Congressman Steve King has apologized to the White House correspondent who was the punch-line in one of the jokes he told at this past weekend’s Iowa G-O-P conversation. King was discussing the death of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in his speech before the Republican delegates when he said this: “There probably are not 72 virgins in the hell he’s at and if there are, they probably all look like Helen Thomas.”
Helen Thomas is an 85-year-old reporter who’s covered the White House for 45 years — since John F. Kennedy’s presidency. King’s press secretary says the congressman called Thomas Wednesday afternoon and apologized to her. King has turned down Radio Iowa’s request for an interview on the matter.
King’s press secretary says King “had a private conversation (with Thomas) and he wants to leave it private.” The Arab American Institute had demanded that King apologize to Thomas, calling her a “revered icon in American journalism.” Thomas has drawn fire from Republicans for calling George W. Bush the worst president ever.