The day was emotional and peaceful, a gesture of unity just days after Islamic extremists slaughtered 17 people.World leaders joined French President Francois Hollande, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The day also brought together an unlikely duo at the rally: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Spot any omissions? Right you are. No Obama. No Biden. No Kerry. And let's face it: No interest. That's what their boycott announces to the world.
The White House woke up this morning and expressed such regrets as it could squeak out, but I doubt a single person was convinced. Particularly revealing was this tidbit in the Washington Post story on the Press Office's damage control:
The United States was represented by Ambassador to France Jane Hartley. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas were in Paris for weekend security meetings but did not attend the march.
No, they did not attend. Must have been having a long lunch. By the way, the American Ambassador, Ms. Hartley, is principally qualified for her post by having been an Obama bundler.
The mind-blowing portent of Obama's boycott will not be missed by our friends. Or our enemies.
He didn't want to be seen walking arm-in-arm with Bibi. But let's wait and see who his special invitees will be at the State of the Union? Want to venture a guess? I am predicting the honorees will be the parents of the Gentle Giant -- as the introduction to his highlighting the continuing problem of race relations in America.