The organizers for the convention chose pastel colors as a background in the belief that they would appear better on television . They were patterned after the colors of the American flag in salmon , azure , and eggshell . Republicans mocked the choice and used it to buttress their case that the Democrats were " soft " on the issues . New Jersey governor Thomas Kean claimed at the Republican Convention that " The Dukakis Democrats will try to talk tough , but do n't be fooled . They may try to talk like Dirty Harry , but they will still act like Pee Wee Herman . " Kean continued that Democrats and Republicans alike " have no use for pastel patriotism ... The liberal Democrats are trying to hide more than the colors in our flag ; they are trying to hide their true colors . " The theme song for the convention was composed and performed by longtime supporter and folksinger Carly Simon . Entitled '' Turn of the Tide '' , this B-side of the hit single '' Let the River Run '' from the 20th Century Fox motion picture '' Working Girl '' was subsequently used a few weeks later in the U.S. / Russian co-production of Marlo Thomas ' and Tatiana Vedeneyeva 's Emmy-award-winning ABC television special '' Free to Be ... a Family '' and was subsequently released on the best selling soundtrack album
Republican Convention
1988 Republican National Convention
1988 Democratic National Convention