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.
How did she help?
Oh, do you mean asking hard questions about what our government is doing?
That is what reporters are supposed to do.
I guess when those media whores formerly known as "journalists" decided en mass to abandon all pretense of integrity to propagandize for the Democrat Party they forgot to include Helen in the loop.
Uh, do I dare say it but, “Helen, WTG, girl!”
Helen, I want you to know I have never -- never posted your picture. Go in peace.
"Some pigs are more equal than others."
She thought she'd be "more equal," but now she's squealin' at her epiphany.
BAWHAHAHHAHAHHAAAAA good job!!!!
So you admire someone who has said "When I get up in the morning I decide who I am going to hate today." Interesting.
Do you mean she is right when she asks questions you like? The kind that is embarrassing to Obama?
So all the other times she was wrong when she asked questions that President Bush's administration didn't want answered?
I don't have a different standard for Obama than I had for Bush.
Sombody needs to rearrange this spokesturd’s face.
I mean, some generous plastic surgeon should offer his services, that’s all I meant.
;-)
Note to Helen: You and your media friends have totally been puppets in the hands of NObama.
Maybe now you are finally seeing the strings that are attached to NObama and might be wondering who controls Barry’s strings?
I have no sympathy for you, Helen. You and your cohorts worked overtime to put this imposter into the Oval Office.
Perhaps with your age, you are finally realizing that YOU will NOT be getting much under NObama’s “healthcare”???
He looks like Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants.
Only without the personality and intellect.
I missed that. I haven't seen all the times she has been on.
Do you remember what she said? Who called her out?
Could they have picked a stupider-looking shapeless blob of goo to be press secretary?
I think not, since Junior Samples is no longer with us.
"Old crone".........I sure hope I am able to get around as well as she does when I am 89.
Just imagine, she goes to work every day at that age, and then people talk about how ugly she is.
I wonder what I will look like when I am 89? Hmmm...I wonder if I will even make it to 89? I just have 10 years to go before I find out. Hahaaa! How many years do you have before you get there?
:)
JS from HeeHaw? Man, that’s a memory and a half.
Did Obama say that?
Go ahead and admire her. She’s one of the many fools trying to have it both ways. This old hag, and many others like her, are one very big reason why we have an obama in the White House. Now, suddenly, she wants to be taken for a serious journalist.
Too late. It’s on her, and those of her ilk. I don’t want her on the same side I’m on.
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