AP reporter Matt Lee corrected State Department spokesman John Kirby Wednesday on the Obama administration's position toward Bashar Al-Assad ruling Syria.
"Assad has lost legitimacy to govern in Syria. Nothing's changed about our policy, I'm sorry, our view of that," Kirby said. "We also have said and continue to maintain that he can't be a part, in our view, cannot be a part of the future of Syria. Syria needs to move to a government away from him in one that is responsive to the Syrian people.
"But ultimately, how they get to that process is for the Syrian people to decide. Nothing has changed about our policy or our view on Bashar al-Assad. I would also point back as far as two years ago, Secretary Kerry was saying how and when his departure is managed, we didn't then and don't now take a firm position on, in terms of whether he transitions away on week one, month one or whatever. But we have to get to a government away from Assad and one that's responsive to the Syrian people."
Lee remembered what was said by President Obama and administration officials as early as 2012 and stepped in to correct Kirby.
"Wait a second. That's just not—" Lee said.
"It is true," Kirby said.
"It started when this whole thing began, and the president came out Assad was no longer fit to rule and had lost legitimacy, you guys were demanding that he leave then and now," Lee said. "So it is not correct to say that your position has always been that Assad can stay for some period of time and be part of the transition. It might be that it has evolved to that, but it certainly wasn't that in 2011 and 2012."
"Well, I can show you comments as early as two years ago where the Secretary has said that it didn't matter," Kirby said.
"Well, that's two years ago," Lee said. "Four years ago that wasn't the position."
"Assad has lost his legitimacy to govern. Nothing's changed our view on that," Kirby said as he ended the briefing.