Obama Pulls a Biden: Thinks He’s in Ireland During Speech to Climate Change Conference in Scotland

Working with someone for eight years can rub off on a guy — even if you’re that guy’s boss.

On Monday, former President Barack Obama delivered an address in Glasgow, Scotland, to the COP26 🌍Climate Change conference — which hasn’t been going swimmingly for the United States or the West. Obama sought to rally the team and buttress the cause.

Instead, he managed to make a Biden-esque gaffe, calling Scotland the “Emerald Isles” — a title reserved for Ireland — and referring to William Shakespeare as the “bard” of wherever he thought he was, which wasn’t England.

We’ll get to the problematic nature of that last part in a little bit — but let’s look at the moment, which came during 64th minute of a 70-minute speech by Obama.

“That’s what’s required to meet this challenge: Gird yourself for a marathon, not a sprint,” Obama said. “For solving a problem this big, this complex and this important has never happened all at once.”

Then: “Since we’re in the Emerald Isles here, let me quote the bard, William Shakespeare.”

Obama went on to quote from “Othello:” “‘What wound,’ writes, ‘did ever heal, but by degrees?’” Obama said.

“Our planet has been wounded by our actions,” he went on. “Those wounds won’t be healed today or tomorrow or the next, but they can be healed by degrees if we start with that spirit.”