Rice Introduces New Department Spokesman

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- There's a new face at the podium for the State Department's daily press briefings.

Sean McCormack will be answering questions in the sessions, which are broadcast worldwide and made previous spokesman Richard Boucher one of the best-known figures in the government.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice introduced McCormack on Friday.

"Don't get excited. I didn't come to answer questions," she said. "I came to make a handoff here."
...
"I think it's an example for the entire world in that the spokesman of the State Department (is) standing up here and taking questions from a free and responsible press," McCormack said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-state-department-new-face,0,5321563.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[expatriot]

2. now now.... i remember when she first came on the scene

i had a very hard time believing she was 50 something. she actually looked young and cute... but the stress (although it be stress from being very evil) of the last few years has really made her show her age.


FYI: This is coming from a 20-something (I wouldn't have mentioned that a few days ago...)

[0007]

12. I think you need to take a saliva test....or the Arizona sun is getting to

ya.

Here's a real keep sake for ya...

[Erika]

3. Yeah, she's one cold b-

Her asinine talk about Iraqi nuclear drones being able to hit American cities in 45 minutes was insane. She will end up as being one of the top disrespected members in this administration. She is a disgrace.

[Straight Shooter]

4. "taking questions from a free and responsible press"

Oh, for cryin' out loud, McCormack, just STFU with your talking points. An example for the entire world will be when the bush administration is held accountable for its pack of lies. The only reason it doesn't is because the press is bought and paid for, and does not take responsibility.

What a loser.

[kcass1954]

5. Well then, why is he collecting a paycheck?

He's not going to have a single thing to do, because the press is not free and they certainly are no longer responsible.

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. Great article read re: "Free & Responsible Press"

Robert Parry article:

The Real Lessons of Watergate

As the Washington Post again basks in the faded glory of its Watergate coverage, many of the scandal’s crucial lessons remain obscure even to people close to the iconic events of 33 years ago. Ironically, that’s especially true for those on the winning side.

Indeed, it could be said that today’s U.S. political imbalance – tilting so much in favor of Republicans over Democrats – derived from the simple fact that conservatives learned the real lessons of Watergate while the liberals didn’t.

Most importantly, the bitter experience of Watergate taught the conservatives the need to control the flow of information at the national level.

more...
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/060205.html

[mitchum]

6. This is because Rice has never been able to break that habit of...

blinking rapidly when she lies.
The showroom dummy gets a mouthpiece.

[Dr.Phool]

7. They should have given the job to Bolton

[truthisfreedom]

8. strangely aggressive, and this "free and responsible" business... almost

sounds like she's on the defensive, feeling accused of something. i wonder what that might be?

[magellan]

9. Wow, we have a free and responsible press?

Did we buy it from China? :shrug:

[radfringe]

10. doesn't she mean

a new lap dog? dictaphone maybe?

"I think it's an example for the entire world in that the spokesman of the State Department (is) standing up here and taking questions from a free and responsible press," McCormack said.

oopsie - free and responsible press? do you see any hidden among the plants and lapdogs? ohhh yeah, I forgot - the wind blew'em away...

[Supersedeas]

17. responsible like Gannon

[susu369]

11. That is too funny

Susu thinks it's an example for the entire world that Rice says:
"I didn't come to answer questions," she said.


:rofl:

[Rose Siding]

13. He's a real blabber-mouth -here's text of some of his answers...

w/in a half hour breifing:

"I don't have anything for you on that."

"I don't have anything to share with you."

"That I have to check on."

"I'm not up on that meeting," the spokesman said. "Let me look into it. And if there's anything that we have to add, we'll get back to you."

"The secretary did address this yesterday," McCormack said. "I really don't have, at this point, anything to add to those remarks."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/03/AR2005060301828.html

This is the "example for the entire world"

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

14. see, now you are learning... that is how to handle

the free press... don't tell them anything.


and since with each passing day, the few journalists left get older, more tired, retire and die, no follow-up questions will be askeed.

[jimshoes]

15. Maybe they could just number the pat answers ...

1. "I don't have anything for you on that."

2. "I don't have anything to share with you."

3. "That I have to check on."

4. "I'm not up on that meeting," the spokesman said. "Let me look into it. And if there's anything that we have to add, we'll get back to you."

5. "The secretary did address this yesterday," McCormack said. "I really don't have, at this point, anything to add to those remarks."

6. Next!

7. Our position on that is well known.

8. Yada Yada Yada.

9. We are an empire now, etc.!


It would save so much time don't you think?