Jon Stewart, Paris Absence, Obama Administration

The Paris absence of anyone from the Obama administration has been criticized repeatedly, and Jon Stewart has joined the long line of critics on this topic. The comedian actually made the comment “Je suis to be kidding me”. Stewart believed that the Obama administration should have had a much larger presence during the Paris rally on Sunday for the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack, and many leaders from around the world attended but the only official from the USA was the United States Ambassador to France. This oversight has already cost the administration significantly in the last two days. Stewart came out swinging by saying “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.”

Jon Stewart is not the only one to be critical of the Obama administration Paris absence either. After it was disclosed the Attorney General Eric Holder was already in Paris for security meetings but did not attend the Paris rally Stewart quipped “[Holder was] probably taking advantage of the shortest tourist lines in French history. While the march is going on you’re just kicking back snapping selfies with the Mona Lisa.” Josh Earnest, the spokesperson for the White House, told the media “I think it’s fair to say that we should have sent someone with a higher profile. That said, there is no doubt that the American people and this administration stand foursquare behind our allies in France as they face down this threat.”