Presidential Campaign

As a Democrat, I regret seeing Dukakis run such a pitiful campaign. I had believed that a ticket of Bush and Quayle, the Nixon-Agnew of the ‘80s, would be an easy one to beat.

Bush, the pretender to the Teflon title, has been able to slough off his involvement with the Contras, Noriega, Irangate and the CIA, while bludgeoning Dukakis with the Pledge of Allegiance, for crying out loud. The problem is that Dukakis has no sense of humor, only a sense of hubris. When the polls show that the public likes Lloyd Bentsen better than it likes him, he takes it personally. Why else has he not included his popular running mate in any of his TV commercials?

As badly as the Democrats ran presidential campaigns in ‘68, ‘72, ’80 and ‘84, this is by far the weakest and the most provincial. Judging by the way the Dukakis advisers have offended party leaders around the country, you would think that the guy was running for mayor of Boston.

Speaking of Boston. I must admit that the only thing worse than being a Democrat is being, as I am, a Red Sox fan. At least the Democrats only break my heart every four years.

BURT PRELUTSKY

Santa Monica