One month later

"Sir, we have the Commission on School Bullying scheduled for the first week of August and it will be held in Dallas, Texas."

Jed looked up from the paperwork in his hands and looked at his Chief of Staff. "Why Dallas?"

"Well, because it's the middle of the Bible Belt and your support seems stronger out there. Also, based on polling, there seems to be more support for something to be done about bullying in the schools in the middle of the country than on either coast."

Jed took off his glasses and put them on the desk. "Why is that? It's a national problem. It is certainly not a regional one."

"Yes, Sir. I agree with you. But that's what the polls are telling us. So in order for us to get the maximum support behind the movement, it was thought best to go where we would get the most publicity and support from the public and then we could get a running start on persuading the rest of the country."

"Leo, who thought this?"

"Sir, who?"

"That's my question to you."

"The Senior Staff, Sir."

"Leo, who on the Senior Staff?"

Leo paused, not wanting to name someone specific in case this didn't quite work out as planned.

"I'm waiting, Leo."

"Sir, it was a mutual decision that I signed off on."

Jed sighed. Leo was a good man. But he knew Leo was protecting at least one person. Maybe more than one. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Sir, the buck stops with me. I made the final call. Let's leave it that. There was a lot of discussion and I made the final call."

"Leo, obviously you are protecting someone and I want to know why. Is there someone on the Senior Staff that's against me doing this? Or is it because one of my family is involved?"

"Sir, I really rather not say."

"Mr. President?"

"Yes, Charlie?" Jed glanced at his Chief of Staff, letting him know the subject was not closed.

"The Labor Secretary is here for your meeting."

Jed stood. "Thanks, Charlie. Show him in. Saved by the bell, Leo. We'll talk later."

"Yes, Mr. President." Leo turned and went back to his office.

Leo sat down at his desk and took off his glasses. "Yeah, I'm covering for you Toby. I can only provide you cover for so long. You had better come around or else I don't want to be around when the President finds out your resistance to this."

He looked up at the sound of a knock on his door. He stood up. "Abbey, please come in."

"Thanks, Leo. I came to find out if there has been a decision on the timing on this Bullying Commission you and my husband has been batting around for a month." She sat down on his sofa and Leo sat down across from her in one of his chairs.

"Matter of fact, I just came from his office. It's set for the first week of August in Dallas, Texas."

"Dallas? Seems kind of far. I thought it would be somewhere around here."

"Dallas was chosen because there's a lot of support out there for a national bullying program and we thought it would be helpful and more publicity if we went somewhere where there will be a positive reception. Then, once it's over, hopefully, the enthusiasm can be spread across the country. On the west and east coasts there seems to some substantial opposition to any national law."

"Really? That kind of surprises me. I thought parents would want their children protected everywhere."

"I would guess so, too. But maybe it's the government intervention they don't like. It's just what our polling tells us."

"Oh, okay."

"Will Annie be presenting at the Commission? I know the President talked about it some time ago, but I didn't know if any final decision had been made."

Abbey hesitated. "Well, we've talked with Liz and Doug and they're not really happy about putting Annie on display like that. But she's gotten emotionally stronger since the incident and I think she would do fine with reading from a prepared document. She wouldn't take any questions. But then, I'm not her mother. Jed and I will leave that decision to her parents."

"Abbey, it sure would help get publicity for the problem if the President's granddaughter would talk about her issues in a public setting like that. We are planning on having other victims to speak about their experiences, but having a member of the President's own family talk would just be incredible."

Abbey stood up. "Leo, I'm ashamed of you. Using one of our family members for political gain. Especially a fourteen year old. She's already experienced enough these past few months without being used as a political puppet to gain publicity for a damn bill. I absolutely refuse to allow Annie to be used that way. Good Day!" She quickly walked out, slamming the door behind her.

"Oh shit."