Dreams of power
Chapter 16:
As Malik walked nervously into the light, two of the bodyguards were on either side of him. The first thing he saw after the bright light dimmed was a huge stage with the American flag painted in sparkly red, white, and blue. In front of it were more then two thousand chairs, with more then two thousand important looking people. Some of which he recognized from different news segments.
Big balloons with the American flag on them hung on the walls in bunches. It looked like one of those giant opera theaters, only with more lights... and there was going to be a hell of a lot more drama. Malik was told earlier that signs and stuff like that weren't allowed, so he didn't really expect to see any 'Go Malik' posters. Finally, a large plasma T.V hung over the stage with an American flag waving on it came into view.
'Hmm.' Malik thought, 'America must be the theme this year.'
He was led up to one of the clear see-through podiums on stage. The crowd clapped and the female reporters whistled insanely. Malik gave a little smile, but his smile soon flipped back into a frown as John Edwards strolled on stage and stood behind another clear podium.
Malik thought they would be the only ones on stage, but that was not the case. About ten feet from where he and Edwards were, a panel of three people appeared. Malik was confused as yet another person came up on stage. He walked over to Malik after visiting with John.
"Are ya ready? We're good to go, so we'd like to start."
"Oh, yeah. I'm... ready." He sighed.
"Okay then!" he walked over to the marked spot right in the middle of Edwards and Malik. He had no podium, just a carry-around microphone. The lights went off to a complete darkness and Malik was getting even more nervous by the second.
"This is the 2004 vice presidential debate!" A booming voice from the plasma screen yelled, "Malik Ishtar against John Edwards! The referee for this debate will be Mr. Peter Jennings." The lights came on in a bright flash.
Malik looked back at the white haired old man that just talked to him. He was tossing the microphone from one hand to the other, "And let me introduce the panelists. Starting from left to right... Tom Brockton, Kate Kirk, and Taylor Crow!"
The panelists stood up and smiled to everyone including Malik and Edwards. But Malik wasn't paying attention; he was looking around the audience for Marik, Kaiba, and Sanders.
They were up in one of those high expensive seats, like at the theatre that only rich people or VIPs sat in. Malik looked up and saw his yami waving back down at him. Suddenly he felt much better. But his calm moment was short lived, as Peter Jennings' voice brought him back to reality.
"Let me explain the rules for this debate." He cleared his throat, "Each panelist will give each candidate two questions. While the candidate is answering said question the other person will not be allowed to interrupt. Once the questions are over, that will signal the end of the debate. We will then take a thirty-minute recess and come to the Presidential debate. Are the rules clear?"
Malik and John Edwards nodded when Mr. Jennings looked at them. "Good," he said, "Then let's get this thing on the road! Let's start the questioning with panelist Tom Brockton. Mr. Brockton, please begin."
The man in the first seat, with dark brown hair and one of those curly French mustaches nodded towards Mr. Jennings. He cleared his throat, "Thank you, Pete. Now... my first question is for... Mr. Edwards."
John straightened and put on a fake half smile.
"Mr. Edwards... why do you think the direction that Kerry is pointing to will even work?"
John fidgeted for a second, gathering his thoughts and then he spoke, "Well, John Kerry is a great man and..." he went on into boring detail.
Malik had his elbows resting on top of his podium next to his microphone, 'This is gonna be a disaster... How come Marik's debate can't be first? I think he's going to do better than I will.'
John was finishing the answer to his first question, "... but we have no idea where Mr. Ishtar is going to lead this country. Kerry on other the hand has been in the senate for 20 years. We can safely assume that he will keep this country on a straight arrow."
"Fine, my next question is for Mr. Ishtar." Tom turned towards Malik, "Mr. Ishtar, we know very little about you. What experience makes you think to you could end the war against terror?"
"Experience? Hmm." He thought for a second, "Well, me and Marik think a lot like terrorists."
Gasps broke out among the audience and the panelists. Kaiba was up in the high seats trying to revive Sanders, who had just fainted. Marik looked on curiously as his hikari tried to take back what he said.
"Ooh! Wait a minute, I take that back! I meant, that we've dealt with a lot of terrorist like people. Ever met a guy named Yugi Motou?"
Everyone calmed down and Tom went on with his next question, which he directed towards Edwards, "Um... Mr. Edwards, do you think the government has anything to do with the number of destitute people in America today?"
"No, of course not." John said, "It's not the government's fault if people are too lazy to work. They need to get off their duff and doing something about their financial predicament."
The people clapped and the Tom turned to Malik, "Mr. Ishtar, same question."
"Uh... Well, yeah. I think it's the government's fault." He scratched his head, "I mean, couldn't the people in office make a few more jobs for the hobos? Sometimes there are so many hobos around that you can't get to the mailbox and back without stepping on one. It gets annoying after a while."
The audience clapped for him, too. Which made him smile.
John snorted, "And why should the government be responsible for the public's laziness?"
It really wasn't allowed to talk during the other persons turn, but no one stopped him because Malik was already answering, "It isn't all laziness. There just aren't enough jobs for everyone. The government should make more jobs for the people."
"A lot of the positions are already filled. It's first come first serve. People who don't have normal everyday jobs should come up with something creative... invent something the world has never seen before."
"If the world's never seen it before, then how are they supposed to?"
"Imagination. How do you think the T.V was created? Or electricity for that matter? It all started with creativity and imagination."
"Well, what about people without imagination? Not everyone is a Thomas Edison in waiting, ya know. What about jobs for the average person?"
"..." John didn't have a reply.
But everyone behind the panelist seats was clapping extremely hard for Malik. Kaiba, Marik, and Sanders were whistling... even though Kaiba thought it wasn't very professional.
"Okay, we'll go to our next panelist now." Peter said, "Ms. Kate Kirk, you're up."
She smiled sweetly at him then turned to face Malik, "Okay then, Mr. Ishtar. My first question is for you..." she thought for a second, "There have been a lot of rumors about John Kerry. Do any of them have any truth to them?"
He swallowed hard but answered in a shrill voice, "Of course not! There isn't one shred of truth to those awful pieces of gossip. John Kerry has always played by the rules. Which is more than I can say for others in this room..." he looked up at Marik.
Malik followed his eyes, "Hey! Wait a minute; Marik plays by the rules more than Kerry! And he isn't fake, either... Unlike the two of you."
"Are you insinuating that John Kerry and I lack honesty?"
"No, I'm saying that you lie a lot!"
"Why you little-"
"Gentlemen!" Pete interrupted this time, "Malik, Ms. Kirk has readied her question for you." He nodded towards her.
"Oh, okay..." he turned around.
Kate cleared her throat, "Mr. Ishtar, if elected vice president what do you plan to do about the decline in numbers of America's natural resources?"
"You mean stuff like trees?"
She nodded.
"Oh. Well, isn't that what Arbor Day is for?" he thought for a minute, "But then again no one takes that seriously... no one even considers it a holiday."
Kaiba turned to Marik and whispered, "I think that good answer earlier was just a fluke."
Malik continued, "You know, it would be more popular if people gave out presents on Arbor Day. Yup, then with every present you get you could plant a tree. Cool, huh?"
"That's just a quick fix," Edwards butted in. "Stuff like that always is. Besides, there's no guarantee that it would work."
"Nothing is guaranteed. And what would you know about holidays anyway? You and Kerry act like you've never had a holiday in your life."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"You don't have a free spirit. Where's the joy in your life?"
"America doesn't need joy! America needs a strong leader. A leader who will do whatever he has to for this country. A leader that won't be afraid to give his life for the very land on which he lives!"
The audience clapped and Malik sighed, "That's the most ridiculous thing. America doesn't need joy... where do you get this stuff? Do you want them to be boring and unexciting like you?"
"Unexciting?! We get enough excitement everyday!"
"Ahem!" Kate said, "Can I get on with my next question?"
They nodded.
"Thank you. My next question is for Mr. Edwards...because you are an attorney, would you vote against any bills that set a limit on the amount of money someone could sue for?"
The thought for a minute, "Well... yes and no. I'd have to think about it. Because someone's case could be sever enough to sue for a certain amount. And some might just try and get more money than their case is worth. So again, I'd have to give it some thought."
"That's silly." Malik said.
"What are you talking about now?!"
"You can't make up your mind about a little thing like this? How are you supposed to be vice president if you're so wishy-washy?"
"Wishy-washy?! Don't you call me wishy-washy!"
"Wishy-washy! Wishy-washy! Wishy-washy!"
"Stop that!"
"Make me!"
"I will! Just wait till we get down from here!"
"You couldn't beat me last night and you won't beat me tonight-" Malik clamped his hands over his mouth as soon as that came out. He swallowed hard hoping no one was paying him much attention. No such luck... everyone in the room was looking at him.
"What do you mean 'last night'?" Pete asked.
Malik looked at Edwards. He wasn't going to say anything, Malik supposed he didn't want anyone to know about the fake purple hearts. Malik scratched his head, "We... uh, played chess... over the internet. I won. That's what I meant."
"Okay." Kate said, "My last question is for you Mr. Ishtar. Nuclear bombs, do you think we should use them against the terrorists?"
"If worse comes to worse, yeah. Blow 'em sky high. Better them then us, right? Sure it may take a few countries with it, but really... who visits 'Saudi Arabia' anyway?"
Everyone was silent. Sanders fainted again and this time there was no Kaiba to revive him, because he had fainted as well. Marik was giggling uncontrollably.
"O...Kay." Pete had a stunned look on his face, "Ms. Kirk, thank you. We will now go to our last panelist, Mr. Taylor Crow."
Taylor nodded, "Thanks Pete, my first question is for Mr. Edwards. Mr. Edwards, would you consider over population to be a big problem of ours?"
"Yes. I think it's a huge problem. People go out and have babies and can't support them. It's ridiculous the way some of these things work. Prostitution-"
He was interrupted by Malik's giggling. "Tee-hee-hee!"
"Ahem!" John looked at him.
"I'm sorry... Go ahead. I didn't mean-"he laughed again, "That makes me laugh!"
"The word prostitution makes you-"
"Hahahahaha! Stop it! Hehehehe!"
John threw his arms in the air, "What the hell?!"
"Let's move on then," Mr. Crow sighed, "Mr. Ishtar, are you quite finished?"
He just calmed down, "Yeah... yeah, I'm okay..." he smiled, "Go ahead."
"Fine then, here's my question... Do you think it's a good idea to draft people into the army and or military?"
"No way. That's mean. You shouldn't have to work in the military if you don't want to. You should live your life the way you want to. And no offense to the military people out there, but it looks boring."
"Just like I thought." John said.
"What?"
"The little boy doesn't like the idea of getting his hands dirty for his country."
"What are you talking about?! My hands are dirtier than yours will ever be! You've been comfortable all your life. What would you know about getting dirty and fighting for your country? You're a lawyer."
"So are you. I thought." He smiled maliciously, "Aren't you?"
"Hey! Of course I am!" a drop of sweat ran down his cheek, "I just... do harder work than you."
"Whatever."
Taylor cleared his throat, "Alright, Mr. Edwards, if you were elected vice president... what would you do about the public school systems? There are less and less people graduating every year."
"Well, I'd simply try to pass a bill to make it mandatory to graduate from high school. They wouldn't have the option to drop out at sixteen like they do now."
"Interesting." Taylor said, "Mr. Ishtar, same question."
He thought for a second, "Well, I wouldn't take away their options!" he looked at Edwards, "I'd probably give them a present after they graduated. Like a $5,000 reward for finishing school. That way they'd have something to look forward to all during school, and would be motivated to finished."
"What?!" John yelled, "Most of them hardly pass with a D! And then everyone would start getting through school just for that money! America would go bankrupt!"
"We would not."
"You're impossible! I refuse to say anything more!"
"Good, then maybe I can hear myself think."
He shot Malik a dirty look.
"Well folks," Pete said, looking towards one of the cameras. "This ends the vice presidential debate for 2004. We have a thirty-minute break until the presidential debate begins. Thanks for staying with us."