In the summer of 1996, when Bob Dole was running for president, conservatives were bracing themselves for the Election Day drubbing that soon came. At the time, I was a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, finishing a year-long job. When Dole made his surprise pick of Kemp as his running mate–as I recall, Kemp was on fewer pundit short lists than Sarah Palin was last summer–he delivered a jolt to a jaded movement. The Heritage interns roamed the halls with bright eyes and smiles, sharing the news as if they were hocking papers on city streets. One of the think tank’s wise men, who had seen Kemp up close, cautioned against placing too much faith in the man. It turned out he was right to share this warning. But Kemp had a rare ability to energize idealistic young conservatives of an intellectual bent. In 1996, he was like a long bomb to the end zone–a flash of hope and excitement, usually followed by disappointment, but also often by applause for an attempt well made. Nobody has matched him since.