Comments on: McCain adviser Charlie Black defended Helms’ racially-motivated ad.

By: johnny in the basement

johnny in the basement — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:13:35 +0000

The really frightening thing about people like Helms and his ilk is their use of the Bible to back up their agenda. God is not mocked or used by any man.

By: Jess Wonderin

Jess Wonderin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:31:43 +0000

McCain has surrounded himself with the old Bush-nicks and the usual lobbyists . . . so much for the “Maverick” label . . . and while running as a “War Hero” he keeps his military records sealed . . . while running as a “Military Supporter” he avoid talking about the votes AGAINST VA Health Care (2004-2005-2006-2007) or his opposition to the Web G.I. Bill . . . while running as an “anti-elitist” he neglects to pay taxes on ONE of his EIGHT houses . . . so why would a staff member’s found recollections of working for one of the most vile racist demi-gods ever in the modern Senate be much of a surprise???

By: greenpagan

greenpagan — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:52:00 +0000

celtic cynic @ 19:

Thx for the rec on the Guardian’s Helm’s obit.

Bastard Out of Carolina

Was Jesse Helms a bigot or a patriot?

Definitely a patriot if you like neo-Confederate racists. (I seriously doubt whether Helms would flinch at that not inaccurate characterization. On the contrary, he’d probably be proud as punch–with a little bourbon in it.)

We’re pressured to say nothing negative about recently departed politicians like Helms. It isn’t seemly (conservatively correct). Remember the snow-job perpetrated on the credulous audience after Reagan‘s passing?

See this obit from the UK’s Guardian newspaper:

He became one of the most powerful and baleful influences on American foreign policy, repeatedly preventing his country paying its UN contributions, voting against virtually all arms control measures, opposing international aid programmes as “pouring money down foreign rat holes”, and avidly supporting military juntas in Latin America and minority white regimes in Southern Africa.

In domestic politics he denounced the 1964 Civil Rights Act as “the single most dangerous piece of legislation ever introduced in the Congress”, voted against a supreme court justice because she was “likely to uphold the homosexual agenda”, acted for years as spokesman for the large tobacco companies, was reprimanded by the justice department and the federal election commission for electoral malpractice, and compiled a dismal personal record as a slum landlord.

The irony was that he was often seen as a relative moderate in his home state of North Carolina.

***

The New York Times observed: “Few senators in the modern era have done more to resist the tide of progress,” and Robert Pastor, whose ambassadorship to Panama was scuppered by Helms in 1995, commented that, “nothing Jesse Helms did in his entire career will enhance America’s national security more than his retirement.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/04/usa

By: celtic cynic

celtic cynic — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:31:06 +0000

The link, #11, to The Guardian obituary should be viewed by all as it tells a brief history of Helms. It’s a shame that the U.S. media, paper or television, will not be bold or honest enough to recite any of the scoundrel’s deeds.

By: greenpagan

greenpagan — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:21:09 +0000

Recipe for disaster.

The Corporate Media reports virtually nothing on McCain having been near the bottom of his class at the U.S. Naval Academy; his deep family and cultural roots in the “great” Neo-Confederate State of Mississippi; and his flat affect speech pattern indicating a tendency to severe depression.

“O well, I may as well push the button…We’re out of beer anyway…”

By: Game of Life

Game of Life — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 02:41:31 +0000

I would be afraid of Black people too, they bomber the OK bldg, they invaded and occupied defenseless countries, they steal from the poor, they pass laws to benefit the rich, they fix elections, they ruin the environment, they own damn near everything, they ruin the goodwill of the US, they are held slaves…I’m scared shitless.

By: dbadass

dbadass — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:49:56 +0000

So I still have this art installatiion idea but I need some real artists to get onboard

By: dixie blood

dixie blood — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:36:28 +0000

TP says,

“As ThinkProgress noted yesterday, the late-Sen. Jesse Helms’ ran an ad in his 1990 Senate campaign that preyed on people’s fears about affirmative action.”

“people’s fears about affirmative action”???

Pleeeeezzzee…FEAR OF BLACK PEOPLE!!! “Affirmative action” is a BUZZ WORD!!!

By: Wayne A. Schneider

Wayne A. Schneider — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:12:36 +0000

Because most stupid people tend to be conservative (not necessarily the other way around), and because most racist people are stupid (not necessarily the other way around), Republicans believe that there is nothing wrong with running a campaign that appeals to racists and bigots. That they win elections because of the support of racists and bigots doesn’t seem to bother them. It should.

If Republicans don’t want to be tagged as racists and bigots, then they should stop running campaigns that clearly appeal to racists and bigots.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:09:33 +0000

The guardian article sums up Helms pretty well. I remember him once as head of the foreign relations committee in the Senate strongly criticizing Pres Clinton for meeting with the leader of India. Problem was—Benazhir Bhutto was the leader of PAKISTAN! His slum rental property brought in very little money, yet he would not give them up or provide adequate heating and other repairs (1998?).

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:58:54 +0000

GSD,
(I don’t think it’s an invasion of privacy since your own link made it so easy):

Your top three friends on your myspace page are Mitt Romney, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo???

By: onoclea

onoclea — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:52:12 +0000

Did yall catch the Guardian obit for Helms?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/04/usa

By: Ms_Joanne

Ms_Joanne — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:50:21 +0000

RUC, I thought up was down.

By: RUCerious

RUCerious — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:31:15 +0000

Let me guess. Black is White.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:24:19 +0000

I was a student at UNC-ChapelHill in 1971. For a good laugh at dinner time, we used to listen to a clown of a Raleigh tv commentator. He was so outrageously stupid he was funny. He called us UNC at COMMIE Hill. November 1972 he was elected to the US Senate. Their party’s divide and conquer strategy has worked for a long time.

By: GSD

GSD — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:22:45 +0000

Liberal noodniks. How can a man named Black be a racist?

-GSD

By: Hussein McCain

Hussein McCain — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:22:00 +0000

Charlie Black’s a steaming old sack, just perfect for Johnny.

By: Badmoodman

Badmoodman — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:10:37 +0000

How does Charlie Black manage to eat anything with his Florsheims permanently lodged in his yap?

By: ralph the wonder llama

ralph the wonder llama — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:46:56 +0000

Of course Charlie Black defended the ad.

Most compassionate people strive to be race-blind. Most Republicans strive to be racism-blind.

By: Max-1

Max-1 — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:32:40 +0000

Birds of a feather…