President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

From the USA Today website:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee picked the 48-year-old president from 205 nominees for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." The committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the United Nations to the center of the world stage.

I saw that this morning Cindy, I was pleased! :)

Yes, I believe it to be an honor that our President was selected!

I think it is great too! My husband (a Republican who voted for McCain) said "oh brother!". :o)

I got a breaking news email from CNN with this, I was happy.

Wow, awesome news, I hadn't heard! That is terrific!!!

The Nobel Prize Committee is the most controversial of any of them.

It's an awesome honor, so I'm thrilled, controversy or not. :)

That's awesome! I feel kind of special to have a Nobel Prize winner for a President!

Isn't it great!?! I thought it was so exciting when I heard about it this morning!! Our President rocks!

Cyndi wrote: "I got a breaking news email from CNN with this, I was happy."

I was thrilled, the pundits on CNN are already throwing poisonous darts, FOX will have a field
day, but I'm happy his attempt for peace is being acknowleged ..

Sheila wrote: "I think it is great too! My husband (a Republican who voted for McCain) said "oh brother!". :o)"

I've heard so many negative things from people already about it too. My only response has been....who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year? Oh you don't know? Oh you don't care? Then why do you care now?

I hadn't heard this, either! That's really cool. I think that's a great response Vikki. I'll have to remember it ('cause I'm sure my hardcore Republican grandfather'll have something to say about this).

Gosh, I thought Vikki was pointing fingers at those of you who think this was a good idea. If you didn't care last year, why do you care this year?

Elizabeth wrote: "Gosh, I thought Vikki was pointing fingers at those of you who think this was a good idea. If you didn't care last year, why do you care this year?"

LOL not really but that too, but honestly maybe I don't think that is as bad because then you aren't slamming someone else. I just think that if you're going to bitch about him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize then you should at least have some knowledge on the subject. Bitching to just be bitching seems like such a huge waste of energy while it takes very little energy to be like well isn't that nice.

Just my 1 cent as I don't think it was work a full TWO pennies!

I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done to earn it. I liken this to the same as promoting a child from one grade to another who hasn't done the work to deserve the promotion. It does no one any good.

Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done to earn it. I liken this to the..."

I agree with that too but the Nobel Peace Prize has always been a highly controversial award. The voting, the nominees, the awarding...all suspect. Gandhi was nominated repeatedly and yet never won a Nobel Peace Prize. The year he died he was nominated but no award was given that year with the committee stated that there was "no suitable living candidate".

So it is what it is....something we have no control over.

....and you are entitled to your opinion Elizabeth.

Absolutely, Vikki (and Cindy). My first comment was "The Nobel Prize Committee is the most controversial of any of them."

Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done to earn it. I liken this to the..."

I was surprised when I saw the newspaper this morning. I agree with Elizabeth - for what was the "prize" awarded?

Elizabeth wrote: "Absolutely, Vikki (and Cindy). My first comment was "The Nobel Prize Committee is the most controversial of any of them.""

You can say that again lol!

I don't know enough about ALL of the Nobel Prize committees, but I've heard of controversy surrounding other awards, especially the Literature Awards. I believe last year's literature award winner laughed, literally, and refused to accept her award. She was truly offended at having won.

Cathy wrote: "I was surprised when I saw the newspaper this morning. I agree with Elizabeth - for what was the "prize" awarded?"


According to CNN's article: 'Unlike his predecessors, Obama was selected not for substantive accomplishments, but for his "vision" and inspiring "hope" at the beginning of his presidency.'

:)

I'd prefer the winner be someone who is awarded it for more than "hope" and "vision", but as stated above, the Nobel Peace Prize is definitely controversial!

Elizabeth wrote: "I don't know enough about ALL of the Nobel Prize committees, but I've heard of controversy surrounding other awards, especially the Literature Awards. I believe last year's literature award winner ..."
How sad! I stupidly thought that the Nobel Prize was a prestigious award! What a shame that it's not anymore!

Also an opinion. Some do believe it to be a prestigious award. Our President won it. Celebrate it or not, it's an honor for the US.

I was unaware of all the controversy surrounding the Nobel Prize in general!

Vikki wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done to earn it. I..."

How lovely, different views without insults, "slamming" or "bitching" ah, there's no testosterone in the air.

Myrna wrote: "Vikki wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done..."

Sorry if the words "slamming" or "bitching" offended you and I didn't realize that meant I had to much testosterone.

Oh no, I'm sorry, I meant to compliment you/us. we have different points of view yet we are engage in healthy dialogue, as it should be, as oppose to our elected representives, in Washington (thus testosterone)... did I come across like that (hush) to anyone else? if so pardon me.:-)

Vikki wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done to earn it. I..."

One other note - Pope John Paul II never won but Al Gore did - ?????

Cathy wrote: "Vikki wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has been nothing done..."

Gandhi was nominated several times, never won.

I saw that about Gandhi earlier today. They said that the last time he was nominated that no one won that year. Said no qualified nominees?!?

Myrna wrote: "Cathy wrote: "Vikki wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "I just thought this was a Peace Prize. Where is the Peace, and what was done to achieve it? I don't see the point in making an award when there has bee..."

Right and the year he was assassinated the award was not given out because there were no suitable living candidates.

Myrna wrote: "Oh no, I'm sorry, I meant to compliment you/us. we have different points of view yet we are engage in healthy dialogue, as it should be, as oppose to our elected representives, in Washington (thus..."

I apologize then if I took it out of context. Happy we can actually debate it here.

I think Pope John Paul II and Gandhi both should have one but I like there reasoning for voting for Obama. Whether you agree with him politically or not he really is trying to raise peace among the world. The following is from http://nobelpeaceprize.org

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama 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.

Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

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.

For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Oslo, October 9, 2009

Very well said.

Here's the list

2009 - Barack Obama
2008 - Martti Ahtisaari
2007 - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Al Gore
2006 - Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank
2005 - International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei
2004 - Wangari Maathai
2003 - Shirin Ebadi
2002 - Jimmy Carter
2001 - United Nations, Kofi Annan
2000 - Kim Dae-jung
1999 - Médecins Sans Frontières
1998 - John Hume, David Trimble
1997 - International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jody Williams
1996 - Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, José Ramos-Horta
1995 - Joseph Rotblat, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs
1994 - Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin
1993 - Nelson Mandela, F.W. de Klerk
1992 - Rigoberta Menchú Tum
1991 - Aung San Suu Kyi
1990 - Mikhail Gorbachev
1989 - The 14th Dalai Lama
1988 - United Nations Peacekeeping Forces
1987 - Oscar Arias Sánchez
1986 - Elie Wiesel
1985 - International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
1984 - Desmond Tutu
1983 - Lech Walesa
1982 - Alva Myrdal, Alfonso García Robles
1981 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
1980 - Adolfo Pérez Esquivel
1979 - Mother Teresa
1978 - Anwar al-Sadat, Menachem Begin
1977 - Amnesty International
1976 - Betty Williams, Mairead Corrigan
1975 - Andrei Sakharov
1974 - Seán MacBride, Eisaku Sato
1973 - Henry Kissinger, Le Duc Tho
1972 - The prize money for 1972 was allocated to the Main Fund
1971 - Willy Brandt
1970 - Norman Borlaug
1969 - International Labour Organization
1968 - René Cassin
1967 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1966 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1965 - United Nations Children's Fund
1964 - Martin Luther King Jr.
1963 - International Committee of the Red Cross, League of Red Cross Societies
1962 - Linus Pauling
1961 - Dag Hammarskjöld
1960 - Albert Lutuli
1959 - Philip Noel-Baker
1958 - Georges Pire
1957 - Lester Bowles Pearson
1956 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1955 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1954 - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
1953 - George C. Marshall
1952 - Albert Schweitzer
1951 - Léon Jouhaux
1950 - Ralph Bunche
1949 - Lord Boyd Orr
1948 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1947 - Friends Service Council, American Friends Service Committee
1946 - Emily Greene Balch, John R. Mott
1945 - Cordell Hull
1944 - International Committee of the Red Cross
1943 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1942 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1941 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1940 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1939 - The prize money was with 1/3 allocated to the Main Fund and with 2/3 to the Special Fund of this prize section
1938 - Nansen International Office for Refugees
1937 - Robert Cecil
1936 - Carlos Saavedra Lamas
1935 - Carl von Ossietzky
1934 - Arthur Henderson
1933 - Sir Norman Angell
1932 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1931 - Jane Addams, Nicholas Murray Butler
1930 - Nathan Söderblom
1929 - Frank B. Kellogg
1928 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1927 - Ferdinand Buisson, Ludwig Quidde
1926 - Aristide Briand, Gustav Stresemann
1925 - Sir Austen Chamberlain, Charles G. Dawes
1924 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1923 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1922 - Fridtjof Nansen
1921 - Hjalmar Branting, Christian Lange
1920 - Léon Bourgeois
1919 - Woodrow Wilson
1918 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1917 - International Committee of the Red Cross
1916 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1915 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1914 - The prize money was allocated to the Special Fund of this prize section
1913 - Henri La Fontaine
1912 - Elihu Root
1911 - Tobias Asser, Alfred Fried
1910 - Permanent International Peace Bureau
1909 - Auguste Beernaert, Paul Henri d'Estournelles de Constant
1908 - Klas Pontus Arnoldson, Fredrik Bajer
1907 - Ernesto Teodoro Moneta, Louis Renault
1906 - Theodore Roosevelt
1905 - Bertha von Suttner
1904 - Institute of International Law
1903 - Randal Cremer
1902 - Élie Ducommun, Albert Gobat
1901 - Henry Dunant, Frédéric Passy

Is the award really have anything to do with peace is is for political show? Looks to me like there are many who recieved it that were of polical importancand ranks? Hmmmm

Mandy Sue wrote: "I think Pope John Paul II and Gandhi both should have one but I like there reasoning for voting for Obama. Whether you agree with him politically or not he really is trying to raise peace among th..."

good post Mandy Sue, thanks.

Laura wrote: "Some do believe it to be a prestigious award. Our President won it. Celebrate it or not, it's an honor for the US."
I totally agree Laura and I am honored that our (U.S.) President was awarded this prize.

Mandy Sue, Thank you so much for that post!! I think it explains the reasoning behind the award very clearly!
and
Brenda, Thank you also for posting the list!

I only posted this to make everyone aware of the award to the U.S. President. I am once again reminded why this is the best group on Goodreads! A discussion such as this can take place with 'healthy dialogue'!! (thanks Myrna for your post concerning different points of view and healthy dialogue!)

Gracias Cindy;
I heard he was donating the prize money to charity.
though I don't know which charity, I'm sure "they"
will knock him for his choice ... hope it isn't
Acorn, just kidding lol

Yes this is a great group! I completely agree.

I am thrilled to see a good, healthy, and civil debate going on amongst this thread.... that's fantastic!

And we are thrilled to see your beautiful face here, Warm Heart!

Thanks Laura! :)

I can't believe I wrote one instead of won. *shaking my head at myself*

Rebecca ~ I believe politicians get the award a lot based on their contribution to peace between nations. According to the terms of the will, the prize was to be given "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." Usually awarded annually, the winner receives a medal and a cash award. Furthermore, (just my opinion) I believe that anyone who receives this prize should be expected to donate the monies to an organization and/or charity that further promotes world peace.

Brenda ~ Thank you for taking the time in posting the past winners. I knew about quite a few but would love to research some whom I don't know. =)

I agree with everything you said there Mandy and I think that politicians are awarded it frequently because they have an advantage due to their job and their exposure to other countries to truly make a difference in the world.

I'm also starting to see more and more celebrities using their face time and money to do the same thing (such as Angelina Jolie)

Thank you Holli. I was trying to write what you did but my brain doesn't function before my morning tea. LOL I agree with the celebrities too. It's good to see so many working at making the world a better place. =)

Mandy Sue wrote: "According to the terms of the will, the prize was to be given "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." Usually awarded annually, the winner receives a medal and a cash award. "

With that definition, I still (especially)don't see how Obama could have been awarded the Prize. But I'm so glad to have this discussion, and thank you Cindy for starting it.