Sen. Burr as Judge of Character

Sen. Dick Burr, who practically had to vault over the wheel-chair-confined former Senator Bob Dole in order to vote against ratification of a U.N. treaty that would give greater protections to the disabled world-wide (see below), is now riding his moral high horse in lecturing us that former Senator Jesse Helms, that tired old bigot and poisonous excuse for a human being, deserves to have a federal courthouse named for him.

This is Congresswoman Renee Ellmers' bright idea. Bless her heart.

Jesse Helms, who was no federalist by any stretch of the imagination. Jesse Helms, who routinely blocked the nominations of federal judges if he didn't approve of their race or their pedigree. Jesse Helms, who said more hateful things in his long, intolerant life than both my dogs have fleas. That Jesse Helms.