Weekend viewing

Barack Obama’s speech disappoints and fuels frustration at Copenhagen

US president offers no further commitment on reducing emissions or on finance to poor countries

Suzanne Goldenberg and Allegra Stratton in Copenhagen
Friday 18 December 2009 12.53 GMT

Barack Obama stepped into the chaotic final hours of the Copenhagen summit today saying he was convinced the world could act "boldly and decisively" on climate change.

Team Obama threatens vocal democrat; tells him, “Don’t think we’re not keeping score.”
The Hill reported:

Rep. Peter DeFazio’s phone rang. On the other end was Rahm Emanuel.

The White House chief of staff last month expressed frustration with DeFazio’s resignation calls for President Barack Obama’s top two economic aides — Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and White House chief economist Larry Summers — and appealed for cooperation, according to DeFazio.

But his speech offered no indication America was ready to embrace bold measures, after world leaders had been working desperately against the clock to try to paper over an agreement to prevent two years of wasted effort — and a 10-day meeting — from ending in total collapse.

Obama, who had been skittish about coming to Copenhagen at all unless it could be cast as a foreign policy success, looked visibly frustrated as he appeared before world leaders.

He offered no further commitments on reducing emissions or on finance to poor countries beyond Hillary Clinton’s announcement yesterday that America would support a $100bn global fund to help developing nations adapt to climate change.

He did not even press the Senate to move ahead on climate change legislation, which environmental organisations have been urging for months.

Kliphnote:

The recession Obama inherited from his predecessor, President George W. Bush (R)--not from the Democrat dominated Congress, of course.
The recession started by Bush, not the Democrat dominated Congress.
The housing market crashed was started by Bush, not the Democrat dominated Congress.
The financial market crash was caused by Bush, not the Democrat dominated Congress.
Bush had the worse recession since the Great Depression, not Democrat dominated Congress.

Obama saved use from going into a depression, according to Obama. But check the Misery Index and it's not even close. It was just what the Democrats said about Bush and the Republicans in an election year. http://www.miseryindex.us/customindexbyyear.asp