State Spokesman Ian Kelly on Dennis Ross' book: "... It's a very good book, by the way..."

QUESTION: Tangential to this, what -- there seem to be -- well, there not seem to be, there are a lot of reports about Dennis Ross, based on one specific report in an Israeli newspaper. What's his status? Has he been fired?

KELLY: He has not been fired.

QUESTION: Is he being ousted?

KELLY: He is not being ousted?

QUESTION: Is there an abrupt change to responsibilities?

KELLY: I -- there is -- there is -- look, he is in -- he is in the building today. I was in his office today. He's working very hard on the same issues that we've been discussing the last, whatever it is, 15 minutes. And you know, if and when there is some kind of personnel announcement, I'd be happy to let you know. [...]

QUESTION: ... assigned to another position at the White House?

KELLY: Anything's possible. I could be fired today, too. I mean...

... if you guys keep probing me on this.

QUESTION: Isn't it true that he's been reassigned to another position at the White House?

KELLY: Like I said, I have -- there -- I have no personnel announcements.

QUESTION: So the secretary has full confidence in Dennis Ross to continue in his present role?

KELLY: Absolutely.

QUESTION: So Dennis Ross -- Dennis Ross is going to continue in his role as adviser to the secretary on -- what was it? --....Southwest Gulf affairs?

KELLY: He is -- as I say -- he is working very hard. He worked hard throughout the weekend and he's continuing to do his job today.

QUESTION: Has the book that he and David Makovsky have published recently caused any problems for him internally in this administration?

KELLY: No. No. It's a very good book, by the way. I started reading it over the weekend. ...

QUESTION: Oh, so you're doing reviews from the podium (inaudible). [...]

QUESTION: Was there any concern about this authorship of this book, of some of the opinions that he and his co-author expressed in the book...

KELLY: No.

QUESTION: ... during the time leading up to his appointment?

KELLY: No, not at all.

QUESTION: Why not?

KELLY: Well, I mean -- Mr. Ross is -- he is in the administration now. He is a very close adviser of the secretary on a number of issues related to Iran and the region. But he also came out of -- came out of the academic community and he -- he's entitled to -- he was entitled to his opinion.

KELLY: He wrote the book before he came on board here.