I don't know.
1) I've always felt that Puzo over-stretched here Vito's abilities to foresee future events.
2) Sure, contacting one of Michael's capos could be one option for Barzini. But it was very risky. What if Tessio had pretended to agree with Barzini's deal but told Michael everything? Barzini could not be sure about that.
3) Also, it makes Vito almost godlike to foresee these kind of events in detail.
4) And if they knew Barzini would approach Clemenza or Tesssio, why wouldn't Michael and Tessio simply talk to them about the situation?
1)What do you expect he is the man character but he also is the longest term don in New York so he has seen everything, and can use his experience built over the years to go back over business dealing and politics of the past. He can go through every possible angle now more than ever that Mike is running the day to day operations. They discuss the possibility of everyone in the book.
2)This conflict was going on for a couple of years not just a couple of scenes like in the movie. Barzini had time to go back and fourth over intell collected by his inside man Carlo and look at action on the streets do determine which capo had the most discontent toward Micheal and the family. Obviously he do not just look at the family one day and say i think that guy will turn on Mike.
3)See number 1
4)Micheal was bringing up new guys to move with him to Vages, so this means someone has to be left in charge in New York. By allowing Barzini to attempt a inside move in his family through a man that should be one of Mike's most trusted men of the old guard, he is letting Barzini and the capos make the decision for him, who ever stays loyal when it seems like the dumb thing to do will be Mike's man in NY.
By the way i just wanted to say these statement are my honest opinion, im sorry if i sound like a know it all but i will have an opinion on just about anything when it comes to the godfather, i answer everything because i enjoy the conversation so much, i have been looking for this forum for a long time and want to thank the makers and posters of the forum for making such a great site!
