December 13, 2005

ORIGINALS OF THE SPECIES:

Bono Dines With Jesse Helms (PAUL NOWELL, December 13, 2005, Associated Press)

Not only are they friends, but the Irish rocker and archconservative former North Carolina senator also share a common cause: fighting AIDS in Africa.

Before U2 opened to a raucous crowd of 17,000 at the city's new downtown arena, Bono had dinner with Helms.

"He (Bono) called us a couple of weeks ago and said he wanted to see his old friend the senator," said John Dodd, president of the Jesse Helms Center, who accompanied Helms and other family members to Monday's meeting.

Since they were introduced several years ago, the Republican Helms and Bono have become close allies in the fight against the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Helms, who is 84 and suffers from a number of serious health problems, arrived backstage before the show and was joined by Bono for a casual meal. On the menu: grilled chicken, roast beef and salmon.

"It was nothing fancy," Dodd said. "They ate in the cafeteria with the roadies and the rest of the crew."


Posted by Orrin Judd at December 13, 2005 6:22 PM
Comments

I thought Helms invented AIDS in his secret underground laboratory to keep the black man down -- or at least that's what that maniac NJ poet-laureate dude claims, or something.

Posted by: Jim in Chicago at December 13, 2005 6:45 PM

This story has the potential to make long time leftists heads spew smoke before exploding, like the way Capt. Kirk would make those computers burn out on "Star Trek" by suffering disconnents to their logic programs.

Posted by: John at December 13, 2005 6:48 PM

A Scene from the Cafeteria:

Jesse: You rock, dude.

Bono: U2.

Jesse: What's a roadie?

Bono: I told you last time we met.

Jesse: What was your name again?

Posted by: AllenS at December 13, 2005 7:10 PM

As many Brothersjudd commentators should appreciate, how to contribute to society in one's seniority is a major existentail challenge. Jesse seems to have decided it is by aligning with Bono to fight Aids. Wrong, Jesse.

Posted by: Peter B at December 13, 2005 8:04 PM

"archconservative former North Carolina senator"

In the last 70 years, has the media ever referred to someone as an archliberal?

Posted by: Ed Driscoll at December 13, 2005 9:25 PM

This isn't that odd. Helms famously teamed with Wellstone to fight for human rights in China.

Posted by: Gideon at December 13, 2005 11:14 PM
« THE CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD, AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC ELECTION STAPLES | Main | EMMISSIONS PROBLEM: »