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George Bush snubs Helen Thomas in his final Presser

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In a classless move, President Bush snubbed Helen Thomas, the longtime Press Pool reporter covering the White House, and refused to take a question from her as she sat in the front row, waving her hand to him as he asked his final question from his last presser.

She's covered more presidents than Bush has verbs in his vocabulary. The snub ran directly counter to the sentiments expressed in his opening remarks regarding the press:

Through it all, it's been -- I have respected you. Sometimes didn't like the stories that you wrote or reported on. Sometimes you misunderestimated me. But always the relationship I have felt has been professional. And I appreciate it.

I appreciate -- I do appreciate working with you. My friends say, what is it like to deal with the press corps? I said, these are just people trying to do the best they possibly can.

I guess he didn't appreciate working with her since she called him out for many of his policies. Maybe he just misunderestimated her too...

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119 Comments

i wondered if anyone noticed that! what a douchbag!

Bette Streep's picture

Did anyone else notice the number of journos looking down at their feet - slowly untying their laces and waiting for the right time to throw????

LeftandLeft's picture

Scared of a eighty-two year old woman...pussy.

pissed off patricia's picture

I don't think he was afraid, he was just being his usual spoiled jerk self. He can't understand a woman who doesn't kiss his ass.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

LeftandLeft's picture

He must know the woman is retiring soon...respect doesn't cost anything.

He'll die a jerk.

dsmith's picture

This a'hole is a piece of work.

I think you can tell a lot about him, by the way he walks. Walking up to a podium or across the white house lawn..he tries to swagger with his arms out like some sort of gunslinger...giving you the impression, he's one tough hombre.

The truth is he can't even face Helen Thomas. He loves war, but only if others fight in those wars...hell, he couldn't even make it to National Guard meetings.

I pray he will be tried for war crimes. Then watch Macho Man whimper like a baby.


don smith

nikolai's picture

"I pray he will be tried for war crimes. Then watch Macho Man whimper like a baby."

He probably won't be, but if he is, he has an escape plan; note that Paraguay has no extadition treaty with the U.S.

http://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/2006/11/29/b...

Carol's picture

He has always been a punk and will always be a punk.
Standing up there lying through his little baby teeth right up to the the very end. A racist snub of the Obamas by refusing them the Blair House and ignoring Helen Thomas like a fraidy cat. Way to leave office your pathetic loser!

sleek's picture

Goodbye King George - and good riddance.

Helen will be fine. She knows to consider the source.

/Dubya is going, but she's still here. What does that tell you!

An Average Joe's picture

As we will all be rid of him soon!

God bless you, Helen!


"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."....Muhammad Ali

hello's picture

.

pissed off patricia's picture

I noticed it this morning and thought that perhaps she wasn't there. But now that I see she was, it just gives even more proof that bush has no conception of what class is all about. He can't show one iota of respect or any class at all. My dad would have said that bush needed a good ass kickin' a long time ago.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Your dad's Hank Hill?


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

casper46's picture

This is going to be the longest week ever. Hope I can hold on until then.

casper46's picture
O/T

But, Tweety is really holding Chimpy's feet to the fire right now.

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Maybe boosh had to take a question from joe the plumber

or

jeff gannon.


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

JohnnyBravo's picture

We have a winner :-D


NOBODY 2012

gonbald's picture

I'm starting to say "Ex prezadunt bu$hit".

That Mick Piobr's picture

to you, pardner! :)

Orangutan.'s picture

Why aren't we going after Osama Bin Laden?

Good shot of our Helen surrounded by a bunch of bland cowardly enablers masquerading as "journalists".The women is a national treasure and has shown more courage and class than all the rest of these spineless weasels put together.


"To me, truth is not some vague, foggy notion. Truth is real. And,
at the same time, unreal. Fiction and fact and everything in between,
plus some things I can't remember, all rolled into one big "thing."
This is truth, to me. "

-Jack Handy

That Mick Piobr's picture

Helen Thomas can walk out with her head held high,

the rest of those fetchers have to bark twice

before they're allowed to walk out.

RobertD's picture

That includes the "departed" David Gregory.

AZHEAT's picture

I so agree with you.

Helen Thomas speaks the truth. She stands for the true meaning of "journalism".

Bush did not call on her because he was afraid of what she might ask, where the other so called journalists don't have the brains to ask the pertinent questions or are they afraid? In any event, just another example how Bush skirts the truth.

One well-placed question by Helen Thomas might have resulted in physical violence.


"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."

---Southwest Airlines

Or another classic bush gaffe.

RobertD's picture

And yet another calendar of misquotes.

Bush vs Helen
Bush = Chicken


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

bobbquackenbush's picture

I remember when he put her in the back of the room, and how she terrified all the twerps, geeks, fobs, neo-constipated jackbooted, brown shirts, that spun, new speaked, and double talked the jelly fish press corps into believing whatever they want them to believe for the last eight years; and how she helped to disinfect it all with the light of wit and experience. God love her and keep her well until there is someone or something that can take up her standard of true journalism. She is what I mean when I talk about news reporting.

Nowwhat's picture
...

Maybe prezidunt dickweed is still soar over this....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8691...

I am watching it again and it feels great.

Amitola's picture

Stephen Colbert demonstrated great courage and patriotism in that performance - too bad our president and vp haven't done the same in the past 8 years.


"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy

bilhelm-x's picture

I can't believe SC wasn't carted off to Syria for secret torture sessioning after that. I honestly love the guy and his pals

http://www.variety.com/graphics/photos/vpage2...

odanny's picture

This is good stuff, watch him squirm:

Roasted


Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia

hello's picture

...what is it about that smirking, impudent face that makes a normally-rational, religiously non-violent person just want to slap it around from here to Thursday..?

calgarylady's picture

Thank you, odanny! Watching that clip made me feel good. Seeing that psychotic little scumbag getting angrier and more humiliated by the moment made my day.

Stephen Colbert is brilliant!

(ps, added bonus: he's got guts.)

nikolai's picture

Especially when he was "arguing" his case for attacking Iraq in late 2002; "Don't you SEE?! They have weapons of mass destruction!"
That really did it for me; The President of the United States arguing for war with a big, dumb sh*t-eating grin on his face, WOW, WHAT a clueless DOUCHE-BAG.

That Mick Piobr's picture

Thanks.

That's the first time I saw more than a couple of minutes of that.

Colbert made a lot of heads come close to exploding.

The expressions on the faces of the audience are priceless!

"DUH-H-H, I think we're being insulted."

Nowwhat's picture

my reply is down below........

That should go in a vault.


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

JohnnyBravo's picture

Stephen is the greatest.


NOBODY 2012

of all time....

calgarylady's picture

That clip is priceless. Stephen Colbert is my hero!

Prairie Sunshine's picture

May Helen Thomas get the first question on the first day that President Obama stands at that podium in the White House Press Room.

Amitola's picture

...that will be the case.


"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy

bobbquackenbush's picture

Obama should recend the old etiquette rule that a reporter must stand when addressing the President. He should show respect for a truly senior reporter.

I was going to post that very thought as I scrolled down and found it already done. Obama absolutely should call on Helen first. What should he say? Maybe, "Helen, you never got to ask a question in the previous president's final news conference. I'm sorry for that, but I want you and America to know I respect & admire you for being a real journalist these many years. Now ask away..."

bilhelm-x's picture

That's what president asshole is all about. Bye George, agressive pancreatic cancer is too nice for you, but please feel free to chew on some thallium metal anyhow! King fuck-up is finally over.

Liberalicious's picture

That asswipe didn't even go to Ann Richards' Memorial which was totally uncalled for. Typical for that snotnosed twerp.

Jo's picture

Damn! In her day, Ann could always slice, dice, and serve Bush up like a fine chowder (head) he is.

Here's to Ann.

odanny's picture

Why on earth would George W. Bush call on Helen Thomas when he knows that woman would give no quarter? If you were an idiot and a war criminal and there was someone in the audience who would actually ask you something of merit, would you call on them? Not if you had a record like George W. Bush you wouldn't, unless you had a Scott McClellan like role reversal and wanted to come clean. You know he knows he's too dirty to ever think of such a thing.


Radix Omnium Malorum Avaritia

dsmith's picture

Remember Helen is of Lebanese descent. She is not prone to spouting AIPAC talking points like the majority of the so-called journalist in the room.


don smith

bush, the classic classless piece of shit...

the bush legacy to the end....crap begat crap
shame on you babara bush

bilhelm-x's picture

[Deleted. OTT, and kind of violent. Site Monitor]

JohnnyBravo's picture
LOL

*High Five*


NOBODY 2012

Sec_Humanist's picture
. .

The mean-spirited, anti 4th estate neo-con hand puppet and overall fucktard machine continues to roll along for another few days. Who gives a shit??


"Secular humanism -- a fearless, realistic world view replete with doubt and scepticism that attempts to attain an unachievable state of equilibrium between and among the human qualities of reason, intuition, imagination, memory, ethics and common sense.

Didn't watch the presser...but...was Dubya drunk or hungover?

/bets on hungover. Mimosa for breakfast. Hair of the dog.

Jo's picture

and I hope it hurts.

Cat Atomic's picture

I suspect his avoidance was more about cowardice than rudeness. He knew she say something about some of his obvious crimes.

yup - take the easy way in, take the easy way out.


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

woody's picture

to to mistake a strength for the wrong weakness...

It will be my only lasting fond memory of the Busheviks...

Does he ever call on her anymore? I thought he'd pretty much been snubbing her since 2004.

Orangutan.'s picture

Helen Thomas should fully expose the Bush's failures to capture Bin Laden. Their failure to solve the Anthrax case with Anthrax that was sent from U.S. labs. She should highlight the timely deaths of people like Palfrey the DC madam before her trial. Mike Connell's timely death before the Ohio Election Fraud trial. Etc. She should call them out on their lies and treasonous activity that led us into Iraq. I wonder if anyone would print that story.

She should expose the Bush family relationship with the Bin Laden family and their business deals and the way they were flown out of the country after 9/11. She should expose the drug running of the American CIA and Bush Sr.'s involvement. She should state her opinions on the ridiculous theory put forth by the Warren Commission regarding JFK's magic bullet death.

But if she takes it all lying down, than she is no better than the rest of us. Which is most likely going to be the case.

Bobbie's picture

You think if Helen Thomas doesn't do what the MSM was suppose to do for 8 years she is no better than the rest?? Give me a break. When she got the chance she asked real questions, but softball/nose-browning ones. She did more than 90% of the MSM. You surely don't think she can do it all by herself, do you? She hasn't taken anything from that idiot, but she can't force him to answer her questions nor can she force him to let her ask them.

JustMyWords's picture
...

I believe that you've both forgotten a couple of details.

Thomas is a political reporter, not an investigative reporter. What we have needed is this generation's Woodward & Bernstein. Unfortunately, investigative reporting of this sort seems to be a lost art.

And even Thomas has to deal with an editor and a publisher. It wouldn't matter if she had a million articles of the sort needed, the odds are good that she couldn't get them published. Despite the much maligned "liberal media," the media is actually controlled by large corporate conglomerates - NOT a liberal think tank, but firmly on the other side of the political spectrum.

jurassicpork's picture

Is he still saying "misunderestimated" after 8 years?!

fireytiger's picture

That's exactly what I thought when I read that.

MDave's picture

but he needs a bit more practice before he can say it correctly. Be patient with the guy, willya? He's under a lotta pressure! Bein' president is HARD!

Nowonmai's picture

Steerage.

kasinca's picture

Snubbing Helen is part of the shrub's strateegery.

Tom's picture

He really is a sonofabitch and I mean that in the best possible way.

NMRon's picture

for an example of class from Dumbya, you've got a long wait.

Classless fuck!

AZHEAT's picture

At least he knows what a skunk he is and he doesn't want to be further exposed, so he avoids Helen.

Doesn't any other journalist want to step forward and be like Helen? Afterall, she is the only respected journalist amongst us liberals.

Though I initially watched it from another angle, did you see Dana Perino's unhappiness. See around 1:35 > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzWBBxRsOs0

Will somebody hail her a cab allready...


Study the symptoms not the virus...

Dana: "Oh, he was just like a father to me....WAAAAAAHHHH"


If a drone kills a child in Kandahar, do the crying parents make a sound?

TeaEyeIs's picture

will be remembered. Bush will be forgotten.

She puts the rest of the press corps to shame.
I loathe them for not standing up for her when Bush exiled her to the back of the bus.
They should have told him to go f-ck himself. But they are so greedy and stupid and elitist.

And - Hello: "misunderestimated " is NOT A WORD!

JohnnyBravo's picture

A diamond surrounded by spineless jellyfish.


NOBODY 2012

Powkat's picture

That's our Bush - classy to the end. I will spend the whole Thursday speech jeering at the idiot one last time.

eve's picture

How appropriate that he used this final press conference to once again show the world what a self-absorbed worthless jerk he is.

Rico's picture

of the American people twice. An apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I guess my point is this: although Bush will be gone soon, the sentiments that put him there in two elections still run deep in this country.

anney's picture

I have a theory, maybe quite off, but here goes.

I think that so many people voted for Bush (and McCain) because they voted for the person, not for their policies. I think the majority of those who voted for these two don't have the foggiest notion what their policies were. They just voted for somebody like them, a beer-guy, or somebody who got to be a war hero (the only way many of them would EVER be in the spotlight).

I know it's been pointed out before, but I assumed that those who voted for Bush looked at his policies and approved of them first before deciding he had the right personal stuff to clinch the deal. I don't think that anymore. I think it was purely a popularity contest in their minds that had nothing to do with politics at all. That's kind of hard for me to comprehend, but I'm convinced that's what happened.

MDave's picture

is very depressing, and probably spot on.

anney's picture

Even his side-kick, Condoleeza Rice:

Rice shame-faced by Bush over UN Gaza vote: Olmert

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was left shame-faced after President George W. Bush ordered her to abstain in a key UN vote on the Gaza war, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Monday.

"She was left shamed. A resolution that she prepared and arranged, and in the end she did not vote in favour," Olmert said in a speech in the southern town of Ashkelon.

....

"In the night between Thursday and Friday, when the secretary of state wanted to lead the vote on a ceasefire at the Security Council, we did not want her to vote in favour," Olmert said.

"I said 'get me President Bush on the phone'. They said he was in the middle of giving a speech in Philadelphia. I said I didn't care. 'I need to talk to him now'. He got off the podium and spoke to me.

"I told him the United States could not vote in favour. It cannot vote in favour of such a resolution. He immediately called the secretary of state and told her not to vote in favour."

=====

The Bush administration denies this version of what happened. Of course.

=====

Helen, my dear, wear that feather in your cap proudly. Not many reporters have gotten under Bush's skin as you did. He's just a dumb old fart anyway, soon to be gone, and we'll be SO glad! We can look forward to the next president treating you with the respect you deserve!

bmw 528's picture

To be an enabler for these sociopathic hacks for all those years. She would have been better off cashing it in and going back to Stanford. But no, she continued to work for one of the most miserable and malignant political organizations on earth. She has got to be one of the most clueless dupes ever.


"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."

Robert F. Kennedy

I'll bet Helen wears the snub as a badge of honor. I would.

robbie's picture

much less snubbing Helen Thomas

If Obama is smart (and I hear that he is) he should call on Helen first in his first press conference.

Pete2069's picture

Lets show Bush the same respect when he goes on the air for his final farewell speech...

NO ONE SHOW UP...TO TURN HIM ON...

If Obama goes along with Pelosi , Reid , FeinStein and the other democratic leaders and does not investigate Bush's 1001 crimes while in office we should turn him off...


None

Nowwhat's picture

For ((( Mon, 01/12/2009 - 14:52 — That Mick Piobr ))

I have it memorized, along with about the entire 8 years minus the 1st of the Bush Presidency. I for 1 am not going to look forward with out looking backward , I can multi-task.
Refuse to forget!!!! Refuse!!!

Guess who Colbert was supporting early on in the Primarys?
Give a hint his name starts with a K.

muddy's picture

On the ", you know"-Caroline Kennedy Scale, I counted only four ", you know,"'s in about three minutes of uninterrupted speech.

hvanhorik's picture

It's unfortunate that she's not holding her shoe in her hand ready to toss at Bush.

Perhaps a bit of Photoshop retouching :)

Pete2069's picture

There could be no greater honor for Helen to receive...

knowing that she has p... off this criminal.


None

steven-in-feenix's picture

Too bad none of Helen Thomas' colleagues could have deferred their question to her.

Why am I not surprised? She could read him like a book. He feels so guilty that he can't look into eyes because he is afraid to see her soul. This administration never gave her or any of the press the respect they earned.


Southern Yankee

LibertyLover's picture

when he didn't allow the Obamas to move into Blair house. So, respect for Helen Thomas certainly wasn't high on his punch list.


Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.

CEO citizens eyes open's picture

In all my years,I can not recall a more worthless or disgusting human being. However it does run in his family, from his nazi grandfather to his controlling( my turds don't smell) mother, who thought the victims in New Orleans would "have fun" camping out. Money does not buy happiness nor does it transform septic tank scum into leaders. Rewrite history and try to bullshit everyone all you wish, WE KNOW... and YOU, know we know. On a side note it was nice of him to put his moms picture on the one dollar bill.CEO,citizens,eyes,open

Jason's picture

"I appreciate -- I do appreciate working with you. My friends say, what is it like to deal with the press corps? I said, these are just people trying to do the best they possibly can."

To the first sentence and its sentiment; you're a liar.

To the last; your condescension is palpable.

You are the worst president ever and will be remembered as the worst leader of anything - in the world - ever. At the end of the day, perhaps at the end of recorded history, you deserve not a single kudo, tip-of-the-hat, chuck on the shoulder, atta boy, or even a backward glance.

MidwestMaggie's picture

THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON G, W. BUSH IS AFRAID OF - HELEN THOMAS

Amitola's picture

...Babs??!


"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy

RobertD's picture

...Dick Cheney.

MidwestMaggie's picture

Bush has requested airtime to say his "Good bye" to the nation.
The networks will likely give him his 15 minutes to lie.

As a protest and a visible signal to Bush, I would like everyone in America to
turn off all of their house lights and their teles during his 15 minutes.

It is our chance to turn our backs on him!

BLACKOUT FOR BUSH THIS THURSDAY EVENING!

hello's picture

..and I can boycott entire networks (like ABC and NBC) in a single bound.
If his last hurrah shows up on my favorite comedy channel (CNN), then I'll shut off the tube entirely and go take my dog for a walk or something.

That could cause a power spike...


"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-

fireytiger's picture

Ugh, I swear, this was my exact reaction to reading this... "DID HE SERIOUSLY JUST #*%$ING SAY MISUNDERESTIMATED AGAIN?!?!" He is the bane of the existence of English majors everywhere.

Grey Beard's picture

She's well past her sell-by-date. Perhaps she'll finally get that she's no longer relevant let alone coherent!

anney's picture

Way to go! Reduce human beings to things that can be bought and sold. Do you own slaves?

JustMyWords's picture

You maybe need to get out a bit more often. While admittedly it's damning with faint praise, Helen Thomas is well at the head of the journalistic pack when it comes to both relevance and coherence. My guess is that you're one of the gang that gives credit to Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly as "journalists," which could be why you don't recognize a real journalist when you see one.

A WEEK IS A LONG TIME IN POLITICS. Is this the longest in history?

JustMyWords's picture

But to be honest, his constant whining got on my nerves so bad that I couldn't stand it. It seemed like everything he said boiled down to "Everybody's being mean to me." Like listening to a 5 year old hold a press conference.

Of course, a 5 year old would probably have had learned better manners towards his elders and would have called on Helen Thomas!

Sungrey's picture

If you guys think Bush was immature, vindictive, deluded, and borderline retarded in this press conference then wait until his farewell address on Thursday. You haven't seen spin yet!

FloydGeorge104's picture

I have had enough of Tard man. He will never tell the truth about any thing. He showed just what kind og jerk he was by snubing Helen Thomas. buoush talks about he is all abouth truth. Yet a little old LADY PUNKED him out. The people can show how we think of him by NOT giving him any of our time. Make this the lowest rated TV ever watched. think about his 8 years of shit. do you realey want to give him any more time.

Arthur_Portmanteau's picture

I saw a great television interview with Helen Thomas recently, BBC or such where the do that kind of thing still, and she was so clear about the moment she was sitting in the press conference, calling him out on his different answers to whether he authorized torture, and finally turning to the rest of her fellow journalists and asking "is anyone there?" in frustration. Of course, no one answered, but she got lots of flowers the next day with the cards saying "we're there"... lot of good that does. She's an institution because she worked at it. Bush never did anything near that degree of competence and integrity. The press corps should have made him answer a question from her - the wimps.

Betty1950's picture

I was right. What an ass.

nikolai's picture

I'm old school, therefore I was taught that it's the OFFICE of the President of United States of America one must respect, even if you one doesn't respect the President occupying it, so I was shocked and embarrassed when I watched Colbert roasting, hell, IMMOLIATING bush, but then I realized that no one had EVER done more to disgrace the Office of the President of the United States than Chimpy McFlightsuit. bush brought that upon the office of the President, that's just how bad he is, soon to be WAS. Good riddance chimp-boy, and good luck(!) down in Paraguay should federal prosecutors come after you.

http://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/2006/11/29/b...

Centrocitta's picture

Noticed Bush has become real cocky the last few days. I wonder who he thinks is going to visit that library of his?

nikolai's picture

Note the thinness and the pallor, the yellowish grey patina of fuhrer bush. Note the lights-are-on-but-nobody's-home slurred, halting speech. I'm in the medical field and this guy isn't well physically or mentally, and it looks as if (from my educated guess) he is on either prescription pills for sleep or mood enhancement/depression or both, and/or BOOZE. bush haters can take comfort in knowing that he is NOT well.

Pilatunes's picture

He knew she was going to ask him 'Mr President, your leaving office with a staggering deficit of over a trillion dollars. How many zeros is that?' and he thought to himself, I am not getting caught in that trap!

One thing I noticed was when Bush was finished with the press conference and was leaving, hardly anyone clapped. Just a few.. Hilarious!!

7 more days and counting!!

mudshark's picture

" You'll Be Sorrrryyyyy".
She was so right.
Dollars to donuts she gets picked first.


What is your conceptual, continuity?

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