United Press International's Senior White House Correspondent, Helen Thomas is this year's recipient of the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Communications. Each year Barry University hands out this prestigious award which is named after its first recipient. Past winners of the award have included Ted Koppel, Cookie Roberts and Bernard Shaw.

Helen Thomas graduated from Wayne State University and joined the Washington press corps in 1943, writing radio news for UPI. She has covered the Fourth Estate since 1960 when she began covering president-elect John F. Kennedy, following him into the White House.

In the four decades since, she has covered eight presidents who learned quickly to call on her first during press conferences. She was the only woman print journalist who followed President Nixon on his 1972 trip to China, and rose to become the president of the National Press Club which initially denied her access because of her gender.

Thomas has written two books, Dateline White House and Front Row at the White House where she talks about the "privilege of being a witness to instant history". At Barry, she accepted the David Brinkley Award at a breakfast ceremony and then entertained students and faculty with an amusing and informing speech about her experiences. Helen Thomas spoke to the Barry Buccaneer afterwards.

What meaning do awards like the David Brinkley award have for you?
Of course I am very honored. I do not think I am worthy of it because David Brinkley was a truly great broadcaster and reporter. So you always feel humility and a little bit embarrassed when you receive awards like this. But it also sets a standard for you to reach higher up.

What do you think of George W. Bush's first weeks in the White House?
I think he has been trying to reach out and he certainly has got a charm campaign going on. He has been trying to establish friendliness with the opposition but he has not given them

Do you agree with him that he is a healer, not a divider?
Well, we will see. I do not think we can decide that quite yet. And what has he healed so far? I do not think that the way he took office was exactly healing…

What are your thoughts on his foreign policy?
Well he has not shown his hand yet. I think he has started out slow…and he has got a lot to learn. But others are calling the shots so it does not really matter. He listens to his advisers and he has put in people who have all been there and done that. In terms of people like Colin Powell and Dick Cheney, they have all served on and under different Republican administrations. They know what the track is and have worked at and for the White House before.

What do you think about John Ashcroft's nomination as Attorney General?
Well I think that was definitely divisive. Bush had to pay off his loyal supporters, who are on the Christian right.

During your speech at Barry you talked about the importance of separation between church and state…
I am not opposed to any religion. I am opposed having a religious office in the White House and I believe in the separation of church and state.

You were asked about your opinion of the electoral collage…
Yes I was asked a question about that and I think popular vote is the way to go but I do not think it is going to come quickly.

Will you miss Bill Clinton?
Of course, he was a good president. I do not approve of the scandals, his sex life or anything like that but I certainly think that he brought prosperity and that he was a man of peace.

When covering those powerful people, how do you define the line over which you cannot cross to become too friendly with them?
Why should I? There is no line. I do not cross any lines. These people are in a public job, in the public's eye and they should do the right thing? They sought the people's trust and they have to be watched.

How has the office of the president changed during the time in which you have covered it?
It has become so much more powerful in many ways. And of course the proposition is much bigger with that. We used to be an isolationist country, and now we are everywhere. We no longer have a world separated by oceans. It is a global village and CNN can go anywhere in the world.

How does one survive in the Washington D.C. environment for so long as you have?\
Outrage! That is my adrenaline.

Do you think that the public does not understand or appreciate the role of journalists?
I do not care if they appreciate the role journalists play or not. They should know what that role is. They should know that it is indispensable in our society. Otherwise, how would people know what is going on. There is no other way to find out, unless reporters are using their legs, and their ears and their eyes. You cannot have a democracy without an informed society of people. If you want to be a dictator and implement dictatorship, you would immediately shut down the radio station, the newspapers and blindside everybody.

Do you fear for the future of print journalism?
I think we will always have newspapers. Kids probably do not read newspaper anymore because they use their computers or watch television. I think it is sad because in my opinion you get a much fuller story in a newspaper.

Freedom of the press…is it decided by the people who own the media or is it really free?
Well, I actually do think that we have freedom of the press because I do not think that any owner of a newspaper will turn away from a great story and the truth. They cannot do it, even though they might have their own feelings and prejudices they still have to let it go…

The truth will find a way somehow…
It has to, it really has to. You cannot deny the truth!