Estonians Grieve: No Mention of Them in Nobel Speech

Obama disappointed slightly under 1.5 million people yesterday when he failed to mention the Republic of Estonia in his speech. Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Dhaka and Kigali were mentioned, but not Estonia, though research showed many viewers believed Dhaka and Kigali to be Estonian resort towns.
"They took all the lines out about Estonia!" said Jaan Jelp, who had gathered outside the American embassy to protest the speech revisions. "Obama was going to mention us!" A copy of Obama's Nobel acceptance speech which was leaked to the press yesterday, clearly showed Obama's plans to mention the small country of 1.3 million people.
A spokesman for Estonia's Ministry of Culture said thought Estonia should develop its own prize to compete with the Nobel, but reserve it for eastern Europeans only. "That way we'd win something other than a music prize now and again," he snipped. American Ambassador to Estonia, Michael ("call me Mihkel") Polt, suggested Estonians should not be bent out of shape by Obama not mentioning them. "You will have your day in the sun," Polt said in a formal statement. "Although I haven't seen it in the sky since my arrival last week."

Obama to Mention Estonia in Nobel Speech

An advance copy of Obama's Nobel acceptance speech has been leaked and journalists around the world shocked by its contents. Much of the speech focuses on Estonia. "Estonia is a small country," reads the text, "but it is technologically advanced and the creator of Skype." Aides say Obama has been heavily influenced by tourism brochures about Estonia which he keeps by his bedside. He apparently has already spoken with First Lady Michelle about the possibility of educating his daughters there. "Today, as I accept this award, Estonia--which is only an overnight ferry ride from Stockholm--is on my mind with its 1.3 mobile phones per capita and unspoiled nature," reads another passage from Obama's speech.
Aides said now that the speech had been leaked it would likely be changed before delivery to the his Norwegian audience. Whether the Estonia-related passages would remain aides could not say.