First, Obama gets a Nobel Peace Prize for nothing; now, a tae kwon do black belt after zero kicks

Even President Obama himself during his just-concluded trip to Asia admitted that he was surprised to receive the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this year without actually producing any peace.

In fact, the rookie American president ordered his own troop surge, boosting U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan to 68,000. Now, the Democrat may be preparing to send more. And a Gallup Poll showed 61% of Americans didn't think he deserved the prize either.

Anyway, there he was in Seoul, the last stop of his journey.

And out of the Seoul sky, President Lee Myung-bak hands over to the American leader a tae kwon do outfit. And then Lee, who practices tae kwon do himself, presents Obama with a coveted black belt.

After zero long years of study.

What would Chuck Norris do? Probably bow. But never as low as Obama bowed for Japan's emperor last weekend in Tokyo.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Credit: EPA

Comments

[adisa]

I'll check back for this author's objections when someone gets the 'keys to the city' or some other symbolic gift since, clearly, these are the things that smart people get riled up about.

[mason]

wow. jealous much? grow up

[chiu]

well put!!

[GREG]

Some people seem to be forgetting to stress that accolades given without earning them should be referred to as "honorary". This should be the case with the black belt, and the Nobel commission should create a category for honorary mention that recognizes effort, without the monetary prize. I am not saying Obama deserved either of these awards, in fact I do not think he rates an honorable mention in any way shape or form. You need to be "honorable" in the first place, which he definitely is not. If I lied as much and as obviously as he did, no one would ever listen to me. And, so we should treat Obama.

[Apa]

Wow, glad you have so much time on your hands to make molehills into mountains, Mr. Malcom.

Unless President Obama starts claiming to actually be a black belt in tae kwan do, there's no issue. Since tae kwan do is the Korean National sport, and something the president himself is interested in, it seems reasonable to see why President Lee offered such a gift. It would be the same as if President Obama presented President Lee with a Chicago White Sox uniform. Without the training, a simply a cultural costume. I doubt President Obama sees it as anything else.

[Bob]

Well, I guess if he doesn't make peace he can now kick you to death!!

[chris]

Is this the drudge report now?

[laytonian]

Oh, geez. Quit blaming Obama for what other people do to/for him. If you people can't be grownups, then you should give up trying to write for adults.

[Windfall]

He's also a shoe-in for this year's Academy Award for best actor in a leading role.

Isn't it great to be an affirmative action president in a politically correct world?

[Chuck]

My daughter is working her way up thru the belts in Tae Kwon Do right now. Just goes to show the dem's way of just taking any hand out that comes along.

[Yermak ( son of Vladimir)]

More fraud, heaped on top of other frauds. We live in a sick world when we heap honors on those who have done nothing to attain them. It tarnishs and cheapens the honor to those who actually earn it. I just hope that the military never bestows the Cong. Medal of Honor on Obama. But with Pelosi and Reed running the show, and that obsequeous Gen Casey ... it wouldn't surprise me.

[CC]

i believed he bowed the lowest to the saudi king.

[Xantar]

Actually, Obama reportedly studied Tae Kwon Do for four years in Chicago while he was a state senator and attained a green belt. Not that it matters since this is a purely symbolic gesture anyway. I'm just saying that Google is your friend.

[Beau Chevassus]

I thought this was The Onion at first.

[gmanret]

I hear he's in line for the Heisman also.

[Mike]

Yes, this is dumb, he shouldn't have gotten it. But it isn't him who is doing something wrong here. It's all u people who worship him that are the fools. Why such special treatment towards him, what has he done that other presidents havn't. But, still he couldn't have refused, it would have showed such disrespect, and would have been so so rude, and i'd think less of him if he had refused, and i don't know how that is even possible.

[Buck O'Fama]

i studied for years, worked out with injuries, fever, and broken social engagements to earn my REAL black belt in TaeKwonDo...

and this sychophant hands one to Soetero...

one might think that this nonsense would cheapen my own belt.

not at all. i earned mine. seotero has yet to even earn a paycheck. he's been GIVEN lots of things, because that's what people do for no-talent bums like this: they give them things.

all soetero has earned is the anger of the vast majority of the people in a nation he poses as their president. he's not MY president. he's not qualified to be postmaster of a ghost town, and his continuous faux-pas speak of my truth.

[clg]

In response to APA. There is a big difference here from a White Sox shirt and a Black Belt. One must EARN the Black Belt. Would the Navy make him a SEAL without putting in the work? You would not understand. This just degrades the meaning of a Black Belt.

[Robert B]

I guess this is difficult for the rest of you to comprehend. I am a practitioner of Tang Soo Do (currently 8th Gup, not very far), which is a traditional, Korean martial art that pre-dates Tae Kwon Do. One is not simply "given" a black belt (Cho Dan). That is something which must be earned after years of consistent training and practice. There are many physical and mental challenges to overcome. Most importantly the belt is representative of a way of life and determines how junior practitioners will address you. This "gift" cheapens the work of those practioners of Tae Kwon Do who have worked years to earn their black belts.

[Bubba Catts]

I wonder if he will put the BLACK BELT in the SAFE next to his BIRTH CERTIFICATE??
W O R T H L E S S..... I D I O T !!
I think the Secret Service needs to take a few days off!

[andy]

Can we all get over the politics and come together how awesome this photograph is? mad props to the photographer.

[AtheistConservative]

The only thing sad here is watching people who are in love with Obama like he was the star of a Twilight movie pretending that his complete failure as president is nothing to be upset about. Keep fantasizing about his man-boobs and pretending like you didn't make a horrible mistake in 2008. The adults are taking the country back.

[Walden]

I'm just a rube from Tennessee, you know, a flyover state.

But still, I find all of the accolades being bestowed upon this president to be rather mind numbing. Regardless of your politics, you must see that he deserves none of this.

[KC]

Meanwhile, unemployment is 10.2% while caption Obozo is wasting his time posing for another photo op.

[Rogue123]

Classic!! A picture speaks a thousand words. Undeserving tool bag. He's up for best actor for impersonating a real American President next.

[HopenChange]

Hopenchange! Hopenchange! Hopenchange! You liberal fools...at least now the line in the sand has been drawn...

[JohnT]

A joke..simply a joke.

How ashamed I am after 50 years of life in what used to be the greatest country on earth. We have finally sunk into the depths of buffoonery(sp) led by a complete moron..the ultimate "jackass".

[LOL]

LOL Listen to the Lefties whine. Your god is gone, Marxists, and he isn't coming back. It doesn't get any better from here, either. >:D

[ynot4tony2]

mason said: "wow. jealous much? grow up"

Spoken like someone who knows nothing about martial arts.

It's not jealousy, genius. It's disgust. It's about giving unearned credentials to someone because they can read a teleprompter and little else.

I'm certainly not jealous of an unearned black belt. It is nothing compared to the brown belt I earned after years of study and discipline.

But, I suppose you're one of those people who are in awe over celebrities who get honorary degrees. Such meaningless endowments cheapen the actual accomplishments of people who have truly earned them.

As far as the Nobel Peace Prize goes, I've known for years the prize was a joke. Obama being awarded the Prize simply reinforces the notion that the award is meaningless.

[section9]

I'm sorry, but the Black Belt should not have been given to the man, even if he had attained a Green at one time.

The photo shows a man in Clown Shoes. Period.

[Not a fan]

The worst part is, he'll probably let Michelle wear it with one of her hideous outfits.

[Muria]

My karate instructor has given his black belt to students to wear during training when they get too obsessed with getting the next belt. He says it completely spooked one of his students, but it doesn't take long for most people to realize that the color of the belt doesn't change your skill level.

Whether or not President Obama now owns a black belt, he's still a green belt in skill, and that's what matters.

[Respect what the black belt symbolizes]

I will not vote for Obama again if he does not respectfully return the belt.

[HB]

I don't see this as being a big deal...It is just kind of funny and obviously meant to be an honorary title. I think that this entire article was done somewhat in jest. That said I did not agree with the decision to award the President the Nobel Peace Prize at the beginning of his term. The Nobel Prize is not meant to be "honorary." It is meant to reward individuals for specific achievements, and I really don't think being elected President qualifies.

[Boris]

Don't you get it? He's been royally embarrassed! The only true purpose to a belt is to hold up your pants.... real martial artists have it in their blood, through years of dedication and sacrifice... the belt is only a recent invention, in asian times, started about 1880 or so I've been told. Anyway, The Faker In Chief has truly been rudely told ...' you have no value'... love that Korean sense of humor :)

[Modgi]

"Black Belt"???,....Racist!

[BHO=Jonestown]

What to buy the Obama Youther this holiday season: "Barry Soetoro: The Inaction Figure w/ No Kung Fu Grip on reality". Mmmm mmmm mmmmm.

[Hal McCombs]

Sure would be fun to spar with the "black belt" President. I'm sure he could hold his own. I bet I couldn't even pound him into a bowl full of jelly. And I wouldn't enjoy it either.
/sarcoff

[Nancy]

The first time I heard Obama speak, I knew he was full of it. I watched him and started researching his past. I found a pile of crap and corruption and knew exactly what would happen if he became pres. Now, we have a pile of crap and corruption in the White House.

[tpitman]

Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize and a black belt is a little like Elvis getting his Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Badge from Nixon, except Elvis actually had some expertise on drugs, thanks to his relationship with Dr. Nick.

[Sharon Goodrich]

Obama also became President for practically doing nothing.
And he has proved the old adage, from nothing comes nothing.

[JDW]

Please tell me that that is a photoshop.

This guy becomes less cool everyday. And nothing turns off an empty-headed hipster like being uncool. So many of his young supporters know very little about our President and lack the curiosity or basic research skills to discover more about the man. But they know "cool", or think they do. For now, Obama's "cool". But how long can even the brainwashed public school, Lady Gag- loving idiots dig this guy's schtick?

[Jeannie]

It's HONORARY. Bush has an honorary degree from Yale. Presidents get honorary gifts all the time.

[Jonathan Smith JR]

This said it all

[Alice James]

I have white belts at my school that look better than that when thowing a punch...so he was a green belt? Even so, you would think he would of remembered to return the other hand to his belt level and punch only with his biggest 2 nuckles! I am sad to say that if he punched someone like that, he would get a boxers break.

[Josh]

Does the President of S. Korea make for a good photo op too?

[Daniel]

You Americans and your issue with the fact that he bowed. A bow is similar to a handshake in traditional Japanese culture. Get over it.

[Bob Jones]

Any TaeKwonDo black belt will tell you that being a black belt isn't about a black piece of cloth but is about a stage on a journey.

[Chris Rock]

Why the belt got to be black? :-D

[RHO1953]

I hear he's leading the Pro-Bowl balloting for defensive end. Whatta man.