有人质疑是不是这个奖是不是给得太早，请看Jagland的回答：
"He got the prize because he has been able to change the international climate," Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said. "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early? Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."
奥巴马自己对获奖的反应极为得体，也表明他非常清楚自己为什么获奖：
Obama said he was surprised and deeply humbled by the honor, and planned to travel to Oslo to accept the prize, which he said he does not see "as a recognition of my own accomplishments," but rather as a recognition of goals he has set for the United States and the world.
诺贝尔和平奖颁给奥巴马，使得这个奖终于有了意义。