by John Price
Hilde’s increasingly dark thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the President as swept into his office looking none too pleased. He stopped in front of his historic oak desk, immediately in front of the Vice President, gripping a document in his clenched fist.
“Hilde….I trusted you. I trusted Wilbur….well….most of the time I trusted Wilbur.”
“As well you should, Mr. President. Who could have been more loyal than we’ve been? Wilbur spoke at the national convention, he campaigned in the battleground states for you. What else could you have asked us to do that we didn’t do?”
Angry and through clenched teeth the President snapped back, “Well, Hilde, for starters you could have let me keep my job, without trying to get the Marines to remove me from this office. Was that too much to ask?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Those rumors were all thoroughly investigated and found to be….”
“Hilde….don’t….lie….to….me. Not here. Not in this office.”
The President then thrust the crumpled document he had carried in with him in Hilde Calhoun’s face. “Read this suicide note from your Commandant buddy. At least he had the good sense to know that Wilbur’s insane plot to take me out of office would have ripped this country apart. I never liked the Commandant, nor most of the big brass boys for that matter, but I think a lot more of him now that….”
“Now that….he’s dead? Of course, now you admire him….but I’m not about to be railroaded out of office, since that’s obviously where you’re headed with this, based on some faked suicide note. Who knows which one of your spooks from any number of agencies created whatever you have in your hand?”
“Nice try, Hilde. Didn’t you wonder why Wilbur wouldn’t take your several cell calls over the last hour? He was being interviewed by the FBI. After flopping around at first, and then blaming the Commandant, then attacking me, he finally threw you to the wolves. He’s admitted it all. He confirmed everything in the Commandant’s final words to the world….It’s over, Hilde….over. Don’t believe me?....Call Wilbur, he’ll take your call now.”
“I don’t….he wouldn’t….what….”
“Splutter all you want, but it comes down to this. Resign or I’ll have you impeached. You, of all people, know how many votes I’ve got in both Houses of Congress. I can have the articles of impeachment drafted, adopted by the House and passed by the Senate in two weeks, maybe less. You know I can….and, Hilde, you know that I will.”
Hilde stood up, stumbled slightly and quickly stepped out of the Oval Office to call her husband’s cell phone. A blubbering, tearful Wilbur admitted to his Vice-Presidential wife that he had just moments before confessed their joint role in what would have been America’s first coup d’état. But, he told his enraged wife that he only did it for two reasons. First, he said he didn’t want them to be the first couple in America in which both were impeached by Congress. Secondly, he said he had a full, unlimited pardon from the President that the Calhouns will never be charged with any crimes.
“That’s just dandy, Wilbur, just terrific! You met with the Commandant to hatch your plot without my permission, and now you’ve sold me out of my job, without asking me, and all you got was a stupid pardon. Did you even bother to think I might be interested in what you were doing? You’re totally hopeless, Wilbur….I could….I’ll….You’ll hear from Winston. I meant it before, and now you’ve finally done it. Winston can work out the details with whichever lawyer you hire, but….I’m….finally….done.”
The evening media interrupted their news coverage to announce that the Vice President had resigned her office earlier in the day, announcing irreconcilable problems with the former President from whom she would be seeking a divorce. White House unnamed sources were quoted as saying that the Vice President was so distraught over the family dissolution that she could no longer perform her official duties. Several bloggers and a few columnists raised questions about the cover story for her resignation, but, as they had no other sources to quote, the story soon died. The immediate former Vice President, famous for not watching what he said, was nominated by the President under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment, to return to his office, with the agreement that he would give no speeches or media interviews. Both Houses of the Congress swiftly confirmed the nomination of one of their own. Hilde and Wilbur were quietly divorced.
2
Madison for Governor Campaign Headquarters
Austin, Texas
John and Debbie had been preparing for this special day for several weeks. At first John was more than reluctant to run. But, the overwhelming support of his friends, fellow Texas Tea Party members and their two children ultimately convinced John and Debbie Madison to go for it, to run for Governor of Texas. A poll paid for by a supporter showed that John Madison was the state’s most popular and recognized public figure. In a head on paper race for Governor with the State’s Attorney General, the only other candidate being seriously discussed, John led by more than ten points.
John’s floated suggestion that he might become a candidate for Governor of Texas in order to lead the State out of the Union had captured national attention. An earlier Texas Governor had first brought up the idea of a re-created Republic of Texas, but later under media pressure, he had disavowed his own idea. John Madison’s recent experience with arrest and imprisonment by the federal government convinced most Texans that, if elected, he would be serious about leading the State to withdraw from the Union and that he would actually take steps to make it happen. The poll showed that a majority of Texans saw John Madison’s legal ordeal as persecution by the federal government solely because of his strong conservative beliefs.
John and Debbie had no doubt that they were on to something when they drove up to their campaign headquarters on the morning of John’s announcement. Seven satellite trucks were jammed into the block in front of their newly-painted and festooned campaign offices on 11th Street near the Texas State Capitol. Both knew that John was about to receive star treatment by the nation’s mainstream media. Strung across the front of the rented offices was a huge red, white and blue banner, with a large Texas star on each end, proclaiming:
JOHN MADISON FOR GOVERNOR
RESTORE THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS
John and Debbie walked onto the platform erected in front of their campaign headquarters where they were greeted by several hundred supporters, waving signs and shouting encouragement. “Eeehaw! Madison for Governor! Go, John, Go! Go, John, Go! Restore the Republic! Get Texas out…Now!” John and Debbie smiled and waved….and….they worried, as they knew some of what they were getting themselves into. The Madisons had earlier decided that their children should not attend the announcement, as their son Jack was rumored to be likely to be indicted for alleged hate crimes, made in a sermon supporting traditional marriage. Continuing to smile and wave, John was finally able to calm the crowd so he could make his announcement statement. The time had finally arrived for John Madison to declare his official candidacy for the highest job in Texas. He planned to mention that Texas was the 14th largest economy in the world, that Texas had its own long-term oil supply and that the Texas National Guard was manned by over 25,000 Guardsmen. In calling for a separate Republic, he would also become the first Texan in history to declare that, if elected, he would move to withdraw his state from the union of the United States of America. History was being made on this sunny day in Austin, Texas.
3
Oval Office – White House
Vivian Higgins raced down the hall of the West Wing, flew past the Secret Service Agent posted at the door to the Oval Office and pushed open the office’s curved door without being announced. As the President’s Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, she was the only staff member who could get away with such an injudicious entrance. The President, who was reading a memo from Speaker Pelham, snapped his head up to see who had burst into the room without even a knock, let alone a phone alert.
Once he saw that it was Vivian he smiled broa
dly, knowing that even if he asked her to be more respectful of his official space, it wouldn’t do any good. They went too far back to the days when neither had any money, nor much power, just a common desire to radically transform their country. Both knew that the President was sitting in this august office only because Vivian, who was then working for the mayor of their city, had taken him under her wing. Vivian had been introduced to the young community activist by his fiancée, a friend of Vivian’s. Impressed by his good looks and his hyper-liberal ideas, which matched those of Vivian perfectly, she quickly introduced him to the members of the establishment in their city. The rest, as they both had frequently observed since, was definitely history.
The President couldn’t recall ever seeing his Chief Domestic Policy Advisor so excited. “Whoa, Vivian, slow up. Come over and sit down. This must be big. You look like you just had a visit from the balloon and cardboard check team from Publishers’ Sweepstakes!”
“Mr. President, this is much bigger than just money, even lots of money. We just hit the jackpot of all domestic policy jackpots!”
“What? What is it?”
“I just got a call from our inside source over at the Clerk’s office of the Supreme Court. There’s an opinion coming down sometime this afternoon. You are going to like it….in fact, you’re gonna love it.”
“Are you going to make me guess? Or do I have to wait for….”
“No….sorry….The Court’s upholding the contraception rule for religious institutions. Now you know why I’m so excited!”
“Wow…..wow….great!” the President beamed. “We won another big one! That’s really good news, Vivian. What was the vote? Not that it makes any difference, of course. A win is a win.”
“It will be five-four, the same as the opinion upholding the McAlister Act. Your friend, Justice Newton, came through again, as I knew she would.”
“You were more confident in Sheila than I was. There wasn’t any doubt how she would vote on McAlister. That was a given, based on her past views and writings. But as a Catholic, she could have gone the other way on the contraception order. I’ll admit to having been a touch concerned, so this is truly, really, good news.”
“Mr. President, today’s opinion by the Supreme Court will ensure your place in history.” Vivian insisted on referring to her longtime friend by his formal title when they were working in the Oval Office, but she reverted to his given name when she was with the President and the First Lady at the social events they attended together on a frequent basis.
“It’s a solid victory, but I don’t think I’d go that far, Vivian.”
“With all due respect, sir, it’s not today’s opinion that will guarantee your place in history on the side of women’s reproductive rights. It’s what we can do now that your contraception-coverage order for all employers has been upheld. Now we go to plan B, no pun intended, of course.”
“That’s a good one, Vivian. I assume you mean your proposal to mandate that all employers, including religious institutions, provide insurance covering 100% of the cost of abortions….now that the contraception coverage rule has passed Constitutional muster?”
“The very same, Mr. President. The Court’s language today, I’m told by my source, will affirm the right of the Chief Executive to compel public and private institutions, all of them, to provide contraceptives, morning-after pills, abortifacients, you name it, to all of their employees. Given the Court’s ruling, we’re just one step away from requiring the same institutions, including businesses, churches, all employers, to provide abortion coverage – free, of course.”
“And that one step to which you’re referring, Vivian, is for me to cancel my Executive Order that the House required to get health care passed – the Order that said fed funds couldn’t be used to provide abortions. Well, what did they think Planned Parenthood was doing with the $500 million they get in federal funding each year?”
“Yes, that was my most un-favorite of all of this office’s Executive Order’s.”
“Vivian, you know there was no choice, what with that Michigan Congressman holding the bill hostage. Domestic policy shouldn’t be decided by appointees chosen by the Pope located in Europe and accountable to no one. I was elected by the voters to make policy, and I won’t let a European religious leader tell us what we can or can’t do. A red cap shouldn’t trump the votes of the American people. But, thank heaven….sorry for the religious reference….now, I’ve got a choice. Go ahead and send me the draft of the Executive Order revocation – the Order we both hate – and I’ll sign it. I also need your revised draft of our new regulation mandating abortion coverage. Base it on the same language used for contraception coverage, since we know the Court likes that language.”
“On the way, sir. Anything else?”
“Yes. This office still has scars from the Bishops beating up on the White House over the contraception coverage rule. It’s payback time for the Bishops and also the fundamentalists and the conservative Jewish leaders who joined the Bishops. Can you give me some appropriate language for the speech announcing mandated abortion coverage? And, oh yes, tell scheduling that I want to officially announce the new mandated abortion reg in Manhattan at the Margaret Sanger Birth Control Clinic. Look it up….it’s a designated national historic landmark.”
4
DALLAS, TEXAS
Pastor Jack Madison was worried. As a pastor and a Christian he knew that he shouldn’t worry. He’d even given a sermon last year that he entitled ‘Is Worry Actually Atheism?’. He knew that the Lord had everything under control and that no weapon formed against him could prevail long term. He also knew that sometimes it was His divine plan that His children endure persecution for a myriad of reasons. He also knew that His Word confirmed that persecution ultimately brought about positive things in God’s children and would all be worked together for good.
Nevertheless, he thought, knowing all that, being fully convinced of these truths, he was still worried. His wife, Allison, who knew him better than any human, had double–kissed him this morning as he left for the church, saying “Jack, I can tell you’re concerned about being indicted for hate speech. It’ll be okay. If they come after you, they’re really attacking our Lord, and He’ll protect you….even if you’re in jail.”
As soon as Jack said, “Thanks a lot, Allie, for the encouragement. I’ve visited a federal prison, remember, it’s not a pleasant place”, he regretted his response as not being very Godly or loving. He needed to call and apologize, but maybe he’d let her simmer down a little. He’d hurt her and he needed to make it right….in just a few minutes. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of the extra time, as his assistant buzzed his phone with the message he didn’t want to hear.
“Pastor, I have three federal agents here to see you. Two from the FBI and one from the Department of Homeland Security. Is this a good time for you to see them?”
A good time for me to see them? Was there ever a good time? Jack had been expecting this, ever since the thirty or so green-shirted Civilian Conservation Corps Conservators visited his Sunday morning worship services about a month before. In his sermon he strongly defended the traditional Biblical view of marriage, as an institution created by God. The local Dallas newspaper printed an article the prior week claiming that an inside source at the Department of Justice confirmed that Pastor Jack Madison was about to be indicted for hate speech. Not a good sign. Now that the feds were at his door early on a Monday morning, he knew there was no doubt what was about to happen. He was about to feel cold metal or plastic flexi-cuffs on his wrists.
As Jack stood to greet his three somber-faced, dark-suited visitors, he couldn’t help but recall the last time his office was graced by FBI agents. While his dad was still in prison two agents had called on Jack and tried to get him to pressure his father to take a plea agreement, admit his guilt for his words aimed at the President in the campaign and hopefully get a reduced sentence. Neither Jack nor his father succumbed to the pressur
e, which Jack was now thinking was probably ‘a God thing’. If his father had ‘copped a plea’ he would still be in prison, instead of his current status as a free man in Tyler, Texas. He had to chuckle to himself as he sat back down at his desk after greeting his official visitors. He was recalling when the Department of Justice dropped charges against his dad after a jury panel ridiculed the government’s case during preliminary jury questioning. Sometimes the good guys win, he thought.
“Gentlemen, what can I do for you,” Jack asked, still smiling slightly from his memory of how his dad’s case was dismissed.
The lead agent, Andy Feltman, flipping his ID credentials back in his pocket, was not amused. “Well, it may seem humorous to you, Pastor Madison, but I can assure you that we are not here on a laughing matter.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s true, officer. My obvious enjoyment of the moment has nothing to do with your visit, as I’m sure I’m about to learn. I was just remembering the last visit to this office by federal agents. They tried to push me to pressure my dad into a plea bargain. To get him to admit something he didn’t do, so that, in the words of one of your agents, he would someday get to spend time with my children, his grandchildren. I think you all know how that worked out. Remembering that federal fiasco was what brought a smile to my lips. Sorry….Please get on with your….your duties.”
“To use your word, Pastor, it’s our duty today to inform you that you are to appear at the federal court house, on Commerce Street in Dallas, three days from now, on Thursday morning at 9 AM. At that time you will be charged with various federal crimes. You will be arrested and booked at that time as a federal criminal defendant. We’re here today to give you your Miranda rights and to make arrangements for you to surrender peacefully on Thursday morning. Do you have any questions?”