One face was always present at those press conferences, and I hate to say it but it was a face that was not attractive upon first glance.  But the intelligence and bold persona of Helen Thomas allowed you to forget her witch-like appearance and feel comfort at her presence near the podium.  Agree with her or not, she was simply a staple of presidential press conferences, having covered every U.S. President since the latter part of the EISENHOWER administration.  But that era ended today.  The 89-year-old Thomas let the hot water finally force her to flee the journalism pot.

It was two weeks when Thomas was outside a White House Jewish heritage event.  A Rabbi asked her if she had any comments on Israel, and she said, "Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.  Remember these people are occupied, and it's their land."  She was then asked where the Israelis should go and she replied, "They should go home <to> Poland, Germany, and American and everywhere else."

Then last week she issued this statement on her website:  "I deeply regret my comment I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians.  They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance.  May that day come soon."

Thomas will no longer have that consistent place in front of the President.  Should her career have ended over this?

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