Both Waldo and Dana Garrett attempted to avoid speaking ill of the dead. Waldo recalled that Senator Jesse Helms could be genial in person, and Dana accorded him the dignity of anyone who has died, regardless of political leanings.
Then both of them--like virtually everyone else in America--reflected on the damage that the North Carolina Senator did in his public life.
Not so Bob Barr, as G. E. Smith informs us at Independent Political Report:
Can we say Dixiecrat again with Tom Knapp?
Maybe the best answer to this is found at Libertarian Republican, following Zogby about a new poll showing Barr at 6% nationwide:
And this is something we're supposed to be proud of?
Then both of them--like virtually everyone else in America--reflected on the damage that the North Carolina Senator did in his public life.
Not so Bob Barr, as G. E. Smith informs us at Independent Political Report:
“I was deeply saddened to hear of Sen. Helms’ passing and want his family to know they are in my heart and prayers at this time,” said Bob Barr in a July 4 press release. “Sen. Helms was one of the finest, most courageous and deeply principled men to ever serve in the United States Congress. As President’s Reagan’s right hand and ally, he helped bring down Communism so that nations might grow and flourish in freedom. He was a stalwart ally of freedom fighters around the globe, knowing that we are all diminished if we allow fascism to flourish. He was also the consummate gentleman, revered by colleagues, staff and friends for his unfailing kindness, good humor, generosity and patriotism.”
Can we say Dixiecrat again with Tom Knapp?
Maybe the best answer to this is found at Libertarian Republican, following Zogby about a new poll showing Barr at 6% nationwide:
Bob Barr receives the support of 7% of voters who identify themselves as conservative or very conservative voters. Barr gets 43% of libertarians and 11% of independents. McCain’s support among conservatives is 74%.
And this is something we're supposed to be proud of?
Comments
And you, as a Delawarean should be a little proud to have him running. After all, Delaware was a quasi-Southern State during the Civil War. (Anyone who has ever visited Milford, Lewes, or Camden/Wyoming knows that DE is actually more of a Southern State with a northern tip in New Castle County)
Why are you - A Proud Delawarean - now Dissing Barr for his Southerness?
Arthur Torrey
LPMA Presidential Elector, who WON'T vote for Barr!
Southern man don't need him around anyhow...
PS -- as a Pennsylvanian, I find the notion of "Delaware as Confederate state" to be at least as amusing as some of your prior greatest hits, such as "Rudy Giuliani as a libertarian."
You guys can overlook Jefferson, Washington, and Madison being slave owners. Why not accept a balance and complicated view of Helms?
The man was one of the first Southern Senators to hire blacks. He was a leader in bringing the AIDS in Africa issue to mainstream America. He believed it was his Christian duty to save the children. He opposed quotas which stoked racial tension.
He also opposed the needed voting rights act. He opposed Dr. King Day which was a curious use of political capital. He originally opposed the '64 Civil Rights Act, but never sought to undermine or undue it.
The man was complicated. I don't think it paints someone just because they choose to look at his many accomplishments during the period of mourning.
In case anyone read it hurriedly and is in a rush to condemn everyone who has the anything good to say about Helms, I thought those were wrong positions. I disagree vigorously.
It looks as though the most vocal "radicals" have gone to rigid Political Correctness. We can't have condolences expressed on the death of a controversial political figure without launching a Two Minute Hate.
That's crap. Barr didn't merely say a few kind words: he eulogized Helms: "one of the finest, most courageous and deeply principled men to ever serve in the United States Congress."
You explain how Helms' career merits any of those.
"finest"?
"most courageous"?
"deeply principled"?
Give me a break.
A quarter century ago there were elections in El Salvador stage managed by the Reagan administration the way Vince McMahon stages "wrestling" shows. Jesse Helms called them on it. In later years he would sometimes join Paul Wellstone on an ad hoc human rights issue. Even then he was right for wrong reasons and I was really fearful about the prospect of him chairing the Foreign Relations Committee.
But,
in the days following his death,
Yes you are being Politically Correct.