CONVENTION MAY PUT WILSON ON BACK BURNER.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Gov. Pete Wilson said Friday he is unclear what his role during the Republican National Convention will be and if he will be one of the major speakers as he had been promised.

Wilson had been scheduled to be a prime time speaker Monday night and had expected to give a major address on the illegal immigration issue.

But this week he was told he might be relegated to a smaller role with San Diego Mayor Susan Golding during the opening ceremonies Monday morning, his staffers said.

Asked at a Friday news conference with 12 other Republican governors at the Beverly Hills Hotel what his role would be, Wilson said he wasn't sure but thought he might be involved in the convention finale.

``I've been told that they want to do something with the former (presidential) candidates with the nominee,'' Wilson said. ``That's about all I can tell you.''

Efforts to reach officials with the Bob Dole campaign and the convention were unsuccessful.

``What we were told is they want the governor to participate in some kind of opening ceremonies with (San Diego) Mayor Susan Golding,'' Wilson spokesman Sean Walsh said. ``We think it's more appropriate that the governor of the host state and the former mayor of the host city speak on Monday night.

``All we want to know is will he speak or won't he?'' Walsh said. ``If he doesn't, so be it. We will go on with other plans.''

Walsh would not comment on the motivations of removing Wilson, who made a brief run for the GOP nomination this year but couldn't develop enough support. He later endorsed Dole and was named one of the national co-chairs of the campaign.

Officials close to Wilson who spoke on condition of anonymity said they believe the effort to take away the prime time spot from Wilson was in retaliation for his efforts to remove the anti-abortion plank in the platform.

Wilson had threatened a floor fight over the issue, but backed off when the platform committee agreed to adopt a minority report expressing tolerance for those who favor abortion rights.

The uncertainty involving Wilson's role came as another Republican moderate, Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, withdrew as a prime time speaker.

Weld said he backed out when he was told he could not speak about issues affecting moderate Republicans and would have to speak about Dole's plan to cut taxes.

Republican political consultant Allen Hoffenblum said he did not see it as an attack on moderates, but an attempt by Dole to keep a tight rein on the convention.

``They aren't letting any of the defeated candidates speak, so they had cover to prevent Pat Buchanan from speaking,'' Hoffenblum said. ``They want to keep the convention focused and don't want any political figures who have another agenda. They're not squeezing out moderates, they just want to have a four-day infomercial for Bob Dole.''

But the confusion also distracted from the news conference called by the Republican Governors Association to support Dole's tax cutting plan.

As curious tourists trod on the plush green carpet of the hotel, the governors said their own efforts at instituting tax cuts had improved their state economies and would work on the national level.

Michigan Gov. John Engler disputed claims by President Clinton's re-election campaign that a 15 percent cut in taxes would increase the deficit.

``This plan does make economic sense,'' Engler said. ``It is a reduction in revenue combined with cuts in spending.''