The American State Department has instituted a blog on talking with Hamas, leaving reporters bewildered. Department spokesman Sean McCormack insisted that the American policy on boycotting the terrorist party has not changed. One reporter asked, "But you still ask the question on your website, which doesn't--which still doesn't quite make sense to me." McCormack responded, "Maybe you don’t understand the nature of blogs, but it’s not a matter of a statement of policy.... It is meant to generate conversation among people."
Another journalist persisted, "What’s the purpose...to have that? What's the--there must be a reason for this question to be up there versus another question. So what are you taking out of the whole thing?" The spokesman answered, "The whole idea behind the blog is to try to build a community of people who are interested in reading about and discussing and providing their inputs to--on matters of foreign policy."
McCormack also insisted that the United States is not involved in Egyptian negotiations with Hamas. He insisted that envoy David Welch, who traveled to Egypt, talked about humanitarian aid for Gaza and added that there also were discussions on re-opening the Rafiah crossing. A doubting reporter commented, "So, indirectly, you are part of these talks?" McCormack replied, "You guys--look, you guys--you know I appreciate these sorts of attempts to try to draw us into stories about the United States in some way indirectly dealing with Hamas. Ain’t true. Not involved in any way, shape or form.