Did Obama Snub the Nobel Prize Committee?

[Admiral Yi]

at least one of Yi's Democrat cheerleaders haven't wrapped themselves into a pretzel but have also said they're not keen on it.

Which one is that?

[Sheilbh]

Which one is that?

Frank Rich. 

[Admiral Yi]

Frank Rich.

I'm pretty sure Frank Rich has not written about the Nobel speech Shelf.

[jimmy olsen]

The op-ed was so good you had to copy the intro timmay?

Sorry, don't know how that happened. Fixed.

[Sheilbh]

Frank Rich.

I'm pretty sure Frank Rich has not written about the Nobel speech Shelf.

No, you're right.  He opposes the new Afghan policy

[Razgovory]

What's the magic word?

I'm tired of arguing in circles?

[Martinus]

I see Will Smith was in the audience, obviously studying Obama for when he inevitably plays him.

Jon Stuart already made that joke on the Daily Show.

[Martinus]

I am eagerly awaiting the reaction from the peacenik left to what was essentially a neocon speech by Obama.

It wasn't neoconish.

Indeed. Not every vision of international affairs that does not involve absolute pacifism is neoconish. 

[Martinus]

The current foreign policy of the United States is an exercise in contraction. It begins with the demolition of the moral foundation of American dominance. In Strasbourg, President Obama was asked about American exceptionalism. His answer? "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." Interesting response. Because if everyone is exceptional, no one is.

I started reading the piece Tim posted but stopped on this line. If the guy is capable of drumming up so much bullshit by the second paragraph of his piece, then it must be a bovine shitstorm of apocalyptic proportions by the end.

[citizen k]

I am eagerly awaiting the reaction from the peacenik left to what was essentially a neocon speech by Obama.

It wasn't neoconish.

Indeed. Not every vision of international affairs that does not involve absolute pacifism is neoconish. 

But the lineage is there. The neocons were hawkish liberals of the Truman and Kennedy mold who were disaffected with the dovish Democrat party. Obama is merely reflecting that branch of liberal thinking.

[jimmy olsen]

The current foreign policy of the United States is an exercise in contraction. It begins with the demolition of the moral foundation of American dominance. In Strasbourg, President Obama was asked about American exceptionalism. His answer? "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism." Interesting response. Because if everyone is exceptional, no one is.

I started reading the piece Tim posted but stopped on this line. If the guy is capable of drumming up so much bullshit by the second paragraph of his piece, then it must be a bovine shitstorm of apocalyptic proportions by the end.

Learn to fucking read. That was a quote from someone the author disagreed with.

[Sheilbh]

But the lineage is there. The neocons were hawkish liberals of the Truman and Kennedy mold who were disaffected with the dovish Democrat party. Obama is merely reflecting that branch of liberal thinking.

They weren't hawkish liberals.  They were originally Trotskyists who became dissatisfied with the self-indulgence of the left in the 1960s.  They were a new form of conservative that wasn't entirely opposed to the state.  That's why, within, foreign policy they're supremely statist.  They believe that the US government through military and non-military means can change the government of a nation and by doing that alone transform the society (whereas I think old school conservatives would argue government comes from society).

[alfred russel]

European Monarchs don't have power but they are Heads of State.  So it's a way of paying respect to the nation.

If Norway decides its head of state is a rock, are you going to think Obama should have lunch with the rock?

[grumbler]

Sheilbh,  I am enjoying your take on this, though I don't have time to formulate much in the way of response.

[Razgovory]

European Monarchs don't have power but they are Heads of State.  So it's a way of paying respect to the nation.

If Norway decides its head of state is a rock, are you going to think Obama should have lunch with the rock?

The queen of Poland was for a time a painting.  It would make a boring lunch I suppose.