Session: 123456789101112131415161718         Page 374375376378379380381382383384385386387388389390391392393394395396397398399400401402403404405406407408409410411412413 of 617

surprising that Mrs. Abzug would lose in her own home election district? Why do you think that happened?”

I thought for a moment. There was a pregnant pause, and I said, “Her neighbors know her,” and that was carried in the News and in the Times. She never got over it. On later occasions she said to me, whenever we would have these rapprochements, which were always very interesting -- you know, good will and forget about the past -- and she'd always say, “Why did you have to say her neighbors know her?” (laughs) She never got over that one, but it's true. It's absolutely true.

What else can I tell you about Pella?

Well, why don't we bring up a few questions here and this may bring some other vignettes to mind. First of all, on the Bill Ryan episode, I remember that he made a walk just about the entire length of his Congressional district in that campaign and therefore was forced through a really rigorous campaign, wasn't he?

Oh, she killed him. I mean there's no question in my mind that Bella Abzug's running against Bill Ryan shortened his life. He would have died. She shortened his life. In fact, as we know, before taking office he died. He died after the election, and there had to be a special election, and then