Helen Thomas: The Vitriol of a Woman Scorned

It's always a sad, and sometimes an uncomfortable thing to see someone who was once at the pinnacle of their game try to remain long after their days at the top have gone. Show me someone who doesn't wince when they see an over-the-hill Hollywood elite trying to recapture their glory days, dozens of facelifts stretching their skin over their skull like plastic wrap on a Tupperware container, and I will show you someone who is truly desensitized to their surroundings. Such is the case with White House correspondent Helen Thomas.

Recently, in an impromptu interview with a NewsMax correspondent, Thomas, who has moved from front and center at White House press briefings to the back row because of her vocalized hatred for the president, ripped into both President Bush and Secretary of State Nominee Condoleezza Rice. To say the least, her criticism was vicious and unwarranted.

When queried about her thoughts on the results of the election past she said of President Bush, "My God, the man is a fascist - a fascist, I tell you."

The definition of fascism is: A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

One needs only to go through the definition description by description to easily refute Thomas' statement:

A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator: Dictators always get their way otherwise they torture, rape and kill those who oppose them. Hussein, Hitler and Stalin did it. The simple fact that Senate obstructionists were able to block President Bush's judicial nominees proves this point to be wrong. It should also be noted that President Bush is a strong supporter of states' rights. This too destroys Thomas's feeble allegation that the president is a fascist.

Stringent socioeconomic controls: President Bush believes in an ownership society, a free market and small business. So this aspect of Thomas' assertions must be coming from that "confused part" of her decaying gray matter.

Suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship: If President Bush is terrorizing anyone through censorship it was lost on those who piloted nearly 80 percent of the 527 attack groups this past election cycle, spearheaded by MoveOn.org, America Coming Together and The Media Fund. In fact, the argument can be made that it was this group of 527s, and Thomas herself, through their use of unfounded rhetoric, untrue statements, racism and liberal scare tactics, that were using terror as a tool to re-capture the White House for their liberal agenda. Isn't it always like the liberal-left to accuse their opponent of doing exactly what they are?

A policy of belligerent nationalism and racism: President Bush is a patriotic man, and with just cause. Our nation stands for freedom and the president appreciates that. He has withstood some incredibly vitriolic attacks from the liberal-left and the biased news media in order to bring democracy to two nations that once harbored regimes that thought nothing of filling mass graves with innocent victims and bilking billions of dollars from the international community. As for racism, that brings me to Thomas' comments about Condoleezza Rice.

When asked about Dr. Rice's nomination for Secretary of State Thomas said, "I tell you, the women is a monster, a monster, a monster...The lady is a goddamn liar."

Thomas accused Rice of lying to the president about WMD in Iraq when the world now knows it was George Tenet, a holdover from the Clinton Era, who completely dropped the ball with regard to US Intelligence and the dissemination of intelligence from around the world. She went on to say, without substantiation, that Rice's family had opposed Martin Luther King, not supported the civil rights movement, and in what was her most ridiculous claim, that Rice's family wouldn't even patronize black-owned stores.

In a past column of mine titled, "Hello Darkness My Old Friend," I suggested that Thomas' days as an objective reporter were finished due to her statement that President Bush was the "worst president ever." I backed up my contention by citing her repeated biased questioning of then White House Press Secretary Ari Fleisher. I stated that a woman who was once called the Dean of the Washington Press Corps had transformed herself into a "dilapidated old windbag." I now know I didn't go far enough.

Helen Thomas has no business calling herself a journalist anymore. She is fleecing her employer. She is a racist and a malcontent. She owes both the president and Condoleezza Rice an apology. She is a disgrace to her former profession. She has graduated from being a dilapidated old windbag to being a vitriolic troll and I will never apologize for the use of those words.

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant and managing editor for TheRant.us. His pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com. He has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and numerous radio shows. His pieces have been recognized by the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are periodically featured in The Washington Times as well as other national and international publications. He can be contacted at oped@therant.us

Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

She's clearly an charter member of the Enemy Within:

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) presents the 2004 Arab-American of the Year Award to Helen Thomas:

The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) earlier this year held its 33rd anniversary banquet in Detroit attended by 2,700 guests. The event begun with "Drumbeats of Youth" performed by the Maples School Arabic Music Ensemble. Emery King, Master of Ceremonies, introduced Jennifer Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, saying the Governor is a speaker who holds her audience "spellbound. In her welcoming remarks, Governor Granholm said: "Thank you very much on behalf of the State of Michigan. I particularly want to extend greetings to Helen Thomas, who is going to be your keynote speaker this evening. And obviously she can see how important the Arab-American community is to the State of Michigan. [snip]

In her speech, Helen Thomas said:

"It is a profound honor for me to participate in the grand opening of the Arab American National Museum. The first ever of its kind and rightfully placed in my native Michigan. I want to thank the very kind sponsors. I would like to congratulate Joseph Haiek, a fellow journalist, and the awardee of the late Helen Atwell, who helped found this unique museum.

"I feel that our parents, our grandparents and our great grandparents have all contributed to the legacy we are saluting tonight. I have to tell you that I grew up as a firm believer in the melting pot, the greatness of America and I reject hyphens. But on the other hand I must say that I have been lucky to grow up in two cultures - American and Arab - and am grateful for their enrichment of our lives.

"There are probably many who do not believe the media gives the Arabs a fair shake, and yet the phenomena of truth has hit home with those shocking photos of prison abuse in Iraq are worth a thousand words. Need more to be said than it has stunned and silence the liberators. Not a line can wipe out the truth of these devastating pictures. We now know how war brutalizes the victims, but mostly the perpetuators of such cruelty. So it’s a rude awakening for America - that we would be capable of such atrocities and the world who may take the preachments of our leaders about freedom, democracy, compassion for Arabs with a grain of salt. Somewhere, somehow there were a few good people who wanted the truth out.

"I don’t believe these are manifestations of America. But then there is a question before our country: Can anyone justify unprovoked preemptive war? Hardly, considering the innocent lives taken in such a calculated misadventure. And the irony is that all those who dreamed up the ‘walk in the park’or cakewalk into Iraq evaded the Vietnam draft. They had other priorities. But the good news is I believe we have learned the lesson that people will defend their own land..., breathes a man with soul so dead, who never to himself has said, this is my own, my own native land. Any transformation of the Middle East has to be homegrown.

"There is no question, that it’s all over in Iraq, and we’re looking for the exit signs.

"When I call the Pentagon the officers will give me the American fatality and wounded figures. When I ask for the Iraqi toll, I am told ‘we don’t track them. They don’t count.’ These are the people we are liberating. The grateful dead. Man’s inhumanity to man. We are shocked that we stoop so low as to humiliate, but not when we wantonly kill the innocent. Cry the beloved country and ask why we are there and why we continue to kill and be killed. The only way for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing. Now I think I should lighten up and tell you no one should go into journalism if they want to be loved.

"As for the White House, I can assure you that no president has ever liked the press, dating back to George Washington... I was covering him, but Kennedy said, ‘I am reading more and enjoying it less.’ What Lyndon B. Johnson said is ‘unprintable.’

"Nixon once looked up when we walked into the cabinet room and said: ‘It’s only coincidental that we’re talking about pollution when the press walks in.’ President Ford accused me of practicing acupuncture on presidents.

"President Carter always seemed to be saying: ‘Lord forgive them for they know not what they do.’ When President Reagan was told that a press helicopter had been fired on at the Honduran border, he said, ‘There’s some good in everyone.’

"And when President Clinton was asked why the press always sent along with the motorcade when he went jogging, he laughed and said " ‘They just want to see if I drop dead.’ My favorite ego trip is when Fidel Castro was asked what was the difference between his government and our democracy, he said: ‘I don’t have to answer questions from Helen Thomas.’ Well, President Bush has found a way to avoid them from me too. But that’s OK, just so others in the press come out of their coma and start asking the tough questions... happily they seem to be doing better. As for presidents, I have always thought they have reached the top of the mark. Ain’t no other place to go and they should only want to do the right thing because the greatest honor that anyone can have and that is the trust of the American people.

"Lincoln said: ‘Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe.’ Jefferson said: ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’ Justice Brandeis said that a constant spotlight on public officials lessens the possibility of corruption. He also said that if the government becomes a lawbreaker it breeds contempt for the law.

"I say let’s get our country back and once more adhere to it’s highest ideals which made us the most admired not the most hated around the world.

"Terrorism and tyranny can be fought when we represent the best mankind has to offer. So I say: Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for all of us.

"Let’s give peace a chance and let it begin with us. I hope this museum will beckon many visitors who will know contributions of great Americans with ties to the Arab world.

A standing ovation of 2,700 guests followed her speech.

The entertainment for the evening was provided by Ali Barada and His Band that pulled hundreds to participate in the Dabkeh, Arabic folkloric dance.

The dinner committee: Brigitte Fawaz-Anouti, chairperson, Anne Darwish-Talab and Najwa Hadous Team Leaders.

The 33rd anniversary dinner was sponsored by Comerica Inc. and General Motors and co-sponsored by: Bank one, DaimlerChrysler Corp., DTE Energy and Ford Motor Co. The Patrons were: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee(ADC), Henry Ford Health System, Karmanos Cancer Institute and Standard Federal Bank.

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