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Former Gov. Dukakis Discusses Support For Markey, Impeachment, Presidential Race

Gov. Dukakis with Kitty Dukakis.
By Michael Horan from Stoughton, MA - md9, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72494576
Gov. Dukakis with Kitty Dukakis.

Former Mass. Gov. Mike Dukakis endorsed Sen. Ed Markey in his primary campaign against Rep. Joe Kennedy on Tuesday. The 1988 Democratic presidential nominee discussed that and more in an interview with WAMC's Ian Pickus.

“I just don’t see the reason for replacing him....he’s really one of the best people I’ve ever worked with….I’m all for youth, but when you have somebody who is as good as Markey is and is as effective as he is, I don’t care what his age is, we need this guy in the United States Senate….he’s full of energy, and I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

What about overcoming the Kennedy name?

“It’s important. No question about it. But what I would love Joe to be doing is not going after Ed Markey, but out across the country, doing everything he can to remove this guy from the White House. That’s the single most important issue. And a Kennedy campaigning out there across the country to get rid of Trump and get us some new and, or experienced and honest and effective leadership is just so, so important.”

Have you told Joe Kennedy that?

“Well I think he’s quite aware of it, yeah. And I say this with great affection.”

Is Markey the underdog here?

"Well I think he’s got a battle on his hands, no question about it, sure. We love the Kennedys in Massachusetts and with good reason. I’d love to see him do well and remain in the Senate, especially if we had ourselves a new Democratic president.”

Thoughts on the presidential primary right now?

“It’s all over the place. And that’s usually what happens….I don’t think the early results will be that significant only because it’s a large field. But I’m proud of these candidates. I think they’re all very, very good and I think we’ll have a nominee by probably mid-April and then we’re all going to have to go to work to make sure he or she wins this thing and get this embarrassment out of the White House.”

What do you think of the impeachment trial?

“I was never an enthusiastic supporter of impeachment. Not because I don’t think the guy oughta be impeached – I think he’s a disgrace. But it seemed to me almost inconceivable that the Senate would convict him. But every day there’s another revelation about something about this guy. Unfortunately, I don’t know whether it’s pathological or otherwise, but he can’t stop lying. I mean, every day. The Bolton evidence that we’re now reading about is another classic example of this. I mean the guy just lies through is teeth. And I think it’s time to get this guy out of the White House. The sooner the better.”

A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, Ian joined WAMC in late 2008 and became news director in 2013. He began working on Morning Edition and has produced The Capitol Connection, Congressional Corner, and several other WAMC programs. Ian can also be heard as the host of the WAMC News Podcast and on The Roundtable and various newscasts. Ian holds a BA in English and journalism and an MA in English, both from the University at Albany, where he has taught journalism since 2013.
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