The Leader
The petite, blond woman washed her hands vigorously in the sink. As she studied her face in the mirror, she noticed new lines on her face. Considering what she had been through, though, it was no surprise.
She shook her head at the thought of what was to come. At 45, she had lived a lifetime, or at least it seemed so to her. The things she'd done... The things she'd seen... and she had lived to tell about it. Too many of her friends and family did not have that privilege. It had been so very long ago, yet it still felt like yesterday. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.
In less than twenty minutes, this woman was to participate in an important debate. She took a deep breath and toweled her hands dry. Then she smoothed her royal blue silk suit and adjusted her glasses. She shook her head as she briefly wondered what she had gotten herself into. It was no matter; she was certainly up to the task.
"My name is Juliet Parrish, and I'm running for President."
The elderly, blind woman sat in front of the TV screen. A younger, handsome man watched with her. Despite her age, she seemed excited.
"You are going to describe everything to me, aren't you?" Her voice was old now, and lacked the timbre and vitality of just a few years ago. She hated to admit it, but she was tired.
"Don't I always?" he teased. He reached for her wrinkled hand. He remembered a time when it was soft and smooth.
She smiled, "Yes, you always do." The younger man kissed the older woman on the lips, lips that were once soft, smooth, and pliable.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you, too."
"It's on again...Listen."
"Good evening, I'm Judith Wisner, moderator of the first debate of the 2004 Presidential Election. Tonight, we're on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence. In just a few minutes, the presidential candidates will square off. From the Americanist Party, Louisiana Governor Lyman Gage. From the Neo Democratists, California Senator Juliet Parrish. But first, these messages..."
"Campaign ads, of course," the old woman grumbled. "I'm so tired of the mudslinging."
"Sweetheart," he lightly squeezed her hand, "that's all part of the process."
Her eyes lit up. "You love politics, don't you?"
He laughed, "Maybe it's my old man coming out in me, huh?"
The woman laughed along with the man. A voiceover on television announced, "A woman with hometown values who believes in giving back to her country and to its people. She led the Resistance. She led California. And she will lead us...Juliet Parrish for President...paid for by Friends of Juliet Parrish for President... I'm Juliet Parrish and I approve this message."
"That was a new one," he replied.
Then came another ad, but this one for Lyman Gage. "My name is Kate Barr, and I used to work for Science Frontiers... I, along with a team of scientists, helped manufacture and study the red dust. I was exposed to the dust on a daily basis. When we saw what prolonged exposure to the toxin did to lab animals, it was too late. I handled it; I breathed it. Years later, I got pregnant. My baby girl, Patricia, was born with severe birth defects, defects so horrible they were similar to the Thalidomide babies. Patricia has lived five years longer than doctors said she would. Juliet Parrish created the dust to defeat the Visitors...And look what it did to my daughter."
"Oh my God!" he cried.
"What?!"
"Gage came in and kissed the baby."
The ad finished: "Vote for Lyman Gage for President. Paid for by the Americanist Party and approved by Governor Lyman Gage."
"That's funny," he began, "I don't remember any Kate Barr."
"Well, how could you anyway, Kyle? You weren't there."
"Elizabeth, I got the records after the Visitors left. I can tell you there's no Kate Barr in them."
It was her turn now to squeeze his hand. "How do you think she'll do?"
"I don't know... She's got a good chance, but it's too hard to tell at this point... It might all depend on tonight."
"Welcome back, ladies and gentleman. Please join me in welcoming the candidates. First, from the Americanist Party, Louisiana Governor Lyman Gage. And now, from the Neo Democratists, California Senator Juliet Parrish... The format for tonight's 2004 presidential debate will be as follows. The candidates have not seen the questions; the questions have been written solely by me, and I have not shown them to anyone. Questions cover areas both foreign and domestic. For direct questions, candidates are limited to a two-minute answer. There will be a 90-second rebuttal. If warranted, candidates will have a 30-second follow-up. The audience has been instructed not to applaud until the end of the debate. The candidates have opted to address each other if desired. A coin toss ruled that Governor Gage will get the first question. Do you both understand and agree to these stipulations?"
Both candidates answered in the affirmative.
"Now the debate will begin."
Elizabeth squeezed Kyle's hand.
"Governor Gage, you have stated that, as president, you would veto the proposed NASA bill calling for a return to space by 2010. Why?"
"First, Judith, I want to thank you and the American people for the opportunity to be here tonight. This is only the third presidential debate since 1980. The United States, like her allies, was a fledgling nation. We have literally just emerged from a Second Reconstruction. But, Judith, we were invaded by the Visitors. Our leaders, our scientists, our NASA experts never saw it coming. And the Visitors and other probable hostile creatures are out there somewhere. Why do we want to launch space probes and shuttles when we might run smack-dab in the middle of a convoy? Why would we want to lure other aliens to Earth, Judith? Who knows--they might be worse than the Visitors were. And that's what we don't need, America. They're out there, make no mistake. Besides, the $150 million budget for this bill would be far better served if it were spent on our children who will one day rule this great nation."
"Senator Parrish, rebuttal."
"Thank you, Judith, for the opportunity to be here tonight. Ladies and gentlemen in the audience and watching at home, I want to thank you for caring enough to watch this debate tonight. I am here for you... The problem with Governor Gage is that he preys on fear--your fear. The hard truth is that there is much to fear in the world and beyond it, but we must overcome those fears. If we don't, then we've lost and fear has won. Yes, the Visitors are out there. Yes, other alien species are out there, too. But must we cease our space exploration because of fear? No. Not all aliens are bad. Visitors Martin and Willie and countless others risked their lives to aid humans in their struggle against the Visitors. They did this because they knew what their people were doing was wrong. We must continue to be explorers in the far reaches of space. Why? Because we can't hide. We can't back down. We must move forward, and we must forget the fear."
"Miss Parrish--" Gage began.
"That's Senator Parrish to you."
"Ooh," Kyle remarked, "the gloves are off!"
"That they are," Elizabeth put in.
"Excuse me... Senator Parrish... You acknowledge the presence of aliens but yet you seem to want to go find them. I can't help but wonder if you miss your days as leader of the Resistance. I feel it is my duty to remind you that being president is far different from leading the Resistance."
"Senator Parrish, this question is for you. Press pundits have recently compared you to Rachel Gibson. How do you feel about that?"
"Obviously, I think such a comparison is unfounded and even absurd. Sure, we're both female and, at different times, we've run for president. But, that's where the similarities end, Judith. Gibson was a collaborator. Period. She and I chose very diverse paths. I do not believe for a moment, as she claims, that she had no choice. That's ridiculous. Everyone has choices, and Gibson chose to collaborate with the Visitors. This was revealed during the 1992 campaign, and she was soundly defeated."
"Rebuttal, Governor Gage."
"I think Senator Parrish is being rather harsh here. No, no, let me finish. Gibson claimed her collaboration was done in order to try and stop the Visitors. Gibson resisted in her collaboration. Remember that collaboration allows one to get close to the enemy. We cannot pretend to know the truth here. Senator Parrish never walked in Gibson's shoes. Furthermore, Miss Gibson has been through enough. Must her name continue to be sullied years later?"
"Governor Gage, perhaps you, too, collaborated with the Visitors. Just how did you manage to survive all those years?"
"I do not like what you are implying, Senator!"
Wisner cleared her throat. "Please... Governor Gage, this is your question... There is growing concern both in urban and rural areas about the increasing number of crimes committed on Visitor Fifth Columnists. What would you do about this, as president?"
Taking a sip of water, Gage pondered the question. "Aww, the ass is pausing for effect," Kyle quipped.
Elizabeth held up a hand to silence him. He kissed it.
"You're right, Judith. It's a growing problem and we've got to stop walking on eggshells when we address it. The problem has nothing to do with Americans. These Visitors have come into our cities, come into our communities, taken jobs away from ordinary people because of their advanced expertise. They've intermarried with human men and women, which I think is disgraceful by the way, and we've got these half-breeds with patches of human skin and patches of reptilian scales running around. It's against nature. Ordinary men and women feel threatened by these Visitors. Might I remind the American people exactly what the Visitors did to us? Why should we allow these same Visitors to live in the house next to ours? Those lizards aren't like us; they never will be. And I promise you that when I'm president, I'm going to introduce a bill in Congress that will round up these lizards and ship them out of this great country. They belong on an island somewhere, far away from humans, and so do their freakish progeny. Who's to say they won't turn on us just like they turned on their own people? Lizards are traitors, and they don't belong here."
"Oh no!" Elizabeth cried. Various audience members applauded.
"Please, ladies and gentlemen, no applause."
"Governor Gage, did I hear you correctly? Because that was the most racist language I've heard in years! How can you say such things about a group of people who helped us fight the Visitors and throw them off our planet? It's wrong, ladies and gentlemen, because they fought and they paid a high price for their decision. They chose to remain on Earth; they chose to live here and make lives here, and to raise their children here. Without the help of the Fifth Column, and I firmly believe this, we never would have beaten the Visitors. They'd still be here, still be terrorizing and tyrannizing us, make no mistake. To think otherwise is not only wrong but also ridiculous. Right now, I'm ashamed to be sharing this stage with a person with such blatant disregard for another species and such hatred for a people whom we owe gratitude and who should be made citizens of this country with new legislation I plan to adopt as president. Let me add that anyone who commits crimes against Fifth Columnists should be arrested and charged with hate crimes. I will make sure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"You're such a liberal, Senator Parrish, and I, for one, think that perhaps you're too liberal to be president."
"Senator Parrish, critics of the past few presidential administrations charge that we've become too isolationist. Do you agree, and, if so, what would you do about it?"
"The United States has become much too isolationist since peace was restored. If you study American history, the same thing occurred after both World Wars. For some reason, Americans tend to look inward, as do other countries, after periods of conflict and strife. Yet, we cannot afford to forget or alienate our allies all around the world. Judith, here's where the story is unlike anything else in world history. The entire planet experienced the horrors of the Visitors, not just one country or one continent. We should all help each other and learn from each other. We should not shut ourselves off from the outside world just because we don't want to get involved or because we're tired. We have a responsibility, a moral obligation, to help whoever needs us whenever we are able to provide assistance. Just as the poet John Donne said, 'No man is an island'; well, no country should be an island either. We all need each other. As president, I intend to restore diplomatic relations with our former allies."
"Over to you, Governor Gage."
"Judith, unfortunately, I do not agree with Senator Parrish. Truth be told, we're all shell-shocked. We're all struggling to pick up the pieces. It's taken years to rebuild our roads and factories, our hospitals, our schools, our government, our economy. Frankly, we're still trying to rebuild our lives and we're not done yet. We need to concentrate on America first and the rest of the world comes second. That is the way it has to be for right now. We can't be the world's policeman. And I want to say this to the American people: I will be here for YOU. I will have an open door at the White House and I work for YOU."
"America first? The rest of the world comes second? Governor Gage, we can't afford to conduct ourselves in that manner. Ladies and gentleman--business conducted like that doesn't hurt the rest of the world. But I'll tell you who it does hurt--it hurts YOU."
"Governor Gage, this is your question. The unemployment rate for July 2004 was a whopping 15.7. This is a major concern all across the United States but particularly in urban areas. What do you intend to do about that as president?"
"You're right; it is a significant problem. In normal times, with all these rebuilding projects, we'd have low unemployment, but this is different. Companies are not the conglomerates they used to be. Downsizing is the watch word of today. Professional jobs are the hardest for people to find. The jobs just aren't there. Adding to the problem are the first of the 80s baby boomers to flood the market. The price of higher education is four times what it was in the early 80s, and families just can't afford to send their children to college. And so these young people try to find blue-collar jobs, and the supply of workers far outweighs the number of jobs available. I support a plan to relieve our cities of unemployment problems and send men and women to suburbs and other rural areas where there are jobs. Let's get them on farms, let's get them building bridges, roads, rail lines, planes, cars that run on hydrogen. My plan would get Americans working again."
"Governor, you have mentioned this plan before yet I have seen nothing in writing, much less any real progress. The truth is that prices are out of control. A mini-sized candy bar costs $2.75. I intend to intervene in the market and work to set prices at real, manageable levels, and that includes both candy bars and college educations. Taxes are far too high. There should be incentive for families who send children to college and tax refunds should be given. There should be more scholarships. Small businesses should be given tax breaks. Capital gains taxes should be lowered. Let's make it easier for businesses to expand and employ more people. One thing I do agree with is the Governor's idea of getting unemployed men and women to work on farms, on improving our infrastructure, on building roads, rails, cars. Let's make this country great again, and I think I am the woman to do that."
Snicker. "Don't you mean 'person', Senator Parrish?"
"Excuse me?"
"You said 'woman' but that's not politically correct now, is it?"
"Governor, I think it's fairly obvious that I happen to be of the female gender. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud of being a woman. Although my gender should have no meaning in this election, I do know it's something I can't get away from... The truth is that I don't want to. I'm a woman, and I think I can do one hell of a job in the White House."
"Governor Gage, Senator Parrish, we move now to your closing statements... Governor, you're first."
"I am so thankful to the American people for all their prayers and for their support. I believe in America, and I believe in you. Together, we will overcome all obstacles in our way and we will persevere whatever the cost. I come from a state with core values, and Washington needs a president with values. I feel I am that man. I will work with you and not against you. I will be the people's president and will never forget where I came from. I ask you to cast your vote for me on November 2. A vote for Gage is a vote for you, my friends. Cast your vote for America. Thank you, Judith, and thank you, Senator Parrish. Last but not least, thanks to the people at home who never let democracy die."
"On November 2, I ask you to cast your vote for me. This country needs a change. I don't have to tell you all that because you know it. We have come so far in the past twenty years, but we have so far to go. We'll get there together. Ladies and gentlemen, that's what it is going to take--our unity. The growing divisions in America must end. I feel that I can mend our country but I need your help to do it. That's how I led the Resistance. That's how I will do business as president. What I need now, though, is your vote. My name is Juliet Parrish, and I'm running for president. Thank you."
Applause.
"Thank you, candidates, and special thanks to audience members and to those watching at home. You have just seen the 2004 Presidential Debate. Stay tuned to words from our sponsors."
Kyle sighed. "Well, what do you think, Elizabeth?"
"I don't know, Kyle... I just can't believe he's doing so well in the polls."
"I guess we'll just have to wait then," Kyle said.
Elizabeth frowned. "Wait? Wait for what?"
"For Election Day, silly."
"Kyle!" Elizabeth called. "Come here quickly. There's something on the news!"
"We interrupt our regularly scheduled program for this breaking news coming to us from Tim Bradshaw, CDC News correspondent reporting on the Gage campaign."
"What's going on, Elizabeth?"
"I don't know... Listen."
"Tim, what's going on?"
"Thank you, Kelly. It seems with just three days before the election, Governor Lyman Gage faces some serious allegations. He was caught on tape accepting a bribe from the Eastern Conglomerate Group. Initial reports claim Gage was paid $5 million if he agreed to pocket veto a bill their competition was sponsoring in 2005. It seems rather risky for the Eastern Conglomerate Group to get involved in something this close to the election."
"Very risky, Tim, especially given the fact Gage is not the president yet. How will this affect the Gage campaign, Tim?"
"Kelly, the fallout will be swift and total. Despite the absentee ballots already cast in the election, voters on Tuesday will surely think twice before voting for Gage. Gage will most likely face criminal charges. I do not see how Gage can be elected president with this rather large black cloud hanging over him."
"I've just received this statement from the Gage campaign: 'My fellow Americans, I am innocent of these charges, which are a complete fabrication. There is a left-wing conspiracy at work here, and we must get to the murky bottom of it. The incident in no way will affect the spirit of my campaign. I want to thank you for your prayers and support. God bless America.'"
"Now we return to our regularly scheduled program."
Kyle raised his eyebrows. "Wow, that's definitely interesting, isn't it?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "Something doesn't feel right, Kyle. I don't think we're getting the whole story. Gage is innocent."
"Oh, Elizabeth, he took a bribe! He's a crook!"
"No, Kyle, something's not right. I feel it."
"It's okay. You're just tired, that's all..."
"Kyle, I think Julie's in trouble."
"What do you mean? Julie's going to win. We'll have to call her Madame President from now on... Maybe we'll be invited to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom."
"I'm serious, Kyle! Something's wrong."
He reached out and held her bony body in his strong arms. "Elizabeth, everything's going to be fine. You'll see... Now, why don't you eat something?"
"Welcome to CDC's Election Coverage 2004. I'm Kelly Paulson."
"And I'm Bob Nguyen. Polls have closed on the East Coast and in the Central and Mountain Time Zones. Voters on the West Coast have about an hour left before polls close there."
"Exit polls show a clear majority of Americans casting their vote for Juliet Parrish. Despite the scandal, a number of voters say they did vote for Gage. Is that surprising, Bob?"
"Kelly, it seems that Gage's news conference in which he called the whole thing a conspiracy cooked up by the Parrish campaign has indeed found believers. I guess once all the votes are counted, we'll see just what impact the past few days have had on both the Gage and Parrish camps."
Kyle and Elizabeth sit on the couch. "Did you get in touch with Julie?"
"Yes, but she was very busy..."
"Well, that's to be expected, sweetheart," he remarked as he patted Elizabeth's back. "She's got a lot going on right now. I doubt she even has time for her husband... Wonder how Steve will feel about being called the First Gentleman?"
"First Gentleman?"
"First Lady; First Gentleman. Right?"
"I honestly don't know, Kyle."
"We don't have that much longer, Elizabeth. Want some hot tea?"
"Yes, please, Kyle."
"Be right back."
"...538 total electoral votes. It takes 270 to win."
"Poor Julie," Elizabeth mused, "it's going to be a long night."
Kyle agreed from the kitchen. "No doubt... but she's strong. She can make it through."
"I know. After all, if she couldn't then she would never have run for president."
"Ladies and gentleman, as results come in to us, we will relay the numbers to you. Let's go to Bill Everett, who's standing in front of a huge map of the United States."
"Hi, Kelly. Hi, Bob. This is the Electoral map. If Parrish wins a state, it will be in blue. If Gage wins a state, it will be in red. We'll keep a running tally in the Electoral count at the lower right."
"We'll be checking in with Paul later, but first let's take a break."
"Here you go, sweetheart." Kyle waited until Elizabeth was holding the handle before he let go. "It's hot; be careful."
"Thank you, Kyle." She took a sip. "Mmm, that's nice."
"Do you want a blanket?"
"Yes, I believe I would."
Kyle got up and retrieved a warm, colorful blanket for Elizabeth and covered her up. "There. All nice and cozy." He kissed her lips.
"I love you, Kyle."
"Elizabeth, I love you for always."
He sat down next to her and gathered her in his arms. For a long time, they just sat there... In the meantime, polls closed on the West Coast.
"Some results are just coming in to our news desk," Kelly announced. "The state of Delaware has gone to Juliet Parrish. The District of Columbia to Parrish. And also Massachusetts to Parrish...Bill is going to take us through what that means on the map."
"Delaware has three electoral votes. We'll color that blue. The District of Columbia, which is treated as a state in presidential elections since the passage of the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, has three. Massachusetts has 12. All those are blue, and Parrish now has 18 electoral votes under her belt."
"Stay with us for your 2004 Presidential Election coverage..."
A little later. "More election results are in. Governor Lyman Gage has captured the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Clearly, many voters do not believe Gage did any wrongdoing. Moreover, some, upon completing exit surveys, said the Parrish campaign was behind it all. This could be an interesting night, Bill."
"Quite interesting, Kelly... Let's take a look at our map. North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, which is no surprise I might add, considering Gage is governor of that state. Those states are now in red, and Gage has 14, 8, 13, 7, and 9 electoral votes, a total of 51 votes. Parrish now with 25 from Florida, 12 from Indiana, 21 from Ohio, and 33 from New York. She now has 109 electoral votes..."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the state of Texas with 32 electoral votes has gone to Governor Gage. His total is now 83..."
"Parrish has just landed the votes of Illinois and now has 121 total electoral votes..."
"Pennsylvania and 23 electoral votes go to Parrish, making her total 144..."
"18 votes from Michigan to Juliet Parrish. 162 is how she stands at this moment..."
"The state of California has a name on it tonight, and that's Juliet Parrish! Add a whopping 54 to Parrish's total and she now has 216 electoral votes..."
"Washington and Wisconsin, with 11 votes each, go to Parrish. Her electoral count is now 238..."
"8 votes from Arizona go to Parrish, as well as 10 from Minnesota. 256 for Parrish to Gage's 83. This is going to be a landslide..."
"Some results are coming in that favor Gage. Alabama's 9 electoral votes go to him, as well as 6 from Arkansas and 13 from Georgia. Gage has a total of 111 electoral votes to Parrish's 256..."
"This just in--Michigan has gone to Parrish with 18 electoral votes. Parrish's total is now 274, and that's more than she needs. Juliet Parrish is the next President of the United States..."
"She did it!" Kyle shouted. He jumped up, ready to twirl Elizabeth around the room. She stopped him.
"I'm worried, Kyle. Something's wrong."
"Elizabeth," Kyle began, "you're simply thinking how heavy the burden of the presidency is and you're worrying needlessly. Sure, it's a tough job, but Julie's fine."
"More breaking news, ladies and gentlemen. The media liaison for the Parrish campaign just told us that Governor Gage called President-Elect Parrish and conceded the race. It was about a five or six-minute conversation, wherein Gage congratulated Parrish and Parrish thanked him. We are expecting a statement soon from President-Elect Parrish. Stay with us for up-to-date coverage..."
"Oh, wow, I can't believe it. I just don't believe this is happening. Will you pinch me?"
Steve Maitland laughed. "It is happening, Julie. Believe it."
President-Elect Juliet Parrish took a deep breath. "Have I thanked you for all you've done, Steve? You know I never could have done this without you."
"Yes, you have, and you're welcome. I love you, Julie, and you know I'd do anything for you."
She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. "Oh, Steve, I love you, too. Can I do this?"
"Of course you can," he said, holding her for a brief moment. "Now get out there and do your stuff."
"Thank you."
"Oh, Mike called and wished you well. He and Kathy are thrilled."
Julie smiled. "Here I go."
Moments later, she was her usual poised self at the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for putting your trust in me. I will not let you down. Your support and your vote mean so much. I talked earlier with Governor Gage who conceded the election and congratulated me. I wish the governor all the best and hope the law will prevail. If he is innocent, then the true perpetrators will be found. I give you my word on that. Let me reiterate that I nor my campaign had anything to do with these charges. Like you, I heard about it on the news and was shocked and saddened...I plan to work closely with the current administration so that I and my staff have as smooth a transition as possible. President Powers and I will meet next week, along with the Vice President-Elect David Marquez. In the next few weeks, I will be finalizing my cabinet and preparing for my inauguration and the First 100 days of my term in office. Again, thank you for this great opportunity. We have a tough road ahead, but together we'll triumph. I promise you that, my fellow Americans. For now, good night, and God bless America."
Steve greeted her as she walked off the stage. "You were great, honey."
"Really? I hear myself and cringe at the 'God bless America' garbage. I always hate that when a president or candidate says that. Sounds so false."
"Well, you have to give the people what they want..."
"I think they expect that kind of talk."
"Listen to the cynical President-Elect," Steve kidded his wife.
Julie laughed. "Steve, I want to go home and get into bed...with you."
"I like that idea."
She giggled. Yes, the President-Elect of the United States giggled.
Meanwhile--Somewhere far, far away
Diana sits in her private quarters. She has been watching the night's activities, watching as the votes were tallied and results announced. She has been watching the news conference, watching her old friend get elected to the presidency.
She taps her long, red fingernails on the table. Diana smiles.
"Let me also offer you my congratulations, Julie... Everything's falling into place, just as I expected. It won't be long now."
The End
Or perhaps the beginning
Note: Electoral numbers do not represent the current 2004 presidential election.