Baffled Michael Dukakis - Who Makes the Decision?

Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis answers a question from Anne Groer about how some may compare Abortion to Capital Punishment. He makes a slight contradiction on his toughness on major crime during the First Presidential Debate in Winston-Salem at Wake Forest University on September 25, 1988. For those who want to see this clip at normal speed, see: watch?v=AFyBVD9gRhU&feature=related at 39:10.
GROER: Governor Dukakis, is there a conflict between your opposition to the death penalty and your support for abortion on demand, even though in the minds of many people, that's also killing?
DUKAKIS: No, I don't think there is. There are two very different issues here, and they've got to be dealt with separately. I'm opposed to the death penalty. I think everybody knows that. I'm also very tough on violent crime. And that's one of the reasons why my state has cut crime by more than any other industrial state in America. It's one of the reasons why we have the lowest murder rate of any industrial state in the country. It's one of the reasons why we have a drug education and prevention program that is reaching out and helping youngsters all over our state, the kind of thing I want to do as president of the United States. You know, the vice president says he wants to impose the death penalty on drug traffickers, and yet his administration has a federal furlough program which is one of the most permissive in the country, which gave last year 7,000 furloughs to drug traffickers and drug pushers, the same people that he says he now wants to execute. The issue of abortion is a very difficult issue, one that I think that we all have to wrestle with, we have to come to terms with. I don't favor abortion. I don't think it's a good thing. I don't think most people do. The question is who makes the decision. And I think it has to be the woman, in the exercise of her own conscience and religious beliefs, that makes that decision.

[@JRodB]

"If I'd beaten the old man, we'd have never heard of the kid and we wouldn't be in this mess." Dukakis = The President that should have been

[@grindlevolk]

Amen, brother!

[@Maestrohbill]

No, that's not what happens. In fact, the Electoral College ensures that the small states get a vote and is weighted IN FAVOR of the small states. In this day and age if we reduced it to a popular vote, we'd have campaigning ONLY in the big cities. Rural America would be left out.

[@ReuWil]

Indeed. Whenever someone comes out and attacks the Electoral College and you ask them to explain what the Electoral College is, they can rarely even explain the basic concepts - they just "know" they "oppose" it.

[@BUSean]

This is part of why there is now silence during all debates. The CNN wire polling thing this year should be removed, too.

[@mandolinroad]

Wow, a candidate who was anti-death and pro-abortion. This is the most sane presidential candidate I've ever listened to. Shame he lost.

[@julius923]

See "United States Electoral College" under Wikipedia: The electoral college system, like the national convention, is an indirect element in the process of electing the president. The Constitution does not require the electors to vote as pledged, but many states do require their electors to vote as pledged.

[@JRodB]

Wow...did the audience actually laugh after he said "tough on violent crime?" In the actual debate..

[@julius923]

"I'm opposed to the death penalty. I think everybody knows that. I'm also very tough on violent crime." It's not wrong just a slight contradiction, notice the laughter.

[@Maestrohbill]

In fairness, Mass. did have the largest drop in violent crime of any industrial state. Of course, that might be due to the Reagan economic recovery that Dukakis spent a year denying ever happened.

[@julius923]

It's well known fact that (since 8th grade) that the electoral college controls the vote regardless of the popular vote. Is it a defect in our government? Maybe, but not in the character of the Presidency or their family.

[@julius923]

Morphing???? The video was sped up, there wasn't any morphing. If honest people want to know more about Dukakis, they shouldn't be looking on KZbin and I left the words of his comments written into the description if you couldn't understand it. Lighten up!!!

[@ReuWil]

No, that isn't a "well known fact." There is no such thing as a national popular vote that is officially tallied - that is essentially nothing more than a media statistic. There are 51 separate state elections (counting DC) to choose the electors to represent the will of the State. The States grant the people the right to vote for President, not the Federal government.

[@julius923]

This video will soon be deleted. The purpose was only for the amusement of the confused look after Dukakis makes a slight contradiction in saying that he was tough on crime but didn't believe in capital punishment. I don't think anything he says here is bad, it was just the rudeness of people laughing at him which can be looked as either funny, or for some more serious people, a "disgrace".

[@7beers]

I hear people talking about abortion clinic bombings all the time. How many abortion clinics have been bombed since Roe V. Wade?

[@julius923]

You should watch this video 3-4 times in a row to get the full effect. No I wasn't high, but if it works for you, by all means go for it. Just don't call me a drug pusher.

[@Maestrohbill]

What? The modern primary system? Sure. But do you think it's going to happen? No. And the Electoral College will still be here 500 years from now.

[@mandolinroad]

Yeah, I know. It's a bit more subtle. Unusual to hear a presidential candidate express such sane views though.

[@julius923]

LMAO! Joe Franklin, the TV host, always reminded me of Dukakis.

[@rizonman]

@ApplyUrBrain Agreed.

[@U2387]

Hold on.. I am a New England Democrat, a Massachusetts Democrat who has no opinion really on Dukakis, but some facts are in order. 1.Dukakis ended the state furlough program in 1987; it was started by a REPUBLICAN governor mid 1970s somewhere 2.Reagan called his own furlough program in CA a great success after a cop was murdered by a furloughee in 1972.

[@baraxor]

Generally, a person who calls him/herself "pro-life" won't mind being called "anti-abortion"...but a person who describes him/herself as "pro-choice" becomes angry if called "pro-abortion".

[@nate8201]

Simplify the conservative point of view all you want, it will never justify the murdering of unborn babies, repealing the second amendment, or giving authority to public educators that which should only belong to parents. Oh noes!

[@subtlehint]

I had no idea that Dukakis did the voice for Foamy... And to think, we used to think that Bush sr was evil (he was), now he's just kind of like a cute old man...as opposed to McCain who is just creepy. I think Stockdale could have taken McCain in a fight...you know...Stockdale...a real american hero.

[@nate8201]

Intelligent comeback!

[@Maestrohbill]

OK. How do you do that? It's already been tried - and the small states won because there are more of them. There will always be more of them - unless we annex Canada and split it into about fifteen states.

[@bucklaw]

His tie is crooked. Poor guy. Kids used to call him Dukaka

[@MnyFrNthng]

So what's wrong with what he said? Who should make the decision? The government or the woman?

[@Gerkinstock]

Given that Dukakis fought to preserve the right of violent offenders, including murderers, to have weekends "off" from prison, his contention that he was tough on crime was preposterous. I hardly think one has to be a right-wing nut to see how pathetic a presidential candidate Dukakis was. He was much farther to the Left than Bush 41 was to the Right. Most New England Democrats are.

[@Maestrohbill]

Then I guess you can ask him what it feels like to lose to a guy who has only 1/10th your intelligence, right?

[@nate8201]

Yes, I always consult my library of Charles Krauthammer books before I reply to anything on KZbin.... The fact that you so quickly revert to name calling, rather than an intellectual debate would suggest that out of the two of us, perhaps I am not the one who is a "moron".

[@NotARevenant]

Is this the earliest political YTP?

[@chattyscotty]

I don't care if your innocent or guilty, murder is murder and as a pro-life liberal I understand that the only way to fight abortions is to provide social programs. Conservatives are actually the one's who helped woe vs wade succeed. I oppose abortions, but I look to change hearts and not laws. Some laws I support. I support a 20 weeks ban on all abortions unless in cases of rape. I love life, but I actually want to reduce the abortion rate to .01% if I can. Banning doesn't do that.

[@chattyscotty]

The death penalty cost money and kills one too many falsely accused people. Also the death penalty violates the 8th amendment of the constitution.

[@eaglewheels1995]

LOL!!!!! That would be a cool bumper sticker!

[@Sauls2286]

@ryviuz I guess I would disagree with you to a point on that one...Sometimes war must happen, and for all the criticism, I do think the Iraq war was necessary based on the intelligence we had at the time. I don't like war, but I do know that we (and many other countries) wouldn't have freedom if it wasn't for it...

[@slenderman23]

I was actually wanting to watch something that was worth while

[@julius923]

Bah Hum Bug!!!!

[@Claronium780]

he would have made a better Prez all in all than Bush....they called HIM rigid, stiff, etc...what about BUSH???? mr. Anti-enthusiasm!?

[@nate8201]

The fact that he opposes the death penalty but approves of abortion is not what hurt his candidacy. What truly hurt him was his lack of emotion when asked about the possibillity of his wife being raped and murdered. BTW, I find snobbish anti-American socialists hilarious! Keep it up! :)

[@Sauls2286]

Opposed to the death penalty yet for abortion on demand? That makes sense. Just like the rest of the fascists ideas.

[@MystikWizard]

If you are going to post a clip, do you think you can do so without any ridiculous editing like this on your part?

[@joeytrimble]

Loooook ...this is george bush jrs father ... he even has the beady eyes!!

[@MnyFrNthng]

So somebody is tough on violent crime only if he kills the criminal? SO there's no other way to be tough on violent crime? Can we say that Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland is NOT tough on violent crime? You know, there's no death penalty there. The idiocy of the audience, ie. Americans (60% still supports capital punishment) does not make what Dukakis said absurd. Logically, there's nothing wrong with what he said. It is the idiocy of the audience.

[@EGarrett01]

She was aborted.

[@julius923]

You mean loser?

[@Maestrohbill]

Typical cherry picking. You fail to mention that Dukakis fought FOR the furlough program even AFTER the Horton rape. It was only when the Mass. state legislature made clear they were going to pass it that he got on board. And the fact a Republican started it is irrelevant and typical of an evasion tactic. Reagan also favored capital punishment, something you didn't bother to mention.

[@d3p3ch3mod3]

Bush Senior is a Reptile from the center of the planet. Look it up. Good stuff. Y'all coming to my fetus party tomorrow?

[@ACeast4321]

vote dukakis!! lol damit

[@ltyr2001]

Dukakis was a terrible candidate. But simply morphing his voice basically prevents honest and thoughtful people from even knowing. Stupid video, commenting more on the fool who made it than Dukakis.

[@Gunnanmon]

Hahahahaaha!!!!