# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/41 "2015-01-12T12:31:51Z")
Just out of curiosity does anyone know if the president was even invited to attend? They may not even want him there. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/42 "2015-01-12T12:32:54Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Heads of state from all the largest democracies of the world, including Britain, Germany, France, and Israel–our closest allies–stood together in a gesture of solidarity and camaraderie in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks. And the writers of Charlie would have told them all to fuck right off if they weren’t, yanno, dead. Hope that helps. [QUOTE=El\_Kabong] The mass demonstration in Paris was emotional and moving [/QUOTE] You know, it really wasn’t. It was, in fact, a powerfully concentrated brew of hypocrisy, mindless follow-the-leader, blind nationalism and rabid 'phobes of all stripes. Though I have to admit to chuckling a bit when a passel of chest-beating right wingers claimed on camera that “as true Gaullists, we naturally stand for freedom of speech !”. So that was funny at least. You know, because De Gaulle had censored (and in doing so almost financially sunk) Charlie’s predecessor Hara-Kiri. What can I say, I’m easily amused to tears. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/43 "2015-01-12T12:44:46Z")
Did you see Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Haroer there? I didn’t think so. That’s because he is the leader of a nation and has a busy schedule AND the security, for such an event would take more time than available, to manage. You do understand that this one of the reasons leaders have ministers and underlings, right? I’d be truly sorry, for messing up your OBama rant with facts, except I know you don’t let them get in your way. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/44 "2015-01-12T13:09:56Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > You know, it really wasn’t. It was, in fact, a powerfully concentrated brew of hypocrisy, mindless follow-the-leader, blind nationalism and rabid 'phobes of all stripes. I have nothing to argue against your point (and Marine Le Pen of the Front National complaining about not being in on the party says a lot right there) but I still could not help being moved by the large and peaceful turnout. If this ends up being more an expression of xenophobia than anything else, well, that would be bad. Are we at least in agreement that Obama’s personal presence was not essential to anything? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/45 "2015-01-12T13:13:57Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > **Stringbean** has a point about the personal attacks. There’s been five personal attacks for every example of a coherent rebuttal of his view. I am quite sure that I put as much thought and energy into my post as the OP did into his. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/46 "2015-01-12T13:33:37Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > I am quite sure that I put as much thought and energy into my post as the OP did into his. If he had attended, the red state nuts would be screaming about his ego. "_Why does this President have to insert himself into every international moment? Why did he not consider that the security logistics would be the LAST thing the France would want right now. Just another example of how out of touch this President is!!!_ Fox and Friends headlines practically write/right themselves. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/47 "2015-01-12T13:38:37Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > **Stringbean** has a point about the personal attacks. There’s been five personal attacks for every example of a coherent rebuttal of his view. Yeah, well, some of us are busy. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/48 "2015-01-12T14:02:32Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Are we at least in agreement that Obama’s personal presence was not essential to anything? The absence of an official American representative was truly **devastating** , but we endeavoured to make do as best we could, paltry a showing as we could muster. Even though we were almost collectively incapacitated by all the reeling. DON’T YOU TRAITOROUS, BACKSTABBING BASTARDS KNOW WE _NEED_ YOU ?! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/49 "2015-01-12T14:03:40Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Heads of state from all the largest democracies of the world, including Britain, Germany, France, and Israel–our closest allies–stood together in a gesture of solidarity and camaraderie in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks. > > And, yet, conspicuously absent was the leader of the country that prides itself as the “leader of the free world.” Evidently, his time is more valuable than that of every other world leader. I haven’t been able to find a complete list, but apparently also among the missing were the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, and many others. I’m also finding this right-wing outrage on behalf of France to be mildly amusing after the whole “freedom fries” thing. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/50 "2015-01-12T14:08:14Z")
I guess now we’re going to see the French calling “American cheese” something else like “Wah-you-don’t-care-about-me cheese.” ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/51 "2015-01-12T14:16:44Z")
Pfft. As if y’all had anything that might be even remotely, with all the charity in our hearts and a heaping of understanding condescension, be called “cheese”. 'Ricain, _please_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/52 "2015-01-12T14:19:23Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > I guess now we’re going to see the French calling “American cheese” something else like “Wah-you-don’t-care-about-me cheese.” I suspect that they’ll continue to refer to it as “you call this cheese?” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/53 "2015-01-12T14:20:27Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Pfft. As if y’all had anything that might be even remotely, with all the charity in our hearts and a heaping of understanding condescension, be called “cheese”. 'Ricain, _please_. > > 😃 HA! See, I was right! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/54 "2015-01-12T14:37:00Z")
😃 Just setting it up so you could knock it down. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/55 "2015-01-12T15:25:47Z")
The OP really should credit Fox News for the content of the post. ---
**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 12, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/56 "2015-01-12T15:42:30Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > I guess now we’re going to see the French calling “American cheese” something else like “Wah-you-don’t-care-about-me cheese.” What self-respecting Frenchman would eat American cheese in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/57 "2015-01-12T15:47:00Z")
It’s just an average school massacre by US standards - these Europeans need to get a grip. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/58 "2015-01-12T15:53:07Z")
> [@Waymore](#): > > “Obama should have participated in the rally in Paris,” is coherent. That’s not what he posted. But since you asked for an [actual](http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/12/politics/obama-kerry-paris/) rebuttal, will “even the fucking French didn’t care” do? > [@](#): > > French President François Hollande’s office also defended Obama. A senior official told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that the U.S. president has been “very present” since the attacks, noting that he was one of the first leaders to call Hollande last Wednesday. > > The official also pointed to Obama’s visit to the French Embassy in Washington last week. “For us It was an emotional moment of solidarity,” the official said. ---
**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 12, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/59 "2015-01-12T15:53:51Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Heads of state from all the largest democracies of the world, including Britain, Germany, France, and Israel–our closest allies–stood together in a gesture of solidarity and camaraderie in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks. India, the US, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Japan… all large democracies w/o a head of stat in attendance. The common denominator seems to be distance. Americans probably don’t realize this, but London is ridiculously close to Paris. It’s about like going form NYC to Wash DC. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/60 "2015-01-12T15:55:56Z")
I am quite certain that **Stringbean** realizes that. I am equally certain that he is not going to let things like facts get in the way of his bitching. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=4)