Opinion: Biden is racing a ticking clock to fulfill this promise

When Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis ran for President against George H. W. Bush in 1988, he made competence one of his major campaign themes. Instead of claiming to be a visionary politician or a champion of liberalism, Dukakis highlighted his technocratic managerial expertise. “This election isn’t about ideology,” Dukakis argued, “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.”