Yesterday, we heard that the Pentagon Spokesman, Read Admiral John Kirby is stepping down to make way for a new civilian spokesman under the new Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter.

News: Admiral Kirby, longtime press secretary, out at Pentagon as Secy Carter brings in new team and civilian spox http://t.co/tqKKTvYPio

— Robert Caruso (@robertcaruso) February 18, 2015

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Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby is stepping down: http://t.co/IWoRkwhkdq pic.twitter.com/Id2eTw42Pc — The Hill (@thehill) February 18, 2015

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483 fake tweets and 438 hard-won followers now down the drain. Carter what have you done!

— Fake Admiral Kirby (@zorching) February 18, 2015

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Real @PentagonPresSec was a class act on the podium. The fake guy is not go down with the same level of dignity. — Fake Admiral Kirby (@zorching) February 18, 2015

We’re going to miss Admiral Kirby from that podium, and we’re going to miss the fake one, too. This one via @Doctrine Man sums it up:

John Kirby brought three things to the podium that are a rare combination in this business: credibility, character, and competence. Together, they equated to a presence that was second to none. He earned the respect and admiration of the Pentagon Press Corps, built relationships that spanned to the soggy side of the Potomac, and calmly managed each and every crisis that ballooned within the walls of The Building (and there were quite a few). In a tenure that lasted just 14 months (I know, it seemed like more), he became a calm voice of reason in Washington unlike any other, eclipsing both the White House and State Department press secretaries at a time when there was more than enough bad news to go around.

Today, news broke that the State Department Spokesperson Jennifer Psaki is returning to the White House as communications director:

Obama chooses State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki to be his communications director. pic.twitter.com/xCmnTBVXb0

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 19, 2015

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Honored to be rejoining the team @WhiteHouse in April, exciting two years for @BarackObama ahead. Wil miss incredible colleagues @StateDept — Jen Psaki (@statedeptspox) February 19, 2015

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Jen Psaki Back to White House. Details and some great #tbt pictures here: http://t.co/CQMzshjY4x

— Roll Call (@rollcall) February 19, 2015

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How tight is new WH comms dir @statedeptspox w/ POTUS? She spends Passover w/ the Obamas, an ’08 bid tradition http://t.co/iSecbCQQdP — Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) February 19, 2015

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congrats to @statedeptspox for finding a way to escape Matt Lee questions

— daveweigel (@daveweigel) February 19, 2015

 

The State Department spokesperson, more than the White House spokesman is the public face of the United States to the world.  The spokesperson is not only speaking on behalf of Foggy Bottom but on behalf of the United States.  Here’s our short list for the next podium king/queen:  We’d like to see one who can stay on message, and still be credible, one who inspires respect not derision; a sense of humor and some humility would be nice, too. We’d like to see an intelligent, natural performer with solid international affairs experience up that podium. And of course, somebody  eloquent and quick witted to spar with Matt Lee.