Session: 123456789101112131415161718         Page 289290291292293294295296297298299300301302303304305306307308309310311312313314315316317318319320321322323324325326327328329330331332333 of 617

said, “Senator, I just want you to know that I hope you became a candidate at the convention, and I'm not tying myself up with any other candidate because I don't believe in skipping from one to the other, and I'm for you. And if there's anything I can do to help in the meanwhile, just let me know. Sincerely.” And then I put a post script. Post scripts in your own hand are always very nice. People really love to have them. So I try wherever I can to do that. Post script: “By the way, Senator, my name is not Dick (it's Ed). Nevertheless, I'm still for you.”

The next day there's a call. It's from the Senator. He says, “Hi, Dick, got your note.” (laughs) Now my name will be Dick for the rest of my life; sort of an inside joke.

Just to add a footnote here on Gene Nickerson. You said why you were against van den Heuvel. How good a candidate do you think Nickerson was or would have been for governor?

Oh, I like Gene Nickerson for a number of reasons. He's very cool, detached, and at the same time warm. Maybe it's an odd choice of words, but it has that feeling. You know the guy is solid and interested and he has a very nice manner. In fact, it's almost a New England speech pattern that he has. It's the kind of presentation -- Otis Pike has it -- that I