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Obama Receives Nobel Peace Prize

President Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

Upon accepting the award, Obama remarked:

I am both surprised and deeply humbled ... I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments. But rather as an affirmation of American leadership. ... I will accept this award as a call to action.

According to The Christian Science Monitor, Obama’s receipt of the award “appears to be an effort to spur on, rather than reward, peacemaking.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the award and wrote supportively to Obama:

You have given inspiration to people all over the world until now and winning this prize is an expression of the hope that your presidency will promote a new era of peace ... There is no place in need of peace more than the Middle East, a region that has been for a long time associated with terror and bloodshed. I am hopeful that we will work together in the near future to advance peace and provide hope to the nations of the region that deserve to live in peace, security and pride.

Russia also lauded the award and said that it is indicative of “Obama thawing a second Cold War,” due to the recent easing of tension between the United States and Russia. Additionally, other world leaders praised the award and Germany’s Der Spiegel published a comprehensive roundup of European reactions.

But, in a showing of total class and respect towards the President, Senator John McCain (R-AZ)—President Obama’s opponent in the 2008 election—broke with the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party and praised Obama for receiving the award. McCain’s statement read:

I congratulate President Obama on receiving this prestigious award. I join my fellow Americans in expressing pride in our president on this occasion.

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