She pioneered brining anti-Semitism into the White House press briefing room.

Via The Hill:

President Obama on Saturday said he and first lady Michelle Obama were saddened by the death of longtime White House journalist Helen Thomas, calling her a “true pioneer” who opened doors and broke down barriers for generations of women.

Thomas died on Saturday after a long illness. She was 92.

Thomas covered every president from John F. Kennedy to Obama and long held the informal title of “Dean of the White House Press Corps.”

In a statement, Obama said Thomas “never failed to keep presidents – myself included – on their toes. What made Helen the ‘Dean of the White House Press Corps’ was not just the length of her tenure, but her fierce belief that our democracy works best when we ask tough questions and hold our leaders to account.”

“Our thoughts are with Helen’s family, her friends, and the colleagues who respected her so deeply,” he said

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called Thomas “legendary” in a post on Twitter.