Excellent interview with Helen Thomas that will leave you thinking...

[givemebackmycountry]

I know that Helen Thomas is held in such high esteem on this board, that I had to direct you all to this interview.

snip...

Asked about the critiques of the press common in the progressive blogosphere, Ms. Thomas replied “that’s a mouthful,” because I tossed in stenography for Republicans, the incestuous relations between press and politicians, lack of investigative zeal in the press, and the failure to always print facts or admit to and correct mistakes. But she didn’t exactly defend the press. They “let the country down” in the run up to the war, and “played ball” with the administration, and took “whole hog” the justifications for the invasion. This was a major “disservice to the country” in her eyes. But she’s more positive about them now, saying that “Katrina turned them around” to the problems of the administration, and noting that the press now knows it’s time to do “real reporting.” She called it a “grand awakening

snip...

Asked about her famous quote that Bush is the “worst president in history,” she reminded me that she said so in 2002. She says that while he could have improved, he didn’t and hasn’t yet, and I don’t think she’s holding her breath waiting for that to change. Clearly the issue that makes Ms. Thomas the most emotional and forceful in her assertion about the failures of this administration is the war. She called it “unconscionable” and a “quagmire.” She seemed particularly irked that the rationale for the war keeps changing, and that to this day it’s hard to get a consistent answer from members of the administration, “you ask five people and you get five different reasons,” she notes with no small feeling.
I can understand why this would be such an infuriating reality for someone who has such impeccable credentials as a journalist and who knows how to talk to politicians; it’s beyond insulting.

and the money shot...

Ms. Thomas had two words to answer my question, ‘what is the biggest problem facing good government today?’ “Lousy leadership.” The follow up question about what is different today compared to when she first entered the business was hardly more reassuring. Back then, and unlike today, people understood the true meaning of public service, and followed in the tradition of Lincoln. People in previous governments have wanted to “make a contribution” and help “the sick, the poor, those without shelter” and had concern for issues like fairness and health care. She stressed that this isn’t found in the Beltway today, and she blames much of our current situation on Reagan, “when all this began.”

read the whole thing here:

http://www.correntewire.com/an_interview_with_helen_thomas

[PDJane]

1. She is correct,

In my humble opinion, to blame Reagan. However, I think at least some of it goes back to Nixon, where this administration got it's origins.

[fooj]

2. people understood the true meaning of public service

Authentic service. I adore Helen. May she write forever.

[durtee librul]

4. Still say you'd cut the chaff from the wheat

if you didn't pay these people. You'd see how really truly committed to this country they really are...or base it on merit or something. Just take all the perks away, all speaking fees either in or out of office, should be donated to a charity chosen at random. No private drivers or cars, fly commercial coach, pay your own postage, pay for your own hair cuts, the list could go on and on.

I agree, Helen is THE best and I hope she lives forever.

[durtee librul]

3. A lot of crap started with RR

and no-one wants to stand up and say he was a f*g idiot. Tell that to a repuke and ya better duck. All you get is the wishy washy bs of how he ended communism, etc.

My take, we didn't have soup kitchens to the extent we do now until his 'trickle down' economics started. He and his lady love ran this country with a FUCKING ASTROLOGER for crissakes........and we think the fundies are crazy - they had a good teacher.

Now that he's dead (and has hopefully slid into the ocean and been ate by some prehistoric fish), I have to give Nancy some credit for her stand on stem cell research.

And if there ever was karma, he got it in the end. He cut funding for Alzheimers and he got it. Now it appears his good stalwart right hand man, Charleton Heston has it as well. If ever anyone deserved it, it's Ronnie. (course hubby says you can't lose what you never had)

And YES, I AM being judgemental and I don't give a rat's a** either. The man was a certifiable nut job.

[babylonsister]

5. I love Helen Thomas, and wonder sometimes when no one else does, .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=274904

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/13/507 /

Pelosi’s ‘Mixed Message’ to Syria Is More Direct Than The President’s
by Helen Thomas

Washington — Vice President Dick Cheney has accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of “bad behavior” for visiting Damascus and talking to Syrian President Bashar Assad.Look who’s talking — the man who told the world he knew where the weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq in the run-up to the U.S. invasion. Have you heard any apologies or mea culpas from Cheney even after he was proved wrong? Of course not.

And did you hear anything from Cheney repudiating the visits to Syria by Republican U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia and Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania? Another recent Republican visitor was Rep. Darrel Issa of California. Silence from the veep. That’s because the Bush administration needs every vote it can muster on Capitol Hill to support its disastrous foreign policy.

President Bush accused Pelosi of sending “mixed messages” to Syria. Hardly. Syrian officials are well aware of the constant U.S. trashing of their country as a “terrorist state.”

Syria just happens to be sheltering thousands of Iraqi refugees who fled their country as a result of the U.S. invasion and the ensuing civil war. The U.S. has taken in only a few thousand fleeing Iraqis.

Speaking of his trip to Syria, Wolf said: “I don’t care what the administration says on this. You gotta do what you think is in the best interest of your country.”

On his return from Syria, Pitts said: “Dialogue is not a sign of weakness … . It’s a sign of strength.”

Even Issa — a strong Bush supporter who met with Assad — was critical of the administration’s pressure against any contacts with Syria.