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'''Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.''' (b October 18, 1921, d. July 4, 2008) is a former five-time [[Republican]] [[U.S. Senator|senator]] from Monroe, [[North Carolina]]. <ref>http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000463</ref>  Helms' parents were Jesse Helms Sr., the local chief of police, and his wife Ethel Mae Helms.<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/jesse-helms</ref>  Mr. Helms, throughout his tenure as United States Senator was known for his [[conservative]] principles, including his support for a strong defense, individual rights, the oppressed, and support for freedom.  Like most conservative politicians who eschew political correctness, Helms was frequently the target of mainstream [[media bias]], despite his former career in the media.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/biography.asp</ref>  Helms was a staunch advocate for equality under law, but due to his Southern background and incorrect party affiliation, his positions were misrepresented through typically biased reporting.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp#handsad</ref>.  

'''Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr.''' (b October 18, 1921, d. July 4, 2008) is a former five-time [[Republican]] [[U.S. Senator|senator]] from Monroe, [[North Carolina]]. <ref>http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000463</ref>  Helms' parents were Jesse Helms Sr., the local chief of police, and his wife Ethel Mae Helms.<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/jesse-helms</ref>  Mr. Helms, throughout his tenure as United States Senator was known for his [[conservative]] principles, including his support for a strong defense, individual rights, the oppressed, and support for freedom.  Like most conservative politicians who eschew political correctness, Helms was frequently the target of mainstream [[media bias]], despite his former career in the media.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/biography.asp</ref>  Helms was a staunch advocate for equality under law, but due to his Southern background and incorrect party affiliation, his positions were misrepresented through typically biased reporting.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/jessehelms/fictionortruth.asp#handsad</ref>.  

Frequently Helms would be the target of massive, heavily funded [[liberal]] efforts to defeat him at reelection, and every time Helms crushed the liberals and won handily.  In 1990, a weak election year for [[Republicans]], polls just prior to the election suggested that his [[liberal]] African American opponent Harvey Gantt would prevail.  Helms ran a final advertisement that became famous as the "hands" ad, showing a white pair of hands and a voice complaining that he lost a job opportunity due to [[affirmative action]], which his opponent supported.<ref>The voice in the ad stated, ""You needed that job and you were the best qualified, but they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Gantt says it is."[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003]</ref>  The [[liberal]] press accused Helms of injecting race into the campaign, to which he responded:<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003</ref>

Frequently Helms would be the target of massive, heavily funded [[liberal]] efforts to defeat him at reelection, and every time Helms crushed the liberals and won handily.  In 1990, a weak election year for [[Republicans]], polls just prior to the election suggested that his [[liberal]] African American opponent Harvey Gantt would prevail.  Helms ran a final advertisement that became famous as the "hands" ad, showing a white pair of hands and a voice complaining that he lost a job opportunity due to [[affirmative action]], which his opponent supported.<ref>The voice in the ad stated, "You needed that job and you were the best qualified, but they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Harvey Gantt says it is."[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003]</ref>  The [[liberal]] press accused Helms of injecting race into the campaign, to which he responded:<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92241325&ft=1&f=1003</ref>

:"Absolutely not. What am I supposed to do? Ignore everything that involves a black man? That would make me speechless in this campaign, and Mr. Gantt knows how to dish it out but he can't take it."

:"Absolutely not. What am I supposed to do? Ignore everything that involves a black man? That would make me speechless in this campaign, and Mr. Gantt knows how to dish it out but he can't take it."