Nobel Peace and Obama

I was shocked when I heard about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. And my shock was good and bad.

I didn't know who was nominated but I know there were hundreds of nominees. Was there someone else who was more deserving than President Obama? Probably. Do I think Obama was qualified? I don't know.

This morning I read that the decision unanimous and quick. That surprised me even more. No one questioned the decision? I believe Obama has done a lot to change the tone of diplomacy in the world and that he was changed the reputation of and attitude towards the US. I believe he has potential to do great things. But isn't the Nobel Peace Prize was to honor those thing already accomplished?

I heard someone this morning say this was the Nobel nominating committee was trying to be proactive, to influence world politics by nominating potential versus accomplishment. There is also the theory that they chose Obama because he was not George W. Bush.

Part of me can understand both of those things, but part of me wonders if this award will do the exact opposite. Expectations are already high when it comes to Obama and his goals. I worry that this will make it worse. Are people all over the globe going to expect him to fix all of the world's problem? Is this setting Obama up to fail?

Maybe I've lost my hope. Maybe the cynic in me has overpowered what little idealism I had left.

I don't know. I want to be happy about this. I want to believe this is the beginning of good in the world. That Obama can earn the respect of other nations, that he can fix this country's reputation.

I want to believe this, but I don't know if I can.