The remarkable rise of Marie Harf

We have followed the performance of Marie Harf as a spokesman for the Obama administration foreign policy at the State Department. Harf gives the catastrophic foreign policy of the Obama administration a lighter than air, Valley Girl kind of feel. She is a walking self-parody. As such, she presents a novel use of expressive form.

Now comes word that Harf is being promoted to Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Secretary of State John Kerry. Like a helium filled balloon, Harf ascends. In her new position Harf will focus on negotiations between the U.S. and Iran on nuclear weapons. It sounds like a joke, but FOX News reports it as fact.

Harf has givesn us Obama administration foreign policy doctrine reduced to its talking points. Harf is a dim bulb and the complete authorized version of the doctrine according to Barry shines none too brightly to begin with. Reduced to talking points and subject to questions, the doctrine is quickly reduced to parody. Thus Marie Harf.

AP diplomatic correspondent Matt Lee mercilessly grilled Harf in her State Department press briefings. Will Lee still have Harf to kick around in her new position? I believe he will. So at least we have that.

In the video below Harf spoke up for UNRWA, the United Nations organization whose good works in Gaza included the hosting and return of Hamas rockets found in UN schools. During the latest conflict with Israel several rockets had been found in UNRWA schools and returned to the authorities in Gaza (i.e., Hamas).

Harf had arrived at the briefing with a prepared statement explaining the situation to her satisfaction. Lee interrogated Harf on the internal contradictions that Harf had, ah, failed to discern in her statement. This is merciless comedy exposing error and pretension.

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