Biden Tries to Reassert American Leadership, and His Own
The New York Times
President Biden hoped his personal style of politicking could help him build global consensus on fighting climate change. But as he has learned in Washington, charm offensives have their limits.
GLASGOW — President Biden’s major goal for his second foreign trip since taking office was to reassert America’s ability to lead the world on climate change before it is too late. But he also wanted to reassert Joe Biden.
From the moment he landed in Rome on Friday for the Group of 20 meeting, and then traveled to the climate summit in Glasgow, Mr. Biden took on the role of a traveling salesman, exulting in the backslapping, personalized politics that he believes makes him a strong negotiator and can translate into substantive deal making.
“It never ceases to amaze me when you’re looking at someone straight in the eye when you’re trying to get something done,” Mr. Biden said in a news conference in Rome. “They know me. I know them. We can get things done together.”
