This vigorous discussion is about evenly divided between what sort of person a

Vice President should be and--since our guests are both liberal Democrats--whom

Michael Dukakis should pick as his running mate. (Most of the running-mate discussion

is on the plausibility of Jesse Jackson, though Mr. Maslin does mention Lloyd Bentsen as

a strong contender.) MG: "One point I would like to make, if I could, that we are

leaving out of this equation: ... Democrats are frustrated because they have been out of the White House 16 of 20 years, and are extremely united behind Dukakis because they

don't want a Reagan successor. Therefore, there will be very little moaning if Dukakis

picks someone that's not ideal, unlike the Republicans, who are already complaining that

Governor Tom Kean is the keynoter [at the convention], and you have Republicans like

Howard Phillips and Richard Viguerie bitterly attacking Reagan and Bush. I don't think

you will see that phenomenon in the Democratic Party this year."