When I watched you at press conferences during the George W. Bush years, you seemed pretty disgusted with your fellow journalists.
Helen Thomas: In the run-up to the Iraq War, no one asked for proof of weapons of mass destruction. It was very, very clear that President Bush wanted to go to war at any cost. And he would not go back to the UN and allow them three more months to look and see if it was really true. We went to war on lies. I think 9-11 was definitely used to terrorize the people away from taking any stand against the government, because they felt it was a real crisis and I guess they—halfway at least—believed the government. Using terrorists is a very effective propaganda weapon...
Is it just me or did the mainstream press seem particularly flabby after 9-11?
They were afraid of not being considered real patriots, and I’m sure the big communications corporations got orders from on high. So they played ball...
I notice that you’re the only White House reporter that questions why an event has occurred. You did it several times regarding 9-11.
That’s the reason we’re so easily led down the garden path—nobody’s asking “why?” The question “why?” should always be there. What is the reason this other government or these people would do this to us? But I had the impression that throughout the whole country, truth took a holiday. There’s been very little search for truth, except for a few people who have spoken out...
But as a ranking member of the liberal press?
Where is the liberal press? It doesn’t exist. Read the Washington Post, read the New York Times. I mean, sure, a couple of columnists. But the weight of the editorials is toward the conservative side. For one thing, does anybody ever denounce aggression? No...
Is there somewhat more honesty with the Obama White House than there was with Bush?
No.
You’re getting the same amount of dissembling from Robert Gibbs that you got from Tony Snow?
[laughs] It isn’t Gibbs’ fault. He’s getting orders. I asked the president last year, “Do you know any country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?” He said, “I don’t want to speculate.” And I asked Hillary Clinton very recently, “In view of the pressure on Iran concerning nuclear weapons, do you know any country in the Middle East that has nuclear weapons?” She said, “We’re for non-proliferation.” She kept talking, but of course she wouldn’t answer the question. So I don’t see much difference in terms of credibility or reversing the decision to ignore certain truths.
The full interview is at Vice.
Addendum: An incisive column at TPM calls out the hypocrites who accuse Thomas of intolerance.
communication these days is all about blurbs. Everything is taken out of context. I am also frightened by the fact that saying anything negative about isreal makes you antisemitic. I have some negative opinions about isreal and they have no relation to it being a jewish state
ReplyDeleteit's bullshit that saying anything negative about israel gets you branded antisemitic. israel gets criticized (rightfully so) everyday, all over the place. helen thomas' misstep was to deny israelis the right to their country. go back to germany and poland? she may as well have told the blacks to go back to africa.
ReplyDeleteit's one thing to criticize policy. it's another to deny a country the right to exist.
Sometimes the truth is a bitter pill to swallow. The UN created a monster in 1948 and we have to live with it. It was thought that Israel had tactical nuclear weapons decades ago based simply on the espionage they had committed here. Personally I feel that we should shut off the money machine until they can "get the hell out of Palestine" as Helen said and learn to live in a two state reality. They are spoiled brats and flesh out the idea that the abused generally become abusers. I am not antisemitic but I believe that they as a culture wield entirely too much influence in this country. I must support the existence of Israel as it was a lawfully created nation but I in no way approve of their behavior. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteTo the last poster, lots of people agree with you they just dont say so out loud.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, your truth isn't exactly accurate. It was the Arabs that created the "monster" by refusing to abide by the UN's partition plan (in 1947, not 48) the basis of which was two states, one Arab, one Jewish. Instead they attacked Israel again and again, helping to fortify the siege mentality that makes Israel act as it does.
ReplyDelete"I'm not antisemitic but..." That "but" is pregnant, my friend.
To last anonymous.
ReplyDeleteWhy should they accept parting of anything? Why should palestinians have to suffer because of the crimes of Europeans?
To me religion is also a component in this making any rationality difficult, but certainly..bulldozer politics won't bring peace.