At a massive pro-free speech rally held in Paris Sunday morning, CNN’s Jake Tapper said he wished the U.S. was “better represented,” a clear reference to President Obama’s decision not to attend the demonstration.
The Paris rally, which included French President Francois Hollande, millions of France’s citizens and world leaders from countries including Israel, Ukraine, Jordan, Germany and Israel, was held in response to likely Islamic terrorist attacks this week that claimed the lives of 17 victims.
“It’s not a small thing for the King of Jordan, who … is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, it’s not a small thing for him to be walking in the same line as the Prime Minister of Israel, protesting the terrorist acts committed against A) four Jews in a … kosher supermarket, and B) 12 people, most of whom were journalists for a publication that regularly mocks religions, including Islam. That is not a small thing,” Tapper said.
“These are things that I have never seen before in my life,” he added, pointing to the crowd’s many symbols of solidarity. “I don’t mean this as a criticism of the Obama administration, but as an American, I do wish that we were better represented in this beautiful procession world leaders.”
The task of representing the U.S. in France has been left up to Attorney General Eric Holder, who has met with France’s heads of state to discuss international efforts to combat “extremism.”
“I’m a little disappointed, personally, this is me speaking personally and not as a representative of CNN, as an American that there isn’t more of a display of unity here,” Tapper said.
“Because this is just one of the most incredible events I have ever attended. And the positivity that these people of France are embracing, this is not a rally — even though there was an ugly, racist element in this society, as there is in every society — this is not a rally that is embracing jingoism or anger or any sort of hatred,” he added. “This is a rally that is expressing brotherhood and sisterhood, and it’s a beautiful thing to behold.”
In response to these remarks, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour reminded Tapper that Obama sent Hollande a letter of condolence earlier this week, pledging American support for France.
