after the facts

Will he or won't he? Dukakis, that is.

As Michael S. Dukakis enters the second day of his third term as Massachusetts' governor, political pundits and pollsters are scrambling to answer the Big Question: will the Duke run for higher office in 1988?

Probably only his wife, Kitty, knows for sure. But the former Kennedy School of Government lecturer is expected to announce his decision soon. Considering the field of Democratic contenders and that the last two U.S. presidents served as governors of large states some say The Duke stands a pretty good chance in '88.

Just in case the Harvard Law grad does decide to toss his hat into the ring, here are a few Duke facts you can impress your friends with at cocktail parties:

. Number of Democratic candidates on the 1984 New Hampshire primary ballot: Eight--Gary Hart, Walter Mondale, John Glenn, Ernest Hollings, Alan Cranston, Reuben Askew, and George McGovern.

. Number of candidates already declared for 1988; One, Delaware Gov. Pierre DuPont IV, a Republican.

. Last Massachusetts Democrat to run for President: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-MA), in 1980.

. U.S. Presidents from Massachusetts: John Adams (Class of 1755), John Quincy Adams (Class of 1787), Calvin Coolidge, and John F. Kennedy '40.

. Number of governors who have become President: 17.

. Number of Presidents of Greek descent: 0

. Number of Boston Globe columnists who have suggested in recent days that the Duke should run: too many.

. Famous father of First Lady Kitty Dukakis: former Boston Pops conductor Henry Ellis Dickson.

. Name of talk show that was once hosted by Dukakis: "The Advocates."