Springtime for Helen

“Germany: ‘Crime Handbook Provokes Fear of Increased Leftwing Violence'”

So a controversial new book is increasing fears of leftwing violence in Deutschland? There’s a story that’s worked out swell for all concerned in the past. (Actually, twice.)

And speaking of Germany’s past, and America’s present, as Abraham Miller writes at PJM, “Helen Thomas’ Exquisite ‘Weimar Moment’ Reflects Progressive America.”

Meanwhile, David Frum writes, “any moderately-skilled flack understood precisely how to deflect Helen Thomas’ histrionic denunciations:”

Helen Thomas will no longer be sitting in the front row of the White House press briefing room. The abrupt end to her career has triggered many tributes to Thomas’ supposedly tough questioning.

But it was not tough. A tough question is a question that’s hard to answer. But any moderately-skilled flack understood precisely how to deflect Helen Thomas’ histrionic denunciations …

In fact, calling on Helen Thomas was a notorious method for a hard-pressed White House press secretary to EVADE tough questions from the rest of the press corps. A zany, out-of-left-field protest from Thomas would disrupt a flow of unwelcome queries, maybe spark a tension-breaking laugh, maybe change the subject altogether.

Exactly.