SENATOR JESSE HELMS.
In my 15 years of active politics, I never met Jesse Helms.
I saw him on TV, in Newspapers, and in magazines.
I had a computer game called President-Elect that was published in 1985.
There were 2 parties of politicians in that game with a pamphlet on their ideological scores and personal skills.
Senator Helms had an average public speaking score, no magnetism, and an average score on poise.
His score on economics was a 1 with 0 being rightwing and 100 being leftwing. His score on social issues was 0. His score foreign policy was 1 or 2.
Yes, he was to the right of Reagan, which is hard to achieve under any circumstances.
The best summation I ever saw of him was the title of Senator No.
An Obstructionist with a heart based on personal contact.
He fought with AIPAC over US/Israel Relations, until the mid-80s when he went to Israel himself. He changed his opinion on the issue.
AIPAC pronounced him to be enlightened.
He was the master of the killer amendment.
He had to have his tobacco allotment or the tobacco farmers of North Carolina would have voted him out.
They were the key voting bloc that kept him in office.
In essence, Senator No on every issue. Likable, but hard to do business with.