Helen Thomas Still Hates Bush, Loves (John) Kennedy

Our Florida operative Lauren Selsky found White House correspondent Helen Thomas hanging out at Florida Atlantic University, which is Selsky's own school! What are the chances? Thomas, currently 87 years old, was known as the "Original Wonkette" when she started covering the JFK White House nearly a half-century ago. So how much does Helen hate George W. Bush?

Hi Ken - You told me to email you on Feb. 20 so that I can get paid for my "operative" work. Also, here are the the questions and answers from my talk with Helen Thomas, and pictures as well. Oh, and although she never officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, I kind of get the feeling that she is indeed on Team Hillary. A few times she noted that Hillary was a "powerful woman" but didn't really have much to say about Obama. She kind of just repeated stories that were in her books and repeated quotes people have heard or read a thousand times. That was the point of the lecture I guess, since most of the people probably had never heard her speak before. She also gushed over Kennedy and of course added her statement that "Everyone with a laptop thinks they're a journalist."

 Helen Thomas and Lauren Selsky, in matching outfits for some reason, at the Alan B. Larkin Symposium on the Presidency, Boca Raton, Florida, on February 19. 

On Hillary v. Obama: It's a tough competition and both are burning with ambition. They've been mean to each other, but let me tell you, he's not Rebecca from Sunnybrook Farm either.

Do you think the Democrats in Congress will impeach Bush or Cheney?Republicans only impeach, Democrats don't have the guts.

What do you think of the conservative journalists like Bill O'Reilly or Ann Coulter?(LAUGHTER) Journalists? They aren't journalists. They are commentators and polemicists.

What will be Bush's legacy?Wiretapping, torture, and preemptive war. Bush feels that people in the future will judge him differently than the people of today do. There may be some revisionists down the line, but I doubt it.

John McCain as the GOP nominee?He's a hawk! He'll be Bush 3rd term! McCain is a hawk, he believes in this war and adding more troops. The guy was tortured, yet he seems to be okay with torturing others. John McCain has misread America. He has no vision of the future.

Your reaction when you found out that the Saudis sold UPI to the Moonies?

I had seen what had happened to children and people of that cult. To work for them would have meant that I had to compromise my beliefs, which was something I could not do.

So you don't believe Sun Myung Moon is the Messiah?No.

What about Fox News?It's the favorite channel of the White House -- that gives you pause.

Helen Thomas' latest book is Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public.