The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize aimed to boost Obama but backfired politically

Evidence

On the morning of October 9, 2009, Barack Obama awoke to unexpected news: He had won the Nobel Peace Prize less than nine months into his presidency. Even Obama’s own team was baffled by the honor, given that the deadline for nominations had been just twelve days after his inauguration. The Nobel Committee explained that the award was meant to “promote what he stands for,” hoping it might bolster his standing amid fierce Republican opposition. Instead, the announcement only intensified criticism. Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said the Peace Prize was now worth what they’re “putting in Cracker Jacks these days.” Obama himself reportedly sought to skip the ceremony. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 205

Categorization

• CANDY: The Rush Limbaugh ‘Cracker Jacks’ jab is a light, tweetable detail about the politicization of the Nobel Prize.