Kerry crashes State briefing

State Department spokesman John Kirby called in a special guest for his first news briefing in his new job: Secretary of State John Kerry.  

“It’s my first day at the podium and I kind of figured that I might need some help,” Kirby told reporters, as Kerry’s face adorned televisions in the briefing room.

{mosads}Kerry spoke from Boston, where he’s recovering from surgery after he broke his leg while riding his bike last month. He arrived back home in Boston on Sunday, but is planning to fly to Washington on Tuesday afternoon.

“I wanted to have a chance to personally welcome former Admiral John Kirby to the podium,” Kerry told the room of reporters. He praised Kirby’s first few media appearances since he took over for former spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who is now White House communications director.

“It’s a special privilege for the State Department to welcome him as our spokesperson, he’s the face of our department moving forward.”

Kerry told reporters that he recently spoke with the prime minister of Pakistan to address tensions between India and Pakistan and that he’ll spend the next “few days” preparing for the upcoming economic dialogue with China.

He added that the administration is currently putting together evidence to support its assertions that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has launched chlorine attacks against his people and addressed the administration’s ongoing nuclear deal with Iran.