[Note: Casey's spit-take begins at the 2:30 mark.]
Who knew cracking wise was part of the job description at the U.S. Department of State?
After covering Iran and Afghanistan, the topic of conversation for deputy spokesman Tom Casey naturally turned to Boy George during yesterday's press briefing—or more specifically, to the burgeoning international incident sparked by the department's visa denial for the '80s icon, who in turn was forced to cancel the summer leg of his tour.
"Do you really want to hurt him?" cracks Casey after nearly choking on his water.
"Obviously, visa records are confidential. But I'd simply note that there often are difficulties for individuals who either are currently subject to criminal charges or otherwise may have criminal records. So I think you might want to look toward some of those reasons as why he might be having some difficulties here."
That, and Condi Rice doesn't cotton to "Karma Charmeleon."