Obama on the personalities of world leaders: "Putin is a political machine boss"

"Sarkozy is emotional... Cameron is sophisticated and confident"

Former President Obama and Russian President Putin.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s memoir, which introduces his impressions of various world leaders he met during his tenure as the 44th U.S. president, is drawing attention.

According to the British BBC and American CNN on the 20th, in his recently published memoir "A Promised Land," Obama described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "reminiscent of the boss of a 'political machine'?a massive political faction or organization symbolizing corruption in Chicago?except that he possesses nuclear weapons and can wield veto power at the United Nations Security Council."

Chicago is where former President Obama built his political foundation.

Obama said of President Putin, "He reminded me of the kind of people who led the Chicago machine or Tammany Hall," adding, "Tough, worldly-wise, and unsentimental people who know what they know, never stepping outside the narrow confines of their shallow experience, and who regard patronage, bribery, extortion, fraud, and sometimes even violence as legitimate means of conducting business."

Tammany Hall started as a social club in the late 18th century and became a factional organization that dominated the Democratic Party in New York City from the 1800s to the 1930s. It was used by privileged classes and involved in corruption scandals, becoming synonymous with boss politics and official misconduct.

Former President Obama and German Chancellor Merkel. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he described her as "calm, honest, intellectually rigorous, and instinctively kind."

Obama wrote that Chancellor Merkel was initially skeptical of him due to his arrogant rhetoric and oratory skills but added, "As a German leader, her aversion to demagogic politics was perhaps considered a desirable trait, so I was not offended."

Former President Obama and former French President Sarkozy.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also recalled former French President Nicolas Sarkozy as "an emotional and highly exaggerated figure," saying, "He seemed like a character straight out of a Toulouse-Lautrec painting."

Obama wrote, "Conversations with Sarkozy were a rollercoaster of enjoyment and irritation. He kept moving his hands, puffing out his chest like a rooster, and the interpreter frantically mimicked all his gestures and intonations beside him. Flattering one moment and scolding the next, throughout the conversation he never strayed from his main concerns."

Former President Obama and former UK Prime Minister Cameron.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Obama recalled that he got along well with former British Prime Minister David Cameron, an alumnus of the prestigious Eton College.

He described Cameron as "a sophisticated and confident person," adding, "a comfortable confidence that comes from someone who has never had to bear the heavy burdens of life."

However, regarding Cameron’s economic policies, he criticized, "The austerity measures under Cameron worsened the British economy."

Cover of former U.S. President Barack Obama's memoir "A Promised Land." Photo by Amazon.com website.

Obama’s third memoir and first since leaving office, "A Promised Land," sold about 890,000 copies on its first day of release on the 17th in the U.S. and Canada, setting a new record for presidential memoir sales.

BBC described the book as "likely to become the best-selling presidential memoir in history."

CNN commented, "This book contains generous yet sharp character sketches of Obama’s allied leaders."

Foreign policy outlet Foreign Policy noted, "Obama candidly evaluates the foreign leaders he met," adding, "In many cases, it appears they do not earn his respect."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.