Democrat Michael Dukakis on Wednesday criticized Republicans for using their convention for ``a trip down memory lane'' while ignoring GOP policies that have hurt American families and failed to help economically depressed regions. Dukakis, during a lakefront rally on Minnesota's Iron Range, also touted the qualifications of his running mate, Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, and implied that Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle, the certain Republican vice presidential nominee, was not qualified to be president. ``Nobody ever asked any questions about whether Lloyd Bentsen was qualified to be president of the United States,'' Dukakis said a day after George Bush tapped Quayle, a 41-year-old conservative, to fill out the Repubican ticket. Dukakis told the rally the Republicans were using their convention in New Orleans to celebrate the Reagan presidency because they did not want to discuss rising interest rates, the soaring trade and budget deficits and economic distress in the Midwest and other parts of the country. ``The Republican Party has been celebrating the past,'' he said. ``When you think about what's going to happen to them in November, you can't blame them. ``While they're partying on Bourbon Street, we're talking to people on Main Street,'' Dukakis said. ``While they're talking about labels, we're talking about jobs. While they take a trip down Memory Lane, we're looking to the future.'' In Boston, the Massachusetts governor's campaign office issued a statement saying Dukakis was saddened by the plane crash that claimed the lives of Pakistani President Mohammed Zia ul-Haq, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold L. Raphel and 35 others. ``President Zia will be remembered for his steadfast opposition to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and for ensuring that 3 million Afghans had a place of refuge in Pakistan,'' Dukakis said in the statement. Dukakis, on the first day of a four-day campaign trip designed to help him steal some of the spotlight from the GOP gathering, went to great lengths to praise Bentsen, 67. Referring to legislation to give workers 60 days' notice before a plant closing, Dukakis told the rally: ``We've got to have a vice president who led the fight and didn't oppose the fight.'' Quayle opposed the plant-closing measure, along with Reagan and Bush. Reagan allowed it to became law without his signature. At a news conference after the rally, Dukakis used praise of Bentsen to criticize Quayle. ``I think Senator Bentsen is a tremendous asset to me and to the Democratic ticket because he is so steady and so mature and has demonstrated a capacity for leadership,'' Dukakis said. The Democratic nominee said ``that's a judgment the American people are going to have to make'' when asked if he thought Quayle was qualified to step in as president in the event of a tragedy. But he then left little doubt about his true feelings. ``I would just point out that nobody ever asked any questions about whether Lloyd Bentsen would be qualified to be president of the United States,'' the Massachusetts governor said. He cited Bentsen's leadership in winning passage of the plant-closing law, a major trade bill, welfare reform and catastrophic health care legislation, something Dukakis referred to as a ``legislative grand slam.'' Among those appearing at the rally with Dukakis were former Vice President Walter Mondale, Rep. James Oberstar and Hubert H. ``Skip'' Humphrey III, Minnesota attorney general and Senate candidate. Dukakis used the event to reiterate his support for Oberstar's National Economic Development Act, which would create a fund to invest in economically weak areas of the country. Dukakis has endorsed spending $500 million on such a program. ``Prosperity in some places and depression in others is not acceptable,'' said Dukakis, who earlier had mentioned the loss of 8,000 jobs on the Iron Range in the last 10 years. ``That's something the Republican Party might want to take a look at.'' The rally was interrupted for several minutes when an anti-abortion protester screamed, ``What about the unborn'' into an amplified bullhorn. ``Here's someone who wants to debate,'' Dukakis said as a Secret Service agent and several people at the rally forcibly removed the man from the crowd. ``Maybe we can get the vice president to debate.'' From the Iron Range, Dukakis flew to Minneapolis for a private fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee and then was headed to Miami, where he was to spend the night before addressing a Greek-American organization's convention. Other stops on his trip this week include Alabama, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas and Tennessee. He returns to Boston on Saturday night.
