It was the primary fight that changed the course of the Democratic Party . A craggy-faced master of insider politics squared off against a suave and handsome upstart, whose youth and relative inexperience masked the fact that he had a very hard-nosed understanding of machine politics. The older man was confident. He sat back and quietly logged support from party dons, donors, insiders. He would step in when the moment was right.

The younger man campaigned at a pace that seemed to test his physical limits. He and his network of supporters badgered every ward heeler and union boss who would listen, often with a simple request that they agree to meet the candidate. Because if you met the candidate, you would be charmed, sure, but you would also learn that he was very serious about this thi

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