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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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a kind of false front. There was a kind of vanity back of those good looks. I never felt strength of mind back of it.

He made quite a good speech withdrawing, however. When he did withdraw, it was done gracefully. After it became obvious that he couldn't be dominated he made quite a good withdrawal speech. I seem to remember being one of those who walked up and shook his hand warmly, congradulating him on it because it was the right thing to do. I think I probably felt more friendly, more sympathetic and more associated with him at that time than at any other time in my life. That was because he had swallowed hard and done the right thing. You approved that kind of behavior. It's a sort of human instinct to go and say to a person, “You've done the right thing. That was fine. That was magnanimous. I'm sure it had done good.” And I really meant it.

I know that Henry Wallace had an acceptance speech in his pocket that he had written very carefully, and had thought out very carefully. My memory is that he never made it. Whether he tried to make it and found that it couldn't be done, or whether, as he proceeded to the front of the platform to accept he thought better of it, or whether Frank Walker or somebody advised





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