Obama's Nobel; Healthcare Vote; The Dollar is Down

The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize has been, stunningly and unexpectedly, given to President Barack Obama. Is it a case of unrealistic expectations? Will it help or harm him and us, in the long run? How will it impact affairs in Afghanistan? Plus, at long last, a vote is due in the Senate Finance Committee on something resembling healthcare reform. But with penalties for not buying in, is it just a hand-off to the insurance industry? Finally, is the dollar still holding its own as the world's leading currency?

Banner image: US President Barack Obama speaks on telephone this morning at the Oval office. Photo: Jewel Samada/AFP/Getty Images