And the Prize Goes to...

By Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Autumn De Leon, Daniel S. Levy, Lina Lofaro, Chris Taylor and David E. Thigpen

The Nobel Peace Prize committee assembles in Oslo this week. While it's deliberating, Notebook asked Barnett Rubin, director of the Council on Foreign Relations' Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, to handicap some hopefuls:

Pope John Paul II, CEO of 1 billion Catholics Skinny: High profile, but not really a hands-on peacemaker ODDS 15-1

Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Skinny: Premature; Dayton accord, yes, but his boss gets an assist ODDS 9-1

Jimmy Carter, former U.S. President Skinny: It's his turn--Camp David accords; North Korean crisis solving; African humanitarian work, plus all those Habitats for Humanity ODDS 3-1

Madeleine Albright, Secretary of State Skinny: Stood up against "ethnic cleansers" but used bombs ODDS 10-1

Geri Halliwell: Spice Girl turned U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Skinny: If she wants to be a real humanitarian, she'll spare the world another solo album ODDS 10,000-1