October 09, 2009 12:21 pm ET
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, October 9, 2009 |
CONTACT Jess Levin (202) 772-8162 |
Washington, D.C. - Today, Media Matters for America responded to the latest example of the politically expedient, backwards patriotism of the right-wing media. Numerous conservative media figures have already roundly denounced the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama, with one, RedState.com founder Erick Erickson, claiming that the decision was the result of "affirmative action."
"The right-wing media have once again demonstrated their true colors," said Eric Burns, President of Media Matters. "They want Obama to fail, and as long as he is president, they seem to want America to fail, too."
"Does the right care that the Taliban shares their sentiments on this story?" Burns asked.
Media Matters also released a video titled, "Rooting Against America: Nobel Peace Prize Edition," comparing right-wing responses to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to President Obama and to the elimination of Chicago's Olympic bid:
BACKGROUND
Following the announcement that President Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, conservative media figures attacked the decision.
Their responses followed last week's triumphant right-wing media reaction to the news that Chicago had lost its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
RedState's Erickson smears Obama's Nobel Peace Prize as "an affirmative action quota"
FNC's Gallagher uses Obama's Nobel Prize win to bring back the "apology tour"
FURTHER BACKGROUND
Following the news that Chicago had been eliminated from consideration by the International Olympic Committee, Erickson wrote a blog post deriding the idea that President Obama had improved America's global image, stating, "So much for improving America's standing in the world, Barry O."
However, in explaining its decision, the Nobel Committee emphasized Obama's diplomatic efforts on behalf of international diplomacy and cooperation.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee wrote. "His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world's population."
TALIBAN RESPONSE
Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, also provided a statement in reaction to the Nobel news.
"We condemn the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for Obama," Mujahid said.
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