Jesse Helms

Jesse Helms died today in North Carolina. He was a lightening rod for the left as a member of the US Senate. But what is also important is he was an embarrassment for the right.

One of my favorite things for my aunts (both of whom lived in North Carolina) was to send them cards for various holidays which said "Happy Easter, from (then naming all the members of my family) and Jesse Helms. Helms was one of those evanescent characters in the political scene generating a lot of heat and not much light during his terms in the Congress. Although he served as a marvelous fund raiser for the democrats (he was a great target) I suspect his contributions to American political life will soon be forgotten.

On this Independence Day it is good to remember someone like him - a good part of our history should be the ability of public figures to have the ability to look like jackasses. Helms used that right to its fullest. But then so did (do) many of his detractors.