For whom Nobel tolls
By JOSH GERSTEIN & JONATHAN MARTIN, Politico
President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize is quickly turning from a singular honor into a gold-medal headache, as even supporters call it premature and critics say it proves he's a darling of the international elite.
Obama moved to put some distance between himself and the award, saying,
"I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but a recognition of the role of American leadership" in the world.
"To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures" who won in the past, Obama said at the White House. "I will accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st Century."
And trying to puncture the solemnity of the moment, Obama joked that it was also a good day because it's his dog Bo's birthday. The White House later announced Obama will give the roughly $1.4 million prize to charity.
But even as some Democrats called it a validation of Obama's inclusive approach to foreign affairs, conservatives said it was evidence the Nobel committee simply wanted America "neutered," as talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh said.
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