State Department Backs Off Declaring Victory for Tsvangirai

At the State Department's daily press briefing, spokesman Sean McCormack backed off comments made by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer stating Morgan Tsvangirai prevailed in last month's election in Zimbabwe. Although he did seem to agree with the thrust of Frazer's comments. "I'll just say that there is clearly a vote for change and there are a lot of indications that he may well have won," said McCormack. Under the circumstances it was the best he could do. As I said yesterday I like Frazer's chutzpah. But in the real world a dignitary representing a foreign government cannot make a statement declaring someone the winner of an election. They can deflect from the issue at hand which is heavy handedness they are using to maintain power. If Frazer had focused her comments on that rather than speaking in favor of Tsvangirai I suspect she would not have made any headlines. I cannot help but think that Frazer's talents would be better served in the field of advocacy than in diplomacy.