Marathon Man

But can the Duke unite the party?

A tacky mural of the Lower Manhattan skyline served as backdrop. The band's version of Theme from New York, New York compensated in decibels for what it lacked in finesse. The ballroom of the thoroughly lived-in Omni Park Central Hotel was too small and too warm for the hundreds crammed together like rush- hour commuters on the A train. But the atmospherics last Tuesday night mattered not at all. Chants of "Duke! Duke! Duke!" alternated with cries of "Let's go, Mike!" And when Michael Dukakis paused before speaking, his usually constricted smile was as broad and welcoming as New York harbor....

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