Eric Holder was taping effing Red Meat Meet the Press during the Unitè rally in Paris this past Sunday … blocks away from the surrounding streams of over 3 million people and an arms-linked impressive front line of world leaders.
I was embarrassed and critical of President Obama’s decision not to attend or delegate Joe Biden to France with due dispatch. I agreed with Nicole’s opinions on air and in her spot on blog yesterday, link here. And as the talking heads seem to agree upon, this is rather the raison d’être for Veeps lurking around.
Today I am outraged. Chuck Todd’s exclusive was priority over an historical moment of global meaning – we cannot ignore the repulsive priorities these optics reveal if looked at in harsh light.
And I’ll duck for well-aimed arrows, but odds are that Secretary Clinton would have been in that front line, optimally striding vigorously next to Angela Merkel and guaranteeing that representation was accorded and future diplomatic opportunities noted with cunning and care.
Love, hate or hold-your-nose and tolerate HRC, she seems less likely to have sanctioned the snub and was diplomat enough to see both the need for CYA and the genuine opportunities for accord … particularly if the booze was flowing and the rhetoric high.
Image Andy Eckardt, NBC News
The fantasy view would be Elizabeth Warren as Madame Présidente in that scenario … for that we would need to apply ourselves like incoming sailors on weekend leave – but it is possible.
In this country.
Jon Stewart, of course, gave the administration a proper verbal flog when it came to La Grande Snub.
How could the U.S. not be there when representatives of such beacons of freedom and lack of censorship as journalist-punishing Russia was there? Journalist-jailing Turkey was there. Egypt… ’nuff said. Palestinian cartoonist-jailing Israel was there. And of course, our greatest ally, Saudi Arabia was there — although a little out of breath having just days ago flogged a blogger.
Granted, what better occasion for satire, but still a fine example from a trusted voice. Stewart hasn’t repeatedly lied to us.
Forgive the utter rant, but I’ve not gotten over the Administration making choices as uninformed and gauche as the damned tri-corny Lipton Brigade. Other nations have better attention spans and feel things deeply and actionable for longer than a few media cycles.
Hebdo’s staff carried out a well-covered Press Conference this morning as they release the first edition following last week’s attack on their headquarters and staff. Funerals go on, memorials go on and satire herself goes on … as does that particular Charlie.
