"Well, I can at least say that I tried." Toby nodded his head as he
tried to console his old friend. Truth be told, Toby was trying to fight
back the disappointment just as much as Sam was. It was over now. Sam
Seaborne had lost the election. He wouldn't be returning to Washington as
California's newest Congressman.
"Hey," Toby said, "you're still young. Go back to practicing law for a couple of years, then run again. I have no doubt in my mind that this is just the beginning of your political career." Sam nodded numbly. On the dresser in Sam's hotel room, the television was blaring. The set was tuned in to the local news, and the anchor was spewing election night chatter.
"Unfortunately, for Congressional candidate Samuel Seaborne," the anchor chattered, "Jed Bartlet's coattails aren't as long as they used to be. Seaborne, a former member of the Bartlet Administration, went down to defeat tonight in Orange County."
Sam wasn't listening to the election postmortem anymore. He had to get downstairs to the hotel's ballroom. He had lots of disappointed supporters to thank. The security agent looked at Sam and Tody as they stepped out into the hallway. Sam had gotten threats from some Bartlet haters, and had been given a bodyguard. Sam had protested, but Toby told him to suck up and deal with it.
"Ready to go. Mr. Seaborne?" Rick, the security guy, asked.
"Oh, I'm as ready as I'll ever be." The trio entered a stairwell, and walked down the seven flights. Rick and Toby were the only two people Sam really had in his inner circle. Sure, family and friends were gathered downstairs, but Sam really didn't want them to be around when his loss was announced. He had known he would lose. No Democrat ever wins in California's 47th District. For that reason, and many other complicated reasons that Sam didn't even really understand, he had secluded himself from most of the people important to him.
Toby was there, though.Toby had been there since the beginning of this comedy of errors that was called a Congressional campaign. The funny thing was that Sam didn't even really ask for Toby's help. He just arrived in the Newport Beach campaign headquarters on day. Sam had looked up as Toby entered carrying a box full of crazy crap that only Toby could accumulate. Toby had met Sam's stare and said only, "I'm here to get you elected to Congress. You got a problem with that?" A giant grin had broken out on Sam's face by then, and he could only shake his head. "Good," Toby had said. Since then, Toby had been there. A comfortable constant for Sam as he entered a new chapter of his life.
Now, they stood backstage at the Newport beach Marriot as Sam went over the index cards that his campaign's obituary was written on. Toby put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "You ready?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to go out onstage and tell them to announce you." Sam nodded as Toby walked off. Sam could already see his parents standing out there. They were probably more disappointed than he was. They had flown in during the last week to help out in any way that they could. A few old friends from college and law school were also waiting for him onstage. Sam felt worse for them than he did for himself. They seemed so crushed that the election was lost.
Toby was speaking to Newport Beach mayor John Guaranty. Guaranty stood behind the podium, and leaned into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to our man. Sam Seaborne!"
Sam did his best to try and smile as he walked out onstage. He forced himself to give the crowd a hearty wave as he looked out upon them. Despite the fact that he lost, they all still loved him. As one, they chanted his name as he crossed the stage. He had witnessed scenes like this dozens of times as a member of Jed Bartlet's administration, but to know that this time the cheers were for him was an amazing feeling. He got hugs from his parents and friends. His most ardent backers during the campaign were onstage: David Jinx of the California NAACP, Suzanne Vega with the Orange County Small Business Association, and a few others. He barely heard their words of condolence as he greeted them.
Sam finally made it to the podium, and the crown started to quiet. The "SEABORNE FOR CONGRESS" signs stopped waving
"I want to thank you all," Sam began, "for your support, encouragement, and your votes. President Kennedy once said that 'victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.' Looking out at all of you here, supporting me after my defeat, I have to respectfully disagree with President Kennedy." The crowd cheered and waved their signs as Sam gripped the podium tighter. He was trying his damnedest to keep his composure.
"Victory may have eluded us tonight, but as long as there are people like you, striving to make a difference in your community, we're all winners."
-*-
In the West Wing of the White House, President Jed Bartlet sat with his senior staff as they watched Sam's concession speech. One of the perks of being president was being able to pull down the signal of any television station in the world(with the help of the White Signals Office). There were tears in the old man's eyes as he watched Sam. He turned to C.J. "Release a statement. 'Although the president couldn't be in California tonight, his heart, and the hearts of every member of his administration are.' Charlie, get Sam on the phone as soon as he finishes his speech."
-*-
"Sam?"
"Mr. President. Thank you for calling."
"You do realize that this is only the beginning?"
"That's what everyone is telling me, Sir. Thank you, again, for all the help you gave me during the campaign."
"I'm going to see you sworn in as president one day, Sam. I promise."
"Hey," Toby said, "you're still young. Go back to practicing law for a couple of years, then run again. I have no doubt in my mind that this is just the beginning of your political career." Sam nodded numbly. On the dresser in Sam's hotel room, the television was blaring. The set was tuned in to the local news, and the anchor was spewing election night chatter.
"Unfortunately, for Congressional candidate Samuel Seaborne," the anchor chattered, "Jed Bartlet's coattails aren't as long as they used to be. Seaborne, a former member of the Bartlet Administration, went down to defeat tonight in Orange County."
Sam wasn't listening to the election postmortem anymore. He had to get downstairs to the hotel's ballroom. He had lots of disappointed supporters to thank. The security agent looked at Sam and Tody as they stepped out into the hallway. Sam had gotten threats from some Bartlet haters, and had been given a bodyguard. Sam had protested, but Toby told him to suck up and deal with it.
"Ready to go. Mr. Seaborne?" Rick, the security guy, asked.
"Oh, I'm as ready as I'll ever be." The trio entered a stairwell, and walked down the seven flights. Rick and Toby were the only two people Sam really had in his inner circle. Sure, family and friends were gathered downstairs, but Sam really didn't want them to be around when his loss was announced. He had known he would lose. No Democrat ever wins in California's 47th District. For that reason, and many other complicated reasons that Sam didn't even really understand, he had secluded himself from most of the people important to him.
Toby was there, though.Toby had been there since the beginning of this comedy of errors that was called a Congressional campaign. The funny thing was that Sam didn't even really ask for Toby's help. He just arrived in the Newport Beach campaign headquarters on day. Sam had looked up as Toby entered carrying a box full of crazy crap that only Toby could accumulate. Toby had met Sam's stare and said only, "I'm here to get you elected to Congress. You got a problem with that?" A giant grin had broken out on Sam's face by then, and he could only shake his head. "Good," Toby had said. Since then, Toby had been there. A comfortable constant for Sam as he entered a new chapter of his life.
Now, they stood backstage at the Newport beach Marriot as Sam went over the index cards that his campaign's obituary was written on. Toby put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "You ready?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to go out onstage and tell them to announce you." Sam nodded as Toby walked off. Sam could already see his parents standing out there. They were probably more disappointed than he was. They had flown in during the last week to help out in any way that they could. A few old friends from college and law school were also waiting for him onstage. Sam felt worse for them than he did for himself. They seemed so crushed that the election was lost.
Toby was speaking to Newport Beach mayor John Guaranty. Guaranty stood behind the podium, and leaned into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to our man. Sam Seaborne!"
Sam did his best to try and smile as he walked out onstage. He forced himself to give the crowd a hearty wave as he looked out upon them. Despite the fact that he lost, they all still loved him. As one, they chanted his name as he crossed the stage. He had witnessed scenes like this dozens of times as a member of Jed Bartlet's administration, but to know that this time the cheers were for him was an amazing feeling. He got hugs from his parents and friends. His most ardent backers during the campaign were onstage: David Jinx of the California NAACP, Suzanne Vega with the Orange County Small Business Association, and a few others. He barely heard their words of condolence as he greeted them.
Sam finally made it to the podium, and the crown started to quiet. The "SEABORNE FOR CONGRESS" signs stopped waving
"I want to thank you all," Sam began, "for your support, encouragement, and your votes. President Kennedy once said that 'victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.' Looking out at all of you here, supporting me after my defeat, I have to respectfully disagree with President Kennedy." The crowd cheered and waved their signs as Sam gripped the podium tighter. He was trying his damnedest to keep his composure.
"Victory may have eluded us tonight, but as long as there are people like you, striving to make a difference in your community, we're all winners."
-*-
In the West Wing of the White House, President Jed Bartlet sat with his senior staff as they watched Sam's concession speech. One of the perks of being president was being able to pull down the signal of any television station in the world(with the help of the White Signals Office). There were tears in the old man's eyes as he watched Sam. He turned to C.J. "Release a statement. 'Although the president couldn't be in California tonight, his heart, and the hearts of every member of his administration are.' Charlie, get Sam on the phone as soon as he finishes his speech."
-*-
"Sam?"
"Mr. President. Thank you for calling."
"You do realize that this is only the beginning?"
"That's what everyone is telling me, Sir. Thank you, again, for all the help you gave me during the campaign."
"I'm going to see you sworn in as president one day, Sam. I promise."