Dukakis Scoffs at GOP’s ‘Wish List’ of Weaponry

Democrat Michael S. Dukakis today scoffed at the Republican “wish list” of weapons, saying, “You can’t have them all” and still balance the budget, while Republican running mate Dan Quayle said Dukakis is wrong to call “Star Wars” a fantasy. “It is called defending America,” he said.

Dukakis, finishing up a two-day swing through his home state of Massachusetts, today hinted strongly that he would let no more broadsides by Republican presidential nominee George Bush go unanswered.

“If it continues you have to respond,” Dukakis said in Springfield. “I think that’s unfortunate, but I think it’s very clear what kind of campaign the Republicans are running. . . . “

Dukakis also cited his opposition to the mobile MX missile system, two new supercarrier task forces and the space defense system formally called strategic defense initiative.

“Mr. Bush says he wants them all,” the Democrat said. “You can’t have them all. Not if you’re serious about providing the resources our conventional forces need and not if you’re serious about getting that deficit down.”

Quayle defended the Star Wars program in a speech today. “It is not a fantasy as the governor of Massachusetts has called it. It is called defending America,” he said.

In an appearance before the International Assn. of Fire Chiefs, meeting in Washington, Quayle opened by saying, “I’ve become very accustomed to fighting fires the last couple of weeks.”

Bush, campaigning today in Rocky Mount, N.C., called Dukakis “another liberal governor coming out of nowhere” in a reference to former President Jimmy Carter and suggested that the Democrat would advocate unilateral cuts in U.S. defense muscle.

In a speech at a Bendix defense plant, Bush said: “I’m glad there is change in the Soviet Union. But we better not let our guard down.”