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Awarding President Barack Obama the Nobel Peace Prize Friday seemed "a very strange choice" to supporters and critics alike, says a Marietta College political science professor.

Obama is only the third sitting U.S. president to receive the honor and it's not only the award that's rare in this case, said visiting assistant professor Napp Nazworth, but also the reaction.

"Everyone is surprised," he said. "Even Obama's supporters are in shock that they would pick Obama because there's no sort of record to go to yet. He's only been president for nine months, so it seems as though he's getting this prize based more on his campaign than on his presidency."

Nazworth said another president - George W. Bush - may have as much to do with Obama's win as Obama himself.

"When you look at the statement coming from the Nobel Prize Committee, it seems to have more to do with President Bush than Obama," he said. "As they're praising Obama, there's implied criticism of the Bush administration."

The press release from the committee used language that said Obama's use of dialogue and negotiations are "preferred" and the statement that "the USA is now playing a more constructive role" in confronting world challenges.

"Preferred to what? A more constructive role than who?" said Nazworth. "It's a way of criticizing Bush."

Politically speaking, the Nobel Prize could make life worse for Obama, said the professor.

"Since there is not really a list of accomplishments yet, we'll probably start hearing from Republicans that Obama is more style than substance," he said. "They've said that for some time and in this case there may be some legitimacy to it."

Barbara Jackson, 48, of Newport, said Friday that she's a fan of Obama and believes he has the potential to earn a Nobel Peace Prize - but that he hasn't done it yet.

"I think this was premature," she said. "In his lifetime, I think he'll be deserving, but this was too soon and it kind of takes away from it. I was certainly surprised."

Other local residents said they were both surprised and angry that Obama was the Nobel Prize recipient.

"I think it's a joke," said Sam Plummer, 38, of Marietta. "For some reason there are just people that think Barack Obama is a god, and he hasn't done a thing to earn it. I think the decision was political and it was the wrong one."

Plummer said he has never been a fan of Obama, who he feels is over-exposed in the media.

However, fellow Marietta resident Mary Ann McCoy, 61, said the news of Obama's honor made her morning news a little sweeter Friday.

"I think he's a great man and he's already done a lot in uniting people and breaking down barriers in a peaceful way," she said. "I do think he's deserving."