Jack Kemp: Quarterback, Statesman, Congressman
Kemp: Medal of Freedom Recipient
Jack Kemp felt that he was well suited to politics, in part because of his successful professional football career. He is quoted as saying, “Pro football gave me a good perspective. When I entered the political arena, I had already been booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded, and hung in effigy.”
Jack Kemp’s Football Career
Jack Kemp graduated from Occidental College in 1957, where he was named A Little Pro All American player after throwing over 1,100 yards in a single season, but his professional football career got off to a rocky start. He was drafted by the Detroit Lion in the 17th round of the 1957 draft but cut before the season began. He bounced around from there to three more NFL teams with a brief stop in the Canadian Football League before being picked up by the Buffalo Bills of the newly formed American Football League. He led the Bills to AFL championships in 1964 and 1965. But Kemp was not just known for his athleticism on the football field. He was co- founder of the AFL Players Association and served as union president for five terms. Kemp retired from football in 1969 and immediately embarked on a second career in politics.
Jack Kemp’s Political Career
Kemp’s football years in Buffalo, New York served him well in his first Congressional run where he not only won, but succeeded in convincing his staunchly Democratic district to vote Republican. He described himself as a “bleeding heart conservative,” and, according to The Buffalo News, May, 3, 2009, “Kemp will be remembered as the GOP’s strongest voice for greater inclusion of minorities in the party.” He served nine terms in Congress, leaving in 1988 to launch an unsuccessful bid for President of the United States. But his political life was far from over. Eight years later he served one term as Housing Secretary to George H.W. Bush and from there was tapped as Bob Dole’s running mate in the 1996 Presidential election, which was eventually won by incumbent Democrats, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore. As a public citizen, Kemp continued to advocate for tax reform and supply-side economics, convinced that the more taxes were cut, the more the economy would grow.
Kemp Awarded The Medal of FreedomOn July 31, 2009,Jack Kemp was awarded The Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. The award was conferred on Kemp by President Barack Obama who also recognized, among others, Senator Edward Kennedy, former Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor,and Physicist, Steven Hawking.
Jack Kemp, July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009
Jack Kemp succumbed to cancer on May 2, 2009 leaving behind a loving family and a legacy that will be long remembered. Former Vice President Dick Cheney is quoted as saying that Kemp was, “A great friend of freedom.”
Kemp failed in his bid for President
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