A long-time reader chimes in …
My boss is a Nobel Laureate (Physics). So of course I was interested in his reaction because he is fairly plugged in to the thinking of the various Nobel committees, even those outside his domain. Anyway, he was absolutely elated by Obama’s win. He sees the award not so much a recognition of anything Obama has accomplished yet, but rather as a very strong statement of support for his agenda, and an endorsement of his approach to international affairs.
It is, in short, about what they hope he will be able to accomplish by following the path he has set out for himself. He also felt it was meant (to a lesser extent) as a rebuke of Bush, Cheney and the neocons, which is one reason why so many Republican heads are exploding over this. The Peace Prize is always political, but this time more so than most. He also felt that Obama’s speech was pitch perfect, and that Obama got it right in saying the award was “a means to give momentum to a set of causes” and a “call to action.”
See my own thoughts about what this is about here.
