“This is a total embarrassment, sir, and I assure you that, if given the opportunity to work for you again, nothing like that will happen on my watch again. We deeply apologize, but just for a few minutes, Paul was called by another agent to handle another important matter.”
“That’s correct, Mr. President,” Paul said, speaking for himself. “I had only been gone for no more than five minutes. I knew Ben would be back shortly.”
It was my turn to chime in. “There is nothing or no one around here more important than me, and that is in no way an insult to the VP. It takes less than ten seconds for someone to open that door, raise their gun, and blow my fucking brains out in here. The positions you guys hold have to be taken more seriously, and I’m not about to lose my life over a gotdamn soda. No question, what the two of you did was reckless. It was an embarrassment to all of us, and I’m not ready to offer your jobs back yet. Allow me to sleep on this for a while. My chief of staff, Andrew, will be in touch soon.”
They both thanked me for my time, then left the room. Tyler remained there with me, and shortly thereafter, Andrew came in to discuss my schedule.
“In reference to the conversation I had with you yesterday about meeting with some of our allies, I still haven’t gotten all of that together yet. However, due to what some view as a race war in our country, many leaders are uneasy. I think it would be wise for you to strengthen our relationship with Africa and join the U.S. ambassador when he returns there in a few days. Our economic and trade relations with South Africa remain strong, and this trip would allow you to reinforce the U.S. commitment to expanding economic growth and investments with new leaders.”
“I agree,” Tyler said. “And even though there needs to be much more work done here to help lower racial tensions, the message we want to send to the world is very important.”
“It’s not like the two of you have to pull my teeth out in order for me to visit Africa. I would love to. To my recollection, only three or four sitting presidents have been there, and I do think it is equally important for us to reinforce our commitment to their new leaders, as well as others. We have to continue to strengthen our relationships. Over the years, the United States has lost a lot of respect, and I’m willing and able to meet and listen to any leader who strives for the betterment of all people.”
“Good deal, Mr. President,” Andrew said. “I’ll make the announcement soon. Be prepared, by Wednesday, to head out on Air Force One.”
“I will be ready, and I hope the Secret Service will be too. Going forward, I want all new agents, so get on finding professionals in the field who can protect me and my wife.”
“You’re not going to reconsider rehiring Ben and Paul?” Tyler said. “I thought you told them you would think about it.”
With a straight face, I didn’t hold back. “Fuck Ben and Paul. No one will be allowed a second chance when it comes to my life, and there really is nothing else I need to think about. I’m strapped regardless, and it’s a damn shame that it has to be this way in the Oval Office.”
Seemingly in shock, they both nodded, then left my office. I was looking forward to going to Africa. I expressed my enthusiasm to Chanel while speaking to her around noon that day. I also thanked her for the shout-out the other night.
“You’re very welcome, Mr. President. I only wished that I could say more.”
“I think you said enough, but that’s just my opinion, of course.”
She laughed, then hit me with a question that I suspected was coming soon. “Sooo, when am I going to see you again? I enjoy these little five-minute conversations we have, but it would be nice to see you face-to-face again.”
“I figured you would ask, but I get a chance to see you almost every evening on the news.”
“Well, that may satisfy you, but it doesn’t satisfy me. And by the way, I’m glad you enjoy watching my show. On purpose, I tend to speak to and about you a lot.”
“Trust me, I’ve noticed. It seems as if you can’t get enough of me. But before our five minutes are almost up, I have another job for you. Many members of the media will cover my trip while in South Africa. I want you to be there, on special assignment, if you will. Air Force One will take off at eight o’clock, Wednesday morning. You need to be on the plane by six, or, at least, way before the cameras arrive to view my departure. I’ll make sure that you get Top Secret Clearance, and you’ll be issued a Secret Service Credential’s pass, only for this trip.”
There was a lengthy silence before Chanel spoke up. “That will be difficult for me to pull off. I can’t just drop what I’m doing and take off for a special assignment. My boss may have a problem with that, and I’m sure someone else from our network will be assigned to cover you while you’re there.”
“Not interested in anyone else, and that will be made clear to your boss. No is not an acceptable answer, so I expect to see you on Wednesday morning when I enter Air Force One. Until then, have a nice day.”
I had hoped to have a nice day too, but around three in the afternoon, things took a turn for the worse. Tragedy struck again, as two men armed with assault rifles stormed into a day care facility, taking out every person in the main office and several kids who were on the playground. Pandemonium erupted at the White House, like I had never witnessed it before. Everyone was on edge, including me. I was mad as hell, and as my phones kept ringing, I couldn’t help but to shout at Andrew who called to see if I had eaten something for dinner.
“Hell, no, I haven’t had dinner! To hell with dinner, Andrew! You know, as well as I do, that those people didn’t have to die! This shit is crazy, and what in the hell is it going to take for Congress to get off their asses and do something about gun laws in this country? These shootings used to occur every other week. Now, they’re happening every other day! It’s time to say fuck the NRA and do more to keep the people safe!”
“I agree, but you know what many leaders will say. This has nothing to do with gun laws. It’s all about the persons pulling the trigger and their state of mind. I wish—”
“No, I wish you would shut the hell up and listen to me. I want an emergency meeting scheduled with the leaders in Congress tomorrow. Invite them here, or make arrangements for me to be on Capitol Hill. This shit is not going to continue to happen on my watch. It’s time to stop taking baby steps and take giant steps to get this done!”
I slammed the phone down, ending my call with Andrew. Minutes later, my cell phone rang. My mother’s number flashed on the screen, but I didn’t answer because Raynetta had come through the door with a somber expression on her face.
“No knock, no announcement, no nothing, huh?” I said, marching over to the door to confront Secret Service. I pulled the door open, barking at one agent who stood outside. “Wha . . . Why was she able to walk into my office without being stopped?”
He appeared confused. “Be . . . because she’s your wife, sir, and I didn’t think—”
“I don’t give a damn who she is!” I shouted near his face. Veins popped out of my neck—I was too mad. “Do not allow anyone to enter my office without acknowledging who they are first! Not her, not the VP, not my mother, nor my dog, if I had one! Do . . . you . . . understand?”
He nodded and didn’t even flinch as I got in his shit. “Yes, Mr. President, I do understand. I will relay that message to the other agents as well.”
“Thank you!”
I walked back into my office, slamming the door behind me. Raynetta’s eyes were bugged. She looked at me, shaking her head.
“I’m not going to even start with you today, but you need to calm down. I promise not to walk in here again without announcing myself, and trust me when I say it’s not that serious. But what is serious is what happened today, as well as the overwhelming murder rate in this country. Gun control should be your administration’s top priority. I don’t understand why stuff like this continues to get swept underneath the rug.”
I plopped down in the chair behind my desk, then rubbed
my aching forehead. My chest continued to heave in and out; I started to take deeper breaths to calm myself.
“It will be our priority, and I’m going to ask the American people, once and for all, to stop allowing special interest groups to control what happens in this country and vote against any Congress member who continues to put their needs before the people’s. The truth is, I can’t govern this country all by myself. I have to reach out, but I’ll be damned if I sit idly by and allow our elected officials to do nothing. Those babies on that playground deserve better, and so do the people who were in that office. Those were children, Netta. I saw unedited videos of what happened to them. I saw the expressions on their little faces, fear in their eyes, and cries, as they were being shot multiple times. My heart aches for the parents, and I will reach out to them, soon, to offer my condolences.”
“I will do so as well. Be sure to include my prayers and sorrow in your statement to the American people, even though I know many of them are tired of hearing words with no action.”
“I agree. Can’t say that I blame them for being fed up.”
* * *
Later that day, along with Andrew, Tyler, and Sam, I watched the ongoing coverage of what had happened today. I was sick to my stomach, and had already released a brief statement that expressed our sympathy and apologies for ongoing inaction. The shooters had been gunned down by the police, but that made no one feel better.
“What a sad day this is,” Tyler said, using the remote to turn off the TV. “Several members of Congress will be here tomorrow morning, so I think it’s best that we all turn in early and get some rest.”
We all shook each other’s hands and went our separate ways for the night. I wanted to lay my head on a soft pillow tonight and cuddle in a warm bed with my wife. But my mind was on overload. What happened today was the kind of shit that affected me in a major way. I feared days like this while living in the White House, but I also suspected that this was just the beginning. Maybe I was prepared, maybe I wasn’t, but the one thing I was, was a caring human being.
The next morning, I found myself slumped in my chair, after getting very little sleep. My tie had been removed from my neck, and my white shirt was unbuttoned and full of wrinkles. My shoes were off, mouth was dry. I yawned, then got up to tackle another day.
Around nine o’clock, I was already in a boardroom with numerous members of Congress sitting at the table with me. The media was allowed to come inside, and with smiles plastered on all of our faces, I happily shared with everyone the direction I wanted to go in with controlling gun violence.
“I invited each and every one of these congressional leaders to join me today, because these are some, not all, but some of the people who have not taken vital steps to improve our gun laws in this country. Hopefully, some are starting to wake up, before it’s too late. We cannot continue on this reckless path, and there has to be a way to protect our Second Amendment rights, while also keeping the American people safe. With that being said, will the media please exit so that the discussions can begin?”
Most of the Democrats at the table were with me on this, so they smiled at the cameras and waved. The Republicans, however, sat like zombies, including Speaker Robinson who had initially refused to attend today’s meeting. After the media had vacated, I jumped right in, asking if there had been any legislation drafted pertaining to gun laws that I didn’t know about. Everyone sat quietly. In return, I shook my head.
“All I can ask is . . . What are we waiting for? Simply put, this is ridiculous. I can’t believe the stronghold so many special interest groups have on you all. It’s time to end this and stop making it all about money. I’m looking for solutions. What is the plan? I would like to hear ideas that convey a reasonable way forward.”
Yet again, many sat silent. A few whispers followed, and then Speaker Robinson spoke up. “In case you haven’t noticed, Mr. Jefferson, there aren’t many ways forward. Many of us believe that protecting our Second Amendment rights is the priority, and no gun violence law should affect those who have gone through the legal process to obtain guns and have the right to bear arms and protect themselves. There is no easy fix, and your anger and insults will not encourage us to have a change of heart on this matter.”
“Maybe my anger and insults won’t encourage you all to have a change of heart, but I would hope that these pictures would.” I opened an envelope, then scattered numerous photos of people, from all races, who had been victims of gun violence in this country for the past six months. “There you go. Look at them. Almost nine thousand Americans—dead. From gunshot wounds to the heads, or shots straight through the hearts. Twenty percent of that number pertains to children, so Mr. Speaker, I suggest that you not make this about me, and make this about people who didn’t have to die. Others would applaud you and every other congressional leader who decides to take action and get off their asses to do something.”
As expected, my choice of words weren’t welcomed. They caused others to finally speak up, and, at least, I had everyone talking now. No one, however, louder than Speaker Robinson, whose wrinkled face shook as he spoke and choked on his words as he coughed.
“Just who do you think you are, Mr. Jefferson?” he shouted, then placed his tightened fist in front of his mouth to cover his cough. “You have no . . . no goddamn authority to—”
I quickly cut him off. “I am the head Negro in charge, Mr. Speaker, and you will respect me!”
“Stop this,” Senator Evans yelled with tears at the rim of her eyes. “You’re so right, Mr. President, this isn’t about you. But you cannot expect to get things accomplished by attacking us and accusing us of not caring about this issue as much as you do. We do care, but like the Speaker said, this is not an easy fix. If it was, it would’ve been done.”
“Let me correct you, Senator Evans, and also educate you as well. I have not attacked anyone who hasn’t attacked me. Mr. Speaker went on live television, and in front of all America, he referred to me as a loose cage monkey. It is only behind closed doors that I will remind everyone of this, and in return, tell him that a loose cage monkey can—and will—eat the feathers off an old, white, angry chicken with weak legs to stand on, and destroy him. In one week, and with an all-hands-on-deck approach, we can draft legislation that requires mandatory, universal background checks on all private sales of firearms. We can create a policy that would allow family members or law enforcement to petition courts to remove firearms from individuals in crisis or with mental health issues. Basically, come up with commonsense proposals that will set us on the right path to correcting part of this epidemic. Senator Evans, the floor is yours.”
“And the door is mine,” the Speaker said, wobbling to his feet. “I have other serious matters to tend to, and as far as I’m concerned, this meeting is over.”
“Walk fast, old man, and don’t allow the door to hit you on the way out. And anyone else who wants to join him, please do. Just be sure to call a plumber to help him clear his throat so he can speak to me like he has some sense.”
Many heads shook, and a few others stood and left. I was surprised that many stayed to provide their input and listen. While we never came up with a joint resolution today, this was a start. We agreed to revisit this issue next week and see what we could do to get the ball rolling on controlling gun violence.
Around eight o’clock, I did the norm. Sat on the sofa in the Oval Office with my head tilted back and eyes closed, meditating. Instead of jazz music wafting through speakers, I had the speakers up loudly, tuning into news with Chanel Hamilton.
“It was another chaotic and unproductive day at the White House as the president and Speaker Robinson exchanged several harsh words. It’s no secret that there is no love lost between the two, but many say that this was unlike anything they had ever witnessed before. We were informed by several people inside of the administration that things got overly heated, and the Speaker was thrown out. Racial slurs were being used, and at one point, Senator Eva
ns allegedly picked up a chair and threw it. We reached out to Senator Evans for a comment, but she has yet to respond. The president, himself, hasn’t responded either, and we’ve been informed that Speaker Robinson has no plans to ever return to the White House again.”
“Bullshit,” I whispered underneath my breath. I then lowered the volume with the remote and dimmed the lights. Tonight, I needed a bed, so I headed to the Master Bedroom to get as much rest as I could, before my trip to Africa in the morning. Thankfully, when I crept into the bedroom, Raynetta was in a deep sleep. I planted a soft kiss on her forehead, stripped naked, then got underneath the warm covers, turning my back to hers.
7
Newsroom Contributor Chanel Hamilton
The president must’ve been totally out of his everlasting mind. Then again, so was I. I couldn’t believe that I had dropped everything to accommodate him on this trip, but my presence wasn’t too obvious because there were numerous people on board Air Force One who were fortunate enough to take this trip to Africa with him. Unlike some of the other journalists who had already taken their seats in the press quarters, it was my first time on a plane like this. I wasn’t even sure if I should call it a plane. It was more like a luxurious hotel with dining rooms, offices, a boardroom, and kitchen. I was far from the presidential suite that was near the front of Air Force One, and I was informed that it even had a workout area. TVs were mounted everywhere and security was on top of everything. I was so excited, also a little nervous, about this whole thing too.
Why? Because having feelings for the president of the United States was a big deal. Yes, there were plenty of women who probably had fantasies about him or wished that they could one day meet him. But I had been super close to him. Had touched the man’s package and tasted his tongue. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and there was no way for me to avoid a man who was the main subject on the network I worked for every single day. I had never been involved with a married man before, and as far as relationships go, well, I hadn’t had many. My life was too busy. No man would put up with me spending twelve-to-fourteen hours at work. I loved my job, especially when it enabled me to be a part of something like this. I was thankful to the president for allowing me this opportunity, and the interview with him and the first lady had already opened some other doors for me.
Black President Page 7