Originally posted by Debra:
Of course that was a 'Tactical Retreat' like Puzo explains and was the best thing he could do at the time to ensure Michael's return.
The whole situation with Michael started as one of the results from Don Corleone's first refusal.
Thats why he needed to accept the deal at first to avoid the unnecessary mess which followed.
But if Vito had accepted the plan at first, he would have gone against all that he believed in (See Turnbull's explainantion) and then there would have been no GF book or movie!
Even though Vito later agreed to give the families what they wanted, it does not mean that the Corleone's participated in the drug trade itself. Yes, after the agreement they profited from providing the other families with what they needed, but eventually, and I think it was part of the long term plan with Mike and Vito, Michael disipates the New York end of the business and goes out west into the casino business in his quest towards the families legitimacy. True that Clemenza remained the Corleone family representative from New York, later to be succeeded by Pentangelli, but Pentangelli's words are themselves proof that The Corleone's were not mixed up directly in the drug business :
Pentangelli to Mike :
"You want me to be fair with them? TOM -- how can you be fair to animals? TOM -- for Crissakes, listen -- They recruit ***** -- they recruit ******s -- and they do violence in their, in their Grandmother's neighborhoods. And everything with them is whores -- whores! La vegana -- junk dope!"
That to me is a confirmation that even though Vito made the deal, The Corleone's were never invoved directly with the drug trade. All they did was provide their political connections and probably got paid for that.
Don Cardi
