Goodbye Mr. Kemp

Former Congressman, HUD Secretary, and 1996 GOP Vice-Presidential candidate Jack Kemp passed away on Sat. of cancer surrounded at his bedside with both family and minister.

For many of us who were politically honed in the 1980’s, Jack Kemp was the natural successor to the Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan. It was only a matter of time before America had President Kemp at its helm.

However, politics is all about timing, and timing never quite worked for Jack Kemp when it came to pursuing the presidency. He lost the 1988 primary to George H. W. Bush and when the next good opportunity came in 1996, the seniority of Bob Dole demanded that he be the Republican candidate with Jack Kemp as the VP. We all know how that ended.

I’ve often wondered what would have happened if Jack Kemp had been allowed to lead the Republican charge. As George Will said on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, “He was a big hearted man with very strong convictions, who didn’t know how to make an enemy, and never held a grudge.”

Qualities that the Republican Party are, at least perceptively, in short supply of these days.

Goodbye Jack, I look forward to meeting you one day…in another Land…