Reminiscing on the GOP’s national convention in San Diego, I was left with a lingering, puzzling question:

Exactly how much of the fresh air Jack Kemp breathed into the Republican party’s bid for the White House was used to blow smoke up the collective asses of the American people?

Does anyone truly believe this unholy alliance of presidential nominee Bob Dole and running mate Kemp is based on the foundations of anything but political expediency?

It certainly can’t be based on the like-minded belief systems of the running mates. A brief look at recent history illustrates that a Dole-Kemp ticket is ideologically illogical.

Kemp strongly supports an assault weapons ban and affirmative action. Dole does not, to put it mildly.

Kemp publicly opposed Republican California governor Pete Wilson’s anti-immigrant Proposition 187.

Kemp also hedged his support for Dole and Newt Gingrich’s “Contract with America” by voicing opposition to two very key items of the “Contract:” term limits and a balanced budget amendment.

All of which begs the question: Why would Bob Dole select this man as his running mate? A man who is at odds not only with Dole, but with the majority of the GOP?

Because of image. Image is everything in ’96, Grant Hill be damned. Kemp’s name is supposed to attract more of the poor, female, young and minority voters because of his support for under-represented groups.

He adds a warmer, fuzzier element to the GOP ticket, which Dole couldn’t provide and nearly demolished in his nomination acceptance speech in which he said that he would not listen to anyone who lacked real-life, worldly experience of the ages.

In Dole’s mind, this means if you didn’t fight in World War II, you’re a soft, whiny Sissy-Mary mall-rat who wouldn’t know real hardship if it walked up to you and smacked your teen-line phone out of your wussy hands.

Kemp’s image is apparently bolstering the ticket, as Dole has climbed into a near deadlock with incumbent President Bill Clinton while Kemp’s name negated the spectre of Ross Perot.

But don’t think that any of the progressive ideas that made Kemp such an attractive selection will surface before or during a Dole presidency. Kemp has dismissed the political differences between himself and Dole in the name of “teamwork.”

He was quoted in Newsweek as saying, “I think it would have been offensive to say, ‘I’m on his team and this is my first disagreement and I’m sticking him in the ear with a pencil. Politically, I had to say that Bob Dole has given me the opportunity to work with him.”

Politically, I have to say that you’re a sell-out, Mr. Kemp. You’ve sold out your innovative political ideas for the opportunity to one day be president.

Hope it was worth it, considering it was the progressive policies you’ve now abandoned that made you such an excellent choice for president in the first place.

Without your views on how to better American life, you’re Bob Dole in a football jersey.

Your unwillingness to kowtow to the party line and endorse policies based in compassion and common sense, rather than political pressures, were what made you an admirable leader. You’ve compromised your integrity. What now?

But let’s face it. This election isn’t about issues, or ideas, or how to combat the ills of American society. It’s about beating the other team. At any cost. No matter how much it costs the American people.

President Bill Clinton sells out and goes “hard-line” on welfare reform because he’s scared to death that the GOP’s attempts to turn every social debate into a toughman contest will cost him the presidency.

Disregard the fact that the welfare reform bill he signed will sacrifice the well-being of many poor children and young mothers. This isn’t about helping people. It’s about winning.

So Clinton sells out. Kemp sells out. Dole sells out. It’s Macy’s white sale, and I don’t wanna buy anything.

Although, it may be impossible for Dole to sell out. The man hasn’t even read his party’s platform. Neither has GOP Chairman Haley Barbour, who said, “(I’ll read it) when I get the chance. I never have read any of the others.”

Has anybody read the damn thing? This is responsible leadership? How can you convince the American people your platform will serve their needs best when you don’t even know what the specifics of your platform are?

If Dole bothered to read the GOP platform, he’d find it’s not even consistent with his views. The platform’s abortion ban doesn’t include exceptions for cases of rape and incest. When a GOP delegate told Dole, “Jeez, this doesn’t even reflect your view,” Dole simply shrugged.

Dick Morris summed up Dole’s campaign perfectly: “Dole is running for a job he’s not suited for, on a platform he doesn’t believe in, with a running mate he doesn’t like.”

All of which brings me to the sad conclusion that while six other presidential candidates flounder in obscurity, the Big Two will continue to play the same infomercialized rhetoric-filled games Americans claim to grow tired of.

As I watched Bob Dole stand at the podium in San Diego, arms raised as the chant of “freedom,” accompanied by synthesizers and drums over the loudspeakers that sounded eerily like a “Seig Heil” dance-march remix by Abba rang through the hall, one thought crossed my mind:

No matter who wins in November, I’m pretty sure I know who’s going to lose.

Image is nothing? You wish.

Tim Davis is a senior in Theatre Studies from Carlisle. He is the editor of the Editorial Page.