That he used the same tactic on the Democratic Party-a tactic he had used earlier against businesses and other institutions with threats of boycotts-was natural.
”I came out of a tradition of action for change,” he said.
But this time, he was doing it from the inside as a candidate whose constituency gave him more weight.
Going into Atlanta, Jackson said he was looking for a sign from Dukakis, some symbol that would send a message to his supporters. Everyone knew that the unity the Democrats were lusting for would not come without Jackson`s blessing.
And on the weekend before the convention, Jackson was not happy. Or at least he didn`t appear to be happy, which for his purposes was just as good.
”A signal had been sent to the conservative wing (by the selection of Lloyd Bentsen). No comparable signal had been sent to the progressive wing of the party,” Jackson said, recalling the negotiations that took place before the convention opened.
Beyond his own candidacy, Jackson was pushing some issues that gave him leverage. In political terms, they gave him something to deal with. He wanted the platform to include calls for more taxes on the rich, strong support for Palestinian rights in the Middle East and a unilateral five-year freeze on defense spending.
All of those were dangerous positions for the Democrats, who wanted to craft a simple platform document long on easy reading and short on specifics. No one wanted to give the Republicans ammunition to raise the ”tax, tax, spend, spend” label again.
Jackson was caught in the eye of his own storm. He was getting conflicting advice. Hard-liners, although in the minority, wanted him to play the spoiler`s role throughout the convention.
The personal stakes were high on both sides. Dukakis could not afford to appear subservient, and Jackson could not afford to appear to be folding his hand without a battle. There was talk about the need to ”handle” Dukakis, or the need to ”handle” Jackson.
”The terminology that Dukakis handled Jesse well is demeaning to Jesse and demeaning to Dukakis. I heard a lot of that kind of talk,” said White.
”The truth of the matter is that they worked out, under extremely difficult circumstances, a successful relationship that gives this party a chance to win.
”The relationship between Dukakis and Jackson was neither won nor lost nor lost nor won, it was the only sensible thing to do at that point. I know because I was there.”
It happened at breakfast Monday on Dukakis territory, his hotel suite. The aides were present to copy down the details of negotiation. Reports of the meeting noted that it went quite well, after Dukakis pointed out he was the nominee and Jackson made it clear he resented all of the quarterback talk but would be an ardent player in the fall campaign.
”Jackson had gone as far as he could go,” White said.
The news conference that followed the session, with Bentsen at the podium too, provided a unity snapshot at the same time as it allowed everyone to have a say. Dukakis and Bentsen both praised Jackson. Jackson promised his support and cited his policies of expansion and inclusion.
What did he get? Tangible things, such as promises of more slots on the Democratic National Committee, jobs for key campaign people, party positions in states where he won primaries. And some intangibles, too.
”If I look back at the convention, the party has expanded, plus the commitments on the rules, the party is more inclusive. There is a new realization in the role the progressives must play in this campaign. We have penetrated deeper there, beyond our historical lines,” Jackson said.
He didn`t get all the platform planks he wanted, and that upset his followers, some of whom accused him of backing down. But Jackson said it was sufficient to raise the issues in a way that drew attention to them.
”It was a matter of principle that we raised the issue of a Middle East peace initiative. We must not look forward to the present formula being an eternal formula, because it breeds insecurity and violence,” he said.
”We could have won that vote on the floor, it but would have torn up the convention. And so we expanded without excoriating, expanded without vindictiveness, expanded without tearing the fabric; but how could we ignore a reasonable debate about an area of the world where Americans have died?”
All of that happened before the convention. There were some important details worked out Monday morning that also smoothed the way. Jackson`s name would be placed in nomination for the presidency on Wednesday, but not for the vice presidency on Thursday.
”On Thursday night, if the vote had come to the floor on the Bentsen situation, it would have at least been a tight vote,” Jackson said. ”It would also have torn up the convention, given the convention`s perception of fighting this year. In former years, there have been worse fights. But this year . . . almost any debate was considered divisive, which is much too tender for a national convention.”
There was no specific job title, role or salary for Jackson, a pragmatic move because such an agreement would almost immediately have drawn fire and provided an unacceptable answer: ”Just a job,” to the question ”What does Jesse want?”
In exchange for being agreeable, Jackson was given a huge slice of convention time for his own Tuesday night speech. He introduced his entire family, and each member got to give his or her own little address. The presentation was most effective.
”It projected him in a way as never before, as a family person with five grown, articulate children who seemed sincere, committed and intelligent. And they could articulate the message that he had articulated,” said Dr. Alvin Pouissaint, a Harvard psychiatrist who has watched the impact of Jackson`s campaign.
”He was showing the importance of the family and the opportunity and access in creating future careers that blacks have not had access to. . . . It kind of ushered in a new sense of history of possibilities to see those kids up there, that this now was something that black youth can set their sights on.”
Jackson was most gracious in return, warming to Dukakis in his address and then making moves during the remainder of the convention that sent the clear message to his followers that he was behind the Dukakis-Bentsen ticket. One of them came Wednesday night, after Jackson`s name had been placed in nomination. There were rumors all over the convention that Jackson himself would appear on the floor to move that the convention nominate Dukakis by acclamation.
”The discussions were that Jesse`s options were to do it himself, which he was being urged to do, or not go at all and wait until Saturday or Friday or Monday to hold a press conference, or to send someone,” said White.
”Jesse recognized immediately that if he went, it would be another day of the Jackson convention. Contrary to a lot of advice and urging, he wisely sent Willie Brown, which was the real transfer of power to Dukakis. It was graceful and well handled and something that Jesse could have used to take another day away.”
Although some say Dukakis` Thursday address was the greatest speech of his career, Jackson said he believes the more important speech came Monday morning, after the negotiations with Dukakis had led to the unity news conference.
”That was the point at which people were asking the question, `Where do we fit,` ” Jackson said. ”Relationship was the key word. Many people had asked the question and were waiting for an answer.
”On Monday morning, a relationship had been established that was concrete and visible. We talked about the role of supporters and volunteers. . . . On Thursday night, Dukakis won because he didn`t have to use one group to defeat the other. He used both, and that is winning.”
Even though Jackson had lost by traditional standards, one of his Mississippi delegates offered a perspective that added another measure to the contest.
”It`s true he did not make president or vice president, but nevertheless, he won because he was able to show members of his race that he was qualified to become president of the United States,” said Jessie D. Banks of Tchula, Miss.
”There are some who said Jesse came away without anything. I just don`t see it that way. Being black, the odds were against him at first, we all know that. We do also know that he held out until the end and got over 1,100 delegates. That`s not too bad.”
MONDAY: Jackson`s impact on the system.
