John Kerry arrives in Paris to show shared resolve after the attacks

[karynnj]

Last edited Mon Nov 16, 2015, 04:52 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NYT

Mr Kerry planned to meet with French officials and US embassy staff members and their families. According to a schedule released by the French government, Mr Kerry will meet with President Francois Hollande on Tuesday morning.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/europe/john-kerry-arrives-in-paris-for-talks-on-response-to-attacks.html

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On Saturday, in Vienna, Kerry's comment on the attacks was a message to the French people - given in French and translated into English at the live link. Hat tip to Mylye2222 who posted this in DU when she hear of it on French TV - http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7350262

[Renew Deal]

1. No hugs please!

[karynnj]

2. Are you the hug police? From various accounts, Hollande was very happy to have Kerry come that day

and per Mylye222, his entire speech mostly in French was played live on French TV. Don't buy the cynicism of the right who somehow preferred Netanyahu's boorish behavior in the wake of those attacks, than the obviously heart felt and mutually welcome comments and visit of Kerry.

[Renew Deal]

3. It's a joke

The hug was akward at best. Kerry can hug whoever he wants. But the reason for the hug was a perceived lack of support from the US.

[karynnj]

5. I think the US media worried about that perception - not the French and certainly not Kerry

The day of the attacks, Kerry put out a statement in French and English and signed the book at the French embassy in DC. He then left on a long planned trip to Pakistan and India - that could not be cancelled. When he did come it was to express condolences.

[msongs]

7. maybe the hug awkwardness was because of their different heights. nt

[murielm99]

4. All the righties hooted at Kerry for

"looking French." Now they will love him, if he gets into a wider shooting match in the Middle East.

[karynnj]

6. I guess you missed that Kerry, along with Fabius, Lavrov and others were in Vienna this weekend

and the goal was a political end to the Syrian civil war. Not to mention, he made war less likely with Iran with the nuclear deal and was key in getting rid of 600 tons of chemical weapons in Syria.

So, the cheap shot is pretty poorly placed. Not to mention, the righties detest him - as much as they do Obama.

[murielm99]

8. I am not making a cheap shot at Kerry.

I am slamming the righties. I worked hard for Kerry. I still have a campaign shirt in my closet, signed by Kerry.

I think Obama will try to keep us out of a wider war. But who knows what will happen down the road?

[DCBob]

9. Kerry gave a phenomenal speech today.

[karynnj]

10. It was phenomenal - after seeing your post, I went to the State.gov site - here is the link to text

http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/11/249556.htm

[DCBob]

11. I was listening to a replay of it in my car while driving.

It really hit home and brought tears to my eyes.

[wordpix]

14. thank you, indeed it is a great speech, giving hope and solidarity

[ginnyinWI]

12. My eldest daughter lives in Paris.

She told me about his message to the French people, which he read in French. I asked her how is French was, and she said he has a heavily American accent but otherwise it was good.

She is a translator, French-to-English, so she'd know, I guess. She's been living there for five years.

[karynnj]

13. I like that he had the confidence to speak in French. It could make the message more personal

without translating. This week must have been scary for both you and your daughter. What a beautiful city to live in. I hope this is the end to the violence.

[ginnyinWI]

15. She works at home, so

she was not out and just stayed home when she heard about it. It did cancel her weekend plans, she said.

She went on Facebook on the "I'm safe" thread that they put up, so she could let all her friends know. She did email us first of all, so no worries.

[mylye2222]

17. Glad everyone is OK .

I have frirnds from when I lived in Paris who had to hide. One passed by before the Bataclan 10 minutes before the terroristes arrived. Everyone is safe.

[karynnj]

18. Glad to hear this.

It is always scary when your kids are independent and something happens in their area. I first heard of the Boston bombing when my daughter send an IM saying I am ok - she wanted us to hear from her before we heard news.

[ginnyinWI]

19. Yes, and it has happened to me before.

Remember when that gas pipeline blew up in San Bruno five years ago? My son, his wife and two kids aged 1 and 3 lived in that neighborhood just a few blocks away! The first I heard of it was my son calling to say they were all right! They at first thought a plane had crashed there. SFO airport is just a few miles from there. They had to evacuate their house and were able to stay with my brother in Napa.

Then when that bridge fell down in Minneapolis it was a few miles from where my younger daughter and her husband lived and she had crossed it that very morning. Whew!

[mylye2222]

16. Kerry gave a wonderfull interwiew to France 2 tonight.

Spoke only about political solution.
Began in Français then switched to english then back in French.

JK vous avez eu les mots justes. Merci.

[AtomicKitten]

20. So glad he is the face of America.