By Savannah McDade Posted October 14, 2009
Former President Theodore Roosevelt ended the Russo-Japanese war by negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth; therefore he was awarded the Nobel Peace in 1906 (theodoreroosevelt.org). Former President Woodrow Wilson did great things to achieve peace during World War 1 giving birth to the slogan, “He kept us out of war”; he won the prize in 1919 (nobelpeaceprize.com).
President Barack Obama just won the Nobel Peace Prize, but many ask what has he done? Obama has been in office for nine months, and he has not done anything to significantly bring about peace, not that I doubt that he plans to do things to achieve peace but for now, he’s all talk. I admit that Obama is an excellent speechmaker, but what good is a speech when there is no action? According to Fox News, Michael Steele (Chairman of the Republican Party) Obama essentially won the award merely because of “star power”. Many Republicans are also saying that giving Obama this award was targeted toward our previous president, George Bush.
On the other side of the argument, politicians and bloggers are saying that Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize will further motivate him to follow through with his promises.
In a statement from the White House, Obama said he was both “surprised and humbled” to have been chosen. But he called it a “call to action” for the remainder of his presidency to live up to being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize”
He should have the ambition to fulfill that “call to action” regardless of whether or not he wins the award. This whole issue is ridiculous, Obama has not had enough time to do anything to substantiate winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Obama seemed to agree when he said, “I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments…”
