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fighter pilot, astronaut, a certified American hero — and a hero who would certainly put Ohio in the Democratic column. Sen. Bentsen adds no fire to the ticket — no flash of oratorical ability to shore up Gov. Dukakis’s methodical, unexciting style.
There’s no doubt that Gov. Dukakis’s choice disappointed Rev. Jackson and his supporters. It probably disappointed many other Democrats that he picked a man who voted in favor of President Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts.
There were legitimate questions raised about Rev. Jackson, most notably his lack of experience in elective office. True, he has been a leader for 20 years — but leading the government of the United States is a world away from leading a demonstration at a plant gate. The one unassailable argument in his favor was that he would add fire and rhetorical flash to the ticket.
Sen. Bentsen may help Gov. Dukakis with conservative Democrats, and will certainly be an asset in the South. He may even win Texas, one of George Bush’s home states, for the Democrats.
The wild card in this deck is, of course, Rev. Jackson. If he holds out for his demands, including a reduction in defense spending and a pledge to raise taxes, he will leave the convention a disappointed and defeated man.
That may translate into reduced support from his constituents for the Democratic ticket in November. It will leave the Democratic Party splin
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