Not Even Nixon

Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
By Penny Starr and Fred Lucas


President Obama is introduced before taking questions during a discussion 
on health care, July 1, 2009, at Northern Virginia Community College in 
Annandale , Va. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(CNSNews.com) - Following a testy exchange during Wednesdays briefing with 
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House 
correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon 
tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control 
the press.

Nixon didnt try to do that, Thomas said. They couldnt control (the media). 
They didnt try.

What the hell do they think we are, puppets? Thomas said. Theyre supposed 
to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.

Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the 
Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web 
site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obamas press 
conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a 
question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by 
people in Iran.

When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they 
are going to ask to control you, Thomas said.

Im not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is 
carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences, 
she said. Its blatant. They dont give a damn if you know it or not. They 
ought to be hanging their heads in shame.

During todays briefing, Thomas interrupted a back-and-forth between Gibbs 
and Chip Reid, the White House correspondent for CBS News, when Reid was 
questioning Gibbs about who was going to decide what questions would be 
asked of President Obama in a townhall meeting that was scheduled to take 
place in Annandale, Va., today.

Gibbs then had an exchange involving Reid and Thomas that went as follows:

Gibbs:   But, again, let's--How about we do this?  I promise we will 
interrupt the AP's tradition of asking the first question.  I will let you 
[Chip Reid] ask me a question tomorrow as to whether you thought the 
questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted in 
Annandale

Chip Reid: I'm perfectly happy to

Helen Thomas: That's not his point.  The point is the control--

Reid: Exactly.

Thomas: We have never had that in the White House.  And we have had some, 
but not-- This White House.

Gibbs: Yes, I was going to say, I'll let you amend her question.

Thomas: I'm amazed.  I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and 
transparency and

Gibbs: Helen, you haven't even heard the questions.

Reid: It doesn't matter.  It's the process.

Thomas:  You have left open

Reid: Even if there's a tough question, it's a question coming from 
somebody who was invited or was screened, or the question was screened.

Thomas: It's shocking.  It's really shocking.

Gibbs: Chip, let's have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall 
meeting.  How about that?

Reid: Okay.

Gibbs: I think

Thomas: No, no, no, we're having it now--

Gibbs: Well, I'd be happy to have it now.

Thomas:  It's a pattern.

Gibbs: Which question did you object to at the town hall meeting, Helen?

Thomas: It's a pattern.  It isn't the question

Gibbs: What's a pattern?

Thomas: It's a pattern of controlling the press.

Gibbs: How so?  Is there any evidence currently going on that I'm 
controlling the press--poorly, I might add.

Thomas: Your formal engagements are pre-packaged.

Gibbs: How so?

Reid: Well, and controlling the public

Thomas: How so?  By calling reporters the night before to tell them 
they're going to be called on.  That is shocking.

Gibbs: We had this discussion ad nauseam and

Thomas: Of course you would, because you don't have any answers.

Gibbs: Well, because I didn't know you were going to ask a question, 
Helen.
Go ahead.

Thomas: Well, you should have.

Reporter: Thank you for your support.

Gibbs: That's good.  Have you e-mailed your question today?

Thomas: I don't have to e-mail it.  I can tell you right now what I want 
to ask.

Gibbs:  I don't doubt that at all, Helen.  I don't doubt that at all.

Thomas, 89, has covered the White House during every presidency since John 
F. Kennedys.

http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=50445