Chapter 13
“I’d like to thank Ms. Julie Peterson and Mr. Peter Layton for joining us
tonight to discuss health issues and the Government. We learned a lot
about each of your views and I hope you learned a little more about the
health care needs in our community.”
“We certainly did.” Julie smiled. “Thank you so much for the invitation.”
“Yes, thank you.” Layton echoed. “It’s been a pleasure.”
“I know our time is up, but I’d be happy to answer any individual questions
after we’re done here.” Julie volunteered.
“Yes! Yes, me too.” Layton agreed.
“Then we’ll end our round table with our Congressional candidates and
remind everyone to tune in to the debate, two weeks from tonight when we
can compare all three Democratic candidates on the same stage.” The
moderator led the final applause and the candidates left the stage.
Josh sidled up to Brian. “Just out of curiosity, does Layton agree with
EVERYTHING Julie says?”
“Pretty much.” Brian acknowledged.
“So being ten points up on him…”
“Means next to nothing.” Brian finished.
“What excuse did Taylor use for skipping the forum?”
“A previous campaign commitment.”
“Let me guess…a fundraising dinner?” Josh hazarded.
“Got it in one.” Brian nodded.
“You ought to put that out to everyone that breathes in this district before-“
Brian stopped Josh’s advice short by handing him a press release which
Josh read aloud.
“Democratic Congressional candidate, Julie Peterson, exchanged views
and ideas with the community on health care issues during a candidate
round table where her fellow candidate Warren Taylor was conspicuous
by his absence. Where was Mr. Taylor while his fellow candidates were
discussing issues with the voters? Enjoying a 5 course meal at a $500 a
plate fundraising dinner with the fat cats in the party. Minnesotans need to
carefully consider whether they want to elect someone who has their
interests at heart or prefers to consider the interests of a political party.”
Josh nodded. “You get double points for this one, Brian. It nails Taylor
and the party chairman at the same time.”
“I’m good at my job.” Brian stated.
“You’re great at your job or I wouldn’t have hired you in the first place.
That has never been the issue here.” Josh insisted. “This issue has been
whether or not your relationship with the candidate might cloud your
judgment or hurt her chances in this election.”
“She doesn’t HAVE any chances in this election and we both know it, so
let’s call a spade, a spade here.” Brian told him.
“If she had any chance in this election it would be because of how well you
manage these underdog campaigns. That’s why I sent you here in the first
place. I trusted you Brian, professionally and personally. It disappoints me
that you didn’t trust me enough to come to me with this.”
Brian felt like he’d let down the man who’d taken a chance on him when
he was still new at all this. He still didn’t think his relationship with Julie
made a difference in the campaign, but he could admit that he should
have been honest with Josh when it began to develop. “I’m sorry. You’re
right. I should have told you. I guess I just wanted it to be between Julie
and me for awhile.”
“I guess I can understand that.” Josh met him half way. “If it starts to
interfere with the campaign, or I get a hint of any complaints from anyone
working here, and I mean right down to the pizza delivery guy, you are out
of here.”
“I can live with that.” Brian agreed.
“And there’s one more thing…” Josh got kind of uncomfortable. “Could
you maybe try to talk to Ben? He’s feeling a little rejected right now.”
“Not right now, he isn’t.” Brian nodded to where Ben was standing at Julie’
s side while she introduced him to the people she’d been speaking with
and engaged him in the conversation. “She is damn good.”
Josh’s mouth twitched.
“I’m talking about politically, you ass.” Brian laughed while he said it
though, so Josh figured they were back on the road to even ground.
“Yeah, she is.” Josh agreed. “And if you don’t want to leave her in the
frozen tundra when you go back to D.C., you better find a way to get her
elected.”
***********************************************
“Nahhhhh” Toby made the buzzer sound...again. Julie was seriously
considering killing him. There was even a knife on the table. If she could
just reach it she could-
“Stop with the buzzer already.” Josh said from the doorway. “It’s annoying
and distracting.”
“Deliverance!” Julie called out to Donna. “I’m begging you. Take me away
from these people.”
“Sorry, this is your best shot at Taylor and we pulled out all the stops for
you here.” Donna replied. “Suck it up for 24 more hours and then we’ll all
leave you in peace…for awhile.”
“Promises, promises.” Julie muttered.
“Besides Toby’s obvious issue with your wording? Your answer was 30
seconds too long.” Brian pointed out.
“Et tu, Brute?” Julie quipped and Brian kept his head down to hide his
smile. He knew he’d pay for it later if she saw it now. When he got it
together enough to look back up he saw her laser stare at him. Oops, too
late.
“Put it on a card, Toby, and she can memorize it, but for now, let’s move
on.” Josh decided.
Josh knew that if Julie was going to get a glove on Taylor it was going to
be at the debate tomorrow night. So far, he’d barely acknowledged her
candidacy. Taylor acted like both his Democratic rivals were nothing more
than children trying to get a seat at the grownups table. Since he was so
well funded by the party and business interests, he was able to blanket
the district in mailings and TV ads. Julie had to rely primarily on free
media. Brian had made the most of that, but he couldn’t manufacture a
debate forum and Taylor wasn’t likely to do this twice, so this was their
one shot.
When Josh and Donna tumbled into bed that night they carefully avoided
the subject of the debate and instead enjoyed the privacy that a hotel
room afforded them that they rarely got when they were at home with 4
kids and their niece. At breakfast, however, Donna finally broached the
subject over bagels and cereal; Josh’s superstitious debate day breakfast.
“She’s ready you know.”
“I know. I’m just not sure it’s going to matter. She’s still 13 points down.”
Josh noted.
“She’s been outspent 5 to 1!” Donna reminded him.
“Maybe if I hadn’t pissed the party chair off, I could have tapped SOME of
the party resources.” Josh theorized.
“Well since that horse has left the barn, I say we concentrate on going
forward from here.” Donna chuckled. Sometimes her husband was a
victim of his own press. When story after story is written about how he can
perform campaign miracles, she guessed it wasn’t any wonder that he had
come to believe he could do just that.
“Yeah, I guess.” Josh allowed. “Was Ben still pissed he couldn’t come out
for the debate?” Josh had left the day before Donna, but Ben had been
pretty hot when he’d left. Things weren’t quite the same between Ben and
Julie as they had been at the beginning, but they were friends again and
Ben was feeling very left out at this big juncture in the campaign.
“Yes.” Donna replied. “He’s just going to have to be pissed for awhile.
School comes first.”
“You’re such a hard ass, Donna.” Josh laughed. She’d been the one to
call him after he left, trying to negotiate a way for Ben to at least come out
for the day.
“Don’t mock me Joshua. I’m the one who had to deal with his Lyman
temper when he didn’t get his way while you enjoyed a peaceful, solitary
trip to the Twin Cities.”
“Lyman temper?” Josh repeated. “You realize you’re a Lyman too.”
“Only by marriage, it’s not in my blood, thank God.”
“Donnatella…” Josh shook his head. “Believe me when I say it’s
completely in your blood.” He advanced on her and pulled the bagel out
of her hand. “Admit it. I’ve been in your blood since you walked into the
Nashua office.”
“And you’re ego had only increased since then.”
“True enough.” He agreed and kissed her soundly.
The knock on the door startled them both.
“Go away.” Josh called while Donna yelled, “Who is it?” at the same time.
“Toby. Open the damn door.” Josh reluctantly let go of his wife and
opened the door for the frowning speech writer. “The food here sucks.”
“Good thing you’re heading out tonight then.” Josh reminded him.
“The more important thing to note is why I was summoned out here to
begin with.”
“We needed your brand of wisdom for this thing.” Josh told him. “And you
had a hole in your schedule.”
“A Josh Lyman created hole.” Toby groused.
“Still…” Josh smiled his appreciation for his friend.
“Have a bagel Toby.” Donna offered the plate to him. “And then you can
give us your prediction for tonight.”
“She’ll do fine. She may even run circles around that stuffed shirt, but it
won’t matter much. How many people will even watch this thing?”
“I’m hoping just enough.” Josh rolled his eyes. The fact was; Toby’s
prediction perfectly matched his own. He hoped they were both wrong.