When it comes to the most prestigious international prize in existence, there is one iron-clad predicate to winning: Though everyone would love to receive one, anyone who publicly campaigns for a Nobel Prize is all but automatically disqualified. President Barack Obama won the award in what might charitably be called a “gift,” as he had yet to do much internationally, but it was not controversial. Likely precisely because Obama won the award, Donald Trump wants the prize so badly that he begs, making one squirm even more than usual. This is a critical element because it doesn’t matter if one is a physicist, doctor, or peace recipient; merely mentioning the prize, never mind begging, nearly defeats the entire purpose of the award, rendering it all but impossible. It is likely for that reason, among many, many others, that the Nobel Committee reportedly cannot stand Donald Trump and would more likely award me the prize for literature than Trump for peace.
According to a report in today’s Washington Post:
President Donald Trump has long quested after a Nobel Peace Prize, a distinction that would put him in a vaunted and exclusive club. But unlike a U.S. presidential campaign, winning a Nobel Peace Prize depends on an electorate of five — and Trump may not have a majority.
Trump’s desire for a Nobel has been a through-current of both of his terms, but his effort has escalated in recent months. He has mused aloud that the peace deal in Ukraine that he has worked on in recent weeks might be one key to the prize.
Unfortunately for Ukrainians, Trump seemed to approach this particular prize like everything else to which he aspires, hoping that a big show would overcome the lack of substance. But after last week, it appears as though peace in Ukraine is even less likely now. Instead of putting the hard economic screws on Putin, Trump sprang him loose with no threats or strong-armed tactics. Putin is now free to continue his campaign in Ukraine without further fear of U.S. economic pressure. When it came time to actually make an effort toward peace, Trump instead gave Putin cover, valuing his own safety and security over the risk necessary to make peace. Hardly a qualifying act. Don’t worry, though, the committee is well aware of the dynamic:
But at least three of the five Norwegian deciders have criticized Trump publicly, making his path to winning their votes far from clear. The chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, decried in December “the erosion of freedom of expression even in democratic nations,” calling out Trump by name.
This is now typical WaPo-speak, as in “far from clear” substituting for “not a snowball’s chance.” And it is not like the snub can be written off as some Scandinavian leftist plot; Trump has yet to do anything to merit a Nobel. He is just as close to the Nobel prize for chemistry as he is for peace, even closer to the prize for literature, given his prolific tweets that have added to the world’s literary legacy.
But the lack of any progress toward international stability and peace is only part of the story. The entire purpose behind the Nobel Prize is to lift up recipients who make huge contributions to humanity in relative obscurity. Alfred Nobel wanted to endow something that would make scientists, writers, and peacemakers rock stars. Publicly politicking for the prize practically renders it meaningless even before one notes just how uncouth it all comes across. Trump would be far better off asking for the prize as a condition to stepping down from office, for the betterment of the world. He won’t consider it for a moment.
Fortunately, it would seem that Trump cannot muscle, dictate, or sue his way through the Nobel Committee. He would likely literally kill to get the Peace Prize, which is both counterintuitive and inherently disqualifying. A peace prize laureate should be willing to give one up to save a life. Maybe Barack Obama should offer his prize to Trump in exchange for Trump stepping down?
The Nobel Committee would likely award Obama a second one for doing so. This might well be an extremely good idea. The only thing more bothersome to Trump might be if Obama were to be the first two-time recipient. Almost worth it.
One can bet that Obama will win a second before Trump ever receives just one.
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How about giving him the Nobel Pizza Prize? He might like that. Not very permanent though…
It’s safe to say he’s hitched his ‘impossible peace carriage’ onto the wrong engine, on the wrong track, at the wrong station, managed by the wrong station master, and conducted by the wrong guards, for this to be a reality. If he attempts to build up a head of steam in pursuit of this, all he’ll get is ‘Ni. No. No!’ blowback.
So, the Nobel Committee or at least three who have said anything publicly hate Trump. I’d say ‘Well DUH’ but Private Gomer Pyle makes the point SO much better:
Seriously though your explanation of how campaigning for the award ruins a person’s chances made me flash back damn near fifty year. For my 21st Birthday my dad payed my degree fees through Blue Lodge (Master Mason), Scottish Rite (32%) and Shrine. (I paid my own way for York Rite, which like Scottish Rite confers the title Knight Templar) After completing the two Saturdays up in Belleville going through the lessons (degrees) to complete Scottish Rite at our next local lodge meeting someone who’d only recently become a Third Degree, Master Mason said he guessed I now outranked him.
Before Paul Miller (a Grand Lecturer who spent years mentoring so I could one day become one) could step in I explained what most people don’t know or understand. In FreeMasony Master Mason, or Third Degree is the highest “rank” that exists. Those who choose to learn more via Scottish Rite (teachings are based on Old Testament) or York Rite (New Testament) or both don’t outrank him or another other Third Degree or Master Mason.
He then asked the relevant to this discussion question. A handful of people are conferred the honor of 33% Mason. It IS an honor because if not a lifetime decades of honorable service to the craft, the community and even the greater good of the country is required to be considered. But even those so honored with being awarded the coveted 33 Degree don’t outrank anyone else. It can be safely assumed however because of what it takes to earn that designation someone who receives it is treated with extra respect.
My acquaintance, not knowing what I just explained asked how one gets to 33 Degree. Paul stepped in and explained for him. Paul also said the ONE thing a person who aspired to the honor could do that would forever ensure NEVER getting it was to make it known they wanted it. I think his warning was actually for me, such were his hopes for me. When I mentioned it to my dad (dad had stopped being active in Lodge years before) he laughed and said he’d heard Paul and another guy (also a Grand Lecturer – rare for a small town lodge to have one, much less two) had taken a liking to me. He said I was in the best of hands to to take to heart whatever they were willling to spend time teaching me. And as for 33 Degree he said don’t even think about, much less talk about it. If it’s something you like the thought of you’ll have to live a helluva life and do a lot of good for others, while being humble about it. Once you’re well past 50 if you’ve done that and wonder if it might be enough don’t waste time. And DON’T go giving so much as a hint to ANYONE you hope someday your life might be honored that way. Dad said if someday I deserved it the right person or people would notice and I’d be considered. But if one of the right people learned I even hinted at someday being recognized my name would be on the NO, not eve list.
Even brokering a just end to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine won’t get Trump a Nobel Peace prize because he’s so openly lusted for it and worse repeatedly claims he deserved it. If Obama’s was ‘on spec’ Obama had the humility to realize that and work to be worth of the honor. I believe he did wind up actually earning it and still works to earn it. Those so honored don’t suddenly stop trying to make this world better.
Post-Alaska, Putin isn’t just “free to continue his campaign in Ukraine without fear of further US economic pressure,” he’s also free to continue slaughtering Ukrainian civilians without fear of US-made long-range missiles being fired into military targets within Russia. Trump and his moronic bumboy Hegseth have forbidden that and have thus made further slaughter a sure thing. That’s about as far from a Peace Prize as you can get but Trump and Hgseth might get the coveted Hero of the Russian Federation.
I love the fact that he wants it almost as bad as he wants to boink Ivanka and he can’t take over the committee. Maybe send the Marines to invade them.
Plus, the fact that Obama has one and he doesn’t is driving him insane.
They don’t give losers, prizes.