Dukakis, Jackson Cool Rift; They’ll Campaign Together : Agreement at Start of Convention

ATLANTA — Michael S. Dukakis and his beaten but unbowed rival the Rev. Jesse Jackson brought Democrats to the brink of unity today, and Dukakis vowed to use the civil rights leader and his army of followers in the fall offensive against George Bush.

On the first day of the Democratic National Convention, Dukakis and Jackson emerged smiling from a 2 1/2-hour showdown in the Massachusetts governor’s plush downtown hotel suite.

“I want Jesse Jackson to play a major role in this campaign,” Dukakis said. “I want his supporters who are out there by the millions to be deeply involved in this campaign. They are going to be an essential part of the coalition we build beyond this convention.”

However, the exact nature of the involvement for Jackson and his supporters was left undecided.

While Dukakis insisted that Jackson will play a “critically important role” in the campaign, he stressed that no deals have been cut and details have not been decided. “We will campaign together; he will campaign by himself,” Dukakis said.

Week of Verbal Sparring

The closed-door meeting between the two men capped a week of verbal sparring that began last Tuesday when Dukakis chose Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, a conservative Texan, as his running mate.

Jackson, given no advance notice of the selection and feeling snubbed, threatened possibly divisive convention floor fights and raised questions about how hard he and his legions of followers would campaign for Dukakis in the fall if his liberal interests were not adequately represented.

There also was speculation that his supporters would challenge Bentsen’s vice presidential nomination, offering Jackson’s name for the No. 2 spot.

However, after a series of telephone conversations between the two men and a flurry of meetings among staff members, the rivals arranged their morning summit, just hours before the opening gavel of the nationally televised convention.

Afterward, Dukakis, giving Jackson a minimum of what he wanted, heaped praise upon the black preacher and vowed to include some of Jackson’s top staffers in his campaign.

Won’t Encourage Challenge

For his part, Jackson said he is satisfied with the discussions the two men had on the future makeup of the Democratic National Committee, on legislation involving a range of subjects and on the role he and his backers will play in the campaign.

He added that he will not encourage any of his supporters to challenge Bentsen’s nomination.

The mood after the meeting was enthusiastic and the common theme was on unity, with staff members from the rival camps hugging each other. However, the unspecified nature of Jackson’s role in the Dukakis campaign left questions about the lasting nature of the truce.

Jackson said the two men had reached “a relationship of substance, support and candor” and added that he still thinks it is likely that his supporters will try to change parts of the party’s platform.

“No doubt there will be debate and deliberation,” Jackson said.

Expects No ‘Miracle’

Jackson also still refused to declare Dukakis the winner of the Democratic presidential nomination, insisting that he will still have his name placed in nomination Wednesday in hopes of pulling off a “Chicago miracle.”

He acknowledged that the “miracle” will not happen--Dukakis has nearly 2,400 delegates to Jackson’s roughly 1,100.

Nonetheless, the tone Jackson adopted today was positive and one Dukakis and the party hierarchy wanted and needed to hear.

Once the nominee is officially selected Wednesday, Jackson said, “things will fundamentally change then. We move from the All-Star break of American politics on to the World Series in November. We intend to win.”