Helen Thomas, American journalist and author (b. 1920)
Helen Amelia Thomas (August 4, 1920 – July 20, 2013) was an American reporter and author, and a long serving member of the White House press corps. She covered the White House during the administrations of ten U.S. presidents—from the beginning of the Kennedy administration to the second year of the Obama administration.
Thomas worked for the United Press and post-1958 successor United Press International (UPI) for 57 years, first as a correspondent, and later as White House bureau manager. She then served as a columnist for Hearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House. Thomas was the first female officer of the National Press Club, the first female member and president of the White House Correspondents' Association and the first female member of the Gridiron Club. She wrote six books; her last (with co-author Craig Crawford) was Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (2009).
Thomas retired from Hearst Newspapers on June 7, 2010, following controversial remarks she made about Israel, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and potentially Israeli Jews in an impromptu, unstructured amateur short interview when solicited for "any comments on Israel," she replied that "tell them to get the hell out of Palestine," leading to multiple accusations of antisemitism. She then served as an opinion columnist for the Falls Church News-Press until February 2012.
2013Jul, 20
Helen Thomas
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Events on 2013
- 22Mar
My Chemical Romance
The band My Chemical Romance breaks up after 12 years. - 8Apr
Syrian Civil War
The Islamic State of Iraq enters the Syrian Civil War and begins by declaring a merger with the Al-Nusra Front under the name Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - 3Jun
Chelsea Manning
The trial of United States Army private Chelsea Manning for leaking classified material to WikiLeaks begins in Fort Meade, Maryland. - 30Jun
2013 Egyptian coup d'état
Protests begin around Egypt against President Mohamed Morsi and the ruling Freedom and Justice Party, leading to their overthrow during the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état - 21Nov
Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement
The first of to become massive protests start in Ukraine after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended signing the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement.