Campaign United States presidential election, 1988

michael dukakis on tank

governor dukakis attempted quell criticism ignorant on military matters staging photo op in rode in m1 abrams tank outside general dynamics plant in sterling heights, michigan. move ended being regarded major public relations blunder, many mocking dukakis s appearance waved crowd tank. footage of dukakis used bush campaign evidence not make commander-in-chief, , incident remains commonly cited example of backfired public relations outings.

michael dukakis @ campaign rally @ ucla s pauley pavilion on eve of 1988 election.

one reason bush s choice of running mate, senator dan quayle, appeal younger generation of americans identified reagan revolution . quayle s looks praised senator john mccain: can t believe guy handsome wouldn t have impact. quayle not seasoned politician, however, , made number of embarrassing statements. dukakis team attacked quayle s credentials, saying dangerously inexperienced first-in-line presidency.

during vice presidential debate, quayle attempted dispel such allegations comparing experience of former senator john f. kennedy, had been young political rookie when running presidency (kennedy had served fourteen years in congress quayle s twelve). quayle said, have experience in congress jack kennedy did when sought presidency. senator, served jack kennedy. knew jack kennedy, dukakis s running mate, lloyd bentsen, responded. jack kennedy friend of mine. senator, re no jack kennedy.

quayle responded, uncalled for, senator, bentsen said, 1 making comparison, senator, , m 1 knew him well. , frankly think far apart in objectives choose country did not think comparison well-taken.

quayle s reaction bentsen s comment played , replayed democrats in subsequent television ads announcer intoned, quayle: heartbeat away. despite press kennedy comments, did not reduce bush-quayle lead in polls. quayle had sought use debate criticize dukakis liberal rather go point point more seasoned bentsen. bentsen s attempts defend dukakis received little recognition, greater attention on kennedy comparison.

during course of campaign, dukakis fired deputy field director donna brazile after spread rumors bush had affair assistant jennifer fitzgerald. relationship of george h.w. bush , jennifer fitzgerald briefly rehashed during 1992 campaign.

dukakis badly hurt republican willie horton , revolving door , , boston harbor campaign ads, latter of attacked governor s failure clean environmental pollution in harbor. dukakis supporter of state prison furlough program, had begun before governor. program had resulted in release of convicted murderer willie horton, committed rape , assault in maryland. governor, dukakis had vetoed 1976 plan bar inmates convicted of first-degree murder furlough program. program abolished state legislature in april 1988 after public outcry on willie horton case.

a number of false rumors dukakis reported in media, including claim idaho republican senator steve symms dukakis s wife kitty had burned american flag protest vietnam war, claim dukakis himself had been treated mental illness. lee atwater accused of having floated these rumors.

voters split won first presidential debate. bush improved in second debate. before second debate, dukakis had been suffering flu , spent of day in bed. performance poor , played reputation being intellectually cold. reporter bernard shaw asked dukakis whether support death penalty if wife raped , murdered; dukakis s answer discussed statistical ineffectiveness of capital punishment. several commentators thought question unfair, in injected irrelevant emotional element discussion of policy issue, many observers felt dukakis s answer lacked normal emotions 1 expect of person asked loved 1 s rape , death. tom brokaw of nbc reported on october 14 newscast, consensus tonight vice president george bush won last night s debate , made harder governor michael dukakis catch , pass him in 25 days remaining. in of friday morning quarterbacking, there common agreement dukakis failed seize debate , make night.