Posted on 09/24/2003 7:07:01 AM PDT by lady lawyer
Many Brigham Young University students seemed to disagree with the liberal views of veteran journalist Helen Thomas as she spoke in the Marriott Center Tuesday, but the former White House bureau chief took it in stride.
After loud applause met her declaration that George W. Bush is "more conservative than any president I've ever covered," Thomas turned, spoke to BYU President Cecil O. Samuelson, then faced her audience again.
"Am I in enemy territory?" she asked. "Democracy is wonderful, isn't it?" she added, as it allows the free exchange of ideas.
Thomas, who has covered every president since John F. Kennedy and served as White House correspondent for United Press International for 57 years, was invited by the university to speak on the recommendation of the BYU communications department.
She opened her remarks in the Marriott Center's arena with strong statements against the war in Iraq.
"We are involved in a war that is becoming more dubious every day," Thomas said. "I thought it was wrong to invade a country without any provocation. ... It also has not been the cakewalk that the neoconservatives promised."
Some students walked out of the forum as she announced her views and labeled herself a "women's libber" and a liberal, but her remarks occasionally received scattered applause.
On the war: "The president has fulfilled his obsession of dethroning Saddam Hussein."
On Medicare: "I do not believe that they should privatize Medicare. I worry that this administration would privatize the Washington Monument."
On taxes: "I don't believe that the biggest tax cuts in the country should go to the richest people who don't need it."
Thomas also gave short observations on each president she has covered.
"Jimmy Carter placed human rights as the centerpiece of his foreign policy," she said.
Regarding President Bill Clinton, she said, "His heart was in the right place ... but of course he tarnished the Oval Office with his personal liaisons."
Later, during a question and answer period in the Marriott Center's Cougar Room, Thomas identified John F. Kennedy as her favorite president.
"I felt he was the most inspired ... that he had a tremendous sense of where we could go," she said.
She admitted considering George W. Bush the worst president ever, calling him too corporate.
"I don't think that we should ever go to war against a country that did nothing to us," Thomas said. "I don't think that he cares enough about the poor and the sick and the maimed."
When questioned why the national press is labeled as liberal, she laughed and said, "That's a myth now. It's not true. I wish I could find some friends."
Thomas encouraged the public to get involved in debate and speak out on issues. "Start talking! My god, the silence in this country," she said. "There's too much silence in this country. People should start expressing themselves."
I can't believe she actually thinks this crap...how many times must it be drummed into their thick skulls...pay no taxes, get no refund. PERIOD!
hmmmm - she must have missed the Clinton blowj@b while discussing Bosnian US troop deployment with a US Senator
"I don't think that we should ever go to war against a country that did nothing to us,
she also missed the part when our fellow countrymen and women were splattered all over downtown Manhattan
senile jacka$$
Well, he's certainly the most NEO-conservative, if that's one's idea of a conservative.
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Great bumper sticker -- short and to the point.
The Democrats have moved so far to the left that JFK today would be a Republican. I would happy to go back to JFK's tax rates and size of government in 1960.
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Only if you are in the United States.
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"Am I in enemy territory?" she asked...............
When questioned why the national press is labeled as liberal, she laughed and said, "That's a myth now. It's not true. I wish I could find some friends."
Thomas encouraged the public to get involved in debate and speak out on issues. "Start talking! My god, the silence in this country," she said. "There's too much silence in this country. People should start expressing themselves."
Seems like it did not take the old goat too long to figure out she was in enemy territory. As far as the national press being labeled as liberal, I hate to tell her, "That is no a myth. Anyone reading any major newspaper or watching the big three and CNN TV networks, can see that the national media is further left than the general poulation.
If you can paint your opponent as an extremist and yourself as sweet reason, you have won the debate. So "objectivity" is the high PR ground, and it is natural for journalists to use their PR power to claim it."That's a myth now. It's not trueThe easy way to success being to go along and get along, journalists have adopted a system for avoiding unnecessary contention for the status of "objective journalist." Adherence to this code by journalists means that it is sensible to speak of "journalism" as an entity, an Estatblishment.
It is of the nature of an Establishment that, like the mafia, it "doesn't exist"--but you'd better not cross it! The journalistic Establishment coheres in the following code:
The objectivity of anyone who adheres to the party line that journalists are objective is never challenged by any other member of journalism Establishment.If a Bernard Goldberg does write a Bias, he does not cease being a journalist--he is an unperson who never was a journalist.
Yeah, Helen. Right . . . </sarcasm>
I did express myself, directly to her, via e-mail, regarding one of her columns.
Based on her surly response, she did not appear to appreciate my self-expression.
Another stupid old liberal, Molly Ivins, learned not to make that mistake about Texas A&M.
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