Down to the Wire

CAMPUS POLITICAL JUNKIES

Yet the insightful budding politico will make the best of this unpleasant situation by using insights from his hobby to enhance his work. A few candidates from the soon-to-be-concluded campaign set examples for different academic approaches.

The grind: Michael S. Dukakis, Democratic candidate for governor will never forgive himself for failing the Democratic primary in 1978. It was something everyone thought he would easily ace, but he took it for granted. This lime he's leaving nothing to chance--spending days holed up on the campaigns trail, reading through the voting list over and over. All indications are that this will pay off for him, but he started in September. Unless you've done the same it's too late.

The gumbler Gov. Edward J. King defeated Democratic candidate for governor. You can treat midterms Tike King did the non-binding Democratic convention last May Realizing that he had not prepared enough to make a good showing, he went for mere sufficiency--the B-Minus that doesn't rule out a photo finish grade when final-come around. This actually did work well for King, who rose from a 50 point public opinion deficit carrier in the year to come within six points in the September primary. Unfortunately from him elections are pass-fail.

The pre-med Rep Margaret Heckler, Republican candidate in the 4th Congressional District. Having established good constituent relations. Heckler has been drifting In the physics I' s and Science A-'20's of congressional seats for 16 years. Now she's been thrown into chem 20 with Rep Barney Frank (D-Mass.)and has responded in stereotypical pre-med fashion. Her wild campaign and accusing Frank of favoring prostitution drug use, and desecration of the flag are in the grand tradition of beaker smashing and lab report stealing. You may laugh, but Heckler has pulled even in the polls.

The brown nose Peter Vellucci Democratic candidate for State Representative 29th Middlesex District, His further, Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci, took this class years ago. Did knows all the professors and the section leaders, he has the answers to the problem sets in his scrapbook. Peter is stressing his familiarity with the East Cambridge neighborhood over his knowledge of the subject matter. There's no reason to expect it won't work.

The gilt-seekers: Rep. Thomas P. O'Neill Jr., (D-Mass) candidate for re-election in the 11th Congressional District and Sen. Michael J. Lopresti Jr., candidate for re-election in the SuBolk and Middles Senate District. These two are taking advantage of the second consonant in Math Ar. Both have at best skimmed the reading so far. Tip is spending very little time campaigning in the district, because, as one aide puts it bluntly. "He doesn't need to," LoPresti has indicated his concern about Socialist opponent William Shakalis by going on a junket to the Orient. The combined possibility of these guys losing Group I status may push 20 percent.

But you never know which one will get hit with a trick question come November 2. Just watch which candidate wakes up with a nasty surprise the morning after.