Staff Reports
The political theater continues as President Joe Biden takes a lofty jaunt into the heart of the Amazon rainforest, marking yet another first for a sitting U.S. president. The irony is delicious—while Biden is busy lecturing Americans on climate preservation from the treetops, a mere whisper of accountability regarding his classified documents scandal puffs like smoke from an Amazonian campfire. But why let a little controversy ruin a good photo op?
While Biden flits around South America, meeting with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Peru, he’s making promises that would make a carnival barker proud. Rolling into Brasilia like a benevolent king, he announces pledges that would push U.S. funding for “climate preservation” to a staggering $11 billion a year. Meanwhile, his likely successor, Donald Trump, rolls his eyes at the mere mention of climate change and likely hopes Biden trips over an inflatable globe in his quest for global goodwill.
Biden becomes first president to tour Amazon rainforest https://t.co/oTYyxDWqzf
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 18, 2024
But the administration’s pitched battle for climate cash isn’t just for show—it’s a carefully scripted endeavor to boost the narrative around Biden’s legacy. As diktats about “International Conservation Day” fill the air, one can’t help but wonder how much of this climate financing is just political posturing to distract from more pressing issues on the home front. After all, Americans are much more concerned about their own economic well-being than the Amazon’s oxygen supply.
Biden’s itinerary isn’t all about green pledges, though. Just think of the photo opportunities! Manaus, Brazil will play host to Biden’s meeting with native Brazilians and a jaunt through an Amazon-themed museum. It’s hard not to imagine the president awkwardly attempting to engage a culture he knows little about, all while hoping the photo ops yield something that can be spun into political gold back in the States.
As the curtain draws on Biden’s presidency, his trip to Africa next month may very well be a last-ditch effort to secure some kind of positive legacy. Celebrating partnerships in Angola may sound grand on paper, but the undercurrents of his leadership—riddled with mishaps and failures—make it hard to see this as anything other than a desperate attempt for redemption. While Biden waves at the greenery and promises billions, many Americans are still waiting for their checks to cash and their issues to be addressed back home.
