Tuesday, March 13, 2007
All you need to know about Helen Thomas
Vanity Fair, which is a great magazine notwithstanding the hideous political leanings of its editors, has a regular feature on its back page called the "Proust Questionnaire." Not being a literature jock the reference eludes me, but it is basically an interview of some public figure with reflective questions such as "what is your idea of perfect happiness?"
Anyway, the April Proust Questionnaire is directed toward Helen Thomas, the now long-in-the-tooth reporter usually referred to as the "doyenne" of the White House press corps. Thomas covered the White House for UPI and others for 57 years, and long occupied the cherished front row seat in the press room. She quite famously hates George W. Bush, joining the long list of leftists who have proclaimed him the "worse president in all of American history."
Whether or not history in the fullness of time agrees with Thomas on the matter of George W. Bush, her answers to Vanity Fair suggest a perspective on greatness that might hurt her credibility as a historian:
Which living person do you most admire?
President Jimmy Carter, who won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Ramsey Clark, Michael Ratner, Bill Moyers, Walter Cronkite, and Sam Donaldson. (links added)
Then there is this:
If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?
U.S. president.
Well, Ms. Thomas' candor is refreshing. One is forced to wonder whether most of the Washington press corps doesn't secretly agree with her. It would certainly explain a great deal.
13 Comments:
By 
Christopher Chambers, at
Tue Mar 13, 11:06:00 AM:
I'm certain much of the Washington press corps indeed secretly agrees that the current Administration is utterly full of crap, that's a sure bet. Gee, we can't all pray to the God of Roger Ailes, can we?
By Habu, at
Tue Mar 13, 11:26:00 AM:
Ramsey Clark? I'm surprised Mohammad Atta didn't make the most favored list. And how on earth can she name Ramsey without naming Baghdad Jane.
Would someone get Helen a big glass of hemlock and check those NASA undies 'cause for damn sure they're full.
By Christopher Chambers, at
Tue Mar 13, 12:13:00 PM:
Wow! I'm wondering if Habu1 actually has a confederate flag as a logo--same thing as swastika for me. Speaking of Atta, I recall a terrorist leader named jefferson davis, and one of his war criminal pals named nathan bedford forrest (who lovingly became the first grand wizard of the KKK) cooking up all kinds of plots designed to kill civilians in Northern cities, foment more race riots, turn people against Abe Lincoln and the Republicans? Oh, and a sleeper cell did indeed murder the President of the United States. All sounds familiar. Jeez.
I wonder also if Helen Thomas could pen one more story, tying in Tigerhawk's cupidity for both the flick 300 and the Iraq war? I mean, general Pace thinks homosexuality is terrible. Expunge all the queer soldiers. Keep them from combat! But couldn't Ms. Thomas write a piece stating that if we had a division of men like that Spartan honor guard, queers all, right down to the lambda on their shields that's used to this day, the country would be "pacified" in no time? ;-)
Habu, perhaps you need to clean the Depends you're apparently wearing on your head at this moment. The President clearly is also misreading the directions on the box. Ooops...sorry.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Tue Mar 13, 12:27:00 PM:
Christopher Chambers: "...same thing as swastika for me."
Godwin's Law:
"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
You lose the debate, Mr. Chambers.
By 
, at
Tue Mar 13, 12:42:00 PM:
I guess Christopher like Helen Thomas. He can keep her.
By Habu, at
Tue Mar 13, 12:44:00 PM:
Chrissy Boy,
That thar flag iz indeed part ovda Confed'rate Flag. I be right proud of my Southern Heritage.
But at this point I done beat the shit outta so many of you girly men that it's plum old.
Now if'n we was ta meet up I'd have you sqeeeeel like pig. You could be Ned Beatty from Deliverence movie.
Anyway that war was over a long time ago and not you or a thousand like you are gonna come down South and get me and my friends to take our flags down.
Did ya lose a relative in the war? I'm sorry..
Afore I go lemme ax ya sump'in...when Abe signed the Emancipation deal why didn't he free the slaves that were in the north? I never could quite understand why he freed them that were in "occupied and in insurrection" He kept them poor black folks in the north in a state of slavery. I just never could understand that one.
He free 'em where he has no control at the time and parts he does control he keeps as slaves...mighty strange.
Well, look both ways afore crossing the street and have a nice day.
By , at
Tue Mar 13, 12:49:00 PM:
Mr, Chambers...
If the Battle Flag of the Confederacy is the same thing as a Swastika for you, I am afraid you are revealing a massive lack of understanding of what it means to millions of Americans. Educate yourself or wallow in your ignorance, I don't care. Your posts proclaim to the world, "I don't know what I am talking about, but I have an opinion".
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Mar 13, 12:50:00 PM:
Habu1 and Chris,
Stop that shit. Argue your points respectfully or don't argue them at all.
Thanks.
By Habu, at
Tue Mar 13, 01:16:00 PM:
The Most Honorable Mr. Chambers:
Sir, I write you with great repect for your accomplishments in writing and raising a family. I'm sure both have brought you great joy.
If you could sir enlighten me as to a question that I ask out of ignorance, not malice, or anything of the kind, I would be greatful. Our country has made great strides in the last fifty years in race relations, something I think we are all proud of accomplishing.
But globally, particularly in the Islamic states. The Republic of Mauritania is an often cited offender as well as Gabon, the Sudan, and several others.
My question is this. Americans of African heritage are pround to hyphenate their country. There are many well spoken admired African-American leaders. Why is it that those leaders never mention the slavery going on in the aforementioned countries. What are your thoughts on why the Reverend's Jackson and Sharpton made a cause celebre of the naked trading of human flesh in these places? Certainly they command attention when they speak?
Why, in your opinion , has the African-American population all but ignored these aborhorrent transgressions on the rights of man? Have you been to Africa to aid people in poverty? Have you written any articles about the slavery that continues, you are sir a writer of note. Why have the Africans been basically abandoned by their relatives?
Respectfully,
Habu
a Source
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Mar 13, 01:39:00 PM:
Much better, Habu1! See, that wasn't so hard... :)
By skipsailing, at
Tue Mar 13, 01:42:00 PM:
Helen Thomas is a real problem. I can understand the desire to honor an old war horse but the lady is an embarrasment.
the quotes provided by our gracious host (he's not yelling at me today!) illustrate the depth of her convictions as well as the shallowness of her vision.
By , at
Tue Mar 13, 06:10:00 PM:
I think that Helen Thomas already was a POTUS in a previous life. She probably was James Buchanan.
chsw
By , at
Tue Mar 13, 09:45:00 PM:
"Wow! I'm wondering if Habu1 actually has a confederate flag as a logo--same thing as swastika for me. Speaking of Atta, I recall a terrorist leader named jefferson davis, and one of his war criminal pals named nathan bedford forrest (who lovingly became the first grand wizard of the KKK) cooking up all kinds of plots designed to kill civilians in Northern cities, foment more race riots, turn people against Abe Lincoln and the Republicans? Oh, and a sleeper cell did indeed murder the President of the United States. All sounds familiar. Jeez."
I, for one, am upset at Christopher Chambers insulting Democrats like this.
