Helen Thomas: Go home to Europe, Jews

Tony Snow once accused her of stating “the Hezbollah view” in her questions during the Israel/Lebanon war. Little did he know how right he was. Or maybe he did know: Watching this, it occurred to me that an 89-year-old reporter who’s moved in elite D.C. circles for decades has probably let slip her preference for Judenrein in the Holy Land once or twice whilst among colleagues. And yet, if she’s suffered even a single repercussion for it, it’s news to me. Such is the state of the left that one of their journalistic patron saints can spend years during the press briefings belching up anti-Israel propaganda and inveighing against a “deliberate massacre” that hasn’t even been investigated yet and, aside from a few righty blogs, no one bats an eye. I’ll be surprised if even this ode to a one-state “solution” draws much heat. If, as the world’s intelligentsia insists with varying degrees of candor, Israel is the basic problem in the region, what could be more logical than Helen wanting to excise it? That’s how you treat tumors, isn’t it?

Speaking of which. To put this in proper context for you, compare these comments from the grand dame of the D.C. press corps to those of another prominent critic of Israel offered five years ago. The Hezbollah view indeed:

Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that if Germany and Austria feel responsible for massacring Jews during World War II, a state of Israel should be established on their soil…

“You oppressed them, so give a part of Europe to the Zionist regime so they can establish any government they want. We would support it,” he said, according to a transcript of his original Farsi-language comments given to AFP.

“So, Germany and Austria, come and give one, two or any number of your provinces to the Zionist regime so they can create a country there which all of Europe will support and the problem will be solved at its root,” he said.

“Why do they insist on imposing themselves on other powers and creating a tumour so there is always tension and conflict?”

Some of you will want to e-mail the White House or Hearst after watching to demand that she be kicked out of the daily briefings going forward. Resist the urge. Drudge has picked up the video so the powers-that-be will surely see it. If, absent public pressure forcing them to act, they’re untroubled by it, then fine. Let her sit there and ask her questions, and whenever you see her onscreen, take it as a reminder that there really are ideological tumors growing out there.

• Bobby Jindal: Paternalistic, big-government liberalism is the biggest loser here
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• MSNBC consensus: Obama’s speech was historic, amazing, “one of the best of his presidency”

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