In a natural follow-up to her national bestseller
Front Row at the White House,
the dean of the White House press corps presents a vivid and personal chronicle of the American presidency. Currently a columnist for Hearst and a former White House bureau chief for UPI, Helen Thomas has covered an astounding nine presidential administrations — from Kennedy through George W. Bush — endearing herself with her trademark "Thank you, Mr. President" at the conclusion of White House press conferences. Here, in a riveting chapter for each administration she has covered, Thomas delights, informs, spins yarns, and offers opinions on the commanders in chief and their families. She tells about Kennedy's love of sparring with the press, the memorable invitation LBJ extended to Hubert Humphrey to become his running mate, and Reagan's down-home ways of avoiding the press's tougher questions. As entertaining and compelling as Helen Thomas herself,
Thanks for the Memories, Mr. President
is a unique glimpse into presidential history.