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American Morning

Icon of Conservative Politics Getting Ready to Call It Quits

Aired August 22, 2001 - 11:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: An icon of conservative politics is getting ready to call it quits. North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms is expected to announce tonight that he will not run for re-election.

Our congressional correspondent Kate Snow joining us from Capitol Hill with details.

Kate, good morning.

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

He's probably one of the best known senators, not only here in Washington, but worldwide, in part, because of his strong conservative views. He's very clear about his views all along. Sources close to Jesse Helms say that now tonight at about 6:00 Eastern Time, he will announce that he won't come back to the Senate next year, not going to run next year. He is 79 years old at this point and does have some health problems.

I talked to one senator who said that he's been talking about wanting to spend more time with his grandchildren. He has been in Congress now in the Senate since 1972. That's nearly 30 years. From '95 to just recently, he was chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee notoriously, or famously, depending on your point of view.

Helms' hometown newspaper once gave him the nickname "Senator No." That's because he's often been held up appointments, or held up votes, because of positions that he's taken or because of wanting a project for his home state of North Carolina.

He is strongly antiabortion. He is also pro-school prayer. Helms fought to cut arts funding in cases where he thought artists were objectionable, like Robert Maplethorpe. He is also a staunch anti-communist. He has pushed to help the contras in 1980s in Nicaragua.

And those who disagree with Senator Helms views have long been very loud about that, criticized Senator Helms. He's been called everything from an obstructionist to isolationist, even a racist at times, but fellow senators say that in one sense, it is refreshing that he's been here, his strong views have caused some pretty good dialogues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), VERMONT: I don't want to say all liberals or all conservatives or all moderates; we've got to have differences, and in many ways, we're best representing our people. I think that his own state may be changing, but I think that people are going to respect him for the fact that you know where he stands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, probably the opposite of Jesse Helms. What will happen now, Daryn, is there's going to be a lot of talk about who will replace Senator Helms, who will run for that seat in North Carolina. Already talk of four possible Republican candidates one Democrat.

Back to you.

KAGAN: Let's talk about who might be next. I think Elizabeth Dole getting the most publicity, but other people might want to throw her hat in the ring, and as Senator Leahy was pointing out, North Carolina is a state changing politically. Is it possible North Carolina would send two Democrats to represent in the Senate?

SNOW: That's certainly what the Democrats would hope for. I spoke with senator John Edwards's office this morning, he being the other senator from North Carolina who just recently unseated Republican there. He certainly thinks the state's changing, hopes Democrat can make headway. But Elizabeth Dole has a lot of name recognition. Of course others might run as well. For now, she seems to be sort of the leading, perhaps the leading choice, many Republican consultants urging her to run because she might be able to defeat a Democrat.

KAGAN: Interesting political times, Kate Snow on Capitol Hill. Thank you.

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