--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think Barack Obama has been a terrible…" description: "\"I think Barack Obama has been a terrible disappointment environmentally. It's very sobering to realize, as a westerner, that under the Obama administra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/terry-tempest-williams-835_barack_i-think-barack-obama-has-been-a-terrible_2343888.png" --- # I think Barack Obama has been a terrible disappointment… ![“I think Barack Obama has been a terrible disappointment environmentally. It's very sobering to realize, as a westerner, that under the Obama administration, we now have more active oil and gas leases on public lands than Americans ever did. Obama has been worse.” quote by Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/terry-tempest-williams-835_barack_i-think-barack-obama-has-been-a-terrible_2343888.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/terry-tempest-williams-835_barack_i-think-barack-obama-has-been-a-terrible_2343888.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a74/terry-tempest-williams-835_barack_i-think-barack-obama-has-been-a-terrible_2343888.png) > “I think Barack Obama has been a terrible disappointment environmentally. It's very sobering to realize, as a westerner, that under the Obama administration, we now have more active oil and gas leases on public lands than Americans ever did. Obama has been worse.” [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker criticizes the Obama administration for increasing fossil fuel extraction on public lands, viewing it as an environmental betrayal. **In simple terms:** Obama's policies expanded oil and gas leases, disappointing environmentalists. Key Takeaway Hold leaders accountable for environmental impact. Themes environment politics disappointment policy Mood critical concerned Type political environmental When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts public land management climate change energy policy Questions to Reflect On - What alternative policies could have reduced fossil fuel expansion? - How can citizens influence environmental decisions? A Different Perspective Progress may be uneven despite intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Environmentally Sobering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmentally-sobering-5681889/) [Gas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gas/) [Lease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lease/) [Obama administration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-administration/) [Obama Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-terrible-5092153/) [Obama Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-worse-2371285/) [Oil and gas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil-and-gas/) [Public lands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-lands/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Westerner Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/westerner-obama-5681888/) ## Related quotes > [I am prepared to admit that when it comes to dealing with the House and Senate leaders, Obama is terrible. 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Bush, because an evil bastard who knows what he's doing is far more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/barack-obama-is-an-even-worse-president-than-george-w-bush-because-an/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [My heart breaks living in southern Utah on the edge of America's Redrock Wilderness, witnessing what the Bush Administration's policies regarding oil and gas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/my-heart-breaks-living-in-southern-utah-on-the-edge-of-america-s/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Community after community is rising up, ranchers, developers, environmentalists, and local commissioners, all saying this is not the best use of our public lands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/community-after-community-is-rising-up-ranchers-developers/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [To the Baptist Churches on Neal's Greek on Black Creek, North Carolina I have received, fellow-citizens, your address, approving my objection to the Bill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/to-the-baptist-churches-on-neal-s-greek-on-black-creek-north-carolina/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I've been very clear all along that public lands must stay in public hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gianforte/i-ve-been-very-clear-all-along-that-public-lands-must-stay-in-public/) [Greg Gianforte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gianforte/) > [Montanans know who I am: They know I'm a lifetime Montanan. They know I understand rural America. They know I understand public lands and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/montanans-know-who-i-am-they-know-i-m-a-lifetime-montanan-they-know-i/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [“...it is disquieting to feel that the conversion into a National Forest or Park always means the esthetic death of a piece of wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/it-is-disquieting-to-feel-that-the-conversion-into-a-national-forest/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [The Great American Outdoors Act is landmark conservation legislation to protect our public lands, including right here in New Jersey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/the-great-american-outdoors-act-is-landmark-conservation-legislation/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [Some corporations don't want free markets, and they don't want democracy. They want profits. And they use our campaign finance system to loot our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr/some-corporations-don-t-want-free-markets-and-they-don-t-want/) [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-f-kennedy-jr/) > [They have stolen the public lands. They have grasped all to themselves, and by their unprincipled greed brought a crisis of unparalleled distress on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-kearney/they-have-stolen-the-public-lands-they-have-grasped-all-to-themselves/) [Denis Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-kearney/) > [Public lands are for everyone's use. Be responsible when shooting and clean up the area you were shooting in so others can enjoy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bilzerian/public-lands-are-for-everyone-s-use-be-responsible-when-shooting-and/) [Dan Bilzerian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bilzerian/) ## More by Terry Tempest Williams > [I admire how she protects her energy and understands her limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-admire-how-she-protects-her-energy-and-understands-her-limitations/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Buddha says there are two kinds of suffering: the kind that leads to more suffering and the kind that brings an end to suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/buddha-says-there-are-two-kinds-of-suffering-the-kind-that-leads-to/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [I wonder how, among the Fremont, mothers and daughters shared their world. 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I write because it is dangerous, a bloody risk, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-write-to-discover-i-write-to-uncover-i-write-to-meet-my-ghosts-i/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“I write to make peace with the things I cannot control. I write to create red in a world that often appears black and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-write-to-make-peace-with-the-things-i-cannot-control-i-write-to/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Hope is not attached to outcomes but is a state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/hope-is-not-attached-to-outcomes-but-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [The moment Eve bit into the apple, her eyes opened and she became free. 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Both are sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-accept-the-organic-trinity-of-mineral-vegetable-and-animal-with-as/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [Good writing must stay open to the questions and not fall prey to the pull of a polemic, otherwise, words simply become predictable, sentimental,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/good-writing-must-stay-open-to-the-questions-and-not-fall-prey-to-the/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“I believe we must do things in our lives for the right reasons, because we enjoy doing them, with no expectation of getting something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-believe-we-must-do-things-in-our-lives-for-the-right-reasons/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [A mother and daughter are an edge. Edges are ecotones, transitional zones, places of danger or opportunity. House-dwelling tension. When I stand on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/a-mother-and-daughter-are-an-edge-edges-are-ecotones-transitional/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“To be read. To be heard. To be seen. I want to be read, I want to be heard. I don't need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/to-be-read-to-be-heard-to-be-seen-i-want-to-be-read-i-want-to-be/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [The Eyes of the Future are looking back at us and they are praying for us to see beyond our own time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/the-eyes-of-the-future-are-looking-back-at-us-and-they-are-praying/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) [Explore all 357 Terry Tempest Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. 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McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) [Michael Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atherton/) > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) [Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think Barack Obama has been a terrible disappointment environmentally. It's very sobering to realize, as a westerner, that under the Obama administration, we now have more active oil and gas leases on public lands than Americans ever did. 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