“The next stage of our struggle is not just to have our share of students and faculty or our share of administrators, but our share of capital,” Jackson said.

With the issue of gay marriage at the forefront of Massachusetts politics, Jackson said he supported full rights for homosexuals but objected to comparisons with the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

“No slave was ever enslaved because he was gay,” Jackson said.

And in remarks to a group of student leaders over lunch yesterday, Jackson said he would not be inclined to perform weddings for same-sex couples, according to Christopher R. Hughes ’06, who attended the event.

Jackson promised his support—and his supporters—to the eventual Democratic nominee.

“We’re going to give Bush time to go back and finish his National Guard service,” Jackson said.

And while Jackson acknowledged that Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., would likely emerge as the nominee, the reverend reserved his greatest praise for Gov. Howard B. Dean, D-Vt.

“Howard Dean made a contribution that will be as big as the one made by the nominee,” Jackson said. “He set the pace.”

Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., D-Ill., endorsed Dean’s campaign last year, but his father has remained neutral in the primary season.

Last night, the elder Jackson promised a strong, grassroots campaign for the Democratic nominee, citing the success of Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in mobilizing unregistered voters.

At the Kennedy School of Government yesterday, Ventura, a fellow at the Institute of Politics who won his gubernatorial race in 1998 as a candidate on the Reform party ticket, said both he and Jackson faced similar impediments posed by Democratic and Republican attempts to marginalize outside voices.

“The two parties won’t allow any splits or won’t allow us into the game,” Ventura said.

—Staff writer Zachary M. Seward can be reached at seward@fas.harvard.edu.