President Obama did not participate in last Sunday's dignified march in Paris. The White House inner-circle will not be sacked for its usual tone-deaf lack of flair, but one should expect the President to have enough intuition to know when and where to go. Of course, past gaffes (the golf game after the beheading / cozying Al Sharpton, etc.) indicate rather ominous "mood swings" or an insular mindset.
France has taught the world a lesson. In such an inclusive event, the absentees look spineless. If the President did not feel compelled to go, he could have asked the Vice-President or former President Clinton to represent him. France is the oldest ally of the United States and was the first to offer condolences in persona after 9/11. Empathy should figure higher on the list of bilateral relations among first-tier allies.
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