Thank You Mr. President: Helen Thomas At The White House

Ann M. Murray
Fancast.com

Helen Thomas is a one-of-a-kind journalist; a tough lady who pulls no punches when dealing with those even in the highest position: the Presidential office. She once famously said “I think that Presidents deserve to be questioned. Maybe irreverently, most of the time. Bring ‘em down a size.”

HBO is unleashing her special brand of journalism to your screen tonight at 9pm ET/PT, with the documentary, Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas At The White House, which profiles the legendary political reporter. The series is directed by Rory Kennedy.

Just how outspoken is this “First Lady of the Press?” Catch some of her most memorable quotes from the documentary below.

On Richard Nixon: “Once you lie, your credibility is shot. And I really think if you lie too many times, then it’s all over. I believe the people have a right to know almost everything.”

On Ronald Reagan: “[His advisors] taught him to say, ‘This is not a press conference.’ And, they had him quite trained on that. And, one day, we asked him about what was happening, and he said to us, ‘I can’t answer that.’ We said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘Because they won’t let me.’ And he pointed to Baker, Meese and Deaver, standing behind, very grim. ‘They won’t let me.’ And I said, ‘But, you’re the president!’ “

On George Bush, Sr.: “I think at the tail end, both he and Mrs. Bush began to really think that we were the cause of all their troubles. So the press was not liked at all.”

On Bill Clinton: “President Clinton didn’t understand that he was being denied his legitimacy as President by the ultra-right in this country, who never gave him one second, one moment, where he could prevail. They were after him constantly, investigating him constantly…I don’t understand how he possibly could’ve taken what he took. He was asked so many personal questions that I’ve never – no President has ever been subjected to that kind of tyranny.”

On George W. Bush: “When George Bush first became President, I think I attended two or three news conferences with him, and then I did get another question in, and there’s a blackout now, I believe, until the end of his term.”

More on These Topics: HBO | Helen Thomas | Thank You Mr. President