I just finished John Hood’s review (in the latest print version of National Review) of the new Jesse Helms biography. John does not dismiss author William Link’s efforts completely, but he finds major flaws.
John especially takes issue with Link’s refusal to explore Helms’ ideas “seriously,” a major omission in a lengthy biography about a political figure who made his mark espousing ideas.
You’ll find more interesting details by reading the entire article, but I found John’s conclusion worthy of sharing with those of you who won’t peruse the magazine:
It’s worth remembering that, on the issues Helms got wrong, he had no lasting effect on American public policy. But on the issues he got right ? the Cold War, excessive government, personal responsibility, the benefits of expanding capitalism at home and abroad, and the need to reform entitlements and the tax code ? Helms, caricatured as a political dinosaur, was ahead of his time, and often successful. He helped chart the course that America must follow if it is to preserve its liberty and its exceptional place in the history of nations.
