Helen thomas (1920-2065438+July 20th, 2003) is the oldest member of the White House press corps. Since 196 1 became a reporter for the Associated Press in the White House, she has asked 10 American presidents and is known for her sharp questions. The elder sister of American journalism has kept many records in the history of American journalism. She is the first female official of the National Press Association, the first female member and the first female president of the White House Journalists Association, and the first female member of the American Celebrity Club. As the only female journalist, 1972 visited China with President Nixon. 20 13 died at his home in Washington on the morning of July 20th at the age of 92.

Chinese name: helen thomas.

Hellens Maas.

Nationality: USA

Place of birth: Winchester, Kentucky, USA

Date of birth: 1920

Date of death: 2065438+July 20, 2003

Occupation: reporter

Graduate school: Wayne State University

Faith: Greek Orthodox Church

Major achievements: the oldest member of the White House press corps.

Representative works: watchdog of democracy? The decline of the Washington press corps and how it lost people's trust.

Ancestral home: Lebanon

Character experience

Helen thomas 1920 was born in Kentucky, and helen thomas 1920 was born in a Lebanese immigrant family in Kentucky. His parents live in Winchester, and he is a Lebanese immigrant who doesn't know English. Ranked eighth among nine children. Although both parents are illiterate, little Helen has a special feeling for words. 1 1 years old, she announced that she wanted to be a reporter when she grew up.

Helen thomas grew up in Detroit, studied English at Wayne State University, and got his bachelor's degree at 1942. After graduating at the age of 23, she stayed in the political center of Washington on the pretext of visiting her cousin.

Her first job was as a handyman in the Washington Daily News. Later, Helen finally became a reporter through hard work, but before she could celebrate, she caught up with the layoffs of the Washington Daily News-Helen was fired.

1943, Helen joined the Associated Press.

1956, Helen became a journalist in united press international, covering federal agencies.

196 1 year, after Kennedy was elected president, at the age of 40, she became the first female reporter in the White House press corps. 10 became the chief reporter and later became the head of the press corps.

1974, he became the stationmaster of the White House united press international.

In 2000, she resigned from united press international and became a columnist of Hearst Newspaper Group.

20 10 She was forced to resign because of the statement that "Jewish settlers should get out of Palestine and return to Poland, Germany, the United States and other places".

20 13 died at his home in Washington on the morning of July 20th at the age of 92.

Journalist career

Questioning the president

Helen thomas surveyed 65,438 American presidents, from Kennedy to George W. Bush. For more than 40 years, Americans can always see her standing up from the front row and staring at the president's eyes to ask questions from the live broadcast of the presidential press conference. Presidents tremble when this woman approaches. In fact, when George W. Bush came to power in 2000, helen thomas had finished his career as a White House reporter and became a columnist of Hearst Newspaper Group. In a column in 2002, she mercilessly described George W. Bush as "the president of the emperor". She never denied that "George W. Bush was the worst president in American history" and called him a "liar".

Although Helen still attended the president's press conference, she was excluded from the list of questions. It was not until March 2, 20061day, local time in the United States, that this veteran reporter, who is famous for torturing the president, finally had the first opportunity to ask the current president questions. "My question is, why do you want to go to war so much? What was the real reason from the moment you stepped into the White House? You said it wasn't because of oil, Israel or anything else. What was it? " Helen thomas asked bluntly. "I don't want to fight. Helen, it is wrong to think that I want to go to war, "Bush responded. Helen interrupted the president: "Everything-". The president quickly interjected: "Sorry, sorry, no president wants war." That's why I'm in Iraq-please let me finish-"They didn't do anything to you and our country." Helen retorted, I'm sorry. Please let me finish. Let me finish. They did it! The Taliban provided a safe haven for Al Qaeda, where Al Qaeda received training. "But I'm talking about Iraq-"Helen rudely interrupted the president again. This is the way this lady challenged all previous American presidents in the White House press room. "There is no doubt that for more than 40 years, presidents will tremble whenever this woman approaches. She has a knife-like tongue and the wisdom of a sword. " Washington post said of "the first lady of the press".

In helen thomas's view, questioning the president is her right as a journalist. In her autobiography, The White House Frontier, she wrote: "Only in a democratic system are journalists allowed to question their leaders. Because we don't have a British parliamentary system, we urge government officials to be responsible to the people and explain their actions and policies. This responsibility falls on the shoulders of journalists. " In her new book, watchdog of democracy? She wrote, "Over the years, I have had the opportunity to question the President of the United States, the most powerful public servant in this country. I admit that I am in awe of this position, but I am not in awe of the people who occupy this position, because "our duty is not to admire how respected a leader is, but to put them in the spotlight from time to time to see if they have negative public trust."

Playing around the White House.

From 65438 to 0972, White House reporters became attached to China. 1972 when president Nixon visited China, Thomas was the only female reporter accompanying him.

Thomas, who was unimpeded in the White House, experienced real rigor in China. China guards at that time recalled that during the visit, Nixon boarded the beacon tower of the Great Wall with great interest, and Nixon, who was still unfinished, made an impromptu speech to reporters. He contacted China-US relations and said something with political significance. As soon as Nixon finished speaking, this group of reporters elected Thomas to send this report as soon as possible on behalf of everyone. She immediately asked the accompanying staff of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China to find a phone to forward the report. But there were no communication facilities in Badaling tourist area at that time. Thomas is a little anxious. The entourage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately drove her to Dingling and found the head of the management office of the Ming Tombs. At the person in charge, they found a phone, but the phone was firmly guarded by the security guard. The guards and Thomas took the heads of the Ming Tombs and went to the room with the telephone. As soon as they approached, they were stopped by a plainclothes guard, saying that this phone could only be used by the security department and no one else was allowed to use it. The entourage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained the situation to the guards and repeatedly stressed how important this report is, and it only takes a short phone call to solve the problem. But the guard refused, saying it was a dead order. Thomas became more and more anxious when he saw the failure of the negotiation. At this moment, they met Yang Dezhong, one of the leaders of the safety leading group nearby. The escort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs felt a "savior" and reported the situation to him. Yang Dezhong offered to help and personally pleaded with the guards. Unexpectedly, what he said didn't work because he was wearing plain clothes. Orders are issued by the guards' immediate superiors, even the superiors of the superiors, if they don't know each other, there is no room for accommodation. Seeing that the phone was not allowed to call, Thomas was really anxious and shouted at the company of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The escort can't worry, so she has to be advised to be patient and so on. After a while, the guard's immediate superior came. After explanation, he agreed that Thomas could use the telephone. The report of Nixon's talk on the Great Wall finally came out. Thomas's long-term work has won her many honors.

1998, Clinton established the "helen thomas Lifetime Achievement Award" in her name and awarded her the first achievement award of that year. In her speech, she said, "People will only judge you according to your latest report."

20 10 On August 4th, US President Barack Obama unexpectedly appeared in the press conference room on the west side of the White House to celebrate his birthday with legendary journalist helen thomas.

Obama celebrated his 48th birthday that day, and Helen turned 89 on August 5th. Obama led the reporters in the release hall to sing Happy Birthday with a dish of pudding cake. Helen made a birthday wish in the song and blew out the candles inserted in the cake.

Obama revealed that Helen's birthday wish is world peace, non-discrimination and the success of American medical reform.

Helen's wish is exactly what the president wants. Obama frequently gave speeches in various places, hoping that the government's medical reform plan would win public support.

Interviewed reporter

Thomas is a Syrian (Lebanese) immigrant. After graduating from college at the age of 22, he ranked seventh among nine children. He decided not to go anywhere except Washington, the political center of the country. She stayed in Washington on the pretext of visiting her cousin. 1960, Kennedy was elected president. Helen, 40, was transferred to the White House reporter station in united press international and started her lifelong career-White House Reporting. Previously, female reporters in the White House were not allowed to attend the White House press conference. Once, Helen protested to Kennedy: "If we can't attend, you shouldn't." Kennedy agreed. Since then, female journalists have invaded the territory of male journalists. President Kennedy said that Helen would be a "good girl" if she threw away her pen and interview book. For many years, Helen was always the first or second White House reporter to ask the President questions. 1975, she was elected as the head of the White House press corps. If there is no "chubby" Price, there may not be helen thomas, who is nicknamed "the torturer of the president" by friends.

1896, the reporter of the Washington Star was assigned an impossible task by his editor: to dig up news in the White House. The editor knew that the then President of Cleveland hated journalists very much and wanted to crowd out the "fat people". Of course, "Fat Man" can't interview the President, but he always stays outside the White House and asks everyone who walks out of the White House and talks to the President, so as to get a lot of exclusive inside information. By 1900, a large number of reporters were sent to wander around the White House or the surrounding streets, and President McKinley appointed an assistant to release news briefings to these reporters once a day. When theodore roosevelt became president, on a rainy day, he saw a group of reporters huddled under a tree outside the White House like a drowned rat, so he asked them to take shelter from the rain. Since then, journalists have never been invited out.

Theodore roosevelt designated a lounge next to his study as a reporter's room, and soon Congress allocated funds to build a reporter's office in the White House. It was in this office that helen thomas began her career as a White House reporter. "I have been stationed in the White House for longer than any reporter." Helen said. "Only when he faced the news media did the president have to explain to the people that there was no other public place to attack the president on the topic of the day." Every time she stands up for the first time to ask a question, she always sees the body language of different presidents: "Carter's cowardice", "Reagan's bow" and Bush's "Oh no! Don't Helen! " Standing on the podium in the White House press room, Kennedy may ask his aides to "predict 90% of reporters' questions in advance"; Nixon browsed the abstracts of various documents, "a shoo-in"; Carter may have all the facts and data at hand; Reagan may be "as nervous as attending a thesis defense", and even if he is on vacation at Camp David, he will not forget to "sharpen his knife". Every time I attend a prime-time live news conference, the head of the White House press corps wears two watches and accurately controls the time to 30 minutes. When the time came, she stood up and said, "Thank you, Mr. President. "On one occasion, Reagan was bombarded by sharp questions at a press conference. After 25 minutes of evasive response, he gave Helen a sweaty look, and his eyes seemed to ask, "Can it be over?" "Helen looked at her watch and shook her head." In just five minutes, the president was under my control. "Helen said. The White House press room is sometimes like a courtroom. For example, Nixon in Watergate; Carter in the Iranian hostage crisis; Reagan in Iran-contra: Sex Scandal with Clinton. It's like a witness being bombarded by 60 unfriendly prosecutors at the same time. Marin Fitzwater, White House Press Secretary, once said, "No one understands the horror of having to face reporters to answer all kinds of questions in the world every day. "

Fast tracking

As a news agency reporter and newspaper columnist, Helen has attended the press conferences of ten American presidents and is famous for her sharp questions. President Obama said in a statement: "Helen is a true pioneer. She has participated in the press conferences of successive presidents since President Kennedy, which has always made the American president very tired. "

Helen thomas thinks that power will try to manage news, but they don't always succeed. "I don't believe there will be a government that doesn't want to manage, control or plan news. The White House always wants to show the best of the president. It's natural. Any government hopes that journalists will undoubtedly regard the news it publishes as gospel. " However, "the government can publicize its position, and the reporter's duty is to find out the truth." In the new book, Helen writes. The White House sometimes threatens journalists by canceling certain preferential rights, such as the right to travel with the president on the presidential plane. Sometimes the White House will complain to the reporter's boss or boss. However, a good boss or superior usually listens politely and then checks the facts. If the reporter didn't make a mistake, he would take the reporter's side.

President lyndon johnson often asks his press spokesman to call the newspaper to complain about stories he doesn't like, because "at least these bastards can know what I think of them". Helen can't remember how many times she heard the president complain: "You all have the First Amendment to the Constitution, as if it were a special weapon against the president." Sometimes, the White House only tells reporters some facts, or deliberately leaks some good news, or simply forbids employees to disclose some information to the media. Of course, the White House can also decide when to hold or not to hold a press conference. Johnson usually only announces good news at prime-time press conferences and "buries" bad news.

Every president Helen has reported has tried to "manage the news": Kennedy deliberately created "good news"; Johnson is cold to reporters who write sharp reports; The Nixon administration even eavesdropped on the phone calls of those "thorny" journalists; As for Reagan, a famous gesture is to cover your ears with your hands and pretend that you can't hear the reporter's questions; During the Gulf War, George H.W. Bush asked all reports about the war to be filtered by the Pentagon. "Power will try to manage news, but they don't always succeed." Helen wrote in her new book. Because there will always be people who "leak the news". In fact, every president she reported was involved in the scandal to some extent. Helen believes that "Watergate incident may be the best proof that journalists' anti-news management is effective." "Washington post's two journalists constantly exposed reports, which eventually led to Nixon's stepping down.

personal motive

Helen thomas's personal goal is to let people know the truth and the country will be safe. In Helen's view, among all the presidents mentioned above, the Bush administration is undoubtedly the strictest in news management. The biggest difference between this president and the other eight presidents she has reported is that "news management has become a thorough government propaganda". She criticized Bush's spokesman as a "parrot-like robot". "Even if you know that it is nonsense, you dare not deviate." He always follows the script, and no matter what questions the reporter asks, he "always turns around on the same page." The 86-year-old reporter, based on her more than 60 years of work experience, asked loudly in the book: "Have American journalists forgotten to seek the truth fearlessly and without likes and dislikes?" Finally, she quoted Lincoln's famous saying: "Let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe."

As one of the most famous journalists in America, Helen is short, with dark eyes and hoarse voice. She has been attending presidential press conferences for many years, sitting in the front row, always asking questions first or second. The questions she throws often make the president of the United States anxious. She once asked Nixon, what is the mysterious plan to end the Vietnam War? She also asked Reagan what right the United States had in 1983 invasion of grenada. When Bush announced that the US defense budget would remain unchanged after the collapse of the Soviet Union, she immediately asked, "Who is our enemy?" Helen did not hesitate to criticize the Obama administration, although Obama celebrated her birthday on August 4, 2009. She also told the media that even Nixon did not try to control the media like Obama did. Helen once said: "We are the only institution in this society that can regularly question the president and hold him responsible. Otherwise, he is no different from the king. "

Retirement life

High energy retirement

Helen thomas "I miss that era." The old man said. At that time, journalists can get close to the president and his family and have a real dialogue with the president and White House officials. President Johnson will invite reporters to have lunch in the family living area above the White House, or go riding with him on the ranch. Helen can watch President Carter and reporters play softball while being bitten by mosquitoes. Journalists can also meet Kennedy's 3-year-old daughter Caroline at the White House and ask her, "Where is your father?" Caroline replied, "He is barefoot upstairs in a daze." "In those days, we were so close to a living president and watched his every move." Helen wrote.

When she told the former White House reporter, everyone lamented that she would never go back to those old days: President Truman strolled in the morning light, surrounded by a group of reporters and photographers. The President and the First Lady "didn't willingly put up with" this group of reporters whom Kennedy called "the roaring sheep", but in the end they had to get used to their "close surveillance" and "tolerate them more". Unlike "the president is getting inaccessible", especially after "9 1 1", journalists are often stopped by ropes at a distance. "There is no longer the scene of chasing the president and throwing questions like before." Helen threw countless sharp questions at the presidents, "almost all of them were forgiven by the presidents."

1995, the 75th birthday of the "First Lady of the Press", the birthday gift given to her by the incumbent President Clinton was an exclusive interview lasting 15 minutes. Clinton personally picked up the birthday cake and let the female reporter who tortured him countless times blow out the birthday candles. Helen blew two breaths, and Clinton helped her blow the third breath and blew out the candles together. The president also held up Helen's tape recorder, pointed it at her, and jokingly conducted a counter-interview with her: "Miss Thomas, you have been listening to so many presidents evasive and vague for so many years. How did you get through it? " Another cross-dressing reporter is First Lady Pat Nixon. When Helen of 5 1 finally got rid of the nickname of "married to a professional woman" and got engaged to Doug Cornell, a 65-year-old Associated Press reporter in the White House, Pat was the first to announce the news to the press group. The first lady smiled from ear to ear and said, "I finally got the exclusive before Helen." From 65438 to 0998, the helen thomas Lifetime Achievement Award was established by the White House press corps, and Helen became the first winner.

In May 2000, Helen resigned from united press international, ending her 40-year career as a White House reporter. Helen was suddenly disappointed: the days when she and other White House reporters "ganged up" on the people standing on the podium are gone forever. These reporters in the White House press room today are no longer their former reporters.

Announce retirement

20 10 on June 7th, helen thomas, the most senior White House reporter, announced her retirement with immediate effect.

Helen thomas, 89, has been a White House correspondent for the Associated Press since 1960. He asked the presidents of the United States 10, and was famous for his sharp questions. Despite her advanced age, she has always insisted on attending the daily press conference of the White House.

Helen thomas once said that Jews should "get out of Palestine" on the situation in the Middle East, which caused controversy. In this context, helen thomas, who is nearly 90 years old, announced his retirement.

Die at an advanced age

20 13 July 20th, helen thomas, a former White House reporter who reported on the US presidential news for nearly 50 years, died at his home in Washington on the morning of 20th at the age of 92.

Anecdotes of characters

The woman who "tortured" the president of the United States

As a female journalist, she has won respect and attracted slander with her extraordinary persistence, courage, integrity and passion.

On the morning of July, 2065438 19, helen thomas died at her home in Washington, only 16 days before her 93rd birthday. US President Barack Obama issued a statement on the same day, praising helen thomas for opening the door of opportunity for generations of female journalists, breaking the obstacles in front of them, and at the same time making many American presidents including him dare not slack off.

Helen's extraordinary life has become an unattainable peak. She is the first chief female reporter from a news organization in the White House and the first female official of the National Journalists Association, which once banned women from joining. As a female journalist, Helen explained her professional conscience with extraordinary persistence, courage, integrity and passion. She won respect and even admiration, but also caused anger and slander. The biggest highlight of her life is almost uncontroversial: during her career of more than half a century, she directly asked questions from all ten American presidents, from Kennedy to Obama.

Break the restricted area and win the first place again and again.

Helen 1920 was born in Winchester, Kentucky on August 4th, and grew up in Detroit, ranking seventh among nine children. Her father george thomas is illiterate, but he always encourages his children to go to school. After graduating from Wayne State University in Detroit, Helen went to Washington to look for a job. She once found a job as a waiter, but it didn't last long. "I didn't laugh much," she recalled years later.

Since then, Helen has been working as a clerk in the Washington Daily News. Her duty is only to get coffee and doughnuts for the editor. Soon after, 1943, she began to write news for united press international Radio Channel.

At that time, most female journalists wrote social news and family affairs, while those who reported "hard news" such as war, politics and crime were mostly men. Helen broke this stereotype, and in the mid-1950s, she began to give lectures in the federal government of the United States. She covered Kennedy's presidential campaign from beginning to end. After Kennedy was elected, she became united press international's permanent White House correspondent, and the first woman appeared in the White House briefing room. Previously, female journalists were not allowed to attend the White House press conference. Since then, Helen has created a number of "firsts" such as the first head of the White House press corps. 1972, Nixon made an "ice-breaking trip" to China, and she was the only female reporter accompanying him. 1998, the White House press corps established the helen thomas Lifetime Achievement Award in the name of Helen, and Helen became the first winner.

On May 6th, 2000, Helen resigned from united press international. Two weeks later, she was employed by Hearst Company and wrote a column twice a week.

Ask sharp questions without mercy

Not long ago, I came to the White House briefing room again. Under the seat in the middle of the first row, I saw a gray metal sign that said "helen thomas". Helen used to sit here and ask questions at every presidential briefing, and finally symbolically said a concluding sentence for the briefing: "Thank you, Mr. President."

It was here that she was short with black eyes and whispered to Nixon: What is the secret plan to end the Vietnam War? She asked Reagan: What right does the United States have in invasion of grenada? After the end of the cold war, when Bush announced that US military spending would remain unchanged, she asked, "So who is the enemy?" She strongly opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and once said that George W. Bush was the worst American president in American history, which made him very angry. Helen once wrote to apologize to him for this. Although George W. Bush accepted the apology, he didn't give her a chance to ask questions for three years. However, once George W. Bush gave her a chance to ask questions, Helen immediately asked: "Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq caused thousands of deaths of Americans and Iraqis, and brought lifelong pain to Americans and Iraqis. All the reasons for going to war have been proved to be untrue. Why on earth do you want war? From the moment you entered the White House, there were your government, government officials, intelligence personnel, etc. What's the real reason why you started the war? You once said that the reason is not for oil, not for Israel and other reasons, so what is the reason? "

Sharp questions, step by step. Former US President Carter was uncomfortable when he saw Helen asking questions, while Reagan lowered his head and was "as nervous as attending a thesis defense". However, it was here that Helen, known as the "presidential torturer", received special treatment from many presidents. 1On August 4th, 997, President Clinton brought Helen a birthday cake on her 77th birthday. On August 2, 2006, President Bush stepped down early to congratulate Helen on her happy birthday. On August 4, 2009, Obama also sent a cake to Helen here to congratulate her on her 89th birthday, which was also Obama's 48th birthday.

Helen once said, I respect the president's office, but I have never worshipped our public servants. They should tell us the truth. After the "911"incident, under the banner of "patriotism", the reporters stationed in the White House were obviously afraid to ask sharp questions. Helen once criticized the "decline" of the White House press corps with her monograph "Watchdog of Democracy". In May 2006, when she was interviewed by The New York Times, she still didn't flinch. She asked: How do you define doubt and recklessness? I don't think there is a so-called reckless problem. In the whole society, we are the only institution that can ask the president questions every day and hold him responsible for it. Otherwise, he will become king.

Quit in anger because of "sin"

On June 7th, 20 10, the hair dryer in the White House was crowded as usual, but the seats here were conspicuously empty. White House spokesman Gibbs' remarks that day were aimed at helen thomas, who had been absent. He strongly criticized Helen's remarks as "disgusting and should be severely reprimanded", and his views "certainly do not represent the majority of the American people" and "certainly do not represent the US government". Prior to this, on May 27th, when the White House held the Jewish Heritage Month, Helen, who was participating in this activity, was asked by a website reporter about Israel's arrest of Palestinians. Helen said, "Remember, these people are from the occupied territories. That's their land, "she suggested that Jews living in Israel return to their homes in Poland, Germany and the United States. On June 7, Helen, who was nearly 90 years old, officially announced her retirement. Helen thomas, who has been outspoken all his life, is "guilty" for his words in the end, which is really intriguing.

Helen, who has worked hard all her life, has no children 197 1 year, Helen married Douglas Cornell, a White House reporter for the Associated Press, who was 14 years older than her. 1982, Cornell passed away.

Helen has written more than a dozen monographs on the interview experience of the White House. 1999, she recalled, "I love my job, and it is a blessing in life to have a job that brings me joy every day."

Personality assessment

Kennedy said of Helen: "If Helen throws away her pen and interview book, she will be a good girl."

Helen has an unusual insistence on news. She goes to work in the office before dawn every morning and meets the president many times. She was the only female reporter in the American delegation when Nixon visited China. Even in her seventies and eighties, she is more energetic than a young reporter. For decades, reporting on the long-term experience of the American president has won the respect and love of her peers and government officials.

Helen devoted her life to the struggle for female journalists to get the same rights as male journalists. In 1950s and 1960s, together with two other female journalists, she won the right to attend the press luncheon of the National Press Club. At 197 1, women finally obtained the membership of the National Press Club, and Helen became the first female member of the club, the stationmaster of the first major news agency in the White House and the first female head of the White House press corps. Helen 1959 became the president of the National Women Journalists' Club. 1976 was named "one of the 25 most influential women in America" by the World Yearbook.

News of death

On the 20th local time, legendary American journalist helen thomas died of illness at the age of 92. For the death of Helen, the current President Obama, former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton all expressed deep condolences.