World leaders and top government officials from Israel, Germany, Russia and elsewhere gathered in Paris on Sunday to honor victims of last week’s terrorist attacks, but the Obama administration has come under fire for dispatching only the U.S. ambassador to France as the nation’s representative.
President Obama, Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and others were nowhere to be found in Paris, with only Ambassador Jane Hartley representing the U.S.
By contrast, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and more than 40 other heads of state and/or governments linked arms for the massive march, which reportedly drew around 1.5 million people, a number also topped by the combined numbers of people attending other marches throughout France.
Even Russia sent a more prominent official: Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. was in Paris on Sunday but was not seen at the rally, according to media reports. He did appear on several TV shows Sunday morning.
The demonstration was held both to honor those killed last week in a string of terrorist strikes and to represent unity and freedom of expression in the face of violence and death. The series of attacks began last Wednesday when two gunmen killed 12 people inside the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
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Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen has claimed responsibility for that attack.
In the days since, Mr. Obama has on several occasions expressed condolences to the people of France. He also called French President Francois Hollande late last week.
But some in the media still openly question why the administration didn’t ensure the U.S. was better represented at the march.
“As an American, I do wish that we were better represented in this beautiful procession of world leaders,” CNN host Jake Tapper said live on air when covering the march on Sunday.
Others also piled on.
“Embarrassing to the Americans! President Obama should not have snubbed Paris today,” Fox News host Greta Van Susteren tweeted.
But White House officials deny they’re disrespecting France.
“As far as public signs of French solidarity from the U.S., don’t forget several public statements from the president, his call to Hollande and a condolence stop to the French embassy,” an administration official told CNN.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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