From Silence to Outrage, Republicans React to Nobel News

Even before President Obama stood in front of the Rose Garden microphones to react to the news of his Nobel Peace Prize, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele sent out a statement asking, "What has President Obama actually accomplished?"

Steele went on to rap both Obama and the Nobel committee, saying, "It is unfortunate that the president's star power has out-shined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights. One thing is certain – President Obama won't be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action."

Steele's harsh words fell at one end of the spectrum of Republican reaction Friday as party leaders and pundits navigated the tricky terrain of discussing an international honor for an American president. And, even some Democrats were left scratching their heads.

Rush Limbaugh took to the airwaves Friday to slam Obama's "incompetence" and the Nobel committee's bias."I think the people who used to run the election board for Saddam Hussein's government were hired by the Nobel committee here to tally the votes," he said.

Fred Thompson, the former Republican presidential candidate and current radio host, wrote on his Twitter feed, "I awoke 2 THE ONION headline Obama had won Nobel Peace prize by appeasing all dictators of world."

Bill Kristol, editor of the conservative Weekly Standard, said, "I don't mean to compare Barack Obama to Gorbachev, who was, whatever his faults, a truly historic and courageous figure. But let's hope the parallel extends this far: that a year from now the Democrats suffer a major electoral repudiation."

Beyond media types and media seekers, elected Republican officials and potential candidates took a more muted, even positive, approach to the Nobel news.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a possible 2012 presidential candidate, said in a radio interview, "Regardless of the circumstances, anytime somebody wins a Nobel Prize I think an appropriate response is to say, 'Congratulations'."

Mike Huckabee, another possible 2012 contender, counseled Republicans on his Web site, "There will be an outcry from those on the right who will say that Obama's nomination, made two weeks into his presidency, is impossible to justify, but I think such an outcry will sound like right-wing whining. The better response is simply to allow those on the left to explain what he did in his first two weeks as president that merited such recognition."

Lou Zickar, editor of the moderate Republican Ripon Forum, said Republicans would have done themselves a favor by doing what the rest of America did: "scratch their heads and accept the award for what it is -- an honor." Zickar said Obama's muted reaction showed his ability to find the right tone and "the complete inability of Republicans to do the same thing."

Of course, Republicans weren't the only ones guilty of post-prize hyperbole. In response to Steele's missive, the Democratic National Committee fired off a statement saying the GOP had "no boundaries, no shame," and had "thrown its lot in with the terrorists -- the Taliban and Hamas this morning -- in criticizing the President for receiving the Nobel Peace prize."

In the meantime, the truly powerful Republicans in Washington took a different approach entirely. By the end of the day Friday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner had said nothing at all.