So justice does exist in the White House! At least when it comes to seating arrangements in the WH briefing room.
After being edged out by CNN and Fox, Helen Thomas was rightfully given back her front-row seat in the White House briefing room Friday. In the end, Fox was bumped to the second row.
The dispute began when CNN and Fox grappled for a front-row seat in the newly renovated 49-seat briefing room. The result: Thomas was booted from the coveted first row. But on Thursday, the White House issued an official letter that said Thomas had her seat back and Fox had to take a backseat to CNN:
" [...] In addition, the board agreed to honor a previous commitment by our association to maintain Helen Thomas' seat in the first row. As the dean of the White House press corps, Helen is an institution. First with United Press International and now as a White House columnist for Hearst newspapers, Helen has covered every president since John Kennedy [...]"
Thomas, a 47-year reporting veteran, should never have been moved back a row in the first place. Despite being the Dean of the White House press corps, she is—as the letter indicates—an institution.
Cristina Gonzalez @ Tue, 03/20/2007 - 2:50pm
The fact that this issue is even being debated is absurd. The point of a journalist is not to claim "first chair" like a 5th grader at band practice. First of all, they are adults: be professional. Secondly, journalists are there to get the news and report the news. It doesn't matter where in the room they are sitting...if they are there, they are there! We as readers don't know (and don't care) whether or not they learned this news in the first row or the bathroom! I understand that reputation is important in journalism, but let it come through in the writing and reporting. THAT is where it matters.
Also, I don't understand why this is considered "justice." The author of this post must feel like Fox does not have the same rights as other news sources. Now there is an argument we haven't heard before...