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Dateline: White House
The longtime UPI White House correspondent reports on her contacts with and observations of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford, their families, and their staffs
298 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
18 people want to read
About the author
Helen Thomas
98 books47 followersHelen Thomas was a noted news service reporter, a Hearst Newspapers columnist, and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for fifty-seven years as a correspondent and, later, White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). Thomas covered every president from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama, was the first woman officer of the National Press Club, was the first woman member and president of the White House Correspondents Association, and the first woman member of the Gridiron Club.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 10, 2014
Dateline: White House
Author: Helen Thomas
Publisher: Macmillan
Published In: New York, NY, USA
Date: 1975
Pgs: 298
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A warm account of the Presidents from the Kennedys to the Fords from a reporter who covered them all from the front row of the White House Briefing Room. A behind-the-scenes look at the Press Corps and the Presidents through the 60s and early 70s.
Genre:
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Government
History
Non-fiction
Politics
Society
Why this book:
Nancy pulled this off her bookshelf while we were discussing politics and not really listening to each other, she’s Republican, I’m Democrat. She gave me this and two other books to read.
This Story is About:
working hard, love of country, sadness, family
Favorite Character:
LBJ.
Margaret Mitchell
Least Favorite Character:
Jackie Kennedy and her elite patrician side that was showcased here, but usually was hidden from the general public.
James Mitchell in going along with the treatment of his wife at the hands of “bodyguards” and friends, he showed himself to not be much.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
The sarcastic behind the scenes look at the Kennedys is awesome.
Favorite Scene:
It’s a scary vignette on the whole Watergate debacle. But those scenes where they acted to have Margaret Mitchell and her mouth out of Washington and what they did to keep her quiet during and after the actual break-in is horrifying.
Pacing:
The writing is very well paced.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
When a President deals in less than the truth, the country is the victim.
Gerald Ford said of her. “She has praised me when it was earned - and needled me when it was necessary and I have always been grateful for her fairness.”
She paints a picture of Jackie Kennedy not in line with the legend and myth that have grown up around her. The ultra-socialite and high society person gets more page time here than the shy, demure image that was carefully crafted for the rest of us to eat like pablum.
LBJ’s credibility gap seems to have been entirely of his own making. His micromanaging of what was said to the press and his attempting to stage manage what was reported lead to him making statements that he knew weren’t true without any intention of clearing them up or, in some cases, actively contradicting them himself. In this way, he set the stage for modern politics in America in a way that I had not previously given him credit for.
Nixon following on LBJ being a product of his environment couldn't have done differently with the press if he had tried. Nixon built a stiff, formal, and officious staff to deal with the press which suffered in contrast to the First Lady’s staff though they lorded it over the First Lady’s staff and treated them as if they worked for them instead of their working for the First Lady.
Thomas seems to have genuinely liked the people she covered in her time at the White House despite the necessarily adversarial relationship that was engendered between press and politician. Pat Nixon commented on how she saw Helen as a friend before all the Watergate mess. But as the happenings progressed and the President more and more isolated himself, the press was forced to ask the questions to who was available. Leading the White House’s inhabitants further and further along the road in their fortress mentality.
Nixon allowing many of these things to be done in his name while he kept his hands clean, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more, was criminal, absolutely criminal.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would make an interesting History Channel, Discovery Channel type thing, but doubt it would have the makings of a major motion picture.
Maybe a series in the West Wing vein.
Casting call:
Last Page Sound:
Very interesting.
Author Assessment:
This is a quote rich book written by a journalist par excellence. This is an anecdotal retelling of the history of the early years of Helen Thomas’s time in the White House Press Corps.
Editorial Assessment:
The book was well paced and edited.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
real genre classic
Disposition of Book:
Nancy’s bookshelf
Would recommend to:
genre fans
Author: Helen Thomas
Publisher: Macmillan
Published In: New York, NY, USA
Date: 1975
Pgs: 298
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A warm account of the Presidents from the Kennedys to the Fords from a reporter who covered them all from the front row of the White House Briefing Room. A behind-the-scenes look at the Press Corps and the Presidents through the 60s and early 70s.
Genre:
Behind the Scenes
Biography
Government
History
Non-fiction
Politics
Society
Why this book:
Nancy pulled this off her bookshelf while we were discussing politics and not really listening to each other, she’s Republican, I’m Democrat. She gave me this and two other books to read.
This Story is About:
working hard, love of country, sadness, family
Favorite Character:
LBJ.
Margaret Mitchell
Least Favorite Character:
Jackie Kennedy and her elite patrician side that was showcased here, but usually was hidden from the general public.
James Mitchell in going along with the treatment of his wife at the hands of “bodyguards” and friends, he showed himself to not be much.
Character I Most Identified With:
The Feel:
The sarcastic behind the scenes look at the Kennedys is awesome.
Favorite Scene:
It’s a scary vignette on the whole Watergate debacle. But those scenes where they acted to have Margaret Mitchell and her mouth out of Washington and what they did to keep her quiet during and after the actual break-in is horrifying.
Pacing:
The writing is very well paced.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Hmm Moments:
When a President deals in less than the truth, the country is the victim.
Gerald Ford said of her. “She has praised me when it was earned - and needled me when it was necessary and I have always been grateful for her fairness.”
She paints a picture of Jackie Kennedy not in line with the legend and myth that have grown up around her. The ultra-socialite and high society person gets more page time here than the shy, demure image that was carefully crafted for the rest of us to eat like pablum.
LBJ’s credibility gap seems to have been entirely of his own making. His micromanaging of what was said to the press and his attempting to stage manage what was reported lead to him making statements that he knew weren’t true without any intention of clearing them up or, in some cases, actively contradicting them himself. In this way, he set the stage for modern politics in America in a way that I had not previously given him credit for.
Nixon following on LBJ being a product of his environment couldn't have done differently with the press if he had tried. Nixon built a stiff, formal, and officious staff to deal with the press which suffered in contrast to the First Lady’s staff though they lorded it over the First Lady’s staff and treated them as if they worked for them instead of their working for the First Lady.
Thomas seems to have genuinely liked the people she covered in her time at the White House despite the necessarily adversarial relationship that was engendered between press and politician. Pat Nixon commented on how she saw Helen as a friend before all the Watergate mess. But as the happenings progressed and the President more and more isolated himself, the press was forced to ask the questions to who was available. Leading the White House’s inhabitants further and further along the road in their fortress mentality.
Nixon allowing many of these things to be done in his name while he kept his hands clean, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more, was criminal, absolutely criminal.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would make an interesting History Channel, Discovery Channel type thing, but doubt it would have the makings of a major motion picture.
Maybe a series in the West Wing vein.
Casting call:
Last Page Sound:
Very interesting.
Author Assessment:
This is a quote rich book written by a journalist par excellence. This is an anecdotal retelling of the history of the early years of Helen Thomas’s time in the White House Press Corps.
Editorial Assessment:
The book was well paced and edited.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
real genre classic
Disposition of Book:
Nancy’s bookshelf
Would recommend to:
genre fans
May 15, 2008
I think that, in a country that professes variously to be a democratic republic or a republican democracy, freedom of the press (freedom to report uncovered truths and speak out, even unfavorably, without fear of reprisal) is an essential component of democracy itself. I also think that the matters described in this book are far more along the lines of what the founding fathers had in mind when they installed this freedom into the Bill of Rights than today’s vulgar garbage reporting of baby names and panty lines.
Helen Thomas is witty, well educated, and a role-model for people of both sexes. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind, regardless of who may disapprove or disagree, and isn’t afraid to make a stand for equal treatment and access to information. She is a real person who does real reporting on topics that matter to other real people and her passion for people and information come across in this book.
Helen Thomas is witty, well educated, and a role-model for people of both sexes. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind, regardless of who may disapprove or disagree, and isn’t afraid to make a stand for equal treatment and access to information. She is a real person who does real reporting on topics that matter to other real people and her passion for people and information come across in this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews