Yesterday, I had the incredible pleasure of going to a luncheon featuring Helen Thomas. At 86 years old, she is quick-witted, smart, opinionated, and inspiring. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas)

Not only is she a legend in journalism, she was a trailblazer for the women’s rights movement. When asked about that, she said “I was just one angry woman…part of a mob.”

Helen and me!

Here are a few tidbits I wrote down:

– When Fidel Castro was asked the difference between U.S. democracy and his democracy, he said “I don’t have to answer questions from Helen Thomas.”

– When asked about “leaks,” Helen said “leaks are absolutely necessary. I salute all whistler blowers.”

– Asked about the best presidents, Helen spoke on the achievements of JFK and LBJ. “That’s two Democrats, now let’s take two Republicans,” the moderator said. “WHY?” she said.

So a BIG shout out to my friend Stasa, who invited me to this fabulous event. As a former high school newspaper editor and journalism major, it was a real honor to meet Helen Thomas. She rocks.

P.S. The moderator made a major faux pas when he mentioned that Helen was a guest on “The Daily Show with Stephen Cobert.” EEEK! My poor Jon got dissed.