June 8, 2005: Headlines: COS - Tunisia: Journalism: Humor: Washington Post: Tunisia RPCV Al Kamen says: To the uninitiated, it might seem that Bush administration spokesmen like to hide even the most ordinary bits of information
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June 8, 2005: Headlines: COS - Tunisia: Journalism: Humor: Washington Post: Tunisia RPCV Al Kamen says: To the uninitiated, it might seem that Bush administration spokesmen like to hide even the most ordinary bits of information
Tunisia RPCV Al Kamen says: To the uninitiated, it might seem that Bush administration spokesmen like to hide even the most ordinary bits of information
Tunisia RPCV Al Kamen says: To the uninitiated, it might seem that Bush administration spokesmen like to hide even the most ordinary bits of information
Caption: Sean McCormack, National Security Council Spokesman at Washington Foreign Press Center Briefing on "U.S. Foreign Policy."
To the uninitiated, it might seem that Bush administration spokesmen like to hide even the most ordinary bits of information, resorting to an oft-comical double talk.
Take for example new spokesman Sean McCormack 's response to a question at yesterday's State Department briefing.
"Who initiated today's meeting between Condoleezza Rice and the Turkish foreign minister?" a reporter asked.
"Well, meetings are typically set up -- it requires the agreement of both parties. So it is a mutually agreed-upon time and date," McCormack said. This is a practical step taken to avoid having one party show up in, say, Cleveland at 4 p.m. on one day while the other is waiting at 3 p.m. in Denver on a different day.
"So it was by Ankara or was it requested by the U.S. government?" the reporter tried again, not knowing we were now into goofy-speak.
"I would say that, whenever we have the secretary meet with somebody," McCormack explained patiently, "that it is through mutual agreement that we hold the meeting."
Again, absolutely correct. Foreign ministers are only infrequently brought in shackles to the seventh floor at the State Department.
What obviously happened in this case is Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Secretary of State Rice picked up the phone at exactly the same time and called each other to meet. Happens all the time.
McCormack, who wore snappy French cuffs to his briefing on Friday, is off to an excellent start.
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Story Source: Washington Post
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Tunisia; Journalism; Humor
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