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White House Reporter Helen Thomas Profiled on HBO
LOS ANGELES - As a tireless questioner of authority and a consummate Washington insider, pioneering White House correspondent Helen Thomas has covered nine U.S. presidents over a span of nearly a half century.
Next week on cable network HBO, Thomas, 88, makes a rare appearance as an interview subject in a documentary produced and directed by filmmaker Rory Kennedy, whose uncle "Jack" was the first Oval Office occupant Thomas followed as a reporter.
The 38-minute profile, "Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House," features the journalist reflecting on her life, career, and devotion to the ideal that democracy thrives best when a vigilant press holds leaders accountable.
"I think that presidents deserve to be questioned, maybe irreverently, most of the time, (to) bring 'em down a size," the plain-spoken Thomas says of the particular role of the White House press corps.
On the other hand, she adds, "Access to a president doesn't mean you're gonna get the truth."
It's a simple but astute observation from a reporter who walked the line between West Wing insider -- hobnobbing with presidents, their families and aides -- and watchdog.
In one of her more colorful anecdotes, Thomas recounted how she forged ahead in posing a tough question to President Richard Nixon about the Watergate scandal moments after he had publicly congratulated her on being named the first female head of the White House bureau for United Press International.
But Thomas is quick to say that she and her colleagues were not always as alert as they should have been.
FROM CAMELOT TO WATERGATE
She recalls that it was not White House press corps that unearthed the Watergate burglary and cover-up hatched under their noses, but a pair of Washington Post city reporters.
"I think that's one of her great regrets," Rory Kennedy said of Thomas and the scandal that led Nixon to resign.
The 39-year-old filmmaker and daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy, won an Emmy Award last year for her documentary of Iraqi prisoner abuse, "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib."
Kennedy said one surprise from working with Thomas was her conclusion that a president's character is more important than policy stances or experience, especially in times of crisis.
The title of the Thomas documentary, which debuts on HBO on August 18, comes from Thomas' longtime role as dean of the White House press corps in concluding presidential news conferences with the familiar phrase, "Thank you, Mr. President."
She became both the first woman ever to open a presidential press conference and the first to close one, a privilege she first exercised when John Kennedy was in office.
"I could see President Kennedy was struggling. So, finally, I got up, and said, 'Thank you, Mr. President.' ... I got him off the hook," she says in the film.
In another revealing vignette from a president remembered as "the great communicator," Thomas recounted how Ronald Reagan once claimed he was unable to answer a question by pointing to his grim-faced aides and saying, "They won't let me," to which Thomas said she replied, "But you're the president."
Born to Syrian immigrants who could neither read nor write, Thomas recalled becoming hooked on journalism upon seeing her first byline in her high school newspaper.
She joined UPI, then United Press, in 1943 at a time when female journalists were treated as second-rate reporters, but by 1960 was covering President-elect Kennedy. Thomas remained at the White House until May 2000 and later became a columnist for Hearst News Service, for whom she covered George W. Bush.
In recent months, Thomas battled a colon infection and was released from a hospital on Wednesday. She expects to continue working from home, according to a statement from Hearst.
© 2008 Reuters
17 Comments so far
Show AllHelen Thomas is among about five American journalists practising today.
THANK YOU HELEN. It struck me that the photo shows Helen sitting alone. It speaks volumes.
I've always enjoyed watching Helen Thomas as the tough questions when no other reporter was willing. She's made some very powerful people squirm in her career. In my opinion, she ranks right up there with Molly Ivins (rip) when it comes to kick-ass female journalists.
The People's Journalist.
I once sent Helen an e-mail thanking her for her excellent work over the years, and also to let her know that she has many friends and admirers in the public, even though she had made a remark about feeling friendless in the political environment that came into being after the current thugs stole power. She e-mailed me back, thanking me for the reminder. This woman is a national treasure. I also had the pleasure of hearing her speak in person a few years ago. Not only is she insightful and well-spoke, she is also hilarious.
This should be a terrific litle documentary. One hopes it could light a fire under the so-called "journalists" that have sold us down the river by shirking their fourth estate responsibilities.
Helen Thomas was already a legend when I was in journalism school nearly 40 years ago. She asked tough questions of every president of both parties. Since corporate media has slashed budgets of hard news reporting, Ms. Thomas remains the only Washington journalist from the Old School. The rest of the DC press corps are shameless hacks and whores.
I adore Helen Thomas. I wish we heard more from her.
A few years ago our peace group sat around thinking about who we could get to give a talk in our small village in Maine. Someone said they knew someone who knew Helen Thomas, they called her, and by God she came! She didn't charge us a penny. Then after she spoke she sat and signed books. I'm twenty years younger than Helen and I was glad to leave and get home to bed. And there was Helen still signing books... What a woman.
Hackes and Blowhards like Hannity, O'Reilly et al are not fit to breath the same air as this woman.
Gandydancer,
Good anecdote about Thomas' generosity and spirit. Anyone know how much the 'big-name' academics, like Howard Zinn, Chomsky et al, charge to talk to resource strapped peace groups and coalitions, ? Ever sat in a meeting and agonized over how to raise the money to bring one of these celebs to deliver their pearls of wisdom to the thirsting masses?
I think one of Bush's reptiles once referred to Thomas as 'that old Arab'. We could use a lot more 'old Arabs' like Thomas to pierce some sacred balloons.
My introduction to journalism over 30 years ago was as one of the "dictationists" in the Washington national bureau for UPI, typing on manual typewriters as reporters shouted their breaking news into the telephone from around the city. Helen Thomas was by then the star, bigger than life, and when I heard her voice on the other end of the line, I cringed, because I was afraid of getting it wrong, or of getting a huge BULLETIN or even FLASH ("The President was shot"). Helen's stories often drew a hush over the newsroom because of their widespread implications. I also remember the quiet moments when she would dictate her priceless columns called Back Stairs at the White House, which included juicy gossip about the family and insider fluff. She showed me around the White House Press Corps room once, and like I little kid, I was thrilled to sit in "her" chair in her tiny cubbyhole. I cherish having known this extraordinary icon of courage and seeker of truth.
Journalistic whores. They bend over for the administration and the public gets screwed.
I am conflicted however. I like whores.
I am happy to hear that Helen is continuing to challenge the status quo.
Of course, it is not enough, but at least it gives some comfort that there are still individuals willing to stand for peace and justice.
I know of less than 5 mainstream mainstream media members that are willing to speak out on a consistent level (and that is including Amy Goodman who may not even be considered mainstream).
You cannot have a corrupted government without having a corrupted press.
The reminiscences of gandydancer and LambsieDivy are what makes reading these posted comments a pleasure. Thanks.
Helen Thomas is a gem!
I have always admired Helen Thomas. She is a truly a rare and decent person..I can't say much for the other so called journalists.
What has it come to when we have to make so much fuss about someone who enjoys doing her job well?
The problem is not the integrity of the journalists but the corporate media that employs them which has become just another cheap but lucrative tool of the Empire of Ignorance and Avarice.
The Emperors are chosen because they can parade naked. That's the AIPAC test! And the journalists keep their jobs because they can pretend not to see.
If someone where to honestly write about it all I guess it would be a comedy, if it was not for the fact that the delusions that all these people and most of their audience live in has such serious consequences in reality.