World leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, EU President Donald Tusk, and Jordan's King Abdullah II joined the beginning of the Paris march.No leaders from the United States? That's weird.
"Paris is the capital of the world today," French leader Francois Hollande said.
ADDED: Drudge, linking to the Daily News (which points out that Eric Holder was in Paris):
AND: I suspect that Holder (and other American politicians) don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech.
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194 comments:
Obama couldn't even bring himself to vote present for this one.
How is that weird? With Obama I would have been surprised if he had sent anyone.
Well maybe weird Uncle Joe who could be counted on to say something inappropriate.
Holder was in Paris at the time. His failure to show up must be interpreted as a real statement.
And Kerry -- with his background living in France and fluency in French -- should have been just the person to represent us.
That's because our leaders don't want to be thought of as on any side - the US isn't worthy or something.
No leaders from the United States? That's weird.
Nothing strange at all about it Oblama does not agree. He is all pro-muzzie. Remember his statement, "The future must not belong to those who slander the profit" or something like that.
Killing the CH folks was the act of his homies.
It is very odd that they didn't show up, not even Biden. This was as politically safe an exercise as anything. They had every Euro pol for heavens sake.
The administration gets very odd advice I think, and they don't seem to talk to anyone abroad either.
Obama wanted to go, but he was out of candles.
Shame on Obama and his administration. They're not even bothering to phone it in anymore.
The Europeans, the French, need to take action and this leaves Hollande' and French citizens more responsible. That is to say, having the president go would have interfered with that. OTOH, the people you suggest, Kerry and Holder, would have been perfect. The president presents himself as an outsider only endorsing minority protests.
Americans need to wake up to the fact that this president simply isn't on our side.
No leaders from the United States? That's weird.
We're coming to a point where Occam's Razor is going to start suggesting some unpleasant things......
I suspect that Holder (and other American politicians) don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech.
Meeting with Al Sharpton, notwithstanding.
And watching Kerry read a statement to the French people the other day makes me question his vaunted "fluency".
Netanyahu, Abbas, Hollande, Merkel and Cameron were all there. Showing up would be pretty uncontroversial.
75% of life is just showing up.
Maybe they were smart not to go. Maybe they didn't want to be manuevered into a bad strategic position by this terrorist act.
Aren't we always saying that the terrorists don't represent most Muslims? If that's true then the West is in a battle for the hearts and minds of a billion Muslims in countries all over the world, most of whom have a very limited understanding of what the modern western world is actually all about.
They are watching this on TV. And what do they see? The entire western world wailing and gnashing their teeth, 3 million people in the street. Why? Because of the deaths of Presidents? Royalty? Innocent children? No.
If you look at it from their perspective its because of the deaths of some incomprehensible perverts who spent their time drawing disgusting pictures of our religious figures and theirs. They are trying to wrap their heads around this. Who are they going to relate to? The guys who say these men deserved the worst punishment? Or the guys who say this is the worst thing that has happened in a long long time?
Maybe whoever planned this was smarter than we think.
I suspect that Holder (and other American politicians) don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech.
Then it's fair to say that he/they didn't want to support the millions and other leaders against the atrocity.
Or, Obama suddenly decided to show his old prejudice against former African colonists -- just as he snubbed Britain.
The mayate is a non-entity...
Appeasers, all of them.
The State Department is working on a culturally-appropriate #Hashtag campaign.
#StopKillingFrenchPeople
#MaybeItsYourColonialLegacy
#InterrogateThemNicely
#TheFutureDoesntBelongToFrenchCartoonists
If a Christian blew up a halal place, I'm guessing O, Biden, Holder, and Kerry would be marching in hours. And Psaki would be tweeting out vapid hashtags.
There were more than enough Muslims included, even heads of state.
A member of the cabinet or two would not have attracted any particular anti-US attention, Muslim optics wise.
They don't know Holder and Kerry, they are just some flunkies, anonymous "US officials".
President Three Putt's no-show just topped Groundskeeper Willie's French lesson, wouldn't you say, ARM?
Hmmm?
I suspect that Holder (and other American politicians) don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech.
Good ol' Obama. Why, by the end of his tenure, the US will have worked its way down in the Muslim world from being the Great Satan to being "oh, they're still really evil, but every now & then they have a good day in Hell" Satan.
BO was told that he couldn't play golf while he might be there.
Bob B, idjt.
If Victoria is right... Obama didn't even send out a tweet.
AND: I suspect that Holder (and other American politicians) don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech.
perceived as hate speech?! really? by whom?
It's better to be perceived as a bigot, than to feign support for principles and be exposed as a bigot.
Perhaps he's longing to return home... to Chicago. It's been so long. Someone must still remember him.
...don't want to seem to be supporting what might be perceived as hate speech...
...by marching alongside the President of Mali, the King of Jordan and the President of the Palestinian Authority.
Jesus wept. The trustees at Brandeis have more backbone than the this.
These Hedbo people went after everybody.. how is that hate speech?
It's weird you think it's weird.
Not surprising, really (about Barry, not you).
Beneath contempt, too.
John Effin' Kerry is not the person to represent anything more important than a coin operated laundry in Dubuque Iowa. Or maybe LaGrande Oregon. And citizens of Dubuque, I mean no disrespect. I'm talking about a three washer, two dryer Laundromat. Could be anywhere.
He's a walking talking dumbbell.
Actually, it's clear that Obama wouldn't be there.
The security policies in place for American presidents are so far beyond what exists anywhere else that it's impossible to conceive of him just marching along with all these other world leaders.
In the first place, the Secret Service needs lots of lead time to plan the whole thing; then you'd need the bodyguards, and so on.
(Come on -- there was an ambulance on call 24/7 when Obama was in Hawaii. I'd love for the next President to say, "the excess security does more harm than good," rather than the current approach that there is never any step that can be taken that is going too far.)
As for Holder, this is odd -- in the first place, why was he there at all? What role does the Attorney General play, especially given that he's got one foot out the door? Or does this just reflect the reality that he's more than Attorney General, but a close member of the president's circle?
But be that as it may, it looks very bad, especially for a president who was supposed to be all about Smart Diplomacy and internationalism.
Now y'all leave Messrs Kerry and Biden alone. It's not their fault their boss is a tool. Either would have been better in his place:
Sec'y Kerry speaks French, probably genuinely cares about the French people, and has the long face and sonorous voice of an undertaker.
VP Biden would have stumbled all over his lines and unintentionally insulted someone, but his earnest sincerity wouldn't have left a dry eye in the house.
Much as I dislike Obama, I would not want available as a target in France. Kerry would be OK, what with the french language and combat experiance and all.
On the other hand, maybe the administration figured that having the VP or a cabinet figure would be so visibly inappropriate next to Hollande, Cameron, and Merkel, that it's better not to have anyone at all.
Yes, I know that they sent the ambassador. Big whoop. That's their job. There were probably a few Americans at study-abroad programs there, too.
And the whiny, "but we signed the condolence book" is pathetic.
I'm most impressed by Mahmoud Abbas joining since he heads what has historically been little more than a terrorist state (one that tried to overthrow Abdullah II's father, as it happens). Good for him.
First, the lefties will bring up security issues for O showing up on such short notice for this.
BS. If Bibi Netanyahu can be up there front and center, against the express wishes of the French government, then Obama can get his lazy, sorry ass to Paris.
Fun fact: the only reason PA sleazeball Abbas got an invite to the rally was that Bibi wouldn't take no as an answer from the French. So, the Frogs got on the horn, and extended to Abbas what they didn't extend to Netanyahu; an actual invite.
The French are all sorts of fucked up.
I could understand Obama not being there for security reasons but why not Biden or Kerry? What was more ridiculous was the WH announcing today their anti-extremists summit next month.
He sent three dignitaries to the funeral of that thug and convenience store robber Mike Brown.
Boy was Clint Eastwood ever dead on about that empty chair, or what?
Many said the Obama White House simply isn’t skilled, or doesn’t care, about doing the small things that can make a big difference when it comes to maintaining relationships and showing respect. LOL..
Sometimes life gets so absurd I do start to believe reality is a elaborate prank. I'm expecting someone to pull back the curtain and smush a pie in my face at any moment.
But at least this is consistent. This presidency has been one foreign policy blunder after another. Why mess with such epic failure?
Skeptical Voter said, "John Effin' Kerry is not the person to represent anything more important than a coin operated laundry in Dubuque Iowa. Or maybe LaGrande Oregon. And citizens of Dubuque, I mean no disrespect. I'm talking about a three washer, two dryer Laundromat. Could be anywhere."
Oh, we understand. You are saying it could be absolutely nowhere, why even some place as insignificant and culturally backward as Madison, WI!
Weird? Hate speech?
Maybe Hollande wasn't wearing the right shirt.
Here are leaders who were there: A terrorists wet dream.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Union President Donald Tusk, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Jordan’s Queen Rania, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and other guests
World leaders. Hence no Barack Obama.
@FullMoon: M. Kerry répond: link
As for Holder, this is odd -- in the first place, why was he there at all? What role does the Attorney General play, especially given that he's got one foot out the door?
Holder is an expert on workplace violence.
More moderate Muslims .
Holder wouldn't march. Protocol would not put him anywhere near the front row, so why should he lower himself.
Obama had so many reasons not to go to Paris that it's fruitless even to start listing.
Biden would shoot himself in the foot and any more gunfire is going to freak everybody out.
Kerry is busy making peace with the Middle East.
Bill Clinton is now on a five inch leash until a few things get cleared up.
Any media got a clue yet that "leading from behind" has always been a cover story for the Dem's US Prsident helping Muslim Jihad erupt all over the world and blocking any US action to stop it.
What those 3 million Frenchmen and -women should do, after the march, is hop into bed and start making some French babies. Because the sad fact is that for a generation there haven't been enough French (or Germans, etc., but let's stick with France) to keep the economy going, so they've had to import workers from the Third World, a lot of whom are Muslims. That was mistake number 1. Mistake number 2 is that they haven't assimilated these foreigners into French culture; they've allowed Muslim ghettos to develop that are in France, but not French.
In theory, the French could reverse these mistakes, but I don't think they are capable of doing so. I think they're doomed, no matter how many people march.
Sorry about that.
I am not a robot.
From Gateway Pundit, a list of those "world leaders" who came to Paris.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker
European Parliament president Martin Schulz
European Union president Donald Tusk
Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg
Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny
Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho
Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka
Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico
Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban
Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic
Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat
Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven
Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko
Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibachvili
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov
Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
King Abdallah of Jordan
Queen Rania of Jordan
German chancellor Angela Merkel
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman
Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett
MK Eli Yishai from Israeli Knesset
Abu Mazen of Palestinian Fatah party
Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
Gabonese President Ali Bongo
Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou
Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi
Tunisian Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa
Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra
and
US Attorney General Eric Holder (Not seen at march and rally)
So according to this, nobody from the Western Hemisphere. Curious.
VP Biden would have stumbled all over his lines and unintentionally insulted someone, but his earnest sincerity wouldn't have left a dry eye in the house.
But it would be a heck of an opportunity to nuzzle some underage French chicks.
US can't send leaders b/c we don't have any.
Personally, I'm kind of glad Obama stayed away. He tends to make these events all about him.
"hate speech" is the asterisk on free speech.
What a chickenshit President.
Shame - chance to to show some balls. Guess Reggie was busy....
Obama was also conspicuously missing from the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Berlin Wall falling.
Regardless of motivation, it's a mistake to miss things like this. When people feel like they've been attacked, they pay a lot of attention to which friends show up and offer support. Choosing not to show up and not to offer support is going to be remembered for a long time.
France is a good ally. They have a right to expect us to act like good allies, too. Even if it's purely symbolic -- maybe especially if it's purely symbolic. After all, what does it mean if someone asks you to say what good friends you are and you decline?
A bunch of white people were murdered by Muslims. Why would Obama care about that?
Something's wrong with those photos. I don't see one leader taking a selfie as he or she is marching along. Why, isn't that the proper protocol at all public events?
It's too cold to go golfing in France right now.
Our International Nobel Peace Prize President was a few hours away by AF1, esp. if he went over the Arctic.
Hawaii was so much more inviting, especially Kapalua Golf Club.
I am not Anonymous, I am not a Robot, I am a man. Call me Skeptical.
The Obama administration has been rather supportive of Muslim desires to suppress criticism of their religious/political symbols, so I think this was deliberate.
Holder being in Paris but not being in the march seems to make it a statement.
One thing for sure, it's been made clear that President Obama is NOT the leader of the free world. Maybe that's a good thing for Europe, but it's a shameful day for the US.
Look, even if you don't like Obama or Kerry, they are our head of state and chief diplomat, respectively. Look at that list of Prime Ministers, Kings, Chancellors and Foreign Ministers that did attend.
When that many people show up to demonstrate what good friends they are to the French, it's not really an option. Signing a consolation book in Washington is a kiss off. Sending Holder would have been a snub. Not letting Holder attend was beyond a snub.
Other than making French babies, which is of course the right thing to do (and the US women should get right on this too, ASAP, especially the Jewish ones), there are obvious adjustments possible in immigration policy. It begins with the recognition, perfectly clear by now, that not all peoples are going to fit in well with other people. In their case they should look into stopping the African/North African immigrant stream, and greatly increasing quotas for Asians and Latin Americans. I can promise that the Philippines, for one, can provide any number of highly compatible, user friendly, superlatively well behaved, eminently integratable replacement population units. Just a bit of tongue in cheek there, but its true anyway. Filipinos would make fine, enthusiastic ersatz Gauls.
I learned something as a result of this event.
It is part of Moslem culture that insulting their prophet is a valid reason for violence. People all the way to the top leadership of the government and religious institutions believe this.
Parts of American culture are like that too. "Them's fighting words" is part of our culture. And our law-writing leaders pile on extra penalties for insulting someone when the feelings behind the action make the action a hate crimes. But usually the sentence is established in court, not by direct one-on-one executions in editorial offices. That is what makes us different.
The President sent three White House representatives to Michael Brown's funeral.
The White House sent out a tweet ,in memory of Stuart Scott.
The White House will send Pres. Hollande an iPod loaded with Obama's speeches... or return the White House's.bust of Lafayette.
Well if there was any doubt he was done as POTUS and just kicking his ideological can down the road, there shouldn't be now.
The Obama Administration is protecting Muslims and Islam to and beyond what is defined in our Constitution's Article-III, Section-3.
Didn't the Obamas say at some point (before Barack's election) that they wanted their kids to be able to go to Europe and not be ashamed to be American?
Boy, that sounds kinds funny now, doesn't it?
I was in Paris when Benghazi went down.
Was pretty gobsmacked at the response of the French vs the US admin at the time. Understood then that I was safer where I was physically than back in my home country. That hurt.
Holder claimed to have missed marching because of his high level meetings. Who? They were all at the march. Unless our President sent our AG to meet with high level jihadists....
Strangely enough, I think that the administration's decision not to send someone to the march in Paris will go down badly not only with Republicans (who can't stand him anyway), but it'll also piss off much of the admin's base, who will see this as disrespectful to the memories of French (who are always more enlightened than us Uhmerican plebs, doncha know) Lefties who were martyred by religious nutjobs (because those Islamists are just as nutty as our Christianist dominionists, doncha know).
Obama is looking forward to that big global conference on extremism he wants to host (special guest stars all the leaders of the world!).
Just as long as none of them ask any awkward questions about all those terrorists he's been releasing from Gitmo who went back into business...
Kerry can't speak French worth a damn. He makes a few prepared comments in the language and then switches to English.
it'll also piss off much of the admin's base, who will see this as disrespectful to the memories of French
Oh, pooh -- OFA, MoveOn and Media Matters will co-ordinate some blast-fax talking points, MSNBC and NYT will re-transmit them, Vox will voxsplain them and the true believers will line up behind Dear Leader like they always do.
Say what you will, but I guarandamnteeya that George Bush would have shown up.
You said it Eddie.
When GW Bush built his coalition to go into Afghanistan and Iraq, the left here complained that he hadn't gotten nearly as many countries on board as his father had. He did have as an excuse that he had only been in office 8 months at the time. Obama got many fewer involved when he tried (Syria?) and has had big problems keeping sanctions on Iran and N Korea. Plus Putin has been giving him the finger for years.
Obama has weak relationships with heads of state around the world, esp compared to the Bush Presidents. Much of that is because they take a lot of hard work, putting in the personal effort needed. GW Bush talked of his frequent calls with other major worl leaders. That would cut too much into Obama's leisure time, fund raising, and golf games. Well, doing his job would do that too, doing such things as meeting with department heads, attending security briefings, etc.
Next time he tries to get international cooperation on pretty much anything, I think it likely that it will be answered with a lot of yawns. I tell my kid that there are things in this world that are command performances. You make yourself available, regardless. Certain weddings, funerals, etc. And, for them, Christmas this year. If you don't, your friends or family won't be there for you when you need them, because you weren't there for them when they needed you.
France was our first ally, but hasn't been that close since de Gaelle. Still, this was the time that they needed our support, and Ovama and crowd stayed home, played golf, and watched football. We showed we were fair weather friends to them, and to other allies. We expect these other countries to support us in our time of need, like so many did after 9/11/01, but don't bother to reciprocate, when all it would have taken would have been a plane flight and a gesture. This will not be forgotten, and not just by the French.
Of course, either of the Presidents Bush would have been there. But I also expect that GW Bush would have been in touch repeatedly by phone through the night as this plated out.
We showed we were fair weather friends to them, and to other allies
In fairness, France has never been more than a fair-weather friend to us or to the rest of Europe.
Sceptical,
Jeez, leave the fine foks of IA and OR out of this, willya!
The despicable b*tch*s and b*st*rds of MA--you know, the ones who repeatedly sent Ted "Swimmer" Kennedy and John "Do you know who I am?" Kerry back to the Senate well deserve to have to put up with Kerry for the rest of his unnatural life.
Pretty brave of the President of Mali who themselves have been dealing with an Islamist war. I realize as well though they are indebted to French troops for helping put down the Islamic butchers. Still, he's not afraid to show which side he's on.
"It's the heads, isn't it? You're looking at the heads. Sometimes they go too far, they're the first to admit it." - Obama defending the terrorists. OK, that is really from Apocalypse Now. What Obama said was "The future shall not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."
It is obvious why Obama is not there. He has made it clear by jailing a film maker on the flimsiest of grounds for slandering Islam.
Not only is Obama a piece of shit, he is also a douche.
Yeah, world. He's been letting us down for quite awhile now.
When this administration talks of extremists, they mean Tea Partiers and white cops, not Muslim terrorists.
Professor, are you saying this march could be perceived as "hate speech." How so?
Please elaborate.
So, who are you going to call at 3:00 AM (DC Time) when you have an international crisis?
Regards — Cliff
Even if Obama or Biden or Kerry couldn't participate in the march for security reasons, they could at least have flown to Paris for ostentatious meetings with Hollande that the world press would have reported.
These officials have flown all over the world for just such security meetings. To not even set foot in Paris is inexplicable.
Especially given what Obama was doing instead. He was going to give a speech touting his plan for "free" tuition for community colleges.
Really, is that more urgent than responding to a terrorist attack?
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas" attended." I'm going to make a wild guess, he's a Muslim.
The message of the marches seems, to me, to be that we don't care how badly you are offended by something, you don't have the right kill anyone for it.
The Obama administration has made it clear that it supports hate speech legislation.
In the future they envision, killing people for offensive speech won't be necessary because those people would be imprisoned.
I would also point out that European nations currently do have hate speech laws. I don't know about France, but those cartoons are illegal in Britian.
I'll try to make a non-partisan statement:
The non-appearance of anyone from POTUS down to AG reflects poorly on the US.
How loverly would it be if the nations that were present would, without announcement, send their ambassadors to next months summit.
Unfortunately, after Benghazi, it seems like Althouse is right about the administration's cowardice. Never support those who offend Islam; the future does not belong to them, after all. The charitable view is that Obama knew that his mere presence would turn the event into a circus, but history tells another story. If Obama had gone, he would have been chewing nicorette, taking selfies, smiling inappropriately, etc. I doubt he's self-aware enough to finally realize he's such a clown.
The fact of the matter is, this particular terrorist attack shines a terrible light on Islam. It wasn't an attack on government institutions, and it wasn't even an indiscriminate attack on civilians. It was a direct attack on cartoonists who hurt their feelings. Cartoonists who had nothing to do with any history of oppression in the Middle East. It doesn't help that many Middle Eastern countries take a similar approach to those who offend the Prophet, making it a serious (even capital) offense.
Obama picked his side at the time he falsely blamed Benghazi on a filmmaker.
I do long for the day when once again the US has adult leadership. It'll be even better if that leadership acted in America's best interests. As of now, we have neither. How can that be a surprise for anyone who voted for Obama?
Glenn Reynolds is right when he says you can be 100% certain that this was a calculated statement, and the calculations were political.
The weird part, the big question, is what were those calculations? Which passel of votes or contributions or cocktail party invitations was Obama courting when he decided to shame his own country (again).
eddie willers said...
Say what you will, but I guarandamnteeya that George Bush would have shown up.
Why? He didn't show up in NYC until several days later.
Maybe Joe Biden wasn't invited. You can't have a VP march with Presidents and Prime Ministers. That would be insulting, and probably why Holder had to stay at the hotel.
And we couldn't risk exposing President Obama to an open-air shooting with Biden as next in line.
Obama (and Hillary) despise our freedoms when it comes to speech about Islam, no doubt because they feel it makes their jobs harder. Can't we all just be nice to these Muslims, who are liable to blow stuff up?
It's cowardly and wrongheaded. And it's weirdly patronizing to Muslims, many of whom I'm sure could learn to tolerate insults to the Prophet. The administration basically treats them like they're irredeemable subhumans.
Obama is campaigning in "open air" all the time, and with nowhere the level of security there was with this collection of national leaders.
didn't show up in NYC until several days later.
ARM thinks that the Paris march occurred on the same day as the attacks, bless his heart.
How embarrassing. Obama is showing his true colors.
"And Kerry -- with his background living in France and fluency in French -- should have been just the person to represent us."
-- In Kerry's defense, he was India, and I think it was for a meeting where real policy was being done, so he couldn't leave.
I've got no defense of Holder though.
Obama issued a strongly-worded denunciation of the Beghazi attack before jetting off to Vegas to pary with Jay-z and Beyoncé. He held a somber press conference condemning ISIS' execution of James Foley before keeping his tee time on Martha's Vineyard.
Can't y'all just let the poor man ear his waffle?
Since it was a gathering of national leaders rather than heads of state, maybe we should have sent Valerie Jarrett.
" Fritz said...
VP Biden would have stumbled all over his lines and unintentionally insulted someone, but his earnest sincerity wouldn't have left a dry eye in the house."
"I'm told Charlie Hebdo is here. Stand up Charlie, let 'em see you. Oh, God love you. What am I talking about. I'll tell you what, you're making everybody else stand up, though, pal."
buwaya puti said...
It begins with the recognition, perfectly clear by now, that not all peoples are going to fit in well with other people. In their case they should look into stopping the African/North African immigrant stream, and greatly increasing quotas for Asians and Latin Americans. I can promise that the Philippines, for one, can provide any number of highly compatible, user friendly, superlatively well behaved, eminently integratable replacement population units. Just a bit of tongue in cheek there, but its true anyway. Filipinos would make fine, enthusiastic ersatz Gauls.
1. The biggest issue in the UK and potentially in France is the issue of importation of new spouses from the home villages. This greatly decreases assimilation.
2. Beyond your Filipinos, I have never heard any issues with the Catholic Viets that came after both Indo-China wars.
amielalune said...
Professor, are you saying this march could be perceived as "hate speech." How so?
No, she is saying that what Charlie Hebdo published could be perceived as "hate speech", because, well, that is how the administration perceives it.
""More than three million people have taken part in unity marches across France after 17 people died during three days of deadly attacks in Paris.""
I'm glad it's phrased as 17, not including those 3 rabid dog Islamics.
Some times our MSM likes to conflate victims and killers as though they are equal...
RazorSharpSundries said...
Pretty brave of the President of Mali who themselves have been dealing with an Islamist war. I realize as well though they are indebted to French troops for helping put down the Islamic butchers. Still, he's not afraid to show which side he's on.
Indeed he (and a few other African heads of state) are indebted to the French for allowing them to stay in office. The French play hardball in Africa where they can.
RazorSharpSundries said...
Pretty brave of the President of Mali who themselves have been dealing with an Islamist war. I realize as well though they are indebted to French troops for helping put down the Islamic butchers. Still, he's not afraid to show which side he's on.
Indeed he (and a few other African heads of state) are indebted to the French for allowing them to stay in office. The French play hardball in Africa where they can.
AReasonableMan said...Why? He didn't show up in NYC until several days later.
So, should we hold you to that rediculous comparison? Will Obama show up at all? Make a statement on his statement?
Now ARM is just "taking the piss" as they call it in the UK. He isn't even trying. Not that effort on his part pays a lot of dividends.
Why didn't they at least send Bill and Hillary?
MayBee said...
Why didn't they at least send Bill and Hillary?
alternately, Why weren't Hillary and Bill agile enough to use his ability to get an invitation, and put her in the front row...
bad staff work...
2. Beyond your Filipinos, I have never heard any issues with the Catholic Viets that came after both Indo-China wars.
3. More Roof Koreans, When seconds count and the National Guard is only days away.
So Obama skipped this? Which is to say, Obama skipped an embarrassing photo-op.
Anybody tell ARM that the "goat fuckers" in Paris were mad at Obama for killing Anwar al Awlaki?
Ralph Hyatt: The message of the marches seems, to me, to be that we don't care how badly you are offended by something, you don't have the right kill anyone for it.
That was probably the message intended by many of the marchers. A lot of those feet wouldn't have been itching to march, however, had the jihadis shot up the staff of some right-wing operation for publishing "offensive" material. It's not as if Europe had been lacking in threats to free speech and attempted murder against free-speakers before this. The general attitude toward them seems to be "they had it coming". But commies who publish crappy juvenile cartoons (and who, btw, don't believe in free speech for anybody but themselves and people who agree with them)? Now that's going too far!
Most (all?) of the muckety-mucks who showed up are from countries with "hate speech" laws, which they support and are happy to enforce. The march was an opportunity to talk bullshit about "western values" they don't believe in, and hopefully refurbish their political brands, which are currently looking a bit shabby.
Sidenote: I always take this public dignitaries doing things as sort of sending a Christmas card to someone you'll see on Christmas. It's just a formality you do because it is a formality. We all know it is kind of silly, but it is proper.
LOL @ the Bush-to-NYC comparison. I think he was sorta busy at the time, what with America being under attack, including DC, and the US government furiously planning a response.
More to the point: did the US government somehow snub NYC in the immediate aftermath of 9/11? Strange, my memory of that time differs from ARM's. I remember NYC crawling with federal government officials.
One thing I've noticed about comments from ARM and garage is that once you've read them, you can be sure that the exact same thought was posted earlier that day at DailyKos/TPM/MediaMatters/HuffPo/etc.
By avoiding the appearance of supporting hate speech, Obama has given the impression he supports hate action.
"No leaders from the United States? That's weird."
Not when you consider that there are not leaders IN the United States. Not in this Administration. This group runs things on the basis of "What's in it for me?" If they see a parade they're sure to run to the front and jump in front of the cameras, but this parade is in France and there's nobody there who can vote in the U.S.
BDNYC: One thing I've noticed about comments from ARM and garage is that once you've read them, you can be sure that the exact same thought was posted earlier that day at DailyKos/TPM/MediaMatters/HuffPo/etc.
One thing I've noticed about comments from ARM and garage is that once you've read one, you've read them all.
Pres. Obama said:
"The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. Yet to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see when the image of Jesus Christ is desecrated, churches are destroyed, or the Holocaust is denied. Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims, and Shiite pilgrims."
Which gives me pause. He's asking us to equate slandering Mohammed with destroying churches or inciting violence against Sufis and Shiites. He didn't say violence, but that's what these guys incite, according to them Sufis and Shiites are apostates. They're not inciting the cops to single them out for parking tickets....
Which in fact falls in line with what the Islamic terrorists use to justify their acts - slandering Mohammed = violence. I don't think he did it because he's a crypto-Muslim. I think he did it because he's not all that bright and doesn't think about what he's saying.
The march was an opportunity to talk bullshit about "western values" they don't believe in, and hopefully refurbish their political brands, which are currently looking a bit shabby.
A most clarifying statement. The largest rally in French history was to support free speech and protest Islamist brutality attempting to silence speech, but only because the brutality happened to Marxists.
Progressives are having problems with this because they thought it was right-wing extremists that invited the murderous attack with hate speech, but then they found out it was Marxists making hard-core fun of god-bothering religionists using satire. If it had been published by conservatives, it would have been hate-speech - and progressives are overjoyed to regulate that.
I wonder if the Stalinists can use this dialectic to their advantage?
"Holder was in Paris at the time. His failure to show up must be interpreted as a real statement."
Well, multiple horrid statements. One, that he is a COWARD (Recall, he called us cowards, re: race??!)
They tried to send Sharpton, but he's a coward, too. NO one in Obama's circle would even play the "Draw the short straw" game.
Blogger BDNYC, with very little revision the 1/12/15, 7:51 AM comments could apply reasonably well to African American thugs.
Let's not get started on Cheney, who was cowering in an undisclosed location.
Ha ha ha! ARM is still babbling.
Hey France! Maybe he is just not that into you?
We Republicans should agree as a group to get off of ARM's lawn.
"Let's not get started on Cheney, who was cowering in an undisclosed location."
Apparently, Obama was too big a pussy to go to Paris.
Two can play at this game. It's not even difficult.
Once the latest band of Islamic terrorists were safely and visibly dead, millions of French citizens poured into the streets in an emotional relief-from-fright safety-in-numbers rally.
Drill SGT said:
"I'm glad it's phrased as 17, not including those 3 rabid dog Islamics. Some times our MSM likes to conflate victims and killers as though they are equal..."
The distinction is easy to make. 20 people were killed. 17 people were murdered. But the MSM has a problem with calling a spade a spade when it comes to Islamic terrorism.
"If it had been published by conservatives,"
the editors would have been armed. Terrorists like soft targets.
Obama is firmly in the "let's get the crocodile to eat us last" school of thought on foreign policy.
Obama's comment:"Fore"
Compare and contrast...
Obama Admin no-show for the Paris March with France/Belgium/Greece/UK
at JFK's funeral.
That's Degaulle in the grey suit, for low-info types like ARM. Degaulle had just survived a series of OAS assassination attempts back home in retaliation for withdrawing from Algeria.
Obama Admin no-show for the Paris March with France/Belgium/Greece/UK
Those world leaders weren't at the actual demonstration. They weren't marching with anybody. LOL.
Garage's link is pretty damning. I admit having been fooled by the original photos.
Seems obnoxious self-serving politicians are not sole province of the US.
Barry had important things to do with top men.
He could have sent his wife.
"Those world leaders weren't at the actual demonstration. They weren't marching with anybody. LOL."
Yeah, I can see now how hard It would have been to provide security for Obama.
ARetardedMan said:
Garage's link is pretty damning. I admit having been fooled by the original photos.
Here's a the correct version:
Official White House Photo Shows Barack Obama Linking Arms With World Leaders at Anti-Terror Rally in Paris
Garage's link is pretty damning...
World leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, EU President Donald Tusk, and Jordan's King Abdullah II joined the beginning of the Paris march.
[..]
The leaders observed a minute's silence before the march began.
I don't think the words "link" or "damning" mean what you think they mean.
This is his link. Try to keep up.
Speaking of "ARM getting fooled" (redundant), another photo surfaces showing Obama did too attend the Paris march.
"Damning".
Of course it was hate speech. That is why it has to be protected. Those cartoonists are/were equal opportunity haters, hating on Christians too. Maybe even Jews - except that in the anti-semitism currently retiring its head these days in France (and much of Europe), that doesn't take any bravery.
The problem with much of Islam is that they don't play nice with other religions, and take their own religion too seriously. Fine maybe when they are the majority, but not tending towards assimilation when they aren't. Iris hand Italian Catholics assimilated just fine - today it's hard to distinguish them from everyone else, unless you go to church with them. Ditto many Jews and Hispanics.
The French have been assimilating most everyone who has come through for much of the last two millenia. Except that that many of their recent Muslim immigrants are instead expecting the to assimilate to Islam instead.
In any case, the Muslim immigrants aren't going to be able to live in a Christian majority state until they can accept the give and take of a pluralistic society. I think part of the purpose of these cartoons was to get the to overreact, and essentially show that they aren't ready yet to live in civilized (French) society. So, yes, it was hate speech, and that was why it was good, and needs tobe protected.
Whose feet are those cropped out of the top the "damning" link?
And where is Msr Hollande greeting the victims' families?
Your desperation is pitiable, ARM.
"This is his link. Try to keep up."
I don't understand why ARM thinks he's entitled to snark. Was there a link in garage's post that disappeared?
I don't understand why ARM thinks he's entitled to snark.
He's a liberal. That fact alone frees him from having to think deeply about anything. They don't call them "knee jerk" for nothing. He hates Cheney, and that makes him think he's Alan Turing.
As for Obama not showing up, his reasons have been clearly stated, both in his book and speeches. He would be a hypocrite to go. Our job as Americans is to elect a president who will stand with our European allies, who may not be the best allies, but they are our allies, and in a major shoving match, they will have our back.
...makes him think he's Alan Turing.
Alan Turing wouldn't grab for one of garage's "links" as a life preserver
Why am I more comfortable with Egypts presidents stance on Islamic etremsists than the President of the United States'stance?
Perhaps ARM can explain why he was a smart-ass there?
Wha wh why didn't Obungler fly to France to take part in a staged photo-op????
Bruce Hayden: Those cartoonists are/were equal opportunity haters...
No, they weren't. They supported governmental suppression of political parties they didn't like.
...hating on Christians too.
We can probably give them that, that they were equal opportunity lampooners of religions.
Maybe even Jews - except that in the anti-semitism currently retiring its head these days in France (and much of Europe), that doesn't take any bravery.
They make fun of Jews and Israel, but sacked a writer for an "anti-Semitic" crack about Sarkozy's son marrying into money. So maybe they aren't into equal-opportunity bad taste.
Scott said...
"hate speech" is the asterisk on free speech.
If you have to quantify speech it is no longer free speech.
AReasonableMan said...
This is his link. Try to keep up.
And that proves what, exactly.
Josh Earnest undercuts our resident lefties.
"We should have sent someone with a higher profile".
The Drill SGT said...
MayBee said...
"Why didn't they at least send Bill and Hillary?
alternately, Why weren't Hillary and Bill agile enough to use his ability to get an invitation, and put her in the front row...
bad staff work..."
Can she still walk and not look like an old bat?
But he's using the excuse that security would have disrupted this big march; something that garage's "link" belies.
Thanks for the "link", garage!
Is there a group on the face of the earth that is more petty than conservatives? I'd like to know who.
The White House admits they fucked up. Get on message, man.
garage mahal wrote:
Is there a group on the face of the earth that is more petty than conservatives? I'd like to know who.
awww, does garagey have his panties in a bunch because people are criticizing the president? Boo hoo.
If this were Bush not showing up the left would be having a field day.
Obama wanted to stay home and watch the NFL playoffs, 'nough said.
Kerry is beyond stupid, a feckless fool.
Holder was in Paris meeting with Muslims, most likely, so he wouldn't have the time.
jr565 said...
If this were Bush not showing up the left would be having a field day.
He didn't show up for days in NYC. No one said anything.
Cheney of course never arrived. Too busy fighting the last war.
awww, does garagey have his panties in a bunch because people are criticizing the president?
No it's that the criticisms are always so dopey.
Dopey criticisms? Look at ARM!
Here we go again.
"What was the President doing on Sunday?"
State secret, apparently.
"Wha wh why didn't Obungler fly to France to take part in a staged photo-op????"
Obama has made it clear why he didn't go, in advance. In front of the UN.
Why don't you guys defend him on his stated grounds for not going?
"What was the President doing on Sunday?"
LOL.
Does Obama's real reason for not going bother you or something garage?
jr565 said...
If this were Bush not showing up the left would be having a field day.
That's irrelevent since it can't be proved either way.
"What was the President doing on Sunday?"
Filling out his Golden Globe brackets.
He was watching football. We all know it. Even garage knows it.
He was watching football. We all know it. Even garage knows it.
I'm okay with that. Better than flying to France to attend some stupid photo-op.
A little French lesson for Secretary Kerry:
"Quelle dommage, c'est encore 1940; les Americaines ont plus tard..."
AReasonable Man wrote:
He didn't show up for days in NYC. No one said anything.
NOt comparable at all.
Buwaya-- wouldn't work. Filipinos work way to hard to be good Frenchmen...
"Stupid photo-ops" are part of the job.
I do see the difference with this stupid photo-op. There's no money to be made.
"Bu bu but why did Obama fly ALL THE WAY OVER to France just to pose for a picture??? What a narcissist! What about the carbon foot print?????"
Funny how liberals claim a right to rule a population they simply don't understand.
Carbon footprint? Really?
garage mahal said...
Is there a group on the face of the earth that is more petty than conservatives? I'd like to know who.
liberals
r565 said...
If this were Bush not showing up the left would be having a field day.
In reply: AReasonableMan states:
He didn't show up for days in NYC. No one said anything.
Please note that had Obama showed up in Paris along with the prominent others, it would have been DAYS after the Charlie Hebdo killings. What was being discussed was showing up at all, not showing up ASAP. So your remark makes no sense.
After he left the Presidency, Bush showed up at Fort Hood after the Muslim psychiatrist killed a bunch of soldiers- well before Obama showed up.
ARM, did you consider the Fort Hood killings to be a terrorist attack or a "workplace incident?"
garage: "I'm okay with that. Better than flying to France to attend some stupid photo-op."
Yes.
Stupid photo-op....which was designed to show opposition to islamic terrorism.
No wonder garage thinks it's stupid. After all, Hamas didn't attend. That would have made garage take notice approvingly.
So in future every time there's a terrorist attack, "world leaders" are supposed to drop everything and attend a march? Ridiculous pointless symbolism.
The terrorists must be hugging themselves with glee at the results of their actions. For some reason, Western governments always seem to respond to these kinds of events by doing exactly what will encourage more of the same.
The big mucky-muck pow-wow was for the sake of Euro politics, as every one of those guys has a nativist populist revolt happening, the British (UKIP), the French (Le Pen), the Germans (Pegida), everyone, and the big cheeses showed up with the march and all to get in front of the parade, as there is a severe risk of everyones apple carts getting upset. It isn't about terrorism, its about politics.
So, what do you do when everyone decides to put on an impromptu political street party ? If you are invited, you go, or it looks like bad manners. You go because everyone else is going, thats all there is to it. Or at least send some representative of sufficient titular gravity to satisfy the needs of the occasion. That's the way of protocol. You have to at least pretend to give a blank for the interests of your counterparts.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt was there. Michelle wouldn't let Obama go. She's keeping a closer eye on him since Mandela's funeral.
anonymous wrote:
Please note that had Obama showed up in Paris along with the prominent others, it would have been DAYS after the Charlie Hebdo killings. What was being discussed was showing up at all, not showing up ASAP. So your remark makes no sense.
Also, NY had a big crater right in the middle of it, and airplane traffic was restricted. It would have been bad if on top of all that confusion Bush showed up.
But more importantly all these other leaders did show up in this case. The only one who didn't bother was Obama.
Now Kerry is scrambling to get over there;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2906271/Kerry-Paris-talks-extremist-violence.html
What's funny is how they assumed that they didn't need to send anyone of note and that there wouldn't be a negative reaction at all. Complete tone deafness.
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