Howard Krongard and the Confidence Game

Elaborating on today’s gaggle discussion of the State Department’s faith in Howard “Cookie” Krongard, here’s what spokesman Sean McCormack had to say at the formal press briefing:

QUESTION: Okay. And just the second thing, you’ve been asked several times if you could say that the Secretary or the building has confidence in him and you have declined —

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, he’s still —

QUESTION: — to say that.

MR. MCCORMACK: He’s still — he is still doing his job as Inspector — as Inspector General. He has —

QUESTION: (Inaudible) that you have confidence in his ability to do the job —

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, it’s not —

QUESTION: Do you have confidence in his —

MR. MCCORMACK: It’s not for me to judge, Matt, the job the Inspector General is doing. The Congress can do that. The Secretary can do that. There have been questions that he has had to answer. He has answered those with Chairman Waxman. There have been some issues that have been raised with respect to the Inspector General’s office. As appropriate, we have asked the overseer board of inspectors general to look into the work of the State Department Inspector General Office. These are — this is all strictly according to the book. Howard is continuing his work as Inspector General. It’s important work, the Secretary believes it’s important work, and clearly, the Congress believes it’s important work.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) — but the word, confident — you can’t use the word, confidence, or give me a yes or no answer to the question, do you have confidence?

MR. MCCORMACK: (Inaudible) you can play the Washington games with people. Howard is still working as Inspector General here at the State Department.

Draw your own conclusions.