Parallelogram : Day Two : Chapter 86
Five Days, Five Hours, Thirty-Three Minutes
"Ladies and gentlemen," the aide began, "at this time, the White House Chief of Staff Ethan Stoddard will be making a brief statement, after which he will not be answering any questions."
Stoddard stepped up to the podium, his notes already prepared and waiting his arrival. Dr. Vukavitch stood adjacent to the stage. She found herself flanked by several agents of the Secret Service. Before her, she scanned the room. It was filled to capacity with reporters and other agents of the White House Press Corps, and everyone stared at the chief with rapt attention. She knew that – in a perfect world – the President should be speaking to the group, but these circumstances were far from perfect.
"Thank you for being here," Stoddard began, quickly reaching down and positioning his notes. "I would be derelict in my duties if I didn't begin by stating that the President is currently preparing a full statement that will be delivered to the nation. You'll be receiving the particulars once they are made available to me. I do not know how soon this statement will be made, though I suspect it will be in the near future, perhaps within the next four to six hours. At present, he is busy with members of his closest advisory staff reviewing intelligence as well as the same video footage the world is presently seeing on the national, international, and cable news outlets regarding the events which took place not long ago in the Persian Gulf and in Vatican City.
"First, let me say that all of our hopes, our wishes, and our prayers are with not only our fallen comrades around the world but also those presently engaged in rescue efforts along the Persian Gulf and in Italy as I speak," he said. "In light of these tragedies, mankind has always shown a singular gift for stepping forward and providing the necessary aid when tragedy strikes, and the United States will do the same. Under advice of the Joint Chiefs, the President has issued orders for our servicemen and women already stationed in the Gulf to achieve a cease fire in order that their efforts might be more appropriately directed to aiding those in need of rescue or assistance. Our commanders in the field have provided the White House with assurance that they are more than able to assist, and the President has ordered these humanitarian efforts to begin at once. Presently, we have several aircrafts getting underway. These craft will bring with them not only the muscle and might of the American military but the needed supplies to aide in feeding and clothing those who have lost all of their possession in the wake of the devastating tsunami. I have been told by our closest advisors at the Pentagon that we will have men and women within the vicinity within the hour.
"Second," he pressed on, staring out at the fixed faces waiting on his every word, "I have been asked to make you aware that our official position is one of cautious concern. As we are presently reviewing all possible information and following up on leads providing by our own agents in the field, the White House is not ready to call these events acts of terror. While it appear that the coordination of these events happening so close to one another, both in time and proximity, would lead a reasonable person to conclude that agents of terror may indeed have played some role, we are presently conducting the necessary analysis to determine what party or parties may possess a measure of responsibility in causing such catastrophes as we have seen. What's of the gravest importance in these matters is that there is no rush to judgment. Appearance alone does not constitute proof. The detonation of explosives in the Gulf and in Vatican City may very well have links to terrorist organizations. At this time, we have not reviewed all information at our disposal. Even as I speak, more information is being provided to the President, to his advisors, and it is important that we review each detail, follow-up on each lead, before we determine what action, if any, is required of this nation.
"Third, let me assure any nation of the world who may have played a hand – should there exist sufficient evidence to connect any person, any government, or any ideology – in these tragic events that, as always, the United States and the other free countries of the world will not tolerate these acts. History has shown that terrorism has always failed – wherever it has been tried – and, should it appear irrefutable that these two events are linked to terrorist organizations – let me be the first to say that these terrorists will fail as well. There is no room for terror in this new age of mankind. As it has been fought and extinguished in many places around the world, it will not be tolerated here, today, in a world where all men are created equal and possess a similar desire to defend that fundamental truth.
He paused for a moment to stare out across the faces of the gathered reporters. Many of them were young. Recent overhauls in several of the major news organizations were pushing younger and younger journalists to the forefront largely in an attempt to revitalize the mainstream press. It had grown stale, and the youthful perspective was found to be far more marketable. Average folks weren't sitting in their living rooms waiting for the learned analysis of such stewards as Walter Cronkite any longer. They were flipping from channel to channel, looking for the best pictures and the most contemporary analysis. They were surfing the Internet hoping for a bird's eye view of the ever expanding universe. They were tuned to talk radio stations around the globe where every Tom, Dick, and Harry could sound off almost instantly about whatever had happened in the last fifteen minutes.
This, however, was different. Much like 9/11, these reporters and the people of their audiences knew they were experiencing a defining moment in their personal histories. These words will be remembered long after they've been said. These images will stick in the minds of children, and those memories will shape their generation and, quite possibly, the one or two or three generations after that. This was a crossroads – either the United States would respond the way its people wanted, or the next election would end with an entirely new Administration, a new House of Representatives, a new Senate. It was the singular denominator of U.S. politics: either you make us proud, or you can pack your bags.
Stoddard hoped he was saying what they wanted to hear.
"Lastly, I believe it important to issue a call to peace for the people of the world," he tried, curling his fingers visibly around the top of the podium. "Much like in the moments after 9/11, our minds are filled with a demand for answers. What has happened? Who has done this? How was it accomplished? While those questions are important, I would ask the ordinary people everywhere to remember that it is your response – how you deal with these events – that has historically shown why you are far from ordinary, what elevates you to the level of extraordinary. Right now, what matters is your fellow man. Right now, what matters is what you can personally do to aide others in their fight for survival. Right now – more than ever – what matters is that you gather your family, your friends, and your loved ones close, and you take time to seriously talk about what you're seeing on the television, what's being broadcast from the different corners of the world, what's being said and what's being predicted. Talk about this. Talk about these feelings. Talk about these events against the broader backdrop of history. Talk before you act, and you will show our brothers and sisters in other countries of the world the greatness we can achieve when people work together."
He nodded at his audience. "The President will be speaking with you shortly."
The crowd erupted with questions as he walked away from the podium, gently took Olga by the arm, and walked out of the room.
END of Chapter 86
