BREAKING: Helen Thomas Keeps Front Row Seat

[babylonsister]

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/news_notes/breaking_helen_thomas_keeps_front_row_seat_55213.asp

BREAKING: Helen Thomas Keeps Front Row Seat

>UPDATE: And CNN gets a front-row seat...FOX will be in the second row. (earlier)

From the White House Correspondents' Association:



TO: White House Correspondents' Association
RE: White House Briefing Room
DATE: March 16, 2007

The White House Correspondents' Association met today to review plans for the renovated West Wing Briefing Room and the seating assignments. The new briefing room will consist of 49 seats: 7 rows and 7 seats per row. In the old briefing room, we had 8 rows and 6 seats per row. This new configuration required us to make several adjustments to the seating arrangement, which is a White House Correspondents' Association responsibility.

As a board, we decided to move CNN to the first row. This decision was based on CNN's 27 years of covering The White House, as well as the resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool, and its daily presence at the briefings. In addition, the board agreed to honor a previous commitment by our association to maintain Helen Thomas' seat in the first row. As the dean of the White House press corps, Helen is an institution. First with United Press International and now as a White House columnist for Hearst newspapers, Helen has covered every president since John Kennedy.

Every news organization that had a seat in the old briefing room will have a seat in the new briefing room, and these seating assignments only affect the Brady Briefing Room. The White House, however, will continue to determine seating assignments for all presidential news conferences. We expect to move back to the West Wing this June. Look for additional updates on the briefing room project in the weeks ahead.

[dogday]

1. It's about time Helen got her seat back nt

[IndyOp]

2. I was just about to post this! Justice for Helen! (n/t)

[Ian David]

3. But Fox News still maintains their seat... on their knees under the podium. n/t

[Frustratedlady]

6. Uh, wouldn't that be Gannon's place?

Just wonderin'.

[Libby2]

4. That's great!!

Give em hell Helen.

[Gman]

5. I wondered...

I saw her on the front row yesterday and figured she kept her seat there.

[femrap]

7. Good sense prevails!

She is an institution....a true Journalist!

[stevedeshazer]

8. Long Live Helen Thomas n/t

[sonias]

9. First lady of journalism

I had the pleasure of hearing Helen speak in Austin promoting her "Watchdogs of Democracy?" book in 2006. She is quite a force. She's one of my heroes. Our sweet Molly Ivins was in the audience that night as well. Molly is smiling on Helen everyday now.

Helen's positive legacy will live on far longer. :applause:


Sonia

[bobbie]

10. Fantastic! She should damn well get some respect

She's practically the only one in that briefing room who has earned it.

Love ya Helen.

[Cerridwen]

11. What would happen if we didn't have a press corps embedded

in the WH? Would reporting improve because they have to compete for stories? Would the press be less "beholding" to the WH and might it then be more inclined to investigate rather than regurgitate?

Anyone?

[madokie]

12. She is well respected by her peers and this shows that

the whitehouse is scared of her.

[NightWatcher]

13. Faux already has a spot

at the front of the room, giving the pressers...Snow-job