Liberal or conservative, you have to admire Helen Thomas. In the “man’s world” of the 1940’s and 1950’s she was a strong voice for female reporters. She has been around Washington DC for a very long time – she started with JFK. “She was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents Association, and, in 1975, the first female member of the Gridiron Club.” (Wikipedia)
She made it no secret that she despised Bush and supported Obama. She was even criticized for asking Obama easy questions during his first 100 days. Well, the honeymoon is over now.
From the Political Grapevine:
Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas has lashed out at what she sees as an unprecedented effort by the Obama administration to control the media.
Thomas tells Cybercast News: "Nixon didn’t try to do that… What the hell do they think we are, puppets?" Thomas points to the arrangement between the White House and The Huffington Post’s Nico Pitney, who was allegedly invited to last week’s presidential news conference with the understanding he would ask a question from an Iranian blogger.
And Wednesday, Thomas vented during the White House press briefing after the president conducted a town hall meeting that featured pre-screened participants asking pre-screened questions: "It’s really shocking… It’s a pattern of controlling the press. Your formal engagements are pre-packaged."
Hope..change..blah blah blah blah blah
Go Helen! Let’s see more gumption from the rest of the press. And Gibbs….where did they get this guy?
I’m trying to figure out why he stays……..
No, I don’t admire Helen Thomas. She is a left wing loon. She should have retired a long time ago.
As a woman, I admire her for getting the respect she did at a time when women were told to be barefoot and pregnant. That took a lot of guts and a lot of criticism and harassment. I don’t admire her opinion, or her reporting, just what she accomplished in her career.
Ok, but she should have given up that seat now in the front row about 20 years ago. Let another female reporter have it.
Jasper,
I will agree with you that since she is now a “columnist” or in reality just a blogger… She should no longer sit up front where the reporters or the “real” media that is completely biased and nothing different than a blogger sits…
Uh, wait… What’s the difference again?