As usual, we doff our helmet-hair to the venerable Helen Thomas for her most recent round of press room impertinence, this time badgering Scott McClellan on the subject of the Bush twins' respectability (or lack thereof). It comes down to McCllelan pleading that Jenna and Barb are just campaign workers, not quote machines. We're with Scott on this one -- sure, the girls are working for the campaign, but leave them alone. Harassing them may mean that Bush will find yet another excuse to send send more jobs overseas.

Helen and Scott exchange after the jump.

Bush campaign ran from Noida call centre [Hindustan Times]

May 24, 2004 Press Briefing [WhiteHouse.gov]

Q: Sure. Almost all of us have respected the President and Mrs. Bush's request that questioning of or about their twin daughters are out of bounds. But the twins are both now college graduates, and are going to work for the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign. And my question, so they are no more out of bounds for questions than you or the President's brother, Jeb, are they, Scott?

MR. McCLELLAN:: Well, first of all, we hope that the media will continue to show respect for the daughters and allow them to --

Q: Respect. If they're going to be in the campaign --

MR. McCLELLAN:: -- go about their lives. But the daughters have also expressed a strong interest in helping the President on his reelection. And I know the President very much appreciates that.

Q: Therefore, they are subject to questions, aren't they? If they're going to be in the political campaign, they're certainly subject to questions?

MR. McCLELLAN:: Les, I think I addressed your question.

Q: You addressed it -- you evaded it.

MR. McCLELLAN:: I think that the media, hopefully, will continue to show respect that -- and recognize that they are the President's daughters --

Q: -- and ask respectful questions.

MR. McCLELLAN:: -- and that they have their own lives.

Q: Do they have any questions for us? (Laughter.)

MR. McCLELLAN:: They are not -- they are not the person on the ballot.

Q: If they're on the campaign trail, they're fair game to questions.

MR. McCLELLAN:: Go ahead. Helen, I just made a comment on that. I just said we hope the media will continue to show respect for --

Q: That doesn't connote that we don't --

MR. McCLELLAN:: -- for the daughters.

Q: That doesn't mean we don't respect them, but we can question them.

MR. McCLELLAN:: Understood. Oh, understood.