He picked me as the candidate with whom he would be most likely to win; and win he did.

It was not my fight, it was Joe's; and it was to him that I owe my entry into politics.

I had at that time neither the reputation nor the ability to have won the nomination for myself, and indeed never would have thought of trying for it.
Jake Hess was entirely good-humored about it.

In spite of my being anti-machine, my relations with him had been friendly and human, and when he was beaten he turned in to help Joe elect me.

At first they thought they would take me on a personal canvass through the saloons along Sixth Avenue.