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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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more of a part in the actual political negotiations than I ever did. I think I was not regarded by Jim, Louis, Sam Rosenman and the others as essentially a politician. I was essentially a social worker. The principal contribution that I made to the political picture was by giving a bang-up good administration to the field that was given to me to operate by explaining it to the people, explaining its essential goodness and necessity to them, giving credit to the Governors or elected officials whom I cooperated with and whom I served, and presenting this as a reason why they should continue these particular Democrats in office in the State of New York. I was recognized as having some influence with certain groups in the State of New York - in fact, considerable influence. But it was not the politician's influence. It was rather the persuader's influence. I was regarded as an administrator, as a reformer, as a do-gooder. That was my chief political value to them while they were going their plotting. The Albany group thought of me as a person who would always have some political value to them because I had been the medium through which good had been done to large numbers of people. Those large numbers of people would be grateful and would vote for the Governor I recommended who was then in power. I don't think I was thought of as having much wangling influence. I had some in New York State, but I didn't work at that.





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