signatures in its first day and nearly 20,000 by the end of its first week.http://spectator.org/archives/2013/04/18/revoke-obamas-peace-prize Revoke Obama's Peace Prize Christopher Orlet The American Spectator April 18, 2013 May 4, 2013 Political reaction Nobel laureate and former U.S. vice president Al Gore called the award "extremely well deserved".https://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/09/09greenwire-obama-wins-nobel-prize-in-part-for-confronting-55250.html Obama Wins Nobel Prize in Part for Confronting 'Great Climatic Challenges' October 9, 2009 The New York Times October 9, 2009 Darren Samuelsohn https://web.archive.org/web/20091012104852/http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/09/09greenwire-obama-wins-nobel-prize-in-part-for-confronting-55250.html October 12, 2009 live Obama received congratulations and kind words from other elected officials, such as from House speaker Nancy Pelosi and former rival, Senator John McCain, who said, "As Americans, we're proud when our president receives an award of that prestigious category".http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/09/mccain-says-nobel-award-based-on-expectations/ McCain says Nobel award based on expectations (video) October 9, 2009 CNN Political Ticker October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012060159/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/09/mccain-says-nobel-award-based-on-expectations/ October 12, 2009 dead RNC chairman Michael Steele discussed his disapproval of the award in a fund-raising letter, writing, "the Democrats and their international leftist allies want America made subservient to the agenda of global redistribution and control." In 2015, Geir Lundestad, the non-voting Director of the Nobel Institute and secretary for the Nobel Committee at the time of the award, published a memoir, Secretary of Peace. In it, he wrote "In hindsight, we could say that the argument of giving Obama a helping hand was only partially correct. Many of Obama's supporters believed it was a mistake." Lundestad said that Obama had been surprised by the award, and considered not going to Oslo to accept it.Nobel secretary regrets Obama peace prize https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34277960 BBC September 17, 2015 September 17, 2015 He also said in his memoir that Obama had since failed to live up to the Nobel Committee's expectations.Former Nobel secretary says Obama's peace prize didn't have desired effect https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/09/16/nobel-official-obama-peace-prize-didnt-have-desired-effect U.S. News & World Report September 16, 2015 September 16, 2015Nobel director regretted Obama peace prize http://www.thelocal.no/20150916/nobel-prize-director-awarding-obama-was-wrong The Local September 16, 2015 September 17, 2015 In Norway A poll conducted by Synovate for the newspaper Dagbladet showed that 43% of the Norwegian population believed giving Obama the prize was right, while 38% believed it was wrong. 19% had no opinion. The poll showed a sharp divide between younger and older people; of those over 60 years of age 58% were for and only 31% against it. Of those between 18 and 29 years of age, only 25% approved of the decision, while 42% disapproved.http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/10/10/nyheter/innenriks/utenriks/barack_obama/nobels_fredspris/8514103/ Norge er Obama-delt på midten October 10, 2009 Dagbladet no October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013064931/http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/10/10/nyheter/innenriks/utenriks/barack_obama/nobels_fredspris/8514103/ October 13, 2009 live The award divided opinion among politicians. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg congratulated Obama for a "well-deserved prize".http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/nobels_fredspris/1.6811520 Her gratulerer Stoltenberg Obama October 9, 2009 NRK no October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091011045158/http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/nobels_fredspris/1.6811520 October 11, 2009 live Siv Jensen, leader of the opposition Progress Party, said that while Obama had taken several good initiatives the committee should have waited to see their results.http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=573277 Siv Jensen: - Svekker Nobelprisen October 9, 2009 no VG Nett October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091011114803/http://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/artikkel.php?artid=573277 October 11, 2009 live Erna Solberg, leader of the Conservative Party, also said that the prize came early and increased pressure on Obama to live up to the expectation. Torstein Dahle, the leader of the far leftist party Red, called the award a scandal, citing the fact that Obama was the commander-in-chief of a country at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.http://roedt.no/nyheter/2009/10/fredspris-til-obama-er-en-skandale/ https://web.archive.org/web/20200725070729/https://roedt.no/nyheter/2009/10/fredspris-til-obama-er-en-skandale/ dead July 25, 2020 Fredspris til Obama er en skandale October 9, 2009 no Rødt October 9, 2009 Other reactions The response from U.S. allies was generally positive;http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/09/reaction-obamas-nobel-prize-varies/ Reaction to Obama's Nobel prize varies Joseph Weber The Washington Times October 9, 2009 reactions around the world were mixed or negative. Several Nobel Laureates commented: Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus (co-winner 2006 prize) said the committee's award was "an endorsement of [Obama] and the direction he is taking".World hails Obama Nobel Peace Prize win http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=34849 Middle East Online October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20110612160423/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=34849 June 12, 2011 dead mdy-all Archbishop Desmond Tutu said the award to Obama "anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all".Worldwide Reactions to Obama's Nobel Peace Prize http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/10/09/100909obamareactions/ The Boston Globe October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012022749/http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/10/09/100909obamareactions/ October 12, 2009 dead Mairead Corrigan (co-winner 1976) expressed her disappointment, stating, "[g]iving this award to the leader of the most militarized country in the world, which has taken the human family against its will to war, will be rightly seen by many people around the world as a reward for his country's aggression and domination."Nobel Peace Laureate: Obama Choice 'Disappointing' http://www.accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=2095 Institute for Public Accuracy October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091023052433/http://accuracy.org/newsrelease.php?articleId=2095 October 23, 2009 dead Lech Wałęsa (1983), cofounder of the Solidarity trade union and former president of Poland, said the award was premature. "He has not yet made a real input."Praise and skepticism greet Obama Nobel award https://www.reuters.com/article/ObamaEconomy/idUSTRE59824J20091009 Reuters October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 Amie Ferris-Rotman https://web.archive.org/web/20091012044500/https://www.reuters.com/article/ObamaEconomy/idUSTRE59824J20091009 October 12, 2009 live The 14th Dalai Lama congratulated Obama.Lalit K. Jha Dalai congratulates Obama on winning Nobel prize The Press Trust of India October 10, 2009 http://www.ptinews.com/news/324396_Dalai-congratulates-Obama-on-winning-Nobel-prize October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013131020/http://www.ptinews.com/news/324396_Dalai-congratulates-Obama-on-winning-Nobel-prize October 13, 2009 live United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the Nobel Committee's choice. "We are entering an era of renewed multilateralism ... President Obama embodies the new spirit of dialogue and engagement on the world's biggest problems: climate change, nuclear disarmament and a wide range of peace and security challenges."UN leaders praise awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to US President Obama https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32477&Cr=obama&Cr1= UN News Service October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091030052023/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32477&Cr=obama&Cr1= October 30, 2009 live In Europe, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the award would reinforce Obama's determination to work for justice and peace. He added that the award "finally confirms the return of America in the hearts of all the peoples of the world".Nobel de la paix: Sarkozy adresse ses 'plus chaleureuses félicitations' à Obama fr http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/international/20091009.FAP7372/international/ Le Nouvel Observateur Associated Press October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 Dmitry Medvedev, then-president of Russia, said the award would encourage warmer U.S.–Russian relations, and he hoped it would "serve as an additional incentive" for both governments to foster a better "climate in world politics".The Associated Press October 10, 2009 GOP mocks Obama's peace prize, Russians praise it The San Diego Union-Tribune http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/10/us-obama-peace-prize-gop-101009/ October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012160738/http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/oct/10/us-obama-peace-prize-gop-101009/ October 12, 2009 live British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sent a private message of congratulations to President Obama.President Barack Obama left stunned after winning Nobel Peace Prize Matt Williams https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/president-barack-obama-left-stunned-1038782 Daily Record October 10, 2009 August 6, 2021 Hope that the prize would assist Obama's efforts toward nuclear disarmament was also a part of congratulatory statements from Ireland's Taoiseach Brian Cowen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said the Vatican "appreciated" the nomination.Vatican appreciates Obama winning Nobel Peace Prize https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/vatican-appreciates-obama-receiving-nobel-peace-prize Catholic News Agency October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091014113003/http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17351 October 14, 2009 liveWorld leaders hail Obama's peace prize http://www.euronews.net/2009/10/09/world-leaders-hail-obama-s-peace-prize/ Euronews October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013152733/http://www.euronews.net/2009/10/09/world-leaders-hail-obama-s-peace-prize/ October 13, 2009 liveCowen praises Obama's 'diplomatic engagement' http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1009/breaking37.htm The Irish Times October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu congratulated Obama by saying, "This award is testimony to your success as a leader of a free country aimed at creating a safer and more peaceful world.""Kosovo President congratulates Obama" https://web.archive.org/web/20091018005725/http://www.newkosovareport.com/200910102012/Politics/Kosovo-President-congratulates-Obama.html October 18, 2009 newkosovareport.com 10-10-09. Retrieved 14-10-09 In Australia, former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said that the selection was "a political decision of gross stupidity", laying the blame on the selection committee for a "hideous display of cynical politics".http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26196226-5006301,00.html Obama should give back Nobel Prize Downer Alexander October 12, 2009 The Advertiser October 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013105902/http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0%2C22606%2C26196226-5006301%2C00.html October 13, 2009 dead Stuart Rees, director of the Sydney Peace Foundation in Australia, questioned the award. "Perhaps the Nobel organisation wants to give him a magic wand. I think the guy is full of promise, but I don't think the promise has been realised yet particularly in regards the Middle East."Shock as Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/world/shock-as-barack-obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize/news-story/13d7e27426b878728e69507c3fc3483d The Australian October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012095406/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0%2C25197%2C26190445-2703%2C00.html October 12, 2009 subscription live In Asia and the Middle East: Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai said that Obama was the "appropriate" person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Siamak Hirai, a spokesman for Karzai, said, "His hard work and his new vision on global relations, his will and efforts for creating friendly and good relations at global level and global peace make him the appropriate recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize"."Obama the right man to win Nobel Peace Prize: Karzai", AFP (via AsiaOne), October 9, 2009. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the decision was ridiculous, saying, "The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the 'Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians'."https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jK0P-gC2lzZTYcqeKlXBO0XVJ3mA Taliban condemns Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Massoud Waheedullah October 10, 2009 AFP October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013093225/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jK0P-gC2lzZTYcqeKlXBO0XVJ3mA October 13, 2009 deadhttp://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINL953984520091009 https://archive.today/20130201035636/http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINL953984520091009 dead February 1, 2013 Praise and scepticism greet Obama Nobel award October 10, 2009 Reuters India October 10, 2009http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/10/international-reaction-to-obamas-nobel-thumbs-down-from-the-taliban-thumbs-up-from-israel.html Nobel Peace Prize reaction: Taliban thumbs down, Israeli thumbs up, Asian disappointment Abcarian Robin October 9, 2009 Los Angeles Times October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013141708/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/10/international-reaction-to-obamas-nobel-thumbs-down-from-the-taliban-thumbs-up-from-israel.html October 13, 2009 livehttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/09/2093997.aspx Leaders respond to Obama Nobel win Weinberg Ali October 9, 2009 MSNBC October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012020353/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/09/2093997.aspx October 12, 2009 dead Indonesia's Masdar Mas'udi, deputy head of the Islamic organisation Nahdlatul Ulama, praised Obama's policy towards his country as confirmation of his worthiness as a Nobel laureate. "I think it's appropriate because he is the only American president who has reached out to us in peace," he said. "On the issues of race, religion, skin colour, he has an open attitude."Praise, Shock Greet Obama's Nobel Win https://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/708078--praise-shock-greet-obama-s-nobel-win Toronto Star October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091012073839/http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/708078--praise-shock-greet-obama-s-nobel-win October 12, 2009 live Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama,Mixed world reaction to Obama's Nobel http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/10/mixed-world-reaction-to-obamas-win//print/ The Washington Times October 10, 2009 October 15, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20110607132145/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/10/mixed-world-reaction-to-obamas-win//print/ June 7, 2011 dead Indian President Pratibha Patil, and Israeli President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres sent congratulatory messages to Obama,President congratulates Obama http://www.ptinews.com/news/323447_President-congratulates-Obama Press Trust of India October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009Peres to Obama: Under your leadership, peace became an originalagenda https://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254861908377&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull The Jerusalem Post October 9, 2009 October 9, 2009 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110716001804/http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254861908377&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull July 16, 2011 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-obama-nobel-israel10-2009oct10,0,6389213.story Los Angeles Times Richard Boudreaux Israeli, Palestinian leaders mostly praise peace prize for Obama October 10, 2009 but Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters that "the decision was taken hastily and the award was [too] early". In Latin America, former Cuban president Fidel Castro called the award "positive" and said the prize should be seen as a criticism to the "genocidal policy" carried out by past U.S. presidents.http://www.ain.cu/idioma/ingles/2009/1010reflexionFidel.htm The Bells are Tolling for the Dollar Fidel Castro www.ain.cu October 9, 2009 Venezuelan foreign minister Nicolás Maduro said the award was a surprise and perhaps premature. "As President Hugo Chávez said at the United Nations, (the Obama administration) is a government that has raised expectations and hopes in many people in the world, amid great contradictions."Venezuela urges Obama to remove US bases from Colombia as token of peace El Universal October 9, 2009 http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/10/09/en_pol_esp_venezuela-urges-obam_09A2872731.shtml October 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091013222828/http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/10/09/en_pol_esp_venezuela-urges-obam_09A2872731.shtml October 13, 2009 dead mdy-all In Africa, the news of the Obama Nobel Peace Prize was positively received. Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki issued a statement saying that the prize was a "recognition of the contribution [Obama is] making for the well being of humanity"."Kenyans Express Joy, Urgency, at President Obama's Nobel Peace Award" https://web.archive.org/web/20091013175522/http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-09-voa28.cfm October 13, 2009 Voice of America, October 9, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2009. In South Africa, President Jacob Zuma used Ubuntu—the Zulu term for "the importance of community"—in his congratulatory message, saying that the U.S. president's "leadership reflects the true spirit of Ubuntu because your approach celebrates our common humanity.""GOP mocks Obama's peace prize, Russians praise it". Associated Press, October 11, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2009 Zimbabwe prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who was touted as a possible Nobel laureate, said Obama deserved the honor."Tsvangirai congratulates 'deserving' Obama". The Times, October 9, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2009 In 2011, Bolivian president Evo Morales and Russian Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky condemned the award, calling it hypocritical in light of US policy during the Libyan Civil War.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/23/obama-nobel-peace-prize-revoked_n_839310.html Obama Nobel Peace Prize Appeal Sought By Bolivian President And Russian Lawmaker Norman Solomon The Huffington Post March 23, 2011 May 4, 2013 After the death of Anwar al-Awlaki and his son Abdulrahman al-Awlaki by CIA predator drones in Yemen, Nasser al-Awlaki, the father and grandfather of Anwar and Abdulrahman respectively, released an audio message condemning the killings: I urge the American people to bring the killers to justice. I urge them to expose the hypocrisy of the 2009 Nobel Prize laureate. To some, he may be that. To me and my family, he is nothing more than a child killer.https://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2097899,00.html An American Teenager in Yemen: Paying for the Sins of His Father? Tom Finn Noah Browning Time October 27, 2011 August 6, 2021 Nobel lecture thumb|alt=Barack Obama speaking|Barack Obama presenting his Nobel lecture President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace prize in person at the Oslo City Hall in Norway on December 10, 2009. In a 36-minute speech, reportedly written by Obama and then edited by Jon Favreau and Ben Rhodes,Elizabeth Williamson Weisman, Jonathan Obama Defends 'Just War' at Oslo https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB126043857319785183 The Wall Street Journal December 11, 2009 December 11, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091214201457/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126043857319785183.html December 14, 2009 live he discussed the tensions between war and peace and the idea of a "just war".Zeleny Jeff Accepting Peace Prize, Obama Evokes 'Just War' The New York Times December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120210122241/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/world/europe/11prexy.html February 10, 2012 live The address contained elements of the ideas of Reinhold Niebuhr, someone Obama once described as one of his favorite philosophers.Fred Kaplan Obama's War and Peace http://www.slate.com/id/2238081/ Slate December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091215025356/http://www.slate.com/id/2238081/ December 15, 2009 live The speech was generally well received by American pundits on both ends of the political spectrum.Linda Feldmann Left and right, pundits applaud Obama Nobel Peace Prize speech http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/12/10/left-and-right-pundits-applaud-obama-nobel-peace-prize-speech/ The Christian Science Monitor December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 Several noted similarities between Obama's message and the rhetoric of President George W. Bush.Howard Fineman In Oslo, Obama Sounds Like Bush http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/12/10/in-oslo-obama-sounds-like-bush.aspx Newsweek December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091213113829/http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/12/10/in-oslo-obama-sounds-like-bush.aspx December 13, 2009 dead mdy-allWalter Russell Mead Walter Russell mead's response to 'Assess Obama's Nobel Prize acceptance speech' http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Walter_Russell_Mead_E3A65FEC-7009-4CA7-BEDE-09EFE487AF2D.html https://web.archive.org/web/20091214080123/http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Walter_Russell_Mead_E3A65FEC-7009-4CA7-BEDE-09EFE487AF2D.html dead December 14, 2009 Politico December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 This was also mentioned by former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson, who called it a "very American speech" and wrote that "Obama was recognizing that the great commitments and themes of American foreign policy are durably bipartisan".Michael Gerson Obama shows maturity in Nobel speech http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/12/obamas_shows_maturity_in_nobel.html https://web.archive.org/web/20120112211141/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/12/obamas_shows_maturity_in_nobel.html dead January 12, 2012 The Washington Post December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 A number of prominent Republican politicians publicly praised the speech, including Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin.Eamon Javers Conservative praise for Nobel speech https://www.politico.com/story/2009/12/conservative-praise-for-nobel-speech-030448 Politico December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091213165228/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30448.html December 13, 2009 live Conservative The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat called it an oftentimes impressive speech that was "An extended defense of using realist means in the service of liberal internationalist ends".Ross Douthat Obama's Nobel Speech http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/obamas-nobel-speech/ The New York Times December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091213014201/http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/obamas-nobel-speech/ December 13, 2009 live Columnist Andrew Sullivan distinguished between the Obama and Bush messages, stating that "Obama is far more conservative than his predecessor" in his views on human imperfection, reality, and war; he also linked the speech back to the tragic nature of Obama's line "the audacity of hope".Andrew Sullivan The Tragedy Of Hope http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/12/the-tragedy-of-hope.html The Daily Dish The Atlantic December 11, 2009 December 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091214015737/http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/12/the-tragedy-of-hope.html December 14, 2009 live right To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason. Barack ObamaRemarks by the President at the Acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-acceptance-nobel-peace-prize White House December 10, 2009 December 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20170216154336/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-acceptance-nobel-peace-prize February 16, 2017 live mdy-all Former Jimmy Carter speechwriter Hendrik Hertzberg said that the speech "will live on for a long time as a text for peacemakers in power".Ask the Author Live: Hendrick Hertzberg and Steve Coll http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/ask/2009/12/ask-the-author-live-hendrik-hertzberg-and-steve-coll.html The New Yorker December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091208172730/http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/ask/2009/12/ask-the-author-live-hendrik-hertzberg-and-steve-coll.html December 8, 2009 dead A few commentators were more critical, with former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton calling it "pedestrian, turgid, and uninspired"Bolton: Obama's 'Pedestrian, Turgid, and Uninspired' Address http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTg5NDc1MzllMDYxOGUwZjYzZjNjYzFhYjdlM2NlNmM= National Review December 10, 2009 December 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091217144816/http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTg5NDc1MzllMDYxOGUwZjYzZjNjYzFhYjdlM2NlNmM%3D December 17, 2009 dead and US Congressman Dennis Kucinich "Once we are committed to war's instrumentality in pursuit of peace, we begin the Orwellian journey to the semantic netherworld where war is peace..."S. A. Miller Anti-war forces bristle at Obama's Nobel speech http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/11/anti-war-forces-bristle-obamas-nobel-speech/ The Washington Times December 11, 2009 December 12, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091214035619/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/11/anti-war-forces-bristle-obamas-nobel-speech/ December 14, 2009 live The New York Times praised the eloquence of the speech, noting that "President Obama gave the speech he needed to give, but we suspect not precisely the one the Nobel committee wanted to hear."President Obama in Oslo https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/opinion/11fri1.html The New York Times December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120908023540/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/opinion/11fri1.html September 8, 2012 live The Wall Street Journal echoed this sentiment and congratulated Obama for defending the occasional necessity of war and for stating that evil exists in the world, though used the same editorial to criticize him for current disarmament talks with Russia and a lack of progress with Iran and North Korea.The Disarmament President https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704240504574585763465695916 The Wall Street Journal December 11, 2009 December 11, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091214211611/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704240504574585763465695916.html December 14, 2009 live The Los Angeles Times lauded the speech as "a blockbuster even by Obama's lofty standards", and even though the ideas were not new, "Obama's special gift is to make them seem achievable by appealing to our higher nature." It was also received well by columnists in The Washington Post.Eugene Robinson War and Peace https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121003164.html The Washington Post December 11, 2009 December 11, 2009Kathleen Parker An American triumph at Oslo https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121003638.html The Washington Post December 11, 2009 December 11, 2009Kevin Huffman The presidency in microcosm https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121003649.html The Washington Post December 11, 2009 December 11, 2009 Abroad, British historian Simon Schama said of the speech that "in its seriousness, bravery and clarity, [it] was on a par with FDR and Churchill" and "summoned the spirit of Cicero".Simon Schama A Nobel speech that summoned the spirit of Cicero https://www.ft.com/content/054fdb2a-e850-11de-8a02-00144feab49a The Financial Times December 14, 2009 December 14, 2009 Aftermath In 2016, President Obama joked in an interview with Stephen Colbert that even he didn't know why he had received the award.Stephen Helps President Obama Polish His Résumé The Late Show with Stephen Colbert CBS 2016-08-16 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRQLU3IwNYs 2025-02-02 The secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Geir Lundestad, said in 2015 that awarding the prize to Obama failed to achieve what the committee hoped it would. "Even many of Obama's supporters believed that the prize was a mistake," he says. "In that sense the committee didn't achieve what it had hoped for."Nobel secretary regrets Obama peace prize BBC News 17 September 2015 5 November 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34277960 See also List of Nobel Peace Prize laureates List of black Nobel Laureates References 30em External links Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech Official Nobel Page Barack Obama's 36-minute Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech Remarks by the President on Winning the Nobel Peace Prize from The White House, October 9, 2009 Kenyans Take Pride in Obama's Nobel Prize by Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times, October 9, 2009 December 2012 Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Peace Prize 2009 Category:Presidency of Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize Category:October 2009 in Europe