Barack Obama actually said...

For too long, we have ceded the playing field to Hugo Chavez--a democratically elected leader who does not govern democratically.

The President-elect is committed to a strengthened and enhanced role for foreign assistance and development in our foreign policy, as am I.

We want to review what we can do to that end but, unfortunately, there are indications that this conference will be just as deeply flawed.

If those efforts fail, then the U.S. will not participate.