What to Do with Jesse?

Action Jackson—is he all mouth and no motion? That’s the question plaguing the Dukakis campaign sixty days after the fabled Atlanta Accord between the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis. In return for concessions that appear to give the Jackson forces significant leverage within the party, Jackson agreed to a display of unity that was supposed to presage a strong autumn campaign for the Democrats. Now that Labor Day has come and gone, Dukakis’s campaign leadership is still waiting for Jackson to bring his flock into the fold.

Also, there are signs that Jackson has upped the ante and wants new concessions before campaigning in earnest for Dukakis. This leaves the Massachusetts governor in the difficult position of having to decide whether increased pressure on party leaders already disenchanted with Jesse is worth the price, given Jackson’s unclear track record in delivering his supporters’ votes to other Democratic candidates. “There’s no proof that Jackson can transfer his popularity to other black candidates,” says Linda Williams of the Washington-based black Joint Center for Political Studies. “What makes anyone think he can transfer it to Dukakis?” Miss Williams points to the fact that many of the seven million Democrats who voted for Jackson in 1988 were either first-time voters or voters from groups that traditionally have a low turnout.

JM

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John McLaughlin

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Action Jackson—is he all mouth and no motion? That’s the question plaguing the Dukakis campaign sixty days after the fabled Atlanta Accord between the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Michael Dukakis. In return for concessions that appear to give the Jackson forces significant leverage within the party, Jackson agreed to a display of unity that was supposed to presage a strong autumn campaign for the Democrats. Now that Labor Day has come and gone, Dukakis’s campaign leadership is still waiting for Jackson to bring his flock into the fold.

Also, there are signs that Jackson has upped the ante and wants new concessions before campaigning in earnest for Dukakis. This leaves the Massachusetts governor in the difficult position of having to decide whether increased pressure on party leaders already disenchanted with Jesse is worth the price, given Jackson’s unclear track record in delivering his supporters’ votes to other Democratic candidates. “There’s no proof that Jackson can transfer his popularity to other black candidates,” says Linda Williams of the Washington-based black Joint Center for Political Studies. “What makes anyone think he can transfer it to Dukakis?” Miss Williams points to the fact that many of the seven million Democrats who voted for Jackson in 1988 were either first-time voters or voters from groups that traditionally have a low turnout.