Time for Helen Thomas to Go
Helen Thomas has long been the crazy old granny of the White House press corps. And she has long since outlived her welcome. Now she’s shown a level of, well, loopiness that should disqualify her from more than just having such a prominent place at presidential press conferences and White House news briefings.
The video speaks for itself:
Via Instapundit who linked a poll which asked “Should Helen Thomas be kicked off the White House Press Corps for her anti-semitic remarks?”
UPDATE: Via Instapundit, Michelle Bachmann sums it up, “The White House needs to revoke her press credentials immediately.”
UP-UPDATE: Media reports notwithstanding, Helen Thomas has not apologized.
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I believe the clinical term is bat-shit crazy.
Helen Thomas just hasn’t been the same since that house fell on her sister.
Comment by ColoradoPatriot — June 5, 2010 @ 9:57 am - June 5, 2010
It’s all about freedom of speech. At her age, she has the right to say just about anything she wants too.
So will you and I when we are old. I cannot agree that this is the forum for her to speak so openly, but it does show us her bias when she writes her articles.
OK, she is old, but let’s show some respect for her and the right to speak openly. It may not be long before we lose that freedom with Obama around.
Comment by CottonMan — June 5, 2010 @ 10:09 am - June 5, 2010
Raus! Raus!
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 5, 2010 @ 10:38 am - June 5, 2010
(In my best Sgt. Schultz voice. No, the one from Stalag 17.).
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 5, 2010 @ 10:39 am - June 5, 2010
#2 – I, too, am not an advocate of censorship, but let’s face it: if this had been a conservative who had said the same thing, everyone at (P)MSNBC – none of which is a minority, unless you count Rachel Madcow – would be acting as if the world had come to an end.
Hamas Helen should either apologize or get off the pot. And it behooves someone who has been covering the WH since the Lincoln Administration to know better than that.
Regards,
Peter H.
PS: I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!
Comment by Peter Hughes — June 5, 2010 @ 11:36 am - June 5, 2010
Helen Thomas is of Lebanese heritage, so it’s no surprise that she said what she said. Her traditionally high profile spot at all press conferences always irked me. Yes, I know she has vast experience (since JFK) but still. She turns 90 this August, so we’ll have to deal with this “crazy old aunt in the attic” for at least a few more years.
Comment by Jim Michaud — June 5, 2010 @ 11:39 am - June 5, 2010
Considering Palestine has only been a country for a little while, and the Jews have been in the region since the dawn of time and monotheistic cultures… I say the Palestinians need to move away and move into Helen Thomas’ place… I am sure she has plenty of cats and hard candy to go around.
Comment by Stone K — June 5, 2010 @ 11:41 am - June 5, 2010
#6 – She’s a Lebanese? Funny, I thought she liked men.
(Rimshot!)
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — June 5, 2010 @ 11:43 am - June 5, 2010
PS to Dan: is there any way you could put a black spot on ol’ Hamas Helen’s face on the YouTube clip? She’s making the milk curdle in my Rice Krispies.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — June 5, 2010 @ 11:44 am - June 5, 2010
Heh, heh Peter, I knew someone would pick up on that Lebanese-lesbian thing. I wonder if Helen is related to Danny Thomas (another famous Lebanese). Off topic-The now late Rue McLanahan
had one of the best lines in Golden Girls when she stated that she didn’t know any lesbians personally but wondered if Danny Thomas was one. Priceless!
Comment by Jim Michaud — June 5, 2010 @ 12:08 pm - June 5, 2010
I thought she was dead
Comment by LCRW — June 5, 2010 @ 12:20 pm - June 5, 2010
Somebody give that lady a Bible. I don´t mean for her to read it for inspiration but from an historical perspective. Linguistic analysts have provided us a time frame when the books were written. From ancient times it has been called the Land of the Jews. The first chapter of Joshua descibes the boundries of the nation. In the New Testament, the events of what is called Holy Week takes place in Jerusalem. In those days Germany and Poland were not nations but areas inhabited by tribes of barbarians.
Comment by Roberto — June 5, 2010 @ 12:29 pm - June 5, 2010
Cottonman, since when did old age become an excuse for spewing vile hatred. I disagree with Dan on this one, she isn’t loopy – she’s evil.
Jews have lived everywhere in the world, Israel has never been without a Jewish population.
So why does she mention only two countries – Germany – the architect of the holocaust and Poland – the country that quite willingly allowed most of the death camps to be built on her soil?
Cottonman, I find you to be an embarrassment if that is your attitude about evil in this world.
Comment by Leah — June 5, 2010 @ 12:30 pm - June 5, 2010
#10 – Jim, here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6b6lKnkdIs
“Lesbian…lesbian…LESBIAN???!!!”
RIP, Rue.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — June 5, 2010 @ 1:01 pm - June 5, 2010
I though Andy Levy had the best line last night on “Red Eye”:
“Whoever’s been operating Helen Thomas since Jim Henson died is doing a horrible job.”
What’s annoying is that Thomas is no longer a reporter but now writes opinion. That alone should keep her out of the White House Press Corpse…er…Corps.
Comment by Draybee — June 5, 2010 @ 2:44 pm - June 5, 2010
I think she should be censured by the White House Press Corps and made to sit in the back of the room.
Comment by Judith L — June 5, 2010 @ 3:00 pm - June 5, 2010
Unlike helen thomas, Danny Thomas is a Christian. And a far better person than she shall ever be.
Comment by Otter — June 5, 2010 @ 3:48 pm - June 5, 2010
Thanks Peter (#14) — One of the best Golden Girls scenes ever. Too bad it cuts before the next part: “Rose?! What does she see in Rose?!”
RIP Rue McClanahan.
Comment by Bruce (GayPatriot) — June 5, 2010 @ 4:41 pm - June 5, 2010
Was.
I always liked Make Room for Daddy and wish Nick at Night would put it back on.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 5, 2010 @ 7:04 pm - June 5, 2010
So by Ms. Thomas’ “logic”, she needs to leave the United States and go back to Lebanon where her parents immigrated from. Oh I know, she might claim “But I was born in the US! Kentucky as a matter of fact! So I’m an American and have just as much right to live here as anyone else does!”. By her own logic, no she does not. Kentucky was the traditional hunting grounds of the Cherokee and Shawnee which was “stolen” by European settlers. Her being born in “stolen” land is irrelevant to the fact that the land doesn’t belong to her so therefore she has no right to live in it. After all, Kentucky only became a state 128 years before she was born in 1920. Not very long for an historical claim over land. Now of course she has moved to other states since being born in Kentucky, but similar stories of “stolen” land can also be made for Michigan, Virginia, Maryland and any other state in the Union she wishes to claim as home. So back to Lebanon you go Ms. Thomas! Hmm…too tempting to think about. Okay, I imagine that even most Shawnee and Cherokee living today don’t have a problem with Ms. Thomas being here or that there is a United States of America in this land now, not to say that they don’t have problems with how it was founded or the “deal” their ancestors were given. Newsflash to Ms. Thomas and other idiots like her: 70% of Israelis are sabras, that is they were BORN in the State of Israel and have just as much claim over the land they live in in Israel Proper, if not more now, than Palestinians most of whom haven’t lived within the borders of Jewish State. Gaza and the West Bank? Ok, the Palestinians can make a legit claim over those areas but Israel Proper is lost to them.
Comment by John — June 5, 2010 @ 8:07 pm - June 5, 2010
I agree she should go, her comments are for a columnist not a reporter.
But how are how comments anti-Semitic? – The video did not play for me so I was not able to hear her full text – but being anti-the state Israel does not make one anti-Semitic
I for one don’t like the way Israeli settlers steal land, water and the livelihoods of the Palestinian people. I don’t wait the way the gov protects those Israeli thugs and thieves. And I agree with Gen. Petraeus that the US’s blind support of Israel puts our soldiers at risk
Gen. Petraeus is not anti-Semitic because of his views on Israel’s policies and unless there is something else I have not seen, neither is Helen Thomas
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 2:09 am - June 6, 2010
General Petraeus does NOT agree with YOU.
Sigh! I am still waiting for the day when a regressive surprises me by saying something that isn’t a blatant lie. But I’m not holding my breath!
General Petraeus never said any such thing. That’s just the same vermin who called him “General BetrayUs” telling more lies, FALSELY claiming that the general agrees with their antisemitic views.
He does NOT and he specifically corrected the liars.
Comment by American Elephant — June 6, 2010 @ 3:21 am - June 6, 2010
Gillie… and others…
often miss the ‘Palestinian angle’ because so many concentrate their ire and commentary on the Israeli’s “right” to be there and the like.
Study of the “history” of the ‘Palestinians’ (or the people occupying the area formerly known as Palestine) will show they are NOT an indigenous people, but are in fact the Arab equivalent of Gypsies. Many of them were dumped out of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, even Egypt, Iraq and Iran in several waves since the 1930′s. There supposed to be this wonderfully downtrodden, oppressed people, when in fact they are the ‘discards’ of the Arab world, forced into the area to eventually become ‘the Jews’ problem’.
And before anyone should spout off rhetoric about them being ‘original’ Palestinians…read the historical accounts of what happened to all of the Palestinians in the separately corroborated biblical timeline accounts AND study the emigration and immigration movements from the 1930′s through 1975 or so for the region.
Comment by rodney — June 6, 2010 @ 6:10 am - June 6, 2010
It seems to me that this sort of thing should be expected when you throw in with terrorists and make them your leaders. Instead of pissing and moaning about Israel, perhaps they need to look more inward.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 6, 2010 @ 6:55 am - June 6, 2010
#23
You remind me of the Israelis I have met who insist that the whole area of Palestine was empty and the Jewish settlers just took empty land.
Palestinian people were forced out of their homes and put into camps. They are not allowed to homes / property that they still hold deeds to.
That is historical fact
Palestinian people are subject to occupation, brutality and daily humiliations. That is fact.
Israeli settlers STILL steal land, water and territory. That is fact.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 9:28 am - June 6, 2010
“perhaps they need to look more inward.”
You are right. They do need to look inward and change their leadership and revise their expectations and goals.
Alas, they are too busy looking / praying for a Hero who will lead them to defeat Israel and get their land and rights back.
But the same could be said to Israel. They need to stop trying to win this through some sort of IDF strike and instead realize that this can’t go on forever and they have to give more land back
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 9:32 am - June 6, 2010
#22
Yes Petraeus backtracked, just like Helen Thomas did.
So unless there is more that I don’t know about neither is Anti-Semitic.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 9:33 am - June 6, 2010
Yes gillie, because ‘land for peace’ worked sooooo well before.
Now I’ll give you the same challenge I issued earlier. List ONE thing the Palestinians have done to meet their obligations under Oslo. Just one.
As to ‘they still have deeds’ Pop quiz, who’s side were they on in WW II? And what did we do to Germany after WW II? Guess what, they lost. They listened to their pols and got their heads handed to them. Also remember there ARE ‘Palistinans’ in Israel. Hells, there are some in the Knesset. So don’t whine about the poor oppressed Palistinians.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 10:03 am - June 6, 2010
Note how Gillie calls ‘refuting the claims’ as ‘backtracking’. Again all gillie has is lies and bile.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 10:05 am - June 6, 2010
[...] Time for Helen Thomas to Go [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » The Gaza Flotilla:Political Theater in War on Western Civilization — June 6, 2010 @ 11:32 am - June 6, 2010
#28
Your question shows a lack of understanding of what Oslo was, but here is 5:
1. The the PLO recognized Israel right to exist
2. The Palestinians held elections
3. The Palestinians set up offices
4. The Palestinians set up offices to act as a liaison to Israel.
5. The Palestinians set up a National Council
Yet the Palestinians failed to stamp out violence. (they barely tried)
While Arafat used it as consolidation move to enrich himself at the expense of the people
Israel showed bad faith by grabbing land as fast as they could
Netanyahu undermined it whenever he could
And now the Palestinians are even more hopeless and more desperate and the Israelis are entrenched in their “IDF First” mentality.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 11:34 am - June 6, 2010
#29 – No.
Petraeus refuted the claim that he wanted US command operations responsible for the west bank / gaza.
He backtracked from his report that said the staunch American support of Israel puts US soldiers at risk
That view does not make him Anti-Semitic and I have not seen statements that show Helen Thomas is one either.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 11:40 am - June 6, 2010
“So don’t whine about the poor oppressed Palistinians.”
Sigh…to even try and argue that the Palestinian people are not oppressed, subject to daily humiliations and in a untenable situation borderlines is just silly.
You can try to argue that the Israelis are justified in their Brutality, but don’t deny it.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 11:45 am - June 6, 2010
Awwww, look, Gillie lies again
‘recognizing Israel’ != ‘recognizing the right to wipe it out’.
And yes, the humiliations of having olympic sized swimming pools and fancy dining and well stocked shops.
The poor in Gaza are poor for the same reasons as in Cuba and North Korea.
And pretending it’s the JOOOOOOSSSSSSS fault is as sad and pathetic as we’ve come to expect from Gillie.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 12:42 pm - June 6, 2010
Livewire.
Your lack of understanding on this is appalling.
Your link is to the PLO charter of 1968
Oslo was 1993
Please see below
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/recogn.html
Also, I noticed you did not comment on the other 4 I gave you. You display the typical conservative mindset when presented with fact, ignore and name call.
Whats more – Do a google search on Gaza
Look at images, watch videos and try to learn. Stay away from left wing and right wing sites and just look at the tragedy that those people have to live with. You can say its self inflicted, but to deny it is just unconscionable.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 12:58 pm - June 6, 2010
You’re obviously not from the south. We love our loopy elderly relatives. The nuttier the better.
Comment by Houndentenor — June 6, 2010 @ 2:08 pm - June 6, 2010
once again, gillie, don’t let facts get in the way of a good lie. I don’t need to respond to your other points, the first one negates it. Plus, the PLO/Fatah doesn’t even rule Gaza anymore, the current (elected) rulersip attacks Israel daily.
if you repeat it enough, I’m sure someone else will belive it.
Also note how you ignore the links I provided, showing busiesses booming in Gaza, if you’re with the right people.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 2:33 pm - June 6, 2010
Oh I see
Because they didn’t update the 1996 document, the letter to the UN and the president of Israel does not count.
Now you are just being Silly
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 3:13 pm - June 6, 2010
I didn’t ignore your links. I am aware of Tom Gross and his articles. He often makes great points, I just don’t think one tour of Gaza does justice to the suffering that is happening there.
I just think if you do more research past the national review, you will see indeed that life is pretty bad there
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 3:16 pm - June 6, 2010
I noticed that you didn’t mention Hamas’ refusal to recognize Israel, end terrorism or rocket attacks permanently, etc. They are quite clear with their goals: the destruction of Israel.
Comment by John — June 6, 2010 @ 3:23 pm - June 6, 2010
John,
Livewire asked me to name 1 thing the Palestinians did to follow Oslo so I gave him 5 (Why he asking I don’t know because Oslo is deader than a doornail)
I agree Hamas wants the Jews gone and would not recognize Israel. I do think though after engagement they could change their tune.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 3:36 pm - June 6, 2010
LOL….how about demanding they change their tune now, gillie?
Oh, that’s right. You don’t see anything wrong with their tune. That is the problem.
Do you think it is in compliance with Oslo that Hamas refuses to recognize Israel and is calling for the death of all Jews, gillie? Hm?
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — June 6, 2010 @ 3:43 pm - June 6, 2010
gillie thinks that a letter from a (dead) leader is the same as accepting Israel’s right to exist (even though the charter says otherwise).
Congratulations gillie, you must now embrace the Republican Party since President Bush and Vp Cheney’s statements recently trump the party’s charter.
Keep on keepin’ on the big lie gillie.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 3:54 pm - June 6, 2010
Images and videos provided by those pushing the Pro-Hamas narrative.
Good God, you just keep sinking into a pit of dumb.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 6, 2010 @ 4:09 pm - June 6, 2010
No, liar, Petraeus didn’t backtrack. He never said what you liars claimes he did in the first place. He did NOT backtrack, he corrected YOUR LIES about what he said.
Comment by American Elephant — June 6, 2010 @ 5:22 pm - June 6, 2010
“gillie thinks that a letter from a (dead) leader is the same as accepting Israel’s right to exist (even though the charter says otherwise”
Livewire you are just being ridiculous. The state of Israel accepted the Declaration.
If it was acceptable for State of Israel why the heck would it not be OK for you?
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 6:10 pm - June 6, 2010
AE come on you are parsing.
But to appease you, in his report to Congress He (or his staff) wrote said he thinks that Blind support of Israel puts our solders at risk.
From the link you provided, please see a CLASSIC backtrack:
“We noted in there that there was a perception at times that America sides with Israel and so forth. And I mean, that is a perception. It is there. I don’t think that’s disputable. But I think people inferred from what that said and then repeated it a couple of times and bloggers picked it up and spun it. And I think that has been unhelpful, frankly.”
But it STILL does not make him an anti-Semite
And I STILL have not been shown that Helen THomas is one too.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 6:18 pm - June 6, 2010
TGC I specifically said, stay away from Spin Orgs on both sides. Instead look at raw video, read the many stories of former IDF soldiers.
But be careful they might break your heart.
Comment by gillie — June 6, 2010 @ 6:20 pm - June 6, 2010
It seems the NON-Jew-hating liberals disagree with gillie and Helen
Her publisher, Hearst newspapers has denounced her, her agent has dropped her, and former allies, HUGE screaming leftists like Bill Clintons White House Counsel Lanny Davis are calling her an anti-Semitic bigot:
Do you think all blacks should go back to Africa too, gillie? You undoubtedly think all the Honkeys should go back to Europe since America belongs to the red man.
funny how liberals always try to divide people on racial lines.
Comment by American Elephant — June 6, 2010 @ 6:21 pm - June 6, 2010
And again, gillie is ignoring the elephant in the room The PLO has not changed their charter as is required.
It doesn’t matter what Arafat wrote, the words are as dead as he is, and as hollow as gillie’s arguments. Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel. The PLO calls for the destruction of Israel rendering any other promises they made null and void.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 6, 2010 @ 9:22 pm - June 6, 2010
Whatever you are smoking please share. Israel disengaged from Gaza a few years ago. Hamas began firing rockets and launching attacks into Israel. Yet somehow you find a way to pin this on Israel? Ok… To paraphrase Tony Snow, now that we’ve had the Hamas point of view…
If Hamas is unwilling to end their attacks how exactly do you propose disengagement can happen? Note I said “end”, not a hudna or temporary cease-fire to rebuild.
Comment by John — June 6, 2010 @ 10:22 pm - June 6, 2010
Gillie, I’m calling you out. Helen Thomas’s comment were violently anti-semetic and hateful, but you continue to apoligize for her? You are as pathetic as she is.
Comment by John in Dublin CA — June 7, 2010 @ 1:19 am - June 7, 2010
Helen Thomas? I think we should run a flag pole up her and see if gillie salutes.
Comment by heliotrope — June 7, 2010 @ 7:48 am - June 7, 2010
MRC has been kind enough to compile
gillieHelen Thomas’ greatest hits.H/T John J Miller.
I’m curious how anyone born before 1975 could call Israel an ‘aparthide state’. Rationally of course. so that rules Dhimmy Carter out.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 7, 2010 @ 8:51 am - June 7, 2010
Poor woman is SENILE! She needs to retire and go back to her own HOMELAND, Tripoli, Lebanon.
http://dailyradar.com/beltwayblips/video/helen-thomas-mocks-gibbs-over-white-house-s-lack-of/
Comment by Equal Justice — June 7, 2010 @ 11:47 am - June 7, 2010
Well looky here: Helen Thomas announces her retirement.
http://www.pressherald.com/news/Helen-Thomas-retires-in-flap-over-Israel-remarks-.html
Comment by Jim Michaud — June 7, 2010 @ 2:01 pm - June 7, 2010
Jim, I was just going to post that. I wish her no harm, but she really STEPPED in it this time..
Comment by Equal Justice — June 7, 2010 @ 2:23 pm - June 7, 2010
I’m curious as to why this was released only now when it looks like the date on the video was May 27th.
Comment by Left Leaning Lesbian — June 7, 2010 @ 11:09 pm - June 7, 2010
Btw, I am not supporting her remarks but am only curious as to the release or non release from what 2 weeks ago? Thoughts?
Comment by Left Leaning Lesbian — June 7, 2010 @ 11:10 pm - June 7, 2010
I’ve heard (which is a fancy way of saying I don’t have a link) that someone got a hold of the footage and released it to the net. That might explain the lag.
Comment by The_Livewire — June 8, 2010 @ 10:32 am - June 8, 2010