Many despise the fact that they gave Obama one, too. I think there is a misunderstanding here. In my opinion that prize really went to the American people, who elected their first black president, which the Nobel committee saw as a great step away from racism, towards equality. So, it was symbolic, in a way it was like the Time Person of the Year 2006: You, except they had to put the prize physically in the hands of someone, and the choice was obvious.