DBWI: Gore doesn’t win 1988 Democratic Primary

In 1988, Al Gore won the Democratic primary narrowly over his primary opponent, Jesse Jackson. The prominent MA governor, Michael Dukakis, famously decided not to run (as we now know, he was hoping to be a compromise nominee at a brokered convention without having to suffer through the primary process). Gore picked Illinois Senator Paul Simon as his VP, and easily defeated Bush/Quayle in November. However, he was undone by his actions in the Persian Gulf War, which led to Jackson’s primary and dethroning of Gore. Jackson was borderline unelectable, and he won no states in 1992 to Kemp/McCain as Gore refused to endorse him. What if Gore didn’t win? for example of a possible pod, if Dukakis decided to run, he had as good a shot as any. How strong would Dukakis have been against Bush, and how would a Dukakis nomination instead of a Gore one affect the modern Democratic Party?
 
It's a shame Cuomo didn't get the nod in '88. Someone who understood the needs of working people far better than Gore and wasn't a charlatan like Jackson.

I doubt Dukakis would have gone anywhere--nice guy but no gravitas. Why do you bring him up?
 
It's a shame Cuomo didn't get the nod in '88. Someone who understood the needs of working people far better than Gore and wasn't a charlatan like Jackson.

I doubt Dukakis would have gone anywhere--nice guy but no gravitas. Why do you bring him up?

Cuomo was fine, but the gaffe at the January debate ruined his campaign.

Dukakis was a Cuomo type unifying figure without the ties to corruption. He also was strong on civil liberties, something that was rare and admirable for his day, so I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for him.
 
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