7-16-88 The Democratic National Convention begins Monday in Atlanta. As I write, the Reverend Jesse Jackson is travelling in a bus caravan from Chicago to Atlanta. Reportedly, he’s still simmering from Michael Dukakis’s selection of Lloyd Bentsen as his running mate. But what did Jackson expect? There’s no way in hell the Democrats can win the presidential election with Jackson on the ticket. First, there are too many racists in the country; second, he won’t help as much as Bentsen in capturing Texas; and third, he doesn’t differ from Dukakis as much as Bentsen does. Bentsen may be bland, but he’s useful, and that’s what the Democrats need. So, with the ticket written, the only question is what Jackson’s role will be in the party this fall. That’s where most of the media attention is centering. Some say that Jackson will disrupt the convention in an attempt to gain power and have a say in writing the Democratic platform. Others say that he’ll be statesmanlike and join with Dukakis and Bentsen. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.