Michael Dukakis, the former Massachusetts governor who lost to George H.W. Bush in the 1988 presidential election, is urging potential 2020 candidates to come up with a “carefully thought-out strategy” or face failure.
“Don’t do what I did,” Dukakis said in an interview with the Boston Herald, as he warned Bay State politicians mulling 2020 runs to plan ahead. “You better develop a carefully thought-out strategy to turn them into character issues for the man saying them, and you better do it soon.”
Dukakis’ run was hurt badly by Bush’s portrayal of him as a "card-carrying member of the ACLU" – and whose liberal policies as governor resulted in the release of convicted murderer Willie Horton, who committed a rape and assault in Maryland after being furloughed.
Dukakis believes the repeated bashing of his state’s liberal policies by President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions is a calculated strategy to rally conservative voters, The Herald said.
“I mean, I don’t think they’re doing it just for the hell of it — and sending Sessions up here just for the hell of it,” he told the newspaper.
Possible 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Gov. Deval Patrick and Rep. Seth Moulton.
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