Obama to Meet With World Leaders

[PaulF]

It lasted 8 years.

That isn't quite sincere.

The rest of the world seems to have viewed Obama quite favorably. Less so for Trump. American influence is accepted, not imposed. Obama is a better envoy for American power because he exudes the illusion of choice. Obama is a better politician...like it or not.

Obama's presidency was largely a placeholder. He wasn't one of the greatest presidents, but he wasn't among the worst either. He was basically a darker-skinned GW Bush. Conservatives love to scream about how he pushed the conversation to the left without acknowledging that Obama, SJWs, identity politics and the like were simply the harvest of a long-ripening crop. We are now reaping the fruits of political seeds sown in the 1990's.

In republican terms...He got his. Don't hate the player, hate the game. The new guy promised he would drain the swamp. And he has...right into the west wing. The rest of world sees that, too.

 

[Thor]

Obama, like the Clintons, was a communist traitor. Like it or not. He was largely irrelevant as a president...more so as a has been. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, he will undoubtedly make a lot more money off of his as his predecessors have. We are now actually reaping the totalitarian crops that were first sown effectively by Wilson; it's almost odd that he preceded Stalin but FDR was a good follow on.

 

[Sylvain]

The full quote is "We have a temporary abscence of American leadership on that issue" ... when talking about climate change.

[video=youtube;6iZ5QGJLMic]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iZ5QGJLMic[/video]

 

[2A_Tom]

Good.

The Obama IRS targeted conservative groups to deny them tax exempt status.

 

[spec4]

I have a real problem with anyone who claims to be an American, going to foreign lands and badmouthing us or our elected leaders. My wish is that they would not return.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I have a real problem with anyone who claims to be an American, going to foreign lands and badmouthing us or our elected leaders. My wish is that they would not return.

Ha, there would be a hell of a lot of Americans still in Vietnam if your wish came true.

 

[Sylvain]

I have a real problem with anyone who claims to be an American, going to foreign lands and badmouthing us or our elected leaders. My wish is that they would not return.

Isn't it a good thing that any American can go abroad, "badmouth" the president/leader, and return freely to the US?

You don't want to live in a country where you cannot do that, like North Korea (and many other countries).

You don't have to agree with someone to defend their freedom of speech.

Plus isn't it what politicians do all the time anyway? Badmouthing the other side (or even people from the same side/party), either at home or overseas.
That doesn't mean they are not real Americans.

In this case Obama just expressed his opinion that the current administration is not doing enough in term climate change issues.

It's not like he badmouthed the entire country and chanted anti-American slogans while burning the American flag.

 

[Woobie]

Ha, there would be a hell of a lot of Americans still in Vietnam if your wish came true.

Them too

 

[Woobie]

Isn't it a good thing that any American can go abroad, "badmouth" the president/leader, and return freely to the US?

You don't want to live in a country where you cannot do that, like North Korea (and many other countries).

You don't have to agree with someone to defend their freedom of speech.

Plus isn't it what politicians do all the time anyway? Badmouthing the other side (or even people from the same side/party), either at home or overseas.
That doesn't mean they are not real Americans.

In this case Obama just expressed his opinion that the current administration is not doing enough in term climate change issues.

It's not like he badmouthed the entire country and chanted anti-American slogans while burning the American flag.

Maybe he meant it literally, but I didn't take it that way. It is frustrating to watch people bad-mouth the U.S. It's like family: fight against them at home, fight for them abroad. And he didn't say we should keep them out, just that they should just stay gone.

 

[Woobie]

The full quote is "We have a temporary abscence of American leadership on that issue" ... when talking about climate change.

I hate cherry picked quotes. But I will say this: just because he doesn't like the way we are being led, doesn't mean there is no leadership.

 

[Sylvain]

Maybe he meant it literally, but I didn't take it that way. It is frustrating to watch people bad-mouth the U.S. It's like family: fight against them at home, fight for them abroad. And he didn't say we should keep them out, just that they should just stay gone.

I get that.
But there's a big difference between "badmouthing the US", which is a very broad term that would include the entire country and its entire population and goverment; and "badmouthing" a very specific aspect of the US policy (in this case global warning issues).
That's what I was trying to say.

 

[Sylvain]

I hate cherry picked quotes. But I will say this: just because he doesn't like the way we are being led, doesn't mean there is no leadership.

That's true.

 

[jamil]

The full quote is "We have a temporary abscence of American leadership on that issue" ... when talking about climate change.

Well no. There’s an absense of American leadership supporting the green industrial complex. The American leadership led us in a different direction. That’s still leadership.

 

[Twangbanger]

Well no. There’s an absense of American leadership supporting the green industrial complex. The American leadership led us in a different direction. That’s still leadership.

I think the reason he's chapped about this Paris thing, is that what is happening now shows the world that Barack Obama wasn't really speaking for America with his policies on the issue. He was just speaking for the particular set of interests that held the levers of power for the time being.

He addressed the world, paraphrasing: "I represent the United States' desire to *lead* on this issue." And then we elected Trump, and it was sorta kinda like the country turning around and saying, "No you don't." Right now, Obama was supposed to be out making megabucks speeches in the administrative halls of the world, basking in the glow of the "leadership" position he forged on climate change. And current events are showing him up to simply have been the flavor of the month on the topic. America changes flavors. There is no consensus here on this issue. And it's a personal embarrassment to him, because he spent his 8 years communicating the message that there was one, and it was created by him.

I don't blame him a bit for saying what he did. His ass is chapped and he can't hide it. He's a few notches above Hillary on the dejection scale right now, and that isn't where he was supposed to be.

I'm not offended. I love it! I hope he keeps it up. He is not, and never was, the "center of America." He is a bitter ideologue; always has been. And now, with no middle class voters to fool anymore, there's just no point in hiding it.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I just laid out my opinion that calling the Obama administration the worst ever, is fairly indicative of no real interest in American History, beyond how it serves political ideology. I would illustrate it to you, but it doesn't really matter does it? Some just can't be bothered with learning the history of their nation.

Give him a break. Most people don't remember Warren Harding.

 

[IndyDave1776]

That isn't quite sincere.

The rest of the world seems to have viewed Obama quite favorably. Less so for Trump. American influence is accepted, not imposed. Obama is a better envoy for American power because he exudes the illusion of choice. Obama is a better politician...like it or not.

I would agree for the most part and see some reasons why this is the case. Of course the rest of the world would love Obama. The man signally failed to comprehend that he was supposed to represent this country and not the rest of the world. Influence, correctly applied, is preferred to be accepted, and you are correct that Obama was a better politician. That said, I don't really think that being a more gifted silver-tongued lying crook is much to brag about. He was NOT a better envoy of American power because the rest of the world knew he would run his mouth but not actually do anything no matter how much some of those people needed eliminated from the face of the planet. If in doubt, I would remind you of his dismissive comments about the 'JV team' which became one of our bigger world problems which was allowed to grow with his assistance--and let's not forget the Arab Spring which was in reality the Islamic Extremist/Terrorist Spring. No, allowing enemies to multiply and prosper while throwing allies under the bus is NOT the mark of a leader, let alone a good leader.

 

[Bennettjh]

I hate cherry picked quotes. But I will say this: just because he doesn't like the way we are being led, doesn't mean there is no leadership.

 

[Leadeye]

There's big money in climate change.

Always follow the money

 

[BugI02]

I would agree for the most part and see some reasons why this is the case. Of course the rest of the world would love Obama. The man signally failed to comprehend that he was supposed to represent this country and not the rest of the world. Influence, correctly applied, is preferred to be accepted, and you are correct that Obama was a better politician. That said, I don't really think that being a more gifted silver-tongued lying crook is much to brag about. He was NOT a better envoy of American power because the rest of the world knew he would run his mouth but not actually do anything no matter how much some of those people needed eliminated from the face of the planet. If in doubt, I would remind you of his dismissive comments about the 'JV team' which became one of our bigger world problems which was allowed to grow with his assistance--and let's not forget the Arab Spring which was in reality the Islamic Extremist/Terrorist Spring. No, allowing enemies to multiply and prosper while throwing allies under the bus is NOT the mark of a leader, let alone a good leader.

Indeed; he had more red lines than a mayday parade and backed up none of them

He forgot his Machiavelli, if he ever knew it

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I think the reason he's chapped about this Paris thing, is that what is happening now shows the world that Barack Obama wasn't really speaking for America with his policies on the issue. He was just speaking for the particular set of interests that held the levers of power for the time being.

So does Trump speak for America or does he speak for the set of interests that hold his levers right now?