Fun with Helen Thomas, Feb. 6th

White House Press Briefings ^ | Feb. 6th | White House

[Maringa]

Q Since you speak for the President, we have no access to him, can you categorically deny that the United States will take over the oil fields when we win this war? Which is apparently obvious and you're on your way and I don't think you doubt your victory. Oil -- is it about oil?

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, as I've told you many times, if this had anything to do with oil, the position of the United States would be to lift the sanctions so the oil could flow. This is not about that. This is about saving lives by protecting the American people --

Q We will not take over the oil fields, are you saying that?

MR. FLEISCHER: The oil fields belong to the people of Iraq, the government of Iraq, all of Iraq. All the resources --

Q And we don't want any part of that?

MR. FLEISCHER: -- of Iraq need to be administered by the Iraqi government. And any action that is taken in Iraq is going to be taken with an eye toward the future of Iraq. And that involves the protecting of infrastructure, providing humanitarian aid. And that needs to be done by the Iraqi people.

Q There are reports that we've divided up the oil already, divvied it up with the Russians and French and so forth. Isn't that true?

MR. FLEISCHER: What's the source of these reports that you cite?

Q They're all over the place.

MR. FLEISCHER: Can you be more specific?

Q That we have just -- we will take the oil fields and then we will parcel out the oil.

MR. FLEISCHER: But you cited some reports. I'm just curious about -- if you can be more specific about the source of these reports that you're citing here today.

Q -- have you been reading the newspapers?

MR. FLEISCHER: Can you be more specific? Anywhere in particular?

Q Senator Lugar said it.

MR. FLEISCHER: No, there's no truth to that, that we would divide up the oil fields. As I --

Q Your own people have said something -- but I'm sorry I can't pinpoint it.

MR. FLEISCHER: As I indicated, the infrastructure of Iraq belongs to the people of Iraq. And that is going to be respected.

Q Why should you decide what is their infrastructure or their government?

MR. FLEISCHER: Obviously, if the regime changes there will be a new government. And the government will represent the people of Iraq.

[Maringa]

Geeeezzze, this woman is having a coniption...Ari Fleischer has formidable patience!!!!!

[PhiKapMom]

Wish we could just throw her out of the WH as a threat to national security! Her questions are so Anti-American that I cannot believe that anyone still employs the hag!

[twyn1]

I said the same yesterday -- Ari must have the patience of a saint -- how he keeps himself from striding out from behind the podium and kicking this nsty old hag is beyond me :)

[Paul Atreides]

I wish the White House would hire a couple of bouncers to literally throw her off of the premises, into the middle of heavy traffic. She is a worthless anti-American witch. She should be dropped into the nearest despotic hellhole.

[wideawake]

With idiots like her, the most fun you can have is to quietly keep your cool, talk to them like one is patiently explaining things to a small child, and watch them explode with rage.

[Semper Paratus]

She should be subjected to a full cavity search everday she arrives, because she's full of it.

[dead]

MR. FLEISCHER: What's the source of these reports that you cite?
Q They're all over the place.
MR. FLEISCHER: Can you be more specific?
Q -- have you been reading the newspapers?
MR. FLEISCHER: Can you be more specific? Anywhere in particular?
Q Your own people have said something -- but I'm sorry I can't pinpoint it.

What an absolute embarrassment to the already long-discredited profession of journalism.

Kind of a gift to Fleischer though. He's just having fun with her at this point.

[Bahbah]

I want to nominate Ari for Jewish sainthood. I just love this guy. He's smart, articulate and a truly decent man.

[Mr. K]

Why do they still let her in the room...?

NOTE: THIS IS THE SAME HELEN THOMAS WHO ONCE SAID SHE BELIVED VINCE FOSTER WAS KILLED AND SHE SAID "[..I BELIVE] IT HAPPENED RIGHT THERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE"

Saw her say this with my own two eyes folks~!

[Blue Screen of Death]

Ari Fleischer has formidable patience...

There isn't enough vallium on this planet for me to be able to do his job. I hope on his last day as press spokesman, he walks over, unzips his fly and pisses all over the old bitch.

[alancarp]

Let's see (referring to that other posting about Lugar)... if we REALLY said that to France and Russia:
(1) Lugar wouldn't be the one to deliver such a message;
(2) Both countries would be screaming about it. At high volume. Continuously.

[Feckless]

Ari needs to lean over and bitch-slap that old, dried up sharpei.......

[gov_bean_ counter]

Helen of Troll the patron saint of the Washington DC press corps.

[Flyer]

I saw this exchange live. Ari handled it wonderfully. Is he taking lessons from Rummy?

[alancarp]

SHE BELIVED VINCE FOSTER WAS KILLED AND SHE SAID "[..I BELIVE] IT HAPPENED RIGHT THERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE"

She said that???? Dang, maybe it was only a suicide...

[Jambe]

Why does Ari Fleischer even acknowledge this woman is in the room? I would like to see a two week period where Helen Thomas is not recognized for questions during the press conference.

She can no longer claim to be a legitimate journalist - she is just another liberal with a biased agenda, or an old axe to grind.

[bmwcyle]

Too bad Helen was not in space last weekend.

[Paul Atreides]

If I was Ari, when she started carping, I would have played the audio of Jim Rosen's imitation of her, at full blast.

[Paul Atreides]

Then, the press would write stories about how the mean Bush White House is mistreating poor, old, saintly Helen Thomas, an "American Institution." And, a lot of sheep would fall for it.

[ezo4]

I saw this yesterday. You could see in the faces and hear it in the tone of the other reporters after this that they were kind of ashamed to be sitting with the hag. It was really pathetic