--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at Obama - he is now [2015] trying…" description: "\"Look at Obama - he is now [2015] trying to help us environmentally but he should have done it eight years ago. He's trying to salvage his legacy and tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/patti-smith-394_done_look-at-obama-he-is-now-2015-trying-to-h_1287194.jpg" --- # Look at Obama - he is now \[2015\] trying to help us… ![“Look at Obama - he is now [2015] trying to help us environmentally but he should have done it eight years ago. He's trying to salvage his legacy and trying to do something good but we needed for him to show leadership from day one.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/patti-smith-394_done_look-at-obama-he-is-now-2015-trying-to-h_1287194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/patti-smith-394_done_look-at-obama-he-is-now-2015-trying-to-h_1287194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/patti-smith-394_done_look-at-obama-he-is-now-2015-trying-to-h_1287194.jpg) > “Look at Obama - he is now \[2015\] trying to help us environmentally but he should have done it eight years ago. He's trying to salvage his legacy and trying to do something good but we needed for him to show leadership from day one.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism that Obama’s environmental actions are too late, suggesting earlier leadership was needed for lasting impact. **In simple terms:** Obama’s environmental help came late; earlier action was needed. Key Takeaway Advocate for proactive leadership on climate issues. Themes leadership environment timing legacy politics Mood critical analytical Type political environmental When to use this quote - climate policy - political campaigns - legacy building - public accountability Key Concepts policy activism public perception Questions to Reflect On - What prevents leaders from acting early on climate? - How can citizens demand timely environmental policies? A Different Perspective Political constraints may limit early action despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Salvage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvage/) ## Related quotes > [President Reagan was a leader at a time when the American people most needed leadership. He outlined a vision that captured the imagination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hastert/president-reagan-was-a-leader-at-a-time-when-the-american-people-most/) [Dennis Hastert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hastert/) > [I give a damn if any fan recalls my legacy, I'm trying to live life in the sight of GOD's memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-give-a-damn-if-any-fan-recalls-my-legacy-i-m-trying-to-live-life-in/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I look at Obama, a young man, a good-looking person. That is my first impression, I feel sorry for him. He looks 100 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/i-look-at-obama-a-young-man-a-good-looking-person-that-is-my-first/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [When historians look at the Obama presidency, they're likely to credit him especially for doing the politically unpopular things that were needed in 2009…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/when-historians-look-at-the-obama-presidency-they-re-likely-to-credit/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [If you look at Obama - I think that what you saw during those eight years, and in those last few weeks, was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-mastromonaco/if-you-look-at-obama-i-think-that-what-you-saw-during-those-eight/) [Alyssa Mastromonaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-mastromonaco/) > [“It's hard to salvage jettisoned cargo and, if it is retrieved, it's usually irreparably damaged. And I fear that when you can afford to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/it-s-hard-to-salvage-jettisoned-cargo-and-if-it-is-retrieved-it-s/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [It's as if women are in a totally rigged race. A lot of men are driving souped-up, low-slung racing cars and we're running as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-weisstein/it-s-as-if-women-are-in-a-totally-rigged-race-a-lot-of-men-are/) [Naomi Weisstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-weisstein/) > [“All that we did in this world was to salvage scraps of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-diaz/all-that-we-did-in-this-world-was-to-salvage-scraps-of-freedom/) [Glenn Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-diaz/) > [The organizer of industry who thinks he has 'made' himself and his business has found a whole social system ready to his hand in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-trelawny-hobhouse/the-organizer-of-industry-who-thinks-he-has-made-himself-and-his/) Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse > [The great challenge of the '90s... is to salvage and improve the UN and to develop it into an agency capable of meeting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-great-challenge-of-the-90s-is-to-salvage-and-improve-the-un-and/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [We salvage what we can, what truly matters to us, even at the gates of despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/we-salvage-what-we-can-what-truly-matters-to-us-even-at-the-gates-of/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [Often if a picture is in trouble one way or another, there are ways to salvage it, through reshoots or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/often-if-a-picture-is-in-trouble-one-way-or-another-there-are-ways-to/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [With Salvage the Bones, Jesmyn Ward has written the best sort of novel-a beautiful, important book that's both unflinching and tender, heartbreaking and triumphant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skip-horack/with-salvage-the-bones-jesmyn-ward-has-written-the-best-sort-of-novel/) Skip Horack > [She was the murderous mother who cut us to the bone but left us alive, left us naked and bewildered as wrinkled newborn babies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/she-was-the-murderous-mother-who-cut-us-to-the-bone-but-left-us-alive/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“Salvage Boats For Sale Here are best quality Salvage Boats for sale presents the I Bid Safely Inc Company. You also check the wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-bid-safely-inc/salvage-boats-for-sale-here-are-best-quality-salvage-boats-for-sale/) I Bid Safely Inc ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. But I never came down to that level as being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-khosla-kumar/usually-male-directors-have-to-use-foul-language-to-get-the-job-done/) [Divya Khosla Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-khosla-kumar/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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