Former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis said he is confident in President-elect Joe Biden’s ability to manage a surge in pandemic infections since Biden will surround himself with “excellent people who know what they’re doing.”
“You listen to them, then you try to provide the kind of tangible leadership that a good leader has to provide to mobilize resources, bring people together, and get them working together,” the distinguished professor emeritus of political science said in response to a question on a livestream discussion of the 2020 race.
“I expect—in fact, I know—that Joe Biden and his people are already working on this thing,” the 1988 Democratic nominee said. “Unfortunately, we’ve lost a lot of time, but I think you’ll see an approach to how to manage this problem and get things done.”
Dukakis hailed the news of positive clinical trial results for Pfizer’s vaccine, and said it was especially important for older people like him and his wife, Kitty. Election Day on Nov. 3 was his 87th birthday, he said, and his wife turns 84 years old the day after Christmas.
“We have a very major stake in this, and obviously are looking forward to the day in the not-too-distant future when we can be vaccinated,” Dukakis said.
