Why Didn’t Barack Obama Go to Paris?

In the historic photo featuring heads of state and world leaders paving the way for two million marchers in Paris, one crucial player is missing: the United States. Why wasn’t Barack Obama in the French capital? Why wasn’t Vice President Joe Biden there? This is the question many working for the American media are asking themselves — especially Republican supporters.

The absence of the president, or another member of his administration, risks turning into a little political blunder. Why did the American administration “snub” the biggest rally against terrorism over the past decade and the most important for the French since WWII? Why did the United States, the country that suffered through 9/11, not feel the need to be in Paris, a city which has recently suffered the blows of Islamic terrorism?

Washington reporters asked the White House Press Office why Obama was not present, but they did not receive a response. It seems that Barack Obama spent Sunday relaxing and watching some basketball games on television. His agenda was empty for that day and he didn’t have any scheduled political engagements. Obama was in Tennessee Jan. 9 for a visit which had been scheduled quite some time ago. It was there that he commented on the attacks, saying that the nightmare was over and that the French police had freed the hostages. He stated, “The United States stands with you today,” but later returned to the capital.

Even Joe Biden’s agenda was empty and he had no plans. Just like Obama, he stayed in Washington on Sunday. Their absence is probably only due to logistic and security reasons. When Barack Obama goes somewhere, an immense fleet of armed guards follow him. The three armored limousines that follow the presidential procession along with several armed cars are loaded onto the airplanes that escort Air Force One.

Dozens of secret service agents are sent to escort and protect Obama. He is also accompanied by authorized personnel, who must always remain near the president. In other words, a tidy sum of people that is difficult to round up on short notice.

Security Reasons

In addition, it is likely that the security situation in Paris is not considered stable enough by the Americans. The fact that the march was out in the open, that it would undoubtedly be chaotic, that buses would transport European, Middle Eastern and African leaders, probably convinced the American security services that it was not right to expose the president to such potential risks.

The same reasons explain Biden’s absence. In the end, both of them remained in Washington. However, Secretary of State John Kerry was in India on an official visit. He was too far away to reach Paris in time for the event, not wanting to break protocol and cancel a visit that was planned long ago and which he was eager to attend.

However, Attorney General Eric Holder was in the French capital. He saw François Hollande and he participated in an international summit on terrorism at the Élysée, Hollande’s official residence, before returning to the United States and thereby not attending the march. Why didn’t he go to the rally? The most likely explanation is that his entourage deemed that security measures were not adequate to attend the march.

Obama Underestimated the Event

The reason why the United States snubbed the Parisian march has nothing to do with politics, but is rather explained by logistical considerations and the Secret Service’s security protocols. Case closed? No, because the American administration’s absence at the rally was a serious political error.

There are no excuses here. As has already happened on previous occasions, Obama was not on the ball. Perhaps he underestimated the march’s importance and impact, limiting himself to only considering security measures when deciding whether or not to participate rather than considering his duty to be there, to be part of an event which everyone knew in the run-up would become historic. Obama had a short-sighted view of the situation. Even worse, he was weak when considering what was to be done, almost to the point of being lazy, given the reaction required.

This is the message that was sent: Not even one member of the U.S. executive branch was at the rally next to Holland and the other European, Middle Eastern and African leaders, who led two million French people in a march against terrorism. The United States’ absence was felt. They were not present in that historic photo. They should have been.