Helen Thomas on Monday announced her retirement from Hearst Newspapers, the chain for which she has been a columnist since leaving UPI.

But it was at UPI where she earned her reputation as the dean of the White House Press Corp. With a career that had covered every president since JFK, Thomas was the unabashed leader of the press corp not to mention a groundbreaking pioneer for women journalists.

Every woman who is able to enjoy a position covering the White House or other major government beat owes her a debt of gratitude.

None of that seemed to matter after she made what are clearly indefensible comments about Israel, saying in a recent video snippet that they should “get the hell out of Palestine.”

Unacceptable, of course.

Since video of the remarks hit the Internet in the past week, reaction has come from the likes of the White House Correspondents Association, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Thomas' own speakers bureau.

Rightly so. Such views are outlandish, bigoted and beneath contempt.

Still, it is sad to see such a legendary career and historic journalist leave the scene this way.

I have been lucky enough to interview Thomas on several occasions. Each time, she was cordial, kind and willing to answer questions. I saw her speak at an Associated Press Managing Editors conference one year. She had the place in stitches with hilarious stories of following a jogging Bill Clinton and putting up with many presidents' non-answers.

I also met her one-on-one in 2004 at the Republican National Convention in New York. As I roamed the mammoth press building, I found her at a regular desk at the Hearst bureau, typing way on a lap top. She still took time out to offer some comments for a story and even posed for a photo.

Many also know of her health battle in 2008, in which she was off the job for months with a serious stomach condition. But she battled back and returned to work.

Hopefully, her legacy will balance to include all of her success and hard work even after the fallout from this terrible incident continues. But given the severity of her remarks, it may never recover.