GLIMPSES: One prime minister, many quotable quotes

By TED ANTHONY
AP National Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — So you’re paying attention to the tectonic geopolitical issues at the U.N. General Assembly, and most of them are addressed in carefully calibrated and crafted diplomatic language. Then, suddenly, someone like Ralph Gonsalves steps up to the podium. In an ocean of speakers from around the world, the prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stood out with his use of metaphor and imagery. One sample: “Trying to go up a fast-moving down escalator is a challenging exercise.” Gonsalves is no stranger to summoning eloquence for political effect at the United Nations. Last year, he issued a clarion call after a volcanic eruption in his country displaced 20,000 people.