If I was actively thinking of a way to permanently stain and end a long and noted career...I couldn't have thought of a better way.
Maybe Les Kinsolving will get a chance to ask a question now.

Your local AIPAC, hard at work!

If Ms. Thomas' comments are indeed the result of her being anti-semitic, there's no proper justification and/or explanation she could give. I wonder, however, if these were very poorly chosen words of a frustrated woman who's seen this conflict go on, and on, and on. Ms. Thomas has been around far longer than I, tho I'm already I'm up to 'here' with the fact that I've had to hear about these two peoples not getting along for far too long. Neither side is going anywhere, so deal with it, please.

Sponsored in part by your friendly local AIPAC...

Why is anyone surprised or outraged at the indelicate comments of the illustrious Ms. Thomas? It has never been a secret that she is an extremist occupying a special seat at the table provided by the like minded Washington press. It only became necessary to run her off when she forgot to shade her truth. That truth, however, has finally set her, and the rest of us, free from her bigoted and partisan contribution to the discourse. She is forever more irrelevant, and everything she has ever put forth in her roles as reporter and commentator can now be reviewed in the proper light.

While I have never condoned her views or partisan style, I wish her well in her retirement. May she enjoy good health, and attain some sense of happiness and peace.

The wicked witch is dead.

My deep appreciation to Helen Thomas for her years of asking the tough questions of presidents and staff.

She called occupation by its true name. She is not being anti-semitic just because she calls into question the taking over of Arab lands. How would we feel if the U.S. were to be invaded by people claiming the land was rightfully theirs. Guess we ask the Native Americans that one!

THANK YOU, Helen, for a long and honorable career on behalf of all of us.

The Jewish people I know in the US are kind, tolerant, and champions of justice. However, we have to face the fact that the Israeli government is controlled by the Jewish ultra-orthodox, who do not tolerate gay lifestyles, consider women as “unclean,” steal the land and bulldoze homes that have been owned by Palestinians for centuries, to build settlements to accommodate the never-ending influx of Jews from all over the world, and openly discriminate against non-Jews. A young American woman, Rachel Aliene Corrie, was actually crushed to death when she acted as a human shield protecting a Palestinian home against an Israeli bulldozer. However Israel’s most horrendous action is that it created a ghetto in which millions of Palestinians are held captive and impoverished by Israel’s blockade. On more than one occasion Israel has gone into Palestinian refugee camps and slaughtered unarmed Palestinian citizens. A youtube video search shows Palestinian women and children being abused by Israeli Jews and a google search will reveal Israeli citizens who denounce the abuse of Palestinians by the Israeli government and other Jews. The Israeli government is well armed and funded by the US due to the strength of the Israeli lobby’s influence in the US, which exerts inordinate influence over our press and our government and prevents Americans from realizing the truth. The 9/11 attack on the WTC came as no surprise to me since the US has supported Israel in wreaking so much havoc in the Mideast, but most people are afraid to publicly criticize Israel for fear of being characterized as anti-Semetic. Shockingly, the organs of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army have been used without permission by the Israeli medical community. The Jewish people keep reminding us of the holocaust to prevent it from ever happening again – but it does seem to be happening again – this time perpetrated by Israel. The Jewish people and all who are champions of justice must demand that Israel stop its abuse of Palestinians immediately.

At least Rather had a political agenda when he was forced out. Helen, you just simply demonstrated how warped your mind is. I hope I never see or hear of you again Helen Thomas. You should build a retirement home in Auschwitz to live out your remaining years cause Americans want to see your old hateful a$$ move to Germany.

What a sad day for "Freedom of Speech"and journalistic integrity that Helen Thomas is retiring. She stated her opinion and then apologized for the impoliticness of it. Would a male journalist be treated thusly. Are we still subjected to the inappropriate utterings of Pat Buchanan?

The IDF can shoot members of the flotilla with impunity but Ms. Thomas can't make a spontaneous remark, apologize and then be forgiven?

I too, THANK YOU for a long and honorable career on behalf of all of us.

This is America. The constitution gives us the right to our opinions. Helen Thomas has more brains in her little toe than all the people in Washington. Do you crazy attackers of free speech want to give her the same respect that the Ari Fleichers give the tea party? Whats wrong with personal opinions? She has paid her dues!!! For God sakes, has it come to this? A 90 year old woman!!! Shame on all of you.

God said I will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel- Ms Thomas consider yourself cursed repent you are too close to the end of your life let alone your career to be out of God's grace

she needed to retire....
senile old bag

Hey, she said what she said. So what! She is not the only one who feels the Jews should leave Palestine. Whats the big deal about that?
Personally, I wish USA would STOP funding Israel and let Israel fight their own batles. Why should USA continue to help a country that we originally helped establish over 50 years ago? Can't they negotiate their own peace? If they did not have USA in their pocket, they would tread cautiously knowing the rest of the ARAB world surrounding them wants to obliterate them to little pieces .

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for the Palestinians,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Palestinian.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

I'll miss the Old Dame. She never gave anyone a free pass, not the "Great Communicator" (I'll always love her for that!), not Slick Willie, not W., not Israel (which has had a free pass too long w/ the U.S.). I think her frustration was probably more with official policy in Israel than its people. Her choice of words unfortunately played into the "waving of the bloody camp pajamas" mentality that has fueled and excused intransigent hard line conservative politics in Israel as well as our policies on Israel for decades. Of course Israel has a right to exist, but so does a Palestinian state (they weren't running the ovens in the 1940s!). I have no answer for this ongoing conflict except to say there will have to be give on both sides. I sure hope this is not the lead in Helen's obit when that day comes.

As a Jewish progressive, avowed Marxist, and member of Peace Now and JStreet, I must clarify that this is the darkest day in US history: Helen Thomas, a champion of freedom and tolerance has had her 1st amendment rights stripped by the Zionist organizations that control the US. Helen Thomas spoke truth to power, demanded justice for the 25 million Palestinians that were ruthlessly kicked out of their homes by the occupying Zionists, and she was a symbol of righteous justice and paragon of moral beauty. She was actually writing a book about the kidnapping and mutilation of Palestinian children by the occupying Zionist army for religious purposes, but I guess the truth hurt some people, and she was treateed in a manner that is meant to be a threat to other fearless truth-seekers.

Republicans and Tea-Party racists will not be able to hide forever that 9/11 was orchestrated by Dick Cheney and the Israeli Mossad. The truth will come out. This is why the loss of Helen Thomas is such a blow to the suffering innocent around the world, and those that tremble under US imperialism and Zionsit arrogance and cruelty.

Like Che Guevara and Karl Marx your spirit shall be with us forever!

Wow, I was surprised to see all the Nazi sympathizers come out of the wood work.

Join the fight against these demented folk. STR8 BOYCOTT HELEN THOMAS AND HER LEGION OF BIGOTS 4 REAL!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Hearst-Fire-Helen-Thomas/132542620091914

A sad day indeed for our country and our 1st amendment rights.
The "guilty" conscisous of the US and Europe once again gives way to reason and free speech. Wake up America, the gradual losses of your freedoms continues on with this group just as it did under Bush. Maybe not in the light of patriotism but in the light of policially correctness.

JUST AS MOST OF AMERICA SAID AFTER
9-11-01 THEY WILL NEVER FORGET!!!
LET ME BE ONE OF MANY TO TELL YOU, THAT MOST OF US HAVE FORGOTTEN!!!
IF AFTER 9-11-01 WE HAD 8 HUGE BOATS FILLED WITH SAUDI AMERICAN EXTREME MUSLIMS, SAYING THAT THEY WERE DELIVERING GOODS AND SUPPLIES FOR MUSLIMS ONLY IN MUSLIM NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IF THESE SAUDIS WERE TELLING OUR MILITARY THAT WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO STOP THEIR BOATS AND INSPECT THEM, YET WE SET UP A BLOCKADE TO STOP THEM SO WE CAN INSPECT THEIR BOATS, THEN THEY PUT THEIR BOATS AT FULL SPEED AND AS OUR COAST GUARD BOATS TRY TO PULL UP NEXT TO THEM IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE SAUDIS SO WE CAN INSPECT THEIR BOATS AS THEY ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THEM RIGHT ON DOWN THE HUDSON RIVER IMAGINE IF YOU WILL THAT THESE EXTREMIST'S START USING HIGH PRESSURE FIRE HOSES TO SPRAY DOWN OUR COAST GUARD FROM BOARDING THEIR BOATS!!! YOU WOULD NEVER CALL AMERICA THE BAD GUYS FOR BOARDING THESE BOATS, THEN AS OUR COAST GUARD BOARDS THE SAUDI ARABIAN MUSLIM EXTREMIST GROUPS BOATS, THEN THESE EXTREMIST START BEATING OUR COAST GUARD WITH METAL ROD'S AND POLES AND CHAIRS, I ASSURE YOU THAT MOST SANE AMERICANS WOULD BE PISSED IF ANY PUBLICATION OR REPORTER LIKE THE ANTI SEMITE HELEN THOMAS, OR THE ANTI SEMITE HEARST NEWS THAT HAS PAID THIS LONG LIVED HOLOCAUST DENYING WITCH!!!

Welte -They were bringing humanitarian supplies to Palestine because the Palestinians are stuck in an Israeli-created ghetto. What would you do if someone buldozed your home and sent you to a refugee camp? Do you think that's fair or funny? I am really curious - How can anyone justify what the Israeli's are doing to the Palestinians/

This world needs more courageous people like Helen Thomas!

Helen Thomas is a old useless bigoted lebonese hag, who hates Israel, is an anti-Semitic pile of crap who should have been banned from the WHPC 20 years ago. Her defenders are just as bigoted and equally as stupid.

The purpose of this story is to make everyone forget about what Israel did to the ships trying to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. The rabbi who asked Helen the question knew exactly what he was doing and what to expect for a response - and he and the rest of the press controlled by the Jewish lobby very swiftly and effectively killed the humanitarian aid story. Does anyone remember the ship and the people who died trying to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians? Does anyone remember that the Palestinians are trapped in a ghetto controlled by the Israeli's? Ms. Thomas’ words are her honest opinion and what she said is true - the Israeli’s are occupying and stealing Palestinian land and homes. Why is there not more outrage against the loss of lives perpetrated by Israel and why is there so much outrage for speaking honestly? What Israel is doing is a not only offensive and reprehensible – it is sinful - Israel is the problem – not Ms. Thomas.

To Sophie:

Americans will never forget seeing Palestinians dancing in the streets after the Twin Towers fell and we lost over 3000 Americans. You say where's the outrage? If you lost a loved one in the Towers then saw Palestinians shooting guns, fireworks, and celebrating their death, how would you feel? Where is your outrage? Do you care more about Palestine than America?