It’s difficult to escape the sense that the Nobel committee really has it in for George W. Bush, given the recent run of votes. Carter, Gore, and now Obama – and wouldn’t you hate to be the guy who gets jerked out of bed by a phone call at 4 AM saying “The boss just won a Nobel prize. We need a speech in time for the morning shows.”
The unkind thing would be to point out that if the situation were reversed, and Bush were the one who got the inexplicable award, his side would be out there screaming “SUCK IT LIBRULS” instead of sitting there scratching their heads in sheepish embarrassment. Instead, I think the thing to point out is that since the first prize in 1901, Americans have won twenty-three Nobel Peace Prizes. Which, I would like to think, says something about our character as a nation and our aspirations for the world.
Also, Eric Bickel will probably have a stroke on the air today.