# Where was Barack Obama, to stand for Democracy? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 12, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597 "2015-01-12T03:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/301 "2015-01-13T21:39:42Z")
Weber has apologized, after being grilled on the subject. Turns out, he didn’t mean to compare Obama to Hitler when he compared Obama to Hitler. Yeah. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/302 "2015-01-13T21:46:25Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > As for his recruitment speech at the Grand Sinagogue, [he got served](http://www.nytimes.com/video/multimedia/100000003443029/netanyahu-visits-paris-synagogue-crowd-breaks-into-national-anth.html) pretty badly :p. Am I seeing right? Was it started by the bearded guy standing _right next_ to Netanyahu, or was he just one of the early ones to join in? ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/303 "2015-01-13T22:05:05Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > François Hollande[had asked him (and Mahmoud Abbas) to please not come](http://mondoweiss.net/2015/01/netanyahu-crashes-french), as it would/could have distracted from the whole solidarity and national unity message (as the Palestine/Israel conflict is pretty divisive). Abbas had agreed, Bibi said “nah, fuck that, I’ll be there” - prompting Abbas to come along. > > As for his recruitment speech at the Grand Sinagogue, [he got served](http://www.nytimes.com/video/multimedia/100000003443029/netanyahu-visits-paris-synagogue-crowd-breaks-into-national-anth.html) pretty badly :p. Here is a video by an Israeli blogger of Bibi pushing his way to the front of the march: [http://vimeo.com/116492356](http://vimeo.com/116492356) ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/304 "2015-01-13T22:07:21Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think it’s rather tactless to exploit the tragedy by using it as a recruiting tool. Every Jew in France knows he can move to Israel if he wants-- they don’t need Bibi to remind them. Yeah, he’s only the Head of State of a country that was founded as a haven for Jews from murderous anti-semitism, speaking right after the worst murderous anti-semitic incident in years in France (and it’s sad that I can only say “in years” and not longer). What you see as “exploit”, most Jews see as “support the Jews of France”. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/305 "2015-01-13T22:12:22Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > As for his recruitment speech at the Grand Sinagogue, [he got served](http://www.nytimes.com/video/multimedia/100000003443029/netanyahu-visits-paris-synagogue-crowd-breaks-into-national-anth.html) pretty badly :p. > **[Netanyahu Delivers Emotional Speech at Paris Synagogue Memorial Service,...](http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/01/11/after-mass-rallies-hollande-and-netanyahu-join-paris-grande-synagogue-ceremony-live-stream/)** > > Paris, January 11 -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a passionate and emotional speech at the Grand Synagogue in Paris tonight, where both he and French President Francois Hollande attended a special memorial service. Netanyahu said... The crowd at the synagogue enthusiastically joined in with Netanyahu. The service ended with the singing of both the French National anthem, “La Marseillaise,” and the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.” Yeah, that singing of “Hatikvah” was especially galling. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/306 "2015-01-13T22:18:23Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Yeah, he’s only the Head of State of a country that was founded as a haven for Jews from murderous anti-semitism, speaking right after the worst murderous anti-semitic incident in years in France (and it’s sad that I can only say “in years” and not longer). > > What you see as “exploit”, most Jews see as “support the Jews of France”. So, you’re the spokesman for “most Jews” now? And I guess the breaking out into the French National Anthem wasn’t a gentle slap in the face for his _faux pas_? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/307 "2015-01-13T22:19:28Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > [Netanyahu Delivers Emotional Speech at Paris Synagogue Memorial Service, Highlights Threats Posed by ‘Radical Islam’ and Iranian Regime - Algemeiner.com](http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/01/11/after-mass-rallies-hollande-and-netanyahu-join-paris-grande-synagogue-ceremony-live-stream/) > > The crowd at the synagogue enthusiastically joined in with Netanyahu. The service ended with the singing of both the French National anthem, “La Marseillaise,” and the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.” > > Yeah, that singing of “Hatikvah” was especially galling. Yes, it was definitely gauling. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/308 "2015-01-13T22:20:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > So, you’re the spokesman for “most Jews” now? And I guess the breaking out into the French National Anthem wasn’t a gentle slap in the face for his _faux pas_? Together with “Hatikvah”? No. As for “most Jews”: Joel Margi, president of the Consistoire, the umbrella organization of Jewish congregations in France, said the support from other Jewish communities gives French Jewry strength. “We are in a difficult situation, and it is hard to describe how afraid our children are to go to Jewish schools in France,” he said. “In the past, we said we don’t need Israel’s help. The opposite was true; we supported Israel. The situation changed and today the Jews of France need the State of Israel’s help.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/309 "2015-01-13T22:40:41Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Together with “Hatikvah”? OK, I didn’t catch that part. So maybe the Marseillaise wasn’t intended as I thought, but: > [@](#): > > As for “most Jews”: > > Joel Margi, president of the Consistoire, the umbrella organization of Jewish congregations in France, said the support from other Jewish communities gives French Jewry strength. > > “We are in a difficult situation, and it is hard to describe how afraid our children are to go to Jewish schools in France,” he said. “In the past, we said we don’t need Israel’s help. The opposite was true; we supported Israel. The situation changed and today the Jews of France need the State of Israel’s help.” That’s one guy speaking, if we are VERY generous, for most Jews in France. What’s that, about 1% of the world total? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/310 "2015-01-13T22:56:05Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > That’s one guy speaking, if we are VERY generous, for most Jews in France. What’s that, about 1% of the world total? I believe Netanyahu was speaking to the Jews in France - so their opinion is the relevant one. As for Jews elsewhere in the world - just look at the Aliyah numbers for the last 66 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/311 "2015-01-13T23:06:11Z")
Now _there’s_ a fucking _faux pas_ - going to a country to support them, and basically saying, “Dear minority group: it’s not safe for you here. Come with us!” …And where’d I miss the memo that the attack on CH was antisemitic in nature? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/312 "2015-01-13T23:15:07Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > And where’d I miss the memo that the attack on CH was antisemitic in nature? The self-proclaimed co-agent of the CH gunmen attacked a kosher grocery and murdered Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/313 "2015-01-13T23:21:08Z")
Ah, that would be the part I missed. Shit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/314 "2015-01-13T23:39:56Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Now _there’s_ a fucking _faux pas_ - going to a country to support them, and basically saying, “Dear minority group: it’s not safe for you here. Come with us!” Yeah, it’s not like this is Germany in 1933. Frankly, I suspect that Jews are safer from bomb attacks in France than in Israel. Come to Israel, where you’ll be safe… well, if you ignore being surrounding by about 50M Arabs, most of whom would love to see the nation obliterated off the face of the earth. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/315 "2015-01-13T23:41:57Z")
Well, you know who else went to Paris? HITLER! :=) ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/316 "2015-01-13T23:52:21Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yeah, it’s not like this is Germany in 1933. Frankly, I suspect that Jews are safer from bomb attacks in France than in Israel. Let’s see - Israel has roughly 12 times more Jews than France. So the murder of 4 Jews in France would be the equivalent of 48 in Israel. No - Jews are not “safer” in France. Especially when they [get attacked](http://tabletmag.com/scroll/175622/jewish-teen-wearing-yarmulke-tasered-in-paris) [in the streets for being identifiably Jewish](http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/paris-magazine-attack/paris-terror-attacks-frances-jews-question-their-future-n284466), regularly. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/317 "2015-01-13T23:57:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Weber has apologized, after being grilled on the subject. . A new CIA interrogation tactic? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/318 "2015-01-14T00:10:16Z")
Al Franken. This video is funny. Not in the “Ha-ha” sense, but more in the WTF?? sense. He draws all 50 states for middle schoolers. All in marker, no do-overs or erasing. And if you have a soul, there are a few laughs in there. He's a funny man. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/319 "2015-01-14T00:22:00Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Weber has apologized, after being grilled I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/320 "2015-01-14T00:34:14Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I see what you did there. When you swing for the fences as often as **luci** does, you do manage to knock a few out of the park. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=17)