Poll: Should Helen Thomas’ Nameplate Be Removed From Her Press Seat?

The Helen Thomas controversy rages on. Less than a week after a video of the legendary White House correspondent saying she thought the Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and go back to Germany and Poland (her sisters now say she was misinterpreted) went viral the debate has now turned from who will get Thomas’ much coveted White House press briefing room seat to whether the “Helen Thomas” nameplate on the seat should be removed.

As Tommy Christopher reported yesterday, word has it that (much to the consternation of Media Matters) Fox News’ Major Garrett — who, it’s worth noting, has always been among the journalists at Fox News who the White House has not had issues with — is the top contender for the prime seat. The question now is, once the seat has been filled should the nameplate remain? NPR’s Alicia Shepard thinks yes.

Give away her coveted seat. Some other news organization deserves it.

But don’t take down the name plate that honors the most famous female journalist ever to cover 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And the rest of us should not allow one ill-conceived remark to make us forget the accomplishments of a genuine journalistic pioneer.

Politico reports that sentiment aside, the plate will likely go: “One White House reporter told me yesterday that this is not likely, however, and expects it to be gone, saying that “it’s not like it’s going to be there forever.”” Tommy, meanwhile, tells me that “several of us talked about Helen’s nameplate yesterday, and what a valuable piece of history it would be. If temperatures cool sufficiently, the nameplate could be displayed on a plaque in the briefing room, or perhaps at the WHCA.”

What do you think?