Chapter 21
“Hi, baby, how are you feeling?” Donna asked over the cell phone.
“Good…fine…how are you?” Josh asked while turning the sound of the TV
down.
“Okay…we need to revamp some things here. What would you think about
bringing Brian out here for a week or two? They could use some of his media
discipline here. George has skills but he may be too green to run this on his
own.”
“Well…I…hmmm.” Josh stalled.
“Did you have other plans for him? He’s been pulling things together at the
office very well. We might want to look at him for regional management this
year. He’s ready and I think Billy would like to spend more time in D.C. now that
he’s expecting a second child.”
“Jenny’s pregnant?!” Josh exclaimed. “Why am I always the last one to hear
these things?”
“It’s a mystery. What do you think about moving Brian?”
“Let me think about it.” Josh hedged.
“Sure. We don’t need to decide right now. He’s got nothing else pressing on
his plate.”
“Uh…no, I guess not.”
“Are you upset that I suggested Julie go back to D.C. with Brian?”
“No, no, not at all.” Josh answered honestly.
“The campaign is over, after all. We don’t have to worry about appearances on
the campaign trail or anything now.”
“When are you coming back?” Josh changed the subject suddenly.
“I’m not sure. Do you need me there?”
“No, we’re fine here. No need to rush back at all.”
“Gee, Josh, you make me feel all needed and missed.”
“You are; needed and missed, but you’re handling important things for the
team and that’s…important.”
“760 verbal and that’s the best you can do? You must not be sleeping well.
Maybe I should cut this trip short and come home tomorrow.”
“No, don’t! I mean…Mom is taking good care of me and the kids are all fine.
You should take your time and do what you need to do there.” Josh assured
her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course I am. Just because I’m laid up doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get
your work done.”
“Well, if you’re positive.”
“I am.” He hastened to add.
“And you wouldn’t be trying to…I don’t know… delay my return until you’ve
solidified things with Julie and the state party officials for taking over the
endorsement?” Her voice turned hard.
“Donna…”
“Because you know how upset I’d be that you were ignoring the rules and
putting your health at risk.”
“Do you want the Republicans to get the seat?”
“You’re offering me a false choice, Joshua. Lyman’s strategy for winning, rule
4: Don’t buy into a false choice. I know you know that rule well because you
were the one who taught me how to use them in a debate.”
“These were extraordinary circumstances, you have to admit that.” Josh
pressed on.
“Rule # 3:Get your opponent to agree to your basic premise. Next comes, get
your opponent on your turf. Do you want me on your turf, Joshua?”
“There’s really no good way for me to answer that question, is there?”
“Rule number 8: Give your opponent a lose/lose proposition.” Donna parroted.
“Would you stop that?!” Josh nearly shouted.
“Then you stop strategizing with me, Josh! I am not a candidate or a campaign.”
“Okay.”
“I had to hear about this from CNBC?” Donna prodded.
“It just got confirmed about 30 minutes ago.” Josh defended himself.
“Then my call is at least 31 minutes late. Billy told me he talked to you about
this over 4 hours ago and that Brian and Julie are on a plane headed back
there as we speak. Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Hmph. I guess I know who to go to for information now.”
“Donna, I’m sorry. It came up quite unexpectedly and moved really fast. I knew
you were on a plane to Boston when it first came up and then I got distracted. I’
m sorry.”
“Very sorry?” Donna pushed.
“Extremely sorry.” Josh one-upped her.
“And you won’t do it again?”
“Probably not.” Josh agreed.
“I guess that’s as good as I’m going to get.” Donna said ruefully. “How’s Ben?”
“Much better. He’s got a spring in his step with his candidate being
resurrected.”
“And his father home with him 24/7.” Donna added. “Tori?”
“She’s peeved because Ally told her nobody could sign her cast since it’s black
and pens wouldn’t show up.”
“Tell Tori I found some neon markers that will work just fine on her black cast.”
“How do you keep all these balls in the air without ever letting one drop?”
“I don’t. I just make sure I don’t drop the most important ones. Ally and Jake?”
“Great. Ally is doing a report on the lakes in Minnesota. Jake only gets out of
the hotel pool to eat and sleep.”
“Now how about you? Honestly, Joshua.”
“I’m tired…and I miss you.”
“I meant, physically.”
“So did I!” Josh protested jokingly, but quickly sobered. “My chest hurts like hell
when I move but my body aches from lying still.”
“It doesn’t have much practice at lying still.” Donna noted. “How’s your blood
pressure?”
“A little high today, but there’s been a lot of excitement around here.”
“I’ll bet. When do Julie and Brian get in?”
“About 2 hours from now. He can’t run her campaign, Donna.”
“Josh..”
“He can’t. He can work on it, but he can’t run it.” Josh insisted.
“You’re going to tell them that?”
“As soon as they get here.” Josh agreed.
“They’re both single adults. Don’t you wish someone had trusted us to behave
responsibly once upon a time?”
“I trust them, I just don’t trust the media and how they’ll play it.”
“Do you need me to do anything from my end?”
“No, but thanks for offering. I’ll call you after I talk to them.” Josh promised.
“Okay. Tell the kids I’ll call at bedtime.” Donna instructed. “And Josh? Please
don’t overdo this. I know how thrilled you must be to have Julie back in the race
not to mention your opportunity to lord it over the party chair that he had to
come begging you for help, but please, take care of yourself first.”
“I will. Come back soon.”
“I will.” Donna said softly and hung up the phone.
*********************************************************
“I’m sorry we’re so late, the flight was delayed out of Chicago.” Brian explained
to Ruth as he took Julie’s coat.
“Hey, you’re here!” Ben exclaimed and hugged Julie before turning to Brian
and awkwardly hugging him too. Brian took it for the peace offering it was and
hugged him back.
“I’ve missed you tiger.” Brian told him.
“Yeah? Me too.” Ben admitted. “Come on, Dad’s waiting for you.” He led them
into the master bedroom. Josh was propped up with pillows, dressed in sweats,
and reading something intently. Looking at this middle aged man with bifocals
and a very strange looking paper hat on his head, no one would guess he was
a Washington D.C. powerbroker.
“Interesting headwear there, boss.” Brian chuckled. Josh looked confused for a
minute then reached up to his head and pulled the offending paper hat off his
head.
Josh looked sheepishly at them. “Ally made it for me to cheer me up.”
“That’s so sweet.” Julie cooed. “Leave it on.”
“She’s in bed. I’ll put it on in the morning.” Josh drawled. “Have a seat. Ben
brought in some chairs. Moving is still a painful proposition so I try to avoid it
when I can.”
“Thanks Ben.” Brian remarked. “You going to sit in too?”
“Dad says I can’t tonight, but maybe tomorrow…”
“It’s past your bedtime and your mom already called to say goodnight and go
to bed.” Josh reminded him.
“I know.” Ben rolled his eyes in a move reminiscent of his father. “See you
tomorrow!”
“Goodnight Benjamin.” Julie told him warmly and Brian gave him a high five
before Ben kissed his dad’s cheek and left them alone.
“You look a lot better than the last time we saw you.” Brian noted.
“Wouldn’t take much to look better than the last time you saw me. I hear you
two have made a good team in D.C.” Josh mentioned.
“I think so, too. But that’s all coming to an end now, isn’t it?” Brian asked.
“Looks like it. We don’t have much time here, so I’m going to cut to the chase.
Brian can’t run the campaign.” Josh stated.
“We kind of figured.” Julie replied. “So who’s up to bat then?”
“Looks like me.” Josh answered. “I’m stuck here for the next couple weeks and I’
m already up to speed on the campaign. Brian, you have a choice. You can
stay here and work with us, or you can go back to D.C. and continue with what
you’ve been doing there.”
Brian chuckled. “I’ll stay here, but I stay with Julie.”
Josh sighed. “I’m assuming you don’t mean metaphorically.”
“You assume correctly.” Brian met Josh’s eyes. “If that’s going to be a problem,
you’d better say so now.”
“I didn’t have a problem with it to begin with. I was concerned that the press
would have a problem with it. Now that concern has increased tenfold. If Julie’s
the nominee, the scrutiny of you and the campaign staff it going to make the
primary fight look like a cake walk.”
“It’s a deal breaker.” Julie maintained.
“A united front?” Josh questioned. Both Julie and Brian nodded.”don’t say I
didn’t warn you. Let’s call our friend David Strauss and see where we go from
here. Let’s all please remember that on top of being a pompous windbag, state
party chairs in this state are dinosaurs. They live forever and they remember
who has crossed them. I’m a big fan of chain yanking, but let’s not go over the
top here. Julie, this is going to be your candidacy, so I want you to take point
on this call. ” Josh dialed the number and put the call on speaker.
David Strauss, the MN state party chair, answered on the first ring. “Josh?
Have you talked to her yet?”
“She’s here with me now, along with her campaign manager, Brian Davis. You’
re on speaker.” Josh told him.
“Ms. Peterson, thank you for speaking with me.” David began.
“I’m only speaking to you as a favor to Josh.” Julie said flat out. “I’m tired from
my hurried trip out here, so say what you want to say so I can get some sleep.”
There was a pause as David considered her angry tone. “I know the
nomination campaign got a little heated…”
“A little? My brothers played hockey, Mr. Strauss. Sometimes hockey gets a
little heated. What the party did to promote Taylor and cut me off at the knees,
did nothing to promote a healthy debate on the issues or help Minnesotans
see a complete picture of each candidate.”
“That’s politics, Ms. Peterson, and if you think that was rough, wait until you’re
facing a Republican opponent.”
“Who said I’m going to be facing a Republican opponent? Taylor won, by fair
means or foul, the nomination is his.” Julie countered.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that Taylor is going to have to withdraw.”
“That’s right, people don’t USUALLY want their Representative in Congress to
have felony records. Whatever will you do now?”
“It’s been a long day for me too, Ms. Peterson. Let’s not play games anymore.
Are you interested in the nomination or not?”
“Under what terms?” Julie asked.
“Name them. You’ll have the full backing of the state party behind you. We’ll
send our top people to work the campaign and give you more paid staff. We
already have ads set to run against Butler in the fall. What else will you need?”
Julie exchanged looks with Brian and then Josh; both of whom deferred to her
for an answer.
“First of all, I don’t want you or your ‘people’ anywhere near me. I want Lyman
consulting to continue running things for me.”
“That’s really not necessary and by using them you open yourself to the same
line of attack Taylor used; Washington insiders trying to push a carpet bagger
on the Midwest.”
“It was silly when Taylor used it and it will be a joke if Friedman tries it.”
“Still, it would be better if we had local people-“
“You just said I could name my terms. How quickly they forget.” Julie chuckled
humorlessly.
“Okay, okay. Lyman consulting runs things.” David gave in.
“Next, the Lyman team and I have final approval on all ads on behalf of my
campaign or against Friedman.”
“I can’t control what some independent 527 group puts on the air.” David
claimed.
“No, of course not.” Julie said sarcastically. “But just so you know, if something
goes on the air that I don’t like, I will publically denounce it before the 30
second spot is over.”
“I can tell you’ve been schooled by Lyman.” David muttered.
“Excuse me?” Julie asked.
“We need to set up a press conference to announce the party is backing you.
Taylor’s campaign manager will be announcing his withdrawal first thing in the
morning. I say we follow that up immediately with an announcement from us
about Ms. Peterson picking up the mantle.” David prescribed.
“What do you think, Josh?” Julie pointedly ignored David.
“IF you decide to do this, you shouldn’t make any kind of announcement for at
least 24 hours after Taylor withdraws; I’d wait 48 personally. We want to give
the electorate a chance to ask for her before she’s pushed on anyone. A
couple days of speculation will make it look like she’s answering a call from the
people to serve rather than taking advantage of a colleague’s unfortunate
circumstances.”
“Yes, that sounds much better to me.” Julie agreed.
“Okay…then when we make the announcement, we’ll urge the state delegates
to throw their support behind Ms. Peterson and reiterate that Warren Taylor is
innocent until proven guilty.” David moved on to his next point.
“Hold on.” Brian interrupted. “The state party shouldn’t be anywhere near this
announcement and I’m certainly not going to advocate that Julie remind the
electorate of Taylor’s civil rights.”
“Absolutely not.” Josh agreed. “If you want to carry water for Taylor, that’s fine,
but IF Julie agrees to run she will be advised to answer “Taylor who?” to any
questions put to her about his indictment.”
“Is there anything direction, anything at ALL, you’ll take from me and the state
party?!” David asked in aggravation.
“Sure!…we’ll take your money.” Josh offered and made Julie and Brian laugh.