All the options looked bad. Not using the pamphlets might sink Roosevelt’s chances at the polls. But if the campaign used the pamphlets without Moffett’s permission and got caught, all kinds of bad things might result: they could be sued for copyright infringement, a scandal might break out very close to the election, and the campaign might be liable for an unaffordable amount.
Quickly, the campaign workers reached a consensus: they would have to negotiate something with Moffett. At the same time, they realized that they had no idea how to approach this negotiation. Research by their Chicago operatives turned up discouraging news. While Moffett had been a photographer for years, with both artistic and commercial aspirations, he had achieved little critical success, and virtually no financial success. He was now approaching retire- ment, reportedly bitter and cynical, with a single-minded focus on money.