Teacher's Pet

By James H. Fetzer and J.R. Dunn

The fact that I'd ever written a piece on the Noble prize had totally slipped my mind until this past Saturday. (This shows you what writers are like.)

I see little I'd retract at this point. Al Gore's worthless Nobel did in truth mark his high point, from which he has inexorably faded to his current status as the shady salesman for a questionable product. (I'd like to see his balance sheet since September 2008.)

Will Obama match Al's trajectory? I think so. The Norwegians have done our Dear Leader no favor. What the award has done is to mark him permanently as a teacher's pet, that odious figure from everyone's school days who was always first in line, always got the highest marks, and always got the prizes whether deserving or not. Obama is now the international equivalent, his accolades not only undeserved but stolen from those who actually earned them (the Chinese dissidents, to name one such group).

This is now a permanent part of his persona, something he will need to work at to overcome. Can he overcome it? He didn't do so this weekend. The sole mature choice when confronted with the Norwegian parliament's damnfoolery would have been to politely reject the award. This would have earned him far greater public accolades and even reluctant respect from the likes of me. But Obama failed that test. He always will.

This all comes at a particularly bad moment for Obama, with his agenda deteriorating and his support weakening. It will buy him some time by acting as a distraction, but no more than that. Now the bar has been set much higher, and the fall will be even more brutal and crippling when it comes.

But you know what -- he can always hire Al to act as his awards czar. What do you think?