Calling Ben Domenech
Ben, could you tear yourself away from the Super Bowl pre-game reporting for a moment? In your thread on Marco Rubio's magnificent pro-life speech, you put up the following comment, which I quote in its (enigmatic) totality:
Those close to Rubio say he'd prefer to be Jesse Helms, not an early Veep pick. We'll see.
Just two sentences, but the comment raises a whole load of questions. Rubio would prefer to be another Jesse Helms? What does that mean? That he intends to establish himself as the truest and most insistent conservative in the Senate? But hasn't Jim DeMint already made himself a second Jesse Helms? Glorious a figure though he often was, Helms proved essentially solitary, never truly affecting the Senate as a whole. Would such a role satisfy Rubio? Or does he believe that he and DeMint, and, perhaps, Coburn and Ayotte, can pull the entire institution to the right? What is this remarkable and talented young man thinking.
"Those close to Rubio?" Oh, Ben, you coy man you. I know you. There's some real reporting behind that phrase. What've you got?
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Comments:
Jun '10
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Jesse Helms sometimes didn't get his way, but he was predictable and firm. If you had to clear the Helms hurdle to pass a bill, as was often the case, you knew the hurdle was made of cast iron--not foam rubber. No fudging.
Jan '12
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
That was a provocative comparison. Jesse was in the senate a long time and wielded about as much influence as a conservative could during the Carter years. He was responsible for relegalizing the private possession of gold, an accomplishment which has done me personally, along with many others, a wealth of good.
May '10
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Peter Robinson
What does that mean? That he intends to establish himself as the truest and most insistent conservative in the Senate? But hasn't Jim DeMint already made himself a second Jesse Helms? Glorious a figure though he often was, Helms proved essentially solitary, never truly affecting the Senate as a whole. Would such a role satisfy Rubio? Or does he believe that he and DeMint, and, perhaps, Coburn and Ayotte, can pull the entire institution to the right? What is this remarkable and talented young man thinking.
I wonder whether he doesn't mean that his aim is to achieve something in the office he has, rather than being ambitious to move up the ladder to higher office prematurely.
But it should would be nice to see a potent conservative bloc develop in the senate.
Edited on February 5, 2012 at 7:44pmRe: Calling Ben Domenech
Ah, Peter, I am more than happy to tear myself away from pregame - which now seems to last for a month! - to respond.
Rubio has publicly cited Jesse Helms as his personal model for what he views as his role in the Senate on a number of occasions. Here's a NR interview where he did so: "Politicians are not heroes... But if you look at Jesse Helms, he had a tremendous amount of influence in this place."
I don't think I'm violating any trust from Rubio staffers and backers to share what they've told me: they all maintain Rubio is absolutely serious about this Helms-esque model for his career, that he doesn't want to jump to the national stage of his career too quickly, and that the conservative media is more eager for him to do so than he is himself.
Of course we can't know his calculations. But Rubio has a long career ahead of him, and seems to value maximizing his impact of for the cause of conservatism.
And one more thing: DeMint has already announced this will be his last term, ending in 2016. The Senate will need new champions.
Jan '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Any chance that Ricochet could extend an offer to Rubio for a guest column? (Probably already have, haven't you?)
But instead of asking for a generic campaign speech, give him a chance to specifically talk about his role as a senator, and on this very question. That could make for a very entertaining column, I think.
How has being a senator changed in the last twenty (thirty? two hundred?) years?
Oct '10
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
There was this brief gem. Any chance these come back along with certain popular podcast...?
I fell out of my chair listening to Rubio's speech, I did. Although it speaks volumes about my coordination, I think it also says something powerful about the speech; he echoed more eloquently and concisely sentiments I'd been struggling to put together for years.
May '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Ben rockin the GQ look with the Tom Brady stubble.
Forgive my ignorance, but what influence did Helms have in the Senate? How has Rubio affected policy in the Senate so far? His greatest strength is his communication of conservative ideas, to convert the electorate. Jesse Helms never did that and probably wasn't in a position to do so as a Senator. As VP Rubio would have less voting power, but a larger national stage. Being a strong advocate is meaningless if no one is listening.
Now if Rubio has eyes on majority leader, that's another story.
Speaking of new champions in the Senate, is there no one challenging pork king Roger Wicker in Mississippi? Or Bob Corker in Tenn.?
That seems like the perfect opportunity to upgrade a senator in a deep red state, like we did with Mike Lee in Utah in 2010.
As far as Rubio/Paul/Lee/Johnson/Toomey champion types, the only one I see as a sure thing to get elected is Jeff Flake. Connie Mack in FL has potential and I like his penny plan.
Dec '10
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Well, I assumed he wouldn't be holding hands with Madeleine Albright.
Meanwhile, Helms was quite a communicator. Before he became a senator, he was a journalist and had a talk radio program in NC for many years.
He didn't do that sort of thing, once he became a senator. He recognized the limitations of his strong southern accent in mass communication. I think Gov. Barbour is also aware that many people can never get past that accent and, indeed, consider southerners to be rubes. Helms was no rube, just situationally prudent.
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Ningrim: Ben rockin the GQ look with the Tom Brady stubble.
Forgive my ignorance, but what influence did Helms have in the Senate?
I'll forgive that first line and answer the second: a friend of mine is actually writing an extensive book on Helms. I'd be happy to invite him to do an interview on this topic and share it here.
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Ben Domenech
a friend of mine is actually writing an extensive book on Helms. I'd be happy to invite him to do an interview on this topic and share it here. · 6 minutes ago
Go for it!
Feb '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Sen. Helms memorized the rule book of the Senate taking lessons from Sen. James Allen of Alabama (or at least that's who I remember him attributing), who had learned from other southerners fighting among other things the civil rights bills. In other words, learning how to play the best defense.
Sen. Helms also had a huge number of staffers go on to be K Street people, local politicians in NC, and occupy positions within various GOP administrations. Building networks, in other words.
Sen. Helms never won re-election with any margin to spare and usually had to come from behind. He was highly polarizing often when he didn't need to be. He never did get beat though. There are precincts in rural eastern NC where the only GOP candidate that has carried them was Nixon vs. McGovern in 1972 and Jesse Helms when he ran for election.
Dec '10
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Peter & Ben,
I started thinking Perry / Rubio. Then after the meatgrinder debates it suddenly hit me. Why not Rubio / Perry. Rubio would debate Obama. You are all getting the idea, as we already knew here in Florida, that Marco could wipe the floor with the teleprompter reader. But it get's better, Perry v. Biden. Gd knows what would or could happen but it would be just exciting. I think in a Texas Death match like that Perry would come out on top even if there was a fist fight.
Come'on Marco. RUNNNNNN!!!!!!!
Edited on February 5, 2012 at 11:21pmApr '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
I am from North Carolina and old enough to remember both Jesse’s career as a broadcaster and as a senator. He had two great attributes. First, no matter who asked from the state, democrat or republican, he helped them navigate the bureaucracy. Second, he was consistent. He did not bring big government projects back tto the state. He consistently fought unnecessary spending whether it benefited the state or not.
Dec '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
That's the scuttlebutt here in SW Florida as well. Jessie Helms had some less than admirable moments in his career, but I always appreciated his reputation as "Senator No."
I'd vote for Tom Coburn as role model-in-chief.
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
My favorite (perhaps apocryphal) Jesse Helms quote is this - during the government shutdown advanced under Newt Gingrich, he was asked for a quote by an enterprising reporter about the closed-down offices on Capitol Hill. His response?
"Every day these buildings are closed, the Republic grows stronger."
Feb '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
I remember him from childhood when he was a member of Raleigh's city council. We went to the same church. And then I was same age as his children and nieces and nephews, in school with them, so I knew him at that level.
You're absolutely right about constituent services and the level of service.
But I'm with Peter Robinson, really don't understand why Sen. Rubio would want to pattern his career on Sen. Helms. Far too limiting for someone who clearly can be a future star without all the baggage.
Mar '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
Ben Domenech:
And one more thing: DeMint has already announced this will be his last term, ending in 2016. The Senate will need new champions. · 5 hours ago
Of all the people who didn't run for President, DeMint is the one I wish would have.
Nov '11
Re: Calling Ben Domenech
He can play Jesse Helms -- after he's been elected president twice.