Eric Holder, top U.S. officials no-shows at Paris unity rally

[lostinblue 1,989]

Eric Holder, top U.S. officials no-shows at Paris unity rally The U.S. attorney general, in Paris for a terrorism summit with French President Francois Hollande, did not join world leaders such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for the march and rally that drew a million people days after 12 were shot at satirical paper Charlie Hebdo. Others such as Obama and Vice President Biden were also not in attendance.

The city of light became a beacon of leadership Sunday when more than 40 heads of state came together to denounce terrorism, with one glaring exception: the lack of a high-ranking U.S. official.

French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and dozens of other world leaders — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas — all took part in the powerful denunciation of last week’s terror attacks that left 17 innocents dead.

But the nation that stands as the symbolic face of the war on terror was nowhere in sight.

Neither President Obama nor Vice President Biden showed up — and in fact, America’s only representative was its relatively unknown and low-profile ambassador to France.

Obama and Biden had empty public schedules Sunday, but the White House declined to comment on why they didn’t go

The natural choice — Secretary of State Kerry, a Francophile who speaks the language — was in India for a longstanding engagement with the prime minister, White House officials said.

Attorney General Eric Holder did go to Paris — but only for an anti-terrorism summit convened by Hollande ahead of the unity rally.

Holder left Hollande and the others sometime after the group exited the Elysee Palace. Around the time other world leaders and dignitaries boarded buses to get to the front of the march, Holder was taping an interview for “Meet the Press,” NBC confirmed.

The White House said the attorney general was returning to the U.S. on Sunday night, The New York Times reported.

That left ambassador Jane Hartley, head of a political consulting firm and former Obama campaign bundler who amassed more than $500,000, to carry the torch

“If the highest-ranking official is an ambassador, I would say that’s a serious mistake,” said Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), noting that America has asked other countries for troops in Afghanistan and Syria.

LUPICA: America betrays its values by not sending top U.S. officials to Paris unity rally.

“We are looking for cooperation from around the world . . . we should have had someone there who is instantly recognizable (so people) see . . . the face and say that’s the United States of America,’ ” he said.

Obama has made several public statements of support for Hollande, and U.S. security agencies are in near-constant communication with France, a senior Obama official said.

The official also suggested that security for Obama and Biden might have been too distracting — but that didn’t seem to be the case for other world leaders, including Israel’s Netanyahu, who after the march went to a synagogue with Hollande and gave a speech.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/eric-holder-u-s-dignitaries-no-shows-paris-unity-rally-article-1.2073821

[lostinblue 1,989]

^{Obama sent three representatives to Michael Brown funeral}

[lostinblue 1,989]

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

mdr!

I am proud we dissed europe. Screw them!

[GandD 5,966]

I feel like if he went, there would then be posters attacking him for going. Is this really the type of thing that is worthy of real outrage? Me thinks not. It would have been a nice show of unity had he went. No doubt he's made the call or two. Noticeably absent, china and Russia's leaders. Two of the other members of the post ww2 ruling body. Seems like most of the people that showed up were the ones that lived next door. Except the greater Israel area representatives.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I just found out there was a reason Obama didn’t attend, it’s not that he didn’t want to, it’s just that the invitation was for “Leaders”

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I feel like if he went, there would then be posters attacking him for going. Is this really the type of thing that is worthy of real outrage? Me thinks not. It would have been a nice show of unity had he went. No doubt he's made the call or two. Noticeably absent, china and Russia's leaders. Two of the other members of the post ww2 ruling body. Seems like most of the people that showed up were the ones that lived next door. Except the greater Israel area representatives.

You know the playbook.

[lostinblue 1,989]

You know the playbook.

The city of light became a beacon of leadership Sunday when more than 40 heads of state came together to denounce terrorism ........Nobama cannot be bothered.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Obama has just passed Peyton Manning on my job performance scale. Go Obama!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The city of light became a beacon of leadership Sunday when more than 40 heads of state came together to denounce terrorism ........Nobama cannot be bothered.

you would have led the criticism that would have been leveled at the President had he attended the rally. For you and yours, he's damned if he does something and he's damned if he doesn't do it. That is why nobody pays attention to you and yours. Outrage is permanent state of mind for you and it will remain so for 2 more years - at least.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I feel like if he went, there would then be posters attacking him for going. Is this really the type of thing that is worthy of real outrage? Me thinks not. It would have been a nice show of unity had he went. No doubt he's made the call or two. Noticeably absent, china and Russia's leaders. Two of the other members of the post ww2 ruling body. Seems like most of the people that showed up were the ones that lived next door. Except the greater Israel area representatives.

My thoughts exactly. There would be outrage about what he was wearing or how he styled his hair. As usual the outrage here is affected and disingenuous.

[GandD 5,966]

The city of light became a beacon of leadership Sunday when more than 40 heads of state came together to denounce terrorism ........Nobama cannot be bothered.

We're not at war with Islam. We're at war with Islamic terrorists. Two different things. Do you actually support the murder of non-violent Muslims because of what faith they belong to? Like, really?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

If the pen is truly mightier than the sword, who drew first blood?

http://www.boredpanda.com/charlie-hebdo-shooting-tribute-illustrators-cartoonists/

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

We're not at war with Islam. We're at war with Islamic terrorists. Two different things. Do you actually support the murder of non-violent Muslims because of what faith they belong to? Like, really?

Quite a few posters seem unable to tell the difference. I think that's scandalous.

The idea of collective blame makes no sense, but the idea persists because it comes from a place of deep seated prejudice.

After nearly 15 years after 9/11 you would have thought people would have developed more nuanced opinions. Sad.

[Teddy B 17,252]

I know 6 year old children who post better threads than this.