Session: 123456789101112131415161718         Page 666768697071727374757677787980818283848586878889909192939496979899 of 617

Well, I came to the VID in 1956 when it was a volunteer group for Stevenson, and I stayed a very brief time after it was formed as the Village Independent Democrats and left as a result of not liking the leadership, which then was consisting of Charlie McGuinness and Richard Kuh. And then I came back to the VID, my recollection is around 1959. And I quickly took an active role in their street speaking during that campaign, and in 1960 I became their law chairman, which meant that I was responsible for the petitions to get people on the ballot; and in 1962 I ran for the Assembly in the primary as the candidate of VID and I lost. And in December of 1962 I became the president of the VID and then I think the primaries were in June of 1963, and I became the district leader candidate and ultimately won in that year, and then I ran again in 1964 eight months later as a result of a court overturning the initial election in 1963, and then I ran again in the regular primary election for district leader in 1965.

Then in 1966, which was in November, I ran for the City Council, and I stayed in the City Council for two years, the period of January 1, 1967 through December 31, 1968. But in the year 1968, November thereof, I ran for Congress, and I won and I have been in Congress ever since.