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Helen Thomas

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Helen Thomas
Thomas at the White House, September 30, 1976 (age 56)
Born
Helen Thomas

(1920-08-04) August 4, 1920 (age 104)
Winchester, Kentucky, USA
EducationWayne University
OccupationWhite House Press Correspondent (retired)
SpouseDouglas B. Cornell (1971-1982) [1]
Websitehelenthomas.org

Helen Thomas (born August 4, 1920) is an American author and a former news service reporter, Hearst Newspapers columnist,[2] and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for 57 years as a correspondent and, later, White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). Thomas covered every president of the United States since the later years of the Eisenhower administration, coming to the forefront with John F. Kennedy. She was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents Association, and, in 1975, the first female member of the Gridiron Club. She has written five books; her latest with co-author Craig Crawford is Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do.

Thomas retired on June 7, 2010, after controversial comments she had made regarding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict during a video interview were widely disseminated on the Internet.[2][3]

Early life and career

Thomas was born in Winchester, Kentucky.[4] Her parents, Mary (née Rowady) and George Thomas, were Lebanese immigrants from Tripoli, Lebanon;[5][6][7] her father's surname had originally been "Antonious" before being anglicized to Thomas at Ellis Island.[8] Thomas was raised as a Christian in the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch.Cite error: The <ref> tag has too many names (see the help page). She grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended Wayne University (now Wayne State University), graduating with a bachelor's degree in English in 1942.[9]

Her first job in journalism was as a copygirl for the now-defunct Washington Daily News, but shortly after she was promoted to cub reporter, she was laid off as part of massive cutbacks at the paper. Thomas joined United Press International in 1943 and reported on women's topics for its radio wire service, earning $24 a week.[10] Later in the decade, and in the early fifties, she wrote UPI's "Names in the News" column, for which she interviewed numerous Washington celebrities.[11] After 1955, she covered federal agencies such as the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Thomas served as president of the Women's National Press Club from 1959–60.

Presidential correspondent

President Barack Obama presenting Thomas cupcakes on her 89th birthday[12]

In November 1960, Thomas began covering then President-elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. Thomas became known as the "Sitting Buddha". It was during Kennedy's administration that she ended all presidential press conferences with a signature "Thank you, Mr. President",[13] a tradition started by UPI’s Merriman Smith during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.[14]

Thomas in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room half an hour before morning gaggle, 2007

Through her career as a correspondent, Thomas earned a reputation for being relentless and demanding.[15] In an interview with Fidel Castro, USA Today founder Al Neuharth asked the Cuban leader what the difference was between democracy in Cuba and democracy in the United States. Castro replied, "I don't have to answer questions from Helen Thomas."[16]

Thomas was the only female print journalist to travel to China with President Richard Nixon during his historic trip in 1972.[17] (Barbara Walters was a member of the NBC News team that went to the People's Republic of China to cover the visits of President Richard Nixon in 1972.) She traveled around the world several times with all US Presidents since Richard Nixon, and covered every Economic Summit since 1975, working up to the position of UPI's White House Bureau Chief, a post she would hold for over 25 years. While serving as White House Bureau Chief, she authored a regular column for UPI, "Backstairs at the White House",[18] a column begun by Merriman Smith.[19] The column provided an insider's view of various presidential administrations.

Thomas was the only member of the White House press corps to have her own seat in the White House Briefing Room. All other seats are assigned to media outlets.

Controversy and resignations

Departure from UPI

Helen Thomas in 2009

On May 17, 2000, after 57 years with the organization, Thomas resigned from UPI the day after the announcement of its acquisition by News World Communications Inc., a company founded and controlled by Unification Church leader Reverend Sun Myung Moon.[20] She later described the change in ownership as "a bridge too far".[21][20]

Less than two months later, she joined Hearst Newspapers as a columnist, writing on national affairs and the White House.[22]

Comments on Israel

On May 27, 2010, outside a White House Jewish heritage event, Rabbi David Nesenoff asked if Thomas had any comments on the state of Israel. Thomas replied, "Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine... Remember, these people are occupied, and it's their land; its not German, its not Poland's."[23] She was then asked where they should go, to which she replied: "they should go home" to "Poland, Germany." Then, after another question she added, "America and everywhere else."[24][25]

Thomas subsequently issued an apology on her personal web site: "I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon."[25][26][27]

On June 6, Thomas's agency, Nine Speakers, Inc., announced that they had dropped her as a client because of her remarks.[28][29] Craig Crawford, who co-authored Listen up, Mr. President, said that he "will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects".[30] Other fallout from Thomas's statements included a rebuke from the White House[31] and cancellation of a commencement speech she was to give at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland.[32]

On June 7, Thomas tendered her immediate resignation from Hearst Newspapers and entered into retirement.[33][3][34]

Bibliography

  • Listen Up Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do. (with co-author Craig Crawford) (Charles Scribner's Sons, 2009) ISBN 1-4391-4815-5
  • Watchdogs of Democracy? : The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public (Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006) ISBN 0-7432-6781-8
  • Thanks for the Memories, Mr. President : Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House (Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003) ISBN 0-7432-0226-0
  • Front Row at the White House : My Life and Times (Scribner, 2000) ISBN 0-684-86809-1
  • Dateline: White House (Macmillan, 1975) ISBN 0-02-617620-3

References

  1. ^ Helen Thomas, www.nndmb. Retrieved on July 2, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Helen Thomas quits". JTA News. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  3. ^ a b "US reporter Helen Thomas quits over Israel comments". BBC News. June 7, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  4. ^ "Helen Thomas". National Public Radio. July 13, 2000.
  5. ^ Helen Thomas, Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times, Scribner, 2000, page 17.
  6. ^ Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 3. Gale Research, 1998; Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Vol. 19. Gale Group, 1999; Current Biography, H.W. Wilson Co., 1993.
  7. ^ Thomas, Helen (1975). Dateline: White House‎. Macmillan. ISBN 0026176203. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |coauthors= and |month= (help)
  8. ^ Thomas, Helen. (2000) Front Row At The White House : My Life And Times.
  9. ^ "Helen Thomas Quits UPI". CBS News. May 16, 2000.
  10. ^ "Veteran journalist quits White House". BBC News. May 16, 2000. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  11. ^ Thomas, Helen. Dateline: White House. Macmillan, 1975, page xiii.
  12. ^ Cook, Dave.; Orr, Jimmy.Obama shares a birthday and a smooch with Helen Thomas. Christian Science Monitor. August 4, 2009.
  13. ^ "Helen Thomas honored". The Pittsburgh Press. Google News Archive. June 24, 1985. p. A2.
  14. ^ Allen, Mike (February 20, 2007). "Helen Thomas Moving Back After 46 Years Down Front". Politico.
  15. ^ Orr, Jimmy. Helen Thomas featured on HBO special. Christian Science Monitor. August 16, 2008.
  16. ^ NOW on PBS. PBS. January 16, 2004.
  17. ^ "Nixon's China Trip Journalists Chosen". The Pittsburgh Press. Google News Archive. February 8, 1972. p. 8.
  18. ^ Thomas, Helen (March 11, 1960). "Backstairs At The White House". Nashua Telegraph. Google News Archive. United Press International. p. 7.
  19. ^ Smith, Merriman (february 17, 1954). "Backstairs At The White House". The Times-News. Google News Archive. United Press International. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ a b Stout, David (May 17, 2000). "Helen Thomas, Washington Fixture, Resigns as U.P.I. Reporter". The New York Times. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
  21. ^ Winter, Greg (2000-07-10). "Helen Thomas Is Back as a Columnist With Hearst". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  22. ^ "Helen Thomas joins Hearst as a columnist". The Free-Lance Star. Google News Archive. Associated Press. p. July 6, 2000.
  23. ^ Video: Helen Thomas Tells Jews — ‘Get the Hell Out of Palestine’ and Go Back to Germany & Poland. Breitbart.tv
  24. ^ Stein, Sam (June 4, 2010). "Ari Fleischer: Fire Helen Thomas". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  25. ^ a b "Ex-Spokesmen Lead Charge for White House Reporter Helen Thomas to Be Fired". Fox News. 06 June 2010. Retrieved 06 June 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  26. ^ "Jews should leave Palestine and return to Europe, top U.S. journalist says". Haaretz. June 5, 2010.
  27. ^ Helen Thomas (04 June 2010). "Helen Thomas". Retrieved 04 June 2010. I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  28. ^ Gavin, Patrick (June 6, 2010). "Thomas gets dropped by agency". Politico.
  29. ^ Wong, Kristina (June 6, 2010). "Columnist Draws Fire for Telling Jews 'Go Home'". ABC News.
  30. ^ Stewart, Martina (June 6, 2010). "Helen Thomas under fire for saying Jews in Israel should go back to Germany, Poland". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  31. ^ Gavin, Patrick (June 7, 2010). "Gibbs rebukes Thomas". Politico.
  32. ^ Weil, Martin (June 7, 2010). "Helen Thomas agrees to bow out as commencement speaker at Walt Whitman High". The Washington Post.
  33. ^ Sam Youngman; Emily Goodin (7 June 2010). "Helen Thomas announces retirement". The Hill. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  34. ^ "US: Veteran reporter resigns over "indefensible" remarks". The Spy Report. Media Spy. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
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