Carter Will Name Grandmaison To N.E. Post Co-Chairmanship

Joseph Grandmaison, a former Kennedy Institute of Politics fellow, will be named federal co-chairman of the New England Regional Commission, the Boston Globe reported yesterday.

The decision to appoint Grandmaison to the $50,000-a-year post reportedly was made Wednesday during a White House meeting.

The co-chairman is appointed by the President with Senate approval, is responsible to the Commerce Department and shares responsibility for the commission's operation with the governors.

White House officials declined to comment on the appointment yesterday, but said the announcement of a presidential nomination normally comes two to three weeks after the initial White House meeting on the matter.

The commission is one of nine in the nation which attempt to solve energy, economic development and transportation problems arising on the regional level.

Grandmaison said yesterday he would be "pleased and proud" to accept the post if it is offered to him.

"I am optimistic that the White House will make a favorable announcement in a few weeks," he added.

Grandmaison ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for Congress in New Hampshire last November.

Grandmaison was the campaign director for Sen. George S. McGovern (D-S.D.) in the 1972 New Hampshire presidential primary.

He directed Gov. Michael S. Dukakis's campaign in 1973 and served briefly in Washington, D.C. as Massachusetts's federal-state relations director.

In 1974 Grandmaison ran the successful U.S. Senate campaign of Sen. John Durkin (D-N.H.).

Press aides for Durkin said yesterday he and Sen. Thomas J. McIntyre (D-N.H.) wrote a joint letter to President Carter two weeks ago urging him to nominate Grandmaison for the position.

Jonathan Moore, director of the Institute of Politics, said yesterday he informally told the White House Grandmaison would be "able in the area" and had the "intellectual and administrative capacities to do a good job."

Michael Woodmere, director of communications at the Massachusetts State House, said yesterday the Dukakis administration is sure Grandmaison will do "an excellent job" if he is chosen for the co-chairmanship.