A Nobel Prize for Mere Hope

Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:14 AM

By: Michael Reagan

So much already has been said and written concerning President Obama’s startling receipt of a Nobel Peace Prize this past Friday that I don’t want to bore you with a regurgitated version of yesterday’s news.

But with so many commentators and pundits, on both the left and right, raising understandable questions about the validity of conferring such an award on an American president who has been in office for less than a year and really accomplished so little . . . well, it’s gotten me thinking.

As a country, we have had many successful past American presidents who have had such a significant, positive impact on the course of global affairs — too many of whom are no longer seen as relevant or historically noteworthy, but from whom we must learn.

According to Alfred Nobel’s will, the prize for peace was to be awarded to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding of peace congresses.â€