Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, saying that ``people are coming alive'' to his presidential candidacy, campaigned Saturday before racially diverse, overflow crowds of New Yorkers. He avoided direct bickering with Mayor Ed Koch over Jewish concerns, but he did take a sideswipe at Koch when asked if the mayor's negative comments were hurting him in New York. Jackson said his campaign is focused on ``healing,'' and without mentioning Koch's name, suggested the mayor is heightening black-Jewish tension. In light of various recent incidents of racial violence, he said, ``We are already in a very tender situation. And responsible leadership must move to heal people and not extend their fears.'' Jackson told each of his enthusiastic audiences from Crown Heights to Coney Island, ``I love you very much.'' As New York's April 19 primary looms, Jackson also said that in fairness, he should be the overall leader not only in the popular vote to date, but in presidential delegates. He said he earned the at-large delegates from the Illinois primary last month but is being kept from receiving them by Sen. Paul Simon of Illinois, who is no longer an active candidate but is clinging to his delegates. Jackson suggested Simon should withdraw formally and said, ``I'm simply appealing for consistency and fairness.'' Jackson devoted the day of rallies and speeches in Brooklyn to discussing his ``economic justice'' message and emphasizing his positions on the Caribbean, Haiti, Panama and South Africa. Crowds that could not fit into the churches and halls where he spoke lined the streets and stood on fire escapes. Security around Jackson was intense as he waded into the throngs of people who mobbed him, shaking hands and holding babies. Jackson called his campaign ``hope reborn'' and said, ``People are coming alive.'' In trendy Park Slope, Jackson addressed a racially mixed outdoor rally of a few thousand. In Crown Heights, he was greeted by a steel drum Calypso band, and he delighted the sidewalk crowd by taking up a tambourine and bouncing to the beat. In Coney Island, several hundred screaming supporters lined the block outside the church where he was to speak, chanting ``Go Jesse.'' But he was dogged by questions about Koch's criticisms, most recently in Saturday's New York Times where Koch was quoted as saying Jackson is evading talking about issues of concern to Jews. As the candidate emerged from speaking to a wildly enthusiastic black audience in St. Mark's Episcopal Church, about two dozen dark-suited Orthodox Jewish men stood somberly at the edge of about 200 supporters waiting outside. They listened quietly while the rest of the onlookers cheered Jackson wildly as he talked about brotherhood. The group said they came out of curiosity. One, who declined to give his name because he said he should not give interviews on the Sabbath, said he planned to vote for Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, and that if Jackson wins the Democratic nomination, ``I'll vote Republican.'' Another said he was supporting Sen. Albert Gore Jr. of Tennessee, but of Jackson, he said, ``I think he's great. I just wish he knew more about the Middle East.'' In an impromptu address to the crowd, Jackson shouted without a microphone about New York's multicultural, multi-ethnic character. ``We seek to draw people together across lines of race and sex and religion,'' he said to rapt cheers from the largely black crowd. ``We know what makes us different _ our race, our sex, our religion, our culture. But what binds us together?'' In answer, he listed central issues of his candidacy: economic justice, fighting drugs, improving child care and education. Later, Jackson told reporters seeking his reaction to Koch's remarks, ``We are dealing with a highly politicized situation and you expect some of that but we'll keep our eyes on our real agenda.'' He refused to be drawn into a tit-for-tat with Koch. ``Our campaign is an outreach campaign,'' he said. ``We're going to keep it at that level.'' However, he denied evading any issues, noting that he has spoken often about the Middle East. He supports a Palestinian homeland and repeated Saturday his call for recognition of Israel by the Arab states. On foreign policy, Jackson said the United States should demand free and fair elections and human rights in Haiti. He called for U.S. humanitarian aid to the Panamanian people who are suffering under U.S. sanctions aimed at ousting Panamanian strong man General Manuel Noriega. He said he supports the sanctions, but also said there should be a congressional investigation of the CIA 's past role with Noriega.
