Obama forgot to say “Mother, may I?” to the Chinese, but he did aggrandize himself

If you’re the powerful leader of a powerful nation, you tell the Chinese to release a jailed activist (who just won the Nobel Peace Prize) immediately.  If you’re an empty suit who admires Leftist authoritarianism , you let the Chinese set the time table (emphasis mine):

I welcome the Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr. Liu Xiaobo.  Last year, I noted that so many others who have received the award had sacrificed so much more than I.  That list now includes Mr. Liu, who has sacrificed his freedom for his beliefs.  By granting the prize to Mr. Liu, the Nobel Committee has chosen someone who has been an eloquent and courageous spokesman for the advance of universal values through peaceful and non-violent means, including his support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

As I said last year in Oslo, even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal to all human beings.  Over the last 30 years, China has made dramatic progress in economic reform and improving the lives of its people, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty.  But this award reminds us that political reform has not kept pace, and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be respected.  We call on the Chinese government to release Mr. Liu as soon as possible.

As you can see, Obama also managed to refer to himself and his “Peace Prize” within the very second sentence of that statement.  Indeed, the self-referential phrases pepper this simultaneously arrogant and groveling speech.  In two paragraphs, he managed four references to himself.  If there was a Nobel Narcissism Prize, Obama would be the stand-out winner.