Word: sapio
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...York's Mayor Robert Wagner, preoccupied with problems of his own (see following story), did not attend. But Wagner's political archenemy, Carmine De Sapio, was present, and Powell rewarded him with an affectionate pat. Best of all, there was a message from President Kennedy himself: "Adam and I have worked together and campaigned together since we entered Congress in 1947.* Adam- has had many careers, but none more challenging than his new role as chairman of the House Labor and Education Committee...
...come," the mayor said, "for the leader of the New York County Democratic organization to step aside." That solemn declaration from New York's Mayor Robert Wagner, who had been nervously clearing his throat for some time, launched the big offensive to throw out Tammany Boss Carmine De Sapio (TIME, Jan. 13). It was a major step toward prettying up the party and, more practically, toward uniting the long-feuding New York Democrats so that they could band together under Kennedy auspices to cut Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller down to size when he runs for re-election...
Hesitation. The bitter words marked De Sapio's first public declaration in the guerrilla war that has split New York Democrats for two years. And the De Sapio statement was a direct challenge to the Democratic likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Herbert Lehman and Thomas K. Finletter, all leaders in the anti-De Sapio movement. Retorted Lehman: "The reform leaders will, of course, not be frightened by this formal declaration of war by a boss whose political troops have grown fewer and fewer...
Caught right in the middle was poor Mayor Bob Wagner, long a De Sapio protégé, who is in desperate need of the reformers' support if he is to have the slightest chance of reelection. But the reformers were by no means eager to support Wagner; indeed, nine reform clubs representing three-quarters of the reform membership in Manhattan openly oppose him and his corruption-ridden administration. Facing political crisis, Wagner resolutely promised to answer De Sapio's challenge and to break openly with his old sponsor. After three days, though, Wagner was still hesitating...
Humiliation. In Washington, President Kennedy was plainly disgusted with the whole New York situation. Sure to be cut off from nearly all federal patronage under the Kennedy Administration, De Sapio and his chief lieutenant, State Chairman Mike Prendergast, had suffered humiliations at the Kennedy inaugural, where they were pointedly snubbed (gloated one reform Democrat: "They just wandered around the lobby of the Mayflower Hotel like a couple of farm boys"). But Kennedy was far from ready to trust in Bob Wagner's ability to solve New York's Democratic problems. At his press conference last week, Kennedy said...