Posted on 08/09/2009 10:06:41 AM PDT by carenot
Following a testy exchange during Wednesday’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.”
During today’s briefing, Thomas interrupted a back-and-forth between Gibbs and Chip Reid, the White House correspondent for CBS News, when Reid was questioning Gibbs about who was going to decide what questions would be asked of President Obama in a townhall meeting that was scheduled to take place in Annandale, Va., today.
Gibbs then had an exchange involving Reid and Thomas that went as follows:
Gibbs: “… But, again, let's--How about we do this? I promise we will interrupt the AP's tradition of asking the first question. I will let you [Chip Reid] ask me a question tomorrow as to whether you thought the questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted in Annandale—“
Chip Reid: “I'm perfectly happy to—”
Helen Thomas: “That's not his point. The point is the control--”
Reid: “Exactly.”
Thomas: “We have never had that in the White House. And we have had some, but not-- This White House.”
Gibbs: “Yes, I was going to say, I'll let you amend her question.”
Thomas: “I'm amazed. I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and—”
Gibbs: “Helen, you haven't even heard the questions.”
Reid: “It doesn't matter. It's the process.”
Thomas: “You have left open—”
Reid: “Even if there's a tough question, it's a question coming from somebody who was invited or was screened, or the question was screened.”
Thomas: “It's shocking. It's really shocking.”
Gibbs: “Chip, let's have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall meeting. How about that?”
Reid: “Okay.”
Gibbs: “I think—“
Thomas: “No, no, no, we're having it now--”
Gibbs: “Well, I'd be happy to have it now.”
Thomas: “It's a pattern.”
Gibbs: “Which question did you object to at the town hall meeting, Helen?”
Thomas: “It's a pattern. It isn't the question—”
Gibbs: “What's a pattern?”
Thomas: “It's a pattern of controlling the press.”
Gibbs: “How so? Is there any evidence currently going on that I'm controlling the press--poorly, I might add.”
Thomas: “Your formal engagements are pre-packaged.”
Gibbs: “How so?”
Reid: “Well, and controlling the public—”
Thomas: “How so? By calling reporters the night before to tell them they're going to be called on. That is shocking.”
Gibbs: “We had this discussion ad nauseam and—”
Thomas: “Of course you would, because you don't have any answers.”
Gibbs: “Well, because I didn't know you were going to ask a question, Helen. Go ahead.”
Thomas: “Well, you should have.”
Reporter: Thank you for your support.
Gibbs: “That's good. Have you e-mailed your question today?”
Thomas: “I don't have to e-mail it. I can tell you right now what I want to ask.”
Gibbs: “I don't doubt that at all, Helen. I don't doubt that at all.”
Thomas, 89, has covered the White House during every presidency since John F. Kennedy’s.
I admire her.
This was posted before but it is good stuff anyway.
Drat!
Helen Thomas, the most liberal journalist EVER, the same idiot who called terrorists “Supposed terrorists” is turning on Obama..oh man this is sweet
Yeah. She just went up a bunch in my estimation too.
Are you calling Robert Gibbs ‘Peter Griffin’ from Family Guy?
Come on over to our side Helen.
At least you would get fairness.
Ahh, Helen is just jealous that she didn’t get a call the night before....
That’s Guber Gibbs. Don’t insult Peter G.
Gibbs is as Guber as they get.
True, but it still helps when their own point out their dirty deeds.
Even a broken bitch is right twice a day
I admire her
Oh, come on! During President Bush's press conferences she was called out for reciting al Queda's talking points!
Let's not get too chummy!
I love Peter, but Gibbs is almost a spot on ringer for him!
He could play him in a ‘real world’ version of Family Guy!!!
Everyday the Lord humbles me just a little bit more. Today, he makes me praise Helen Thomas.
Cats and dogs living together and all that.
LOL! Sooner or later we all do it. ;>)
ROTFL! So Helen thinks the Obama administration is more secretive than even Nixon’s, Reagan’s, or George W. Bush’s? Oh my. This can’t be good for Obama.
Lori, I just searched again and still can’t find the article posted on FR. Do you have a link?
H’mmmm, Helen finally woke up.
LOL Now that’s FUNNY!
Whereas his boss is more like Stewie.
Ruh rho. Zero’s little ‘cupcake’ plan and serenading on her b’day didn’t work. :-)
Whoaa!
Or Gary Coleman posing as Stewie....
And, Helen, the answer is, that Obama is so inept, and so lacking in real knowledge, that they know more harm would come from putting him in an uncontrolled environment than comes from the public's knowing that it's all stage managed and controlled.
If Helen keeps this badgering up, she’ll end up in Ft. Marcy Park! That’s the Chicago way...
My, my my....the old crone finally wakes up and smells the coffee.
Now what happens?
Do you mean Goober?
I have to admit that I admire her for not being so up his rear that she lets the WH bully her around.
Guess what NEW JOURNALISTS!! Helen Thomas might be a lefty B*tch, but she IS a journalist.
Obama Sings Happy Birthday To Helen Thomas, Brings Her Cupcakes (VIDEO)
Huffingtion Post/AP
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/04/obama-sings-happy-birthda_0_n_251088.html
“Gibbs: “Which question did you object to at the town hall meeting, Helen?””
I can hear his smarmy condescension in reading this!
Where are the interviews?
She's offended by the process because she isn't being courted.
She just wants them to be descrete and pretend the media is independent.
I just hope some of the other dimbulbs in the media paid attention to her.
The resemblance is amazing!
Just exactly what has she sowed that you object to? She has always asked hard questions.
I don't think she had much chance to ask Prez Bush the questions I wanted answered.
You don’t want to get that woman going or soon she’ll be asking!”Where’s that birth certificate Gibbs”?
Amazing, isn't it? First I have to admire her for her fortitude---even when she is wrong. She is still out there working when others her age have been retired for 25 to 30 years. She is in a perfect position right now. What does she have to lose? She can confront Gibbs and the administration before they send out their deathcare "counselors." I'll bet anything she misses GW even though she'd never admit it. Anyone willing to address the "open and transparent" hypocrisy gets my praise.
Media honeymoon is almost over . A dictator has p!$$ed off the state run media .
Notice how the CBS puppy in this story just rolled over on command.
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