Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen – hitting the ground running.
Busy day for a July 22, 1988.
Starting with – Michael Dukakis launched his optimistic drive for the White House on Thursday by accepting the nomination of a unified Democratic National Convention with a declaration that “this election isn’t about ideology. It’s about competence.” He pledged to lead the nation to “the next American frontier.” In an address that roused thousands of delegates to prolonged cheers and thunderous applause, the Massachusetts governor said he wanted to “rekindle the American spirit of invention and daring” and to move beyond what he called the “cramped ideals and limited ambitions” of the Reagan era. Dukakis defined his “frontier” both with a call to specific commitments – to greater government activity in such areas as education and child care – and with a broader call for change. Just as his choice of theme was an echo of John F. Kennedy’s New Frontier, so were some of the passages he used to describe it.
“Maintaining the status quo, running in place, standing still, isn’t good enough for Dukakis declared. “Opportunity for some isn’t good enough for America.” And, in an effort to counter Vice President Bush’s attempts to portray him as a “liberal,” the nominee said: “This election isn’t about ideology; it’s about competence. It’s not about meaningless labels; it’s about American values – old-fashioned values like accountability and responsibility and respect for the truth.” “My friends, we’re going to forge a new era of greatness,” he promised. “The Reagan era is over. A new era is about to begin.”.
Meanwhile, in the Middle-East – Iran said Iraq dropped chemical bombs on two villages and occupied three towns in western Iran today as U.N. officials prepared to mediate a cease-fire between the Persian Gulf enemies. Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency said Iraqi forces were occupying the Iranian border towns of Khosrawi, Qasr-e Shirin and Sar-e Pol Zahab is 12 miles from the border.
IRNA said “scores of civilians” were wounded in the nearby villages.
And finally – A fire set by the “Calaveras County Arsonist” has burned $1.5 million worth of timber, destroyed six homes and angered residents of the Sierra Nevada, who say arson is something that is just not done in California’s mountainous Gold Rush country. With the fire danger as high as in the rest of the West – parched dry from the drought and blistering heat – residents were fuming at the arson spree that has made a dangerous situation even worse. “I am very angry, just very angry,” said Lou Maconbre of the summer resort and retirement town of Arnold, which was once in the path of the flames but was out of danger Thursday. “We take care of each other up here. We have a lot of elderly and a lot of people who live out in the boontoolies.
This kind of thing does not happen.’
And that’s just a sample of what went on, this July 22, 1988 as reported by The CBS World News Roundup.
