Pentagon spokesman pick may be in jeopardy

[Judi Lynn]

Tuesday, December 13, 2005 · Last updated 11:19 a.m. PT

Pentagon spokesman pick may be in jeopardy

By LIZ SIDOTI
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's nominee for chief Pentagon spokesman appeared in jeopardy Tuesday, with a senior Democrat leaving open the possibility of blocking it.

J. Dorrance Smith, the nominee, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in a closed session to answer questions about an opinion article in which he accused U.S. television networks of helping terrorists through their partnerships with Al-Jazeera.

The article has sparked concern among committee members, and has prompted Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to pledge to defeat Smith's nomination to be the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.

"I have deep concerns about whether or not he should be representing the United States government and the Department of Defense with that kind of attitude and approach," Levin said after Tuesday's hearing.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1152AP_Pentagon_Spokesman.html

Detail of his background:

~snip~
...J. Dorrance Smith, a former ABC sports and news executive who worked in the first Bush administration as a communications adviser and helped the president in the 2000 Florida recount.
(snip)http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040427-105458-3420r.htm

[joanski0]

1. Go get him, Senator Levin!! n/t

[Ian David]

2. Isn't it Democrats' best interest that bush pick the WORST spokesperson?

That person won't be making life-or-death decisions (I hope) but the more inept the Pentagon's official mouthpiece, the worse they will be at continuing to sell this stupid war.

Can we ask that he nominate Rush Limbaugh or maybe Dan Quayle?

[jody]

3. Pentagon's PR role is to release the facts -- nothing more nor less. n/t