‘Don’t shout at me. I’m not…’: Barack Obama’s sharp response after being interrupted
Obama addressed the issue, stressing America’s belief that “everybody counts and everybody’s equal under the law and has an inherent dignity and respect.”
Former US President Barack Obama was apparently interrupted during a discussion at the Jefferson Educational Society’s Global Summit on Wednesday by pro-Palestine slogans. Responding to the person, Obama clarified, “I am not the current President” and added, “Sir, don’t shout at me!”
In conversation with Steve Scully at the event, the 44th US president addressed the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. He noted that its consequences stem from a broader mindset, describing it as part of a “zero-sum game”, a situation where one person’s gain is exactly equal to another’s loss.
Obama stressed, “When we don't see people as people, bad things happen.”
Midway through the discussion, an audience member appeared to shout a slogan related to Palestine, though it was not clearly audible and could not be verified by HT.com. Obama chose to take up the point, reflecting on the situation in the Middle East and emphasising America’s belief that “everybody counts and everybody’s equal under the law and has an inherent dignity and respect”.
Here is what Obama said:
After the outburst from the audience, Obama responded, “Well, yes, there are disasters and catastrophes everywhere. Sir.”
{{/usCountry}}After the outburst from the audience, Obama responded, “Well, yes, there are disasters and catastrophes everywhere. Sir.”
{{/usCountry}}He went on, “Sir, I am not the President of the United States, currently. So, there is no point in shouting at me. There is no point in shouting at me about it. I am not in charge of foreign policy, currently.”
{{/usCountry}}He went on, “Sir, I am not the President of the United States, currently. So, there is no point in shouting at me. There is no point in shouting at me about it. I am not in charge of foreign policy, currently.”
{{/usCountry}}Choosing to address the comment further, he said: “Now, listen, by the way, what is happening, I think we are going to have some time to talk about overseas. And I am happy to address that as well, because these things are actually connected. I will just go ahead and talk about it now. Part of what you see in the Middle East is the consequences of a mindset that some people are worth more than others, that we are each part of a tribe, and that it is a zero-sum game, and that my tribe is better than your tribe. That mindset at some point, if you look at history, results in conflict. Terrible things are done on behalf of that idea.”
{{/usCountry}}Choosing to address the comment further, he said: “Now, listen, by the way, what is happening, I think we are going to have some time to talk about overseas. And I am happy to address that as well, because these things are actually connected. I will just go ahead and talk about it now. Part of what you see in the Middle East is the consequences of a mindset that some people are worth more than others, that we are each part of a tribe, and that it is a zero-sum game, and that my tribe is better than your tribe. That mindset at some point, if you look at history, results in conflict. Terrible things are done on behalf of that idea.”
{{/usCountry}}Referring to the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7 2023, which triggered Israel’s ongoing offensive against Gaza to “eliminate Hamas militants,” Obama said: “And so, those who carried out October 7th had something in their minds that said, these families, these women and children that we are going to slaughter in cold blood, are less than us. We are justified in perpetrating that kind of brutality. And those who are now saying we’re going to withhold food and medicine and shelter from millions of people as a consequence of those awful events, that also is dehumanizing the people in Gaza who are suffering right now.”
He continued: “Now, I’m not — I want to be clear — I’m not drawing equivalences, because this is part of how our debates get bogged down. What I’m saying is that when we don’t see people as people, bad things happen. When we dehumanize people, bad things happen. And America at our best, stands for the idea that everybody counts and everybody’s equal under the law and has an inherent dignity and respect.”
Obama added: “And that idea, that idea, when we lose that idea here — the whole world gets dimmer. And we’re seeing it right now. Autocrats feel like, oh, we’ve got a license now, because America, they seem to be okay with it. In fact, they’re kind of doing some of the same things we’re doing.”
Current situation in Gaza
Israeli troops and tanks advanced further into Gaza City on Wednesday, forcing more residents to flee the devastated area. Strikes also cut off phone and internet connections, making it harder for Palestinians to call ambulances during the latest military offensive.
Local health officials said the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict has now exceeded 65,000.
According to the Israeli military, air and artillery units have carried out more than 150 strikes on the city in recent days, ahead of ground forces pushing in. The bombardments brought down high-rise buildings in areas crowded with tent camps. Israel maintained that Hamas had been using the towers to monitor its troops.
Regulators, according to Associated Press, said that the blackout in communications hampered Palestinians’ ability to seek medical help, organise evacuations, or report on the offensive, which began on Monday and is aimed at seizing full control of the city.
Hospital officials said overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children. Gaza’s Health Ministry, run by Hamas, put the death toll at 65,062, with a further 165,697 wounded since Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that sparked the war.
Meanwhile, for the first time on Tuesday, a UN-mandated investigative commission issued an independent assessment accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza since October 2023, with the intention of “destroying” the Palestinian people.
The issue is expected to dominate next week’s annual UN summit in New York.
