From February 8 to June 14, 1988, voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for president in the 1988 United States presidential election. Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis was selected as the nominee through a series of primary elections and caucuses culminating in the 1988 Democratic National Convention held from July 18 to July 21, 1988, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Background Having been badly defeated in the 1984 presidential election, the Democrats in 1985 and 1986 were eager to find a new approach to win the presidency. They created the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), with the aim of recruiting a candidate for the 1988 election.
The large gains in the 1986 mid-term elections (which resulted in the Democrats taking back control of the Senate after six years of Republican rule) and the continuing Iran–Contra affair gave Democrats confidence in the run-up to the primary season.
Pre-primary events The Hart-Rice affair The Democratic front-runner for most of 1987 was former Colorado Senator Gary Hart.John Dillin for The Christian Science Monitor. 23 February 1987 Cuomo's `no' opens door for dark horses Hart had made a strong showing in the 1984 primaries and, after Mondale's defeat in the presidential election, had positioned himself as the moderate centrist many Democrats felt their party would need to win.
However, questions and rumors about possible extramarital affairs and about past debts dogged Hart's campaign. One of the great myths is that Senator Hart challenged the media to "put a tail" on him and that reporters then took him up on that challenge. In fact, Hart had told E. J. Dionne of The New York Times that if reporters followed him around, they would "be bored". However, in a separate investigation, the Miami Herald claimed to have received an anonymous tip from a friend of Donna Rice that Rice was involved with Hart. It was only after Hart had been discovered that the Herald reporters found Hart's quote in a pre-print of The New York Times Magazine.
On May 8, 1987, a week after the Donna Rice story broke, Hart dropped out of the race.
In December 1987, Hart surprised many political pundits by resuming his presidential campaign.Bob Drogin for the Los Angeles Times. 16 December 1987 Hart Back in Race for President : Political World Stunned, Gives Him Little Chance He again led in the polls for the Democratic nomination, both nationally and in Iowa. However, the allegations of adultery and reports of irregularities in his campaign financing had delivered a fatal blow to his candidacy, and he fared poorly in the early primaries before dropping out again.Associated Press, in the Los Angeles Times. 13 March 1988 Quits Campaign : 'The People 'Have Decided,' Hart Declares
The Hart scandal would later be depicted in the 2018 film The Front Runner, with Hugh Jackman portraying Hart.
Biden plagiarism scandals
Delaware Senator Joe Biden led a highly competitive campaign which ended in controversy after he was accused of plagiarizing a speech by Neil Kinnock, then-leader of the British Labour Party. Though Biden had correctly credited the original author in all speeches but one, the one of which he failed to make mention of the originator was caught on video and sent to the press by members of the Dukakis campaign. In the video Biden is filmed repeating a stump speech by Kinnock, with only minor modifications. Michael Dukakis later acknowledged that his campaign was responsible for leaking the tape, and two members of his staff resigned.
It was also reported that Biden had been guilty of plagiarism years before, while a student at the Syracuse University College of Law in the 1960s. Though Biden professed his integrity, the impression lingering in the media as the result of this double punch would lead him to drop out of the race. He formally suspended his campaign on September 28, 1987.
The Delaware Supreme Court's Board on Professional Responsibility would later clear Biden of the law school plagiarism charges.
After campaigns in 2008 and 2020, Biden was elected the 47th vice president in 2008 and 2012 and the 46th president in 2020.
Overview
Active campaign Exploratory committee Withdrawn candidateDemocratic National Convention Midterm elections Debates Primaries
Candidates Nominee CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaignDelegates wonPopular voteContests won Running mateMichael Dukakis Governorof Massachusetts(1975–1979, 1983–1991)Massachusetts(Campaign)Secured nomination:June 7, 19881,726.5(48.77%)9,705,590(42.18%)30Lloyd Bentsen
Eliminated at Convention CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaignWithdrawal dateDelegates wonPopular voteContests wonJesse JacksonPresident of PUSH(1971–2023)South Carolina(Campaign)Lost at convention:July 21, 19881,056(29.83%) 6,732,778 (29.26%)13
Withdrew during primaries CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaignWithdrawal dateDelegates wonPopular voteContests wonAl GoreU.S. Senatorfrom Tennessee(1985–1993)Tennessee(Campaign)Withdrew:April 21, 1988375(9.44%)3,124,278 (13.58%)7Paul SimonU.S. Senatorfrom Illinois(1985–1997)Illinois(Campaign)Withdrew:April 7, 1988147(4.15%)1,078,112 (4.68%)1Dick GephardtU.S. Representativefrom Missouri(1977–2005)Missouri(Campaign)Withdrew:March 29, 1988126(3.56%)1,432,080 (6.22%)3Gary HartU.S. Senatorfrom Colorado(1975–1987)Colorado(Campaign)Suspended:May 8, 1987Re-entered:December 12, 1987Withdrew:March 12, 19881(0.03%)354,298(1.54%)0Bruce BabbittGovernorof Arizona(1978–1987)Arizona(Campaign)Withdrew:February 18, 19880(0.00%) 80,483 (0.35%)0
Withdrew before primaries CandidateExperienceHome stateCampaignWithdrawal datePat SchroederU.S. Representativefrom Colorado(1973–1997)Colorado(Campaign)Withdrew:September 28, 1987Joe BidenU.S. Senatorfrom Delaware(1973–2009)Delaware(Campaign)Withdrew:September 23, 1987
Minor candidates Other notable individuals campaigning for the nomination but not featuring in major polls were: Douglas ApplegateDavid DukeLyndon LaRoucheAndy SundbergJames Traficant U.S. Representativefrom Ohio(1977-1995)(Campaign) No Elected Office(Grand Wizard of the KKK)(1974-1980)(Campaign) No Elected Office(Head of the NCLB)(1968-2019) No Elected Office(Chair of Democrats Abroad)(1981-1985) U.S. Representativefrom Ohio(1985-2002)
Declined Lloyd BentsenRobert C. ByrdTed KennedyLee IacoccaMario CuomoSam NunnU.S. Senatorfrom Texas(1971–1993)U.S. Senatorfrom West Virginia(1959–2010)U.S. Senatorfrom Massachusetts(1962–2009)Businessmanfrom Pennsylvania(1978–1992)Governorof New York(1983–1994)U.S. Senatorfrom Georgia(1972–1997)(December 19, 1985)(July 16, 1986)(February 19, 1987)(February 21, 1987)Dale BumpersBill ClintonBill BradleyDick CelesteChuck RobbU.S. Senatorfrom Arkansas(1975–1999)Governorof Arkansas(1979-1981, 1983-1992)U.S. Senatorfrom New Jersey(1979–1997)Governorof Ohio(1983–1991)Former Governorof Virginia(1982–1986)(March 20, 1987)(July 15, 1987)(August 2, 1987)(August 24, 1987)(November 12, 1987)
Polling Poll sourceDates Conducted GallupJun. 7-10, 1985 31% - 14% - - - 1% *% 1% 46% 15% 11% 12% 4% 5% 3% 3% 1% 2% 1% 2% *% -GallupJan. 10-13, 1986 47% - 16% - - - 1% 1% 1% - 22% 18% - 8% 8% 6% 3% 5% 3% 3% 1% 1% -GallupApr. 11-14, 1986 39% - 18% - - - 1% 2% 1% - 27% 14% - 6% 7% 6% 5% 2% 4% 2% 2% *% -GallupJun. 9-16, 1986 55% - - - - - - - - - 30% - - - - - - - - - - - - 75% - 14% - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59% - - - - - - - - - - 28% - - - - - - - - - - -GallupJul. 11-14, 1986 34% - 17% - - - - - - - 22% 26% - 7% 7% 6% 3% 3% 3% - - - -GallupSep. 3-17, 1986 54% - - - - - - - - - 29% - - - - - - - - - - - - 74% - 15% - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58% - - - - - - - - - - 29% - - - - - - - - - - -GallupOct. 24-27, 1986 32% - 14% - - - - - - - 27% 26% - 8% 7% 6% 3% 3% - - - - -GallupJan. 16-19, 1987 32% 1% 14% - *% - 1% - 1% - 13% 15% - 4% - - 3% - - 1% 1% - - 37% 2% 14% - *% - 1% - 1% - - 17% - 5% - - 3% - - 2% 2% - -WaPo-ABC NewsJan. 15-19, 1987 39% - 13% - 1% - 1% - 2% - 18% - - - - - 3% - - 4% - - -NYT-CBS NewsJan. 18-21, 1987 33% 1% 9% - 2% - 1% - 1% - 17% - - - - - - - - 3% - - -WaPo-ABC NewsMar. 5-9, 1987 46% 4% 14% - 3% - 1% - 1% - 18% - - - - - 2% - - 4% 3% - -GallupApr. 10-13, 1987 - 7% 27% 6% 6% - 2% - 4% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12%WaPo-ABC NewsMay 4, 1987 36% 9% 12% - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -NYT-CBS NewsMay 5-6, 1987 32% 6% 10% 1% 4% - 1% - 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1%GallupMay 6-7, 1987 - 11% 22% 6% 7% 9% 1% - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5%May 8: Gary Hart suspends campaignNYT-CBS NewsMay 11-14, 1987 - 11% 17% 5% 4% 6% 2% - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2% - 6% 12% 4% 3% 5% 1% - 3% - 25% - - 6% - - - - - 4% - - 2%WaPo-ABC NewsMay 28 - Jun. 1, 1987 - 11% 25% 5% 10% 13% 3% - 4% - 1% - - - - - - - - - - - 7%GallupJun. 8-14, 1987 - 11% 18% 5% 7% 7% 7% - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5%GallupJul. 10-13, 1987 - 13% 17% 8% 3% 7% 4% - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2%GallupJul. 6-19, 1987 25% 5% 13% 5% 5% 6% 3% - 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5%NYT-CBS NewsJul 21-22, 1987 - 8% 14% 7% 3% 6% 4% 5% 3% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -GallupAug. 24 - Sep. 2, 1987 - 13% 19% 8% 6% 7% 3% 6% 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2%GallupTimes Mirror Co.Sep. 1-13, 1987 - 15% 24% 6% 7% 7% 4% 3% 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3%WaPo-ABC NewsSep. 17-23, 1987 - 12% 23% 7% 8% 5% 6% - 4% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -GallupOct. 23-26, 1987 - 14% 22% 7% 5% 8% - - 1% - - - - - - - - - - - - - *%December 12: Gary Hart reenters raceWaPo-ABC NewsDec. 13-15, 1987 30% 15% 20% 5% 2% 8% - - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -NYT-CBS NewsDec. 15, 1987 21% 9% 17% 5% 1% 4% - - 2% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3% - 11% 22% 5% 3% 5% - - 4% - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3%GallupNews TribuneDec. 7-28, 1987 31% 10% 13% 5% 2% 10% - - 3% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -WaPo-ABC NewsJan. 17–23, 1988 23% 11% 25% 6% 4% 12% - - 3% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -GallupJan. 22-24, 1988 23% 16% 15% 6% 9% 9% - - 4% - - - - - - - - - - - - - -February 8: Iowa caucusFebruary 16: New Hampshire primaryMarch 8: Super TuesdayGallupMar. 10-12, 1988 - 32% 23% 17% 10% 5% - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Endorsements
Results In the Iowa caucuses, Gephardt finished first, Simon finished second, and Dukakis finished third. In the New Hampshire primary, Dukakis finished first, Gephardt finished second, and Simon finished third. Dukakis and Gore campaigned hard against Gephardt with negative ads, and eventually the United Auto Workers retracted their endorsement of Gephardt, who was heavily dependent on labor union backing.
In the Super Tuesday races, Dukakis won six primaries, Gore five, Jackson five and Gephardt one, with Gore and Jackson splitting the southern states. The next week, Simon won Illinois. 1988 is tied with 1992 as the race with the most candidates winning primaries since the McGovern reforms of 1971. Gore's effort to paint Dukakis as too liberal for the general election proved unsuccessful and he eventually withdrew. Jackson focused more on getting enough delegates to make sure African-American interests were represented in the platform than on winning outright. Dukakis eventually emerged as the party's nominee.
Tablemaker's Note: