Massachusetts Gov. Dukakis Tosses Hat in Presidential Ring
Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis announced his candidacy for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination today, saying he feels he has the strength to run the country although the odds against his winning are “very, very long.”
“With your help and with your prayers, the son of a Greek immigrant named Mike Dukakis can be the next President,” the 53-year-old governor told his supporters at the Statehouse.
Dukakis, a reform candidate with strong liberal credentials, became Massachusetts governor in January, 1975, and proceeded to remove “employable” people from the welfare roles, to end medical assistance to welfare recipients and the working poor and to cut cost-of-living increases for welfare families with dependent children.
An ABC News-Washington Post poll of Democrats last week put support for Dukakis at 4%.
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