European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 1, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes David Broder deaths of Velasquez Conlon loss to nation of. Nmn tarries Beean with he formal name Power of their numbers. The statistics say that in the Goat. I icis Neja the obituaries began with he formal name William c. Velasquez. They quickly shifted to  was As it should have been for there was an infectious irresistible informality to the Man who was mourned across America recently when he died in his Home City of san Antonio at the absurd age of 44. Like thousands of others politicians journalist Sand average citizens my introduction to Willie came because i needed his help. In the mid-70s, after stints of Union and Community organizing he launched the Southwest voter registration project with the goal of mobilizing the hispanic vote. Velas Quez and his Strep staff quickly became the Reposi tory of the most reliable information about latino registration and voting patterns and an invaluable source of intelligence about political trends and leaders in that emerging constituency. Our first meeting was literally an education. But like so Many others i came away not just with Statis tics but with the sense that i had been permitted to glimpse and to feel the Energy and Exi Lement of a fully committed human being. As Willie talked about his charts the columns of numbers came alive As they do for few other Politi Cal practitioners or observers. Every time we met the conversation moved from the numbers to his current organizing Campaign and often it went on Long Pas the scheduled time through dinner and on into the night. Velasquez s passion was the empowerment of peo ple his people who have been the last of the major strains in our Complex society to grasp and exercise the James Kilpatrick uuwc1 Al 11111 Linn a u. T14 years he ran Strep the number of i spam registered voters doubled to five million and so did the number of Spanish surname elected officials. His most important Mission was organizing the local registration voting and distracting drives. Hard As it was to overcome the inertia and the fear he founding the Barrios he always came Back stimulated by the Challenge and the Hope. The last time i saw him one late afternoon last year in his cramped san Antonio offices he was just Back from an organizing trip somewhere in the Valley and he asked me to join him in a debriefing session with his staff members before we did anything else. He was dog tired but had a dozen follow up assignments for them to get started in the morning. Then we talked politics from the 1988 presiden tial prospects to the situation of his Friend and mayor Henry Cisneros of whom he spoke with a wonderful mixture of Pride affection and critical detachment. He suggested we go on to dinner but i had another appointment something i wish now i had cancelled. The cancer that killed Velasquez was Only diagnosed in the third week of May. He was told he had six months to a year and he called Michael Dukakis Aman he had met while on a Brief sabbatical at the Institute of politics of Harvard s John f. Kenned school of government. He told Dukakis that with whatever time was left he wanted to go ahead with the plan they d been discussing for Willie to become the prospective democratic nominee s Deputy Campaign manager. Three weeks later Dukakis delivered a Eulo Fly of Jav it u   owe Velasquez a personal debt for 10 years ago when i was writing a Book about the younger Genera Tion of american political leaders he not Only talked reflectively about his pwn role but guided me to Many others in the hispanic communities across America who became part of the Story. So far As i know he is the first of the 300-or-Soprincipal figures in my Book changing of the guard who has died and i feel As if it were a death inthe family. It is in fact a loss to the nation and his spirit i Hope will continue to inspire the far from Complete struggle for enfranchisement of millions of hispanic  this column was going to the editor i received a phone Call with the news that Richard Conlon for 20years the director of the democratic study group of the House of representatives had been killed in boating Accident. Conlon was a product of the great Liberal Talent factory Hubert Humphrey started in Minnesota and he became a major Force in shaping a whole generation of Young House democrats. He was Central figure in the civil rights and social legislation Battles and in the efforts to make House decision making More open honest and accountable. But beyond that Conlon was a Clear eyes guide for scores of reporters in understanding the dynamics of that unique institution to which he gave so much of his life never cynical but always shrewd in his judgments of individuals and political  he and Willie get together in the next world and Pool their Energy and commitment there will be no stopping them. C Washington Post writers group the Jellyroll biography about Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis the democrats Choice for the presidency was vacationing last week in Nantucket but the insatiable press As usual was on hand. The first question he faced the Washington pos reported was whether he intended to turn Nantucket into his summer Retreat should he capture the White  Dukakis evidently had Given the question som thought. No he replied he thought he would escape to his father in Law s one Story cottage in the berkshires. That s looking ahead governor. That s Good plan Ning. And the papers report that Kitty Dukakis the candidate s outspoken wife is thinking of How she will redecorate the family quarters. The reagans califor Nia style is not to her new England taste. There i speculation that she will want her own office in the executive Wing just a few feet Down the Hall from the president s Oval office. She expects to be even More Active As first lady than Rosalynn Carter or Nancy Reagan. The Public opinion polls meanwhile Len substance to these confident preparations. Dukakis continues to Lead the republicans George Bush by 10to 13 Points nationwide. The gender Gap is especially remarkable women voters reportedly favor Duka Kis 2-to-l Over Bush. Poor old George nobody is asking him about his summer Retreat. Nobody seems to care about Barbara s taste in teapots. A landslide for Dukakis a 50-state sweep to Reada current biography of Dukakis is to imagine it might be so. Not in 2,000 years has such a Man made his presence known among us. In Dukakis an american Odyssey authors Charles Kenney and Robert  provide a modest profile. Picking their adjectives with judicious care they Tell us that the governor is affable ambitious athletic Brilliant brisk Calm cautious compassionate dedicated determined de voted diligent disciplined and dogged. He a Friendly and frugal Good and gregarious honest and humorous. He is also idealistic incorruptible Independent innovative intelligent and knowledgeable. He is a Liberal. He is likable Lucky matter of fact and musical. He is also orderly organized orig Inal and outstanding. The nominee is patient persistent persuasive an principled. He is rational reasonable Reform minded righteous respected self assured seasoned self con trolled self confident serious solid Square stoical Strong stubborn and squeaky clean. Besides he is Thrifty tireless tolerant trim and understanding. Dukakis is a skilled Cook. He shops for bargains. Heis an Eagle scout a Man of integrity a Maverick an outsider a solver of problems a Star student a techno crat and a Winner. It remains Only to be said that for exercise he plays Tennis and walks on water. This is what George Bush is up against. The elections Over before the party conventions have been held. Dukakis May be excused from writing an acceptance speech for Atlanta. He might better devote his energies toward the inaugural address he will deliver in Washington seven months hence. Well maybe yes maybe no. A Small still voice suggests that before old eyebrows names his Cabinet a few minor details remain for his attention. There is for example the minor detail of Jesse Jackson. A dilemma by definition is a Choice betwee equally unappealing alternatives. Dukakis cannot pos Sibly offer the vice presidential nomination to  heavens the fellow might accept in that event there goes the Berkshire Retreat there goes Kitty s curtains. On the other hand not to make the offer is to risk alienating Jackson s devoted followers if Black voters should be grievously offended they would t vote Forbush but they might not vote at All. And without a massive turnout of Black voters in november it could be disaster for Dukakis in Dixie. The Paragon depicted in this Jellyroll biography maybe Able to resolve his dilemma. After All he is affable ambitious athletic Brilliant brisk and Stop that he could offer Jackson a Post As ambassador without portfolio plus the pick of two justices to be name later. He could make Jackson his drug Czar. He could what there remains that other minor detail. He must first beat Bush in november and it won t be As easy As Dukakis assumes. After All Bush also is dedicated determined devoted diligent and dogged. To say the least. C Universal press Syndicate