One could easily ask this of Dole and be assured of an affirmative - that is, if he told the truth. Afterall, he and Kemp in the past probably haven't been able to agree on whether the sun was shining or not.

But, then again, maybe Dole and Kemp have just told the American people just how factual it is that all politicians consider a big-money game will do anything, even go against your own principles, to get into office.

Maybe Dole has also told everyone the importance of the vice-presidency. The impression this writer has is Dole considers the office important only to the extent that it will get his himself, and his party, a few more votes.

Personally, an ex-quarter back from way back when isn't much of a qualification for the man that could become president in the event (please don't let this happen) Dole becomes president. Our country will indeed be under four years of chaos, politically speaking.

Besides, many of us didn't think much of Kemp when he was playing quarterback. Actually, this writer didn't think about him at all even though he watched every football game he could. So, maybe he didn't stand out from the crowd as much as Dole thinks.

This writer didn't even know where Kemp came from when he attempted to get the nomination for president (was that sometime in the 80's?) and thought he was just one of those guys that came out of the woodwork. The writer never thought of checking ex-football rosters. Simply, Kemp was not known, not only to the writer, but to everyone the writer knew.

Off the top of his head, the writer thinks that Dole naming Kemp as his running mate is another example of political garbage that was done in order to dupe the American public (and his own party) into believing the Republican party is getting united. That is, united enough to believe this feeble attempt at presenting an imaginary joining of philosophies will win enough votes to get a Republican, himself, into the highest office in the land.

So, the writer will make a prediction. Should it happen, that Dole becomes president, very little will be accomplished in the next four years and our country will enter the 21st century at least two steps behind where we are right now. A false front cannot hold. Bitterly opposed people cannot keep up a facade of togetherness for any length of time, if at all.

The result will be an even more dead-locked Congress, not because of Democrats, but because of all of the rivalries and philosphies-in-opposition that now make up the Republican party. Mark the writer's words: middle-America would suffer and very little that would improve their lives will be accomplished with Dole and the Republicans running the nation.

Special Addemdum: Talk about a prediction being borne out. We for sure found out the amount of chaos created by a Republican dominated House and Senate. Thank the heavens the Executive Branch was also not under control of the Republican Party.

Think of the following when you think of the Dole-Kemp team. Even Gingrich told Kemp he was through in politics in the recent past. Apparently, it upset Newt because Kemp supported the flat tax ideas of Forbes and because Kemp was opposed to Republicans like Dole always voting to increase taxes. Kemp nailed it right on the head and showed his severe opposition to Dole's tax philosophy when he said, "that Dole never found a tax hike that he didn't like."

Come to think of it, Kemp also supported Forbes in the primaries, not Dole. And, Forbes' camp proved conclusively that Dole was just not the man he presented himself to be and, certainly, not the man to be in the Oval Office.

Looks like Kemp, who grew up playing games well into adulthood is still playing games. Ex-football player to just another game-playing, manure-spreading Washington politician. Ain't America great?

So, we know old Newt is opposed to Kemp's philosophies. We know Dole is not only opposed to Kemp's philisophies but doesn't even like him. Don't pay any attention to that crap that Dole put out Friday, that he was looking for a '10' but, instead, found a '15.' Just a few short weeks ago, Dole would have had Kemp at a minus 15, if on a scale at all.

And, think of the inconsistencies. It was reported at the time that Kemp placed his support behind Forbes during the primaries that Dole responded with, "Last time we're dealing with the quarterback."

So, one would think from this statement that Dole then presumed that Kemp wasn't very bright by using his ex-football playing as a put-down. Now, of course, every other statement seems to mention Kemp's football playing as a plus.

My, my, my, just what is one to think? Isn't it just more of the same old politics of misrepresenting one's self and philosophies to the public in order to get into office?

The writer, because of major conflicts between the two men, thinks that we have evidenced behind-closed-doors bargaining for political gain and that the leaders of the Republican party do not have the best interests of this country and its people at heart.

The writer further thinks that Dole, by selecting Kemp, and Kemp, for accepting the offer, have displayed one of the dirtiest forms of politics in that such activities do not lead America away from lying, cheating, 'doing-whatever-it-takes-to-get-into-office' politicians.

And, Ladies and Gentlemen, if they haven't already done so, Dole, and his now good buddy, Kemp, should have proved to you beyond a shadow of doubt that they certainly fall into that category of ‘politician’ with every negative connotation possible.