According to the Washington Post’ obituary of John R. Reilly, he was a classic Washington player who–among many other roles–held the switch to turn off the microphones at the great 1963 March on Washington if he decided that things had gotten too incendiary. He was ready to drown out Martin Luther King or A. Phillip Randolph with Mahalia Jackson’s version of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Mr. Reilly also lobbied and advised national Democratic leaders from 1968 through 1992. Patricia Sullivan writes:

[In 1984] he was considered an old hand. Kathy Bushkin, Gary Hart’s press secretary, lamented, “We don’t have a John Reilly on the plane; we don’t have someone to tell Gary when he’s gone wrong, when he’s messed up.”

Mr. Reilly joked to Newsweek about reaching “the third stage” of notoriety. “First, ‘ Who is John Reilly?’ Then, ‘Get me John Reilly.’ Next, ‘Get me a John Reilly.’ And then: ‘John Reilly — who’s he?’ “

I had heard this story second-hand and retold it on my blog in 2004. The irony is, I didn’t know who Mr. Reilly was when I wrote that post. I only learned his full name and biography when he died. I guess that proves that he had reached the fourth stage of notoriety–or (more accurately) of fame and respect.