Goombah notes...
Sollozzo was trying to ascertain whether anyone from the Corleone Administration disagreed with Vito's decision to pass on the proposed drug partnership.
Even before the meeting took place he already knew at least ONE person who favored his line of work. "And you knew it was the right thing to do," he says to Tom Hagen after the attempt on Don Corleone's life. Sollozzo had to know that Tom favored the deal because it was Tom that arranged the meeting between Sollozzo and Don Corleone. Sollozzo had to presume that the meeting wouldn't be set unless Tom felt the proposal had merit, and ultimately Tom's endorsement.
Sollozzo could also rightfully presume that the meeting was granted as a formality for the Don to give his blessing to the deal. In fact, that's the ONLY reason that meeting should have been granted. For Sollozzo, who Vito admitted was "a serious man, to be treated with respect," to be rejected at that meeting was an insult.
As consigliere, I would say it was Tom's obligation to make only the appointments they could keep, and to deflect all other proposals that would be unacceptable to the Don. Tom's error, which preceeded Sonny's gaffe, was to arrange the meeting at all without knowing the Don would say no.
"Could I have gotten to him ten years ago?" Sollozzo asks Tom after the hit. No, because ten years ago consigliere Genco would have known in advance the Don's position on the narcotics business, and would have anticipated Sollozzo's reaction and aggression following the rejection of his proposal, regardless of whether that rejection came from Genco or directly from the Don. Moreover, Genco "would have smelled a rat," might have understood the politics behind Sollozzo's gambit, might have sniffed-out Barzini's involvement, and definitely would have found a way to eliminate any threat posed by Sollozzo.
Had Santino kept his mouth shut, and assuming no other members of the Corleone Administration outwardly displayed a difference in opinion from Vito, then would Sollozzo have felt that he could have made an attempt on Vito's life? My opinion is that Santino's gaffe made it easier for Sollozzo to justify killing Vito, but that Sollozzo would have tried regardless (provided that Vito's answer was still "no.")
Sollozzo was 200 tons of locomotive that wasn't going to stop for anything. There were only two options available -- derail the train or hop-on and go along for the ride. He was fully committed to expanding the drug trade and nothing would stand in the way of gaining the political protection he required. Either he gets the Don's approval, or he takes it by force.
Sonny's gaffe at the meeting wasn't the "tipping point." It was Vito's "no" that served as the tipping point that committed Sollozzo to killing Vito and forcing the rest of the Corleone family to go along for the ride.
Only Michael really understood the necessity of derailing the train to preserve the family. Win this battle and you'll win the war, and keep your family, in the long run. Negotiate with Sollozzo and you've lost.
tony b.
