Kirk Scoffs at Peacemaker’s Role for Carter

Party Chairman Paul G. Kirk Jr. today scoffed at a proposal that former President Jimmy Carter act as peacemaker and urged Michael S. Dukakis and the Rev. Jesse Jackson to “close ranks” at the 40th Democratic National Convention.

“We’re now down to the ninth inning,” Kirk said. “I hope the candidates know the most important thing they can do is close ranks.”

Kirk and others in the party hierarchy fear the Jackson-Dukakis cold war, sparked by Dukakis’ failure to inform Jackson before the press did of his decision to pick moderate Sen. Lloyd Bentsen as his running mate, could break out into a nationally televised feud that could mar the image of unity the Democrats are trying to craft.

Summit Suggested

There were discussions at the highest levels in the Dukakis and Jackson camps of a summit between the winner and loser in Atlanta, possibly Sunday, the day before the convention opens.

The two candidates have met several times--the last a July 4 dinner at Dukakis’ home in Brookline, Mass.--but have failed to establish a close personal or political relationship.

The suggestion to enlist Carter, a near non-person in American politics since he was crushed by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election, was instigated by Jackson in a telephone call to the former President Thursday.

But Kirk brushed off the idea.

“To call in a former President to mediate discussions between the prospective nominee and the fellow who did very well. . . . I don’t think the fact there has been some miscommunication at this point requires the President of the United States to come to the table,” Kirk said in a CBS interview.