Secretary of State John Kerry hit the streets of Paris on Friday, walking to the deli where four hostages were killed, to lay a wreath of flowers, to the Charlie Hebdo offices to drop off a similar arrangement, to the street median where the policeman was shot to deposit some more — and then hitting city hall for a rendition of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend.”
The Washington Post reported that Mr. Kerry will actually stand alongside Mr. Taylor, while the singer croons his signature “You’ve Got a Friend.”
He calls the stop in Paris — which included a visit to Elysee Palace to pay respects to President Francois Hollande — his “big hug” to the city that just suffered a massive terrorist attack, The Post said.
But critics who say the United States should have sent a high-ranking official to the Paris solidarity march last Sunday accuse the secretary of state of making an 11th hour show of sympathy.
In the courtyard of Elysee Palace, Mr. Kerry hugged Mr. Hollande, The Post reported.
“I think you know that you have the full and heartfelt condolences of the American people, and I know that you know we share the pain and the horror of everything that you went through,” Mr. Kerry told Mr. Hollande in French, The Post reported. “Our hearts are with you.”
In a meeting with Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Mr. Kerry also explained why he couldn’t fly to Paris for the unity march — that he was in India and couldn’t cut loose.
“That’s why I couldn’t come,” he said, The Post reported, adding that the two went together to visit the makeshift shrine at the deli.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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