Jesse Jumps In

And now there are eight

We can do without the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

They cannot do without us." With that bold declaration, Jesse Jackson, 42, officially proclaimed himself a candidate for the presidency in Washington last week, making him the eighth Democrat in the 1984 sweepstakes. Practically shouting himself hoarse during a three-hour rally at the city's packed Convention Center, Jackson vowed that his candidacy would draw a tidal wave of black votes, and he warned that the Democratic Party would have to earn those votes, not take them for granted.

The founder of the Chicago-based Operation PUSH is realistic about his long-shot bid. Realizing that he can hardly expect to be elected in 1984, Jackson aims to run a campaign calculated to nettle the Democratic Party establishment and force it to address the concerns of blacks and other minority groups. If it fails to do so, he implies, the Democrats might just as well forget about the 2 million to 3 million new voters he hopes to register; in fact, he warns, he can act as a "voter suppressant" as well as catalyst. Said he: "We challenge the Democratic Party to respect its constituency."

By that, Jackson means the "rainbow coalition of the rejected." On his crowded podium last Week week representatives of Hispanics, American Indians and women's organizations, all in attendance to symbolize those constituencies that, he says, the Democratic Party must not forget.

Jackson's primary power base, however, is black America, and that worries former Vice President Walter Mondale. The Democratic front runner had been counting on significant black support. In March, Jackson could siphon enough black votes from Mondale in a brace of Southern primaries to throw key delegates to Ohio Senator John Glenn.

Such scenarios have kept many black leaders from supporting Jackson's bid.

Many were planning to back Mondale, and some resent Jackson's large ego and ambition. But he seems unconcerned. His candidacy, he insists, will create a "full wagon" effect along the way: a massive minority turnout that will increase the numbers of black local and regional office seekers. Another effect, suggests Ohio State Political Science Professor William Nelson Jr., referring to Jackson's gifts as an orator: "He could push the other presidential candidates to become forthright and lucid. He could loosen up some of the debate and cause a wider discussion of the issues." This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.