Let us remember the conversation between him and Michael in the garden AFTER Michael returns from Italy. Vito tells him that he never wanted this for him. He wanted him to be a Senator or a Governer. Michael was like the "independant" son who wanted to make his own way in life, on his own. Out of all the sons, Michael had the traits that young Vito had, in that he, like young Vito, would not allow anyone to choose or shape his destiny. Like young Vito it would have to be of his own choosing. Yes Vito wanted his favorite son to stay by his side and allow him to guide him, but Vito's intentions were for a legitmate life for Michael, with Vito's guidance of course. Vito showed his disgust at his other sons when he comes home from the hospital and asks "where's Michael" and they tell him that Michael was the one who killed McClusky and Sollozo! It was not the guidance that he had in mind for Michael, but because he, Vito, was not around to put a stop to this, his other son's had now allowed Michael to take the path that Vito had not wanted him to and this all must have went through Vito's mind when they told him that it was Michael who did it!
He wanted his son to stay close to him and seek out his father's guidance, but Vito would have never allowed Michael to take the path that he had chosen for himself had he been healthy and around.


Don Cardi