Session: 123456789101112131415161718         Page 374375376378379380381382383384385386387388389390391392393394395396397398399400401402403404405406407408409410411412413 of 617

Bill Ryan's wife ran, and this is not the state of Alabama where you can have your wife run and win simply because someone who's worth supporting and who's been there a long time has died. So Bella beat Priscilla Ryan, who really had no credentials to run. But Ryan beat Bella -- it's my recollection -- by two to one, Bill Ryan.

You mentioned the support that Bill was getting from fellow Congressmen against Bella. Do I recall correctly, however, that when Bill was first elected to Congress, he was not thought much of largely because of his views, if not his demeanor, but even some of them called him “Wild Bill”?

Oh, yes. He wasn't thought much of at the end, either. (laughs) He was an ineffective member of Congress. But when I say not much thought of, they respected, as I did, his integrity; did not respect his ability as a member of Congress. He didn't know how to work with people, he did not know how to get things done, and he was offensive in a way that you don't have to be offensive. He was sort of like the bearer of the holy grail, and nobody else was able to carry that grail so far as Bill Ryan was concerned. It's more than just being a hair shirt -- he was a prick. I'm using that term loosely. He was not liked... until Bella ran against him. Then he became loved.