At 90, Michael Dukakis still looks ahead

MICHAEL DUKAKIS did not pick himself up from searing campaign losses or persevere to serve longer than any governor in Massachusetts history by viewing the glass as half empty, and he’s not about to start doing so now.

Dukakis has long been fueled by a steadiness of purpose and belief that better days are to come. His stride may have slowed from his power-walking days of the past, but the one-time Brookline High School cross country standout is still firmly oriented toward forward motion. That’s true whether it’s talking up the need to build more housing, or continuing the push to link North Station and South Station, a campaign on which he’s found an unlikely bedfellow in Bill Weld, the Republican governor who succeeded him in office.

“He’s a long distance runner,” said Ira Jackson, a protege and close confidant who served as state revenue commissioner under Dukakis. “He’s indefatigable. He’s tenacious.”

He’s also 90 years old, a milestone Dukakis reached earlier this month that might be expected to put one in a reflective mood.

Read more: https://commonwealthbeacon.org/politics/at-90-michael-dukakis-still-looks-ahead/