FEMA Spokesman John P. ''Pat'' Philbin Loses Spy Job Offer

The man who staged a fake Federal Emergency Management Agency new conference has lost a chance to be National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell's top public information officer.

John P. ''Pat'' Philbin, FEMA's external affairs director, who had been scheduled to move into the new job on Monday, will not be getting it after last week's phony news conference. The staged question-and-answer session was harshly criticized by both the White House and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, whose department oversees FEMA.

''We do not normally comment on personnel matters,'' DNI spokesman Ross Feinstein said Monday. ''However, we can confirm that Mr. Philbin is not, nor is he scheduled to be, the director of public affairs for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.''

Feinstein said earlier that Philbin's job change had been put on hold while McConnell reviewed his record....

A half-dozen questions were asked at the event -- by FEMA staff members posing as reporters. Philbin was among the six questioners, according to The Washington Post. The questions included: ''Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?''...

Heckuva Job!