ABC, CBS, and NBC all noticed on their Monday morning programs that the Obama administration came under attack for failing to send any top U.S. leader to a “unity” rally in Paris featuring 40 global leaders. But NPR, like a government radio channel, ignored the criticism.
NPR Paris correspondent Eleanor Beardsley mentioned the huge rally in her story on the feelings of Jews in France. In another story, later in the program, co-host Renee Montagne and substitute co-host David Greene touted the rally as an “overwhelming show of solidarity,” but steered around the other networks’ stories on the Obama controversy:
DAVID GREENE: And it’s worth noting who this event this brought together.
RENEE MONTAGNE: The leaders of Israel, and the Palestinian authority were there.
GREENE: Also, the president of Ukraine and the foreign minister of Russia, at least symbolically setting aside their differences.
MONTAGNE: French president Francois Hollande said on this day, Paris became the capital of the world
Except Obama couldn't make it. Eric Holder was in Paris...but was busy doing Sunday-show interviews in the United States.
Even the regular Monday morning “This Week in Politics” segment with Cokie Roberts didn’t mention it, even as Roberts focused instead on Republicans and how they wouldn’t dare cut funding for the TSA in the current terrorism climate.
There's always the vague possibility that what the TV networks called a "ham-handed" move was mentioned in the hourly news updates, but if they skipped it in these three segments, it's a slim chance.
