»» Columnists

Helen Thomas’ White House Briefing Room Nameplate Reappears as Mysteriously as it Disappeared

by Tommy Christopher | 9:21 am, January 26th, 2011

» 10 comments

Last August, Mediaite reported that Helen Thomas‘ nameplate had disappeared from her famous front-row-center seat in the White House briefing room. At the time, sources within the White House Correspondents Association and the White House press office were baffled about the disappearance.

Tuesday night, however, the iconic nameplate was back in its old spot, affixed to the front row seat that now belongs to the Associated Press.

As I got ready to watch the President’s State of the Union address in the Brady Briefing Room, I happened to glance under Helen’s old seat, and took a closer look to see if the WHCA had updated the nameplate. I was startled to see Helen’s nameplate affixed there, no worse for the wear. A comparison with a photo of the original nameplate confirms that it’s the same one, slightly bent in places.

Once again, sources at the White House and the WHCA have no idea how the nameplate was returned, but there it is. This is the first time I’ve checked in a while, so there’s really no way to tell how long it’s been back.

Coincidentally, Helen Thomas is also in the process of trying to return to the Brady Briefing Room, having applied for a White House “hard pass.” Because she retired, the White House says she’ll have to go through the application process again, but the criteria will be no different than for any other journalist. A “hard pass” isn’t necessary, however, to cover the White House, and Helen could return at any time on a daily pass. Helen is now a columnist for the Falls Church News-Press.

Falls Church News-Press, Helen Thomas, WHCA, White House briefing room, White House Correspondents Association, White House Press Corps

The Lantern of Truth

RRKING pondering . How mysterious ! All the Hueys in Houston ! Can ‘ t they leave that poor woman alone !
skyfet

Maybe she’s coming back.
Color Me Badd

They should give her a hard pass, that is disgraceful.
tatboy

No other kind of bigotry is tolerated like this. If she had the same views about blacks, hispanics, etc. She would be a leper.
lazzzlo

The Lantern of Truth said:
All the Hueys in Houston !

Ok, that was funny!
BatBoy

Maybe Tommy really does have a heart and returned it.
lonestar77

It was probably the Joos.
richardsievert

It being there is the first step. ‘OK it being honored is the only step! ‘The press is the eye’s and the ears of us we the republic if they cannot be our eye’s and ear’s my father will remove you all and press you itself!
‘Please let the press do their job, it is far better than what will soon press everyone for not listening to the lamp-stand of the almighty creator, ‘The alpha and omega! ‘ I AM’
OxyCon

Tommy, you should attach “noted anti-Semite” above her name plate. If you wear your magic sunglasses, no one will see you do it.
Just_MC

Fess up Tommy, you know the whole reason for the story is to advertise that you now have access the press room. PURELY self-aggrandizing.