I ask myself how much actual time these head of states are actively involved in these meetings. I’m thinking morning and dinner sessions but the real work would be done by each country’s team of staffers and breakout sessions where the teams would get into the nuts and bolts. Then these teams would meet with their directors who would then meet with their head of state.
Remember a few weeks ago it was reported that Joe doesn’t like the detailed policy discussions and starts yelling at his staffers and that he needs time to make decisions.
Excerpt from that article:
” If the aides talk too much about “policy minutiae,” he’s likely to lose it on them in “an outburst of frustration” that’s “often laced with profanity.”
Biden has even cut people off in conversations and hung up on them when he gets frustrated with them.
The report describes Biden as having “scolded his aides in profanity-laced episodes.” The interviews paint Biden as having “a short fuse.” It also says he needs “hours of debate” and that it “takes days or weeks to make up his mind as he examines and second-guesses himself and others” before he’s able to come to decisions.”
You are correct about all the staff work that is done in preparation for the summit or meeting. The staffers are nicknamed as the sherpas. They do all the heavy lifting. The President is more of a figurehead signing agreements and appearing at press conferences. Multilateral meetings also present opportunities for heads of state to meet one on one privately.
I have been on White House advance teams for about a dozen overseas visits. The President’s movements are choreographed minute by minute with lots of minutiae. For example, President Reagan’s schedule for his Vatican visit included elevator manifests for the party accompanying him to meet the Pope. Nancy’s hairdresser was positioned along the way to minister to her needs.
This is not meant to minimize the President’s role. Reagan ignored the State Department’s advice on his Berlin speech. He also walked out of the meeting in Iceland with Gorbachev.
Biden is an old man. The time change and hectic side meetings associated with the G-7 are too much for him physically and mentally. It would be interesting to learn how many bilateral meetings he attended. And then there are the dinners, meeting with the Queen, etc. Joe doesn’t have the stamina and mental acuity to keep up. He is going to need a long vacation upon returning to the States.
He has no patience = he has no comprehension. He’s a “where do I sign?” Kinda guy. We are in deep crap considering those minions that are “crafting” these working meetings. Especially that global tax b.s. they are trying to foist on us.
Those reactions...frustration,anger, swearing...are symptomatic of Alzheimers.