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when his brother was President, and I got the hint -- you know, that Mr. Kennedy was really not interested in talking with me, because he knew of the developing storm, conflict, between Adam and me, and I could not get through to Mr. Kennedy.

And all Adam did was to confirm that fact, and to tell me specifically why.

But I thought that I had good relationships with top people on Kennedy's staff. Dave Hackett particularly, who was the top staff person, and who knew about the problems I had been having with Adam, and who certainly gave me the impression -- well, it was more than an impression. He was very specific and explicit in telling me that I should hold my ground and they would back me and all that. And Adam said, “You know, they're not going to back you.”

Well, this is very strange. You know, it's like a bad play, what happened. In the midst of this discussion, about Adam telling me that I really had no real power on my side, only the power of what I thought was right, and that was not enough to affect decisions, his phone rang. And it was an open phone, you see. His secretary said, “Mr. Congressman, David Hackett is on the phone. Do you want me to put him through?”

Adam winked at me, and said, “By all means.”

And Dave Hackett came on the phone. Dave Hackett was Bobby Kennedy's number one person. And Dave said to him, “Adam, we've got Puerto Rican support. I've just been talking to”-- and I don't remember the name of the Puerto Rican people he mentioned, but he mentioned names, “and they're prepared to come out with a statement