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Most frustrating of all to Dukakis is the sense that he has only limited leverage over Jackson. His late-night foray to Jackson's hotel was part of a mutual effort to warm up what has been a cool, correct relationship. In his speeches, Dukakis frequently butters up Jackson, making a somewhat stretched comparison between his own immigrant heritage and Jackson's rise from poverty and racial discrimination. Yet Jackson's advisers, themselves divided over strategy, continue to complain that Dukakis does not understand Jackson.
Dukakis agrees with Jackson that the U.S. should be tougher on South Africa, but he declines to support the step of labeling South Africa a "terrorist state" like Libya and Iran. He might go along with yet another review of delegate-selection rules, but he is not about to denounce the present system as undemocratic. Jackson, who believes that Party Chairman Paul Kirk is hostile to him, might seek his replacement after the convention. If he presses the point, Dukakis might sacrifice Kirk for the sake of amity. Last week Jackson admitted that he might back away from his demand to be on the ticket if he wins on other matters, telling reporters, "The ticket will be a consideration, but it will be one of many considerations."
On larger issues, Dukakis knows that satisfying Jackson would mean alienating many voters. For instance, Jackson argues for tax increases on the affluent and a significant reduction of Pentagon resources. As Dukakis fends off Republican charges that he is a tax-loving liberal dove, he can hardly embrace those ideas. Nor can he court Jackson too ardently without looking weak or Mondale-like.
A few mannerly floor fights in Atlanta on platform items could be a good thing for the party. They would perk up interest and allow Dukakis to continue to appear as the commonsense centrist keeping the party's left wing in check. But an emotional brawl over Jackson's claims to the vice-presidential nomination would ignite racial animosities and could leave the Democrats fatally divided. In their dealings between now and Atlanta, Dukakis must rely on Jackson's enormous savvy, and on his fear of playing the spoiler in a year when the Democrats have a real chance to recapture the White House.