Posted on 09/12/2013 8:14:30 AM PDT by cotton1706
WASHINGTON -- With flashes of temper, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms gaveled colleagues into silence yesterday while scornfully refusing ever to hold a confirmation hearing on William F. Weld's nomination to be ambassador to Mexico.
"What Mr. Weld appears to be threatening is a war within the Republican Party," Helms said, looking toward Weld, who was near the back of the packed hearing room. "Let him try."
"I, Mr. Weld, do not yield to ideological extortion," Helms told the former Massachusetts governor, referring to a charge the Republican moderate had previously leveled at him.
But Helms's bid to end the months-long drama over the nomination failed when the committee's senior Democrat, Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, announced that he would try to circumvent the chairman and petition the nomination directly to the Senate floor.
The personal feud between the two men became even more bitter after the meeting when Weld told reporters that Helms' actions would show the Senate as "a despotic institution."
Weld vowed to fight on. "I'm going to keep up with the Spanish," he said.
At the White House, President Clinton said he was disappointed by Helms's continued refusal to grant Weld's nomination a hearing. Although he said he was encouraged by Biden's challenge, he did not sound optimistic about winning the battle.
The president said that Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi and his fellow Republicans control the Senate. "They may well have the ability to prevent this from ever happening, and they may prevail. But the battle is not over yet," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.baltimoresun.com ...
Lugar was a worthless liberal even then and unfortunately, succeeded Helms as chairman, and capitulated to the democrats at every turn. So glad he's gone!
Watching Jesse Helms work in the US Senate was like watching Rapheal create a work of Art.
Thanks for posting this. Its good to remember what Conservative Leadership looks like.
I remember this. It was Jesse Helms’s finest hour slapping down that Trojan Horse Clintonista Weld.
Weld is a bitch.
He got the appropriate slap from Senator Helms.
The national media’s opinion was less than dog urine to Senator Helms.
Today’s Senators care about nothing else.
Helms should have been the damn majority leader instead of that pansy Trent Lott.
I don’t think he ever pursued or was desirous of such a position. Probably too much gladhanding, schmoozing and compromise of values (although Dems are never expected to have to do the latter). It’s funny, if it were offered to him, I would tell Ted Cruz to turn down the leadership role, if only because there would be way too many GOP colleagues looking to see him brought down hard.
I think Bob Taft, Sr. made a similar argument when some pushed for him to serve as Senate GOP Leader for the 1947-48 Congress. He was fine to keep Maine Senator Wallace White, Jr. in the position, even though Taft was seen as the center of power. He did finally accept it in 1953 as almost a consolation prize (though he was dying of cancer and passed the same year).
Yep.
Helms is a legend. Sadly today’s NC wouldn’t be able to elect him. Helms retired largely because of his age, and also Rove felt Helms portrayed a negative image of the GOP. Thus, Helms was encouraged to retire, while Bill Frist and Rove begged Liddy Dole to replace Helms.
If Helms had run again, he’d have died before the completion of his term (and Easley would’ve appointed a Dem). Of course, Dole was a disaster. She’d been too far gone as a Beltway Insider before she ever made it to the Senate. I can’t name anyone who would begin to fill Helms’s shoes. I had hopes for Burr, but he’s been a disappointment.
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