Topic: Helen Thomas

The death of veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas at age 92 is noted. The hosts revisit the 2010 controversy where Thomas was caught on camera telling Jews to "get the hell out of Palestine" and go back to Poland and Germany. This incident led to her immediate retirement and condemnation from the White House press office.

Journalist Helen Thomas, who covered ten presidents, passed away recently. The discussion recalls her "No Agenda" style of questioning and her eventual dismissal from the press corps following controversial comments about Israel and Palestine. It is suggested that the Obama administration was particularly dismissive of her persistent questions regarding the closure of Guantanamo Bay.

At age 90, veteran journalist Helen Thomas gave a candid interview to Playboy magazine. Thomas reiterated her controversial views on Israeli influence in American media and banking. She also criticized President Obama, labeling him a "Republican" for failing to close Guantanamo Bay or end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs faced questioning regarding CIA payments to Ahmed Wali Karzai, ultimately referring all inquiries back to the CIA. The briefing was characterized by the press secretary's dismissive tone and the use of a mysterious audio recording played in the room stating "the president is powerful." Longtime reporter Helen Thomas is noted as one of the few remaining journalists asking substantive questions.

Adam Curry plays C-SPAN footage of a White House press briefing where reporters Helen Thomas and Chip Reid challenge Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. The reporters question the authenticity of President Obama's town hall meetings, alleging that the audiences are pre-selected and the questions are screened. Thomas specifically accuses the administration of controlling both the press and the public through pre-packaged engagements.