She's baaaaaaaack (or, rather, will be soon) !!!

[DFW]

The final decision hasn't yet been made, so she hasn't even told me any details yet, but
if nothing happens to derail it, Helen Thomas will be back shortly with an opinion column.

With no White House press badge to restrain her (not that Helen let herself be restrained
much in the past), she can now rip with no holds barred. Knowing Helen, I can safely say she
will do just that, and her opinion columns will contain a lot of all that juicy stuff I
could never post before for fear of compromising her position. Now, her position will be
her professional stance.

Be ready to smile, people. Helen's back.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Smile indeed! K&R

[snappyturtle]

2. Great news! Thanks for posting. nt

[hootinholler]

3. Lovely!

I'd still like to buy her dinner sometime.

-Hoot

[DFW]

12. If you're in DC, maybe I can arrange it

She, Howard and I hope to meet up again in January, but I don't know when, and Howard's schedule makes a meteor seem lethargic.

[hootinholler]

33. Close enough...

I live in Frederick and work in Rockville, so it's not that far for a dinner. Dinner with Howard and Helen, I wonder if I could speak intelligently.

-Hoot

[DFW]

34. Not far, for sure

I can't ask both Howard and Helen to come to an expanded dinner. Our little get together was basically
arrangeable because they are both personal friends. I don't want to ask them to do something together
outside of family, as that gets awkward. Besides, getting a hold of Howard is a major undertaking at best.

But Helen is a lot less mobile than she was, and likes to stick around Washington, so that might work. I'm
still stationed overseas, and so don't get back Sateside much, but my brother still works in the DC area,
and might be able to arrange a threesome with him, you and Helen if you want me to pursue this. I'd have
to get her OK, as you're an unknown quantity to us, and I doubt she'd do it on her own without either me or
my brother there, but I'll at least ask for you if you like, and you don't mind my brother along. He's a
pretty interesting character all on his own.

PM me if you want me to look into this. Hope you like Lebanese food!

[w8liftinglady]

4. all Right! I love Helen!

Thanks for making my day!

[malaise]

5. Wonderful news

Go Helen!

[Dappleganger]

6. No-Holds Barred Helen...

is this a dream? I can't wait!!!

[Lugnut]

7. Hooray!

This is really great news. :)

[glitch]

8. I am so grateful to you

for being her friend and allowing us to give her online support.
I can't wait for her first column!
Also, has she considered a radio show? Providing mp3s to community radio stations (distribute free via websites like radio4all.net and archive.org) would be sweet! Doesn't have to be a big deal, 30 minutes a week or something like that.

[DFW]

13. I'm not sure she'd go for that, but maybe no one has ever proposed it to her

I will, now that you bring it up!

[glitch]

36. Cool! She has a great voice, very warm with humor and intelligence. nt

[DFW]

37. We do enjoy a good laugh now and then

Sadly, mostly among sessions of wondering how far we have gone down the tubes, but she refuses to drown in
in a downward spiral of pessimism. If she can handle what happened to her earlier this year at age 90, she
can certainly have time for a laugh or two as well. Every time I call her up to set a time and place for our
next get-together, she always calls it our "hot date."

As one who had 2 great-grandmothers and a grandfather who had all his marbles at age 102, I have known my share
of elderly people, but never another one who called our impending visit "a hot date!"

[glitch]

38. That is so adorable, I hope you can convince her! :) nt

[4_TN_TITANS]

9. And to think how much she has held her tongue in the past...

It would be a treat to get her raw and uncensored opinion (assuming I could handle it).

[DFW]

14. Oh, I'm sure you could handle it

Just make sure you're sitting down, just in case

[Arkansas Granny]

10. This ought to be good. I'm looking forward to it.

[bluesmail]

11. I'm smiling! And I'm smiling! WoW feels awesome to smile! eom

[lunatica]

15. This is "A Big Fucking Deal!"

[flyarm]

16. Wonderful!! The Lady has my utmost respect! Thanks for the info! eom

[opihimoimoi]

17. About fucking Time: :o) KnR

[DFW]

18. It hit her pretty deeply when so many of her "friends" shunned her after the "incident"

She was in quite a funk for a while, and she told me I was one of a very few people who stayed in touch with her
as a friend without any interruption. I couldn't believe that, but she insists it's true. What cowards some people are.

Anyway, as it would appear, some media types have started to lose their timidity, and Helen's "toxicity," as she calls it
in a bitter joke, seems to be wearing off. How anyone as well-meaning and as insightful as Helen can be dropped like a hot
potato after 60 years of great writing and acting as the conscience of the Washington press corps, is beyond me. My dad was
a member of the Washington print press (which is how I've known Helen for so many decades), and if his cancer hadn't killed
ten years ago, I think the evolution (or devolution) of the American Press would have killed him anyway.

[opihimoimoi]

21. Helen has my utmost respect and admiration...always will.

Thanks for your reply...she is Priceless

some Happy Music we can share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8qLp2r7lkk&feature=related

[Eyerish]

19. Wonderful News!!

Thank you for sharing and I can't wait to read her first column! :woohoo:

[bigwillq]

20. YAY!

K and R! :bounce:

[alstephenson]

22. We miss you, Helen!

[nashville_brook]

23. that's great news!!

[avaistheone1]

24. Splendid news!

You can't keep a good woman down. Looking forward to Helen reporting once more. Hurray!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. What great news, my dear DFW!

I'm already smiling!

Go get 'em, Helen!

:woohoo:

[kas125]

26. That's the best thing I've read in days. Thanks for the news, I am

really looking forward to her return!

[Liberty Belle]

27. That's great news! How can one get permission to repost her works?

[DFW]

35. That's probably up to her publisher

I haven't the faintest idea how the "rights" thing works, and I'm sure each publisher has its own
rules. I know from another "famous" friend that she has to be very careful even not to be photographed
with people in certain situations for fear of violating her contract with her publisher. So it would
depend on more than just Helen's own wishes. She doesn't care at all who forwards her stuff, but if
someone is paying her for her writing, then they probably own the rights to her words, and then it gets
sticky.

When her position is finalized, I'd say your best bet is to write her publisher directly and ask for the
ground rules. They will certainly know better than anyone else what those rules are.

[FunMe]

28. I am so honored that she will be back!

I LOVE that wonderful lady ... such a national treasure. And a REAL journalist unlike the fake ones from Fox, and most other "mainstream" media outlets.

Love ya Helen!

[laughingliberal]

29. K & R nt

[JJ]

30. K&R

[jannyk]

31. Welcome news Indeed!!! k&r

[madmax]

32. Can't wait! Missed you Ms. Helen nt