Helen Thomas: Press 'Rolled Over and Played Dead' on Iraq

By: E&P Staff Appearing on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart Tuesday night, the longtime presidential correspondent spoke about her long career and weighed in on the current presidency.

Thomas, who has been a member of the White House press corps. since 1961 (spanning nine presidencies), said that the journalists "rolled over and played dead because of 9/11" in the run-up to the Iraq war.

"They didn't ask the challenging questions that they should have," she said. "They retreated and they let the country down."

Thomas also told Stewart that the favorite president that she covered was John F. Kennedy.

"I thought he was the most inspired; I thought he left us a legacy that we should always reach for the stars," she said, praising Kennedy's support for the space program, his creation of the peace corps, his signing of the first nuclear test ban treaty, and his choice to step back from the brink to difuse the Cuban Missile Crisis.

By contrast, when asked about the presidency of George W. Bush, Thomas was very critical, particularly of his handling of the war.

"You don't spread democracy with the barrel of a gun," she said. "You can do it with ideas."

Thomas writes a column syndicated by King Features. She has recently published a book called "Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public" (Scribner).