State Dept: Our Position That We Don't Need A Position On Egypt Remains Unchanged

Check out this dizzying exchange with the State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki and Associated Press reporter Matt Lee on Tuesday.

TRANSCRIPT:

QUESTION: In response to the first question about Senator McCain’s comments, you gave – you said “our position has not changed,” as you just did with Morsy.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: On McCain’s comments, though, “our position has not changed,” then you said, “the U.S. Government has stated what our position is.” Could you remind us all what your position actually is? Because as I recall, your position was that you don’t have a position, and that’s not quite – is that correct?
MS. PSAKI: Matt, I think you know our position, which is that —
QUESTION: I – tell me.
MS. PSAKI: — there was a determination made that we need to need – not need to make a designation.
QUESTION: So then – so your position is that you do not have a position. Correct?
MS. PSAKI: Our position is that we do not need to make a designation.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. Oh, go ahead, Nicolas.
QUESTION: Yeah. Does Deputy Secretary Burns plan to meet with President Morsy? We talk about it yesterday, but —
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any other plans for that on his schedule.
QUESTION: Can I just go back to —
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: — your answer to my question?
MS. PSAKI: Yes.
QUESTION: You do understand that you don’t have a position on this, don’t you?
MS. PSAKI: We have not made a determination.
QUESTION: But don’t – you go and say, “our position has not changed,” but you don’t have a position. You don’t have a position that could’ve – a position means taking a side, or taking a stance, or making a determination. And since you didn’t do that, you do not, by definition, have a position.
MS. PSAKI: We have —
QUESTION: Correct?
MS. PSAKI: I would disagree with you, Matt.
QUESTION: You have a position on whether what happened in Egypt was a coup?
MS. PSAKI: We have determined that we do not need to make a determination.
QUESTION: Isn’t that the same as not having a position?
MS. PSAKI: I will let you parse yourself.