After grilling Bush, Helen Thomas gets thousands of flowers

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Thomas, the 85-year-old veteran White House journalist whose outspoken criticism of the Bush administration has drawn much hate mail from Bush supporters in recent years, said Friday that she was overwhelmed by the avalanche of roses.

"It sure beats the brickbats," she said, referring to hundreds of vitriolic e-mails she's received since last week's encounter with Bush. "Some of them attack you ad hominem and call you a traitor and ask if you've ever been to Iraq," she said. "I think it's the frustration of those who are angry with me and take it out in e-mail. I think there should be a logical debate, but maybe that's not possible during an ongoing war."

Thomas shared her roses with Hearst bureau chief Chuck Lewis and other colleagues and sent the bulk of them to wounded military personnel at Walter Reed Army Hospital.

Asked about Bush's response to her pointed question about his Iraq policy, she said, "He could not answer my question. He kept referring to Afghanistan. He never articulated the reasons we're in Iraq. I don't think there's any justification for an unprovoked war against somebody who did nothing against us."

http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/033006/thomas.html

[Poll_Blind]

1. "...sent the bulk of them to wounded military personnel..." God, what...

...an awesome person! It physically pains me, literally, to think of the insensitive assholes on the hill (and elsewhere) who beat the drum for war with one hand and sign legislation to strip veterans of the social programs which they are so desperately in need of with the other.

PB

[saltpoint]

3. Thank you so very much for saying that, Poll_Blind. You are exactly

right to praise Thomas for sending those roses to the vets and still right to comment on the context this terrible administration has set for those who have made such extraordinary sacrifices.

A beautiful post.

[Dudley_DUright]

4. It was a near certainty that donating them to the wounded at

Walter Reed would be the first thing she would consider. She is indeed a national treasure. Helen Thomas is an American hero. :loveya:

[allisonthegreat]

20. kudoes..helen n/t

[arcane1]

2. Stupid question- what did she do with Bush?

I was away fromthe pc for 2 weeks, and it sounds like I missed some fun!!!

[prolesunited]

6. Two weeks?!?!?

Were you kidnapped by aliens? ;-)

[arcane1]

8. close- I was in Virginia seeing family and co-workers

:silly:

[prolesunited]

15. Glad you survived

I'm sure you're happy to be back where you belong.

[Raine]

9. I missed it too but I understand she asked

chimp if he had already made the decision to go to war with Iraq (regardless of WMD), of course he never answered.

[rodeodance]

21. She asked him Why are we in Irag (same question Cindy asks)

[54anickel]

10. Excerpts here...

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032206A.shtml

[reichstag911]

12. from whitehouse.gov

Bush: ...Helen. After that brilliant performance at the Grid Iron, I am -- (laughter.)

HT: You're going to be sorry. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Well, then, let me take it back. (Laughter.)

HT: I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?

THE PRESIDENT: I think your premise -- in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist -- is that -- I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect --

HT: Everything --

THE PRESIDENT: Hold on for a second, please.

HT: -- everything I've heard --

THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me, excuse me. No President wants war. Everything you may have heard is that, but it's just simply not true. My attitude about the defense of this country changed on September the 11th. We -- when we got attacked, I vowed then and there to use every asset at my disposal to protect the American people. Our foreign policy changed on that day, Helen. You know, we used to think we were secure because of oceans and previous diplomacy. But we realized on September the 11th, 2001, that killers could destroy innocent life. And I'm never going to forget it. And I'm never going to forget the vow I made to the American people that we will do everything in our power to protect our people.

Part of that meant to make sure that we didn't allow people to provide safe haven to an enemy. And that's why I went into Iraq -- hold on for a second --

HT: They didn't do anything to you, or to our country.

THE PRESIDENT: Look -- excuse me for a second, please. Excuse me for a second. They did. The Taliban provided safe haven for al Qaeda. That's where al Qaeda trained --

HT: I'm talking about Iraq --

THE PRESIDENT: Helen, excuse me. That's where -- Afghanistan provided safe haven for al Qaeda. That's where they trained. That's where they plotted. That's where they planned the attacks that killed thousands of innocent Americans.

I also saw a threat in Iraq. I was hoping to solve this problem diplomatically. That's why I went to the Security Council; that's why it was important to pass 1441, which was unanimously passed. And the world said, disarm, disclose, or face serious consequences --

HT: -- go to war --

THE PRESIDENT: -- and therefore, we worked with the world, we worked to make sure that Saddam Hussein heard the message of the world. And when he chose to deny inspectors, when he chose not to disclose, then I had the difficult decision to make to remove him. And we did, and the world is safer for it.

Q Thank you, sir. Secretary Rumsfeld -- (laughter.)

Q Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: You're welcome. (Laughter.) I didn't really regret it. I kind of semi-regretted it. (Laughter.)

Q -- have a debate.

THE PRESIDENT: That's right. Anyway, your performance at the Grid Iron was just brilliant -- unlike Holland's, was a little weak, but -- (laughter.)

Sorry.

[never cry wolf]

28. She also mentioned the PNAC!

I don't have a link but she did, first time I can remember it has been brought up in commander bunnypants' royal presence.

[pinto]

5. Real nice write up!

[prolesunited]

7. We should e-mail the author

and let him know that. It was a very nice article and I hope it gets picked up elsewhere.

[sushi]

11. I knew it!

I knew Helen Thomas would keep some of those beautiful roses and send the bulk to a hospital. I didn't know that it would be to wounded military personnel. I would love to hear their reactions!

[Gemini Cat]

13. I love that woman!!

:loveya:

[oldtime dfl_er]

14. me too!

makes me want to do it all over again! Another 100 dozen roses for the lady!

[Zenlitened]

16. Helen Thomas is an absolute GEM. She's an American treasure.

One of the last of the True Journalists.

:loveya:

[catmother]

17. love helen -- great lady.

[LaurenG]

18. What an awsome write up

:thumbsup:

[qanda]

19. nice article

I'm glad they did a story on it.

[northofdenali]

22. Clicking on the writer's name lets you email him.

I sent him a thank you note :-)

[Pastiche423]

23. I am so happy this made LBN

And even happier that Helen :loveya: Thomas knows that so many Americans love her and appreciate her truth seeking questions.

The best part about yesterday? Seeing her smile.

[Disturbed]

24. "grilling"?

Another example of the Press spinning the facts. She simply asked a straight forward question. Too bad when the lying jerk said: "No President wants war." that she didn't have the following quote handy.

'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as commander in chief. My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it. If I have a chance to invade, if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency.' GW Bush 2000

[jillan]

26. Agreed! The best part was letting Helen know that she is loved.

So great that this got noticed.

At least all of the rw wackos on the hill will now know about it.

[Whoa_Nelly]

25. Woo-Hoo!

Wonder of the MSM will pick up this story?

Am very proud to have been a part of Roses For Helen. Am extremely proud of DU, and all who made this happen! :thumbsup:

[file83]

27. Yeah!!! More love for the Helen-meister!!!

:loveya:

[BlueInPhilly]

29. I *heart* Helen Thomas

More loveya smilies for ya, Helen!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

Edited because I forgot the loveyas.