Jackson Asks for Offer of VP Spot : Puts Dukakis in Potentially Divisive Stance

The Rev. Jesse Jackson on Wednesday issued an unambiguous call for Michael S. Dukakis to offer him the second spot on the Democratic ticket, putting the Massachusetts governor in a sensitive and potentially divisive spot only a day after he won his party’s nomination.

For weeks, Jackson has raised and then skirted the issue, saying he has “earned consideration” for the vice presidential nomination. In an interview the morning after his final primary contest, Jackson bluntly defined “consideration” as “an offer.”

While Jackson said he had not decided whether he would take the job if offered, he talked in glowing terms of the vice president’s potential for influencing the national agenda.

Others ‘to Be Considered’

Dukakis agreed at a news conference that Jackson “deserves consideration,” but added: “There are other people to be considered as well, and it’s up to the nominee to make that selection.”

Jackson’s advisers have expressed skepticism that he would take the vice presidential nomination if Dukakis asked. But his demand for first crack at the job underscores the fact that he still must be reckoned with, even though Dukakis has sewn up the nomination.

As the second-place finisher, Jackson will carry more than 1,100 delegates at this summer’s Democratic convention. More importantly, his enthusiastic support for the ticket is seen as a critical factor in motivating his army of enthusiastic supporters to the polls in November.

For months, Jackson has complained that the party’s rules are unfairly skewed against him, but few voters understand the arcane mechanics of delegate selection of which Jackson has spoken. With his demand that Dukakis offer to share the ticket, Jackson has given his following a clear litmus test by which to gauge how their candidate has been treated by the Democratic Establishment.

Jackson, who is virtually alone in his insistence that the race for the presidential nomination is not over, also plans to continue campaigning until the convention, and to press for the support of delegates who are not yet committed.

His statements about the vice presidency come at a critical time for Dukakis. Now that the competition within Democratic ranks is over, Dukakis must turn his focus to unifying the party for its run against the Republicans in November.

No Problems Seen

Dukakis’ campaign chairman, Paul Brountas, insisted that Jackson’s position will not create problems for the campaign, or a perception that Jackson is being slighted if he does not receive the offer. “Part of the process is consulting with leadership around the country,” Brountas said. “The governor intends to use a very fair, open and deliberate process.”

Asked what he meant by asserting he had “earned consideration” for the vice presidential spot, Jackson said in an interview with The Times: “An offer is serious consideration. . . . It’s final consideration. And I have not yet made the decision that I would accept it if offered, (but) I have earned serious consideration. By any historical standard, I have earned it.”

Jackson, who has characterized Dukakis as more cautious and conservative than the Democratic mainstream, also said he could add both a regional and ideological balance to the ticket.

‘Broader Support Base’

“The decision of putting the ticket together finally must take into account what running mate brings a constituency and brings a support base,” Jackson said. “I bring a broader support base to this discussion than Mondale did in 1976 . . . than Ferraro did in 1984. So if Mondale and Ferraro earned consideration, I’ve earned it.”

In a news conference, Jackson dismissed a suggestion that someone with his strong personality might not be content to play a secondary role in a Dukakis presidency. He noted that the vice president participates in all major White House policy meetings, has a chance to become involved in foreign policy and breaks critical tie votes in the Senate.

“I’ve gone all the way from ‘Should he run?’ to ‘The vice presidency is beneath him.’ There’s only one job on Earth that’s above that job,” Jackson said. “Vice president is not quite the top, but it is a long way from where I started.”