Steve Benen is a producer for the Rachel Maddow show and a columnist on MSNBC’s website, so we don’t expect a lot from him, but even this is too stupid for words. He asks in a recent article: “Just how far would Trump go in his quest for a Nobel prize?”
“Just how far?” Exactly how much peace is too much peace?
Trump just did a 20 hour roundtrip from D.C. to Alaska and back to help broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. That was pretty far. Does that count?
I’m being sarcastic, of course, But that was only yesterday. Trump only had to walk downstairs from the White House Residence for these half dozen peace deals. Do these count?
Azerbaijan and Armenia
Cambodia and Thailand
Egypt and Ethiopia
India and Pakistan
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Israel and Iran
And that was just the last six months, which clocks out to one peace deal per month since Inauguration. Then of course are his first term successes:
Serbia and Kosovo
Abraham Accords
Who knows what more might’ve been in pocket had he not been burdened by Russia-Russia-Russia and the two impeachments.
“Just how far?” Mr. Benen? Exactly how much peace is too much peace? Hm? You have a president who has done more for the cause of *literal* world peace in six months than virtually any other president ever and you’re snide about it? Thinking it’s some sort of vanity project?
Benen cites this White House tweet as “evidence” of Trump’s ego but in order for that to be compelling you’d have to show me any man who’s ever thought he could be The Leader of the Free World who didn’t have a ginormous ego.
Don’t believe we’ve invented that animal yet.
No, Mr. Benen, what you have here is a genuinely deserving recipient of the Prize, such as it is, having been thoroughly corrupted by giving it to Obama just for showing up. What you have here is someone who has that rare ability to take two opposing sides, find their needs and wants, and match them up in such a way that the killing stops.
Peace is the prize, Mr. Benen. Whether you know it or not. Whether Trump gets one or not. It doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Prizes in general have been so devalued that there’s a compelling argument to turn them all down, no matter the cause, should they be offered.
Personally? I hope he does turn it down, should the Nobel be offered. Screw them and their insipid, devalued little prizes.
Peace. Is. The. Prize.