Helen Thomas featured on HBO special
By Jimmy Orr | 08.16.08
Not getting your fill of politics? HBO is unveiling a portrait of perhaps the best-known White House reporter on Monday night.
Veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas will be featured in a documentary chronicling her storied career covering - some would say “battling” - nine U.S. Presidents from 1960 to present.
The documentary, entitled, “Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House,” will debut Monday night at 9pm (Eastern Time).
Thomas, a fixture in American politics, is outspoken, blunt, demanding, forceful and unrelenting. Not only does she command respect by the highest powers in the US, her reputation is known worldwide.
Nothing speaks to her legend more than when USA Today founder Al Neuharth had an interview with Cuba’s Fidel Castro. He asked the Cuban leader what the difference was between Cuba’s democracy and the U.S.’s democracy.
Castro responded, “I don’t have to answer questions from Helen Thomas.”
HBO says the documentary, “…traces the reporter’s journey from her modest beginnings as the daughter of illiterate immigrants to her status as fearless journalist who stands up to the most powerful men in the world.”
However, some would argue that she treated some presidents better than others. When discussing her tradition of ending presidential press conference with the signature “Thank you, Mr. President,” Thomas remembers:
“I could see President Kennedy was struggling. So, finally, I got up, and I said, ‘Thank you, Mr. President.’…I got him off the hook.”
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2. Michael | 08.16.08
But I CAN believe HBO would produce it and 60 Minutes, GMA, Today, Ent
Tonight, etc. will glorify it. Let’s get an obnoxious old conservative to sit in front when their chosen one wins.
4. Mike | 08.16.08
Larry and Michael, How man presidents have you met face to face on a regular basis? How man of your words have been syndicated worldwide for five decades? How many people in the world even really care who you are? There’s a reason why you two are anonymous website trollers and Hellen will be known by history, whether good or bad, for millennium to come and the reason starts with your empty soul.
5. Larry | 08.16.08
“There’s a reason why you two are anonymous website trollers and Hellen will be known by history, whether good or bad, for millennium to come and the reason starts with your empty soul.”
Mikey, Take it easy, son; wouldn’t want you to start crying or anything. But consider this: If I’m an anonymous website troll and you and mary are responding to me, what do you suppose that makes you.
As far as presidents, I met Lyndon body-count Johnson, Jimmy dumb-ass Carter, Ronald American-icon Reagan and George W. Bush. I was impressed by Reagan and not the others. How does that stack up to your resume? Perhaps if you hurry, you can meet the aforementioned wind bag. Wouldn’t you be thrilled!
On the other hand, why so bitter Mikey?
9. Josh | 08.16.08
The great thing about our country is that all media and content is allowed. No one is forced to watch or read anything. No one is the “decider” of what can or can’t be shown/printed; leftist, rightist or otherwise. Blog comments included.
11. Dave | 08.16.08
I don’t understand how people like Larry and Michael can hate America so much. This country offers freedom to say what you want and they use that freedom to try to shut down anyone who doesn’t promote their party’s propaganda. Just like Stalin did. What a shame.
12. Johan | 08.16.08
Nothing speaks to her legend more then when Fidel Castro paid her a compliment? LOL!
13. Bryan | 08.16.08
Larry and Michael do love AMERICA, however they tend to hate AMERICANS. Thet think the country would be much better off if they could just eliminate anyone who thinks for themselves or questions anything this administration lies about. Isn’t it funny, the proponents of “smaller government” don’t like any oversight of the bloated fascistic administration which has put this country into debt for generations to come, while simultaniously sending our jobs to China.
14. hammer | 08.16.08
e-arguements rule. e-thugs rule even more. i mean cmon. its a one hour documentary. people who have to tongue in cheek, make cutesey comments like bag of wind or body count. really shouldnt be living at all. its not your conservatism im atacking, im a true conservatist myself. but the classy ones dont trash some old lady. who had a job most people eould think is fantastic.
regan an american icon? lol let me remind you….
A sober review of Reagan’s presidency doesn’t yield the seamlessly conservative record being peddled today. Federal government expanded on his watch. The conservative desire to outlaw abortion was never seriously pursued. Reagan broke with the hardliners in his administration and compromised with the Soviets on arms control. His assault on entitlements never materialized; instead he saved Social Security in 1983. And he repeatedly ignored the fundamental conservative dogma that taxes should never be raised.
Goldwater would have been a better president then Reagan. fox news republicans who save up their bi weekly paycheck to eat at longhorn steak house cannot fathom that.
16. Lynda | 08.17.08
Helen is truly an American icon. Her questions are hard-hitting and to-the-point. She is what all news media should be today. Instead we have a bunch of wimps who are afraid that king george won’t call on them unless they toe the line. Pathetic AND unpatriotic. Just the opposite of Helen. And as you probably already know, Helen was demoted to the back of the media pack and hardly ever called on by our king george. He is afraid of her.
17. slamkitty | 08.20.08
12. Johan | 08.16.08
Nothing speaks to her legend more then when Fidel Castro paid her a compliment? LOL!
Perhaps it would be better for her if foreign leaders thought she was an asshat like out current president hey Johan. I hope that’s not your real name brother.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Larry | 08.16.08
I can’t believe anyone would tune to listen to an old leftist bag of wind like Thomas. So “old media.”