Friday August 24, 2001 |

A three-decade reign of power came to an end Wednesday when Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., announced his impending retirement. Helms is making an honorable decision. He is 79 years young, and for the last few months failing health issues have forced him to move about the chambers of Congress in a motorized scooter. It's obviously time for Senator Helms to throw in the towel.

But this is a refreshing change of pace. Helms certainly isn't taking his cue from his senior Republican contemporaries. In fact, three decades in office is amateur if we take a look at Strom Thurmond, who recently had his bicentennial birthday celebration. His unwillingness to leave office is nothing light of an abuse of power.

So it was a bit of a shock when Helms seemed to announce, out of the blue, that his time in the Senate had come to an end. It seemed like a completely different man that spoke Wednesday - tired and road-weary.

The public eye is used to the good ol' Jesse, full of his now-infamous southern pride. When a public official steps down for health reasons, it's important to remain tactful, but the ramifications of Helms' departure are huge. They should be discussed directly and matter-of-factly.

So here it is folks - Jesse Helms ruled behind the scenes with often more authority than any other member of Congress or even the president. The saying in Washington was that if Helms didn't back your agenda item, it would probably die in committee. His nickname was "Senator No," and he ruled from his office with an iron fist.

So long, Senator No.

We all know the story of Helms welcoming the first black congresswoman onto an elevator and then whistling "Dixie" behind her back to make her feel extra special and welcome. But even after his party made him tone down his hatred, Jesse continued to chair the foreign relations committee.

From that seat of power, he had the authority to dictate much of our foreign policy, including such brilliant ideas as the Helms-Burton Act, which cut Cuba (and Cuba's children) off at the knees. What was strange about the act was that he authored it in the 90's, not in 1972 when he was a rookie senator. The act was a testimony to Jesse's stubbornness; he was going to screw the Commies for as many years as possible in both times of peace and conflict. Commies and all things communist were Jesse's biggest foes.

But Helms didn't stop there. He had many enemies. The "homosexual agenda" - as he often referred to it - was an inspiration for more hatred, and he was a joyful supporter of the Boy Scout ban of all gays. He plotted the deaths of any and all affirmative action programs. And as chairman, he controlled funding that went to pay dues to the United Nations. America's debt to the UN was a contributing factor in the US removal from the Human Rights Commission a few short months ago. Any liberal is glad to see him go, and Democratic pollster Sam Watts said recently, "I guess the 19th century is over now."

But there is more than just the feeling of ecstasy as the reign of terror ends - there is a sense of relief as well.

Sure, Helms played the crotchety old man well, but he was a fighter. He persevered with his plans until everyone around him bent to his will. He had stamina. He was able to wait out congressmen until they gave up, so he could have his way. He was an orator. One may have hated him for his loyalty to the confederate flag, but you reluctantly had to be impressed by the eloquent ways in which he expressed that loyalty. He has no counterpart in the Democratic Party. There is no one that matches his determination - hence, the challenge.

North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, a Democrat, will take up the call and run for the open Senate seat in the coming year. It will be difficult for the GOP to keep the seat unless they can get Elizabeth Dole to continue to "test the waters." But the real challenge will be to find a true replacement for Helms. Wouldn't it be something if a Democrat with Helms' gumption turned up? It would be nice to have a candidate with another three-decade run. Maybe this time the senator from North Carolina can have morals and a heart.