On The Grapevine

Iowa's winners. On that heady morning of Feb. 9, they could have been excused for addressing themselves in the mirror as "Mr. President." Bob Dole and Dick Gephardt had just won the Iowa caucuses (remember them?) and had every reason to expect a surge that would carry them to their nominations. But the glow did not survive Super Tuesday, and last week they bowed to the inevitable and quit the race. More than 3,000 reporters covered the Iowa campaign. In the end it turned out to be less important than the Michigan Democratic caucuses, for which nary an exit poll was taken. Even Iowa's runners-up have done poorly: Pat Robertson and Paul Simon are likely to be the next to fold.

Mirror image. George Bush settled down with his aides last week for a leisurely review of his list of vice-presidential prospects, which included such usual suspects as Governors George Deukmejian and Tom Kean. Then Bush surprised his advisers with an unexpected addition to the roster: Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson. The homespun Simpson is well liked by his peers and above all loyal, an attribute that Bush has stated is his most important criterion.

Gephardt's last deal. Dick Gephardt had a problem. By dropping out of the race, he would lose the right to name a number of Missouri's at-large delegates who are still to be selected. Instead, Jackson (the runner-up in Missouri) would get to pick them. But Gephardt, now planning to run for re- election to the House, wanted to reward home-state supporters with convention seats. So he called Jackson and asked for the right to name Missouri's at- large delegates in return for helping Jackson with delegate slates in South Dakota and Texas. Jackson magnanimously agreed, and Gephardt announced his withdrawal the next day. After fighting back tears throughout his statement, he adjourned to a small room with family and friends, where he broke down and cried.

Counting their chickens. Jackson's campaign got so caught up in last week's excitement that his people suddenly seemed ready to pick out offices in the West Wing. A top operative from a failed campaign was called for advice in "running the country," and an outside adviser was asked to provide Cabinet nominations.

Unconsummated. Governor Mario Cuomo strongly denies reports that he was preparing to back Dukakis until the Michigan caucuses changed his mind. True, no endorsement was formally offered. But Dukakis Campaign Manager Susan Estrich flew to New York City two days before the Michigan vote to meet with Cuomo's son Andrew, with the thought that a quick endorsement might be arranged. Andrew posed a number of detailed questions: Would Dukakis come to New York for the announcement? How would he deal with Jackson? Did Dukakis have a message for Jewish voters? But no agreement was reached before Michigan put a halt to the talks. Andrew found Estrich a difficult, brittle person to deal with, and communications between the two have pretty much shut down, although the two Governors keep in contact.