Not Your Father’s Michael Dukakis
Reported by Ellen - July 3, 2008 -
Michael Dukakis was on Hannity & Colmes last night (7/2/08) and proved that there’s a lot more to the 1988 Democratic presidential candidate than Willie Horton and the tank photos. Clearly, Dukakis has learned a lot since he lost the election. He deftly turned aside Republican co-host Michael Steele’s repeated attempts to tarnish Barack Obama as being too liberal, slammed John McCain and the Bush administration and spoke frankly and endearingly about his own errors. With video.
A few highlights:
Dukakis told Steele, "I really don't know what the definition (of liberal) is these day. I mean, we've got a guy who calls himself a conservative in the White House who's probably run the most fiscally irresponsible administration in history. There’s nothing conservative about invading Iraq, whatever you think of it and I don't think very much of it... When it comes to foreign policy, (Obama's) a lot more conservative than John McCain, can we agree?"
Steele started laughing but he did not rebut.
When Steele asked how Obama was going to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans, Dukakis answered, "Look, we have 47 million Americans - most of them working or members of working families - that don't have a dime of health insurance. I don't know of anyone in this country - Republican, Democrat, liberal, conservative, who thinks that's acceptable, do you?"
It's not often that Hannity & Colmes offers a double segment to a Democrat without an opposing Republican (or two). Dukakis more than earned it.
