WASHINGTON, May 3 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Sunday he will remember Jack Kemp as a fierce political advocate driven by his beliefs and principles.
Obama said in a White House news release the former Republican U.S. congressman for New York who died of cancer Saturday at the age of 73 was a committed public servant.
"Jack Kemp's commitment to public service and his passion for politics influenced not only the direction of his party, but his country. From his tenure as a Buffalo congressman to his ascent in national politics, 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,'" the president said.
Kemp, who also played in the National Football League and was a vice presidential nominee, was also remembered by former President George W. Bush Saturday, Fox News reported.
"Jack will be remembered for his significant contributions to the Reagan revolution and his steadfast dedication to conservative principles during his long and distinguished career," Bush said of Kemp, who also served as U.S. secretary of housing and urban development during his career.
