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Edward KocheEdward Koche
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Session:         Page of 617

in terms of power, and he is willing to divide the jobs and appointments and the power, so to speak, in that same way; and he's also willing to indicate that when he steps down, which is probably in another two years, that “you're the guy...” I think they even have a job, assistant county leader or whatever it is, and “you're the next guy.” Why should you throw him out? I don't even see any reason to throw him out. He hasn't done a bad job. Nobody can do a better job. And in my mind I was thinking, “You will do a worse job, because you are less effective than he is.” And he's not effective for a different reason. He's an effective person, but you cannot bring this county together because it's so splintered.

So I was very honest with him and Bobby Wagner, Jr. and others who were involved in this fight against Rossetti. I happen to like Bobby Wagner, Jr. very much. He's a terrific kid, really a terrific young fellow.

Anyway I told and I said, “You never have to worry about my revealing anything to Rossetti. I'm just telling you I'm not going to get involved in that. But if you want to plot, and I'm sitting at the table, don't worry about it -- plot.”

Then I called up Rossetti. I told Bobby, Jr. and Begun I wasn't going to do it. He came over one Saturday morning -- he was sitting over there -- and I went through the whole business with him. And he said, “Yes, I'll do this, I'll do this,” everything that I suggested --for





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