Kemp mourned by president, lawmakers

The Hill
By Jeremy P. Jacobs
Posted: 05/03/09 03:11 PM [ET]

Lawmakers and former colleagues paid their respects on Sunday to former Congressman Jack Kemp, remembering the former Buffalo Bills quarterback for his dedication and ideals.Kemp, a New York Republican who was GOP's vice presidential nominee in 1996, passed away of cancer Saturday in Bethesda, Md., at the age of 73.
Democrats and Republicans praised Kemp for a brand of politics that would be considered unique nowadays. Kemp staunchly advocated for tax cuts and supply-side economics, which conservatives applaud, while arguing just as passionately for civil rights and affirmative action, major tenets of liberal orthodoxy. Kemp once called himself a "bleeding-heart conservative."In a statement, President Obama said Kemp's service had a significant impact on both the Republican Party and the country. Obama applauded Kemp in particular for his attitude toward race relations."From his tenure as a Buffalo congressman to his ascent in national politics," Obama said, "Jack Kemp was a man who could fiercely advocate his own beliefs and principles while also remembering the lessons he learned years earlier on the football field: that bitter divisiveness between race and class and station only stood in the way of the 'common aim of a team to win.'
"Michelle and I extend our prayers and deepest condolences to the entire Kemp family."

Full Obituary: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/kemp-mourned-by-president-lawmakers-friends-2009-05-03.html