ABSTRACT
Franklin D. Roosevelt had come to the Governorship abruptly, with no time to develop a personal team. It is of small moment who first points that road." This was good propaganda and good tactics, but it hardly concealed the personal ambitions of the Governor whose program was so specifically associated with the Democratic Party's traditions. But it must have been shockingly clear to Roosevelt in the mornings after election that the governorship would require more expert advice on a wide range of technical problems. He sought immediately a group to act as regular intellectual foils in policy discussions, men whose loyalty and intelligence were unquestionable, whose ambitions could not compete with the Governor's. He soon proved his own sound judgment of men and women as he began to winnow out the less helpful ones and to consolidate the positions of the strong members of the team.
