THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610110497
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: 58 lines
Challenged to a duel, humorist Mark Twain said he'd like to choose the weapons.
``Of course,'' said his foe, an excellent shot and swordsman.
``Axes at two paces,'' Twain said.
Republicans had hoped Jack Kemp would ax the Clinton-Gore ticket in Wednesday night's debate.
They wanted Kemp to attack Al Gore with the zeal of talk-show hosts. Kemp chose a pillow fight.
Gore had a pillow with bricks.
Defending Dole's 15 percent tax cut, Kemp said it had been called trickle-down. ``I call it Niagara Falls,'' he said. A fine image!
``The problem with this version of Niagara Falls is that Sen. Dole and Mr. Kemp would put the American economy in a barrel and send it over the falls,'' Gore said.
A perfect riposte! Who'd have thought Gore had it in him? His Niagara Falls crack might come to denote this debate ever after.
Gore's normal expression is about as animated as that of a mannequin in a store window gazing above the heads of shoppers.
But during the debate Gore, now a cat at a mouse hole, kept his eyes intent on Kemp, to catch every word, I thought. What wit!
My estimate of Gore shot up 15 percent, enough to blow a hole in the deficit - a phrase he pounded into listeners' minds a dozen times.
Imagine my chagrin next day to learn that Gore's quick wit had been rehearsed in practice sessions, ad lib by rote. Gore was prepared. Kemp was winging it, as usual.
Moderator Jim Lehrer asked for Kemp's views on the widespread belief that something has gone wrong with the American soul.
``How can America go into the next century and leave so many people behind?'' Kemp asked. ``It's a giant zero game, kind of like musical chairs when we were young . . . and when the music stopped some big guy elbowed out the little guy from that last chair.
``That's not America, folks. We need more chairs . . . a bigger table . . . a greater banquet . . . and opportunity for any man or woman and child to be what God meant them to be, not what Washington, D.C., wants them to be.''
There was more, the eloquence that makes Democrats adore Kemp.
Crafty Gore lauded Kemp: ``I think it's an extremely valuable service to have a voice within the Republican Party who says, `We ought to have one nation. We ought to cross all of the racial and ethnic and cultural barriers.' I think that is a very important message to deliver.''
His voice soft, humble, Kemp thanked Gore. Civility, Kemp said, ``cannot return to our country unless every person feels that they have an equal shot at the American dream.''
Kemp failed to note that his is not the sole enlightened voice within the GOP, as the wily Gore implied. Kemp's oversight will anger some of his brethren, come 2000, especially those on the rancorous right. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo<
Al Gore
Jack Kemp by CNB