News day

Fall bouquet, Merci, Paris.

We interrupt the series of Longchamp photos to focus on unexpected news today:

Barack Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples."

"The Committee has attached special importance to Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts.

"The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations.Thanks to Obama's initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population.

"For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman.The Committee endorses Obama's appeal that "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Let's hope Obama can live up to his promise, with jealous naysayers (with no ideas or solutions of their own) determined to obstruct his every move.

So refreshing: Alan Grayson dares to speak the truth. 

Am glad that this outrageous law is being challenged in court. What an invasion of privacy!

And a very Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

Update: The Democratic National Committee responds to Republican criticism of the Nobel Peace Prize announcement:

"The Republican Party has thrown in its lot with the terrorists — the Taliban and Hamas this morning — in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize. Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize — an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride — unless of course you are the Republican Party. The 2009 version of the Republican Party has no boundaries, has no shame and has proved that they will put politics above patriotism at every turn. It’s no wonder only 20 percent of Americans admit to being Republicans anymore – it’s an embarrassing label to claim."

Mohamed El Baradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency:

"There is nobody today in my view who is more deserving of that peace prize than Barack Obama. In less than a year he brought a radical change in the way we look at ourselves, in the way we look at our world. He is restoring the basic core values that every one of us should live by - dialogue, respect, democracy, due process, human rights, a security system that does not depend on nuclear weapons. His dedication to these values rekindles hope that, finally, we could have a world at peace with itself."

Read more reactions to the news here.

An excerpt of President Obama's speech:

"Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

"To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

"But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century."

Comments

[Colette]

And that Reagan brought down the Iron Curtain is somewhat of a myth. Let's not rewrite history.

[Phivos Nicolaides]

Your stunning pictures and texts are great!

[Phivos Nicolaides]

Your stunning pictures and texture are great!

[Phivos Nicolaides]

Your stunning pictures and texture are great.

[kathy]

PLEASE, DONT FIGHT. This is a wonderful site youve made Tara. Politics are crazy worldwide. Hear enough of this kind of thing at home[my hubby is cherie blairs cousin, wife of tony, our ex p.m.]. Your site is fantastic, please, dont let anyone get fanatical on here.Love and Peace to all[ if possible ] . xxx

[kathy]

Good on you Tara, you go girl.

[Tara Bradford]

Merci bien, Diana. An unexpected choice, but certainly a welcome one. I agree with you about the Nobel Committee's reasoning.

[Tara Bradford]

Thank you, Joan! Your support - and your words of wisdom - are much appreciated!

[sheris white]

My sentiments exactly!

[Joan O'Connor]

Tara,
Bravo for writing about the award to President Obama, and for responding to comments. It's far easier to sit back and allow discussion to take place without taking the trouble to deal with objections or counter arguments in a respectful, thoughtful way. I applaud your passion for politics and the plight of many who have no voice. I applaud your marvelous blog. And I applaud your commentary.
I, too, hope and pray for success for Obama. Of course he has a massive job, and his ability to inspire hope despite all the naysayers is astonishing. "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
Corragio!

[Marianne]

I think it is a wise and wonderful decision. I just wish they had another one to award to Sima Samar as well!

[Di Overton]

I heard the news on my way home today and the article was peppered with comments like those above. Stuff them!

[Stephanie]

I saw this first thing this morning and am thrilled that this man is being recognized around the world for his vision if not by many in his own country.

x..x

[Rosa]

I was so excited to hear the news first thing this morning. I should have expected the negatives flowing in afterwards; but that somehow always throws me off guard.

[dutchbaby]

Thank you, Thank you for this post! I was very surprised, but the more I thought about it, the more I smiled. The Nobel Committee is to be commended for their forward-thinking gutsiness!

As for the nay-sayers, I am blowing a very immature raspberry at them!

[Paris Parfait]

When you toss around aspersions like that, you should be prepared to cite specific examples. Luckily for us all, you're not on the Nobel committee - which isn't political, by the way.

[vintage]

Tara, That is wonderful news!!! Hope all is beautiful in your part of the world.

[Deborah]

Talk is cheap and O can't keep his talk or his facts straight. Maybe in a year or two, right now he's just talk and photo ops. I've lost respect for the Nobel Committee. And NO I'm not republican, I do not listen to Rush or any of the talking heads (they all get paid)...I vote as I wish.

[Tara Bradford]

My sentiments exactly.

[Tara Bradford]

Thanks for the kind words about the photo, Gill! And yes, waving the magic O flag now! Wish you were here. Happy Thanksgiving. xoxox

[Tara Bradford]

And I find it curious that you never comment on anything on my blog, other than something concerning politics, if Democrats are involved.

[Tara Bradford]

I agree Grayson's holocaust comment was a mistake; he apologised... which is something Beck, Limbaugh and those pathetic clueless "teabaggers" didn't have the grace to do when they were bandying about references to Hitler and the Holocaust and Obama. Even the JDL complained about those completely false references! But I didn't hear you complaining about those remarks; seems you only pay attention if a Democrat says something wrong. And to compare Beck and Limbaugh to Grayson is laughable. For one thing, Grayson isn't a former drug addict, paid to fake tears or feign outrage, while cynically raking in millions of dollars. Grayson actually tries to do something good for America, rather than tear it down.

[nutster]

"Changed the climate".....the Nobel people have diminished past recipients who have done the work. President Obama has much work in front of him....and he fully was or should have been aware of the people that he would deal with that do not agree with his vision.

I referenced Grayson's wealth because he appears to fit in with a category of wealthy people that do not handle their blessing gracefully. I have encountered more than a few of these people personally. Grayson barely won his election....one could argue that he bought it...nothing against that...it's how we do things here. He purchased a platform to run his mouth. Loose cannons have a tendency to not exist very long. Yes, there are exceptions but they often hang themselves....Grayson came pretty close with that holocaust reference....one of the most offensive things I have heard. If he hangs himself and gets ousted, does he really care? He can go back to tending his holdings.

Beck.....Limbaugh....Grayson.....perhaps some listen to shock jock rhetoric. I laugh at it because I don't care much for extremists on either side. The majority lives in the middle just because of this type of dialogue. Very unsavory and slanted.

[Tara Bradford]

Maybe you should read the reasons the Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Obama.

I don't understand why you reference people's political views in terms of how much money they have. If so, you should highlight the right-wing warmonger Dick Cheney, who has become richer because of his politics. How much money one makes does not always influence one's opinions or the good one does for others. Ted Kennedy was one of many wealthy politicians who spent a lifetime championing the poor and underprivileged.

And I don't consider discussing the critical life-and-death issues of health care in America "entertaining." As for "shock jock" rhetoric, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, et al have made a career out of it. Seems one has to shout really loud to be heard in America these days; even then, facts often fall on deaf ears.

[nutster]

I got nothing against Obama....I just don't get the Nobel people. Reagan brought down the Iron Curtain....and didn't get a Nobel award. Obama has "a vision" and he gets an award? Hmmmmmmm....

Grayson is entertaining.....except when he tosses the word "holocaust" around. THAT was shameful. He is one of the wealthiest people in congress. The freshman congressman seems to have no problem with "shock jock" rhetoric. As said....entertaining.

[Kim]

OMG -- I loves me some Alan Grayson. More like him please! Did you see him question Ben Berneke and the general counsel of the Federal Reserve? Holy crap. I laughed so hard. He made them look like the scummy weasels that they really are. I wish more and more democrats would stop acting like republicans and start following Grayson's lead.

Also, go read Mahablog's post today about Obama's award. I kind of agree with her.

[karen cole]

In case you think I had completely forgotten about you, dear Tara, YOU were the first person I thought of when I heard the news a few minutes ago.

Hope all is beautiful in your part of the world.

xo Karen

[Gillian daSilva]

OH and the outrageous law...what kinds of people want this information public anyways? What purpose do they believe it would serve? May as well bring back the scarlet letter....!

[Gillian daSilva]

That is wonderful news!!!
He inherited an awful state of affairs too...things haven't been easy for him.
I'll go wave my magic flag now!!! xo
{That photo of the roses is a breath of fresh air on this crispy foggy day, let me tell you!}