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Nothing Says "Happiness" and "Relief" Like Angela Merkel Seeing Barack Obama Again

Mother Jones

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel is having quite the day with current and former US presidents.

This morning she met with Barack Obama for breakfast and an event in front of thousands at the Brandenburg Gate, and with the rendezvous came a rhapsody of smiles and mutual affection.

“We can’t hide behind a wall,” Obama told the rapt audience, a none-too-subtle dig at his successor, in his first speaking appearance in Europe since he left office. The crowd lapped it up.

Tonight, Merkel is in Brussels meeting current US president—and handshake-refuser—Donald Trump at a NATO summit.

Two presidents, one day. How is it going? One clue can be read in their faces. Note, if you will, the sheer number and range of smiles shared between Merkel and Obama this morning.

Like this one, the “is-it-really-you, B?” smile:

Or this, the “we-were-so-good-together, remember?” smile:

The “I-know-you’ve-moved-on, but-our-old-jokes-were-better-than-others’-jokes” smile:

And then there was this elegant wave-of-the-hand smile; B.O. pleased as punch:

Nicole Kubelka/face to face via ZUMA Press

Meanwhile, in Brussels, early photos indicate a….very different rapport:

Merkel and Trump pictured during the unveiling ceremony of the new headquarters of NATO in Brussels, Wednesday.Benoit Doppagne/Belga via ZUMA Press

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Nothing Says "Happiness" and "Relief" Like Angela Merkel Seeing Barack Obama Again

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Obama in Berlin: “We have to get to work” on climate change

Obama in Berlin: “We have to get to work” on climate change

Reuters/Michael KappelerBarack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, enjoying Berlin’s unseasonably hot weather.

President Obama keeps saying bold things about climate change in his big speeches. There was his second inaugural address in January. Then his State of the Union address in February. And today, a high-profile speech in Berlin, Germany, in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

But doing bold things about climate change? Well, that’s a whole different issue. Rumor has it that he will unveil a package of climate initiatives in July. We’ll see. For now, all we have are words.

So let’s look at those words.

“I come here today, Berlin, to say complacency is not the character of great nations,” he said before outlining a number of lofty aspirations, most notably a goal to cut back America’s nuclear arsenal by as much as a third.

Midway through the speech, Obama got to the climate bit:

Peace with justice means refusing to condemn our children to a harsher, less hospitable planet. The effort to slow climate change requires bold action. And on this, Germany and Europe have led.

In the United States, we have recently doubled our renewable energy from clean sources like wind and solar power. We’re doubling fuel efficiency on our cars. Our dangerous carbon emissions have come down. But we know we have to do more — and we will do more.

With a global middle class consuming more energy every day, this must now be an effort of all nations, not just some. For the grim alternative affects all nations — more severe storms, more famine and floods, new waves of refugees, coastlines that vanish, oceans that rise. This is the future we must avert. This is the global threat of our time. And for the sake of future generations, our generation must move toward a global compact to confront a changing climate before it is too late. That is our job. That is our task. We have to get to work.

Sounds good, right? Now for that “get to work” part …

The setting in Berlin turned out to be just right for speechifying about global warming. From the Associated Press:

Average highs are normally in the 70s in Germany’s capital city in June, but they were in the 90s Wednesday as Obama spoke at the historic Brandenburg Gate nearly 50 years after President John F. Kennedy’s famous cold war speech in West Berlin.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel introduced Obama from a stage with no cover for the bright hot sun. “We’ve chosen the best possible weather to welcome you most warmly, as it were,” she said.

“It’s so warm,” Obama replied, “and I feel so good, that I’m actually going to take off my jacket and anybody else who wants to, feel free to.”

That brought a big round of applause from the sweltering crowd — except for the 104 people being treated by the Red Cross for dehydration and sunburn.

Lisa Hymas is senior editor at Grist. You can follow her on Twitter and Google+.

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Obama in Berlin: “We have to get to work” on climate change

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