Probably not, but it's a fun comparison.

Dukakis was trying to look series. Dean, obviously, isn't.

Dukakis had already won the nomination.

This is the guy who is suppose to beat bush? crud, after reading about Dean and his blunders, I wish the democrats had someone else...

At least there aren't photos of him dropping a dog, or pretending to land a plane onto an aircraft carrier, for example.

I don't get the connection: Dukakis in a tank and Dean wearing a foam cheese hat? Someone smarter than myself please explain this to me...

Now now, don't go ruining a priceless Dean picture (just screaming for a Caption Contest, by the way) by bringing up Bush's foibles.

Alex R: - The Dukakis picture was considered by many to be the final nail in his coffin for a couple reasons - no military service (so what's he doing in a tank?), and a big, goofy looking helmet that, in many photos, sat at an awkward tilt making him hard to take serious (at least from those photos).

The comparison to Dean lies in the fact that people don't take anyone wearing a funny hat very seriously.

(sidenote: It was also reported that the commanding officer ordered to give Dukakis a helmet for that photo-op purposely picked one out that was several sizes too large.)

I heard a rumor that some people take themselves too seriously, but I've yet to confirm it.

"Is this Howard Dean's Dukakis-in-a-tank moment?"

No.

No. He was having fun and he's got a real smile going on, and not the squished-face smile-thing he does.

It is absolutely a "Dukakis in a tank" moment. If Dean becomes the dem running against bush, pictures of Dean's red face about to explode would be shown endlessly. It would be the one picture that, when you look at it, you realize you cannot elect this man president, no matter how much you like what he says or stands for.