Hope and Fail

Obama disses Norway on Nobel trip

With all of the talk from the president about renewing America’s standing in the world, one would assume he would be careful not to offend the nation that is giving him a Nobel prize (premature or not).

Apparently all of that is just talk.

From the Guardian:

Barack Obama’s trip to Oslo to pick up his Nobel peace award is in danger of being overshadowed by a row over the cancellation of a series of events normally attended by the prizewinner.

Norwegians are incensed over what they view as his shabby response to the prize by cutting short his visit.

The White House has cancelled many of the events peace prize laureates traditionally submit to, including a dinner with the Norwegian Nobel committee, a press conference, a television interview, appearances at a children’s event promoting peace and a music concert, as well as a visit to an exhibition in his honour at the Nobel peace centre.

He has also turned down a lunch invitation from the King of Norway.

President Obama can’t even have dinner with the Nobel committee? Or attend a press conference? Or meet with the king?

Maybe the president is just embarrassed about winning a Nobel Peace Prize before building a record of bringing about peace.

Update

The Norwegians came up with a replacement for the president, from the AP:

Obama had quite a whirlwind day Thursday — he signed the Nobel guest book, huddled with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, met with King Harald V and Queen Sonja, and delivered an acceptance speech after he was formally presented with the prize. He also joined the king and queen at an evening banquet.

But he skipped several other activities, including lunch with the king, a news conference at Oslo’s Grand Hotel, CNN’s traditional interview with the prize winner and a “Save the Children” benefit concert, where organizers replaced him with an Obama cardboard cutout. Obama also won’t be around for Friday’s Nobel Concert.

It seems appropriate. The cardboard cutout has about the same record on promoting world peace as the president does.

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