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They would have a guest each week, a famous guest, and I said to Albert, “Why don't you tell Goenthal to ask Wendell Willkie to appear on ‘Information, Please.’” He suggested this to Goenthal just because he was there and because we happened to be meeting Willkie, and it was the first time that Wendell's personality really hit the people of the United States on a national network. Remember, there was no television, and other than this debate with Black, I don't think he ever appeared before on a national network.

At any rate, he made a tremendous impression; he was very effective, very charming, and people listened to radio in the way that they look at the most popular programs on television, and this really gave him a push.

Later, in the spring, I suggested to Dorothy Schaeffer, who was then the President of Lord & Taylor, that she invite him to the Lord & Taylor Award Luncheon and that he give the major speech there. He came, gave the major speech, and was a triumph. He was really hot. It was perfectly extraordinary what a warm and an exciting personality he was for crowds of people.

I didn't realize how much I had to learn, because if I had known as much as I knew in a few years I never would have started in on this, but, anyway, this is what I did. I would have thought that Willkie was an attractive and interesting man, but I would never have promoted him probably because his views were much too conservative compared to what my views became in the political areas.

Well, time went on and Albert and I decided to get married