Jesse Helms

Retired Senator Jesse Helms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Helms passed away yesterday–July 4th.  When I came to Durham in 1971 to attend Duke Law, he was still broadcasting on his station in Raleigh, WRAL-TV. He left the broadcast airwaves a short time later to begin campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat that he held for thirty years.

My initial reaction to seeing future Sen. Helms on the tube was that while born in the pre-television era, he was one of the few conservatives  who had mastered television and was able to use it successfully to promote ideas contrary to the prevailing liberal orthodoxy of the day. He was a few years ahead of his time in that regard.

My only encounter with him was by telephone in 1976. For those too young to remember the events, by the time that the North Carolina primary rolled around in March of 1976, Governor Ronald Reagan’s presidential hopes were almost gone.  The Governor had lost the first few primaries to President Ford.  Senator Jesse Helms and  his main operative, Tom Ellis, fashioned a come from behind win for the Gipper in North Carolina that day in 1976. After winning the North Carolina primary, Reagan went on to win the primaries in Texas and California.  These victories were enough to establish Reagan’s credentials as a serious contender. Although Reagan barely lost the nomination at the Kansas City convention, his good showing established him as the front runner for the 1980 Republican nomination. As they say, the rest is history.

I had done my bit working the telephones many evenings during the campaign along with my wife, Trish. For several weeks before the campaign, we were both on the edge of exhaustion. On election night, I was asked to call in the updated vote totals to Reagan Headquarters in Raleigh as the numbers came in from our operatives at the polling places around the county.

While I was on hold during one telephone call, ABC announced that they were declaring Gov. Reagan the winner of the North Carolina primary. Needless to say, our small storefront headquarters was filled with unrestrained cheers and shouts of joy.  At this exact moment, Tom Ellis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_F._Ellis  came on the phone to ask me for the latest Durham County  totals.

Mr. Ellis immediately heard the background noise and asked me what all the hollering was about. When I told him that ABC News had just declared Governor Reagan the winner of the North Carolina Republican Primary, I was asked to hold the phone. Seconds later, Senator Helms himself came on the line. As best as I can remember it, our short conversation went like this.

Senator Helms:  “What’s all the shoutin’ about?”

Me:  “Sir, ABC News just declared Governor Reagan the winner here in North Carolina.”

Senator Helms:   ”Son, hold the line for a minute.”  (There was a background conversation between Senator Helms and Mr. Ellis in which Senator Helms told Ellis to call over to WRAL-TV and see why they hadn’t declared Governor Reagan the winner yet.)

Seconds later, there was pandemonium both in our headquarters and in Raleigh at the Reagan headquarters because CBS News had just followed in ABC in declaring Reagan the winner.

Senator Helms:  “Son, what’s your name?”

Me:  “Rory Olsen.”

Senator Helms:  “Well, Mr. Olsen, I want you when we get off the phone to tell everyone there in Durham that I am overwhelmed by the fine job that all of our volunteers did there in Durham and around the state to bring us victory tonight. Y’all done good, real good!”

Me:  “Thank you, sir.”

Senator Helms:  “No, you and all of our fine volunteers around the state are the ones who deserve all the thanks.”

That was it.  Whatever else one might say about Senator Helms, that night he showed a grace under pressure and a politeness that was both rare and memorable.

May God rest your soul, Senator!