Waiting for Jackson action

WASHINGTON The mantra "Run, Jesse, Run" has started up again.

While the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a two-time presidentialcontender, has made it clear he wants to be a player in the nextWhite House contest, he hasn't decided just how.

The topic came up at a recent Rainbow/PUSH Coalition conferencein Chicago after Jackson's family and supporters urged him to make adecision to lay groundwork for a presidential run in 2000.At the meeting, Jackson, president and founder of theorganization, was coy when a woman got up and read a poem on thetheme "Run, Jesse, Run." He praised her work for its "aesthetic"value.Heavier pressure came from his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.(D-Ill.), who told the Chicago Sun-Times that he thought his fatherwould run and pressed him to get started now. Longtime backers atthe conference also lobbied him.Through all the nudging, Jackson remained a sphinx.Can the 55-year-old minister stage an electoral comeback afterskipping two presidential contests? Supporters acknowledgeskepticism, but operatives in other camps insist Jackson still hasthe magic.Even Vice President Al Gore, the apparent front-runner, iskeeping an eye on the competitor who outlasted him in the 1988primary. Encountering the elder Jackson in the White House lastweek, the vice president joked about his recent publicity."Tell Congressman Jackson before he encourages you to run, weneed to have a meeting of the St. Alban's alumni association," Gorejoshed, according to Jesse Jackson Sr. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Goreattended St. Alban's School.Support from African-American voters would give Rev. Jacksonpunch in 2000. He built his historic showing in the 1984 and 1988elections on the base of black votes, and key figures in otherpolitical camps say that he could do it again.Three days after the Chicago meeting, Jackson talked at lengthabout the situation."I have all the credentials to run," he said. "Whether I run ornot will be determined on factors not yet to be discussed. But Iintend to be a factor in determining the course of our party and ourcountry."He wants a debate over what the Democratic Party should standfor. He fears the party is shifting too far to the center and is notpaying attention to the needs of the poor."A vast body of Democrats feel they are not in the debate," hesaid. "The middle class is anxious and afraid, and the poor aredesperate."It's up to me to decide not to run. I have the know-how,experience, public acceptance, track record for service andrecognition based on service has been established."Then why not send a definitive signal?Supporters are frustrated he hasn't been clear about his plans.Other candidates already are lining up workers, money and othercommitments that Jackson could compete for.In Illinois, allies of Gore and House Minority Leader RichardGephardt (D-Mo.), another top contender, are starting to gathersupport, sources said. One Gephardt supporter even worked theRainbow/PUSH conference, a source said."I'm studying all my options," Jackson said.Is running for president among them?"Of course," he replied.Why not decide now?"Because it's weighty, I haven't made it yet," he said.Others pressing Jackson include Frank Watkins, press secretaryfor Jackson's 1984 presidential bid and political director of his1988 effort. Watkins, now working for Rep. Jackson, is frustratedabout the slow start."Every indication I've seen is that he's inclined to run," saidWatkins, but he should take steps now to "at least freeze his people.There are ways of making intentions known without an announcement."Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Boston political activistMel King Jr., who worked in Jackson's presidential campaigns, stokedthe fires in Chicago. Waters said he must decide this year, and Kingasked him to decide now."Jackson is the only progressive voice who is presidentialmaterial, has support all over the country and a base, and could be acredible spokesperson on behalf of many of us," Waters said.David Bositis, of the Joint Center for Political and EconomicStudies, said that only Jackson can stop Gore from locking up thenomination in Southern states on Super Tuesday - just as Clinton didin 1992.Bositis' thesis is that Jackson can keep close to Gore in theSouth, where blacks remained half the Democratic vote after whitesleft the party. Wounded in the South, the more moderate Gore wouldhave to face more liberal working-class issues in later states,including Illinois. Challengers including Jackson, Gephardt and Sen.Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), who is looking at running, could force Goreto debate and embrace the more liberal issues - shifting the partymore to the left.Jackson's strength was reflected in Bositis' nationwide poll of850 blacks and 728 whites taken last spring. Blacks were 86.6percent favorable to Jackson and 8.1 percent unfavorable. Whiteswere 29.9 percent favorable, 50 percent unfavorable.Because of Jackson's southern potential, Bill Carrick, theCalifornian who ran Gephardt's 1988 presidential bid, and the Rev.James Wall, who was chairman of Gore's 1988 Illinois campaign,predict Jackson will enter the race."If he runs or gets behind some other candidate, he could bedeterminative of the nomination," said Carrick, noting that one-fifthof the delegates to the next Democratic convention are expected to beblack."I'm assuming Jackson is going to be a candidate because hewants to see his issues raised," said Wall, who ran PresidentCarter's Illinois campaigns. "Gore is going to have to deal with thereverend."