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| -Obits- |
| Clarence Page on Jack Kemp's passing |
| 2009-05-09 |
| Jack Kemp had many momentous achievements in his life. Among others, he was instrumental in bringing Queen Elizabeth II her first public hug. You might have thought from the hubbub surrounding President Barack Obama's recent European trip that First Lady Michelle Obama's spontaneous arm around the royal waist -- which the queen immediately reciprocated -- broke all precedents, as well as protocol. Not true. That distinction belongs, as it turns out, to the late Alice Frazier, then a 67-year-old District of Columbia public housing resident. She wrapped Her Royal Highness in a big bear-hug embrace during the queen's 13-day visit to America in 1991. Who in the world would bring the queen to a public housing project? I knew it had to be Kemp, then the secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H.W. Bush. Would anyone else in stodgy Washington have had the desire, the enthusiasm and the steamroller perseverance to bring the queen and a rare spotlight of public attention to America's vastly overlooked underclass? I think not. The stunt was "pure Jack." He would do anything to bring attention to his urban "empowerment agenda," which included tenant management and ownership of public housing, "liberated" from negligent, fraudulent or incompetent bureaucrats and government contractors. Memories of the queen's hug come to mind when I heard about Kemp's death. My condolences go out to his family and friends. He will be fondly remembered, I am sure, as the sort of conservative who liberals liked and conservatives probably did not love enough.... |
| Posted by:mom |
| #2 Ima thinkrn a LOT of editin' went on. It was semi-coherent, not overtly racist/victim, reasonably not haterin'...i.e.: not a Clarence Page original |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-05-09 18:24 |
| #1 I wonder if the scare quotes were Clarence's or an editor's. "He would do anything to bring attention to his urban "empowerment agenda," which included tenant management and ownership of public housing, "liberated" from negligent, fraudulent or incompetent bureaucrats and government contractors. I'm thinking an editor put those there. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2009-05-09 18:14 |