Oy... Mac doesn't cut herself y'all... You smash a few things you are bound to get cut. I am sorry if she seemed that depressed... she really isn't she's a strong lady. Plus I don't understand the psychology of that. If it is about control, then Mac wouldn't do that because she controls everything else in her life.

Any whoo... I loked this over real quick so that I could post it before the weekend. Thanks for the review guys.

S.K.

Going Public

Mac was moving easier the next morning. Okay now you've cried, so just get in do your job and forget that any of this has happened until you can't avoid it anymore. Mac thought to herself as she walked through to The Oval.

"Good morning madam president," Vince said handing her the things that she needed for her Monday meeting with the staff.

"Good Morning Vince," Mac said and kept going towards the office. "What's today like?"

"After your staff meeting, you have a meeting with a campaign contributor from the Go Green organization." Vince said as she took a seat behind her desk.

Mac smiled at that, "Oh I definitely want to meet with him I want to know more about his program."

"After that, you have a meeting with congressman Brodie from New York and the Secretary of Transportation," he continued.

"Then my four o'clock..." Mac said moving him past that.

"Yes ma'am."

"That's it?" Mac asked, "Does that mean I actually get to catch up on paperwork today?"

"Absolutely," Vince stated with a smile.

"Sweet," Mac said hoping for as little human contact she could possibly get. "Knock on the door when it's time for the staff meeting."

"Yes ma'am," Vince walked out of the door shutting it behind him.

Mac opened the fist file in her stack it was for some embargo on diamond Exporting from Sierra Leone. In her attempts to completely disconnect herself from what was happening to her, she hummed the tunes for 'Diamonds are a girls best friend,' and 'Diamonds are forever' as she read.

I need to find myself in the music room one of these days, she thought to herself as she flipped the page. Seconds later there was a knock on the door, "Yes?"

"Staff meeting is about to begin," Vince said, "the staff has gathered in the east conference room.

"Oh goody," Mac said with fake enthusiasm. She left the file she had been working on right on her desk and walked off to the side door of the oval that lead directly to the conference room.

"Room attention," the guard at the door said. She walked to her seat and sat down.

"At ease," Mac said quietly, "What have you got?"

"This," Jim said dropping the Inquirer in front of her. Mac's stomach twisted inside her, as her outside showed no apparent reaction. She looked at it without touching it. Reached for her jacket pocket pulling out her reading glasses.

The staff was silent as the president picked up the rag and read it. It's title read, 'Deceit in the White House: I slept with the First Gentleman.' There was a picture of a tearful Michelle with a caption that read, 'Higgins, 24, was caught by the president herself.'

Mac looked up at her expectant staff, and waited. "Is it true Ma'am?" Jim asked.

"What if it were?" Mac asked leaning back in her chair.

"With all due respect ma'am, this could really hurt you in the polls." Dickie sat forward in his chair placing his elbows on the table and using his hands for emphasis. "This is one of the top two reasons why a woman shouldn't be president."

"Why because she couldn't manage to keep her man happy?" Kelly asked with a raised brow.

"Sexist I know. But the other reason is that a man's ego can't take it. Therefore most Americans would prefer a single woman in the presidency, or a former first lady." Dickie explained.

"Because the First Gentleman, would have already held the higher position." Mac concluded.

"Exactly."

"Well, It will just have to stay a rumor now wouldn't it?" Mac said, "It's the Inquirer, do you remember what happened the last time when they accused Rod of harassing that girl. It's the same thing."

Jim nodded, "so what is our game plan?" He asked Dickie

"I'll watch the polls for a downward trend." Dickie said, "where is Rod by the way?"

"I uh..." Mac hesitated, "He quit."

"What?" Jim asked shocked. Kelly looked at Mac.

"Madame President," Kelly stated, "This will not end with the Inquirer."

Mac sighed, "I know." She looked at everyone around the table, "Okay, Here's the story. It is true, Rod cheated on me with Ms. Higgins and I asked for both of their resignations. I need for someway for this to go away. I want the American people to focus on the Nation's issues and not mine."

Dickie and Jim stared. Kelly fidgeted a bit uncomfortably, "I think that if you leave no room for speculation, It would make it easier." Kelly stated.

"Right, Oprah style." Dickie said catching her angle, "It will hit you hard at first, but eventually people will see your strength of character and your sympathy ratings will soar."

"I'm not ready to be completely raw putting my wounds out on display for the vultures to pick at." Mac stated

"Ma'am, you promised America that you would be candid. But you don't have to be that candid. Maybe you might downplay the whole thing make the public see it from your point of view." Kelly continued.

"My point of view... might be a little skewed," Mac stated.

"Or maybe you could Pull a Hilary Clinton and totally stand by Rod during the whole scandal," Dickie stated but when he saw Mac make a slightly pained expression he said, "At least until it all blows over or something else overshadows this."

"Okay, how about I don't acknowledge this until it works its way into my press conferences," Mac said. "I'll try to... work things out at home."

"Do you think Rod would be willing to..." Jim started.

"You know what?" Mac stated tossing the tabloid on the table frustrated, "I am done with this issue. It is not a national concern what goes on in my home. Next talking point please."

"Um... There is the Bill to give federal funds to further fuel research." Andrea, Mac's lead research assistant said.

"Good, I'm meeting with the CEO for the Go Green organization today," Mac said. "I want to place a large chunk of the budget for ethanol and other alternative fuel research."

"There is a good chance that it will pass because it is in accordance with the clean air act." Jim added.

The meeting went on much like this. They all avoided what they knew was coming. Their boss was fighting an up hill battle. But they were determined to stand by her every step of the way.

Two days later, the news had spread over the airwaves and to what Mac liked to call legitimate press. She had gotten phone calls from some world leaders and contributors that pulled the support for her election. Her poll marks had fallen considerably to forty percent after the news broke.

Dickie was frantic, as he watched the numbers plummet but he kept his cool. Because he was convinced that once Mac spoke out about what was going on with her, the sympathy ratings will shoot through the roof. It would hopefully show her human side; she's too perfect.

He looked out of his office and caught a glimpse of Kelly rushing down the hall towards the pressroom next to the president whom had an unreadable expression on her face. "Madame President, Have you prepared a statement on the residence situation." Dickie asked catching up to them.

Mac's back stiffened and she turned to look at her PR person. She gave him a look that would have made any other man cower. "Absolutely not."

"Ma'am, are you planning on wearing that face through all of the questions, because if I didn't know any better I'd think that you were mad at me, but I know it's just the question." Dickie stated walking on with her. "You know they will ask, and you need to deliver your half truth with as much candor as you can."

"Dickie, I'm fine." Mac stated and headed into the pressroom.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, The president of the United States." The announcer said and Mac's stomach dropped all the way down to her knees.

She walked to the podium and did the briefing on what she wanted to accomplish with the Ethanol Bill that she had initiated and updated the nation on the embargo with Sierra Leone. All was well, but then there were the questions.

"The president will now field the Press' questions." Kelly stated

Infinite shouts of "Madam president over here," Could be heard

Mac looked around and spotted someone she had never called on before and said, "Stephanie I'll go with yours first today."

"Madame President, How long do you project that the alternative fuel bill will be under review by congress?" Stephanie asked.

Mac breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the journalist. "It's hard to say. Though this is something that we all want, we might argue about the amount of money should go to the research, this could take years." Mac answered with a slight chuckle at the end. The crowd gave small chuckles as well and again the swell of voices begging to be heard rose. "Martin, what you got?"

"In the Sierra Leone Issue, The embargo limits the amount of Diamonds they export to us annually, how do you think their economy and ours will be affected?"

Again relief and Mac leaned forward at the podium. "The impact to our economy would be slight. Because of the Diamond industry, we import more diamonds than any other country. Our jewelers may be affected by the price that would definitely go up. Sierra Leone would actually benefit from being able to sell easier to other parts of the world."

Mac looked at her watch and was glad she hadn't been asked about her marriage. "The president will now field two more questions." Kelly said with a smile directed at her boss. The din in the room boosted to that of a construction site. It was loud and Mac knew that the next question was going to break her.

"Jack." Mac said.

"Madame president, what have you say about the allegations that your husband has actually cheated on you this time."

There it was out on the table. Mac tried to swallow back tears, "That matter is extremely personal and am not at all ready to discus that at this time."

"Last question, Ted." Kelly interceded

"How are you feeling ma'am" Ted asked Mac. The room got quiet as everyone looked at Mac expectantly.

Mac only stared at Ted for a few moments, "No comment." She stated and walked off the stage. She wasn't ready to be candid.