The Bad Candidate
Dole/Kemp: Not Enough and Way Too Much. Those were the days: Clinton vs Dole, two candidates, one having zero chance of getting elected. None of this 51/49 stuff we get today. The year was 1996, America was thinking of making a change. Bill Clinton had been president for 20 odd years. It was time for some new blood and it came from a teenage idol, Bob Dole. Make no mistake, Republican candidates didn't want to take a "beating" from Clinton. Really, who wants an old-time spanking. Certainly election day goes and comes, but it's on our permanent record, when those votes don't add up--it's lonely time. Undaunted Dole mounted his campaign. Jack Kemp (the ice cream magnate) signed on as Wannabee Vice pres. Who are we kidding, there was one man who was the motor in the Dole Dream Machine, that man? Sam Moore.
We got to know Moore during the '60s as one half of Sam and Dave. The Stax recording artists took the world by storm with hits like "Soul Man," "Hold on I'm Coming" and a few others I can't think of. By 1996, whatever Sam said goes. What did he say? It's simple; "I'm a Dole Man." It's quite fetching on the face of it--and that's what Moore was. Often singing at Dole campaign rallies Moore did indeed change the title of his classic, "Soul Man" to "I'm a Dole Man." I don't find it gauche at all. Also fans were also treated to Moore's textbook opened throat cries singing "Dole Kemp, Dole Kemp" like a man possessed. Alas, it wasn't enough. The public said "no thanks" and told Clinton/Gore to say put. Wow, "stay put" I haven't heard or thought of that one in years...
Moore attempting to break Dole's fall...
