Baker cringed at the duplicitous nature of his appeal, which called on black people's “demonstrated … capacity for forgiveness and understanding.” A fuming Ella Baker replied with a sharp impatience uncharacteristic of her usual manner of speech, “to call upon us to be understanding of Mr. Humphrey's desire to win, was saying, forget your need, your winning, and support his winning.”21 Baker resented this attempt to manipulate the good will of the delegates and persuade them that someone else's interests were more important than their own.
