It says something about the healthiness of the Fourth Estate in America that it takes an 87-year-old woman to uphold the virtues of a free and ever-questioning press, while her colleagues mumble rhetorical questions, twiddle their ties, and smirk at White House jokes on torture. Helen Thomas shows not the strength of the American press corps, but its weakness. Since the media in general seems to be rooting for McCain, it will be interesting to see whether the sickening obsequiousness of her colleagues will change if a Democrat is in the White House next year.

Finally, your colleague Catherine Townsend would do far better to promote the likes of Helen Thomas as a feminist icon than some celebrity of the moment who happens to be female, no matter the inanity of her musings. I guess Thomas' sex life doesn't measure up to Townsend's feminist standards.

Screw the 4th estate they are now officially redundant. On to the 6th estate Reddit.

The correct number is $4100. It was not from reddit, it was independently collected mostly by reddit users, but others chipped in as well.

The idea came came from Reddit and 3000 was spent on flowers. About 500 was taken out for paypal interest or whatever they call it and the rest is going to be used on sending her flowers weekly.

Sadly, anybody except for her who asks tough questions doesn't stay on the press corps. It's part of the administration's strategy to marginalize reporters who don't stick with the program.

There are plenty of reporters who would be happy to ask tough questions, but Ms Thomas is the only one who's allowed in the White House, because there's no way they'd be able to kick her out.

We don't torture? She denies it? DO THEY THINK WE'RE IDIOTS? Good god. Please, November, please, hurry up and come.

We need more reporters like Helen Thomas in America. Most of these so called "journalists" would be more at home hosting a game show.

Its no coincidence that newspaper readership is down to pre-WWII levels in the US. Not only has our population lost interest in learning about the world around them, the ones that do want keep up on current affairs are very aware of how biased and restrained the for profit news business is. I'll be happy when live bloggers will be present in the WH Press Corp. No editors, no corporate interests and no advertising, period.

"Screw the 4th estate they are now officially redundant."

Note that Wikinews covered this story a week ago; that may be the source of this story, since when Wikinews published it actually was just over $3000 collected.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas_probes_White_House_on_torture%3B_online_community_sends_flowers

I'd have to agree about the death of the fourth estate, and not just because they made themselves redundant with bad and baised reporting. They're too often caught weeks if not months behind other sources and they all repeat the same old stories.

the sad fact is, journalism is a business based on supply and demand.
solid investigative reporting is rare now, because there is little demand for it.
there have been a few reporters like seymour hersh who have published the truth and the warnings about the bush administration.
harpers' magazine tried to warn people in the months leading up to the first time george w. was elected, but no one paid attention.
and here's what i don't get, if everyone knows how bad bush is, why did he win TWICE?
and now you know about the lies, where's the impeachment?

to a previous contributor to this comment board.....duh....the election was as fixed the second time as it was the first time....Folk's the New Yorker is Mr. Hirsh's domain...you need to subscribe to the NEW YORKER. THEIR REPORTING IS WEEK'S AHEAD OF ANY OTHER'S. POWER To The PEOPLE!!!! I Love My Country as did all our TROOPS and their Families. We are in decades of troubling times because of 8 year's of Bush!!!!

yuezctb vzgpjfbl trzu dnkxou wzpvtelam wvtngp fsntiazb