In 1976, Brooklyn sent more Delegates to the National Convention than many states, a fact that County Chairman George Clark realized could put them on the map.

Gerry O’Brien worked throughout Brooklyn with Clark’s team that January, quietly petitioning for a slate that would soon shed its ‘uncommitted’ label.

Reagan came to Brooklyn that February and spoke at Clark’s Lincoln Dinner, to an enthusiastic crowd. Guests lined up for an hour for a photo with Reagan.

That spring, while the rest of New York was uniformly in lockstep with Gerald Ford (and Vice President Rockefeller), Brooklyn came out solidly for Reagan.

In one of the few actual contested Primaries that April, Clark’s forces elected a Reagan Delegate in Queens, only to see her pass away and replaced by a Ford Alternate at the Kansas City Convention.

This incident was a driving force in Gerry’s determination, years later, to promote every Delegate and Alternate in the McCain campaign.

In 1984, Gerry was elected as a Reagan Delegate, and covered the Dallas Convention as a hometown correspondent for the New York Daily News.

Gerry last met Reagan in October of 1987, while coordinating a fundraiser for Odell, Roper in D.C. From his position, Gerry could see a reflection of Reagan’s hands turning those famous 3x5 cards as the President spoke to the crowd.