Latest news with #KittyDukakis
Boston Globe
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Kitty Dukakis, behind the scenes
Advertisement In July 1986, Kitty attended my father's 70th birthday party and brought with her a proclamation from Mike declaring that day 'Lewis Gaines Day in the Commonwealth.' Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up At my father's memorial service in 1987, Kitty spoke of their friendship and their common bond. She said, that 'while I was able to deal with my demons, although he tried, Lewis never did. Nonetheless, he had a huge heart and I loved him dearly.' I am forever grateful for Kitty Dukakis and the Dukakis family and send them my sincerest condolences. Peter Gaines Chatham The writer's brother, Richard, was editor of The Boston Phoenix and co-author of a 1988 biography of Mike Dukakis. I wrote, she called, and a decrepit playground was reborn One afternoon in mid-1986 the phone rang in my Chelsea kitchen; it was Kitty Dukakis. I had written to her a week earlier about the possibility of her Program on Public Space Partnerships at the Kennedy School taking on a neighborhood problem: a decrepit nearby playground, where drug dealing had taken over. The dealers were in the park and the children were playing in the street. She came out and looked around. When I pointed out that the park was clearly visible from the windows of the mayor's office a half a block away, she didn't say much. But not long thereafter a State Police cruiser appeared on the scene. Advertisement Students in landscape architecture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst got to work on a playground redesign with kid-friendly amenities, and the state awarded Chelsea a $240,000 grant to fund the improvements. A local church received a Gateway Cities grant to fund a supervised recreation program for young children. We handed out T-shirts with the message: 'Bosson Park is a Wonderful Place to Play.' All of this occurred largely over a two-year period when Mrs. Dukakis was reportedly struggling with personal issues as well as commitments related to her husband's presidential campaign. But what our neighborhood saw was someone who showed up for us. Kitty Dukakis was the real deal. Barbara Donlon Stoneham
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Local officials release statements on passing of former first lady of Massachusetts, Kitty Dukakis
BOSTON (WWLP) – Local officials have been releasing statements on the passing of Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. Decades in making, South Coast rail service begins Monday Dukakis was 88 years old and died on Friday night surrounded by her family and her son, John Dukakis. The Associated Press states that Dukakis was highly regarded for her openness about her struggles with substance use disorder and mental health issues. She worked tirelessly to break down the stigma and advocated for seeking help. Dukakis also championed support for the homeless and political refugees. During her husband's 1988 presidential campaign, Dukakis earned high praise as a political campaigner, actively campaigning and promoting his candidacy. Dukakis and her future husband met while attending high school in Brookline, Massachusetts. Governor Maura Healey issued a statement on her passing: 'I'm saddened to hear about the passing of Kitty Dukakis, who was a force for good in public life and behind the scenes. She was a strong advocate for children, women and refugees, while also taking a leadership role in ensuring that the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten. She spoke courageously about her struggles with substance use disorder and mental health, which serves as an inspiration to us all to break down stigma and seek help. My heart is with Governor Dukakis and their loved ones during this difficult time.' Governor Maura Healey Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan released the following statement on her passing: 'Kitty Dukakis used her role as first lady of the Commonwealth to champion refugees and the homeless, promote greater awareness of the Holocaust, and advocate for placing more women in leadership roles within state government. Yet, it was her courage in publicly sharing her struggles with depression and substance use disorder that truly defined her strength. Her honesty and bravery helped break down stigma, inspiring countless others to seek support and begin their own journeys of recovery. Kitty Dukakis made our Commonwealth—and our world—a better place. We extend our deepest condolences to Governor Dukakis, John, Andrea, Kara, and their families.' Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent 22News the following statement: 'I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend Kitty Dukakis, a woman whose dedication to public service, to uplifting others, and to human rights was fueled by her indomitable spirit. Throughout her remarkable life, Kitty transformed her personal struggles into positive and persistent change – a proud legacy that continues to benefit our Commonwealth and our country. 'Kitty was her husband's most trusted adviser and confidant, fighting alongside Michael to advance the causes in which they believed. She was a champion for the most vulnerable in society and a fierce advocate for raising awareness about the Holocaust. Kitty worked to push open the doors to opportunity for more women to serve in government and leadership positions. She did all of this with a joy and selflessness that only brought us closer to her. 'Kitty was open about her battle with depression and addiction when few others were, and her grace and humility in the face of an intensely personal struggle inspired countless people to better understand these diseases and to extend assistance and understanding instead of recrimination and judgment. Today, the Kitty Dukakis Treatment Center for Women stands as a testament to her life's work serving others. 'Kitty was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Long after they left the public spotlight, Kitty and Michael continued to live purposeful lives together, dedicated to public service in all forms, and fighting for a better future for everyone. Whether you knew her or not, Kitty Dukakis made all of us better, stronger, and more compassionate, and that legacy will never be forgotten. My prayers are with Michael and the entire Dukakis family.' Senator Edward Markey WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The light — and vulnerability — of Kitty Dukakis
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up I was there in July 1987 when Kitty Dukakis revealed at a carefully choreographed news conference that she was treated for a dependency on prescribed diet pills in the midst of her husband's 1982 gubernatorial reelection campaign, while the public was told she was suffering a bout with hepatitis. Advertisement As I wrote at the time, 'Both the governor and his wife insisted that her decision to reveal the information was not prompted by any concerns that it would become public during the course of Dukakis' bid for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination.' But everyone understood the mission was to put out this sensitive news in the most positive way, before someone else did it less kindly. At one early campaign stop in Iowa, she talked about how she would continue the job she then had at Harvard's Kennedy School while Dukakis campaigned for president. She also suggested she would like to hold an outside job if Dukakis won the White House, telling voters, 'I'll be darned if I'm going to let' her professional identity 'go by the wayside.' Afterward, she walked that back a bit, saying she would only work part time. Even that was probably edgy for the era, given that Jill Biden is the first wife of a president or vice president to hold a paying job during her husband's tenure. Advertisement In a story from Minneapolis in January 1988, I wrote that Dukakis volunteers 'quietly discussed how much improved' Kitty Dukakis was as a campaign surrogate. Maybe that's because phrases like 'Michael believes' and 'Michael thinks' were now laced through her remarks. At a campaign stop in April 1988, at a senior center in Brooklyn, Kitty Dukakis — who was Jewish — sprinkled her talk with Yiddish expressions, and also talked seriously about Middle East politics. She also said that if, as president, her husband undertook a policy for that region that she opposed, she would discuss it with him. 'We're a normal couple who agree most of the time and share the same values,' she said. 'But we settle our disagreements together and I do accept that he's the ultimate decision-maker.' Ultimately, Kitty was Kitty. As I reported in July 1988, just before Michael Dukakis accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in Atlanta: 'Finished with one interview, she is smoking a cigarette before the next. No pictures until she's done, she tells the photographer. She is still trying to prevent confirmation of the habit her husband hates.' In the post-convention whirlwind, Kitty Dukakis was a passionate advocate for her husband — and, behind the scenes, for not bowing to the brutal Bush campaign assault on his patriotism, integrity, and liberal principles. Advertisement In an interview given at their Brookline home shortly after Dukakis lost to Bush, she said that she had advised him to fight back hard and early, but that he had followed his own instincts. 'Clearly, the negativism was difficult and impacted on the campaign,' she said. 'I think the most difficult part of all that was they were being very effective in all their distortions.' One tactic used against him was also used against her. For example, she recalled how a false rumor that she had once burned an American flag was reported on the national news. In that interview, she also said she was looking forward to a return to a normal life. Yet this was a woman who described her husband's earlier gubernatorial loss as 'a public death.' Imagine how hard it must have been for her after his loss on the national stage. In her 1990 memoir 'Now You Know,' Kitty Dukakis bravely told the full story of her struggle with alcoholism and depression. During the presidential campaign, she wrote, she became 'an episodic binge drinker' dealing with 'a gaping emptiness I could not endure.' In light of that gaping emptiness, how hard it also must have been to face the judgment that goes with being a candidate's spouse — and how sad if she did not know her true value in that endeavor. Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Washington Post
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Kitty Dukakis, wife of former governor and presidential candidate, dies at 88
BROOKLINE, Mass. — Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction, has died. She was 88. Dukakis died on Friday night surrounded by her family, her son, John Dukakis, said on Saturday by telephone. She fought to make the world better, 'sharing her vulnerabilities to help others face theirs,' her family said in a statement. 'She was loving, feisty and fun, and had a keen sensitivity to people from all walks of life,' the family said. 'She and our dad, Michael Dukakis, shared an enviable partnership for over 60 years and loved each other deeply.' Dukakis won high marks as a political campaigner during her husband's 1988 presidential efforts, stumping tirelessly for him. She was called a key influence in his decision to seek the presidency. She even figured in the opening question of a 1988 presidential debate , when her husband was asked: 'Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?' Dukakis said he would not, and his unemotional response was widely criticized. Earlier in the campaign, in 1987, Dukakis revealed she had overcome a 26-year addiction to amphetamines five years earlier after receiving treatment. She said she began taking diet pills at age 19. Her husband made anti-drug efforts a major issue and she became prominent in the effort to educate youngsters against the perils of drug and alcohol abuse. But a few months after Michael Dukakis lost the election to Vice President George H.W. Bush, Kitty Dukakis entered a 60-day treatment program for alcoholism. Several months later she suffered a relapse and was hospitalized after drinking rubbing alcohol . In her 1990 autobiography, 'Now You Know,' she blamed her mother for much of her alcohol and drug addiction and a long history of low self-esteem. In 2006, she wrote another book, 'Shock,' which credits the electroconvulsive therapy she began in 2001 for relieving the depression she had suffered for years. The treatment, she wrote, 'opened a new reality for me.' Current Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey called Dukakis 'a force for good in public life and behind the scenes,' a leader in the effort to ensure that the Holocaust is never forgotten, and an advocate for children, women and refugees. 'She spoke courageously about her struggles with substance use disorder and mental health, which serves as an inspiration to us all to break down stigma and seek help,' Healey said in a statement. Dukakis used her personal pain to help others, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said in a statement on social media on Saturday. 'Her legacy will live on in the policies she helped shape and the people she inspired to speak their own truths,' Campbell said. Dukakis broke ground by speaking openly about her struggles and championed support for the homeless and political refugees, said Maria Ivanova, director of Northeastern University's Policy School, which hosts the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy. 'Kitty Dukakis brought honesty, compassion, and strength to public life,' Ivanova said in a statement. 'Her legacy is one of service, resilience, and truth-telling.' Kitty Dukakis inspired many to engage in activism and was a 'deeply devoted spiritual companion' to her husband, center Director Ted Landsmark said in a statement. 'They have been truly effective change-makers on behalf of those in need of care and support,' he said. Michael Dukakis served as a distinguished professor of political science at the university. He has retired, but returns to campus for events and student consultations, Landsmark said. Dukakis and her future husband met while attending high school in Brookline, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. He was dull and frugal; she was dramatic and fancy. He is Greek Orthodox; she was Jewish. Kitty Dukakis, who was divorced and had a 3-year-old son, married Michael Dukakis in 1963, and they had two children, Andrea and Kara. Dukakis, whose late father, Harry Ellis Dickson, was associate conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, earned degrees in modern dance and broadcasting. After the presidential election, in 1989, Bush appointed her to be a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. She earlier served on the President's Commission on the Holocaust in 1979 and on the board of directors of the Refugee Policy Group. She has also been a member of the Task Force on Cambodian Children. By the late 1990s, Dukakis and her husband divided their time between Massachusetts and California, where she was a social worker and he was a professor for part of the year at the University of California, Los Angeles. ____ Former Associated Press writer Lisa Flam contributed to this report.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kitty Dukakis, wife of former Massachusetts governor and presidential hopeful Michael Dukakis, dead at 88
Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, has died at the age of 88, Fox News Digital has confirmed. Her son, John Dukakis, said that the wife and mother of three died Friday night "surrounded by family." "She was born on December 26, 1936, and lived a full life fighting to make the world a better place and sharing her vulnerabilities to help others face theirs," he said in a statement. "She was loving, feisty and fun, and had a keen sensitivity to people from all walks of life. She and our dad, Michael Dukakis, shared an enviable partnership for over 60 years and loved each other deeply. Thank you to all who have touched our lives over the years or who were touched by our mother." Michael Dukakis Bashes Trump, Says Voters Must 'Get This Guy Out Of The White House Before He Destroys Us' The Washington Post and the New York Times both reported that John Dukakis said his mother's cause of death was complications from dementia and that she died at her home in Brookline, Mass. Kitty Dukakis was the first lady of Massachusetts during her husband's three nonconsecutive terms and supported Michael Dukakis during his unsuccessful presidential run against Vice President George H.W. Bush. Read On The Fox News App In what was considered a pivotal moment of the campaign, Michael Dukakis was asked by CNN moderator Bernard Shaw during the first presidential debate, "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis was raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" He responded flatly, "No, I don't, Bernard," and went on to reiterate his opposition to the death penalty. Kitty Dukakis later said her husband admitted "I really blew it," with an answer that was widely perceived as emotionless and tone-deaf. She also condemned the question as "outrageous." Dukakis Calls Progressive 'Defund The Police' Push 'Nuts,' Says It Takes Away From Proven Community Policing In her 60s, Kitty Dukakis, supported by her husband, became an advocate for electroconvulsive therapy to treat depression. She authored books opening up about her addiction to diet pills and alcohol. She was of Jewish background, though her husband was Greek Orthodox. A longtime advocate who was involved in projects on subjects including the homeless, refugees, and AIDS, Kitty Dukakis was appointed by former President Jimmy Carter, and by former President H.W. Bush, her husband's former rival, to commissions that led to the creation of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Her father was Ellis Dickson, the first violinist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a conductor of the Boston Pops. She detailed a more complicated relationship with her mother, Jane (Goldberg) Dickson, in her first book, "Now You Know."Original article source: Kitty Dukakis, wife of former Massachusetts governor and presidential hopeful Michael Dukakis, dead at 88
