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Edward KocheEdward Koche
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Session:         Page of 617

“Rover 1, I have Congressman Koch here, and he'd like to march in the parade. Where shall I send him.” Rover 1, who's this guy I just left, says: “I told Congressman Koch he's got to find his own group.” These two guys say: “Sorry, he's in charge.” I say to myself: “My God, what a wonderful way to make friends.”

So I wait thinking: “How the hell am I going to get into this parade?” And suddenly along comes Herman Badillo leading the American Jewish War Veterans of the Bronx, so I run over to Herman and say, “Herman, can I be with you?” (laughs) And Herman Badillo got me into the parade.

Okay, the other story: I had been complaining bitterly about their refusal to give any kind of credit or leadership to the Jewish Congressmen here in New York, and the whole thing became very important when in the gubernatorial race, which was in 1974, there is a rally at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, and they have invited Javits and Ramsey Clark to speak, and nobody else can be on the platform, and there may be 50,000 people in the square. Nobody else can be on the platform. All the other Congressmen and dignitaries are right below the platform but are not allowed up there. And Dick Cohen, who is one of the guys who is sort of a director with the American Jewish Committee and who had been the activist for McGovern here in New York (and I don't like him; our relationship has gotten much better, but he came on very tough, Mr. Arrogance), is guarding the staircase to take you up to the platform. Nobody can go up. And then along





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