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Wagner, I guess, or someone else who knew how close Whitney and I were, asked Whitney to be an emissary to me, in the height of the conflict with Powell over HARYOU-ACT controversy, -- Whitney and another good friend of mine, Dave Barry, who's white, head of the group. (My wife is on his board...)
He and a man whom I came out of that controversy literally hating, Henry Cohen, who was in the deputy mayor's office at the time, and who was working with me, and was a close advisor, and when the chips were down, he turned. Henry Cohen is now head of the New York City Urban Affairs, or the New School of Social Work division of urban affairs and so on -- and to this day, there are people who know us both who are still trying to get me to speak to Henry Cohen, and I won't speak to Henry Cohen. I despise him. I hate to say that I despise a human being, except that I despise Henry Cohen for what I consider good and sufficient reason. And he is the only one of that whole cast of characters that were associated with the fight with Adam that I still feel very strong negatively about. You know, I just --
Well, anyway, but Whitney came with Dave Barry and Henry Cohen to bridge the gap, to get me to be more reasonable. And they did something that I just to this day can't understand. They came with the offer of a gold medal!
The city, the city would give me a gold medal for distinguished service, and a trip to Europe, if I would be a good boy!
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