“Dick, think of all the good times.”

We don’t know the extent of those entreaties.

The details.

The emotional effort.

But Gov. Phil Murphy – who has a longstanding alliance with former Governor Dick Codey,who helped get him to the dance – was making the late case.

The senate was stalled at 19.

The old school Codey was among those Democratic senators opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana.

In a political pinch, surely Codey would come in and support his friend Murphy.

That was the late front office play.

That was the hope.

That could get them to 20.

“20.”

That was the latest number getting kicked around the halls.

The governor worked it.

If Murphy could pull Codey, maybe Senate President Steve Sweneey (D-3) could pull Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-5) and/or Senator Dawn Addieo (D-8) and they could just get there.

There was a late burst of life.

Nah, one insider insisted.

“After Murphy threw Pete under the bus, Murphy does not have a lot of juice with Codey,” the source told InsiderNJ, referring to former Murphy Chief of Staff Pete Cammarano, who was Codey’s chief of staff.

The source added this critical point, “Codey needs Rice more than Murphy for Essex politics.”

The point was well taken.

Codey’s old county ally, Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28), was dead set against recreational marijuana, and the statewide leader for a decriminalization alternative.

Codey was a hard no heading into caucus, said sources in both the administration and the senate.