Gallup Poll: Bush down by 17! [View All]

That would be George Herbert Walker Bush of course....1988. This would be a good time to reflect on that August, 15 years ago, when Dukakis came roaring out of the convention with that impressive lead because it points out at last three things that should be instructive for us today:
1) How meaningless polls are (especially this early in the game), except for indicating general trends
2) How a ruthless candidate (Bush) can change the political landscape by turning the campaign into a referendum on marginal, but emotionally-charged issues
3) How a candidate (Dukakis) who lets his or her opponent define him or her and the issues is doomed