In this YouTube posted on April 5th, Helen reminisces — with her typical great wit and her insights — on the presidents since JFK. From Helen Thomas’s latest column:

“Obama has captivated the enthusiastic support of America’s youth and ignited their interest in presidential politics. His eloquent speeches are designed for the bully pulpit. But does a good speech make a good president?

“Obama stresses he was against the invasion of Iraq, but he doesn’t say he was not in the Senate when it was initiated. Since become a senator, he has twice voted to fund the war.”

You know, Helen Thomas has been a reporter and columnist — and hanging around Washington, D.C. — longer than most of us have been alive. But it hasn’t ruined her keen eye or her abilities of perception and insight. She’s proof that not all pundits are unable to think clearly “inside the bubble.”

Here’s more on Barack Obama from Thomas’s latest column via the Seattle P.I.:

I am still trying to find the key that has made Obama a prime candidate for the presidency, and to understand what he has done for the country beyond his middle-of-the-road political moves to make his name known and to steer clear of hot-button issues.

The Rev. Martin Luther King had a dream, too. But he acted on it. He went to jail, he marched, he led.

There’s more “Essential Helen” below.

Helen hits the “Obamedia” for its Obama-lovin’ coverage:

There is no question that the pundits and the news media have been harder on Clinton, perhaps because she has been longer in the public eye and there is more to pick on.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see that the major newspaper columnists are giving Obama a free ride, while trashing Clinton. Likeability undoubtedly goes a long way with them, and he has mesmerized the media.

Clinton, on the other hand, has left herself open to criticism for dubious involvement in foreign policy decisions in the Clinton years. But one can’t deny that she was there and that her opinion was respected.

Obama can be forgiven for acting like a front-runner, but not for his patronizing remarks such as: “My attitude is that Senator Clinton can run as long as she wants.”

Even Clinton has the audacity of hope — and why not?

I’m glad that it is not just we who pick up on Obama’s arrogance and his sense of entitlement, earned or not.

Read all of “Clinton should hang in there and run a good race to the end.”

NOTE: Helen Thomas also has some things to say about the disenfranchisement of Florida and Michigan, and I’m going to include those remarks in a separate post.

ALSO OF NOTE: YouTube is also a national treasure because I was able to type “Helen Thomas” in its search engine and find so many videos featuring Helen Thomas. Check them out — it’s so delightful to hear her speak, any time, and it’s great to rediscover those videos of Helen grilling President Bush.

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UPDATE: He’s not Helen Thomas, but Joe Scarborough — lately, I hear — has been praising Hillary’s “grit”: