D'Alesandro's Dossier

Nancy Pelosi was a guest on NPR’s “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me” this week, and during her introduction they discussed her start in politics, which began as child with her father’s career in Baltimore, Maryland. She explained how in her house there was a never-ending campaign atmosphere, with her father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr. constantly working to stay in office as mayor.

Young Nancy helped distribute the typical campaign pamphlets, buttons, and stickers, but she was also in charge of keeping track of her father’s “favor file.” When I first heard this term, I thought it might be referring to a list of favors that friends and political allies had done for Mayor D’Alesandro, and it was his way of ensuring that each could be thanked and receive a favor in return at some point, should the need arise.

This seems like something a decent person would do, especially if one receives a number of favors on a regular basis, as I can imagine mayors might.

But no, the file contained the rolls of all the people Mayor D’Alesandro had done favors for, and he kept the list so he’d know whom he could call on or manipulate when he himself needed help.

This seems like something a narcissist would do, especially if one requires a number of favors on a regular basis, as I can imagine mayors might.