The COP26 climate change conference got under way in Glasgow on Sunday night, but news channel CNN appears to have sent their news anchor to the wrong Scottish city.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer posted a picture of himself on Twitter announcing his arrival in Edinburgh for the summit.
Blitzer wrote: “I’m now reporting from Edinburgh in Scotland where 20,000 world leaders and delegates have gathered for the COP26 Climate Summit.
“COP, by the way, stands for ‘Conference of the Parties.’ It’s the 26th time they have gathered to discuss and take action on this critical issue.”
I’m now reporting from Edinburgh in Scotland where 20,000 world leaders and delegates have gathered for the COP26 Climate Summit. COP, by the way, stands for “Conference of the Parties.” It’s the 26th time they have gathered to discuss and take action on this critical issue. pic.twitter.com/BGTAeU5cBy
— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) November 1, 2021
Blitzer was pictured with the famous Edinburgh Castle in the background, confirming his whereabouts in the Scottish city.
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It didn’t take long for people to point out the apparent blunder, with many pointing out that it wasn’t doing much for the stereotype that Americans are ignorant about world geography.
Journalist Joshua Zitser wrote: “This isn’t doing wonders for some American stereotypes.”
This isn’t doing wonders for some American stereotypes https://t.co/G5oCwojXJm
— Joshua Zitser (@mrjoshz) November 1, 2021
Someone else wrote: “Wait til CNN find out the summit is 50 miles away in Glasgow #IdiotsAbroad.”
Wait til CNN find out the summit is 50 miles away in Glasgow.🤭#IdiotsAbroad https://t.co/euOONjiaWV
— Biology Rules Ok (@OkBiology) November 1, 2021
Another person joked about an imagined scenario that led to Blitzer being posted in Edinburgh rather than Glasgow.
They wrote: “United Nations of the World: this week we meet in Glasgow for the Summit on Climate Ch—
“Wolf: I’m not going to f***ing Glasgow, I want to see the castle, you know the one.”
United Nations of the World: this week we meet in Glasgow for the Summit on Climate Ch—
— Kieran Healy (@kjhealy) November 1, 2021
Wolf: I'm not going to f***ing Glasgow, I want to see the castle, you know the one https://t.co/0yOP32k17w
the conference is happening in Glasgow, hope that helps https://t.co/lLpWbWkbyJ
— Ayesha A. Siddiqi (@AyeshaASiddiqi) November 1, 2021
Meanwhile, the other 19,999 leaders, delegates and journalists are in Glasgow #COP26 https://t.co/ccHvG8BDQP
— Alex Bradbury (@AlexJBradbury17) November 1, 2021
American television culture can be funny. The summit is in Glasgow. But hey, Edinburgh has better visuals.
— Wolfgang Blau (@wblau) November 1, 2021
(or as the old joke goes: ‘Bayreuth, Beirut? Sounds both unsafe to me!) https://t.co/O2ZOEHC8fH
The optical retail chain Specsavers even got involved in the mocking, replying to Blitzer’s tweet: “Should've gone to Glasgow.”
Should've gone to Glasgow
— Specsavers (@Specsavers) November 1, 2021
indy100 has contacted CNN for comment.