- WHY EXPEL ONE OF YOUR OWN? I notice Jennifer Rubin of Commentary asking the question [1] why shouldn’t Helen Thomas be expelled from the White House press corps? (David already has vid up on this topic) [2]T The answer to my mind is rather simple ; the White House agrees with her.
- THE WOOD SPLITS: I note with mild amusement the reported breakup of Al and Tipper Gore. My initial reaction is one that I’ve heard repeated several times in my dealings with various people throughout the day ; Namely, even the likes of Tipper Gore has limits. I think that said however there is more going on here than we are being told as is usually the case with Gore. Just as usually, whatever it is that does not make Gore look good at all. Then again after all the years of lies that he’s promulgated , what would?
- IT WAS YESTERDAY PLUS 66 YEARS: D-Day, that is. I think it appropriate that we ask the Gipper to speak on the subject.
Amen and Amen. - THE HUFF AND PUFF TAKES NOTE: when even the Huffington Post notices that things are not good in the job market [3], you’d think they’d make the next logical step and ask the question is this “Hope”, or is this “Change”? Once again, my choice of career change appears to remain vindicated. The article confirm something that I thought for quite some time; being the only logical explanation for the number of long-term unemployed at the upper end of the employment scale.
- HIGHER EDUCATION: Higher education isn’t worth much if it doesn’t translate to higher income, or at least a more stable job. That’s in my conclusion for some time. As an example; I spent twenty years supporting computers. I did fairly well. A fairly high five figure salary, a nice retirement fund, a nice office, and rewarding work. The economy pretty much trashed that. Then when I went looking for other work similar to what I’d been doing I found that kids with college degrees who are gone through the educational process that has been so much ballyhooed , we’re getting the jobs, but not because they had the college degrees, but because they were willing to work for half the money. Glenn Reynolds speaks to this point yesterday, [4] and it’s a good read.
- CONGRATS RUSH: [5]I hear he got married again over the weekend. [5] She’s a looker, too.
Update: (DavidL)
Helen Thomas has been effectively fired. Shn resigned in lieu of disciplinary action, from the White House Correspondents Association:
June 7, 2010
Helen Thomas’ comments were indefensible and the White House Correspondents Association board firmly dissociates itself from them. Many in our profession who have known Helen for years were saddened by the comments, which were especially unfortunate in light of her role as a trail blazer on the White House beat.
While Helen has not been a member of the WHCA for many years, her special status in the briefing room has helped solidify her as the dean of the White House press corps so we feel the need to speak out strongly on this matter.
We want to emphasize that the role of the WHCA is to represent the White House press corps in its dealings with the White House on coverage-related issues. We do not police the speech of our members or colleagues. We are not involved at all in issuing White House credentials, that is the purview of the White House itself.
But the incident does revive the issue of whether it is appropriate for an opinion columnist to have a front row seat in the WH briefing room. That is an issue under the jurisdiction of this board. We are actively seeking input from our association members on this important matter, and we have scheduled a special meeting of the WHCA board on Thursday to decide on the seating issue.
Ed Chen, Bloomberg
David Jackson, USA Today
Caren Bohan, Reuters
Ed Henry, CNN
Julie Mason, DC Examiner
Don Gonyea, National Public Radio
Steve Scully, C-SPAN
Doug Mills, The New York Times
Hat tip: Daniel Foster, National Review [6].