Convention Notebook : Dukakis’ Youthful Staff: The Best Since Jack Who?

Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis loves to compare his presidential bid with that of John F. Kennedy, who--as he continually reminds audiences--was born not far from Dukakis’ own home in Brookline.

The parallel, however, apparently is lost on some of Dukakis’ youthful staff members.

In a briefing Sunday, deputy campaign manager Jack Corrigan was telling reporters that the Dukakis campaign now has a better field organization than any other Democratic campaign has had this long before the November election.

“Better than Jack Kennedy?” a reporter asked.

Corrigan looked nonplussed.

“Well,” he answered, “I was 4 years old, so I can’t speak to that.”

Remember, now, it’s George Bush who wants to be the Education President:

New Democratic lapel pins in Atlanta show a white-enameled United States on which is printed in neat blue letters: “Dukakis Bentson.”

Like the Olympic pins that showed Sam the Eagle quaffing Coca-Cola, the unorthographic pins were hurriedly recalled--and probably just as hurriedly collected.

The oldest convention delegate is 91-year-old Felisa Rincon de Gautier of Puerto Rico, born in 1897, two months after Republican William McKinley beat Democrat William Jennings Bryan for the presidency.

Jerry Meek, 17, of Fayetteville, N.C., is apparently the youngest delegate. He was born 18 presidential elections later, two years after Republican Richard M. Nixon beat Democrat Hubert H. Humphrey for the presidency.

Gautier, a former mayor of San Juan, is a Dukakis delegate. Meek, who will turn 18 exactly a week before the November election, is head of Teen Democrats of America and was elected a delegate for Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr.