New York: Bob & the Bosses

New York was not the only city where it could have happened, but it was certainly the most likely. Last week Mayor Robert Ferdinand Wagner swept to a landslide Democratic primary victory at the head of a reform slate sworn to clean up the municipal mess that had grown up during Wagner's own eight hapless years in office. Wagner won by 160,000 votes over State Controller Arthur Levitt, the candidate of New York City's regular Democratic organization. And in the process of rolling up that plurality, Wagner dealt a mortal blow to the bosses who had twice previously helped...