Politics 88 : But Makes Clear He’ll Play Role in Shaping It : Jackson Vows to Back Democratic Ticket

In the closing hours of the primary campaign here that could make or break his hopes for the presidency, the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Sunday offered his fellow Democrats the strongest assurances yet that he will back their national ticket regardless of whether he is on it.

“The point is we should not have the attitude of ‘if I did not win I will take my marbles and go home,’ ” Jackson said during a presidential campaign debate televised over a local station. “That would be a bad attitude. In the final analysis one person will win, a ticket will be formed and a direction will be made clear.”

Jackson, however, also made it clear that whatever the outcome of the Tuesday primary vote here, or in subsequent contests for delegates, he expects to play a role in shaping the ticket and the party’s direction in the 1988 campaign.

A Vexing Question

The question of reaching agreement on a nominee has become a vexing one for Democrats. Though Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis is still viewed by many as the likely nominee, particularly if he wins on Tuesday here, where he is leading the polls, it is unlikely that Dukakis or anyone else will have an absolute majority of the 4,164 delegates when the primaries end June 7.

And many are worried what Jackson’s attitude would be if, after making a surprisingly strong run, he lost the nomination and failed to be chosen as running mate.

Asked if he felt the nomination should go to whichever candidate emerges with a plurality, Jackson said: “Whoever has less than 51% must negotiate a relationship that has broad enough support to win. And I am convinced we are going to have to use our cumulative strength to win.”

His comments seemed to suggest a process involving bargaining among the top contenders rather than the notion advanced by many party leaders that the nominee would reach a majority by accumulating a big bloc of votes from so-called “super delegates,” elected and party officials who are not yet pledged to any candidate.

Role of Contenders

Jackson instead stressed the role of the presidential contenders in reaching the decision on the party’s 1988 standard-bearer. “I want to earn serious consideration” for a place on the ticket, he said. But, he added, “That’s true for either of the three of us,” referring to Dukakis and Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. as well as himself.

“Because our mission must be to expand the party and heal the party. And those who have worked the hardest the last year can make the party strong and pursue the burden of leadership.”

Asked if he would bolt the Democrats and launch a third party, Jackson said: “I don’t have that pessimistic a view of party. I am convinced that when the people have spoken, the party is of the people and indeed it will respond.”

Supported Jimmy Carter

As evidence of his own good intentions, Jackson cited his behavior in 1980 when he supported President Jimmy Carter in the general election after Carter beat back a divisive challenge by Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. “Most of Kennedy’s people walked away” from the Carter campaign, Jackson said, though he himself did not.

Jackson’s remarks touched off similar vows of harmony from his rivals.

“We are going to be unified,” said Gore, who is running far behind in the polls here and who many feel will be forced out of the race if he fails to run more strongly than he has in most other contests outside the South. “We’ve had more than 30 debates in this campaign and we are absolutely convinced that George Bush cannot be President of the United States.”

‘People Want a Change’

That prompted front-runner Dukakis to declare: “There’s a broad consensus in this country about what we need. People want a change. People want a President who will provide active leadership.”

Despite his apparent willingness to support someone else as nominee, Jackson seemed in no way lacking in confidence about his own prospects, nor for that matter did Dukakis.

“Mike and I came over here on different boats,” Jackson said joshingly when the issue of his race was raised. “He came on the immigrant boat and I came on the slave boat. But we’re in the same boat now. And I intend to be the captain of the ship.”

“And I’ll be the admiral,” Dukakis shot back.”