A Frustrated Obama Disappoints in Copenhagen
It seems that every time President Obama gives a major speech -- up to and including his announcement of a troop surge in Afghanistan -- pundits and observers
Jul 31, 2020189.5K Shares2.5M Views
It seems that every time President Obama gives a major speech — up to and including his announcement of a troop surge in Afghanistan — pundits and observers call it his “best speech yet.” But that streak appears to have come to an end today as negative reviews of his address at the Copenhagen climate conferencepour in.
The Guardian has rounded upthese reactions, under the headline “Barack Obama’s speech disappoints and fuels frustration at Copenhagen.” Hugo Chavez called the address “ridiculous,” while Friends of the Earth said Obama “deeply disappointed not only those listening to his speech at the UN talks, he has disappointed the whole world.”
Obama himself “looked visibly frustrated as he appeared before world leaders,” the Guardian reports, and there was a “palpable sense of disappointment in the audience.”
A clear sign of Obama’s pessimism: He strayed from his prepared remarks and threw in a couple of glass-half-empty phrases. He planned to say, “I believe that the pieces of that accord *are now *clear,” but instead ad-libbed, “I believe that the pieces of that accord should now beclear,” notes David Corn. He also improvised a line to the effect that the negotiators’ “ability to take collective action is in doubt right now.”
Obama decided weeks ago that he would come to Copenhagen only if he thought his presence could help seal a deal. He might be second-guessing himself now.
Paolo Reyna
Reviewer
Paolo Reyna is a writer and storyteller with a wide range of interests. He graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies.
Paolo enjoys writing about celebrity culture, gaming, visual arts, and events. He has a keen eye for trends in popular culture and an enthusiasm for exploring new ideas. Paolo's writing aims to inform and entertain while providing fresh perspectives on the topics that interest him most.
In his free time, he loves to travel, watch films, read books, and socialize with friends.
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