|
No, I'm not at all worried that the Nobel Committee is buying influence.
That said, the laws regulating the acceptance of gifts, etc., don't necessarily make a judgment call on the intent of a gift. I know there are very strict rules on when and how the president himself can keep ceremonial gifts from other heads of state, for example, as opposed to them being the property of the United States. This is an award to Barack Obama the person, not Barack Obama representing the United States.
That said, the prize is given quite explicitly with a policy goal of highlighting the recipient and the recipient's efforts towards peace and to therefore hopefully help propel the recipient to success.
Certainly don't mean to suggest anything pernicious here, just curious what the rules are.
|