"Since it's a slow news day any questions?" CJ opened the press room to the
questions.
"CJ." Danny called.
"Yes Daniel." CJ said.
"Would you care to comment on the rumour that there was no female member of staff in the building until eleven am?"
"I can't say that definitely. There may have been a janitor or one of the kitchen staff that wasn't here." CJ said.
"Then would you care to comment on the fact that the whole female staff was seen having breakfast an undisclosed hotel in the great DC area with Mrs Bartlett and Congresswoman Wyatt?" He continued.
"That would accurate. Yes Katie?"
"Mrs Bartlett took everyone out to breakfast?" Katie posed her question.
"Mrs Bartlett wanted to thank the female staffers for the excellent job that they do here at the White House. Since she feels breakfast is the most important meal of the day she took us all out to breakfast yes."
"Did the President and the Senior Staff know about this?" Mark asked.
"We may not have told them." CJ said with a shrug.
"How did they hold up?" Katie asked.
"The building still standing, the country is economical stable and the world is still turning. So I think they held up just fine."
"CJ." Danny called.
"Yes Danny?"
"What did you have for breakfast?"
"Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and to please the President pancakes with New Hampshire maple syrup. That's all thank you. The next briefing will be at six." CJ left the briefing room, Carol followed her.
"CJ?" Danny said following her.
"Yes Danny." CJ said as she walked back towards her office.
"I like scrambled eggs and smoked salmon; I can even make it, pancakes too."
"I'll put your number on speed dial for when we want a breakfast catered. Was there anything else?"
"How come I wasn't invited?"
"Did you suddenly become a female White House Staffer when I wasn't looking?" She asked as they got to her office.
"No."
"Then that's why you weren't invited. ALICE?" CJ called.
"Yes CJ." Alice hurried over.
"Alice this is Danny Concanon he's a report for the Washington Post. He somehow manages to slip the security and get back here. If he ever asks you anything or any other member of the press corps for that matter it's no comment."
"Okay. You're the one who gave her Gail and has a crush on her. Right okay. I need to get back I have a report to type for Josh. Nice to meet you Danny."
"Who is Alice?" Danny asked.
"Josh's assistant. If you'll excuse me I need to get back to work." She went into her office and closed the door.
~
"Donna." Abbey said as she entered her chief of staff's office.
"One minute ma'am." She said covering the phone. "I understand that Congresswoman but it's just not possible at the moment. We're focused on child homelessness... I'm sure that it is a good cause and in the future we will be more than willing to bring these issues up, but we have to wait for the right time and right now that amendment has no chance of being passed. I know these people very well they'd rather veto the bill then let it pass with this amendment attached at this time and this bill. .... I may not have written legislation specifically, but it seems I know a lot more than you do about this. Now if you'll excuse me Congresswoman I have to go." She hung up.
"That sounded interesting." Abbey perched on the edge of a chair.
"I'm beginning to see why Josh manages to piss so many people off. Are you still sure I'm up to doing this job?"
"Donna you're the only person I want to be my chief of staff. How's it going with the child homelessness? "
"I've got the support of six democratic congressmen and twelve democratic Congresswomen and nine Senators whatever the bill says. I've got another in twenty in congress and twenty four in the senate that will support us depending on the wording of the bill. Matt Skinners helping me secure some votes from the Republicans, a rough nose count depending on the wording, gives us 52 Senators and needing about another twenty votes in the house. But all that is preliminary. We have to write the bill yet."
"That's very impressive." Abbey smiled.
"Working for Josh made me very efficient. My one problem is like I told the Congresswoman I don't have any experience writing bills. I occasionally had to type up notes in relation to them but never write one."
"Set up a meeting with a member of the White House Council, maybe Anisley Hayes to cover Republican objections, then find a member of my husband legislative staff they can help you. If you have any other problems sweet talk Sam into helping."
"Actually Sam is a better choice than Josh."
"Speaking of Mr Lyman, I need you to deal with him."
"What did he do today?" Donna asked leaning back in her seat.
"He stopped my husband from sending the Secret Service after us, but telling him to let us have our little rebellion."
"Rebellion? I'll deal with him later. I've had reports that they couldn't cope whatever the spin CJ just put on it. Leo was practically falling apparent and Ginger managed to almost stun Toby into silence. I think we started to prove our point."
"Any suggestions for the next step?" Abbey asked.
"Not at the moment Mrs Bartlett."
"You should start calling me Abbey, we're going to be working closely together and I have enough of everyone calling me Mrs Bartlett."
"I'll work on it." The intercom buzzed. "Excuse me. Yes Janet?"
"An Agent Casper from the FBI is on line one for you." Her assistant informed her.
"I need to take this call. Is it okay if I come and find you later?" Donna asked Abbey.
"I'll be in the Residence. Just let one of the Agents know when you're on your way up."
"Thank you. Put him through." She said as Abbey exited. "Hi Mike thanks for getting back to me so quickly..."
TBC
"CJ." Danny called.
"Yes Daniel." CJ said.
"Would you care to comment on the rumour that there was no female member of staff in the building until eleven am?"
"I can't say that definitely. There may have been a janitor or one of the kitchen staff that wasn't here." CJ said.
"Then would you care to comment on the fact that the whole female staff was seen having breakfast an undisclosed hotel in the great DC area with Mrs Bartlett and Congresswoman Wyatt?" He continued.
"That would accurate. Yes Katie?"
"Mrs Bartlett took everyone out to breakfast?" Katie posed her question.
"Mrs Bartlett wanted to thank the female staffers for the excellent job that they do here at the White House. Since she feels breakfast is the most important meal of the day she took us all out to breakfast yes."
"Did the President and the Senior Staff know about this?" Mark asked.
"We may not have told them." CJ said with a shrug.
"How did they hold up?" Katie asked.
"The building still standing, the country is economical stable and the world is still turning. So I think they held up just fine."
"CJ." Danny called.
"Yes Danny?"
"What did you have for breakfast?"
"Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and to please the President pancakes with New Hampshire maple syrup. That's all thank you. The next briefing will be at six." CJ left the briefing room, Carol followed her.
"CJ?" Danny said following her.
"Yes Danny." CJ said as she walked back towards her office.
"I like scrambled eggs and smoked salmon; I can even make it, pancakes too."
"I'll put your number on speed dial for when we want a breakfast catered. Was there anything else?"
"How come I wasn't invited?"
"Did you suddenly become a female White House Staffer when I wasn't looking?" She asked as they got to her office.
"No."
"Then that's why you weren't invited. ALICE?" CJ called.
"Yes CJ." Alice hurried over.
"Alice this is Danny Concanon he's a report for the Washington Post. He somehow manages to slip the security and get back here. If he ever asks you anything or any other member of the press corps for that matter it's no comment."
"Okay. You're the one who gave her Gail and has a crush on her. Right okay. I need to get back I have a report to type for Josh. Nice to meet you Danny."
"Who is Alice?" Danny asked.
"Josh's assistant. If you'll excuse me I need to get back to work." She went into her office and closed the door.
~
"Donna." Abbey said as she entered her chief of staff's office.
"One minute ma'am." She said covering the phone. "I understand that Congresswoman but it's just not possible at the moment. We're focused on child homelessness... I'm sure that it is a good cause and in the future we will be more than willing to bring these issues up, but we have to wait for the right time and right now that amendment has no chance of being passed. I know these people very well they'd rather veto the bill then let it pass with this amendment attached at this time and this bill. .... I may not have written legislation specifically, but it seems I know a lot more than you do about this. Now if you'll excuse me Congresswoman I have to go." She hung up.
"That sounded interesting." Abbey perched on the edge of a chair.
"I'm beginning to see why Josh manages to piss so many people off. Are you still sure I'm up to doing this job?"
"Donna you're the only person I want to be my chief of staff. How's it going with the child homelessness? "
"I've got the support of six democratic congressmen and twelve democratic Congresswomen and nine Senators whatever the bill says. I've got another in twenty in congress and twenty four in the senate that will support us depending on the wording of the bill. Matt Skinners helping me secure some votes from the Republicans, a rough nose count depending on the wording, gives us 52 Senators and needing about another twenty votes in the house. But all that is preliminary. We have to write the bill yet."
"That's very impressive." Abbey smiled.
"Working for Josh made me very efficient. My one problem is like I told the Congresswoman I don't have any experience writing bills. I occasionally had to type up notes in relation to them but never write one."
"Set up a meeting with a member of the White House Council, maybe Anisley Hayes to cover Republican objections, then find a member of my husband legislative staff they can help you. If you have any other problems sweet talk Sam into helping."
"Actually Sam is a better choice than Josh."
"Speaking of Mr Lyman, I need you to deal with him."
"What did he do today?" Donna asked leaning back in her seat.
"He stopped my husband from sending the Secret Service after us, but telling him to let us have our little rebellion."
"Rebellion? I'll deal with him later. I've had reports that they couldn't cope whatever the spin CJ just put on it. Leo was practically falling apparent and Ginger managed to almost stun Toby into silence. I think we started to prove our point."
"Any suggestions for the next step?" Abbey asked.
"Not at the moment Mrs Bartlett."
"You should start calling me Abbey, we're going to be working closely together and I have enough of everyone calling me Mrs Bartlett."
"I'll work on it." The intercom buzzed. "Excuse me. Yes Janet?"
"An Agent Casper from the FBI is on line one for you." Her assistant informed her.
"I need to take this call. Is it okay if I come and find you later?" Donna asked Abbey.
"I'll be in the Residence. Just let one of the Agents know when you're on your way up."
"Thank you. Put him through." She said as Abbey exited. "Hi Mike thanks for getting back to me so quickly..."
TBC