Running in Place

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The crowds still yell "Run, Jesse, run!" and he still acts as if that is precisely what he has in mind. But Jesse Jackson, who had planned to announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination last month, is finding that a run at the presidency cannot be fueled by ego and limelight alone. Clergymen this summer optimistically promised that $10 million could be raised for Jackson from the nation's network of black churches. But that plan was opposed by the Rev. T.J. Jemison, leader of the powerful National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc., who opposes mixing politics and religion. So Jackson's fledgling advisory committee has been reduced to sending out 2,000 solicitation letters, using a slapdash mailing list of friends and black businessmen, to raise seed money. Consequently, prominent politicians like Philadelphia Congressman William Gray are urging him to scale back his quest and run a Limited campaign in a few Southern states with a large proportion of black voters.

Jackson, 42, is characteristically unfazed. "We're operating under our own rhythm, and it's a good rhythm for us," he says. "We're not going to let anybody push us until we're ready to jump." His new campaign treasurer says pledges are coming in. In the meantime, many of Jackson's potential supporters are beginning to murmur, "When, Jesse, when?"