Virginia’s Third Senator

By HARRY COVERT

I'm sure sorry Senator Jesse Helms died. That was inevitable, but I'm glad it was on July 4. To me his Heavenly ascent elevates him to the near godly stature of the great Thomas Jefferson, who died on this date in 1826. I always called him Virginia's Third Senator. He lived in Arlington, Virginia, all of his political years.

Senator Helms was a gentleman, a man of his word. When he believed something, he never wavered, never was wishy-washy and everyone, including his colleagues knew he wouldn’t change. Some wags enjoyed naming him “Senator No.” He sort of liked that. He was 86.

He’s probably the last of the true blue conservatives, top to bottom. He started in his native North Carolina as a newspaperman, reporter and city editor in Raleigh and later as a TV commentator. That gave him a good start on the issues. He parlayed that journalism experience into a political career that made a difference in America and five-terms, 30 years, in the Senate.

After two terms, Helms called a meeting in a senate room on the pretext of asking advice of several of his longtime political operatives. He wanted advice on whether he ought to run again. He was a few minutes late but Tom Ellis and Carter Wrenn, his political allies, his Lynchburg friend Ron Godwin and me sat around gabbing. Ellis, Wrenn and Godwin agreed that Jesse’s “really trying."

Moments later in walked Jesse, smoking his favorite non-filter Lucky Strike cigarette (remember, North Carolina is a tobacco state). He “acted” as though he really wanted our opinions. He confided he had to ask his wife Dot because he wasn’t sure she had the stamina for another campaign. We all laughed at that. They knew she’d go for it. She did. And he won his third term.

Constituent work was one thing Senator Helms was best known. North Carolinians could always count on immediate assistance and prompt responses to letters and phone calls. I was a Virginian and received first-class treatment, too. Whenever I needed assistance for international relief projects* Helms and his office were always quick to help. I always carried a letter of introduction to U. S. Embassies.

Once as part of a 25-container project going to Croatia, there was some official assistance difficulty in Zagreb. A rather rude embassy official was making life a little unpleasant. At last resort I whipped out my Helms letter. Still, the red-tape was sticky. However, a phone call back to the Senate brought about a personal call from The Man himself. The project went smoothly after that, including an even better meeting, including dinner, with the then Vice President of Croatia. Helms did quit smoking. He never stopped wearing a dual lapel pin of Old Glory and the North Carolina state flag. He’s evidence that some newspapermen will make it to the celestial climes. #

*From 1988 to 1995, Covert coordinated and developed international humanitarian relief projects throughout African, Central American and emerging eastern European countries. He is currently chairman of World Emergency Relief-United Kingdom.