Would any of you had felt better if President Obama had declined to accept the Nobel Peace Prize?

I don't think I would have felt any differently about it. I am not upset with him for winning it. I am just a little (very little) put out that he could win this early in his term.It tells me not to pay attention to any future winners because they may not deserve it either.

Not his fault he won though and his ego wouldn't allow him to turn it down I think. Heck I wouldn't have turned it down either.

No. I think the President did exactly the right thing. We tend to forget that the man was a senator before he was president, and the anti-nuclear proliferation work for which the Nobel was largely awarded was begun then.

Given that diplomacy has been fully restored to the U.S. As a tool for working with other nations, I understand the gesture by the Nobel Committee. President Obama did not solicit the award, and it would have been inappropriate to refuse it. S office requires that he represent the U.S. , not only himself.It was an unexpected honor, but an international and prestigious honor.

And, as you point out, he would have been criticized no matter what he did. I think French President was correct when he said that, "Obama's Nobel Peace Prize marks 'America's return to the hearts of the people of the world." Obama did the right thing in turning the award over to charity and expressing his surprise and humility.

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The noble peace prize is an excellent tool for president barack obama in his quest to established world peace, It's like saying a carpenter should declined an offer for a hammer. Now he has an extra new tool to use in creating better world.

No, because I have watched through the news, and even through my internet friends how Obama has inspired awesome Peaceful and democratic actions world wide.. Even my friends who were not Democrats from other Countries were enthusiastically jumping up and down cheering for Obama to win.. because they truely believe in his ability to make things better. He deserve it.. and his speech writer too... People have won it just for books.. that inspired.. Obamas Campaign and Speeches I found very inspirational...

I think to have turned down the award would almost have been insulting to the committee who did vote for him. As I said in the other question about this, it's not like President Obama could nominate himself. To turn it down would have been insulting.In the acceptance of the award, he said he was humbled.

He probably should have been by this award. He also said he doesn't...(quote)~~~""feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize"" I think I might have felt better if he had said he truly shares the award with others. That would have been true.

He simply did no get this award solely on his own merit. I'm truly puzzled by it. But to bluntly answer your question, rejecting the award would have been horrendous and had untold devastating consequences.

President or not, you just don't do that.

I know I would have. I thought they only gave those out to intelligent people who actually use their intelligence. I guess the judges for that award have lowered their standards!

:D I was also secretly hoping I would win it this year, I was wrong. ;( P. S I know you are not selected by votes, it's a joke.

I think he is in a rock and hard place. It's a mistake whether he accepts it or not, so he chose lesser evil. The blame should be on the Noble commitee.

Obama had no part in his nomination after all.

Yes I agree with elcookie I would have had greater respect for him if he would had refused it.

Yes I think that's what he should have done atleast he admits he doesn't deserve it.

Any man of integrity in his position would have turned down the prize, just as Le Duc Tho turned it down in 1973 because his country was at war. Obama, as commander of the most powerful army in the world is contemplating escalating war in Afghanistan by sending 40,000 additional soldiers half way around the world to kill more people. He could have at least had the decency to decline the award on the basis that he commands an army that was killing people in two or three countries on the very day he accepted the prize, and rather than decreasing that or stopping it, he is considering plans to increase it.It actually may have sent a stronger message than accepting it.

Think how sobering it would be to hear him say that he would not rest until the United States really WAS at peace, and when that time came, he would be extremely happy to accept an honor.

He didn't ask for it why should he decline it. It's an award that all Americans should be proud of. Any time anyone gets something, there is always somebody somewhere to claim that they shouldn't have.

I think he handled it appropriately by stating that there were other people that deserved to win it as well, but as Americans, we should be proud of any American, including the President, that receives this award.

I have never had any feeling nor will have any for any present, past or future Nobel Prize winners. Now, this years American Idol winner...

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.