You have to remember the early years of party politics especially in the cities were a lot like sports teams. I guess that’s part of the reason why I took an interest in the history of machine politics not only because of it was often immigrants way of integrating themselves into a new government but because of how the line between criminal and politician in those early days was much thinner. Rememebr Michael Corleone’s line to Kay after she tells him “Michael, senators don’t have people killed” He tells her she’s being naive.