Helen's Final Question to a President (and some photos.)

[Clio the Leo]

She'd said it so many times (and I'd heard it so many times) that I almost had her spiel memorized. Still, today was the end of an era ... and here was her final question to a President.

"Why are we still in Afghanistan? And don't give me any of those Bushisms!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sepLekpdF3E&feature=related





http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Obama+Holds+First+White+House+Press+Conference+_Gfwc1B9LJBl.jpg


(W)






(Bush 41 seems to have purged all photographic evidence of himself with her)











(with Nixon, she's on the right hand side, next to Kissinger)



(in the newly opened WH press corps office - 1970)



(LBJ)

[secondwind]

1. She's leaving a big hole in the press room. I wonder who will replace her, in

terms of asking the tough questions. She will be missed.

[xchrom]

3. He's not a reporter or journalist - but for her sake --

Juan Cole.

[Clio the Leo]

7. I'm holding out for the British dude from the Daily Show....

.... or maybe CNN's British dude, Richard Quest.

We just some British dude .... who can translate what the heck Tony Hayward is saying. :)

[Clio the Leo]

5. And in terms of asking the SAME question, every day ...

.... and interrupting the press sec. when she didn't like the answer, she won't be missed at all, lol, by me anyway.

[PopSixSquish]

2. Helen Thomas Asks President Obama a Question at His First Press Conference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVGWdLsAoBA

This is an end of an era. I wish it hadn't gone down like this...

[Clio the Leo]

4. I wasn't fond of Helen....

... didn't like her approach .... but I agree completely. Hate that her career ended like this. They had planned a big event for her 90th birthday and 50th year working in the press office this year ... now, what will happen to that?

sad ... and what's really sad is that (*I* believe anyway) ... she fell victim to the shark tank that is the WHCA ... they smelled blood and saw a chance to get her out ... wanted her seat ... in more ways than one.

Either that or Rahm set her up, in which case I'm TOTALLY fine with it! (huh)

[Cha]

6. huh

:) Rahm again..that guy.

[PopSixSquish]

9. I Hate the White House Press Corp With a Passion and Have Done So Since President Clinton

They wanted her out because she puts them all to shame. Unfortunately, she gave them the way to do it.

And I've been told by someone who would know that both Rahm and the President respect Helen even when she's giving them hell...

[Clio the Leo]

8. She actually spoke with JFK ....

.... knew him as a living, breathing person.

To my generation, he's more mythical character than human being and that picture boggles the mind.

[mzmolly]

10. She went out with a bang. Obama gave her a good, complete answer

as well.