Regardless of what you think of the committee's decision to award Al Gore and the IPCC the Nobel Peace Prize, Al Gore is an American citizen and usually when an American citizen wins an award of this nature, the sitting president (whomever that is) is expected to offer congratulatory remarks to the winner. It's a basic and fundamental courtesy (like a political concession call once the results come in on election night), even if the congratulatory remarks are not sincerely felt.
You just make the call. Period.
And what's more, those who want a return to civility and bipartisanship in Washington should expect nothing less than a courtesy call from the president.
Here's what actually happened. From the AP:
Asked if Bush planned to telephone congratulations to Gore, as he does to Americans who achieve signal honors in many fields, Fratto said he knew of no plans "to make calls to any of the winners."
What a small, petty man Bush is. Nothing we didn't already know.
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