Kirk, Jackson Discuss Future in Party, Committee Structure

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who maintained a low profile Wednesday night in deference to Michael S. Dukakis’ presidential nomination, met today with Democratic Party Chairman Paul Kirk to discuss his future in the party.

“We had a very positive and constructive meeting and it bodes ill for the Republicans in the fall and well for the American people,” Kirk said following the hourlong meeting, held at Kirk’s request, in Jackson’s suite.

Kirk said he and Jackson talked about “inclusion and expansion with respect to the national committee as a first step of working together at the highest levels of the Democratic Party.”

Asked whether he feels Jackson wants his post as national chairman, Kirk replied, “You’d have to ask him. He didn’t sound that way this morning.”

Asked if he expects to be chairman after Friday, Kirk said, “Yes, I do.”

‘No Discussion’ of Names

Kirk said there was no discussion of “specific names” for the new vice chairmanship, which will be created to accommodate Jackson’s supporters at a meeting of the national committee Friday.

Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York said after the meeting, “Two dynamic campaigns are just trying to see if they can merge together with the least amount of friction and the most amount of comfort.”

Jackson, having wooed the Democratic National Convention Tuesday evening with an electrifying speech, stayed put in his hotel room Wednesday night and watched on television as the party picked Dukakis, his primary-season rival, as its presidential nominee.

But Jackson backers said the civil rights leader will be back at the convention tonight and predicted that someday he could be the nation’s chief executive.