Helen Thomas to DU--follow up: you people are "uplifting!"

I spoke to Helen again tonight. I had intended to speak to her over the weekend, but she wasn't home.
I asked her where she was, and she had been in the hospital with some minor issues I won't go into,
but she's OK. It was mechanical, not mental, and not major. "I didn't have a nervous breakdown," she laughed.

But she DID read all of your comments I posted to her from that last thread from a week ago, and she
said to say thanks to everyone who posted, and to say that you (that is, DU) were "very uplifting."

I haven't been able to talk her into giving me an exclusive Helen Thomas DU post yet, but I'm still
working on it, and if it ever comes about, it will indeed be because DU has some people who write
"very uplifting" posts.

With all the evil crap going on out there (and we talked a lot about that, too), it's nice to know
we have a lot of people here who take the time to be "uplifting" to someone who could certainly
use it right about now. So, from the two of us, thanks again for all your support!

Helen is a Patriot, and a role model for REAL "Journalists".

To lose Helen Thomas and Bill Moyers in the same year is disheartening.

"Journalism"....a lost art in 21st Century America.

n/t

thank you....both.

Dark but stunning!

I got real lucky. lighting sucked.

And at my alma mater.

Thank you, MichaelHarris. Really appreciate what you do.

Nobody did it better. Her Legacy is intact and unimpeachable.

three unimpeachable characters.

done.

I'm not OK giving out her home address without her saying so, and she hasn't so far.

I'm almost tempted to say write her c/o Hearst Newspapers at 1850 K Street in Washington,
and let a flood of well-wishing mail flood their offices to shame them for shoving her
out the door so quickly and unceremoniously. How's that for a suggestion?

Those cowards should not get off the hook for what they did without knowing how much they are despised for their cowardice.

There are far more people around the globe who support Helen, than the few rightwingers, like Ari Fleischer, who set out to silence her, but they work harder and shout louder than we do.

I love the idea, just post the address and I will be happy to write to Helen there.

(Helen Thomas c/o)
Hearst Newspapers
1850 K St NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC, 20006-2223

Thanks!

During the worse 8 years in our history, hers was a voice you could count on
to speak truth to power. Helen Thomas is a jewel!

If another 100 people do it too, they might have some egg on their faces for a while.

K and R! :hi:

:bounce::woohoo::bounce:

:loveya:

:hi:

I will ever see in my lifetime again.

zalinda

for keeping us informed about Helen. She is missed and much appreciated for her tireless efforts to ask the tough questions for us. Thank You Helen for all you've done..best wishes.

We miss you, Helen!

And if you choose to rest ... enjoy it. You earned it and you deserve it.

An exemplary journalist in an age when most can't even spell the word.

She asked the questions that needed to be asked. And she frequently brought up things that were inconvenient. You cannot forget her distinguished career, her position of preeminence as dean of the White House Press Corps, or her courage at a very bleak moment in American history. She was sent to the back of the room back then (for asking "uppity" questions of bush's spokesmen) and nobody stood up for her. She spoke truth to power.

:patriot:

You opened many doors for women, and it is deeply appreciated.

Never give up.

...to Helen Wait. Then we could put her in charge of congressional spending. Anytime the republicans wanted anything, we could tell them to go to Helen Wait!

I suspect she'll LOVE that one! I will pass it on.

But I love to read your posts. Hope the new job is going well! :hi: Dana ; )

:hugs:

and tell her that we'd love to read a book authored by her!

Maybe she could get a P.O. box, and we could send uplifting cards to her.

Please let dear Helen know she is in my thoughts. I'd like nothing more than to be among a throng of admirers at her next book signing. Please put Denver on the schedule! LOL

Helen, be well and know that for every one of your detractors there must be at least 100 who sing your praises and are very very grateful for your contributions. Unfortunately the detractors have really big and loud mouths. We'll work on drowning them out!

Much love, Ms. Thomas.

From the bottom of my unemployed heart!

-Hoot

Thanks for the thread

a warm hello to you both. Hang in there Helen, I know there's a book there..LOL.

I even got her to change her mind on one thing. She said it was wrong of Hastings to report what McChrystal
said if it was off the record. I said, in principle, this was true, but if you are a commanding general of
US forces in the field somewhere, I feel there IS no "off the record," and you are responsible for your
statements no matter what the circumstances. She thought about that and finally agreed with me.

We miss you, Helen!

cut throats climbing over the top of each other stabbing away at it trying to get to Helen's seat up in the front. And I read all cowardly reviews form all the back stabbers and thought about those that had no public opinion ! I imagined daggers of every shape and size and the places some of those so called writers would think to hide it.
This was not about about the one big lucky break for the struggling journalist. It was about getting to it first any way you can at all cost.There is no honor ,there is no ethics ,there is no right, there is no wrong . It's the only code they know or know of. I think she let them have it,and I don't think they as of yet know how she showed us all what they are made of.

Let's face it they are all a bunch of cut throats.It is the only way they know. They call that doggy dog. It's a doggy dog world.
Who was it that said, old soldiers never die ,they simply fade away, famous for his corn cob pipe ?

Nobody who ever read Helen Thomas would expect Helen to simply fade away !

She staged a really really good show !

And it must go on !

I hope she read it. :)

It was in the 1960s, when I was in grade school. She and my father were members of the Washington
print press. Over 40 years ago anyway. We didn't see each other much in those days, of course. When
my father passed away ten years ago, Helen was the first one to arrive at his memorial service at
the National Press Club of the top floor of the National Press Building 14th and F. For years since
then, we have gotten together every time I'm back in Washington, which is a couple of times a year.
We talk on the phone usually once a month or so, and since the debacle of the last month, a LOT more
often than that.

She has done so much to try to improve our lives over the years and hold government accountable for what they do.

She is a good person who has lived a full and interesting life, which I hope she continues to do. This has been very cruel for her, and I am very sorry that it happened. I hope you can get a Helen Thomas post, but the Helen Thomas photo is pretty good too.;)

seeing her pictures, and thinking of her huge body of work.

You're my she-roe, Helen! :patriot:

I looked foreword to her articles in the Liberal Opinion. Keep up the good fight, Helen.

I wish her the very best. :)

:pals:

:loveya:

We would love to hear what she has to say, even if others no longer want to have her around.

:hi:

The Denver Mafia is alive and well :hi:

:thumbsup:

:hug: instead I send her much much love. :loveya:

Relative to uplifting, I suppose she has yet to realize how uplifting it was to her readers that she dared to ask the tough questions and to challenge the powers that be.

It was so good to have someone at the white house who knew what it meant to be a journalist and a dedicated citizen of the US and this world. That is uplifting.

Thank you DFW for sharing with us and with Ms Thomas, the connection is lovely.

to say the least...

...wrong spot.

is an asshat

It's a wonderful picture.

I am updating my list right now because life is too short to read stuff like that. :mad:

except if you are an Israeli.

And seeing as how she still has plenty of Jewish friends who know her better than her slam job in the media,
there are plenty of Jews, maybe even some with Israeli citizenship-I never asked-who remain her good friends,
I'd say she was a nice person even if you ARE Israeli.

If you're looking for some major well-known figure to dump on Jews in general and Israelis in particular, you'll
have to look elsewhere. Your statement reminds me of Republicans screaming that people who thought the invasion
of Iraq was criminal "hated America."

judging a book by its cover? She as done more than most to try to keep presidents honest.

have something to hide. I wish we had more scary journalists, but we don't, we have a very very few but yes, they DO scare the liars and the corrupt.

From all of us at DU :grouphug:

Hekate

Keep in mind that she has written or co-written books before, and documentaries have been done on her already.

Just this past weekend a friend who is retiring from West German radio news (not an anachronism, but a regional
station) brought me a huge article on Helen from a German newspaper that appeared last year. She has certainly
seen more history up close than almost anyone left alive who is compos mentis. Maybe she'll warm to the idea?

:loveya:

:yourock:

out there keeping it real.

But there's only one and she is a National Treasure.

:loveya:

Please give her my warm regards and let her know how much she's loved and appreciated! :hug:

I wish her nothing but the very best.

I don't think you really understand just how much it means to us on DU, to have this little 'window' into someone as important as Ms. Thomas. She is truly a national treasure for her journalistic integrity and tenacity, to say the least. I always look forward to these updates and envy you, those moments you have with her and how much of an inspiration she is to so many people.

Bless you!

Very special.

I remember others who dared speak on that issue and caught hell.

and her passion for those who are suffering.

American Jews for a Just Peace announced last week that it will serve as the U.S. coordinator for the Jewish boat. The other groups participating in the flotilla include “Judische Stimme” (”Jewish Voice” for a Just Peace in the Near East) and Jews for Justice for Palestinians, a British organization.http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/06/28/will-a-jewish-flotilla-break-the-gaza-blockade/

I wish her well.

give 'em hell, Helen.

and several kicks for Helen.

They can never take that away from us. Thank you Helen!

She has not been open to writing anything for anyone since she was dumped by Hearst, but her mind
is still working just fine. She hasn't been at all receptive to the notion, but she hasn't been
receptive to much of anything of late. But she is getting over it, and when she feels good and
ready, she'll be ready to write for somebody.

As a journalist, that would not be in the cards for her I'd say.

At the moment, she is unemployed, and has every liberty to be something else if she so chooses (commentator, e.g.).

Freedom of choice doesn't only apply to pregnancy.

like Dahr Jamail, Robert Scheer, Robert Fisk, Greg Palast, Chris Hedges and others, and write opinion pieces. And thankfully the MSM is shrinking in terms of reader and viewer-ship, while the new media is growing and she would be welcomed by a majority of people who use alternative news now to stay informed. The MSM did not have the guts to stand by her but I believe that world-wide at this point in time, our media is not very respected or watched, while the new media is growing rapidly.

Helen would be a fantastic addition to the long list of independent reporters without whom we would know very little about the facts of what is going on with this country.

:hi:

This thread was mostly meant as a follow to one about a week ago which was her first reaction to the DU outpouring
of support to her after she was dumped by Hearst and dumped on by the MSM. That other thread got a lot more attention,
and rightly so. This was more for those people who responded to my other thread--to let them know that Helen did indeed
see every one of their posts of affection and encouragement. I felt it was their right to know. Good vibes, but not
news of national importance. I think the DU mods got it right.

in the Fourth Branch anymore. IMO, with Bill Moyers also retired, next to none.

Conversations are 'Did you hear what Helen asked the Prez today?' 'Did you read Helen's Column last week?'

We love you you Helen, perhaps when you feel up to it you could post a blog here on DU. We need your wisdom.

:hug: We <3 Helen

She is indeed a national treasure!:grouphug: :yourock: Helen!

P.S. Would you ask her if she would like to come and talk to the kids at my school? Just a little country school. We'd love to have her come and speak:) :patriot:

She might just do it.

And thank you.:)

Her schedule is a little less crowded now than it was a month ago. I'll send her your info.

All I can do is try. The worst that can happen is she'll say no. And if lightning strikes, and she can come, it will be a school-wide, and community-wide event. Hope that's ok.:)

Thanks DFW...Good to see the photo's and your update!

I hope Helen continues to do well and puts her considerable talent to work writing a book.

... I'll write a note a bit later in the day but in the meantime... "Wow, Helen, 1) THANK YOU for all you've done for us, 2) you look great, and 3) I love your pearls!" :-) --Jane the Pain

It is we who should be thanking her for all the times she has lifted us up. She has been the lone, shining beacon in the press corps for so many years, and the gaping hole created by her absence can never be completely filled.

Helen, you have our unending love, respect and gratitude.

With warmest regards from a fellow Helen. :pals:

The way you have do your job reminds us of the character, courage and the honesty we all should bring to our own work on a daily basis.

You set the standard that all journalists should follow.

Keep on keeping on. Keep on writing. We really need you Helen!

And she's damn fine journalist. Congratulations for inspiring so many.

:loveya: Helen!

K&R for the phenomenal Helen!

thanks for doing this DFW

A friend of mine asked to me to tell some people on DU something for her, so I did.

I have undertaken more arduous tasks in my life, believe me! LOL

:applause:
:loveya:

thanks for posting

:hi: Have some fun Helen! You earned it!

You led by example Helen! The youngsters could have learned a thing or two from you.

and bringing some common sense and sanity to it!!

Loved that Ralph Nader also came out to speak for you --

Interesting who the "enemies" are these days!!

And torturers and warmongers and warprofiteers go on their merry way!

to realize that she read my personal comment.

But I'm having real trouble grasping with her depiction of DU as 'uplifting'.

:smoke:

What she found "uplifting" was the huge number of messages of encouragement and support for her, which
were a very welcome from the media trashing she had received a week or two earlier. It's the people of DU
that she found uplifting. She doesn't visit DU herself.

(not yet, anyway!!)

it just looked incongruous.

:smoke:

:hi: :applause: :applause: :applause: :patriot: :toast:

Love you, Helen. Never stop! :)

After all the years she has "uplifted" all of us, it's about time that WE THE PEOPLE did the same for her!

have no clue why she's gone yet others remain who've said far worse

She was an easy target.

A LOT of people could breathe a sigh of relief who don't deserve to do so.

And for the record, she said that in retrospect, even she disagreed with what she said.

No one to ask the real questions now... how sad.

you asked many questions for us, the front row will never be the same.

I love you Helen. You're a hero to me.