Mark Kleiman: When Helen Thomas suggested that Israel’s Jews “go back to Germany and Poland” – I suppose we should be grateful she didn’t quite say “go back to the gas ovens” – that wasn’t an “anti-Zionist” comment, that was a racist comment directed at Jews. Here’s the actual quote from Thomas: Q: Any comments …
Thank Goodness That Menace has Been Handled
Everyone is now safe: Helen Thomas announced on Monday that she is retiring, moments after the White House Correspondents Association said it was considering stripping her of her front-row press room seat. Tthe 89-year-old so-called “dean of the White House press corps” had caused an uproar after making remarks in May suggesting that Israeli Jews …
Thank Goodness That Menace has Been HandledPost + Comments (378)
A Real Profile In Courage
Craig Crawford: I concur with the following response from my agent to Helen Thomas’ lamentable remarks about Israel, and will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects. — Craig Crawford Condemning an almost ninety year old woman and severing all ties over an offensive remark takes balls! So bold! So noble! Any …
The Blockade
Yglesias: As I’ve noted before, in the eyes of its defenders the blockade of the Gaza Strip is a security measure aimed at denying rockets to Hamas, while in fact it’s a comprehensive effort to collectively punish Gaza residents—a majority of whom are children—in hopes that this will somehow lead to Hamas being replaced by …
John McCain’s tantrum is noticed…
The latest John McCain temper tantrum has been widely reported and commented upon in the press and the old blog-o-sphere. Today, as noted by Michael Scherer, the latest hissy fit from Sentator “Hey-you-kids-get-of-my-lawn” McCain was the source of a fun exchange at the White House: Q (Helen Thomas): McCain said he’s going to oppose everything. …
Shed a tear for the WH Press Corps
There are many signs that the American Press is in some trouble these days. Sure, changing technologies and new ways to get information are part of the story, but the real problem is laziness, group think and a default to embrace the silly and sensational over the important. Yes, there are exceptions. There has been …
The Neocon Fainting Couch
When we last visited steely-eyed warrior Peter Wehner, he was leading the chairborne rangers in an epic battle against George Will, who Wehner decided had grown weak at heart over Afghanistan. That was but a few weeks ago, but since then our valiant warrior has left the fields of battle and taken to the fainting …