Nuffin had some white-knuckle expertise in motivating people. What was not generally recognized was that she could also exhibit extraordinary skill at "putting the worm on the hook" as her mother phrased it.
Nuffin took groups of four and five of her fellow party members on tours of the island. She started with the heads of committees, then graduated to the trend setters then the ones most likely to give her problems due to "environmental" issues.
In every case Ideka ensured that members of the press were there to take pictures of the legislators. She made sure that the representatives had their pictures taken with electricians, pipefitters and HVAC tradesmen.
She also twisted Radcliffe's arm to ensure that there were engineering students from her guest's districts when she toured them through. The newsies took photos of the representatives and their eager-beaver students.
Raymond was as good as his word. He was not on site and he had instructed his people to let Ideka have all the glory. To make her look good.
The tradespeople grumbled but their resentment eased when they saw Ideka working some of them into every photo. They credited Raymond for that.
And Raymond was mentioned in Union Halls and picnics, bowling alleys and bars, where ever trades people gathered. The websites and news shows might have credited Ideka Nuffin with "discovering" air conditioning but the people who mattered knew it was Dirty Dan, Raymond and Al MacDowell that made life in Sedelia endurable.
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