Dukakis’ Strategy Must Overcome Party’s Handicaps : He Acts to Take Firm Control

Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts, the 54-year-old son of Greek immigrants and two-time governor of Massachusetts, was set to take firm control of a seemingly unified Democratic Party Wednesday night as its presidential nominee to oppose Vice President George Bush in the fall campaign.

“He has made the hard decisions: to balance budgets, create jobs, fight crime and drug abuse, move people from welfare to work, expand day care and health care,” Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton declared in a nominating speech for his friend.

Dukakis has “unshakable integrity” and as governor “hasn’t just played with issues, he’s wrestled them to the ground,” Clinton said, noting that Dukakis--if elected--would be the first American President born of immigrant parents since Andrew Jackson in 1829.

Hours before the roll call of states began, Dukakis won something he had sought since June when election returns showed he had captured more than enough delegates to cinch the nomination: a direct pledge of support for his candidacy from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who had finished a distant second to Dukakis in a series of caucuses and primaries.

Jackson, who praised Dukakis but stopped short of endorsing him during a stirring speech here Tuesday night, told reporters Wednesday: “Obviously I’m going to support the ticket. But as to when we will make the very formal endorsement--and have a more formal discussion of the campaign relationship--we’ll determine that and let you know.”

Dukakis, a man of exceedingly cool demeanor, spent the day leading up to his nomination politicking and preparing for the acceptance speech he will make as the 1988 Democratic convention comes to a close tonight.

He and his wife, Kitty, and their family watched the balloting on television in the governor’s hotel suite here after a busy day that saw him hold another unity meeting with Jackson, pay a visit to the Omni convention hall where he will be nominated and deliver his acceptance speech, attend a luncheon honoring Mrs. Dukakis and appear at a boys’ club anti-drug program.

Signs Proclaim ‘Duke!’

By the time Wednesday’s roll call got under way, the Omni convention hall had turned into a sea of blue and white and red and white signs proclaiming: “Duke! Duke! Duke!” Dukakis delegates had lowered their signs as a gesture to Jackson when he spoke Tuesday night, but they waved them enthusiastically for the official balloting.

Dukakis went into the convention showdown with 2,763 delegates (2,081 are needed for the nomination) and Jackson with 1,161. Although headed for certain defeat, Jackson said he wants his name placed in nomination at the 1988 Democratic convention, which ends here tonight, “as a testament to the struggles of our fathers and mothers.”

In placing Jackson’s name in nomination, William W. Winpisinger, president of the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, declared that Jackson has “raised the moral conscience of the nation” and is “challenging the Democratic Party to reclaim its heritage and rainbow ideals. . . . He’s forced new issues and new ways of looking at old issues into public view and into the public dialogue.”

Jackson Joined Pickets

No candidate “since Hubert H. Humphrey elevated the aspirations of workers and championed their cause into the mainstream of political dialogue” the way Jackson has this year, Winpisinger said, noting that Jackson has frequently joined workers on picket lines around the country. This was a particularly interesting connection, considering that Humphrey in 1968 was the candidate of big labor leaders and the party Establishment, who this year for the most part wanted anybody but Jackson.

His mission, Jackson said, is to pave the way for a black eventually to win the White House. The 47-year-old son of a maid and a janitor, Jackson has come much closer to realizing that dream than most of his critics and many of his supporters thought possible.

A century ago, Frederick Douglass was the first black ever to receive a vote in presidential convention balloting. It was at the 1888 Republican convention.

‘It’s Sweet, Sweet’

Jackson, who invited reporters to his hotel suite here to witness part of a session he had with New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, was asked whether it was “bittersweet” to see his name submitted in a nomination he knew he could not win.

“It’s not bittersweet, it’s sweet, sweet,” he declared. “When we consider how close in contrast to how far we’ve come, it’s a sweet, sweet experience.”

Jackson said: “I may or may not get to the White House, but in our lifetime black people, Spanish people, women, Jews and labor leaders have a chance to go to the White House without historical inhibitions or limitations.”

So far, Democrats have been extraordinarily unified at their convention here. Jackson dominated pre-convention maneuvering and news coverage of the first two days while Dukakis worked quietly in the background to further party unity and strengthen his ties with Jackson.

But with his nomination imminent, Dukakis moved Wednesday to take firm control of the party. After telephoning Jackson and commending him for a “terrific” convention speech, he invited him to his 24th-floor hotel suite here where they again discussed the agreement they worked out Monday for Jackson and his forces to participate in the Dukakis fall campaign and play an expanded role in the Democratic National Committee.

The 45-minute session, which also included top campaign aides of both men and Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas, Dukakis’ choice as a vice presidential running mate, was termed a “very happy meeting” by Jackson.

Kirk O’Donnell, a senior Dukakis adviser who attended the meeting, said its main purpose was to discuss how people from the Dukakis and Jackson camps will “relate to each other” in the campaign.

As evidence that Jackson will play a major role in the campaign as Dukakis has promised, O’Donnell said the campaign has recognized that “Jesse Jackson has developed a formidable electoral capacity and we have to involve his people. It is more than just Jesse Jackson. His campaign has become institutionalized, with direct-mail lists and national campaign experience.”

Despite reports that Gov. Cuomo was angry about the way the Dukakis and Jackson staffs were being merged in New York, Cuomo maintained he does not foresee any problems, adding: “The way it will work out, they’ll work it out very smoothly.”

A Cuomo aide earlier had said the governor was angry that one of his associates, Al Gordon, chairman of Dukakis operations in New York, was having his authority diminished by the addition of a co-chairman from the Jackson camp. While denying any anger, Cuomo insisted that Gordon would be “the quarterback” and manage the New York operations.

A Jackson campaign official said there was concern within the campaign about whether the expected influx of Jackson staffers would be channeled to legitimate positions within the Dukakis hierarchy or be given token “make-work jobs.”

In his nominating speech for Dukakis, Clinton said he “has the character, the record and the vision America needs at this moment in our journey,” and that he “should be President because he is the right man for our times.”

“As someone who’s worked with him on hard issues in the National Governors’ Assn., who’s hammered out compromises with him, disagreed with him, and fought battles by his side,” said Clinton, “I can tell you one thing: When he needs to be, Michael Dukakis is tough as nails.”

Dukakis, he said, has “a passionate sense of performance” and “that’s why two years ago his fellow governors, including the Republicans, voted him the ‘most effective’ governor in America. When the Republicans take out after him, I’m going to remind them of that vote.”

Staff writers Douglas Jehl, Karen Tumulty, Henry Weinstein, Keith Love, and Patt Morrison also contributed to this story.