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picture as not so much an office holder as a part of the political machinery so that he would be consulted about things.
He was still pretty sick and pretty weak. It wasn't just a question of rousing his interest. It was a question of his actually being able to bear the burden that came with more responsibility. I heard her say, “I do hope that he'll keep in political life. I want to keep him interested in politics. This is what he cares for more than anything else. I don't want him forgotten. I want him to have a voice in various things. It's good for him to make this speech for Al Smith. It's good for him.” I remember her saying that. There was great happiness that he'd been able to do it and do it well, because it marked the beginning of a different situation for him.
Her activities in the campaign committee were very, very good. She's a very capable executive. She got things done. She never forgot anything. If she promised to do so-and-so, it was done. She could keep three or four threads in mind at once, pick up the telephone, carry out that agreement, carry out another. She could raise money. She could telephone to So-and-so and tell them why more money was needed. She was wonderful. I can remember hearing her in that campaign and in the '28 one too laying down the law
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