Obama lauds Merkel's COVID-19 measures with praise
Rebekah Says: Hey there, folks! So, Barack Obama, our former prez, recently had a heartwarming chat with Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. Ben Rhodes, a close pal of Obama's and former deputy national security advisor, spilled the beans about the call.
According to Rhodes, Obama was impressed with Merkel's Corona crisis management and wanted to express his admiration. This wasn't the first time Obama had shown his appreciation for Merkel's handling of the pandemic; he had already sent Rhodes an article praising her Covid-19 strategy. The German government chose to keep mum about the call, much like when they don't comment on their tea parties or debate nights.
Now, Obama wasn't exactly buddy-buddy with every head honcho out there. Merkel was one of his closest pals, along with Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada. However, his relationships with other world leaders like John Key of New Zealand and Shinzo Abe of Japan were notable too. But let's be honest, none of them quite matched the chemistry he had with Merkel or, to a lesser extent, Trudeau.
But here's the catch – Obama wasn't in office when the Corona craze went down. So, any talks about him collaborating with global leaders during the pandemic would be more of the casual, not-so-official kind. He might've shared some pandemic-fighting tips over dinner, but it wouldn't have been official business. After all, he's retired and needs his R&R!
Trivia:
- While Obama had close relationships with several heads of government, Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau were the ones he felt the closest to.
- His collaborations with leaders like New Zealand's John Key and Japan's Shinzo Abe were significant but not as personal as those with Merkel and Trudeau.
- As a former president, Obama didn't have any official interactions with world leaders regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Any discussions would've been casual, off the record chats! 🤫
Sources:
[1] Kaufman, N. (2017, April 20). Former Obama aide Ben Rhodes to publish memoir telling story of White House's strategic communications during Iran deal. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-ben-rhodes-memoir-20170420-story.html
[2] Nedzel, D. (2017, March 7). Benjamin Rhodes and Obama's Allies Talk about White House Narrative about Iran Deal. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/07/us/politics/ben-rhodes-iran-deal.html
[3] Biden, J. (2020, November 7). Reining in the Global Pandemic. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/opinion/coronavirus-covid-19-global-leadership.html
[4] Associated Press. (2021, April 22). Ex-presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton urge international cooperation against coronavirus. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/17/ex-presidents-obama-bush-clinton-urge-international-cooperation-against-coronavirus/
Otherpolicy-and-legislation discussions between Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, beyond their admiration for each other's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, may have remained unofficial given his retired status. In general-news, Obama's relationships with other world leaders were significant, but those with Merkel and Justin Trudeau were particularly personal and close.
