Politics 88 : Bush Boring? Better Ask His Wife

Vice President George Bush is a boring kind of guy. Just ask him.

On Tuesday, a television reporter confronted Bush with what has become an inevitable campaign stop question: Why don’t voters seem enthused about the upcoming general election?

And Bush, who in private sometimes tweaks his own dull, preppie image, let loose with some public deprecation.

“What’s wrong with being a boring kind of guy? Is that what you mean--you’re too polite to say it? But my wife doesn’t think that. I don’t know about Mrs. Dukakis, what she thinks. . . .”

Wittingly or not, Bush had made over one of Gov. Michael S. Dukakis’ signature lines. When he is accused of being less than emotional, Dukakis generally retorts that his wife finds him passionate.

“People aren’t looking for a lot of pizazz out there,” Bush continued. “They’re looking for somebody who’s stable, someone who’s had some experience, has a lot of conviction, has a record of achievement, has values they can identify with, hopefully the stability and strength to lead this country.

“So I think to kind of suddenly try to get my hair colored, dance up and down in a miniskirt or do something to show I’ve got a lot of jazz out there and drop a bunch of one-liners. . . . We’re talking about running for President of the United States. This is serious business.”