Helen Thomas--"Giving up is not an option"

[DFW]

As usual, While here in Washington on my last stop before returning to Europe this afternoon, I had dinner
last night with our long-time family friend, Helen Thomas. My brother was along, and it was just the three
of us at Helen's favorite Lebanese restaurant, Mama Ayesha's.

Since a few DUers asked me last time, here is some info on Mama Ayesha's that Helen filled me in on--Mama
Ayesha herself got into trouble by publicly criticizing King Abdullah I of Jordan, and had to be secreted
out of Jerusalem by friends. She made it to Damascus, where friends got her all the way to America. She
started working at a honky-tonk place that had opened in DC in 1942, and eventually took it over and turned
in into a restaurant. She imported some furnishings from Morocco which now adorn the walls of the place and
give it its distinctive Middle-Eastern character. Mama Ayesha herself passed away some 10-15 years ago, Helen
said.

As for other matters: she is truly worried about the direction in which the country is headed. Even though
Cheneybush is gone, their minions still manage to block progress and she doesn't see Obama putting up enough
resistance. Her big, and repeated question: Who are we, and what are we becoming?

We discussed health care at length, as well as many of the personalities involved. Although she barely knows
Howard Dean (surprised the hell out of me, but as she covers the White House, Howard is, sadly, not on her
agenda), she thinks he had the right idea on health care reform. I can't go into detail, but her feelings on
subject of Howard were nearly as strong as mine (listening, MF?), which was a pleasant surprise.

One of her most memorable phrases practically repeated word for word and abbreviation I USED to see here when
I first joined DU (and don't see any more): NGU. Never Give Up. Her words were "giving up is not an option."

All the personal sniping back and forth I have seen on this board of late reminds me of Animal Farm on steroids.

Helen will be 90 years old this August. If she isn't giving up, then neither am I, and neither should we.

[Mari333]

1. gracias for that , nice to know which side Im on, and that's with Helen

makes me smile
knr

[Douglas Carpenter]

2. kick and recommend

[madmax]

3. Shout out for Helen, the Lady rocks.

Thanks DFW, if you speak to Helen send her big love from DU.

[DFW]

5. That was the first thing I told her in the taxi to Mama Ayesha's

Done deal :-)

[keopeli]

4. Thanks, DFW!

[Oceansaway]

6. thanks...n/t

[Laelth]

7. I am constitutionally prohibited from "giving up."

But that's not stopping me from spewing bile when I see Democrats acting like Republicans.

:dem:

-Laelth

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. As I've expressed to you before, I have always loved Helen..since I was a little girl & it hurt my

heart several weeks ago, many DUers were throwing her under the bus... the crime? She dared to criticize Obama and how he has been handling things. Helen has always spoken truth to power.

[DFW]

11. She is used to that getting her into hot water

She even said that when she was at UPI, her boss sometimes got on her back for that. She stood up to
them every time, and never backed down.

[highplainsdem]

9. K&R

[Gregorian]

10. Wishing I could have been there. Thanks very much.

Who are we? Warm water. We're insane, but not many see it. Helen does.

[DFW]

12. She has been around longer than any of us

She has seen so much, she has a perspective none of us could ever have. if you disagree with her on something,
then you disagree, but to ignore her is unwise, in my opinion.

[lildreamer316]

13. kick

[mascarax]

14. "Who are we, and what are we becoming?"

Good questions. I wish I knew good answers. How much time was wasted on racist teabaggers this summer? And there were glimpses of talking touch (yes, public option!), but honestly, look at where we are and where we need to be. There should have been continued and consistent talk from everyone about the truth and not the typical Repub scare tactics ("They're taking your guns! And government run everything!").

And I'd be OK with some of this lack of progress if I thought there were strong indications that Obama and the Democratic Congress were not going to give up and push for more. But that's not what I read or the impression. At all.

You know, I understand compromise and negotiation, but not these starting points (and not just health insurance "reform"). And not the corporate deals. (I didn't expect "health care reform" in 12 months, but I certainly didn't expect what transpired and how so much was disregarded or thrown out so quickly.)

Meanwhile, there's Howard, making sense.

I truly appreciate Helen, and I'm not going to give up either. There she is, 89 and still pushing and asking tough questions (e.g. "What's his/their motivation?").

What does Helen think we should do? (Yes, I've called, written, shown up and been given the brush off by Senate staff...)

Sorry this is so disjointed. I look at the last year and am befuddled.

[DFW]

17. You ask "What does Helen think we should do?"

She has a LOT of very strong opinions on that subject, but please keep in mind that she is not only a friend, but
also, her age not withstanding, a full time working journalist. Although her broader views are pretty obvious, her
specific comments at a private dinner off the record are not mine to list in detail. My father was a colleague of
hers for over forty years, and I learned in no uncertain terms that when something is off the record, it should
stay that way. Enough outside lurkers, both good and bad (Raw Story-good, and freepers-bad) peruse these pages to
warrant respect that. Please feel free to email her if you want to try getting her to open up on any subject like
that. She usually does answer emails, although not often in great detail, probably due to the time necessary to delete
all the hate mail she still gets.

[potone]

19. Helen Thomas

Do you have her e-mail address? I would like to write her and thank her for all of her determined hard work, honesty and journalistic integrity (an increasingly rare quality), and most of all for her indomitable spirit. She puts a lot of us, who are too easily discouraged, myself included, to shame.

[DFW]

21. Sure do

It's pretty much public knowledge, but I sent you a PM anyway. Check your in box!

[Dinger]

15. Go Helen! K & R!

Love her!:)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. My dear DFW!

Thanks for the great report.

NGU. You got it. I stand with Helen too...

K&R

[madfloridian]

18. Nice post, DFW.

Recommended

[hfojvt]

20. words to live by

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI5hi4c4y9k

[1776Forever]

22. I'm jealous. What a delightful dinner companion she must be!

God bless you Helen! I think she is a treasure and I am so glad she is able to continue in her passion.

[DFW]

23. She is very much that!

Sorry about the delay. I had to run to Dulles, and I'm now in the transit lounge in Paris. The early flight to Düsseldorf
doesn't run on Sundays, so I'm stuck here for three more µ%¨£_çé"_è'è" hours. It's 6:30 Paris time, and I'm going to be a
wreck by the time I get to the house in Düsseldorf.

We were in that restaurant for over three hours plus twenty minutes in the taxi from downtown, and I promise you that we
didn't talk about the food, although it was pretty spectacular (as usual).

[Solly Mack]

24. K&R

[johnaries]

25. NGU!

I believe we should seize every victory we can. As George C. scott said in Patton: "You don't win a war by dying for your country. You win a war by making the other poor bastard die for his country."

The conservatives are divided by the teabaggers. Now is not the time to divide ourselves, but to come together and take each hill singly, if we have to. Now is not the time to quit because we didn't win the war, but to keep fighting and accept every small victory as another step toward winning the loftier goals.
3 steps forward, 2 steps back is still 1 step forward.

Don't get demoralized over the 2 steps back. Recognize the step forward - no matter how small - as a step forward and a victory.

And for all those who think the HCR bill is a corporatist giveaway I only have one thing to say:

READ THE FUCKING BILL.

EDIT TO ADD: This is only the beginning, but not if we give up now. It may be only a beginning, but it is a beginning. NGU!

[ProgressOnTheMove]

26. Helen should always inspire us long may she reign. :)

[DFW]

27. She may still be a little unsteady on her legs

Her summer-long illness of 2008 left its marks, but she is still as sharp as ever. My brother at one point made a point
she disagreed with, and her voice rose quickly and she shot him right down --in a friendly way, of course, but she has
no reluctance whatsoever to zap right back if she disagrees, whether it's my brother or the President of the United States.

[omega minimo]

28. "I Won't Give Up"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8p6lkDPSM4