Black Caucus Backs Jackson as VP : Congressmen to Ask Dukakis to Offer Rival No. 2 Spot

Seeking to invigorate the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s tentative vice presidential bid, members of the Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday formally urged Jackson to seek the second spot on the ticket and said they would ask Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis to make his rival his running mate.

Jackson said he had not sought the caucus’ opinion, and reiterated that he had not made up his mind whether to seek the office but believes he has earned “serious consideration” for the job. He contended also that there was “obviously growing concern within the country that that ‘serious consideration’ be translated into being a part of the ticket.”

Jackson also said he met privately earlier Wednesday with Dukakis campaign chairman Paul Brountas, who is leading that campaign’s vice presidential hunt. Asked if that meeting represented the consideration he sought, Jackson said only: “It was a very meaningful preliminary discussion.”

“We need to know what the rules are and what the standards will be,” he said later on CNN television.

The meeting was the first in which Jackson discussed the vice presidency with Dukakis or one of his aides. Dukakis’ press secretary, Dayton Duncan, described the session as “part of the consultative process.”

‘Go For Broke’

The formal statement from the black caucus, representing the consensus of 18 caucus members, added an influential voice of affirmation to the advice of some key Jackson advisers that the candidate “go for broke” and seek the vice presidential slot.

Other aides, however, have counseled caution, and Jackson has remained undecided. He explained Wednesday that “there is a relationship between leader and people” and that he hoped to “build a consensus” among his supporters for whatever course he eventually chooses.

In statements at a Capitol Hill news conference, six of the panel’s members sought to counter the views of those who have counseled caution, arguing that Jackson should be regarded as the front-runner for the vice presidential slot and could bring great political strength to a ticket headed by Dukakis.

“We go into the convention not to put pressure on Gov. Dukakis,” said Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.). “We come in with a candidate. It seems to me that Gov. Dukakis has to come up with a better candidate, or at least be prepared to share with us why he does not believe that Rev. Jackson is the best candidate.”

“If one is looking at someone to balance the ticket,” said Rep. Mervyn M. Dymally (D-Los Angeles), “he has the balance. Someone who has the experience; he has the experience. He meets all the qualifications. And I cannot find any reason why he should not be considered and put on the ticket.”

The black caucus is composed of 23 black members of Congress, all Democrats. Dymally, the group’s chairman, said that no member had opposed the recommendation, and that the five members not included in the consensus had not participated in the discussions.

Dymally said the panel hoped to meet with Dukakis and would seek to persuade him to put Jackson on the ticket. But he and others said the group’s advocacy of Jackson should not be interpreted as a threat that they would withhold support from the Democratic ticket if Jackson were not on it.

Rep. Gus Savage (D-Ill.), however, implied that a decision to keep Jackson off the ticket might be motivated by racism, and pledged not to campaign for any candidate who acquiesced in such racism.

Denouncing those who believe that “blacks will be responsible for losing the election if we insist on a black being placed on the ticket,” Savage declared: “The person who would vote against a Democratic ticket because a black was on it would be the one who would be responsible for the defeat of the Democratic ticket.”

Both Jackson and his congressional supporters fended off questions dealing with recent polls that showed Jackson to be a liability to the Democratic ticket, arguing that polls were premature.

“On a good ticket,” Jackson said, “if Mr. Dukakis were to work as diligently with his constituency to support me, as I would be expected to support him with my constituency, then those combined constituencies equal victory, equal growth, equal expansion.”