Elder Statesman

OK, kids, it’s Michael Dukakis trivia time. What Neil Diamond song did Dukakis use for his 1988 presidential campaign? What does the phrase “Dukakis in a tank” signify? While you’re mulling those over, a quick refresher on the life of the Duke: son of immigrants becomes Massachusetts governor, rides the subway to the state capitol every day and rescues Boston’s mass-transit system, then wins the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination but fails to defeat George Bush. Later, he becomes a professor of political science at Northeastern University and advocates for high-speed rail. There’s plenty more, of course, and any topic is game tonight during “An Evening With Michael Dukakis” starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Dole Institute of Politics (2350 Petefish Drive in Lawrence, 785-864-4900). The free event is open to the public and will conclude with an audience Q&A session — but you’ll already know that the answers to the above questions are, respectively, “America” and “public-relations nightmare.”

Michael Dukakis

Thu., Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m., 2007