Scoop Declares

In his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Henry Jackson has rated up to an unimpressive 8% in the national polls. Indeed, there is some fear in his camp that Scoop could poop out long before next summer's nominating convention unless he rapidly becomes better known among voters and matches strides with the front runners in the initial presidential primaries. So Jackson has decided to enter the fray officially next week, and with a big bang.

On November 19, Jackson plans to announce his candidacy on an expensive, half-hour nationwide TV broadcast. In spite of the misgivings of his campaign manager, Hy Raskin, he will also enter the New Hampshire primary. Raskin wanted to concede the snowy state to Muskie and concentrate on Florida, where Jackson adherents are already engaged in precinct organization. But Jackson feels that New Hampshire is small enough so that he can overcome his low-recognition handicap. He also reasons that his political philosophy--a singular mix of the liberal and the conservative --will have considerable appeal for the New Hampshire party. Wishful theorizing or realistic gambling, it is clear that Jackson has no other option but to come out slugging before it is too late. Political seers generally agree that Muskie should win in New Hampshire, anyway. But Jackson's presence there will greatly complicate the race, and he need not get much more than 20% of the vote to establish his bona fides as a candidate.

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