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Come on, even the shameless Obama apologists were a bit embarrassed by the committee naming President Barack the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize: Not only was the man sworn into office some two weeks before the deadline for nomination for the award, not only has he not yet been US president for one year, but he’s [...]

The honeymoon may definitely be over for the Barack Obama Adminstration, but bookmakers are apparently seeing little reason to reflect any dramatic changes in the proposition odds for Election 2012. The past month or two has seen the Obamanation’s afterglow dampen significantly, with a lowlight reel that includes indignities such as Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s standup comedy routine in China, the federalization of General Motors, Joe Biden’s tipmongering for the bird flu-caused apocalypse, and the presidentially sponsored hemorrhaging of federal money with no obvious improvement to the job market.

For proper electoral politics junkies like yours truly (not to mention bookmakers Bet365 and Paddy Power, among others), no soon is too soon to start discussing the possibilities for Decision 2012, a.k.a. the next US presidential election. Today, a brief look at the bookies’ lines on the outcome of the Republican primaries.

If this one isn’t tougher than the race for the 2012 bid in which London, Madrid, Paris, New York and Moscow went down to the PR wire with no clear favorite, the 2016 contest has got to be close in excruciating difficulty for the punter.

…the award has become increasingly politicized – How else to explain winners like F.W. de Klerk, Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres, Al Gore, and especially Henry Kissinger? – but, hey, we’re here to discuss the plausability of nominees and quite possibly the opportunity to make a few Euros here.

You’re definitely covering Barack Jr., by far the most likely name on this entire list and certainly a moniker to be considered for what could well be Mr. Obama’s only son. You also have to like “Martin” and “Joseph” here for the namesaking of the Prez’ role model and Veep…

So what’s the prescient paddy got for us on Obama now? How about some “First Baby Specials”? PaddyPower is offering three prop bets on a three child for Mr. and Mrs. President.