Opinion: Norwegians to Obama: Uf-dah!
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President Obama, whose job approval ratings at home are flirting with George W. Bush territory, is apparently also souring the hearts of Norwegians (who, if you recall, are my people). 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.
According to a poll published by the daily tabloid VG, 44% of Norwegians believe it was rude of Obama to cancel his scheduled lunch with King Harald, with only 34% saying they believe it was acceptable.
Whole article from the Guardian here.
First, I doubt any group of Norwegians is truly capable of being ‘incensed’ over anything. But more to the point: A children’s event? A music concert? Is the Nobel Peace Prize less about Obama than it is pomp and circumstance for the Norwegians? I’ll concede that flaking on lunch with King Harald is, as a British colleague who’s lived under a monarchy told me, ‘a bit naughty,’ but the I-scratch-your-back, now-you-scratch-mine expectation in Norway is a bit much when you’re dealing with the sitting U.S. president. Besides, some stateside Obama-bashers would no doubt whine about the president’s skewed priorities were he to party at a Norwegian concert while two wars rage and the economy continues to flat-line.
-- Paul Thornton
Updated 4:40 p.m. Thursday: The author’s name was inadvertently omitted from the original post.
