Much of the talk after the massive march for free speech in Paris this weekend was the absence of President Barack Obama with other world leaders. It was an embarrassment for our country and slap in the face to the French. Instead, the Administration sent Jane Hartley, one of its bundlers turned diplomats who were given a major appointment for raising money for the President. Even though Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris that very day, he did not even stick around to march with other leaders. The Administration is now admitting that it blew it but there is a mystifying lack of basic competence and foresight at the White House at such moments. Rather than attend the rally, Obama stated in town for a photo op with the San Antonio Spurs. It was a shameful image to leave with French. This was not the only such controversy over who was present and who was not.
In what is an astonishing was the outburst from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the appearance of Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu. The French had asked Netanyahu not to attend but he insisted that he would be there. The French then arranged for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to attend as well. Erdogan however, lashed out at Netanyahu for “daring” to attend an anti-terror solidarity march as a leader of “state terrorism” against the Palestinians. He demanded that Netanyahu “give an account for the children, women you massacred.”
Many civil libertarians could ask for the same account from Erdogan who has rolled back on civil liberties, particularly free speech and free press rights in Turkey. For Erdogan to attend a free speech rally is like seeing former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad march at a gay rights rally.
Erdogan’s appearance only deepens the question of what the French are marching for in a country that has led the effort to regulate and curtail speech, including years of threats directed against the victims of these acts.
Padre, Great story. You are a man of good humor and substance.
Ross, I’m not a Republican, but that is some profound analysis. LOL! Charlie Crist has lost elections as a Rep, Dem and Independent. The boy needs to come outta the closet, get outta the sun, and try and find a soul. JC Watts quit politics because he hated being called a “Tom” by your ilk. And WTF about Jeb?? Why would any Republican even give a second thought to your middle school analysis?
Was at a restaurant and a couple came in and sat behind me in the next booth. The waitress came to take their order. The gentleman’s voice had a clear French accent with well spoken English.
Just at the end of the ordering it became obvious that one word was getting hung up. Now out here on the West Coast we don’t normally hear somebody order a “freeze” which is what the waitress wasn’t picking up on.
He was ordering a Cheeseburger with fries. I knew what the problem was. We reverse the classic Germanic pronunciation of “ie” to “ei”. So, got up and just quietly told the waitress what was desired. Then leaned over and explained just one of our exceptions to the rule. Really nice couple. Had a good laugh.
Ross, I think Nick prefers Breitbart.
Nick Spinelli:
Today’s Republican Party would have rejected both Reagan and Eisenhower as candidates.
In recent history the GOP was very unwelcome to Charlie Christ and J.C. Watts which could have won elections for the GOP. Even Jeb Bush is not warmly embraced by the GOP.
The voters didn’t change, the party did!
Well-placed shot over Boston, Canon! Same type of scenario and nobody marched. Maybe more people value satirical cartoonists than marathon runners? One represents free speech, the other represents physical excellence. Both are important, but running isn’t about political statements.
DBQ:
The point is the nation is so divided Obama could support the policies of Ronald Reagan, Eisenhower or Teddy Roosevelt and he would still get criticized by the other side. If he went to France he would still get the same treatment.
For example: The Affordable Care Act (aka: Obamacare) is more conservative than both Richard Nixon’s plan and Mitt Romney’s plan. The conservative Heritage Foundation also supported many of the ideas in the 1990’s.
The name-calling has become meaningless to those that pay attention to the issues.
Ah, a motherjones link. Can an Art Bell one be far behind? How about The Nation or The Progressive? We all need good laughs.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/chart-almost-every-obama-conspiracy-theory-ever
ChipS, Great link. What has been consistent in this utterly failed Presidency is the fact that we treat our friends like crap. And, that can be linked to a fatherless prez w/ no real male friends. His confidante is a Rasputin like woman. What is hilarious is the press cultists, and cultists here, saying “security” was a problem. The Secret Service dislike Obama and they QUICKLY came out w/ a press release stating they were never contacted about a potential trip. Obama was much more upset about the lame Stuart Scott dying than the people in France. But, maybe he can fill Stuart Scott’s role as the swaggering, tool cool for school Sportcenter dude.
@ Ross
Yes. I know how to Google. Who ever thought that Freedom Fries was a good idea? What was that supposed to prove. Ridiculous.
Besides. Spicy curly fries or garlic fries are much better than just plain jane-o french fries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/freedom_Fries
@ Ross
Freedom Fries? I had to look that up. What the……. was that all about?
Canon,
The difference is had Obama chosen to go, his critics would have been wrong.
On the other hand, if he had suddenly said, fuel up, light up take’r up and got there just in time March then leave, I wonder what the pundits would have written.
Big Show. Waste of tax payer money…we have an ambassador,
If Holder? What..we could only have an out-going flunky? Oh and then somebody grabs the race card…why Holder and not the white VP?
Yep the WH blew it….again. but news would have nailed from one side or the othet.
I didn’t think much of it because of the quickness of the gathering and knowing what it takes to get POTUS in the air and over there.
As I understand it the major EU players plus Israel marched. Now …. about the Boston bombing ….would they all have come over? I don’t recall a similar march (heads of state) for “much more innocent” victims. Did I miss it or my addled brain forget it?
Well that’s my perspective, and…. Yadda, yadda.etc.
Jon Stewart did an excellent segment on the Paris rally last night:
http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/iczhm8/march-of-the-parisiens
With is so much evil and hypocrisy in the world; and presented with the difficult choice of standing against one of the two; he chooses hypocrisy. At least he’s trying to lead on something…sort of.
Ross, shhh, they would like it if we forgot about the “surrender monkeys”. Interesting how now they are embracing the French. Ah, the smell of hypocrisy, smells like burnt freedom fries.
Aren’t these critics the very same ones that renamed “French Fries” into “Freedom Fries” because they hated France so much?
Now they are offended with a president that followed their lead!