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Michael Stanley Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
In office
January 2, 1975 – January 4, 1979
Lieutenant Thomas O'Neill, III
Preceded by Francis W. Sargent
Succeeded by Edward J. King
In office
January 6, 1983 – January 3, 1991
Lieutenant John Kerry (1983-1985)
Evelyn Murphy (1987-1991)
Preceded by Edward J. King
Succeeded by William Weld
Election date
November 8, 1988
Running mate Lloyd Bentsen
Opponent(s) George H. W. Bush (R)
Incumbent Ronald Reagan (R)
Born November 3, 1933 (1933-11-03) (age 74)
Brookline, Massachusetts
Political party Democratic
Spouse Kitty Dukakis
Residence Brookline, Massachusetts
Los Angeles, California
Profession Lawyer, Governor
Religion Greek Orthodox

Michael Stanley Dukakis (born November 3, 1933) is an American Democratic politician, former Governor of Massachusetts, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Thomas Phillip O'Neill III (1945- leads a Public relations and government affairs firm called O'Neill and Associates in Boston. Francis William Sargent ( July 29, 1915 - October 21, 1998) was governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975 Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator Evelyn Murphy is an American politician She was the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1991 and was the first woman in the history of Massachusetts Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945, in Smithtown New York) was the Republican Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr ( February 11 1921 – May 23 2006) was a four-term United States senator (1971 until 1993 from Texas George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Katharine Dickson Dukakis (born December 26, 1936) known as Kitty Dukakis, is the wife of former Massachusetts governor and U Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties He was born to Greek and Vlach immigrants [1] in Brookline, Massachusetts and was the longest serving governor in Massachusetts' history. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Vlachs is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. He was the second Greek-American governor in U. A Greek American (Ελληνοαμερικανοί Ellinoamerikani) is a citizen of the United States, who is of Greek heritage or origin S. history after Spiro Agnew. Spiro Theodore Agnew ( November 9, 1918 September 17, 1996) was the thirty-ninth Vice President of the United States (and the first

Contents

Early career and family

Dukakis's father Panos (1896–1979) was a Greek from Asia Minor who settled in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1912 and graduated from Harvard Medical School twelve years later, subsequently working as an obstetrician. Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. As of the 2000 census the city had a total population of 105167 Harvard Medical School ( HMS) is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University and currently the #1 medical school in America as ranked by U Obstetrics (from the Latin obstare, "to stand by" is the surgical speciality dealing with the care of a woman and her offspring during Pregnancy His mother Euterpe (née Boukis) (1903–2003) was a Greek immigrant from Larissa;[2] she and her family emigrated to Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1913. Larissa ( Greek: Λάρισα, Lárisa) is the capital city of the Thessaly periphery of Greece, and capital of the Haverhill (ˈheɪvrɪl is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. She was a graduate of Bates College. Bates College is a private liberal arts college located in Lewiston Maine, in the United States.

Dukakis attended Brookline High School in his hometown. Brookline High School is a four-year Public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States. [3] He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1955, served in the U.S. Army 1955–1957, stationed in Korea, and then received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1960. Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1500 students The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Juris Doctor (abbreviated JD or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a first professional graduate degree and Professional Harvard Law School (also known as Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional Graduate schools of Harvard University. Dukakis is also an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA) is the largest youth organization in the United States with over five million [4]

Massachusetts Governor

After winning four terms to the Massachusetts House of Representatives between 1962 and 1970, Dukakis was elected governor in 1974, defeating the incumbent Republican Francis W. Sargent during a period of fiscal crisis. The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts This is a list of the governors of Massachusetts who have presided over the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 1780 Francis William Sargent ( July 29, 1915 - October 21, 1998) was governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975 Dukakis won in part by promising to be a 'reformer' and pledging not to increase the state's sales tax to balance the state budget. He broke that pledge soon after taking office. He also had pledged to dismantle the powerful Metropolitan District Commission, a bureaucratic enclave that served as home to hundreds of political patronage employees. The MDC managed (some would say mismanaged) Massachusetts' parks, reservoirs, and waterways, as well as the highways and roads abutting those waterways. The MDC not only had its own police force, but its own navy as well, and an enormous budget from the State, for which it provided the most minimal accounting. The Dukakis pledge to dismantle MDC failed in the Legislature where MDC had many powerful supporters and ultimately came back to haunt Dukakis when the MDC withheld its critical backing in the 1978 gubernatorial primary (see below).

Governor Dukakis was an amiable host to President Ford and Queen Elizabeth II during their visits to Boston in 1976 to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States. Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (July 14 1913 December 26 2006 was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 and the fortieth Vice President For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II He gained some notoriety as the only person in the state government who went to work during the great Blizzard of 1978. During the storm, he went into local TV studios in a sweater to announce emergency bulletins. Dukakis is also remembered for his 1977 exoneration of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian anarchists whose trial sparked protests around the world, and who were electrocuted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts fifty years earlier in 1927. Ferdinando Nicola Sacco (April 22 1891 – August 23 1927 and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (June 11 1888 – August 23 1927 were two Italian-born American laborers Ferdinando Nicola Sacco (April 22 1891 – August 23 1927 and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (June 11 1888 – August 23 1927 were two Italian-born American laborers

During his first term in office, Dukakis commuted the sentences of 21 first-degree murderers and those of 23 second-degree murderers. Commutation of sentence involves the reduction of legal penalties, especially in terms of imprisonment. Due to controversy engendered by some of these individuals having re-offended, Dukakis curtailed the practice later, issuing no commutations in his last three years as governor. [5]

However, this performance did not prove enough to offset a backlash against the state's high sales and property tax rates, which turned out to be the predominant issue in the 1978 gubernatorial campaign. Dukakis, despite being the incumbent Democratic governor, was refused re-nomination by his own party. The state Democratic Party machine supported Edward J. King in the primary partly because King rode the wave against high property taxes (along with the passing of a binding petition on the state ballot that limited property tax rates to 2 1/2% of the property valuation -- known as Proposition 2 1/2), but more significantly because State Democratic Party leaders lost confidence in Dukakis's ability to govern effectively. Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U A primary election ( nominating primary) also referred to simply as a primary, is an election in which voters in a Jurisdiction select candidates King also enjoyed the support of the powerbrokers at the MDC, who were unhappy with Dukakis's attempts to disempower and dismantle the powerful bureaucracy. King also had support from state police and public employee unions. Dukakis suffered a scathing defeat in the primary. It was "a public death," according to his wife Kitty.

Yet, four years later ('after wandering in the wilderness' some said), having made peace with the state Democratic Party machine powerbrokers, MDC, the state police and public employee unions, Dukakis defeated King in a 're-match' in the 1982 Democratic primary. He went on to defeat his Republican opponent John Winthrop Sears, who was MDC Commissioner under Sargent, in the November election. Future Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry was elected lieutenant governor on the same ballot with Dukakis, and served in the Dukakis administration from 1983-85. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator A Lieutenant Governor is a high officer of state whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction

Dukakis served as governor again from 1983-91 (winning re-election in 1986 with more than 60 percent of the vote) during which time he presided over a high-tech boom and a period of prosperity in Massachusetts and simultaneously getting the reputation for being a 'technocrat'. The National Governors Association voted Dukakis the most effective governor in 1986. Residents of the city of Boston and its surrounding areas remember him for the improvements he made to Boston's mass transit system, especially major renovations to the city's trains and buses. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ( MBTA) is "a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts He was known as the only governor who rode the subway to work every day. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway

He made a cameo appearance in the medical drama St. Elsewhere (Season 3, Episode 15, "Bye, George," January 9, 1985). St Elsewhere is a US Drama series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) He limps to the hospital desk and says that he has suffered a jogging injury, but Dr. Fiscus (played by Howie Mandel) refuses to believe that he is the governor. Howie Michael Mandel II (born November 29, 1955) is a Canadian Stand-up comedian, Television host, and Actor.

Soon after his loss in the 1988 Presidential election to George H. W. Bush, the so-called 'Massachusetts Miracle' of prosperity also went bust, and Dukakis was little more than a 'lame duck' governor for his final two years in office. At the close of his tenure, Massachusetts was mired deeply in debt facing a budget shortfall of more than $1. 5 billion.

Presidential candidate

Main article: United States presidential election, 1988

Using the phenomenon termed the "Massachusetts Miracle" to promote his campaign, Dukakis sought the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the 1988 elections, prevailing over a primary field which included Jesse Jackson, Richard Gephardt, Gary Hart and Al Gore, among others. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties The term " Massachusetts Miracle " refers to a period of economic growth in the state of Massachusetts during most of the 1980s The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties Jesse Louis Jackson Sr (born October 8 1941 is an American Civil rights activist and Baptist minister. Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt (born January 31, 1941) is a former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. For the football player see Gary Hart (footballer. Gary Hart (born Gary Warren Hartpence, November 28, 1936 Albert Arnold Gore Jr (born March 31 1948 is an American environmental Activist, author Businessperson, former Politician, and former Dukakis's success at the primary level has been largely attributed to John Sasso, his campaign manager. John Sasso is an American Democratic political operative born in New Jersey. Sasso, however, was among two aides dismissed (Paul Tully was the other one) when a video showing plagiarism by rival candidate Joseph Biden (D-Delaware) was made public and an embarrassed Biden was forced to withdraw from the race. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. This situation got uglier when Tully implied that it was Dick Gephardt's campaign (as opposed to Dukakis's campaign) that actually passed along the damaging information on Biden.

Despite the claims that Dukakis always "turned the other cheek," he did run a particularly effective commercial against rival Dick Gephardt that featured a tumbler doing somersaults while the announcer said, "Dick Gephardt has been flip-flopping over the issues. " Dukakis finished third in the Iowa caucuses and then became the first candidate to ever win a contested New Hampshire primary by more than ten points with Gephardt finishing second. The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the U The New Hampshire primary is the first in a series of nationwide Political party Primary elections held in the United States every four years as part of Dukakis finished first in Minnesota and second in South Dakota before winning five states on March 8, 1988, the "Super Tuesday" primaries. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) In the United States Super Tuesday, in general refers to the Tuesday in February or March of a presidential election year when the greatest number of states hold As his competition continued to fade, Dukakis wound up with a seven-week stretch of one-on-one elections between himself and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr (born October 8 1941 is an American Civil rights activist and Baptist minister. Dukakis lost the Michigan caucus to Jackson but then prevailed by margins of two to one in Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, and New Jersey, clinching the nomination on June 7, 1988. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

Touching on his immigrant roots, Dukakis used Neil Diamond's ode to immigrants "America" as the theme song for his campaign. Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American Singer-songwriter and occasional Actor. "America" (also known as "They're Coming To America" or "Coming To America") is the name of a patriotic song written and Famed composer John Williams wrote "Fanfare for Michael Dukakis" in 1988 at the request of Dukakis's father-in-law Harry Ellis Dickson. John Towner Williams (born February 8 1932) is an American Composer, conductor and Pianist. The piece was premiered under the baton of Dickson (then the Associated Conductor of the Boston Pops) at that year's Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. The 1988 National Convention of the US Democratic Party was held at The Omni in Atlanta Georgia from July 18 &ndash July During the general election campaign, Vice President George H. W. Bush, the Republican nominee, criticized Dukakis for his traditionally liberal positions on many issues. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 These included Dukakis's statement during the primary season that he was "a card-carrying member of" the American Civil Liberties Union, his veto of legislation requiring public school teachers to lead pupils in the Pledge of Allegiance, and his opposition to the resumption of capital punishment in the United States. The American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU) consists of two separate Non-profit organizations the ACLU Foundation a 501(c(3 organization which focuses A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation. History The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931 a Baptist minister a Christian Socialist, and the cousin of Socialist Utopian Capital punishment of a Felon in the United States, in modern times is employed and in practice only in cases involving murder

Dukakis had trouble with the personality that he projected to the voting public. His reserved and stoic nature was easily interpreted to be a lack of passion (which went against the ethnic stereotype of his Greek-American heritage). A Greek American (Ελληνοαμερικανοί Ellinoamerikani) is a citizen of the United States, who is of Greek heritage or origin Dukakis was often referred to as "Zorba the Clerk. " Nevertheless, Dukakis is considered to have done well in the first presidential debate with George Bush. In the second debate, Dukakis had been suffering from the flu and spent quite a bit of the day in bed. His performance was poor and played to his reputation as being cold.

During the campaign, Dukakis's mental health became an issue when he refused to release his full medical history and there were, according to The New York Times, "persistent suggestions" that he had undergone psychiatric treatment in the past. The issue even caused then President Ronald Reagan, when asked whether the Democratic Presidential nominee should make his medical records public, to quip with a grin: "Look, I'm not going to pick on an invalid. " Twenty minutes later, Reagan stated that he "attempted to make a joke in response to a question" and that "I think I was kidding, but I don't think I should have said what I said. " Reagan continued, "I do believe that the medical history of a President is something that people have a right to know, and I speak from personal experience. " Dr. Gerald R. Plotkin, Dukakis' physician since 1970, stated that "[Dukakis] has had no psychological symptoms, complaints or treatment. "[6]

Views on capital punishment

The issue of capital punishment came up in the October 13, 1988 debate between the two presidential nominees. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Because she knew the Willie Horton issue would be brought up, Dukakis's campaign manager Susan Estrich had prepared with Bill Clinton an answer highlighting the candidate's empathy for victims of crime, noting the beating of his father in a robbery and the death of his brother in a hit-and-run car accident. William R Horton (born August 12, 1951 in Chesterfield, South Carolina) is a convicted Felon who was the subject of a Massachusetts Susan Estrich (born December 16 1952) is a Lawyer, Professor, Author, political operative Feminist Advocate William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States However, when Bernard Shaw, the moderator of the debate, asked Dukakis, "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis [his wife] were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" Dukakis replied coolly, "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life," and explained his stance. Bernard Shaw (born May 22 1940 is an American journalist and former News anchor for CNN from 1980 until his retirement in March 2001 Katharine Dickson Dukakis (born December 26, 1936) known as Kitty Dukakis, is the wife of former Massachusetts governor and U After the debate, Dukakis told Estrich he was sorry and didn't realize it was that question[7]. Many observers felt Dukakis' answer lacked the passion one would expect of a person discussing a loved one's rape and death. Many — including the candidate himself — believe that this, in part, cost Dukakis the election, as his poll numbers dropped from 49% to 42% nationally that night. Other commentators thought the question itself was unfair, in that it injected an irrelevant emotional element into the discussion of a policy issue.

Prison furlough program issue

The most controversial criticism against Dukakis involved his support for a prison furlough program. ˈfɝloʊ}} is a temporary leave of absence especially from duty in the [[armed services]] or from a [[prison]] term This initiative (begun before he became governor, though didn't yet include convicted murderers serving sentences without parole, and ended by the legislature during his last term) resulted in the release of convicted murderer William Horton (dubbed Willie Horton by the Bush camp), who committed a rape and assault in Maryland after being furloughed. William R Horton (born August 12, 1951 in Chesterfield, South Carolina) is a convicted Felon who was the subject of a Massachusetts Al Gore was the first candidate to publicly raise the furlough issue and asked about "weekend passes for convicted criminals" in a debate held in New York prior to the Democratic primary in that state, although Gore never mentioned Horton by name, or that he had broken into a house, raped a woman and beaten her husband. Albert Arnold Gore Jr (born March 31 1948 is an American environmental Activist, author Businessperson, former Politician, and former New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous

George H. W. Bush mentioned Horton by name in a speech in June 1988 and his campaign brought up the Horton case. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 A conservative political action committee affiliated with the Bush campaign, the National Security Political Action Committee, aired an ad entitled "Weekend Passes" which used a mug shot image of Horton. In the US, a Political Action Committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group regardless of size organized to elect political candidates A mug shot (also known as a mugshot, head shot, or booking photograph) is a Photographic Portrait taken after one is Arrested The Bush campaign refused to repudiate it. That ad campaign was followed by a separate Bush campaign ad, "Revolving Door", criticizing Dukakis over the furlough program without mentioning Horton. An advertising campaign is a series of Advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC "Revolving Door" is a famous negative television commercial made for the 1988 United States Presidential Campaign.

The Pledge of Allegiance issue

The Bush campaign also criticized Dukakis for vetoing a bill that would have required recitation of the pledge of allegiance in Massachusetts classrooms. History The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931 a Baptist minister a Christian Socialist, and the cousin of Socialist Utopian Dukakis felt the law was unconstitutional. (The Supreme Court held that compulsory recitation of the Pledge was unconstitutional in the 1943 case, West Virginia v. Barnette. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. West Virginia State Board of Education v Barnette, 319 US 624 ( 1943) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that )

Public relations failure: The "Tank/Helmet" disaster

This publicity image of Michael Dukakis backfired and seriously damaged his presidential campaign.
This publicity image of Michael Dukakis backfired and seriously damaged his presidential campaign.

Dukakis has been blamed for allowing "liberal" to come to be considered a derogatory term. Liberalism in the United States is a broad political and philosophical mindset favoring individual Liberty, and opposing restrictions on liberty whether they come from Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt He was criticized during the campaign for a perceived softness on defense issues, particularly the controversial "Star Wars" SDI program, which Dukakis promised to scale down (although not cancel). The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI was a proposal by US President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect In response to this, Dukakis orchestrated what would become the key image of his campaign, albeit not for the reasons he intended. In September 1988, Dukakis visited the General Dynamics plant in Michigan to take part in a photo op in an M1 Abrams tank. General Dynamics Corporation ( is a defense conglomerate formed by Mergers and Divestitures and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest Defense contractor Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. A photo op (sometimes written as photo opp) short for photograph opportunity ( photo opportunity) originally referred to an opportunity that resulted in The M1 Abrams is a main battle tank produced in the United States. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, had been photographed in a similar situation in 1986, riding in a Challenger tank while wearing a scarf; [8] although somewhat out of character, the image was effective and helped Thatcher's re-election prospects. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 The British FV4030/4 Challenger 1 AKA Al-Hussein was the Main battle tank (MBT of the British Army from 1983 until superseded by the Challenger 2 Dukakis's "tank moment" was much less successful. [9] Footage of Dukakis was used in television ads by the Bush campaign, as evidence that Dukakis would not make a good commander-in-chief, and "Dukakis in the tank" remains shorthand for backfired public relations outings. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces Public relations (PR is the practice of managing the flow of Information between an Organization and its Publics Public relations - often referred Although he served in the U. S. Army, Dukakis became a laughingstock of self-mockery for his tough-guy martial pretenses.

Election defeat

Dukakis's vice-presidential candidate was Senator Lloyd Bentsen of Texas. The Vice President of the United States is the first person in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr ( February 11 1921 – May 23 2006) was a four-term United States senator (1971 until 1993 from Texas Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The Dukakis/Bentsen ticket lost the election in an electoral college landslide, carrying only 10 states and the District of Columbia. An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Dukakis himself blames his defeat on the time he spent doing gubernatorial work in Massachusetts during the few weeks following the Democratic Convention. Many believed he should have been campaigning across the country. During this time, his 17-point lead in opinion polls completely disappeared as his lack of visibility allowed Bush to define the issues of the campaign.

Despite Dukakis's loss, his performance was a marked improvement over the previous two Democratic efforts. Dukakis made some strong showings in states that had voted for Republicans Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. He also scored victories in states like Rhode Island, Hawaii, and Dukakis's home state of Massachusetts; Walter Mondale had lost all three, and since then, all three states have remained in the Democratic column for each subsequent presidential election. Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale (born January 5, 1928) is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party He swept Iowa, winning it by ten points: an impressive feat in a state that had voted Republican in the last five elections. The State of Iowa ( is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. He got 43% of the vote in Kansas, a surprising showing in the home state of 1936 Republican Presidential nominee Alf Landon and future Republican nominee Bob Dole. Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " Alfred "Alf" Mossman Landon ( September 9, 1887 – October 12, 1987) was an American Republican Politician Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole (born July 22 1923 is an attorney and retired United States Senator from Kansas from 1969–1996 serving part of that time In another surprising showing, he received 47% of the vote in South Dakota. South Dakota ( is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America. In Montana, Dukakis racked up a close 46% of the vote in a state that had gone over 60% Republican four years earlier. Montana ( is a state in the Western United States. One-third of the state in the western part contains numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named of the northern Dukakis's relative strength in farm states was no doubt due to the serious economic difficulties these states were facing in the 1980s and it was the strongest showing in the Midwest for a Democrat since 1976.

Although Dukakis cut into the Republican hold in the Midwest, he failed to dent the emerging GOP stronghold in the South that had been forming since 1964 with a temporary reprieve with Jimmy Carter. He lost most of the South in a landslide, with Bush's totals reaching around 60% in most states. He was able to hold Bush to 55% in Texas, though this may have been due to Lloyd Bentsen's presence on the ticket. Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr ( February 11 1921 – May 23 2006) was a four-term United States senator (1971 until 1993 from Texas He also carried most of the southern-central parishes of Louisiana, despite losing the state. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America He held onto the border state of West Virginia, and he captured 48% of the vote in Missouri. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Missouri ( or) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee He also carried 41% in Oklahoma, a bigger share than any Democrat since Jimmy Carter. Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America.

Presidential electoral votes by state.
Presidential electoral votes by state.

In the Rust Belt, Dukakis also performed poorly, though he lost some states by close margins. The Rust Belt, sometimes called the Manufacturing Belt, is an area in parts of the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, and portions of the He lost Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and New Jersey. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. He won his home state of Massachusetts by only eight points, perhaps due to the unrelenting criticism of his record as governor. Dukakis's performance in the traditionally Democratic Northeast was also poor: he lost Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. New Hampshire ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean The only other New England state he won was Rhode Island. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the Rhode Island ( officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, is a state in the New England region of the United States Dukakis' biggest prize was winning New York, the second-largest state in the electoral college. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In the Pacific Northwest, Dukakis did much better, capturing both Washington and Oregon but losing California and Alaska. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent

Dukakis won 41,809,476 votes in the popular vote. He also received 40% or more in the following states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina and Vermont.

Overall, the 1988 election showed a marked improvement in the popular vote for the Democrats. While he lost the popular vote, Dukakis' margin of loss(7. 8%) was narrower than Jimmy Carter's in 1980 (9. 7%) or Walter Mondale's in 1984(18. 2%).

Subsequent activities

His final two years as governor were marked by increased criticism of his policies and by significant tax increases to cover expanded government and the economic effects of the U. S. economy's "soft landing" at the end of the 1980s and the recession of 1990. He did not run for a fourth term in 1990; Boston University President John Silber won the Democratic nomination, and lost the general election to William Weld. For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. John Robert Silber (born August 15, 1926) is an American academic and politician William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945, in Smithtown New York) was the Republican Governor of Massachusetts from 1991

After the end of his term, he served on the board of directors for Amtrak, and became a professor of political science at Northeastern University in Massachusetts, visiting professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University, and visiting professor in the Department of Public Policy at the School of Public Affairs at UCLA. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems Northeastern University, abbreviated NU or NEU, is a private University in Boston Massachusetts. Loyola Marymount University (LMU is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic Jesuit university in Los Angeles California, United States The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United He continued to talk in media interviews about the "negative" 1988 Bush campaign, beginning with his press conference on the day after the election, continuing throughout Bush's term, and even subsequent to Bush's defeat in the 1992 election. The United States presidential elections of 1992 featured a battle between incumbent President, Republican George H

Dukakis has recently developed a strong passion for grassroots campaigning and the appointment of precinct captains to coordinate local campaigning activities, two strategies he feels are essential for the Democratic Party to compete effectively in both local and national elections. For other meanings see Grass roots (disambiguation. A grassroots movement (often referenced in the context of a Political movement In 2006 he and Kitty worked to help Democratic candidate Deval Patrick in his efforts to become governor of Massachusetts. He also has taken a strong role in advocating for effective public transportation and high speed rail as a solution to automobile congestion and the lack of space at airports. He has recently been an advocate for the extended learning time initiative in public schools. [10]

Family

Dukakis is married to Katherine D. (Kitty) Dukakis. Katharine Dickson Dukakis (born December 26, 1936) known as Kitty Dukakis, is the wife of former Massachusetts governor and U The couple's children are John, Andrea and Kara. The Dukakises continue to reside in Michael's boyhood home in Brookline, Massachusetts, but live in Los Angeles, California during the winter while he teaches at UCLA. Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West

He is the cousin of actress Olympia Dukakis. Olympia Dukakis (Ολυμπία Δουκάκη born June 20, 1931) is an American actress.

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ "If Campaign Trail; Tapping Another Ethnic Group ", The New York Times, October 17, 1988. Futurama is an Emmy Award -winning animated American sitcom created by Matt Groening, and developed by Groening and "The Luck of the Fryrish" is the fourth episode in season three of Futurama.
  2. ^ "Community News — Dukakis" Society Fârşărotul Newsletter, February 1989
  3. ^ "Fanfares for Michael Dukakis", The New York Times, July 23, 1988. Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Accessed February 5, 2008. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common "And then the candidate, once a trumpeter in the Brookline High School band, took the podium and performed his own Fanfare for the Common Man. "
  4. ^ Townley, Alvin [2006-12-26]. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Legacy of Honor: The Values and Influence of America's Eagle Scouts. New York: St. Martin's Press, pp. 192-196. ISBN 0-312-36653-1. Retrieved on 2006-12-29. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II  
  5. ^ "If you thought Duke’s commutations were bad, be warned: Patrick’s could be so much worse", Boston Herald, October 6, 2006. The Boston Herald is a Tabloid -format Daily newspaper, the smaller of the two big dailies in Boston Massachusetts, United States
  6. ^ "Dukakis Releases Medical Details To Stop Rumors on Mental Health", The New York Times, August 4, 1988.
  7. ^ "The Debates" Susan Estrich, September 2004
  8. ^ BBC - Radio4 - Today/The Fate of Tanks
  9. ^ 100 Photographs that Changed the World by Life - The Digital Journalist
  10. ^ "Make the school day a full day", Orange County Register, April 11, 2008. The Orange County Register is a daily Newspaper published in Santa Ana, California.

Electoral history

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1974[1]

Democratic Massachusetts gubernatorial primary, 1978[2]

Democratic Massachusetts gubernatorial primary, 1982[3]

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1982[4]

Democratic Massachusetts gubernatorial primary, 1986[5]

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1986[6]

1988 Democratic presidential primaries[7]
Michael Dukakis - 9,898,750 (42. -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties 51%)
Jesse Jackson - 6,788,991 (29. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr (born October 8 1941 is an American Civil rights activist and Baptist minister. 15%)
Al Gore - 3,185,806 (13. Albert Arnold Gore Jr (born March 31 1948 is an American environmental Activist, author Businessperson, former Politician, and former 68%)
Dick Gephardt - 1,399,041 (6. Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt (born January 31, 1941) is a former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. 01%)
Paul M. Simon - 1,082,960 (4. Paul Martin Simon ( November 29, 1928 &ndash December 9, 2003) was an American politician from Illinois. 65%)
Gary Hart - 415,716 (1. For the football player see Gary Hart (footballer. Gary Hart (born Gary Warren Hartpence, November 28, 1936 79%)
Unpledged - 250,307 (1. 08%)

1988 Democratic National Convention[8]

United States presidential election, 1988

Further reading

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Francis W. Sargent		 Governor of Massachusetts
January 2, 1975 – January 4, 1979		 Succeeded by
Edward J. King
Preceded by
Edward J. King		 Governor of Massachusetts
January 6, 1983 – January 3, 1991		 Succeeded by
William Weld
Party political offices
Preceded by
Kevin H. White		 Massachusetts Democratic Party
gubernatorial candidate
1974		 Succeeded by
Edward J. King
Preceded by
Edward J. King		 Massachusetts Democratic Party
gubernatorial candidate
1982, 1986		 Succeeded by
John Silber
Preceded by
Walter Mondale		 Democratic Party presidential candidate
1988		 Succeeded by
Bill Clinton
Francis William Sargent ( July 29, 1915 - October 21, 1998) was governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975 The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. William Floyd Weld (born July 31, 1945, in Smithtown New York) was the Republican Governor of Massachusetts from 1991 Kevin Hagan White (born September 25, 1929) is an American politician best known as the longest-serving Mayor of Boston a position he held from The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U Edward Joseph King ( May 11 1925 – September 18 2006) was the Governor of the U The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. Every four years Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth Every four years Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth John Robert Silber (born August 15, 1926) is an American academic and politician Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale (born January 5, 1928) is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party This is a list of the candidates for the offices of President of the United States and Vice President of the United States of the modern Democratic Party of the United -->The United States presidential election of 1988 featured an open primary for both major parties William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States
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