Raleigh N&O Interviews Sen. Helms.

Today's Raleigh News and Observer contains an article by political reporter, Bob Christensen, concerning his recent interview with former Senator Jesse Helms.

Helm's has written a memoir, "Here's Where I Stand." Random House plans to publish it in September.

Christensen's article is fair and fact-filled. Samples:

Besides writing his memoirs -- with the help of former aides -- Helms, 83, has been regularly going to his Raleigh office to meet with friends or help former constituents, working with the Jesse Helms Center in Union County, and sometimes watching Senate proceedings on C-SPAN.

And

(Helms) heaps praise on Ronald Reagan, calling him the greatest president of the 20th century, and reserves his most withering scorn for the news media.

Helms is unapologetic as he writes about his major battles and his efforts to derail "the freight train of liberalism." But he admits to being wrong about the AIDS epidemic. Helms was the subject of strong criticism from the gay community because of his outspoken opposition to laws to protect homosexuals from discrimination, to funding for AIDS research and to other related issues.

Read the whole thing.