Rebekah Reports

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White House admits mistake

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When I saw the moving images of the dozens of world leaders marching arm-in-arm in Paris in solidarity against terrorism as I watched “Meet the Press” this weekend, I immediately scanned the images for a familiar, American face. I didn’t see one. I couldn’t believe it. I thought I’d missed something. Unfortunately, I didn’t miss anything; President Obama did.

The Obama administration missed an important opportunity to stand (quite literally) with America’s allies, and now, after bipartisan criticism of the U.S.’s pathetic showing, the administration is admitting its mistake.

Whaaaaaaat? Is a presidential administration actually owning up to an error? Yes, yes it is. As it should be.

“I think it’s fair to say that we should have sent someone with a higher profile to be there,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Monday afternoon.

The highest ranking American present at the march was the U.S. ambassador to France. Big whoop. That’s all we could round up?! When the Obama administration got wind of plans for this march, did they think 50 people would be there? COME ON. Everyone and their mother knew this was going to be a big deal. It ended up being France’s biggest-ever public demonstration, no less.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz responded to America’s lack of presence at Sunday’s march, writing:

The absence is symbolic of the lack of American leadership on the world stage, and it is dangerous. The attack on Paris, just like previous assaults on Israel and other allies, is an attack on our shared values. And, we are stronger when we stand together, as French President François Hollande said, for ‘liberty, equality, and fraternity.'”

(Side note: Cruz’s response is well-crafted, and I encourage you to read it. Don’t be scared just ’cause “Crazy Cruz” wrote it.)

I get that perhaps just 36 hours notice would be too difficult to get President Obama safely across the pond, (Though I still think they could’ve hustled and made it happen. The president of all people has access to very, very fast planes.) but what about Vice President Biden? Or Secretary of State John Kerry (who speaks fluent French for crying out loud)?

Almost anyone would’ve been a better choice than making our U.S. ambassador to France stand there by her lonesome, and apparently there were options, according to CNN:

The United States appeared to have options to send to the march: Obama spent Sunday at the White House with no public events on his schedule. Vice President Joe Biden was at home in Delaware for the weekend, also with a blank public schedule. Outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder was already in Paris for security meetings — and even recorded interviews with several U.S. Sunday morning programs — but he didn’t attend the march.”

In Monday’s press conference Earnest also pointed out that Sunday’s march took place in a large area that would’ve needed to have been secured.

NO KIDDING, Earnest.

Again, this isn’t anything I’m sure the U.S. could’ve worked through quickly. Let’s be real – the march reportedly included FORTY-FOUR world leaders.

“Among the world leaders who did march, under heavy security, were French President Francois Hollande, British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,” FOX News reports. (The bold is The Gist’s added emphasis.)

So no, Earnest. Worrying about security isn’t a valid excuse. I’m certain every leader at the march was worried about security, and it was taken care of.

What Earnest and the rest of his co-workers and boss need to realize is that sometimes visuals DO matter (though this article disagrees with me), and Sunday’s march was without a doubt one of those times. The world needed to see its leaders, including one from the supposed strongest country in the world, unified against their common enemy – terrorism. Instead the world, terrorists included, saw our absence and embarrassing headlines likes the ones below that do anything but convey strength.

CNN Paris screenshot2

USA Today Paris screenshot2

The Guardian Paris screenshot2ABC Paris screenshot2

12 killed in terrorist attack in France

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Photo credit: David Pope, Twitter, https://twitter.com/davpope/status/552844593046097920
Photo credit: David Pope, Twitter, https://twitter.com/davpope/status/552844593046097920

People around the world are gathering in solidarity after 12 people were killed and 11 injured in a terrorist attack in Paris, France Wednesday.

At least two masked gunmen entered the office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper that, as Slate.com reports, has previously sparked controversy for its cartoon depictions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.

One witness tweeted what he saw and heard. According to Vox.com, the man works near the Charlie Hebdo office. He says two gunmen entered the offices after originally going to the wrong offices, and took advantage of the mail carrier’s arrival to get inside.

  • Here is video reportedly of the attack. In the video you can hear loud gunshots and the gunmen shouting the phrase so often repeated during terror attacks, “Allahu Akbar,” which means “God is great.” CNN also reports the gunmen yelled, “We have avenged the Prophet!”

As the UN Secretary General described it, the attack was a “direct assault on a cornerstone of democracy – on the media and freedom of expression.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also spoke Wednesday on the attacks.

They may wield weapons, but we in France and in the United States, share a commitment to something that is far more powerful. Not just a pen, but a pen that represents an instrument of freedom, not fear. Free expression and a free press are core values. They are universal values; principles that can be attacked but never eradicated because brave and decent people around the world will never give in,” Kerry said.

According to Sky News, Kerry is a fluent French speaker and repeated his message in French. See more of his statement below.

As of this story’s publishing, police are still searching for the gunmen responsible for this deadliest terror attack in the last 20 years. France’s security level has been raised to its highest.

  • For more information, go here to see live updates on the aftermath of this terror attack from Sky News.

As the Telegraph reports, many are taking to Twitter to express their sympathy to the victims and their families and to show their support for freedom of expression. Many are using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie, which is French for ‘I am Charlie.’ The hashtag began trending worldwide shortly after the shooting.

A tweet by Australian political cartoonist David Pope showing a cartoon pointing out the absurdity of the terror attack went viral Wednesday with more than 32,000 retweets at the time of this story’s publishing.

Attkisson sues Obama administration for computer hacks

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Sharyl AttkissonAward-winning former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson is officially accusing the Obama administration of hacking her home and work computers. Until now, the journalist had only hinted that the government might be behind the alleged hacks she claims occurred as a result of her reporting on administration scandals. Now she’s suing the U.S. Department of Justice and asking for $35 million in damages.

As Politico reported Monday, Attkisson “cited three computer forensic exams as evidence that hackers stole data and passwords from her home and work computers.” She believes the Obama administration was behind the hacks and motivated by disapproval over her reports on the Benghazi attacks, Fast and Furious and Obamacare.

However, Politico points out an inconsistency that has been discovered in Attkisson’s hacking allegations. Attkisson replied saying the inconsistency was pointed out by Media Matters, a partisan (liberal) organization.

And then there’s this Vox.com report claiming that the cell phone video Attkisson released as proof of one of her computer’s hacking events actually depicts nothing more than an all-too-common technology woe — a stuck delete key.

Attkisson details her ordeal in her book released in November titled, “Stonewalled: My Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama’s Washington.”

Perhaps now that there’s an actual lawsuit, more evidence and facts will finally surface…unless any pesky delete keys get in the way.