Jack Kemp was my kinda guy. An athlete who was not only talented, but a great leader. He had to work harder, being only 5'10", and he was cut by several NFL teams -- and served some time in the Army --before hitting it big and winning two AFL championships.
When his time on the gridiron was over, he continued to lead as he became a respected member of Congress. He went on the to be Reagan's Secretary of HUD, and all the while, married to his high school sweetheart and raising four children.
Kemp described himself as a "bleeding heart conservative." I could relate to that. I admired his championing of the common man, as he held high ideals for civil rights and had compassion for immigrants who sought a better life here.
He believed in the value and potential of everyone, which not only made him pro-life, but also led him to push for policies that would allow all to succeed. He sought fair housing reform and was an early advocate for enterprise zones.
When I first learned about him, he immediately became my favorite public servant. For that's what he was -- not a politician, but a man who truly served the people. When he was placed on the presidential ticket with Dole in '96, I cheered. When it became all too clear that Clinton would prevail again, thanks to Perot splitting the fiscal conservative vote again -- I knew that our nation had missed out on two great heroes serving in the top spots.
Like me, Kemp was a great admirer of Abraham Lincoln. In his last syndicated column ( http://townhall.com/columnists/JackKemp/2009/02/03/honoring_lincoln?page=full&comments=true ) Kemp wrote:
" Lincoln showed us the way. He believed that the American system of upward mobility was the bedrock of our democracy, that no individual is excluded from the American Dream and that poverty is not a permanent condition. And, like the story of the 'Good Shepherd' from Hebrew and Christian scripture, he believed we must move forward, but not leave anyone behind.
...For Abraham Lincoln, true welfare meant not dependency, but well-being; not equality of reward, but equality of opportunity; not reliance on the state, but reliance on oneself and one's family. "
Kemp was a fan of Sarah Palin, too. He had this to say about the governor of Alaska:
" She's terrific. She has met every challenge in her whole life. She has risen through the ranks. She's been a business woman. She's got a blue-collar labor background. She's an outstanding governor. She understands developing our energy resources. She understands taxes and trade. She's going to be a great candidate for John McCain so I'm thrilled. "
Like most conservatives, Kemp was dismayed at the state of our nation and the path it was taking. I wish he was still around so he could once again take part in the revival of his brand of leadership. But his words will last and continue to inspire:
" Our democracy is being tested today not only by our war against terrorism here and abroad, but also by levels of poverty, homelessness and despair unacceptable to a compassionate and affluent nation here at home. As the world's leading example of democratic capitalism, we must make it work better at home so that all our people are empowered and fully enjoy true equality of opportunity. "
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