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Posted on July 1, 2009 by dakinikat

(with h/t juststoppingby)

****Note, while the source of information is attached to folks we consider ourselves completely unaligned with, I don’t think this particular article seems right wing meme riddled  but I’m putting up a warning and looking for other links with more conversation with Helen.

Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
By Penny Starr and Fred Lucas

(CNSNews.com) – Following a testy exchange during today’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press.

“Nixon didn’t try to do that,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try.

“What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama’s press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran.

“When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you,” Thomas said.

“I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well–for the town halls, for the press conferences,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”

w h/t Sam

Other Links: Raw Story:  helen thomas hits white house for lack of transparency

Link to WaPo Coverage today of the event in question: Obama Holds Health Care Forum

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117 Responses

  1. RedDragon62, on July 1, 2009 at 9:30 pm Said:

    Helen really lets him have it.
    I wish I could say that the press is finally detoxing but i rather doubt it. They are just upset an “upstart” nobody…in their eyes…was called upon to ask a question.

  2. dakinikat, on July 1, 2009 at 9:34 pm Said:

    Sam: I just stuck the entire think up top and gave a h/t you so I deleted your first comment which was basically the same as what I just did up top …

    thank you both for this, i simply add anything to these two links at the moment,

    i’m beyond dumbstruck …

  3. sam, on July 1, 2009 at 9:35 pm Said:

    By the way, I’ve never heard of cnsnews, and can’t help but wonder if these quotes are accurate. Helen did seem really upset by the end of the exchange with Gibbs. I wonder if she spoke with anyone else in the media.

    • dakinikat, on July 1, 2009 at 9:38 pm Said:

      Well, it says the right news, right now … all those rights make me curious, but I’m going let it stand up there because it doesn’t appear to be anything but quotes from Helen.

    • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 9:40 pm Said:

      CNS news bills itself as “an alternative to the liberal media,” so they definitely have an agenda, whether they’d take it as far as making up quotes, though, who can say.

    • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 9:49 pm Said:

      It was called the Conservative News Network, but they had to change it because that was trademarked. It’s an offshoot of Brent Bozell’s Media Research Center. They’ve been questioned in the past for claiming Begala said Republicans want to kill him and his family (Begala said he was talking about terrorists, not Republicans) and for running a Swift Boat style smear campaign questioning Murtha’s military medals and honors.

      • dakinikat, on July 1, 2009 at 10:11 pm Said:

        eeps …

        • RalphB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:33 pm Said:

          You shouldn’t worry. We should be mature enough to read this and make up our own minds about it’s veracity.

          Controlling what people see looks like a problem for the “newer left”.

          • dakinikat, on July 2, 2009 at 1:50 am Said:

            well, I’ve been taken to task for using right wing sources, even when they prove useful, albeit biased … for some reason, I expect Confluence readers to take it at face value, others think I should censor things and spoon feed everything from the list of clean and okay sources.

          • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 2:08 am Said:

            Well, the thing is, while the right wing media is biased and not always truthful, so’s the MSM. All you can do is put the information out there. It’s hard to tell whether to trust these guys or CNN or anyone in any given instance.

          • LJSNAustin, on July 2, 2009 at 9:30 am Said:

            Kat, I couldn’t care less what the source is and I am sorry you have been so attacked. Good grief, if ANYTHING, I would think we have all learned to read and think critically over the past year or so! My world view is not going to be threatened over ANY news source.

            I am LOVING Chip Reid and Helen Thomas right now. Smack-down!!

    • dakinikat, on July 1, 2009 at 10:10 pm Said:

      it looks like it might be right wing which is why I was trying to find other sources … it says right news right time … i’m not sure if that’s a play on words or not. I’m trying to find out …

  4. chatblu, on July 1, 2009 at 9:36 pm Said:

    Whoo-hoooo! Go, Helen and Chip, go!

    • Kat5, on July 1, 2009 at 10:03 pm Said:

      I’ve always liked Helen Thomas – now I adore her. Is she the only one who’s got the balls to speak the truth???

    • Woman Voter, on July 1, 2009 at 11:13 pm Said:

      Yea, baby, she is proof we get better with age and I especially liked the fact that she wasn’t going to back down. Go Helen Go…made my day. (((an AH…moment)))

      Chip, is no longer with the pom pom cheer leaders and doing his job! Yippy, I see, a light, albeit faint, but a light in the vast darkness of what were ‘journalists’… Oh, it is NOW a SPARK, signs of critical thinking going on. (((kissing the ground :cry: ))) I hope the spark continues to grow…especially since my eldest is one of those folks ((( :cry: will I see said child or learn to accept my NEW POD person…formerly my eldest and dear child))).

  5. RedDragon62, on July 1, 2009 at 9:37 pm Said:

    “What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

    It’s about time someone spoke out. It won’t change anything though. This has gone on forever. But it was still refreshing to see Helen Thomas punk Gibby!

  6. RedDragon62, on July 1, 2009 at 9:48 pm Said:

    The more I watch it, the snottier Gibbs seems. he’s like one of those kids that gets caught telling a lie and tries to laugh his way out of it!

    • OldCoastie, on July 1, 2009 at 9:56 pm Said:

      it’s the mocking and the giggling at Helen that is disturbing… and yes, Gibbs sounds about 12 years old…

    • bostonboomer, on July 1, 2009 at 9:57 pm Said:

      He’s an SOB. And he’s been with Obama from way back too.

    • Kat5, on July 1, 2009 at 10:03 pm Said:

      Smarmy is the only word for Gibbs. Just loathe him.

      • WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:14 pm Said:

        Gibbsy is so disgustingly eager in his smarminess. He’ll get the chrome off that trailer hitch, yet! He’s the “little engine that could” of sycophancy.

    • Pips, on July 2, 2009 at 5:32 am Said:

      Or as Orrin so brilliantly put it at Violet’s place (June 12th):

      “Look at the President’s own Press Secretary – one of the most sneering, condescending, rude, nasty folks ever to stand at that podium. And he LIKES being that way – he enjoys it. This is the man Obama hand picked to be his personal spokesman. That’s the leadership of the party. The sexism is almost incidental – they do the same thing to any opponent.

      Obama’s like some stereotype of the Bad Guy in an ’80s high school movie, tormenting every non-clique member they can find, with guys like Letterman and Gibbs as part of the gang he keeps around to do the heavy lifting so he can look good to the teachers. It’d be merely pathetic if they didn’t have so much power over our everyday lives.”

  7. bostonboomer, on July 1, 2009 at 9:56 pm Said:

    I just checked google news. It seems that mostly the conservative sites are covering this. But I watched the video a little while ago. Helen T. was really angry. You could see it. Even Chip Reid was upset.

    • sam, on July 1, 2009 at 10:07 pm Said:

      It’s at a number of conservative websites, so it should be interesting to see if anyone in the main stream media touches base with Helen to see if her quotes were accurate. She did look really angry, and perhaps she ended up saying things she wouldn’t normally say. (I mean, the unfavorable comparison to Nixon is huge, especially from the likes of Helen Thomas.)

      I wonder if Helen will end up sitting in one of the back rows for press conferences now.

      • EricaLeigh, on July 1, 2009 at 10:40 pm Said:

        I heard Helen’s clip on the radio today (she followed Chip Reid, and he was none to happy, either). They are starting to press back on Gibbs/B0.

        I hope her car is in good condition. If I were her I’d check the brakes.
        (unfortunately, I’m not kidding)

      • LJSNAustin, on July 2, 2009 at 9:32 am Said:

        “I wonder if Helen will end up sitting in one of the back rows for press conferences now.”

        …or worse. Watch out, Helen.

    • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 10:15 pm Said:

      The entire press corps probably hates her too, because she does her job and isn’t a sychophant, so regardless of the sources the story could very well be true. She might have gone into the hallway to vent, and the MSM outlets didn’t give a damn what she had to say and chose not to cover it while the conservative outlets were all over it.

  8. WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:03 pm Said:

    I adore Helen Thomas. And Gibbs tried to dismiss and chuckle and schmooze and “There, there…calm down..” his way out of it, the smarmy pig.

    • bostonboomer, on July 1, 2009 at 10:04 pm Said:

      Gibbs nauseates me. He has the same arrogant attitude as Obama.

    • Kat5, on July 1, 2009 at 10:08 pm Said:

      You’re giving pigs a bad name here.

    • Madrigal, on July 1, 2009 at 10:17 pm Said:

      Blech, he is such a condescending jerk to Helen & such a weasil with Chip….The quintessential fake “sensitive guy” that kisses up to your face but backstabs you when you are out of the room. Ugh! …our the new Democratic generation.

      *Bobos* (Obama generation) replace the *Bubbas* (Clinton generation)…. and we are now being run by a cut-throat snobby clique.

      :-(

  9. bostonboomer, on July 1, 2009 at 10:04 pm Said:

    In other disgusting news, Jon Favreau earns $172,200 per year–the same as Rahm Emanuel, Robert Gibbs, and David Axelrod.

    http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/07/01/who-gets-paid-what-in-the-obama-white-house.aspx

  10. helenk, on July 1, 2009 at 10:06 pm Said:

    Helen Thomas is my hero.
    She has watched more than one press secretary bury themselves. Just how many presidents has she seen come and go. If she ever writes a tell all book watch some scared politicians hide.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

    • juststoppingby, on July 1, 2009 at 10:43 pm Said:

      I’ve always had great respect for Helen, but when she did that skit with Colbert for the Correspondent’s Dinner….chasing him thru the WH and the parking lot…well, I became an outright FAN.

  11. Madrigal, on July 1, 2009 at 10:09 pm Said:

    AWSOME! Chip and Helen kick some Mr. Slip ‘n’ Slides Ass!

    :-D

  12. sam, on July 1, 2009 at 10:16 pm Said:

    http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/07/wolff200907?printable=true&currentPage=all

    “Courting the dinosaurs, the Obama people feed the increasingly hungry new media the scraps—and manage, mostly, to have them thankful for them.

    The Huffington Post has become an ideal back door for the most partisan stuff. It’s being used in a way that suddenly seems not all that dissimilar to how the Bush White House used Fox News. It’s as obvious and as unfiltered.

    “The Times, it appears, gets soft, thoughtful, and complicated stuff. HuffPo gets the mean and simplistic,” says Michael Tomasky, The Guardian’s Washington-based American editor-at-large.

    In other words, the Obama people have purchase on both established media and partisan media. If the Bush people ran a singular, blaring, drumbeating message, the Obama people are running a message across numerous spectra of purpose and subtlety and payoff. Indeed, while the Times seems reserved for the more weighty exegesis, and the HuffPo for its attacks, Politico, the politics-focused site that began during the last political campaign and is now trying to build an off-election-cycle business, has become the prime outlet for Obama White House gossip—the fuel of the day’s political kibitzing, the candy by which an odd intimacy is created with both the media and the political hard core. It’s politics as a short take—politics as an item. “They use it for the quick pops. They get the headline out there. They short-circuit analysis. They keep momentum going. All day, rat-a-tat-tat,” says one pressroom-watcher. “They essentially write it themselves.””

  13. Dee, on July 1, 2009 at 10:16 pm Said:

    The July issue of Vanity Fair has an article about Gibbs and the White House press corp.

    Regarding White House staff’s handling of the media – it suggests that the press has met its match.

    Its probably online.

  14. SHV, on July 1, 2009 at 10:25 pm Said:

    The poor lady with kidney cancer that Obama “used” at his town hall today was a set up. What kind of person would do that? A sociopath!!

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090701/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_health_forum

  15. WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:31 pm Said:

    Good piece on Greta just now, taking about Hillary and her urging Obama to get tougher on Iran, and his change of tone without telling her.

    It’s good – they are actually talking about the fact that AXELROD has made more public statements about foreign policy than Hillary. Talking about whether he is following Hillary’s advice, and whether or allies and enemies are confused.

    Talking about how normally the SOS is the face of our foreign policy, and many are questioning whether Hill is being shut out, and uneasy with the idea that perhaps political operatives have the ear of the Prez on foreign policy more than she does.

    Liz Cheny is talking, and her whole attitude is negative on Obama (to be expected) but very respectful of Hill. Takeaway “feel” of the piece was that he has a tremendous asset in Hill, and if he is sidelining her, then he is a monumental idiot, and all our friends and allies and enemies know it.

    • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 10:37 pm Said:

      But everyone in the world worships him! He is the most internationally beloved US leader ever!

      • RalphB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:40 pm Said:

        and “the most interesting man in the world” or some other phony commercial :-)

        • WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:48 pm Said:

          I think the leaking of the Iran stance disagreement was her none-too-subtle shot over his bow, that he’d better let her do her damn job.

          I want her there, because she’s good. But if he doesn’t let her do the job, then I think she ought to WALK.

          • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 10:55 pm Said:

            But she’s a patriot and party loyalist and knows he’d replace her with someone awful.

          • RalphB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:55 pm Said:

            me2 and I’ve felt that way since day 1.

          • ecoast, on July 1, 2009 at 11:17 pm Said:

            I think Sydney Blumenthal has some role in this leaking and repositioning. State Dept announced a few days ago that Blumenthal has joined Hillary’s team as a consultant. Blumenthal is a street brawler and ‘eye for eye’ kind of guy. This means Hillary has decided to raise the stakes and decided to stay in and fight.

    • DandyTiger, on July 1, 2009 at 10:53 pm Said:

      Yea, I saw that too. First we have to remember it’s Liz Cheney with the story. But if true, if people with state business are being directed to Axelrod and if many of the important state staff members are being moved to be under Axelrod, then Hillary won’t be at SOS much longer. Obviously an important story to follow, and most importantly verify since it’s from Liz.

      • WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 10:58 pm Said:

        Yeah, it’s Liz – that’s why I said that the negative stance was to be expected from her. But still, Hillary is being sidelined, at least publicly. That part’s not just from Liz – that much is obvious, and is being reported.

        GWB had Condi in front of the cameras ANY time a foreign policy issue needed to be addressed, as did previous presidents with SOS Powell, Albright, etc. That has not happened with Hillary. It is very very odd how little face time she gets.

        So far, Hill is NOT the public spokesperson for policy, as every other SOS has been. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s not good.

        • DandyTiger, on July 1, 2009 at 11:02 pm Said:

          Well, we all did say that the whole point of Obama getting her in the SOS position was to get her out of the Senate and then dump her. So is that what’s behind the effort now, or perhaps that’s always been the plan as we guessed.

          Hang tough Hillary. And if you’re pushed out of the administration and clearly screwed by the Dem party, do your country the biggest favor you could ever do, run for president as an independent in 2012. Please.

          • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 11:11 pm Said:

            Do you think she might run for Governor? Or is she just effectively checkmated and her political career over if this is true?

          • RalphB, on July 1, 2009 at 11:43 pm Said:

            Unless she runs as an Independent and/or we’re in an even worse recession then you can stick a fork in Hillary. She’s done.

            Personally I’d love to see her run as an Independent but don’t see it ever happening.

          • Madrigal, on July 2, 2009 at 1:07 am Said:

            DandyTiger:

            “do your country the biggest favor you could ever do, run for president as an independent in 2012. Please.”

            Yes, that would be Awsome! In general I’m hoping that there are more & more Independents in the future who can affect what the DINOs & RINOs have taken for granted for years.

            Hillary as Independent would rock! Course she would have no real political money machine to help her out, so I don’t know if it could work. It never has for other 3rd party candidates. Also, Obama’s team has amassed the strongest, largest, & most extensive interparty structure to maintain his (& other fauxprog) power grip for a very long time to come. She & allies would have to leap-frog their vortex somehow.

            Ack, I’m really getting depressed with all this stuff tonight!

          • Pips, on July 2, 2009 at 5:54 am Said:

            Am I the only one believing, that Hillary asked to be SoS at the secret meeting at DiFi’s house? In return for campaigning for Obama (which she did more energetic than anyone would/could have expected. And Bill too! Even while the Obamas went on vacation!)

            What else was all the ensuing negotiations between theír respective lawyers all about? That went on for quite some time after the meeting with a lot of travel activity between Washington and Chicago.

          • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 6:15 am Said:

            The thing is, Obama screws everyone over. If she asked for it, he might have said yes but he guaranteed wouldn’t have delivered. Also, she probably thought he didn’t have a hope in hell of beating McCain.

          • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 6:36 am Said:

            Also, I’m not sure it’s legal to promise someone a Cabinet position, and if it’s not then it wouldn’t matter what the lawyers had hammered out, an illegal contract wouldn’t be enforced by the courts. He could just pull out and she wouldn’t have a leg to stand on (and it’s also guaranteed that he would receive no sanction for entering into an illegal agreement, either).

          • Pips, on July 2, 2009 at 6:44 am Said:

            But isn’t it puzzling what all the negotiations was about then?

            And why on earth did both she and Bill work so hard to get Obama elected? They certainly didn’t have to. I know: Party loyalty and the belief that whatever D is better than any R. But she must also have known, that she screwed her own chance for 2012.

          • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 6:49 am Said:

            Obama would have lost if not for the economic crisis. She probably didn’t think he had a shot in hell of winning due to all his shortcomings as a candidate and on substance, the way he spent money like a drunken sailor and got no return, the fact that he couldn’t win the primary, etc. I really doubt Bill would have lifted a finger if he thought Obama actually had a shot. ;)

      • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 11:02 pm Said:

        They’re so petty, that would be so like them. Of course, she could have the last laugh and run for Governor of NY. (I live Paterson, but his chances don’t seem so hot).

        • littleisis, on July 2, 2009 at 12:22 am Said:

          If Hillary had stayed in the senate she would have to vote on all this awful domestic policy-no one would have let her spearhead UHC reform and Dems in the Senate would have sidelined her. In the senate she would have been going nowhere fast.
          She is better off where she is. And if things get bad enough she can resign any time she wants and come out smelling like a rose. She can do anything she wants after this- she has more political capital than any other politician in the country right now.
          Besides, if Bam is sidelining her that is a good thing. It means that in the future if anyone asks her why she supported this or that on foreign policy in his administration, she could say, “Oh, well. The administration went under my nose with a lot of those things and sidelined me, so basically, I was irrelevant in that decision.”
          So in the end, it could come back to bite them in the ass.
          Hillary is in a good position right now. And I love that she hired Blem! I love Sidney Blementhal! (sp?)

          • lorac, on July 3, 2009 at 1:22 am Said:

            She really isn’t likely to run in 2012 unless BO is in REAL trouble (which may happen, of course). But if they feel they can bamboozle enough people, and cheat at enough caucuses, they may not allow anyone to challenge BO in the dem primary next time.

            I agree, she would have been screwed if she had stayed in the Senate. This way she is gettting foreign policy creds, even if they are trying to sideline her. And if she does run for NY Governor, that would be admin experience for her, and then she could run again for Pres in 2016.

            I believe that this is the first time a senator has won (so to speak) the presidency, in the past it has always been governors……? So, if he’s sidelining her now, and she doesn’t think the DNC will allow challengers to BO in 2012, she could spend the time getting the governor creds. If she got NY all straightened out in this economic crisis, people would be screaming for her to become Pres to straighten out the whole country’s economic woes…

        • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 12:30 am Said:

          I’m glad she hired him too, he’s a loyalist all the way. I know you’re right, she was screwed in the Senate, she was pretty much between a rock and a hard place there. Because the Democratic Party SUCKS! LOL

    • Madrigal, on July 2, 2009 at 12:52 am Said:

      I knew they were going to pull the “keep your enemies closest” deal with Hillary (when they offered her SOS) & then try to snuff out her responsibilities. Now she is forced to go along with his policies publicly, even if in private she knows he is making ass-hat moves.

      I think they also wanted her in SOS to silence her as well as have someone to take a public media whipping if anything goes wrong with their (international golden boyz) foreign policy. These people are smart hatchet men and not to be underestimated at all. I admit I am worried for her situation.

      • littleisis, on July 2, 2009 at 12:57 am Said:

        I am not worried about her. Hillary is smart and tough and I’m sure she’s in control. My money is on Blem helping her leak that story to make her seem stronger than Obama. Remember, even Biden wanted him to take a tougher stance on Iran. She is fighting back and that is a good thing.
        Besides, she’s a big girl and she can take care of herself. Anyway, I am off to bed. Night all!

        • Madrigal, on July 2, 2009 at 1:34 am Said:

          Unfortunately even smart & tough people get played all the time. My worry does not mean that I am implying that Hillary is some little weakling. I am just worried that these Obama people are beyond the pale in machinations…they obviously gamed ALL of us smart Hillary supporters during the (stolen) nomination process.

          Cinnie wrote an eye-opening piece about Obama and his cronies, titled “Hardball With Clean Hands,” in which she referenced the following quote:

          Obama states, “If they bring a knife, we bring a gun.”

          I think this quote really sums up Obama & his people.

          Anyway, littleisis, I really do hope you are right and that she is in control and everything will turn out fine. Have a good night!
          :-)
          (and by the way, thanks for your detailed & thoughtful response to my post to your thread a few days ago… I was going to thank you on the thread, itself but it got closed for comments suddenly & I couldn’t post anything)

          I am off to bed too..ciao TCers!

          • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 1:47 am Said:

            I don’t think it’s so much that she’s getting played as that people who don’t put themselves first can end up getting screwed. Her MO seems to be to always be thinking about the party or the greater good first. Anybody else would be like eff you, you don’t get to treat me this way, but as Bill put it, she’s a sticker. And she puts up with a lot if she thinks she can do some good.

          • Madrigal, on July 2, 2009 at 3:52 pm Said:

            Seriously:

            “Her MO seems to be to always be thinking about the party or the greater good first.”

            “And she puts up with a lot if she thinks she can do some good.”

            YES… ! this is why I love Hillary. Despite the ongoing (unending) crap slung at her from every damn direction, the woman just keeps pulling up the ol’ sleeves and jumping back in the fight. I know she’s a scrapper and she is fair.

            My worries just come from knowing that Obama & Co. *don’t* fight fair. I hope to god (goddess, buddha, energy particles, ashes-to-ashes, whatever…) that she hangs in there. Overall, I’m glad she is still in the administration & I’m hoping she wins many NEW allies as well as linking up w/ old loyalists like Blumenthal. I also want her to hang tough and (hopefully) turn the tides in this country again. I might be a skeptical thinker but I’m still an idealist at heart! :-)

      • Seriously, on July 2, 2009 at 12:59 am Said:

        The most important rule is never, ever, ever for one minute trust Barack Obama.

  16. simofish, on July 1, 2009 at 10:42 pm Said:

    I need a facebook link on this to share —- unfuckingbelieveable

  17. sam, on July 1, 2009 at 10:53 pm Said:

    http://www.breitbart.tv/white-house-reporters-grill-gibbs-over-selected-questions-for-obama/

    Drudge covers the video exchange via the above Breitbart link.

  18. spock, on July 1, 2009 at 10:59 pm Said:

    I love people like Helen who just speak their mine and conscious without inhibition or without fear of recourse. At least she has an opinion of her own and does not need a teleprompter.

  19. sam, on July 1, 2009 at 11:02 pm Said:

    Off topic, but interesting attack by a CNBC talking head on “cowardly” bloggers that specifically calls out zerohedge. The guy actually says d***weed. Apparently, he wasn’t happy when the financial bloggers went after him after he declared that we had reached the end of the recession.

    http://www.breitbart.tv/dweed-cnbc-host-attacks-cowardly-bloggers-who-mock-his-optimism/

  20. boogieman7167, on July 1, 2009 at 11:08 pm Said:

    wow no why cant they the press act like that all the time.

  21. Dee, on July 1, 2009 at 11:11 pm Said:

    About Obama apparently trying to sideline Hillary on foreign policy – the last thing he needs is for Hillary to get pissed and leave his administration.

    If she is free to be and wades into domestic policy, namely health care which currently lacks a leading voice or obvious plan, absolutely everyone will listen to and follower her lead. She can take over and move the agenda on reform because everyone (even those who used to hate her) knows where her heart is on this. She would not owe anyone anything and could name names and rip off Obama’s smiley mask.

    Oh well, just a dream. But her voice is so badly needed on this issue. Obama is going to f-up foreign policy no matter what she does.

    Come on Hillary – come out of your cage. Come out and help us.

    • Seriously, on July 1, 2009 at 11:14 pm Said:

      Obama’s such a jackass, he doesn’t seem to have any concept of long term thinking. He’s like Nixon, trying to screw his enemies because he can.

    • Pips, on July 2, 2009 at 6:05 am Said:

      Re foreign policy, what I hear from both the media and the politicians here in northern Europe is nothing but sheer admiration over Obama’s intelligent and superior handling of foreign affairs. ME, Iran, Honduras, North Korea … you name it he’s on top of it! Like no other living person ever was – or ever will be, I guess!

    • lorac, on July 3, 2009 at 1:28 am Said:

      But wouldn’t she need a “platform”, a job, from which to be speaking about health care policy? I don’t think it could be a job in his admin, because I think she would want changes that he wouldn’t want.

      Has anyone else heard this about the Cap and Trade policy now before the Senate (already passed the house)? I heard that it has provisions that you can’t sell your house until you have installed approved weatherproof windows, doors, water heater, and some other things. Someone will have to come out to verify that you have done all these things before you can put your house on the market.

      I don’t know why they just don’t offer rebates or tax incentives to get people to do this stuff. Forcing it feels…. well, not too American….

  22. boogieman7167, on July 1, 2009 at 11:13 pm Said:

    i wonder if they will act that same way with BO i hope so i love to see BO sweat . GIBBS sure did

  23. boogieman7167, on July 1, 2009 at 11:23 pm Said:

    anyone know where i can find the full exchange

  24. WMCB, on July 1, 2009 at 11:27 pm Said:

    On the Iran “tone change”, I’m waiting for the smoking gun – a copy of the internal memo from Hillary to Obama, stating simply:

    “For God’s sake, GROW A PAIR!”

  25. Regency, on July 2, 2009 at 12:11 am Said:

    Helen Thomas just pwned Robert Gibbs.

    • lorac, on July 3, 2009 at 1:31 am Said:

      Regency – I see people using this “pwned”, but I don’t know what it means…. can you spell it out once for me, or is it a word that Spammy would eat?

  26. fif, on July 2, 2009 at 12:19 am Said:

    OMG–getting in late, I just watched that. What a completely patronizing buffoon Gibbs is, giggling at their challenges. To their credit, they didn’t let it go. Thomas made the point very clear: it’s a pattern, and the claims of transparency are a joke.

    • OldCoastie, on July 2, 2009 at 12:27 am Said:

      he doesn’t start the giggling until Helen pins him to the wall…

      I guess treating her like a crazy old woman makes him feel more like a man.

  27. fif, on July 2, 2009 at 12:21 am Said:

    “What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

    lol–sing it Helen!

  28. littleisis, on July 2, 2009 at 12:25 am Said:

    Yeah, Helen! Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Gibbs! He is such a condescending joker. He is exactly like POTUS, arrogant and high strung and defensive.

  29. MrMike, on July 2, 2009 at 12:34 am Said:

    I tried to find that “Hoodwinked and Bamboozled” video of Obama speaking at some rally but youtube removed it.

  30. yttik, on July 2, 2009 at 2:35 am Said:

    Helen Thomas, you go girl! I really hope I’m that ornery when I’m 88.

  31. vbonnaire, on July 2, 2009 at 3:35 am Said:

    Dak, never be worried about sources, K?

    ps: in an era when papers are dying off in print and shifting to web?
    tons were spent on all those front page banner ads and sidebar ads during the campaign. Axe Inc. bought up all the space?

    So few own the press anymore.
    Hpo is in some kind of mess with AP? Or something — I read a piece on that awhile back.

    Journos ho are now laid off — it’s mondo possible they are now blogging someplace?

    It’s true.

    you will know when you are reading a source?
    trust that.

    you will know when you feel it in your bones to be correct.

    real journos will always be that and the honesty of bloggers will always be apparent — I follow Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. For that side? He’ll be on it.

    I bet.

    ps: yeah Nixon. Look what happened to him……
    Uhuh…..

    ps: Larry at NQ on CIA type stuff…..also a fabster.

    hugs you guys at Conf & Co.

    Blogs are just like the reps papers earned?
    They are.

    They build those over time and seasoned writing and audience?

  32. Laurie, on July 2, 2009 at 3:35 am Said:

    Gibbs was so childish, trying to laugh Helen down.

    There is a good article in the Financial Times-Obama is choosing to be weak (worth it for the illustration alone.)

    A White House that is more interested in promotion than in product development has another great drawback: it squanders talent. Mr Obama has impeccable taste in advisers: he has scooped up many of the country’s pre-eminent experts in almost every area of public policy. One wonders why. On the main domestic issues, they are not designing policy; they are working the phones, drumming up support for bills they would be deploring if they were not in the administration. Apart from anything else, this seems cruel. Mr President, examine your conscience and set your experts free.

    The greatest waste of talent in all this, however, is that of Mr Obama himself. Congress offers change without change – a green economy built on cheap coal and petrol; a healthcare transformation that asks nobody to pay more taxes or behave any differently – because that is what voters want. Is it too much to ask that Mr Obama should tell voters the truth?

  33. vbonnaire, on July 2, 2009 at 3:37 am Said:

    I meant “journos who”

    !

    xxoo!

  34. Stateofdisbelief, on July 2, 2009 at 6:04 am Said:

    Ha! whoever did the “tweet” — luv it!

    Robert Gibbs is a smarmy ass

    ’bout sums it up.

  35. Stateofdisbelief, on July 2, 2009 at 6:07 am Said:

    Jerks took the video down.

  36. soupcity, on July 2, 2009 at 8:14 am Said:

    Well, joining in on the Helen love here. I have admired here forever. gibbs must be channeling that weasel, scott mcclellan who did the same thing to her just about every press conference under bush.
    Tough as nails, she is. Love her.

  37. lyn5, on July 2, 2009 at 10:23 am Said:

    Helen Thomas is a national treasure. She deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

    • DisenfranchisedVoter, on July 2, 2009 at 12:01 pm Said:

      I second what everyone else here is saying. Thomas is a hero who has been demanding answers for decades. Gawd knows she’s had to be tough as nails to stick it to Nixon, Bush, and now Obama. The fact that she thinks team Obama is worse than Nixon says volumes.

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