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AP Gets Helen Thomas’s Old Seat, Fox News To Front Row

» 38 comments

The White House Correspondents Association has reportedly reached a decision on who gets Helen Thomas‘s much-coveted briefing room seat. From Mike Allen:

Congrats to White House Correspondents’ Board on its hard work: AP moves to Helen’s center seat, Fox to AP’s front-row seat, NPR to 2nd row.

It’s an interesting shuffle and no doubt some speculation will go into why Fox, who pushed hard for Thomas’s seat, was not in the end totally successful. That said, they have been moved up to the front row (a scenario Tommy Christopher predicted back in June). Says the Upshot’s Michael Calderone: “The idea of moving the AP — which normally gets the first question at presidential press conferences — was under discussion in recent years, long before Thomas retired.”

Bloomberg, who also pushed hard to be considered, remains in the second row, and NPR, who made a late move for the spot, has been bumped up from the third row to Fox New’s current spot. Other shuffles via Calderone include:

The Financial Times will now get a regular seat, while U.S News & World Report—a news organization that has been scaled back in recent years—lost its seat. The foreign press pool also now gets a permanent seat.

Also, Politico and American Urban Radio Networks moved up to the third row. The Washing Times, which has cut back significantly in the past year, moves from the third to fourth row.

Update: Fox is apparently pleased with the decision. From Bill Sammon, Vice President of News and Washington Managing Editor, FOX News: “We are pleased with the decision of the White House Correspondents’ Association and look forward to working with our colleagues in the front row and the rest of the James S. Brady briefing room.”‬‪

Update again: Major Garrett twitters: Those of us who will sit in the front owe a debt to Jim Angle, Carl Cameron, Bret Baier and network that supported them.

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  • Bootleghaircut

    good call and screw the washington times

    excellent

  • AngelPeters

    Sounds fair for all concerned.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

    Perhaps now they’re where they can hear Fox will be able to get it right.

  • Sue

    Well, hell, who else is there in the media that is fair and balanced? No one, so the lefty AP is as good as the next uberleft nut.

  • abudal.us

    Perhaps now they’re where they can hear Fox will be able to get it right.
    I think so.You are right.
    http://www.iyinet-frmtr-trkygnclr-webmaster-seo-yarismasi.us/

  • roxsteady

    Nice try but, we Liberals and Progressives received an email today from CREDO telling us that we’d won and they were right. The fact that fox moved up was more the result of the AP getting the coveted seat. I suspect that fox’s cozy relationship with Breitbart was the final straw and made it next to impossible for them to be considered. I still can’t figure out why so many of the Whitehouse Correspondents don’t recognize how pretending that fox is a real news org only diminishes their own legitimacy. They’re not a news organization. And the media’s willingness to pretend otherwise make them look equally bogus.

  • Pablo

    roxsteady said:
    I suspect that fox’s cozy relationship with Breitbart was the final straw and made it next to impossible for them to be considered.

    …for the front row. How’s the crack these days, rox?

  • SheMuses

    My hope is that the AP reporter in that seat is as tough and willing to ask the ‘pressure’ questions as the former occupant. Thank You Helen Thomas, for holding – if not fowarding – the line.

    Melissa/SheMuses

  • http://apostrophejones.com Apostrophe jones

    Crack with a colt 45 chaser .

  • susankq

    im a lucky girl ,,i found my real l-o-v-e on

    ~~~ B_l_a_c_k_w_h_i_t_e_C_u_p_i_d * C_o_m ~~~ ,now i enjoy an i-nterracial lifestyle!!! u may try !!!! ;)

  • The Real Royal King

    Bill Adkins said:
    Perhaps now they’re where they can hear Fox will be able to get it right.

    Were that it so simple!

    “Honesty is like an icicle; if once it melts that is the end of it.”
    GLOBAL WARMING CATCHES UP WITH FOX NEWS!

  • The Real Royal King

    roxsteady said:
    Nice try but, we Liberals and Progressives received an email today from CREDO telling us that we’d won and they were right. The fact that fox moved up was more the result of the AP getting the coveted seat. I suspect that fox’s cozy relationship with Breitbart was the final straw and made it next to impossible for them to be considered. I still can’t figure out why so many of the Whitehouse Correspondents don’t recognize how pretending that fox is a real news org only diminishes their own legitimacy. They’re not a news organization. And the media’s willingness to pretend otherwise make them look equally bogus.

    You are correct. Breitbart and FOX may have solidified their small audiences, but they sacrafice such integrity as they have built over the years. I’d sure like to see Major move out of that ethical snakepit.

    “Honesty is like an icicle; if once it melts that is the end of it.”
    GLOBAL WARMING CATCHES UP WITH FOX NEWS!

  • ChiliPeppersFan

    i’m picturing that old bob euker commercial where the guy goes to escort him to his seat and he says “i must be in the front row” and they bring him to the bleacher seats…haha

    trrk…i was watching oriely, i think it was the same night he fucked up with the sherrod announcement, and he talked about june being the hottest month on record and then asked if al gore could have been right all along

  • Kird

    I think both the AP and Fox News belong in the front row along with all the other major news outlets like Google, Yahoo, NBC, CBS, NBC etc. I it seems kind of dumb to me if they weren’t that close to begin with.

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    RRK, Bootlikker and box of Rox talking about integrity. Is that a joke? Three loons that hide behind phony names and can’t name one accomplishment among all three. Oh, they will say they did something or pretend they are somebody but there is no way to check since they are hiding under their bed all the time.

  • newzmaker

    Moving Fox News to the front row, is an acknowledgment by the board, that the watered-down, politically correct version of the news, is no longer acceptable to the majority of the viewing audience. White guilt, of course, will still rule the so-called mainstream media and its mindless followers, but the majority of Americans are ready to move forward, with the news being reported truthfully and straightforwardly, and letting the chips fall where they may. Hopefully, white liberals in the media, can move beyond their guilt someday, and treat people of all races equally, as does Fox News.

  • yweston

    Wow!! Fox got a front row seat. I thought the White House was suppose to be “scared” of Mamma Grizzlies PR machine.

    Sounds to me like the President and Gibbs are saying “Bring It On” and all your “little Pink Elephants”. Can you imagine Palin putting MSNBC in a front seat if she ever made it to President. (Which ain’t never going to happen). Palin’s front seats would have Fox, Limbaugh’s people, Ted Nugents little enclave, Breitbart and every other conservative hack in the country. We wouldn’t want the “lamestream” media to give Palin any “gotcha” questions.

  • yweston

    @newzsmaker

    “Hopefully, white liberals in the media, can move beyond their guilt someday, and treat people of all races equally, as does Fox News.”
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________

    Oh Pulesse. Fox is the most hateful piece of lying chit on the scene today. Riling up people with “outright” lies. Encouraging Tea Party rants at Town Hall Meetings, Promoting Tea Party nonsense then reporting on it as if they didn’t orchestrate the whole thing. Using Edited tapes. I notice I never see any Edited tapes of whites doing anything. And…..pushing that Death Panel nonsense of the M00siahs to scare Grandma. How low can you go.
    As Rachel Maddow told Bill O’Reilly. I may never have your ratings, but I’m fine because I’ll NEVER stoop as low as Fox.
    Go Rachel, Go White House. Neither one is running from the crazy hacks encouraging unhinged people who do NO research other than “right wing” B.S. then run around espousing lies under the guise of the truth.

  • Allisa Alloju

    Well that’s good for them, just fair enough.. but what’s the difference then? :|

    -Allisa Alloju
    http://facebook.com/LisaAllojum

  • Bootleghaircut

    gordon blows his show is easy to check out-go to his website for all his ripe stupidity on display!

    He writes 500 letters a week to USA today in his mom’s basement! Rush Limbaugh read one once and gordon had the letter bronzed.

    Gordo why can’t you act like a normal human and for once post aregular non vile non insukting post about the comment with out some self promoting link?

    Are youe ven capable of that or do you get your jollies by collecting enemies and followingthem around because.

    for somebody who claims to be intelligent this site receives none of that benefit.-why do you even come here?

    Why not go to the USA today site where udoubted you’re famous right?

  • The Real Royal King

    gordonbloyershow said:
    RRK, Bootlikker and box of Rox talking about integrity. Is that a joke? Three loons that hide behind phony names and can’t name one accomplishment among all three. Oh, they will say they did something or pretend they are somebody but there is no way to check since they are hiding under their bed all the time.

    You seem to have a really deep, deep need for affirmation, Marceaux, I mean Blower. Sort of like FOX’s deep, deep need to get on the front row. Even if it’s behind a load bearing column at the far end of the first row. Sad in a way.

    MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN
    MY BONNIE LIES OBER THE SEA
    FOX NEWS ALWAYS LIES
    WHEREVER BONNIE MAY BE.

  • The Real Royal King

    Bootleghaircut said:
    why do you even come here?

    He’s keeping busy whilst waiting for the HRH Elizabeth II to invite him to take tea and for Arthur Godfrey to read one of his letters on the air. When those happen, you’re going to regret your comment.

    MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN
    MY BONNIE LIES OBER THE SEA
    FOX NEWS ALWAYS LIES
    WHEREVER BONNIE MAY BE.

  • torgman

    Here’s a novel idea: Let’s stop treating the White House correspondents like they were tenured professors and, instead, treat them like news reporters who are there to keep the Executive branch in check. This “who gets Helen’s seat” nonsense truly shows that White House correspondents only worry is their status and no longer a serious factor, since they haven’t held anyone in the White House accountable for 30 years of questionable acts and insidious behavior.

  • The Real Royal King

    torgman said:
    Here’s a novel idea: Let’s stop treating the White House correspondents like they were tenured professors and, instead, treat them like news reporters who are there to keep the Executive branch in check. This “who gets Helen’s seat” nonsense truly shows that White House correspondents only worry is their status and no longer a serious factor, since they haven’t held anyone in the White House accountable for 30 years of questionable acts and insidious behavior.

    Amen! And, end the White House Correspondents’ Dinner! It’s incestuous.

    MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN
    MY BONNIE LIES OBER THE SEA
    FOX NEWS ALWAYS LIES
    WHEREVER BONNIE MAY BE.

  • Bootleghaircut

    “He’s keeping busy whilst waiting for the HRH Elizabeth II to invite him to take tea and for Arthur Godfrey to read one of his letters on the air. When those happen, you’re going to regret your comment”

    LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Ok; I’m not going to even try to top that! Bravo and well played sir.

  • WideAwakeNow

    So glad Fox got a much deserved Front Row Seat! I don’t pretend to believe that the admin. allowed that without an ulterior motive but Fox is pretty good at out-Foxing this administration (ie: how the whole sherrod debacle backfired on the WH) ..so it should work out well for all concerned! :)

    Guess Major Garret will have to change his blog name now. lol.

  • ImNotBlue

    yweston says:
    August 2, 2010 at 4:40 am

    Can you imagine Palin putting MSNBC in a front seat…

    Well, no. Of course, as we saw in this case, the President apparently has little to do with that decision.

    Of course, since MSNBC already has NBC in the front row, but no actual audience of their own, I’m not sure why ANYONE would but MSNBC in the front.

    The Real Royal King says:
    August 2, 2010 at 8:29 am

    Poor poor King. His rough week just got longer.

    Still out, trying to convince people that something happened that didn’t… still claiming that actual and provable lies told by the left, “never happened”… and now this!

    For all the bellyaching and claiming that, “things are gonna be different now!” FNC winds up with a first row seat. I guess things aren’t that bad for them after all.

    Poor King… looks like this week is going o be even worse. Poor guy.

  • homie

    Why not just eleiminate any remaining pretense and dedicate the entire front row to Barry McCaffrey and the Pentagon Generals Disinformation Command?
    Second row, Goldman Sachs lobbyists, third row Big Pharma and insurance lobbyists.

  • The Real Royal King

    ImNotBlue said:
    Poor King… looks like this week is going o be even worse. Poor guy.

    I appreciate your concern, but no angst here. You guys make it almost too easy. And, you’re a big part of that. Many thanks.

    MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN
    MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE SEA
    FOX NEWS ALWAYS LIES
    WHEREVER BONNIE MAY BE.

  • ImNotBlue

    The Real Royal King says:
    August 2, 2010 at 11:30 am

    I appreciate your concern, but no angst here. You guys make it almost too easy. And, you’re a big part of that. Many thanks.

    For a guy with “no angst”… you sure do post a lot of comments expressing angst and anger.

    But being in constant disconnect with reality, for you, is simply par.

  • More Liberty

    ImNotBlue,
    Just ignore King, he’s a hypocrite.

    THE REAL ROYAL KING LIES
    WHEN CAUGHT HE CLAIMS IT WAS A JOKE
    HE’S A HYPOCRITE

  • writer

    KING’S EGO IS BIG AS AN OCEAN
    HIS ARROGANCE BIG AS A SEA
    HE THINKS THERE ARE NO BLACK RACISTS
    ‘CAUSE HE LEARNED ABOUT RACE FROM TV

  • writer

    And isn’t it sort of ageist to be commenting on Helen’s old seat?

  • More Liberty

    The Real Royal King said:
    I appreciate your concern, but no angst here. You guys make it almost too easy. And, you’re a big part of that. Many thanks.

    KIng,
    That’s a bold statement coming from someone that got caught in a bold face lie last week. You had better recognize that you are a hypocrite. Thomas J caught your lie and you tried to weasel your way out.

  • More Liberty

    The Real Royal King said:
    You are correct. Breitbart and FOX may have solidified their small audiences, but they sacrafice such integrity as they have built over the years.

    Integrity? You are talking about integrity? King, you got caught in a huge bold face lie about Senator Demint. You got busted, and then tried to back pedal. You have no business talking about integrity. You lied, got caught just as Breitbart got caught.

  • http://none pyrope

    I hope they disinfected it before a Fox reporter sits in it.

  • http://none pyrope

    torgman said:
    Here’s a novel idea: Let’s stop treating the White House correspondents like they were tenured professors and, instead, treat them like news reporters who are there to keep the Executive branch in check. This “who gets Helen’s seat” nonsense truly shows that White House correspondents only worry is their status and no longer a serious factor, since they haven’t held anyone in the White House accountable for 30 years of questionable acts and insidious behavior.

    Torgman, I think we’ve found some common ground here. “The Helen Thomas seat” issue is a lot like the “Ted Kennedy Seat” thing that went on after Kennedy’s death. The one caution is that if a reporter asks questions that would tend to embarrass the president, they are typically ignored from thence forward. Both sides do the same thing; this is not a partisan remark.

  • magicbeans

    yweston said:
    Wow!! Fox got a front row seat. I thought the White House was suppose to be “scared” of Mamma Grizzlies PR machine. Sounds to me like the President and Gibbs are saying “Bring It On” and all your “little Pink Elephants”. Can you imagine Palin putting MSNBC in a front seat if she ever made it to President. (Which ain’t never going to happen). Palin’s front seats would have Fox, Limbaugh’s people, Ted Nugents little enclave, Breitbart and every other conservative hack in the country. We wouldn’t want the “lamestream” media to give Palin any “gotcha” questions.

    Yeah I’m not sure but I think the white house press corps, not the president decided to put Fox in the front row. It was a unanimous vote. Mostly because Major Garret is a very profesional reporter who has earned his peers respect.

    And don’t you remember when the president wouldn’t let the Fox news people and two newspapers I think on his plane. He only likes fawning coverage.

    As far as Madow goes she was just caught using a highly edited tape of O’Reily so….I guess that makes her a hypocrit. So puleeze to you too. Madow didn’t even have a show until after Barry was elected. She was just an analyst before that. And she was pro Obama too. Kind of like Roland Martin over at CNN. In fact right after the election both CNN and MSNBC made a few pro Obama changes. That’s when I shut them off.

    Oh and about those Death Panels. They don’t actually call them “Death Panels” which would make it easier for you liberals to find them in the bajillion page law but they are called medicare advisory boards and they will make decisions on what the government is willing to pay for. So Granny still needs to consider that and as Barry said, they might not perform that expensive surgery but instead keep you comfortable you know with cheaper medicine that won’t really fix the problem.

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