Former U.S. President Barack Obama seemed confused about his location Monday when he addressed the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, and hailed his presence in the “the Emerald Isles.”
The Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, resident made the gaffe leading many to conclude he’d mixed up Scotland with Ireland – the latter of which is often called the Emerald Isle. The term British Isles refers to the island formation that includes Ireland and the UK.
English playwright William Shakespeare was also referenced as “the Bard” in passing which was something of a shock to many Scots who tuned in or made up parts of the audience, the Daily Record reports.
They would be more likely to hail poet Robert Burns, also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, the National Bard, with that epithet.
“Since we’re in the Emerald Isles here let me quote the Bard, William Shakespeare,” Obama said while addressing the issue of climate change.
“‘What wound,” he writes, ‘did ever heal but by degrees?’” Obama said, quoting from “Othello.”
“Our planet has been wounded by our actions,” he continued. “Those wounds won’t be healed today tomorrow or the next but they can be healed by degrees if we start with that spirit.”
It didn’t take long for social media to light up and set the ex-president straight.
Jamie Green wrote: “Did Obama just refer to Scotland as the ‘Emerald Isles’ then quote Shakespeare???”
@SCDave86 tweeted: “I like Obama. But Emerald Isles? Really?”
Shirley Weeks said: “Barack Obama is in the Emerald Isles. We’re all in Scotland.”
This is not the first time a Democrat has visited the conference and left feeling less than overwhelmed by the reception.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a speech while attending day nine of the COP26 at SECC on November 8, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As Breitbart News reported, the Duchess of Cornwall has been telling close associates President Joe Biden made his own contribution to global supplies of natural gas when he farted “loudly” in front of her at the Glasgow gathering last week.
Camilla was apparently blown away by the gaseous discharge and “hasn’t stopped talking about it” since: “It was long and loud and impossible to ignore,” she told her friends.