July 12, 1988

This poem, based on an old diary entry from July 12, 1988, is about the presidential campaign of 1988. Specifically, Michael Dukakis, the Democratic nominee, has just picked Senator Bentsen to be his vice-presidential nominee.

~ ~ ~

The geeky little Greek will lead the blue team,
Dukakis of Massachusetts, and he has a theme:
He picks Texas's own Senator Lloyd Bentsen.
They call it the Boston to Austin connection!

This 'odd couple' thing has worked before,
A Boston/New York gent and a big Texas bore,
When princely Kennedy picked good old boy LBJ,
And to the White House they went all the way!

But they really were giants back then,
And this history ain't happening again.
Dukakis doesn't have that Kennedy shine;
And if Quayle is no JFK,
Staid Bentsen is no LBJ;
And the Republicans' economy's running fine;
Bush is no great shakes, one of an alliance,
But Reagan has become one of America's giants,

So Bush can stay on that merry course
And ply that wild supply-side voodoo,
Whereof the rich eat the poor, and worse,
And caper on to Reagan's dark rendezvous.

-- e. e. monk

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