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A massive rally in Paris on Sunday where 1.5 million people marched in a show of unity against terrorism, but conspicuously absent was any representation from Obama and top administration officials.

After 17 people were killed last week, well over 40 world leaders came to show support to the French people as French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, where in attendance during the march.

Notably absent during the rally was President Obama.  The Washington Post reported that the White House pointed to a number of public showings of solidarity Obama made last week. Obama phoned Hollande, said at a speech in Tennessee that the United States stands with France and visited the French Embassy in Washington Thursday, where he signed a book of condolences. American officials have been in touch with and aiding France on a near constant basis, the White House said, and noted that security requirements for Obama and Biden can be distracting.

Criticism has come from both sides of the Atlantic by the no-show of the President and top administration for not attending this rally as this was the largest rally in French history, even surpassing the liberation of Paris during World War II.

Even Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Queen Rania where able to attend the rally.

If the president could not attend why did not Vice President Joseph Biden or Secretary of State John Kerry be able to attend this rally?  Kerry was India at the time and made an unscheduled trip to Pakistan to discuss counter-terrorism related issues, but maybe he should have gone straight to Paris instead.

Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris for an anti-terrorism summit, as was deputy Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas but both did not attend the rally, as the U.S. was represented by U.S. Ambassador to France Jane Hartley and assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland.

“If the highest-ranking official is an ambassador, I would say that’s a serious mistake,” said Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.), noting that America has asked other countries for troops in Afghanistan and Syria. “We are looking for cooperation from around the world … we should have had someone there who is instantly recognizable (so people) see …and say, ‘That’s the United States of America.’”

On Sunday, the White House announced that next month it will host “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.”

Politico reporting on the event, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest in an accompanying emailed statement, will “highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the United States and abroad to commit acts of violence, efforts made even more imperative in light of recent, tragic attacks in Ottawa, Sydney, and Paris.”

Secretary Kerry reacted to the lack of top administration officials at the rally as “quibbling” where over 40 world leader where in attendance.

CNN reported that Fareed Zakaria, host of CNN’s “Global Public Square,” called the absence of top U.S. officials a mistake.

France is the United States’ “deepest ideological ally,” he said, and it would have been a meaningful image to have a senior administration member, or the President, standing shoulder to shoulder with other leaders.

Zakaria noted that security concerns didn’t dissuade Netanyahu or Abbas or other leaders from showing up. But Obama’s absence did show that the struggle against radical Islam is “not all about America,” Zakaria said.

“Many people have tended to think that Islamic terrorism wouldn’t exist without America,” Zakaria said. “This is really a struggle between the civilized world and a band of extremists. Even if you take the U.S. out of it … the civilized world is up in arms.”

CNN continued in its reporting as Jake Tapper, host of CNN’s “The Lead,” said American leaders were conspicuously absent from historic Paris rally, perhaps the most important public demonstrations in Europe in the last generation.

Tapper not only called out the President and his administration, but also prospective 2016 hopefuls from both parties, for missing the opportunity to share in the global moment.

A pivotal event to show U.S. leadership was missed by this president and his administration, as many of these countries stood shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. after September 11th, and this just abdicates U.S. leadership and resolve.

This was missed opportunity as many world leaders are asking where is America?