Heck of a Press Conference

So yesterday FEMA holds a press conference to talk about the response to the California wildfires. The presser is carried live on cable news. And according to all who saw it, it was a public relations triumph for FEMA. Deputy Director Harvey Johnson appeared poised and answered the reporters questions in an informed way.

Just one thing, though: reporters weren't asking the questions. The press conference was staged. As Al Kamen reports:

We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin.

Heck of a job, guys.