POLITICS ’88 : Proclaims ‘Hope Is in the Air’ : Jackson Finds Comfort in Popular Vote Lead

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, the second-place finisher in the Illinois primary, sought to draw attention Tuesday to his new lead among Democratic presidential contenders in popular votes cast so far in the primary season.

But it was also apparent that the loss to Illinois Sen. Paul Simon here was not in line with his other finishes in the sense that it was more of a setback than a boost. It interrupted a Jackson hot streak that began late last month with strong showings in Minnesota, Maine and Vermont and picked up steam in March with victories in five Southern states on Super Tuesday and in Alaska and South Carolina since.

Jackson, sounding triumphant even in defeat, proclaimed, “Hope is in the air” as he addressed a festive victory party in a hotel ballroom here.

He noted that while Simon had been focusing his efforts here, he had been waging a national campaign “in every state, in every region, against every foe.”

“A sitting senator, with the help of the state Democratic machine, is now back in the race,” Jackson said. “And Jesse Jackson . . . is on top of the race.”

Gerald F. Austin, Jackson’s campaign manager, suggested that Jackson might actually profit from defeat if the Simon victory muddles the race and keeps those voters opposed to Jackson from coalescing around a single Democratic rival.

“The more opponents, the better,” he said. “My read is, we are in a no-lose situation. This means we go to Michigan with Simon, Gore, Gephardt and Jackson. I like those numbers.”

Jackson’s popular vote showing was boosted by high turnouts in the predominantly black areas of Chicago that were his stronghold. He had spent most of the day Tuesday seeking to get out the vote in those areas, and paid a visit to a poverty-stricken public housing project where residents rattled steel-mesh barriers in a haunting tribute to the hometown candidate.

Jackson’s campaign is likely to use the disparity between his popular vote showing and his relatively meager share of the delegates who were at stake Tuesday as fuel for an appeal for a portion of the 645 elected officials who will serve as uncommitted “super delegates” at the Democratic National Convention in July.

Austin said that the campaign would continue to point out what he said was the injustice of the “stupid rules” in hopes of persuading uncommitted delegates that Jackson should get “his fair share.”

“You make your point,” Austin said. “Nobody can argue with the fact that if you win the most popular votes, you should be the nominee.”

In his victory speech, Jackson once again portrayed himself as a “David against financial Goliaths,” but although he spent far less money than his principal rivals, the campaign’s new-found fund-raising success may at least partly invalidate that effective Jackson theme.

The campaign has raised $500,000 since March 1--a million-dollar-a-month clip that so far only Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis has achieved--and last week launched a million-piece direct mail blitz that is expected to reap even greater bounty.

Although campaign aides say the new funding will enable Jackson to compete more effectively in future primaries, they play down the impact of new money for fear of diluting the power of Jackson’s “poor campaign, rich message theme.”

“We’ll never be on level ground with the others,” Austin said Tuesday. “And if we were, we wouldn’t tell you.”