State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki sputtered through reporters' questions about where Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden will be during the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference and whether this was a snub to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The press started laughing at Psaki's inability to answer, and AP reporter Matt Lee even questioned whether the State Dept. might "invent a country" for Biden to attend if none were available.
Here's how the wheels came off this press conference:
“So far I didn’t see any indication that the Secretary [Kerry] may be addressing the conference, is there any plan to? I know he has in the past…” asked a reporter.
“He has in the past, I don’t think we are at a point of announcing who that will be yet,” said Psaki.
“If the Secretary doesn’t take part, is that because of the circumstances surrounding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, which of course has really been overtaken by the fact that he’s going to address Congress on March the 3rd?” the reporter rejoined.
“Well we’ve already been clear that we don’t have plans to have a meeting,” said Psaki. “I think the real reason is that the Secretary is going to be out of town, which I don’t think surprises any of you, given his overseas travel schedule. We’re still working out the next couple of weeks.”
Sensing an opening, Lee leapt in: “Well wait, the Secretary is probably going to be out of town when?”
Psaki’s began to itch her neck and adjust her oversized necklace as she struggled to answer, “Well, uh, I’m sure he’s uh…”
Lee: “For the entire AIPAC conference?”
Psaki: “It’s only a couple of days, Matt…”
Lee: “Well I know but…”
Psaki: “…we have a trip we’re working on for early March, late February…”
“It’s funny because the Vice President also had some unspecified travel plans that would prevent him from being at Congress to prevent him from hearing the Prime Minister’s speech,” said Lee, as the room began to laugh. “Is everyone fleeing?”
Psaki couldn’t repress a smile, as if knowing that everyone was in on the joke: “Well given we’ve all spent days if not weeks on a plane, I don’t think it should surprise anyone that the chief diplomat might be overseas, but…”
“Well yeah, but it just seems to be a little unusual that both the Secretary of State and the Vice President have determined right now,” Lee paused, and cleared his throat, then said slowly, “That they’re going to be out of town…”
“Or out of the country…” Lee laughingly added.
“I wouldn’t look at it in those terms,” said a flustered Psaki. “I believe the Vice President is attending an inauguration for… uh… that new government of Panama, I believe, I can’t remember the specifics…. I expect we’ll have a presentation there.”
“So we shouldn’t see this as a snub because the Prime Minister will be addressing said conference?” asked the first reporter.
“I just remember being with the Secretary at the inauguration of the Panamian Prime Minister a few months ago,” Lee said with emphasis.
“Perhaps that’s not the right information,” said an annoyed Psaki. “I’m sure you can check the Secretary’s schedule on his website.”
“Might you invent a country that he could go to if there aren’t any available?” Lee asked as the other reporters laughed.