Tom Shales of "WaPo" ...Hits Helen Thomas as "WAY OUT OF LINE!"

[KoKo]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003840152

Tom Shales Hits Helen Thomas -- Way Out of Line?

By Greg Mitchell

Published: August 18, 2008 4:20 PM ET
NEW YORK (Commentary) In suggesting that the Rory Kennedy HBO documentary on Helen Thomas performed “cosmetic surgery” on the legendary reporter’s alleged major “flaw” – a rabid anti-Israel bias -- Tom Shales of The Washington Post revealed, instead, what the Thomases of the world are up against in the media. To criticize Israel at all in the U.S. media generally provokes this kind of outraged and outrageous response. Of course, in Israel itself, Israelis criticize their own government and policies all the time.

Shales accuses Thomas of “stridency in criticizing Israel and defending its enemies” but offers no evidence. There might well be a few quotes out there that would make my head explode, but I'd like to see them.

He points out that “Other than a passing reference to Thomas's parents as having been Syrian immigrants, the film never hints at Thomas's anti-Israeli rhetoric.” In other words, Shales suggests that anyone born to Syrian-American parents in the U.S. must be “anti-Israel.” This is highly disturbing.

His next bit of "evidence" consists of Thomas asserting that since both McCain and Obama have issued strong pro-Israel statements “the Israelis have no worries about the November election." Is there anyone in the mainstream media or politics who would argue with Thomas on this?

Next: “Especially during the current administration, her ‘questions’ at press briefings have been more like tirades, on one occasion prompting Tony Snow, the late journalist who was then press secretary, to respond, ‘Well, thank you for the Hezbollah view.’" Right-- let's take Tony Snow's word for it!

And as Dan Froomkin, Shales’ colleague at the Post, notes today, “that episode was widely considered an example of Snow's sometimes unbounded pugnacity, rather than of Thomas's stridency. The transcript from that day shows that Snow's comment came after Thomas legitimately pushed back on his preposterous assertion that the U.S. had called for Israeli restraint during that country's massive bombings of Lebanese targets, many of them civilian.”

Finally, as his trump card, Shales throws down, “Not for nothing was Thomas recently hailed as ‘the epitome of journalistic integrity for over 57 years’ -- by the Arab- American News.” Imagine an Arab American group hailing one of the most prominent Lebanese-Americans. And, at the same time, Thomas has received the same or similar accolades in recent years from literally dozens of non-Arab organizations -- including many leading media groups. Shales himself cites her long “pioneering” efforts, and her “formidable”achievements. He adds (going at least as far as the Arab-American group): “She's also brave enough to chastise fellow journalists. …She's a remarkable example of persistence, tenacity and guts."


http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003840152

[concreteblue]

1. Helen THomas was born in KY.

Can't wait to see the film.

[KoKo]

2. There's a film of Helen?

:shrug: hadn't heard about that...

[KharmaTrain]

3. It's A Documentary By Rory Kennedy

HBO is showing it this month:

http://www.hbo.com/docs/docuseries/helenthomas/index.html

I saw a preview with an interview of Rory...I hope to catch it later this week.

Rory has become an excellent film maker, too

:hi:

[KoKo]

4. Thanks...I don't get HBO...but maybe I can

rent it from Netflix later? Or, You Tube? I'm glad to hear someone is going to do a documentary on her life. She's a treasure. Probably the only one left with any integrity.

[janet118]

8. I just saw the documentary last night . . .

Thank You, Mr. President was wonderful. Helen is joy to behold in it. I loved the part where she sings a funny operetta song about Geraldine Ferraro. Her description of LBJ's "Bataan Death March" around the White House is hilarious. Other highlights are: her impending marriage to Douglas B. Cornell being announced by Pat Nixon, Helen admitting her dismay at not seeing the extent of the corruption in the Nixon administration, her quitting UPI after many years because it was purchased by Rev. Moon, and Bill Clinton helping her blow out her birthday candles.

My favorite part is her answer to the question, "Do you think there is a liberal media?" She scoffs and says she wishes she could find another liberal journalist so she wouldn't be alone.

If we had a press room filled with reporters like Helen, the 4th Estate would be holding the Bush administration accountable instead of helping to provide it with cover.

Helen is a national treasure.

[DCKit]

5. He picked a bad time to pick on Helen. I hear she's coming back rested and ready.

This is probably also the longest break she's had in fifty years - Plenty of time to think.

Does Lloyds of London insure man-bits?

[monmouth]

6. Even Fidel is afraid of her....LOL...n/t

[annabanana]

7. Clearly this tells us more about Shales than it does about Thomas.

Any hint of any question of the most blatantly militaristic view of the most hawkish Israeli politician or policy is AUTOMATICALLY vilified as anti-semitic is the doubter isn't Jewish and "self-hating" if the doubter IS....

This is a long standing situation.

[PATRICK]

9. That guy needs to get a grip

on the reality of the world. Israel is in a very tough, nearly untenable position, given the false security of suicidal nukes, engaged in black subterranean warfare to survive(which anyone can appreciate and understand compared to the venal arrogance of American imperialists) and a torn soul which will further evidence itself in inability to come to a unified way out of the mess- which in any event needs the full support of the world body to resolve.

Resolution of the ME conflicts needs a fundamental, changing transformation of the Jewish state which is juxtaposed lately by more equally religious and exclusive states no matter what(sometimes because of) the way Israel deals with its neighbors. If it is alone it will be torn apart in effectiveness and ignite tragedy all by itself. If it is fully supported by the world toward peace and "survival" their will be a transformative cost or even the religious state dissolve. The Jewish people seem to have Israel made into their front line battle for everything, not the fulfillment of a people. It is all unresolved and tenuous
no matter the hard lines, the victories or allies.

By all means one should encourage and listen to the dialog of the Jews and Arabs themselves. This garbage of American pundits pontificating without listening and without grappling with the WORLD challenge here will guarantee the tragic, bitter possibly horrific destruction of a dream under unremitting attack and used hypocritically by so-called allies, more akin to the Nazis than "Israel supporters." The proof will be in the final solution common to all RW promises. What good they promise never comes. The evil they plan will, and it will be worse than the Muslim countries ever would have perpetrated without RW poison and oil.

[Junkdrawer]

10. I believe Helen thought that Israel's bombing of Lebanese civilians and infrastructure

was out of line.

How DARE she.

[bvar22]

11. I agree! Helen Thomas is way out of line!

She is the ONLY member of the Washington Press Corp who is still performing the duties of a Journalist and honoring her obligation as a member of the 4th Estate.

As such, Helen stands ALONE and way out of line with the rest of the Corporate MouthPieces who have crawled up into the lap of the Bush administration.
Cowards...one and all with the sole exception of Helen Thomas.

I SALUTE Helen Thomas!
:patriot:

[Supersedeas]

12. and for that, she can be crucified by the bimbos/mimbos of the Neo-journalistic set

[Canuckistanian]

13. Seconded

When you're on a higher plane of honesty and integrity, you are out of line.

The rest need to line up with her.