Supervisor Hahn Throws His Support to Jackson

Jesse Jackson made the most of his brief visit to Los Angeles Saturday by capturing the endorsement of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and securing the financial support of a group of black professionals who had declined to back his previous presidential bid four years ago.

Jackson enjoyed his best fund-raising day of both his bids for the Democratic nomination by pulling in $150,000 at a Baldwin Hills cocktail party. About 900 affluent black supporters, who paid at least $100 each, spilled onto the palatial home’s patios, terraces and tennis court to hear Jackson speak.

Noting the crowd’s generosity, Jackson said he felt “fabulous” and likened his financial windfall to winning a baseball pennant race. His California finance coordinator said he expected that Jackson would raise a total of $200,000 in Los Angeles before flying to Palm Springs late Saturday night.

Hahn, whom Jackson called the “godfather” of Los Angeles politics, had been courted by several presidential candidates hoping for his support. Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, Missouri Rep. Richard Gephart and then-candidate and former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart visited Hahn in his office during the last year.

Hahn’s endorsement brings Jackson the support of a white, mainstream Democrat who is one of Los Angeles’ most prominent and enduring politicians.

The move could help boost even further Hahn’s popularity in his heavily black district, where he is seeking reelection despite concerns on the part of some community leaders that health problems might render him unable to serve out another term.

Jackson was joined at the fund-raising stops Saturday by his other political supporters, including Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Los Angeles City Councilmen Gilbert W. Lindsay, Nate Holden and Robert Farrell.