Today's Ari Fleischer Press Briefing: WHERE WAS HELEN?

The White House | March 7, 2003

[Mrs.Liberty]

didn't see if she attended today's press conference

She was not there...her seat was empty.

[Exit148]

" But, I would add that I also believe that looks are a reflection of an inward attitude, and I suspect that her unpleasant face has something to do with her mental state."

I agree. A smiling face will win more friends than a constant scowl. I guess she resents her limitations --and shows it.

I was watching one of the c-spans, when Ari's press conference broke up. When the camera panned the room I quickly looked around to see if she was there. Didn't see her, but it could have been because the camera didn't show the entire room.

[Queen Jadis]

Ari is the man! He has a great sense of humor too...

[Brad’s Gramma]

Maybe somebody finally informed Helen that she died of old age in 1978.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAA

[Queen Jadis]

Ari, to Helen: You monkey, you minion shut up and sit down! A curse on your moustache!

HILARIOUS...perfect...LOL. Wish Ari could read that although he probably has not the time.

[brydic1]

I loved it when Ari proudly stated that it was he who made the list of journalists to be called up last night. It tickles me that Ari was the one who made that list up and took immediate credit for same. Way to go, Ari. About time. If it were me, I would never call on any reporters for NY Times, LA Times, Wash Post, CBS, NBC, CNN or ABC. Clinton and his keepers always called on leftists almost exclusively.

[Redleg Duke]

Maybe a house dropped on her.

[nothingnew]

So Al Lewis dyed his hair and grew it long......Is that what you are telling me?

FMCDH

[Boundless]

> It is no accident that HT was not on that list.

I wonder if there's some backstory here, like...
* WH drops hints to Press Corp to rein her in (no result).
* WH discretely tells key Press members more directly (no result).
* WH hints to HT personally to stop using WH press
conferences as her personal soapbox (no result)
* WH warns here in no uncertain terms (no result)
* chop

If we don't hear from Helen again, it would appear that
the following (based Ari's response mentioning her by
name) is her final question at a WH press conference, from:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030305-7.html

"Q Ari, since there is an atmosphere of the imminence of war in this White House, and since we have no direct access to the President, will you state for the record, for the historical record, why he wants to bomb Iraqi people?"

It degenerates into a pointless debate from there.

[Quix]

And few more deserving than that gritch.

[stripes1776]

No matter how bad she was, she was just an old lady......

If she is just an old lady, then she should start acting like one instead of a 15 year old girl going through adolescent rebellion against her parents.

If you act like a rude idiot, then you should be treated like a rude idiot. And Helen is a rude idiot.

[fly_so_free]

It's about time the Bush administration stands up to her. She has made outrageous, biased, mean spirited statements and tried to pass them off as reporting. President Bush does NOT have to put up with personal attacks, slurs, and insults from the supposedly "unbiased" reporters. I hope he NEVER calls on her again. It would serve her right.

[gaspar]

Les is Les Kinsolving. He made a name for himself on Baltimore radio as a raging crackpot. He sits in from time to time for Michael Savage. Enough?

[ErnBatavia]

She was at home today drowning her sorrows in a pitcher of Manhattans and a carton of Kents.

I think you have her mixed up with this:

[ErnBatavia]

Terry Moron is her journalistic gigolo.

Not to mention a McCauley Culkin deadringer...

[stripes1776]

Drudge says she was in the 3rd row and it ended a long time tradition that she was allowed to ask a question.

To repeat a saying from another place and time, "It's time for her to go!"

[bogeybob]

If you looked closely on the camera angle from the back of the room, you could see Helen sitting there with her hand stuck up in the air as others asked questions and the President responded. Bush must have loved every moment of it. It was GREAT!

Thomas recently called Bush "the worst President ever".

[desertcry]

She was flight-testing a new broom. Old witches should not do that, it's too dangerous. hillary should have warned helene. I wonder how many broken limbs she got.

[Ole Okie]

I have trouble thinking it was a coincidence that the White House chose a very high profile press conference to de-throne Helen.

LOL! If it was deliberate, it was a darned good move.

If it wasn't deliberate, it still was a darned good move.

[Miss Marple]

I think your scenario is probably spot on. It rather reminds one of how the Taliban were repeatedly warned. Bush's comment as he got off Marine One and headed in to give the order: "I gave them every chance to do the right thing."

We are seeing the same thing with Iraq.

France should pay attention.