Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

Ummmm... w t f?

OSLO (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for giving the world "hope for a better future" and striving for nuclear disarmament, in a surprise award that drew criticism as well as praise.

While the decision won praise from statesmen like Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev, both former Nobel laureates, it was also attacked, especially in parts of the Arab and Muslim world, as hasty and undeserved.

The committee said it attached "special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons," saying he had "created a new climate in international politics."

Updates from panty twisters:

AP: He won! For what?

UK PRESS: This makes mockery of peace prize...

ABC NEWS: It's Not April 1st, Is It?'...

Even CNN and Time are skeptical:

Praise and skepticism over Obama's win

Rollins: Now Obama needs to earn it | Video

Obama peace prize win polarizes Web

Time: Winning hurts | Last thing he needs

iReport.com: Does Obama deserve it?

Lech Walesa: 'Too early. He has no contribution so far'...

Apparently Lech has his panties all twisted too.

Yeah I know its Fox, but this is a great headline:

FOX FORUM: Obama Rewarded For Not Being Bush

'SNL' Obama sketch marks end of honeymoon

'SNL' Obama sketch marks end of honeymoon

Fred Armisen, as President Obama, chided "those on the right" for saying that he was "turning this great country into something that resembles the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany."

Not true, said Armisen as Obama.

"When you look at my record," he said, "it's very clear what I've done so far -- and that is nothing."

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Obama should be concerned about one thing, observes Thompson.

In general, "SNL" mocked previous presidents' personal characteristics, such as Clinton's outsized appetites or George W. Bush's struggles with spoken English. With Obama -- who lacks the same kind of easily caricatured traits, Thompson says -- the show went after his record.

Budget deficit hits $1.4 trillion for '09...

Budget deficit hits $1.4 trillion for '09...

Largest deficit ever.

Adjusted for inflation its the largest since WWII.

The federal budget deficit tripled to a record $1.4 trillion for the 2009 fiscal year that ended last week, congressional analysts said Wednesday.

The annual DEFICIT not the federal DEBT.

Remember when the DEBT was in the trillions?

The Congressional Budget Office estimate, while expected, is bad news for the White House and its allies in Congress as they press ahead with health care overhaul legislation that could cost $900 billion over the next decade.

The unprecedented flood of red ink flows from several factors, including a big drop in tax revenues due to the recession, $245 billion in emergency spending on the Wall Street bailout and the takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Then there is almost $200 billion in costs from President Barack Obama'seconomic stimulus bill, as well as increases in programs such as unemployment benefits and food stamps.

The previous record deficit was $459 billion and was set just last year.

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Oh yeah, unemployment has gotten worse:

Unemployment rate rises to 9.8% as employers cut more jobs than expected

Greenspan Foresees a Rise in Unemployment

High Unemployment Continues

What exactly did we stimulate? It wasn't my paycheck.

WTH? School Kids Sing Praises of Health Care Reform on CNN

Speechless...

At least that kid actually made sense. I think Obama should listen that kid.

Throw your hands up for health care reform!

George Will: Olympics pitch all about Obama's‎

George Will: Olympics pitch all about Obamas‎

In the Niagara of words spoken and written about the Obamas' trip to Copenhagen, too few have been devoted to the words they spoke there. Their separate speeches to the International Olympic Committee were so dreadful, and in such a characteristic way, that they might be symptomatic of something that has serious implications for American governance.

Both Obamas gave heartfelt speeches about … themselves.

In the 41 sentences of her remarks, Michelle Obama used some form of the personal pronouns “I” or “me” 44 times. Her husband was, comparatively, a shrinking violet, using those pronouns only 26 times in 48 sentences.

Still, 70 times in 89 sentences was sufficient to convey the message that somehow their fascinating selves were what made, or should have made, Chicago's case compelling.

Presidents often come to be characterized by particular adjectives: “honest” Abe Lincoln, “Grover the Good” Cleveland, “energetic” Theodore Roosevelt, “idealistic” Woodrow Wilson, “Silent Cal” Coolidge, “confident” FDR, “likable” Ike Eisenhower. Less happily, there were “Tricky Dick” Nixon and “Slick Willie” Clinton. Unhappy will be a president whose defining adjective is “vain.”

AG: ACORN Embezzlement Hits $5M

AG: ACORN Embezzlement Hits $5M

Attorney general says ACORN founder's brother stole five times more than was previously disclosed; group denies
• ACORN Ties Put Pressure on Democrats, Union

Obama: Stuck between himself and a hard place

The war in Afghanistan:

Notice the dramatic increase in casualties when

Obama started vacillating on America's commitment?

Obama: "We have seen Afghanistan worsen, deteriorate. We need more troops there. We need more resources there ... I would send two to three additional brigades to Afghanistan."

In Iraq: Effects of the surge on military causalties

In Iraq: Effects of the surge on civilian causalities

GATES SAYS TALIBAN HAS MOMENTUM BECAUSE OF U.S., ALLIES INABILITY TO PUT ENOUGH TROOPS IN...

PAPER: Obama furious at Gen. McChrystal speech on Afghanistan...

Divide in White House on Afghanistan

POLITICS: TROOP BUILD-UP IN AFGHANISTAN MAY BE GAINING FAVOR...

Obama: "So I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future. That is the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just. And to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: we will defeat you. "

"To achieve our goals, we need a stronger, smarter and comprehensive strategy. To focus on the greatest threat to our people, America must no longer deny resources to Afghanistan because of the war in Iraq. "

"So let me be clear: al Qaeda and its allies - the terrorists who planned and supported the 9/11 attacks - are in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

"I do not ask for this support lightly. These are challenging times, and resources are stretched. But the American people must understand that this is a down payment on our own future - because the security of our two countries is shared. Pakistan's government must be a stronger partner in destroying these safe-havens, and we must isolate al Qaeda from the Pakistani people."

"There is an uncompromising core of the Taliban. They must be met with force, and they must be defeated."

"But we must never forget. This is not a war of choice," he told the VFW crowd. "This is a war of necessity. Those who attacked America on 9/11 are plotting to do so again."

Update:

Frustration Grows as Obama Seeks Afghanistan Strategy

How Bush-like: Senate Passes Pentagon Budget, War Funding

Reassessing Obama's 'war of necessity'

You heard it here: Obama: No plans for additional troops