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The Spectacle Blog
Over at National Review the normally sensible Jay Nordlinger has for some undetermined reason abruptly gone off the rails.
In a piece nominally defending Mitt Romney — “The Superb Mitt Romney” — Nordlinger makes the case that Romney was a whole lot better than his post-election critics are suggesting.
Fair enough. While we were Romney critics in this corner during the primaries — skeptical that yet another moderate Republican in the mold of McCain, Dole, Ford, Bush 43 in 1992 and on back to Dewey and Willkie etc. — could win, Governor Romney did in fact have some good moments during the campaign. Two of them the selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate and his performance in that first debate with President Obama. As is true with presidents, history debates the performances, contributions and careers of losing presidential nominees forever — William Jennings Bryan, Barry Goldwater, and George McGovern come to mind.
This applies to Romney as well. So Nordlinger’s defense of Romney was fine.
Abruptly, however, Nordlinger launches into a mind-boggling rant about the late Jack Kemp.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, it needs be said that I — like a lot of other people — was enormously privileged to work for Kemp, in my case when he was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. I also had the opportunity to work for Ronald Reagan, Kemp’s one-time boss (when the young Buffalo Bills quarterback did an off-season stint as a special assistant to then-Governor Reagan) and longtime political ally and friend.
So.
Nordlinger starts off his anti-Kemp rant by saying that in “the first week of December, there was something called the Kemp Foundation Leadership Award Dinner.” Hmmm. Indeed. While I was invited but alas was unable to attend, this is becoming an annual feature for Kemp’s friends, family and former colleagues.
You can find the Kemp Foundation here and read about the dinner, which featured a former Kemp staffer by the name of Paul Ryan and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. The Foundation dinner, and indeed everything connected to it is about promoting Jack Kemp’s vision of “advancing the universal values of the American Idea of growth, freedom, democracy and hope.”
It was a vision that was famously shared with Kemp’s friend Ronald Reagan.
Writes Nordlinger:
Around the time of this Kemp dinner, the refrain was, “Oh, Jack, oh, Kemp, where have you gone? We need you. Why can’t today’s Republican party be like Jack Kemp?”
Let me tell you something: There was a lot to admire about Jack Kemp. But he was also a flake. Or rather, he had a big ol’ streak of flakiness. His enthusiasms could be shallow and embarrassing. In the 1990s, he was complaining that the Clinton administration was being far too beastly to that misunderstood Saddam Hussein.
And he was not so hot a politician. Could he get elected dog-catcher, outside of Buffalo, where he had been a football hero? On the 1996 ticket, he proved maybe the worst candidate in memory. Bob Dole, at the top of the ticket, who everyone says was a lousy candidate, was much, much better than his running mate. Much.
Moreover, Kemp would never run for anything — anything besides president and vice president. He would never run for senator or governor. Would never challenge Moynihan or Cuomo. Would not stick his neck out in this way. He preferred to swan around Washington, being a celebrity and whatnot.
Fine — we all make choices. I’m not exactly setting the world on fire. But Kemp as our role model? In my view, the dumped-on Romney is much the more impressive man.”
Gee. Where to begin?
It takes nothing away from Mitt Romney to say that Jack Kemp was, as I noted here when Kemp’s fight with cancer was first announced, one of the most important figures in American history. If there is any doubt about this, all one has to do is look at the time and energy Barack Obama has devoted to repealing the Reagan/Kemp legacy of lower taxes, economic growth and freedom. Every last word uttered by the President along these lines is evidence all by itself of the impact Jack Kemp had in his public career. If Jack Kemp had not had that impact, it is certainly fair to say there would be no Barack Obama. One doesn’t get elected president and devote every minute of one’s agenda to undoing something that had no impact.
Jack Kemp was a member of the House. Congressmen have a hard time gaining traction in Washington unless they age into old bull status and become committee chairman. The number of people from the House who have made substantial, nation-changing, world-changing contributions in American history can be counted on one hand. In fact, the only other name that comes to mind is Congressman James Madison of Virginia, he who used his position in the House to sponsor the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
One could go on — and if Jack Kemp were here he would go on. He won a fond nickname as the Republican Hubert Humphrey for his utter inability to say something in ten minutes when he could say it in sixty.
There’s no intention here to dump on Governor Romney. He is, as Nordlinger notes, “one of the brightest, most capable, most admirable men ever to run for president.”
But it is fair to say that thus far in his public life as governor and presidential nominee Romney isn’t even close to having the lasting impact Jack Kemp made in American history.
Jack Kemp — and yes I confess to not just casting an eye to his actual and very considerable role in American history but to just plain missing an old boss who was nothing if not the personification of optimism, energy and the American “can do” spirit — was everything a young American politician (and some old ones) could and should aspire to be.
He was, without ever laying claim to the Oval Office, America’s quarterback.
Oh that he were here today to carry the case against Barack Obama and his backward-looking, class-envying dreams of spreading poverty everywhere.
But, it wasn’t to be. Jack Kemp is gone.
While it may drive Jay Nordlinger crazy, the good news is that Jack’s spirit and example lives on. His friends and admirers, those who knew him and loved him and those who never knew him but understand in their bones what he was about, are still here — and we all know what to do.
As the old quarterback’s friend President Reagan liked to say:
“It CAN be done.”
Enough said.
View all comments (28) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord
http://spectator.org/blog/2013/01/04/an-appalling-attack-on-jack-ke
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Derek Leaberry| 1.4.13 @ 11:15AM
Although flawed like us all, Kemp was a very decent man who was one of the two most influential Republican House members in the last century, the other being Newt Gingrich. Unlike the chameleon Mitt Romney, Kemp stood his ground politically when he thought his ideas were best. Think of Kemp's devotion to absolute free trade and NAFTA, both of which have damaged Buffalo and the nation.
Yes, Kemp could be little perturbing. For instance, what kind of conservative would say that Charlie Rangel is better on the issues than Pat Buchanan? Kemp did and looked silly saying so. But that is trivia. Inevitably, Kemp will be judged by his leadership in evolving the Republican Party into a vehicle of low taxes and economic growth.
GreatOne| 1.4.13 @ 12:17PM
I think that Nordlinger's negative comments about Kemp stem primariliy from his horrendous performance during the 1996 campaign. And for Nordlinger, who's huge on racial issues, I'm sure he's most annoyed with Kemp for his refusal during the V.P. debate to appropriately respond to Gore's calling all Republicans racist - except for Kemp. Kemp merely thanked Gore without refuting the slander.
Derek Leaberry| 1.4.13 @ 12:38PM
As a son of southern California, Kemp was a little naive on racial issues. His attitudes were part of the zeitgeist of the times of which he was raised. Living in posh Bethesda MD as a congressman, Kemp never had to experience the wonders of school busing in next door Prince George's County.
JimH| 1.4.13 @ 1:01PM
As a former professional quarterback Kemp spent a lot more time than Al Gore ever did being around blacks and working with them as peers. He was unlikely to be naïve as to racial relations in the country. One thing I admired about Kemp, and this was true of Reagan as well, was that they were so good at putting out a positive message. This is important as the Dems and the MSM try to portray conservatives as negative and angry.
Derek Leaberry| 1.4.13 @ 1:22PM
The Buffalo Bills of Kemp's playing era usually had less than a dozen blacks on the team, far less than my high school football team in the mid-70s. I would agree that Kemp's sunny outlook was a positive.
CJW| 1.5.13 @ 4:13PM
Great One
I remember that debate with Aljazerra Gore, and had the same reaction. Kemp looked smug and satisfied at the backhanded "compliment" from the weasel Gore.
Crassus| 1.4.13 @ 12:34PM
Nordlinger is correct about Kemp when he states that the man was a bit of a flake. I'll never forget Kemp making a speech in '93 that was covered by C-Span. He was standing in a wheat field talking about enterprise zones in inner cities. "WTF was that all about?" I remember saying to myself after the speech was over. It was at that moment that I realized that Kemp's political career was deader than Kelsey's nuts. Perhaps Kemp realized it too and that's why he never sought higher office.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 1.4.13 @ 12:59PM
Does anyone know what happened to Kelsey to make his nuts deader than all others?
CJW| 1.5.13 @ 4:17PM
Everyone praised the idea of "empowerement" zones in the inner cities as a brilliant idea. It was to reduce or eliminate taxes and regulations so that businesses could grow and hire employees.
Now when the Tea Party/conservatives propose the same idea for the entire nation, one big empowerement zone, that is a bad idea.
Crassus| 1.5.13 @ 11:12PM
Not really the point I was getting at. The point was why was Kemp talking about urban problems in front of a rural audience in a wheat field. It really didn't make sense especially when you consider that most of Kemp's audience didn't give a rat's ass about enterprise zones in an inner city. If you're going to run for something at least tailor your speech to your audience. Something that Kemp rarely seemed to be able to do.
Occam's Tool| 1.4.13 @ 12:50PM
What about Tim Scott for higher office, folks? How about a Scott/West Ticket in 2016?
Derek Leaberry| 1.4.13 @ 1:35PM
Let Scott serve a couple of terms before conservatives promote him to the presidency. As far as I can analyze, there is nothing different about Scott's record that over one-hundred Republicans share but for his race. For that matter, why not a doctor, Andy Harris MD of Maryland's Eastern Shore, for president? Harris has as much chance of winning Maryland statewide as Scott has of winning more than a pittance of the black vote.
As for West, he's a recently defeated congressman who is more likely to get into talk radio, which is where he spent much of his only term in the House. Perhaps if West had spent more time politicking in his district than he did pontificating on talk radio that few of his constituents listened to he would still be a member of the House.
pigdog| 1.4.13 @ 12:55PM
I seem to recall a story about an agency negotiating a speaking engagement for Jack Kemp, to be delivered at a meeting of a professional society. The color of the limousine which transported Mr. Kemp was of the utmost importance to him.
That's what I thought of when I read Mr. Nordlinger's use of the term "flakiness."
pigdog| 1.4.13 @ 12:55PM
I seem to recall a story about an agency negotiating a speaking engagement for Jack Kemp, to be delivered at a meeting of a professional society. The color of the limousine which transported Mr. Kemp was of the utmost importance to him.
That's what I thought of when I read Mr. Nordlinger's use of the term "flakiness."
Bandido| 1.4.13 @ 1:17PM
Actually Jay Nordlinger is spot on in his assessment of Kemp. The analysis is objective, respectful, and in accord with the Jack Kemp I vividly remember.
RCV| 1.4.13 @ 1:40PM
I am amazed to find myself in the position of agreeing, wholeheartedly, with Jeffrey Lord about something.
Jack Kemp was a gem, one of the finest and smartest public servants we've ever had. I would have voted for him anytime I had the opportunity to do so. He always had the courage to think outside the box, and fewer politicians have ever had a stronger and more sincere commitment to equal opportunity for all Americans.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 1.4.13 @ 2:37PM
There was an opportunity to vote for him by every US voter lawfully registered in the fall of 1996. I did. Did you?
Pecos Pete| 1.4.13 @ 2:39PM
Sir, Yes Sir, I did.
RCV| 1.4.13 @ 5:53PM
No. I would have had to take Bob Dole at the top of the ticket to do so.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 1.4.13 @ 8:03PM
"I would have voted for him anytime I had the opportunity to do so."
As an attorney, you should probably modify your statement above to reflect something to the effect of:
I would have voted for him
anytime I had the opportunity to do sounless there was someone else running at the time of the ticket, in which case, disregard the first clause.RCV| 1.4.13 @ 10:00PM
The VP nominee is an appendage to the head of the ticket. But your cleverness is acknowledged, Albert.
Teflon93 | 1.4.13 @ 6:12PM
National Review is nothing more than the house organ of the RINO Establishment. It stands athwart history yelling, "Hey! Not quite so fast!"
aroundthetrack| 1.4.13 @ 7:29PM
Jack Kemp was like a "jock" who learned a few things and tried to impress by constantly quoting people. In other words, he came across as a very limited, fraudulent guy trying to sound intelligent. He also was a bully. I saw him a number of times on CSpan when he would try to "muscle" his opinions, even with fellow Republicans. He had no serious and lasting influence upon conservatism. Very overrated by many.
Patrick in Michigan | 1.4.13 @ 7:38PM
Mr. Lord.
National Review has not been worth a damn since Buckley died and the affirmative Action Beaner Papist took the reigns.
That is all.
Paul Zummo | 1.4.13 @ 11:08PM
I'm hardly a fan of the current NR, but you managed to make a bigoted, anti-Catholic statement that isn't even merited based on the fact that the person I assume you are referring to actually is not the individual in charge of NR. I'm sure the white anglo Papist Buckley would have appreciated your concern, though.
Patrick in Michigan | 1.4.13 @ 11:37PM
Just call 'em like I see 'em.
Signed,
Your Friendly Neighborhood WASP
Teflon93 | 1.5.13 @ 7:37AM
Rich Lowry is the editor of National Review, having taken over from John O'Sullivan. So aside from you being completely wrong, you have a point....
Crassus| 1.5.13 @ 10:42AM
I thought O'Sullivan did a good job at NR considering the fact that he followed a legend. The magazine's decline began when O'Sullivan departed and Lowry took over. It's been a monument to mediocrity ever since.