Chapter 10

"Mr. President, CJ is here with the newsman."

"Send them in, Charlie."

Leo tried to get Jed into a calm state before their guest entered the room. "Jed, you know yelling will get you nowhere. So keep your voice calm and quiet and he might be more likely to tell us what we want to know."

"Yeah, okay."

But Leo knew that calmness was not going to be the tone for the next discussion. Far from it.

CJ and Dan entered the Oval Office as Charlie closed the door behind him. Leo had also invited Ron to stay in the room. Maybe he could learn something that would be useful to the investigation. So far, it was going nowhere.

"Mr. President, this is Dan Thomas from CNN. Dan, President Bartlet." Both men shook hands with tight grins plastered on their faces. Each of them knew the importance of this meeting.

"Have a seat, Mr. Thomas. This is my Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry and my Chief Secret Service agent, Ron Butterfield."

Without even pausing for a breath, Jed continued.

"Mr. Thomas, may I call you Dan?"

Dan nodded. He was just a little bit intimidated to be sitting in the Oval Office, talking to the President of the United States with the Chief of Staff and the Head of the Secret Service sitting off to one side.

The President easily picked up this intimidation and instantly knew he had had Dan at a disadvantage.

"Dan, we both know why you're here. My relationship with my wife has been unjustly smeared with this false filing of separation papers and I need to know who has done this. I need to know who so I can put a stop to it right away. I understand from CJ that you had a reliable source who claims to have insight into my marriage. But sir, I can guarantee you that nobody who has such insight, of which there are only a very few, would not file these papers. So I'm hoping that you will let me know who is smearing my and my wife's good name."

Jed smiled, hoping the famous Bartlet charm would score some points.

"I appreciate the fact, sir, that maybe your marriage has been put at a disadvantage with the filing of these papers, but I cannot release my source. I promised the person that their name would never be released. It is journalistic ethics that requires me to keep all my sources confidential. I'm sure you understand that."

Leo knew it wouldn't take much to get the President angry. He was right.

"Mr. Thomas, I demand to know your source. I have to put a stop to this ridiculous story as soon as possible. My wife is extremely upset as well as my children. Now, can I appeal to you as a husband yourself? Surely you understand from that perspective?" Jed's voice increased in volume as he spoke.

"I'm divorced, sir."

Jed's voice began to get much louder. "I demand to know your source! I demand it right now. I could have you thrown in jail for obstruction of justice or something like that, I'm sure. So why not tell me your source?"

Dan stood up, unaware that was against Presidential etiquette to be standing when the President ws sitting. But it didn't take a second before everybody was standing.

"Sir, I will not tell you my source. I cannot tell you and still be a member of the journalistic profession, which I so dearly love. Sorry, Mr. President. I would love to help you out, but I can't."

"CJ, see that Mr. Thomas gets out of here and then come back here."

"Yes, sir." CJ knew her time had just run out. She would soon be unemployed.

"Oh, Mr. Thomas, can I see a copy of the papers that I supposedly filed yesterday in Manchester?"

"Yes, sir. I brought you a copy."

"Thanks, for something, I guess."

"Yes, sir. Nice to meet you."

Dan offered his hand, but the President just turned and walked back over to his desk. 'Well, I guess I really didn't expect to shake his hand. At least, I'm not in jail. Yet, that is.'