Baier, Garrett add Obama climate remarks to Fox-manufactured "apology tour"
Please upgrade your flash player. The video for this item requires a newer version of Flash Player. If you are unable to install flash you can download a QuickTime version of the video.
SUMMARY: Following a trend by other Fox News figures, Bret Baier and Major Garrett claimed that President Obama "apologized" for the U.S. role in global warming. But in the remarks they aired, Obama did not apologize, and in other comments, he noted that "no one nation is responsible for climate change."
On July 9, Fox News Special Report host Bret Baier claimed that President Obama "apologized" during the G8 summit in Italy for the U.S. role in global warming, and Fox News correspondent Major Garrett claimed Obama "told the world America's sorry." But as the clip Garrett showed makes clear, Obama actually said: "[I]n the past, the United States has sometimes fallen short of meeting its responsibilities, so let me be clear, those days are over." In comments Baier and Garrett did not note, Obama also said, "[J]ust as no one nation is responsible for climate change, no one nation can address it alone."
From Obama's G8 summit speech:
OBAMA: So every nation on this planet is at risk. And just as no one nation is responsible for climate change, no one nation can address it alone. And that's why, back in April, I convened this forum of the world's major economies who are responsible for more than three-quarters of the world's carbon pollution, and it's why we've gathered again here today.
Each of our nations comes to the table with different needs, different priorities, different levels of development. And developing nations have real and understandable concerns about the role they will play in these efforts. They want to make sure that they do not have to sacrifice their aspirations for development and higher living standards. Yet, with most of the growth in projected emissions coming from these countries, their active participation is a prerequisite for a solution.
We also agree that developed countries, like my own, have a historic responsibility to take the lead. We have the much larger carbon footprint per capita. And I know that in the past the United States has sometimes fallen short of meeting our responsibilities. So let me be clear: Those days are over.
One of my highest priorities as president is to drive a clean- energy transformation of our economy. And over the past six months, the United States has taken steps towards this goal.
During the segment, Garrett also said, "The apology fell in line with previous expressions of regret for lax financial regulations at G-20 meeting in London, for American arrogance at a town hall in France, and for cultural insensitivity at a speech in Cairo." As Media Matters for America has noted, Fox News, and its hosts, contributors, analysts, and regular guests have repeatedly characterized Obama's overseas trips as "apology tours," often taking remarks Obama made during his trips out of context in order to support their claim.
From the July 9 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier:
BAIER: You can add climate change to the list of things that President Obama has apologized for on behalf of the United States. Senior White House correspondent Major Garrett reports this admission came during the G8 summit in Italy.
[begin video clip]
GARRETT: On global warming, President Obama told the world America's sorry.
OBAMA: I know that, in the past, the United States has sometimes fallen short of meeting our responsibilities, so let me be clear, those days are over.
GARRETT: To prove it, Mr. Obama said the U.S. will ignore anxieties about raising energy taxes in the middle of a deep recession.
OBAMA: But, ultimately, we have a choice: We can either shape our future or we can let events shape it for us.
GARRETT: The apology fell in line with previous expressions of regret for lax financial regulations at G-20 meeting in London, for American arrogance at a town hall in France, and for cultural insensitivity at a speech in Cairo. Here, top advisers said the climate mea culpa made special sense.
TODD STERN (U.S. climate change special envoy): Clearly, we have an historic responsibility with respect to the emissions that are already up there in the atmosphere.
GARRETT: Australia's prime minister said Mr. Obama turned a promising corner.
Okay... it is not an apology. It is just an acknowledgment by Obama that America has been "a bad country. bad. bad." But now that he is now in charge, "those days are over."
Hmmmm.... acknowledgment by Obama of wrong doing and promising to do better. Leftists may not see that as an apology but it sure sounds like Obama went to confession.
Geeze. Every time Obama goes overseas it seems he bad mouths his own country. Gotta love our liberal Prez.
What you ignore is the fact that it is simply a leftist rhetoric tactic to blame his own country. It was gratuitous and unnecessary. Statements like that show weakness in the minds of our adversaries.
Notice Obama did not say where the U.S. has fallen short of it's responsibilities. Where? The United States has done more for the cause of liberty and economic growth than any other country in the history of the world! Why doesn't Obama mention that every time he spouts off?
No, Obama takes the typical leftist tack of attacking his own country, albeit subtely, while ignoring history while pandering to despotic dictatorships like Iran or ignoring the 20 million victims of Stalin and the Communists when he said, " ..old political and economic restrictions" and this laughable line, "Russia has cut its way through time like a mighty river through a canyon, leaving an indelible mark on human history as it goes."
You'd think Putin would be spouting such laughable rhetoric, not Obama.
Nobody said Obama has to act like a schoolyard bully. He only has to act as a leader who is proud of his country. Instead he does the opposite. This speech is just another in a long line. Baier has it correct when he calls this another example of Obama's Apology Tour.
We are the greatest country in the history of the universe. We never do anything wrong. Apologies? That's for losers and we are WINNERS!!
USA!! USA!!
It is a leftest tactic to acknowledge error. If your going to change complaint at a policy to complaint of a country there is little to say. The last sentance of that para, is a classic in Straussian terms, #2 the perpetual war. International cooperation means nothing pleasent in your mind.
2nd, another Straussian point. #5 Instilling a sense of superiority in a nation. If its not all Rah! Rah! We're #1! Then its unworthy! Overt propaganda or nothing!
3rd, again he'll never say anything you'd approve of,#9 contempt for dissent, so why bother? Considering the history of Russia and all it contains. I think the line very good. Were do you find Russia's history laughable?
Your complaint,laughable, needs some fleshing out. Or else its just another, #1 noble lie.
Frankly you bring nothing but your vision of NeoCon America to the table. Its implimentation by shrub didn't work in large or detail, did an awful lot of damage.
We'll try something more intelligent thank you.
"Pretend it is possible Obama might do something you would disapprove of."
As you can see by me parroting your comment back to you that your comment is irrelevant.
It would be nice if you could document your reference to "Straussian" points.
My use of the term "laughable" to describe Obama's line about Russia should be coming from Putin speaks for itself.
Your digression about my views are simply your views.
i mean spying on americans was perfectly legal to begin with without securing warrants beforehand.
committing torture was also legal, of course it had to be.
starting a needless war under false pretenses is again also perfectly legal. nothing wrong with doing that. happens all the time.
keep on plugging
Nice rant but this discussion has nothing to do with Bush or Cheney. Please try to stay on topic.
I'm sure your usual standards of scholorship will shine through.
I use it because it is accurate. Your not a conservative, some of them are actually good if confused people, on the whole.
If you represent the interests of greater than 5% of the population please tell us how this might be so.
Perhaps Obama's speech was about GW but this thread is about his most recent overseas'apology'.
As to what you think about me, I'm reminded of the famous quote at the end of "Gone With the Wind". :-)
Tomorrow is another day?
Nice try, uggie boy. What you conveniently ignore is the fact that shrub and his gop-slime supporters gave us much to apologize for over the past eight years - both here and abroad.
President Obama represents the US. The US made a lot of mistakes under incompetent gop-trash "leadership".
Taking responsibility for past transgressions gives a country or an individual a chance to make amends and move forward.
Ignorant trash pretensions that we haven't made mistakes No one would take Germany seriously if they denied the Holocaust and their WWII crimes. The same goes for the Japanese.
Ditto for dimwitted dittoheads.