Helen Thomas was wonderful tonight!

[BlackVelvetElvis]

She spoke at Salem College in Winston Salem, NC.
She got a standing ovation when she was introduced. The professor who introduced her said, "That's a better reception than you got at the White House".
She spent alot of time telling us why Bush is bad for this country, how we have lost respect all over the world. She said that "This election will decide the direction this country takes for the next 100 years". She called the PNAC the "Mein Kampf for the 21st century" and asked everyone to go online and read it. She told me something I didn't know; that the neo-cons have been trying to sell the PNAC to every president since Reagan and they all turned it down. She deplored Bush's ever-changing rationale for the war - now pre emptive war is okay if the "enemy" ever was in a position to possibly build WMDs.
She also told some anecdotes from her years dealing with presidents.
She took questions from the audience. One guy had a "Bush/Cheney" button on and gave her a hard time about her op-ed pieces - he called Bill Clinton her favorite president (BTW, it's Kennedy). Why are freeps so hung up on Clinton? I could hear the people behind me muttering (I believe I heard "shut up") but Ms. Thomas handled him well. She asked him a question: "How do YOU feel about not being told the TRUTH? Doesn't that make you ANGRY?"
Did anyone else see her? I know I'm missing something.
It was great to see a legend.

[medeak]

1. thank you so much for sharing

she's a fave of mine...have her book. Wish I had opportunity to see her in person.

[Not Me]

2. I am disappointed in the press corps for doing nothing

when she was dissed by bushco. If they had any integrity at all, they'd have taken a stand.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

4. I knew I was missing something...

She spoke on that subject at some length. The said they were just "starting to awaken from their comas". She's appalled at the lack of fire that today's journalist's have, especially younger ones. She doesn't consider the tv news anchor position "real journalism". Freedom of the press is what separates a democracy from a dictatorship, according to her. She said that the Bush administration's secrecy is the worse we've had in her lifetime.
Thanks for that reminder.

[Hello_Kitty]

10. doesn't consider the tv news anchor position "real journalism".

Yeah, take that media whores!!

[BattyDem]

5. I hope when President Kerry has his first press conference ...

he says something like, "Before I answer any questions, I would like to ask Helen Thomas to come up here and sit in the front row where she belongs! Ms. Thomas, the first question is yours." :-)

[BlackVelvetElvis]

6. She deserves that.

Let us all hope that happens.
I wish I could have taken every one of you to see her.

[Hello_Kitty]

11. He will, too. n/t

[Bronco69]

3. Lucky You!

Ms. Thomas is truly an American icon! I sent her an email once thanking her for one of her articles and how insightful it was. She sent me a reply that just said "thank you", but I swear I was walking on clouds all day. I saved her reply. :-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. Yes before they were PNAC, they were JINSA with similar goals

There is an old article from The American Prospect called The Men From JINSA written by an author by the name of Jason Vest who has written for the Wa Po and The Nation.

In fact...here...I went and fetched the article for you.
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020902&s=vest&c=1

Thanks for the report...btw...what was the Bush bot's response to HER question?

[BlackVelvetElvis]

9. He had no response.

He either figured that Ms. Thomas would lay the smackdown on him or that he would get beat up by a bunch of liberals on the way out. Maybe she gave him food for thought.
Thanks for the link.

[DemBones DemBones]

13. Thanx for the link! Changed their name, not their spots. nt

[indigobusiness]

8. Helen is simply the best....

What a role model for real journalists.

[DemBones DemBones]

12. All journalists should aspire to be more like Helen Thomas,

rather than setting their sights lower.

[soothsayer]

14. I hope Kerry pays her special attention and gives her the respect she

so richly deserves when he's holding his many press conferences as president!

[Gin]

15. "News anchors" ....how fitting that title is.....they are dead weights

bringing down the standards for journalism in this country. They are nothing but info-tainers, regurgitating what someone else said on another channel.

Helen Thomas is a rare breed and sorely missed.

[soothsayer]

16. Ever since newscasters became rich celebrities...they've been bought

off.

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Thanks for reporting!