Here's the Philadelphia Enquirer story on Helen Thomas' resignation on May 16, 2000, from UPI:
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Thomas Quit After UPI Was Sold; Covered Presidents Since 1960s
WASHINGTON - For nearly 40 years, reporter Helen Thomas marched into the White House and told the world about assassination and war, about resignation and impeachment, about presidents from Kennedy to Clinton.
But yesterday, her front-row seat to history sat empty. A year after telling reporters during a book promotion tour that she would never leave a job she truly loved, she resigned.
"I do not intend to stay," the 79-year-old White House correspondent said in a statement yesterday. "United Press International is a great news agency. It has made a remarkable mark in the annals of American journalism and has left a superb legacy for future journalists. I wish the new owners all the best, great stories, and happy landings."
Her sudden departure came a day after the news service was sold to News World Communications, a company that also owns the conservative Washington Times newspaper and was founded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, leader of the Unification Church.
Arnaud de Borchgrave, UPI's chief executive officer, said that the corporation has no formal relationship with the church, and that the wire service would remain editorially independent from the church.
Once one of the nation's major sources of news, UPI had fallen on hard times in past years. It rapidly lost newspaper clients, cut staff, and went through two bankruptcy reorganizations and four owners in two decades.
Its one enduring symbol was Thomas, who was with the news service for 57 of its 93 years.
Born in Lexington, Ky., and reared in Detroit, Thomas moved to Washington and started working for the service then known as United Press in 1943. She started covering Jacqueline Kennedy when the first lady and John F. Kennedy moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1961. Two years later, Thomas fought tears as she watched Air Force One return to Washington bearing the assassinated President's body.
She eventually worked her way into the West Wing of the White House, where, along with the male press corps, she covered the president - and she stayed through seven more, writing from her small press-room office in the mansion.
During Lyndon Johnson's term, she was one of the reporters who walked around the White House grounds with him in roving news conferences. While Richard Nixon was president, she was named chief White House correspondent for UPI.
Always seated in the first row, Thomas was persistent in questioning presidents and press secretaries. President Gerald Ford described her work as "a fine blend of journalism and acupuncture." Her seniority on the beat gave her the right to ask the first question and to end the presidential news conferences.
Her work, not to mention her stature as a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated profession and an assignment once the realm of men only, helped make her an icon. Hollywood producers cast her in cameo roles in the movies Dave with Kevin Kline and The American President with Michael Douglas.
The White House featured her in a spoof video several weeks ago in which she was the only reporter present in the White House briefing room listening to lame-duck President Clinton.
"Are you still here?" Thomas mockingly asked Clinton in the video, all but taunting that she would outlast yet another of the mansion's temporary residents.
Yesterday afternoon, Clinton paid homage to Thomas.
"Presidents come and go, but Helen has been here for 40 years now, covering eight presidents and doubtless showing the ropes to countless young reporters," Clinton said.
"I hope this change will bring new rewards and new fulfillment to her. Whatever she decides to do, I'll feel a little better about my country if I know she'll still be spending some time around here at the White House. After all, without her saying, 'Thank you, Mr. President,' at least some of us might never have ended our news conferences."