New DOD Podium Pointman Named:

The Bush White House has tapped Dorrance Smith, a former media advisor to the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and an ABC News producer, to be the Pentagon’s chief spokesman. Smith would take over for acting head of Public Affairs Lawrence DiRita. DiRita, who took over the post from Victoria Clarke, had been nominated for the job, but he withdrew his name when consideration lapsed on Capitol Hill. According to DiRita’s office, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has not named a new posting for DiRita.