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He would call me, but I would mostly call columnists I knew to give them leads, you know, to say, “Why don't you do this,” or, “Why don't you do that,” and with great success. And also I would say to Dennis or to somebody there, “Get something designed that says ‘Do the Right Thing.’” It was then a popular slogan. So everybody marched with these --

You suggested that be on the picket line.

Just as later on, when we were dealing with the contract on the 5 percent, I decided to do a big button in [cross-talk] “Thou Shalt Not Steal.”

Earlier in the eighties.

Yes. In other words, many of these ideas, Dennis would say, “That's terrific. Let's do it.” It always was a question of getting an idea and calling and saying, “Have you thought of this?” Now it's difficult to reach him, so I can reach Kay.

Dennis's secretary, Kay Anderson.

Yes. Dennis's assistant, Kay Anderson, was very close to him and sort of things go through her before him. So I would talk to her about ideas.

Now, in the past ten years, some of the key things that 1199's been involved in were annual campaigns to fight budget cuts to health care in Albany, organizing growth, the merger finally with SEIU, the withdrawal from the RWDSU and the final merger with SEIU, and contact campaigns which stress job security. What was your level of participation on those kinds of things? Would you be called? Would Dennis and you speak and [cross-talk]

Oh, we would speak often. We would speak often. I would often have suggestions. “On this thing, get the Cardinal. On this thing, get Jesse Jackson. On this thing, call this guy or I'll call him.” I would be often doing that. Today he is so busy, it's very hard to reach him, very hard for me to reach him. But I can get messages through to him, but today I'm limited. Frankly, we can't even find time where we can meet. I met with him several months ago. He came here to discuss what we were doing and how we could help.

I know that he thinks fondly and with great respect. I've also seen a person who I never believed had such capabilities grow, and I never thought that he had those capabilities. He's mastered a lot of things that are very difficult that people have great trouble with. The whole