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Obama Speaks in Milan, With Food as Text and Politics as Subtext Obama Speaks in Milan, With Food as Text and Politics as Subtext
(35 minutes later)
ROME — Barack Obama took his first step back onto the world stage on Tuesday, shedding his tie to give wide-ranging, if studiously nonpartisan, remarks during a food and technology conference in Milan.ROME — Barack Obama took his first step back onto the world stage on Tuesday, shedding his tie to give wide-ranging, if studiously nonpartisan, remarks during a food and technology conference in Milan.
First in a keynote address, during which he often consulted his notes, and then in a policy-heavy conversation with his former cook, Sam Kass, Mr. Obama spoke about how climate change was imperiling food production around the world and threatening to aggravate the “migration that has put such a burden on Europe.” First in a keynote address, during which he often consulted his notes, and then in a policy-heavy conversation with his former chef, Sam Kass, Mr. Obama spoke about how climate change was imperiling food production around the world and threatening to aggravate the “migration that has put such a burden on Europe.”
In a conversation that seemed intended to avoid making news, he also spoke about rain patterns, income inequality, privacy issues, his post-presidential life and cows. When President Trump was mentioned, Mr. Obama politely turned the page, saying that while “the current administration has differences with my administration in terms of energy policy,” he believed that “the private sector has already made a decision that the future is in clean energy.”In a conversation that seemed intended to avoid making news, he also spoke about rain patterns, income inequality, privacy issues, his post-presidential life and cows. When President Trump was mentioned, Mr. Obama politely turned the page, saying that while “the current administration has differences with my administration in terms of energy policy,” he believed that “the private sector has already made a decision that the future is in clean energy.”
Since leaving office, Mr. Obama has kitesurfed in tropical climates with the billionaire Richard Branson, started writing his memoirs and begun earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees. Critics have accused Mr. Obama, who campaigned as a different kind of politician, of hypocrisy for accepting an offer of $400,000 to speak in September at a health care conference run by the Wall Street firm Cantor Fitzgerald.Since leaving office, Mr. Obama has kitesurfed in tropical climates with the billionaire Richard Branson, started writing his memoirs and begun earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees. Critics have accused Mr. Obama, who campaigned as a different kind of politician, of hypocrisy for accepting an offer of $400,000 to speak in September at a health care conference run by the Wall Street firm Cantor Fitzgerald.
Organizers of the event in Milan — the 2017 Seeds & Chips conference on global food innovation — declined to say how much Mr. Obama was paid to appear, and the Obama Foundation declined to comment.Organizers of the event in Milan — the 2017 Seeds & Chips conference on global food innovation — declined to say how much Mr. Obama was paid to appear, and the Obama Foundation declined to comment.
Mr. Obama could hardly have found safer ground for a return to the global stage than discussing food in Italy. He offered observations about how changing diets around the world were driving increases in carbon emissions from agriculture, and how agricultural interests tended to stick together politically across party lines.Mr. Obama could hardly have found safer ground for a return to the global stage than discussing food in Italy. He offered observations about how changing diets around the world were driving increases in carbon emissions from agriculture, and how agricultural interests tended to stick together politically across party lines.
“Because food is so close to us and is part of our family and is part of what we do every single day, people, I think, are more resistant to the idea of government or bureaucrats telling them what to eat, how to eat and how to grow,” he said.“Because food is so close to us and is part of our family and is part of what we do every single day, people, I think, are more resistant to the idea of government or bureaucrats telling them what to eat, how to eat and how to grow,” he said.
But food may not have been all that was on some attendees’ minds.But food may not have been all that was on some attendees’ minds.
Among the prominent attendees sitting in the first row during Mr. Obama’s keynote speech was Matteo Renzi, the former prime minister of Italy, with whom Mr. Obama has developed a rapport and whom he mentioned several times, calling him Matteo. Mr. Renzi, who resigned in December after voters rejected a package of constitutional amendments he proposed, is trying to make a political comeback, and hoping that association with Mr. Obama will help him more this time.Among the prominent attendees sitting in the first row during Mr. Obama’s keynote speech was Matteo Renzi, the former prime minister of Italy, with whom Mr. Obama has developed a rapport and whom he mentioned several times, calling him Matteo. Mr. Renzi, who resigned in December after voters rejected a package of constitutional amendments he proposed, is trying to make a political comeback, and hoping that association with Mr. Obama will help him more this time.
Soon after Mr. Obama arrived in Milan on Monday morning, in dark sunglasses and an open white collar, he received Mr. Renzi at the Park Hyatt hotel.Soon after Mr. Obama arrived in Milan on Monday morning, in dark sunglasses and an open white collar, he received Mr. Renzi at the Park Hyatt hotel.
They spoke for more than an hour, and according to a person close to Mr. Obama, they discussed the recent surge of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement in Italy, Mr. Renzi’s comeback attempt and concerns about Russian meddling in the Italian election.They spoke for more than an hour, and according to a person close to Mr. Obama, they discussed the recent surge of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement in Italy, Mr. Renzi’s comeback attempt and concerns about Russian meddling in the Italian election.
At one point in the conversation, according to Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, Mr. Renzi suggested that the two men telephone Emmanuel Macron, who won the French presidential election on Sunday, and congratulate him together on his victory.At one point in the conversation, according to Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, Mr. Renzi suggested that the two men telephone Emmanuel Macron, who won the French presidential election on Sunday, and congratulate him together on his victory.
The impromptu conference call seemed to connect a progressive power triumvirate that never was. Mr. Obama, 55, Mr. Renzi, 42, and Mr. Macron, 39, represent an alternate reality for a trans-Atlantic political landscape that has been disrupted by the election of Mr. Trump and the rise of populist forces in other countries.The impromptu conference call seemed to connect a progressive power triumvirate that never was. Mr. Obama, 55, Mr. Renzi, 42, and Mr. Macron, 39, represent an alternate reality for a trans-Atlantic political landscape that has been disrupted by the election of Mr. Trump and the rise of populist forces in other countries.
Mr. Macron decisively dispatched his hard-right opponent, Marine Le Pen of the National Front, but Mr. Renzi and Mr. Obama have more time on their hands now, and they made the most of it.Mr. Macron decisively dispatched his hard-right opponent, Marine Le Pen of the National Front, but Mr. Renzi and Mr. Obama have more time on their hands now, and they made the most of it.
After their meeting, the two men climbed into a black sport-utility vehicle and rode to the Palazzo Clerici for a dinner organized by the Obama Foundation and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.After their meeting, the two men climbed into a black sport-utility vehicle and rode to the Palazzo Clerici for a dinner organized by the Obama Foundation and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.
Over Parmesan lollipops and carpaccio of sea bass, Mr. Obama spoke with Italian luminaries about how austerity had compromised growth in Europe, the threat that climate change posed to global stability and the formation of a new leadership class, a theme dear to both Mr. Obama and Mr. Renzi.Over Parmesan lollipops and carpaccio of sea bass, Mr. Obama spoke with Italian luminaries about how austerity had compromised growth in Europe, the threat that climate change posed to global stability and the formation of a new leadership class, a theme dear to both Mr. Obama and Mr. Renzi.
Mr. Obama also found time for sightseeing, visiting Milan’s iconic cathedral and elegant museums. He viewed Da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” which he tried to tie on Tuesday into his remarks about the importance of food.Mr. Obama also found time for sightseeing, visiting Milan’s iconic cathedral and elegant museums. He viewed Da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” which he tried to tie on Tuesday into his remarks about the importance of food.
Introduced by an 18-year-old “teenovator” and hailed as the man who “gave us hope,” Mr. Obama took the stage with several shirt buttons undone. A member of the audience shouted, “Where is your tie?”Introduced by an 18-year-old “teenovator” and hailed as the man who “gave us hope,” Mr. Obama took the stage with several shirt buttons undone. A member of the audience shouted, “Where is your tie?”
After a somewhat wooden start at the lectern, he settled into a chair next to Mr. Kass and touched broadly on a variety of topics: the importance of farmers, the role of employment in combating radicalization, the problem of income inequality. In the end, even Mr. Obama seemed a bit exhausted by the conversation; he reminded Mr. Kass, to applause, that “I have to go home and have dinner with my family.”After a somewhat wooden start at the lectern, he settled into a chair next to Mr. Kass and touched broadly on a variety of topics: the importance of farmers, the role of employment in combating radicalization, the problem of income inequality. In the end, even Mr. Obama seemed a bit exhausted by the conversation; he reminded Mr. Kass, to applause, that “I have to go home and have dinner with my family.”