If Micheal had been Don at the time of Sollozzo's offer do you think he would have accepted?

We already seemed to have established that Micheal was a different Don to Vito, Vito being of the Mustache Pete old guard. Micheal being younger and having a head 'for big deals', do you think he would have accepted the turks offer which even Vito described as 'generous'?

I think this is a particularly valid question as there is much debate surrounding Vito's reasoning for declining . Vito felt that he would lose a lot of his political contacts if he got involved in drugs - Tom Hagen had already countered this notion when he said the money generated from narcotics would buy more political power for those involved in it. The fact that Mccluskey was swayed by the potential money to be made with Sollozzo perhaps also negates Vito's decision? Sonny also seemed very keen on the proposition.

Great question. Michael would have been more likely to figure out that Solozzo needed more thanTatts backing to go into this enterprise, and it micht have led him to Barzini a lot faster than it happened with Vito.

Assuming that I think Michael would have negotiated with Tatt and Barz telling them he would be in as a silent partner in order to keep his political, police and judicial connections
in good order. I then think he would get some kind of assurances that Sol would not do anything to chisel on Corleone territory, and he may have even wanted some kind of control with regard to selling it in the old neighborhoods, to kids, etc. In III he was angry at Zasa for selling drugs in the wrong places, so maybe he had feelings about that issue.

Thats the thing, if Micheal, or even Vito for that matter, had accepted Sollozzo's offer, there would have been quite a few advantages:

* They would have a healthy stake of a business that would undoubtedly prove to be most lucrative.

* They would be involved in this business 'silently', limiting any potential damage to thier reputation and contacts.

* They could have input and a measure of control of the industry - they could keep it away from children etc.

The question is begging to be asked - was Vito wrong to refuse Sollozzo? If he was, couple that with his decision to send Luca to the Tatts, it wasn't really Vito at his shrewd best was it?

While you make valid points in favor of Michael's acceptance of the drug deal, don't overlook Michael's rabid desire to appear legitimate.

Being involved in heroin trafficking is about as far from legitimacy as you can get, and that would have strongly mitigated against Michael's acceptance of Sollozzo's offer.

I think he only would have agreed if he felt is was vital for the Family's survival and prosperity, not just to make a few extra bucks.

This is a great question but very difficult to answer. BUT:

A major reason Vito said no to drugs, IMO, was that he was already in advanced middle age, and didn't trust Sonny, his successor-by-default, to be able to manage the drugs business and all its dangers with any degree of finesse. But if Michael were in charge, he'd have unlimited faith in his own judgment. It's true, as LW says, that Michael was obsessed with legitimacy, and the drugs biz was hardly legitimate. But I can't see him walking away from a big source of money--and the big power that big money buys, and that would go to his rivals otherwise.

My bottom line: If the Michael we know as Don ca. 1959-60 were the Don in 1945, he'd say yes and find creative ways to shield himself from the drugs biz's risks as much as possible.

It's true, Michael wanted to be legitimate, but he also wanted to control everything. With the drug trade, he would increase his power and influence. The reason why Vito turned Sollozzo down was because of his principles. Michael didn't have those principles as he was from a newer generation. Mike was more ruthless and power hungry than his father and had more business smarts.

Like TB says, it would be hard for him to turn such a lucrative offer down. Ofcourse, he would insulate himself from this business and woudl probably let guys like the Rosato brothers handle it for him.

So was Vito wrong to decline Sollozzo?

Vito eschewed the drug business because he figured it would damage his other interests. That's turned out to be true. Despite the proliferation of drugs, politicans today are not going to get involved with them and drugs have turned out to be the bane of the Mafia.

Lest we forget, when Michael was telling the Senate in II and the Cardinal in III all about how "legitimate" he was, he still was indrectly running the oliv oil business through Pentangeli and later Zasa. He never minded making money from
drug trafficking, so long as no one could link him to it.

Vito had all the right reasons to decline Sol's offer. But he was wrong to think that a) he could stop the drugs traffic with his no, and b) that Sol would accept his no with no consequences to him.