"Times like this remind us of the lesson of all great faiths, including Islam--that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us," the statement read.
"Some people are saying is this an outreach to the Muslim world," Gretchen Carlson, co-host of "Fox and Friends," said. "Why isn't there an outreach to the Christian world?"
The panel pointed out that Obama did not issue a proclamation for Easter. (Though he didn't technically issue one for Ramadan either; it was a "statement," a subtle but key difference, as far as the Office of the President is concerned.)
On April 25--the day after Easter--a Fox reporter raised the same issue, asking Carney why Obama had not issued a proclamation for the holiday.
"You know the president went to church yesterday it was well covered," Carney said. "I'm not sure if we put out a statement or not, but he did celebrate Easter with his family and went to church to celebrate that." (After another question during the briefing, Carney added: "I'm glad you're asking key important questions guys, the fact is the president took his family to church in a very high profile way to celebrate Easter I think it was highly visible to most Americans, he as a devoted Christian he believes it's a very important holiday.")
"Fox and Friends" also noted that Obama issued an eight-paragraph proclamation earlier this year honoring Earth Day, but nothing for Easter.
Obama did, however, host a breakfast for Christian pastors the week before Easter, and made a public statement that day.
The White House has a long history of honoring of Ramadan. As the Daily News pointed out, President George W. Bush issued proclamations, too, and even began holding breakfasts and dinners on the holiday after 9/11 "in an effort to show that America was not at war with the religion."
And according to the University of California Santa Barbara's American Presidency Project, Bush never made an Easter proclamation, either.
