The Democrats Grapevine

Hold the Chablis. The belated telephone call may have been the topper, but Dukakis has failed to connect with Jesse Jackson on more mundane matters. At a dinner on July 4, the Governor served poached salmon and California Chablis. Jackson prefers his fish fried and lemonade to drink.

A dream ticket for the G.O.P.? The more George Bush cites "compatibility" as a quality in a running mate, the less chance Bob Dole has of being picked. At a recent rally in Atlanta, Dole arrived an hour late, cooling the crowd that was ready to cheer the waiting Bush. When Dole was applauded, he joked, "Well, I'd be willing to accept the nomination, but it left without me." Complained a Bush aide: "He still can't accept that it's over."

Not in the know. The reporters following Dukakis organized a pool on his Veep choice. The bets: John Glenn, 13; Al Gore, 6; Richard Gephardt, 1; Lloyd Bentsen, 0.

"The most unhappy I ever saw Hubert Humphrey was when he was Vice President."

-- Lloyd Bentsen, disparaging the Veep job in May

Keep your distance, Duke. Negotiating a pre-convention Nightline interview, Dukakis aides wanted their man seated next to Ted Koppel, as Gary Hart had been. Koppel wanted the Duke in a separate studio. Unable to resolve the dispute, the Dukakis camp canceled the interview.

Consolation prizes. Unless Jackson really wants a Cabinet job in a Dukakis Administration, Mario Cuomo is one leading Democrat who believes such a post would be too restrictive for Jackson's wide-ranging talents. Explains the New York Governor: "I'd rather see him free to move around and be involved in a whole series of issues." As for Dukakis' choice of a running mate, Cuomo notes, "I would not have chosen Bentsen. But now that he made that choice and you see the reaction, you say to yourself, 'The Dukakis people are smarter than I thought.' Dukakis is showing his capacity for inclusiveness. He has gone beyond his own ideological agenda."