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Author Topic: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?  (Read 1803 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« on: October 09, 2009, 12:40:15 PM »
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Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?

There's a problem for President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize victory and it's not his inexperience. From Article I, Section 9 of "that neglected curio," the U.S. Constitution:

"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

Eh, pesky rules and COTUS issues do not apply to teh wun.

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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2009, 12:45:10 PM »
Well, I wanted to see what happened with Roosevelt and Wilson.  A quick search turned this up for Roosevelt, and I am going to head out to see what I can find for Wilson.  I have no problem with Roosevelt's reaction...

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The medal and diploma will be prized by me throughout my life, and by my children after my death. I have turned over the money to a committee, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and the Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce and Labor, in trust, to be used as a foundation for promoting the cause of industrial peace in this country. In our modern civilization it is as essential to secure a righteous peace based upon sympathy and fair dealing between the different classes of society as it is to secure such a peace among the nations of the earth; and therefore I have felt that the use I have made of the amount of the Nobel Prize was one peculiarly in accordance with the spirit of the gift."

http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/nobelportsmouth.htm

Edited to add, the $$ never went there, but to help in WWI relief efforts.  His letter is pretty cool.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2009, 12:47:17 PM by IassaFTots »
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Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2009, 12:46:32 PM »
I don't believe the award actually comes from a foreign sovereign, rather the Nobel committee, regardless of who the presenter is...and it's not like he'd have a tough time getting the consent of Congress.
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Offline Ptarmigan

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2009, 01:04:42 PM »
The last two Presidents were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt who took on a more activist streak as President. Wilson formed the League of Nations, the forerunner of the UN, and he did not support suffrage, but only did so because of his wife. Also, he was a racist.
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2009, 02:51:44 PM »
Doesn't fall under the restrictions of Article I.  Besides, the executive branch is under Article II.  The Nobel is classified as a prize/award, not a title or trust.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2009, 10:32:57 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on October 09, 2009, 02:51:44 PM
Doesn't fall under the restrictions of Article I.  Besides, the executive branch is under Article II.  The Nobel is classified as a prize/award, not a title or trust.

I still can not see how he deserves it
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Can a sitting president receive a Nobel Peace Prize?
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2009, 06:12:49 AM »
Quote from: newbiered on October 09, 2009, 10:32:57 PM
I still can not see how he deserves it

He doesn't, but the point is, it was given to him, much like the honorary doctorate from Notre Dame.  A Catholic university honoring a guy who thinks it's perfectly okay to abort children.  Go wrap your head around that one.
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