Obama Accepts The Nobel Prize And Spoils The Peace With Norway

A smiling President Obama and his wife arrived in Norway early Thursday to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.

A common sentiment of real surprise was heard when the award was first announced in October and since then, public opinion seems to be judging him, as unworthy of the prize.

The surprise decision to choose him for the award seems to have been based on the hope that, in his role as President , Obama will achieve real progress in advancing diplomacy rather than confrontation around the globe.

But today, as he has gone to acknowledge and receive his award, an ironic fact has unfolded.

In his true diplomatic glory, the President has cancelled many of the traditional events that the peace prize winners are expected to attend, including an invitation to have lunch with the King, a visit to an exhibition being made in his honor at the Nobel peace centre, dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, an appearance at a children's event promoting peace, a music concert and press and TV conferences.

Obama will spend just 24 hours in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, and because of his busy schedule he has turned down numerous invitations. He is however, due to meet the Norwegian prime minister, during his visit.

By cancelling the events that are always attended by the prize-winner, he has highlighted the controversy over the award being given to a ‘war president’, has offended his host country and subsequently caused a row.

Many Norwegians are furious that he has cut short his visit and according to a poll published by the daily tabloid VG only 34% of people said that they believed that it was an acceptable thing to do and 44% said it was rude.

"Of all the things he is cancelling, I think the worst is cancelling the lunch with the king," said Siv Jensen, the leader of the largest party in opposition, the populist Progress party. "This is a central part of our government system. He should respect the monarchy," she told VG.

Obama had spoken of his surprise of being chosen for the award and has admitted he did not feel he deserved to be in the company of some of the "transformative figures" who had previously received it.

Well, having been given such a prestigious award in the first place, and accepting it, I would have thought that Obama would at least have known that one needs to show basic respect toward those giving him an honor.

Never mind deploying more troops in Afghanistan, I think that if Obama didn’t think that turning down an invitation with the King might be offensive, then he is probably not the best man for the prize.

So is the average American proud of their President today? I think it more likely that they are actually a little bit embarrassed.