Is This Man Serious?

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), soon to be chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and self-appointed interpreter of the American military mind, is at it again. Not content with opining the other day that neither he nor “the people in the armed forces” believe President Clinton is qualified to be commander in chief, Helms in an interview Monday implicitly threatened the President with bodily harm if he visited any military base in Helms’ home state.

The heedless recklessness of this statement lifts it above the permissible level of partisan tough-talk. What Helms said was politically irresponsible and stupid. After a furor erupted, he had sober second thoughts. He admitted he had “made a mistake” when he said “Mr. Clinton better watch out if he comes down here (to North Carolina). He’d better have a bodyguard.”

Helms said he wouldn’t repeat such comments. Maybe not, but something similar wouldn’t be unexpected.

Gen. John Shalikashvili, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, promptly expressed sharp disagreement with Helms’ view about how “people in armed forces” feel. But the damage may already have been done. Foreign observers, especially those in hostile countries who understand little about the U.S. tradition of civilian control over the military, are left to wonder about the loyalty of the American military to the commander in chief. That’s “commander in chief,” senator, as in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, which every member of the military and every senator swears to uphold and defend.