GOP, Dems spew invectives over Peace Prize

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Republicans criticized U.S. President Obama's winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Friday and the Democrats lashed out at Republicans for their comments.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Washington pundits need to get out of town more.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said the real question Americans should be asking is what has Obama accomplished so far.

"It is unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights," Steele said in a statement. "One thing is certain -- President Obama won't be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action."

Brad Woodhouse, Democratic National Committee communications director intimated Republicans were siding with terrorists in their criticism of Obama, CBS News reported.

"Republicans cheered when America failed to land the Olympics and now they are criticizing the President of the United States for receiving the Nobel Peace prize -- an award he did not seek but that is nonetheless an honor in which every American can take great pride -- unless of course you are the Republican Party," Woodhouse said.

During his daily briefing, Gibbs was asked whether the Peace Prize award was partisan because Al Gore and Jimmy Carter, both Democrats, were Peace Prize laureates.

"The notion that this somehow widens the partisan divide, I think, demonstrates what's wrong with pundits and instant analysis of what goes on in our society," Gibbs said.

"I think it should be mandatory that pundits spend a certain amount of their -- their days each year outside of the friendly confines of the viewership of the Washington, D.C., media market," he said. "I think people believe that what this represents -- renewed American leadership in order to make our country safer and to live up to our own ideals and the ideals that many in the world want to live up to -- is a good thing. It's an important thing. I don't think it's a partisan thing."