We do know that we were facing a spiral of conflict that, unchecked, could have taken the world to the abyss. I see this prize as an endorsement of his extraordinary reorientation of world politics, and as an encouragement to see it through. In the midst of our domestic battles, and their ill-temper (from which I have not been immune lately), this is an attempt to tell us: look up for a moment, see how far we've come in pivoting away from global conflict, and give this man a break for his efforts and the massive burden he now bears.
And, in the darkness that still threatens, know hope.
I hope that someday, regardless of pet policies and issues, we'll all be fairly unified in the notion that this president's leadership style pulled us back from the brink and sparked some positivity in an otherwise cynical, cold era. If nothing else, and even if we're too hip to admit it, America was starving for genuinely steady, strong, pragmatic, thoughtful and, yes, inspirational leadership that doesn't need to be accessorized with flight suits or cowboy hats. While, like all presidents, he's not an infallible iron man, I think history will note that we made the right choice last year.
I agree with Bill Maher: he's not "our boyfriend." But he's a crucial role model, both in terms of American leadership on the world stage, as well as for millions of people here at home. Agree or disagree -- flawless or not -- this is important and serious, and I think with our modern American tendency towards aloofness and our quest for hipster cred we tend to forget:
