"Who You Calling a Journalist?" by Helen Thomas

[Catherine Vincent]

Who is a journalist?

That is the question that Jeff Gannon, alias James Guckert, asked in his own defense during a National Press Club panel last week. The club sponsored the discussion to illuminate the differences between legitimate journalists and bloggers -- or imposters. Gannon and a couple of bloggers were on the panel.

Gannon made news recently after some liberal bloggers began investigating him when he asked President George W. Bush a question that had as its premise the assertion that congressional Democrats were "divorced from reality."

Bush comes to his rare news conferences armed with a list of reporters his staff has designated for him to call on. In giving Gannon the nod, he passed over some of the regular White House journalists -- including yours truly -- all with our hands up.

Gannon was a propagandist, a flack for the White House. Thus, he fails to meet the requirement -- as Wasserman wrote in the Miami Herald last September -- that "anybody who enters the (journalism) profession makes a core commitment to do his or her best to determine and tell the truth."

more....
http://www.thelouisvillechannel.com/helenthomas/4377193/detail.html

[Technowitch]

1. Gosh, I love Helen!

She's amazing.

I can't wait for the next Prez to re-promote her to the front row in the WH Press Room, where she belongs.

A shame she didn't mention Guckert's proven escort-service business...

[flordehinojos]

7. under the E. Wasserman definition of a journalist as someone who is

"professionally dedicated to truth seeking" and one who has done his or her "best to determine and tell the truth" ....

how many of those big names in the mainstream media of people who today pass for "journalists" would flunk the title, or the misison. Too bad "journalists" are not required to be LICENSED before they can call themselves "journalists". These days many such licenses would and should be revoked. I can think of a few big names who would probably need to have their licenses revoked.

JUDY WOODRUFF AND ROBERT NOVAK would head the list but so many others would follow. In fact, who would be left, standing as a mainstream media "journalist". Very, very, very few. I think.

[tuvor]

2. Thanks for posting that n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

3. You're welcome!

:hi:

[Carolab]

4. Gannon ain't fit to mop up her pencil shavings.

It made my blood boil when that IDIOT Hinderocker at PowerLine actually had the NERVE to ask, "Gannon's not a journalist? As compared to who, Helen Thomas?"

I wrote his stupid ass and corrected him.

[pacalo]

5. Excellent article.

[fooj]

6. Helen rocks!

She keeps it coming, doesn't she? Nice choice, Cat!

Peace!

[Swamp Rat]

8. I LOVE Helen Thomas!!!

:woohoo:

[Catherine Vincent]

14. Gannon on a milk carton.

The first time because of tragic circumstances....this time, not so tragic.:-)

[Swamp Rat]

9. kick

[shadowknows69]

10. well let's see....

In two years of Journalism school I had multiple newswriting lectures and labs. Worked as a feature reporter and learned layout of our school newspaper. Took multiple classes in first amendment law and Journalistic ethics. Learned the history of Journalism, print and broadcast. Actually did unscripted interviews with top ranking school and local officals and had to eat shitty cafeteria food and live in a 10X10 dorm room. I guess if JG got all that in his two hour course then anyone like myself that actually took time to learn the craft of Journalism is a sucker.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

11. Have to love Helen Thomas! :-)

[EFerrari]

12. Nice catch, Cat!

:hi:

[Catherine Vincent]

13. Has Ann Coulter apologized to Helen Thomas yet?

Gannon needs to talk some sense into that woman. Imagine someone like Ann calling Helen Thomas an old Arab and the classy woman that Helen is didn't respond in kind.

[wicket]

15. God bless Heln Thomas

:kick:

[DemBeans]

16. terrific!

Thanks for posting this. Thomas is my all-time favorite.

[Bethany Rockafella]

17. The article says that Gannon gave right leaning questions.

I disagree, right leaning questions are more like questions that glorify republican issues. That divorced from reality question was a lie picked up from a right wing drug addict.