ARKHTH19790803011

December 31, 1969

Helen Thomas

Helen Thomas, born August 4, 1920, noted, news service reporter, Hearst Newspapers columnist, member of the White House Press Corps, 57 years with UPI, correspondent, White House bureau chief, United Press International, UPI, U.P.I., covered every president since John F. Kennedy, first woman officer of the National Press Club, first woman member and president of the White House Correspondents Association, first woman member of the Gridiron Club, wrote four books, Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public, outspoken, direct, blunt, Lebanese descent, joined UPI in 1943, Names in the News column, covered federal agencies, presidential reporter, November 1960, UPI correspondent, Sitting Buddha, Thank you Mr. President, covered every Economic Summit, White House Bureau Chief for UPI, resignation, resigned 17 May 2000, White House correspondent, columnist, King Features Syndicate, Hearst Corporation, dislikes Bush, critical, biting, controversial