Disclaimer: Terry chemistry and American Politics inspired this story.
"Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness – and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we're being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling – their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability. Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."
― Arundhati Roy, War Talk
Before Olivia running on Sally's ticket is announced…
"You've got this in the bag, Senator."
Edison smiled at the man who was chief campaign strategist at the DNC.
"Your nearest rival is a lunatic with a gay side-kick," laughed another member of the election committee. "We couldn't have rigged it better ourselves."
After Olivia running on Sally's ticket is announced…
"We can't have another Grant in the White House. Look at all the damage the last one did. He made the Republicans appear progressive."
"He left as an independent."
"Hell, if that ain't worse! We can't have people thinking they can change the system as independents. They need to feel the weight of the party machine! The inevitability of maintaining the status quo. It's taken a couple of centuries to get this working just the way we like it!"
"Yeah, super-heroes need magical powers, latex and a cape. Not an average Joe in a suit."
"It's not Joe we need to worry about, it's Joanne in her white suit, and she's not average."
There was a brief silence, then a querulous voice asked, "What on God's green earth are you talking about?"
Edison stood up from the table. ""Grant isn't the problem. He only became a pain in the butt after Olivia Pope became a permanent fixture in his life. Without her, the man wouldn't have the backbone to change the menu at a State Dinner."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying we need to focus on Olivia Pope."
"That woman has got far too much attention in my opinion. We need to shut that down A-SAP."
The Langston Election 'war room'...
Sally: "How we doing in the polls?"
Campaign manager: "Amazing."
Sally: "Then why have you got a face that would blister a brick wall?"
Campaign manager: "They want Olivia Pope to be President."
Sally laughed.
The Davis Election 'war room'...
Edison returns late after a media blitz of popular 'left-of-centre' talk shows, being a front-row guest on high-profile award shows, shooting the hoops with NBA stars and even helping out in a soup kitchen. "How we doing in the polls?"
Campaign managers: "Not great."
"Don't tell me."
"You know the deal - they want Olivia Pope to be President. Not the best news for Sally Langston either."
Edison didn't laugh. "We need attack dogs."
Letting the attack dogs loose...
Democrat Pundits on Grants' Achievements
"The problem with Grant is that when you look at his record, there's not a whole lot to be proud of."
"Which Grant?"
"We're talking about Fitzgerald Grant, right? I mean he'll be the guy pulling the strings—"
"Are you calling Olivia Pope a puppet? You'll find the shoe is on the other foot—"
"Forget the shoes and puppets, sure Mrs Grant has a reputation for being an exceptional fixer, but running a crisis management business to help the rich and famous escape public outrage for their little foibles is nothing like being one step away of becoming the leader of the only Superpower in the free world."
Republican Pundits
"Let's face it, Sally Langston in 21 days did more than Fitzgerald Grant did in nearly four years as President."
"She put a gun in every school and church…"
"Let me tell you something, every kid, reverend and pastor will be needing their weapons when Russia, China, Iran and North Korea decide to attack us. You tell me who you'd want to be leading the nation when the rest of the world attacks us? Huh? Some woman who's never held a gun in her life or a woman who's honoured every American's Second Amendment right to defend themselves against our foreign enemies? We really need a woman with balls for this job!"
"Are you saying we need a man."
"I'm saying, for the first time in American history, we've got two women running for office in a Presidential election… May the Good Lord Bless us all."
Democrat Pundits on Grants' Economics
"We need to address the real elephant in the room: Sally Langston doesn't have a record as a good economic manager. And we know nothing about Olivia Pope-Grant's economic credentials."
"Other than she was married to a President of the United States."
"That should be cause for concern, not celebration. Grant's lame duck idea of raising the minimum wage to bring people out of poverty will crash the economy. There are people in Wall Street sweating bricks expecting the worst recession since the Great Depression."
"Didn't we already have the Global Financial Crisis? Iceland did better than America by jailing their bankers."
"The ICEX doesn't effect global markets, so the Icelanders are free to jail whoever they want. Over here, in the good ole USA, we run the show. We can't jail the guys who maintain the health of our economy, the world's economy. That's a tough job. Occasionally those guys make mistakes. We don't jail people for making a mistake. It's only human. We need leaders who understand economics and the realities of being a world leader. We can't turn the White House into Woodstock."
"Are you saying America can't afford a President who wants world peace and a living wage?"
"Put bluntly: yes."
Republican Pundits
"You were talking about jobs before let me tell you the military is this country's biggest employer, you cut the Pentagon budget and a whole lot of people will be out of work.
"Those skills could be used in peace time efforts…"
"That's what our troops are doing over there – they are bringing clean water, sanitation, and education to people living in some God-forsaken parts of the world…"
"We've got people – voters – right here, campaigning for clean water, sanitation and better funding for public education in the United States. Why should people in countries that hate us, get a better deal than American taxpayers?"
"American taxpayers are getting the best deal possible - we're keeping the bad guys from destroying everything that makes us great – our freedom, our liberty, our democracy. There isn't a better deal than that!"
"It might be cheaper to build a wall to keep them out."
"Yeah! That's a darned good idea!"
Democrat Pundits on the Grants' and National Security
"National security is a serious business. The kids out there pushing for change weren't born when we a plane crashed into the Twin Towers. I don't want to be accused of fear-mongering but the reality is we live in troubled times. We didn't imagine 9/11 – it happened. We need a President who understands the realities of defending our citizens from real attacks from bad guys."
"You're saying a Grant in the White House can't do that? You don't think Sino-American relations have improved since Mrs Grant's visit to China?"
"China is a communist country. You think Americans will be safe with China dictating our domestic policy through their friendship with the Grants?"
Republican Pundits
"You heard about this rumour going around that Mrs Grant is a communist?"
"I believe she is a God-fearing woman, who goes to church regularly. More regularly since she's moved to Vermont."
"You can be God-fearing and a Communist. Look at all them churches in Russia. I don't want no Communist getting within ten feet of our national security."
"Mrs Langston is the one running for President. I have no doubt that when she becomes President, she will continue a tradition set by anti-communist Republican President, Richard Nixon, who ended China's isolation from the rest of the civilized world with his visit to that country in 1972."
Democrat Pundits and The Nuclear Button…
"Nixon wasn't the great white saviour of the Western World. The man was impeached for spying on his staff for heaven's sake."
"When Nixon resigned, Ford became President."
"Surely you're not saying Mrs Langston has a good chance of getting impeached if she became President?"
"I'm saying if the President quits, the Vice President gets their hot little hands on the nuclear button."
Republican Pundits
"Voting for the Langston-Grant ticket isn't going to trigger a nuclear war."
"Well, it won't trigger a war with China that's for sure."
"But do we really want to get into bed with China. We've already got them sitting at the head of the table, in terms of trade and finance."
"If we're on the road to make America great again, we've got to cut ties with China."
"That's not going to happen on a Langston-Grant ticket. We may have had a chance on a Langston-Lorenz ticket..."
Polling after the smear campaign…
"What are the results?"
"The topic that's stuck in the public's mind is the threat of Communist China rigging the election."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Social Media Posts
Pictures of Olivia with the Chinese first lady – 147,600 hits
Chinese threat looms via the Grant – 500,423 notes
Are the Chinese hoping for a Grant win – 10,020 retweets
Grants adopt Chinese spy (picture of Peter) – 11,200,300 shares
Cyrus threw the newspaper down in disgust. "They are calling that kid a Chinese spy, don't they know he's Malaysian?"
"Didn't you accuse him of being Chinese yourself?" James said mildly as he carefully braided Ella's hair.
"The point is the Kid is not Chinese and he's not a spy."
"That narrative is falling on deaf ears. Mob hysteria is spreading over a Chinese threat."
"He's a kid!"
"So was Emmett Till."
Zeke was leaving a meeting with the intelligence chiefs when he got the call from Cyrus.
"I want to know what are you doing about the Peter situation?"
Zeke paused, then said cautiously, "Are you talking about Jerry's Chinese homey?"
"Peter's Malaysian."
"Yeah, dude, whatever. I've got some of my guys watching the school. But Olivia thinks the kid's better off going home to be safe with his family – you know in M-A-L-A-Y-S-I-A."
Fitz sat on the bed opposite Peter's facing him, with Jerry straddling a chair between them.
"Peter, we've spoken to your father – he's concerned as we are, about your safety. We think it's best that you go home until this all blows over."
"People are attacking Aunt Liv because she made friends with the Chinese First Lady. America has a China Town but Jerry and Aunt Liv can't have Chinese friends?"
"Politics is a bit more complex than that."
"Is it though, Dad? It's like that time we locked up the Japanese who lived in this country, because of Pearl Harbour. Like it was their fault, our governments couldn't talk to each other and solve their problems like adults. Peter's Malaysian, and the Malaysians aren't Communist. But they are calling him a Chinese Communist spy..."
When Olivia came downstairs after giving Gracie a bath and leaving her to fall asleep listening to Rowan reading Henry's Freedom Box, she stopped halfway, staring at the group gathered in the hall.
"Hi, Aunt Liv," Peter grinned. "I'm moving in."
Fitz firmed his jaw. "Between Huck and Tom, I thought he'd be safer with us."
Olivia bit back a smile, turning her attention to Peter. "I've made up your old bedroom next to Jerry's."
Once the boys had run upstairs - with Jerry pausing to give Olivia a noisy kiss on her cheek, quickly followed by Peter on her other cheek – she waited as Fitz slowly climbed the stairs until he was level with her shorter height.
"You knew."
"I know you," she smiled.
He chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her gently. "What else do you know about me?"
Olivia laughed, ducking away from his attempts to grab her as she hurried towards the kitchen. "Got to help Felicia with lunch before we have TofuTurkey for dinner."
Western journalist questions Chinese Leader at an international Conference of leaders from the Eastern Blocs and allied states
"You have praised Mrs Grant as a very intelligent woman who would be make a great leader. Is your government taking steps to influence the American election results in Mrs Grant's favour?"
(Laughter between Chinese Leader and Russian leader next to him)
{Translator} "I do think Mrs Grant is a very intelligent lady and she would make a great leader. I hope she wins in a free and fair election – that which Americans believe they are capable of holding. The only step my government has taken to influence the result in Mrs Grant's favour, is to wish her the best of luck. The ultimate result is in the hands of American voters and the people who count their votes."
"So you're saying that you are not trying to rig the election in Mrs Grant's favour?"
"We do not have a policy of interfering in the democratic processes of another country. Besides no foreign government would have as much influence over American domestic affairs as the Americans themselves – your government authorities have already been trying to influence the direction of your election by restricting who can vote, where they vote, and which votes get recognised. The Chinese had nothing to do with those restrictions."
The Russian leader spoke then, before the journalist could interrupt. [Translated} "I find it amusing that an Amerian journalist will always ask about foreign influence when regime change by America and the secretive CIA has been carried out since 1953 when the CIA armed and trained dissidents to overthrow the democratically elected Mossadegh in Iran. No foreign government – especially if they are Socialist or Communist – has been safe from America's attempt to change leadership and install their puppets. No continent on earth has escaped this influence except those inhabited by penguins and seals. But who knows they too may not be safe in the future."
This exchange receives zero coverage in the United state – either in the mainstream media or alternative social media.
The letters started arriving a few days later.
Tom gave them to Fitz.
"Ýou are a disgrace to your race, a traitor, harbouring a Communist under your roof…."
"What kind of values are you teaching your kids – to hate their country and the people who have died defending this country against Communist evil…"
"China won't help you win. You think they're going to roll out their Commie Red Carpet to get you into the White House, not on your life…"
Fitz just sent the letters to the firepit in the back after reading the first sentence.
"This reminds me of the poisonous letters the FBI wrote Dr Martin Luther King," Rowan said as he stood next to Fitz, watching Tom's agents stoke the flames, making sure fire obliterated every last word.
Fitz turned to Rowan. "You mean the ones that Hoover wrote to get Dr King to kill himself?"
Rowan nodded. "Someone doesn't think Olivia's campaign for President is as hopeless as it appears."
When Fitz stayed silent, Rowan gave a dry smile. "They are trying to convince Olivia to stay in her lane."
A laugh escaped Fitz, prompting a genuine smile from his father in law. "I pity the fools."
After the letter-burning, Fitz went in search of Olivia – eventually finding her on the upper deck, with Gracie sleeping in her arms as Teddy cycled madly up and down on his little trike, trying to outrace Rex and Darth.
"Had fun?" Olivia smiled as Fitz sat down beside her on the wicker sofa and leaned in to kiss her mouth.
"Mmm… very satisfying."
Olivia laughed softly, then looked down hastily as Gracie snuffled in her sleep.
"Want me to take her for a bit?"
Olivia shook her head. "No, I'm good. But it's nearly Teds bed time soon."
Fitz looked over his shoulder where the dogs had taken a seat waiting for Teddy to turn his tricycle around, so they could race back the other way. "I don't think he ready for beddy-byes yet." He turned back to face Olivia, grinning when he caught her yawn. "Can't say the same for his Mommy."
Olivia shifted closer until she could lay her head on his shoulder. "Think you can carry all three of us to our beds?"
Fitz kissed the top of her head. "Looks like we'll be spending the night out here."
Olivia laughed, shifting back to look at him. "That's not very Commander-in-Chief of you, Mr President."
Fitz kissed her again. "That's because I know who wears the pants around here."
Olivia laughed again, then paused seeing Tom step out onto the deck.
"We've got a problem," He said baldly.
"What kind of problem?" Olivia asked.
"That kind of problem," Fitz muttered.
Turning to follow his gaze, Olivia saw a line of fire near the front perimeter of the property.
"It looks like the Klan." Peter said staring at the television screen.
Rowan turned to Olivia. "You're not going out there."
"Yes, I am, Dad."
"No, you're not Olivia." Fitz said firmly with Tom just as immovable beside him.
"I have to. I'm the Presidential candidate."
"You are my wife, and the mother of my children."
"I'm going with Mom."
"Stay out of this, Jerry."
They all paused when Huck entered the room wearing night-goggles, carrying a machine gun. Seeing them all staring at him, he said mildly, "The first guy who makes the wrong move, is dead."
At that point, Felicia stood up, holding a wide-awake Gracie. "Say goodbye to your mother, sweetie."
"I'll be back in time for her last feed." Olivia muttered.
Ignoring that, Felicia glanced towards Karen. "I'll need your help getting Gracie's bath ready."
Karen looked like she was in a half a mind to say no, but she nodded. "Okay." She started following Felicia but came running back to give Olivia a quick, fierce hug, before running out after Felicia. Only to pop her head through the doorway seconds later, saying, "Grandpa Pope, can you bring Teddy to his room?"
Seeing Rowan's grim face as he stared towards Olivia, Peter quickly stepped away from the window and scooped up Teddy, who'd fallen asleep in his tricycle. "It's okay, I've got him."
After Peter's departure, Olivia turned back to face Fitz.
"You are not going out there. I won't let you." he repeated, less forcefully.
Just then, his phone rang.
Without a greeting, Zeke said, "I got a call from the governor. He's sending the National Guard. But just in case, I'm flying some of my guys down there. Don't let Olivia leave until they get there."
"We don't have time to wait for reinforcements," Olivia glanced towards the television screen. "We've got more trouble heading our way."
Everyone else turned to look at the screen, where the cameras were focused on an advancing mob of men and woman, carrying crosses only they weren't burning. They were being led by the priests from the neighbourhood churches.
"Let's go."
This time no one argued.
Olivia walked up to the church group, flanked by Fitz, Tom and Huck in front of her.
Rowan had grabbed Jerry by his arm, and wouldn't release him.
A couple of secret service agents pulled them further back, as they and the others kept a watchful eye on the proceedings, their guns drawn.
Turning her back on the Klan, Olivia spoke first to the Reverend from her church.
"I didn't expect to see you here tonight."
"We come in peace, Olivia. Or rather we've come to ensure peace."
The woman beside him said, "We heard rumours that there was going to be trouble out here tonight. We came to stop it."
"This is Vermont, we don't want a war in this state..." An elderly man, with medals on his lapel, nodded.
From behind Olivia, a voice yelled out, "Too bad, old man, because a war is what you'll get."
There was laughter from the Klan group. But the laughter stopped abruptly when a young woman from the church group, pushed her way past the Reverend to demand, "Robbie, is that you?"
There was silence.
Then there was chaos as the girl ran straight into the gathering of hooded men, grabbing hold of one and pulling off his hood. "Dammit, it is you! Just wait until I tell Mom about this!"
"Soph, leggo!" The young man whined.
Soph dragged her brother in front of Olivia and Fitz, and panting slightly blurted, "I'm really sorry, Mrs Grant. My brother Robbie isn't in the Klan. He's just an idiot. He'll be the first to tell you that—"
"I'm not an idiot."
"He is, and he's sorry—"
"I'm not sorry."
Soph turned to glare at her brother. "You want me to tell Mom that you did all this, and you wouldn't say sorry?"
The boy glared at his sister, then snapped, "I'm not apologising to her!"
Soph reached up to grab him by his ear, and pulled him down to her eye level. "You better apologise, Robbie. Because I'm not letting go until you do."
"Ow! Soph, that hurts!"
"Say sorry!"
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, okay?" Robbie scowled at his sister, rubbing his ear. "But I'm not giving my two hundred dollars back."
"Two hundred dollars?" Olivia asked mildly.
Still rubbing his ear, Robbie said, "Yeah, some dude in a suit gave us money to come out here tonight."
Olivia glanced towards Fitz, whose jaw had hardened to granite. Then the reverend stepped forward. "How many of you were paid to be here tonight?"
There was shuffling in the group but no one replied, except for Robbie. "Most of us got money. He said we'd get more if we messed things up a bit tonight."
"Hey kid, shut the fuck up and go home, okay! We're not here for the money, We're here because we don't want a Commie bastard in our neck of the woods. It's not what my pa fought and died for in Vietnam."
"Well, I have to agree with him on that." The old man murmured.
"Peter is not Vietnamese but even if he was, this wouldn't be right." Olivia turned to face the Klan. ""Can the speaker step out here."
"Why?!"
"I want to ask you a question."
"Ask the question!"
"Jeeze, what a wuss." Soph rolled her eyes.
Robbie laughed. "Hey Shane my sister thinks you're a wuss."
A man barged out of the crowd. "Yeah? Tell her to say that to my face!""
"Take that sack off your face and I will!"
The man began to pull off his mask, then paused. "Wait! I'm not falling for that!" Turning in Olivia's direction, he snapped, "You got me out here okay. So ask the question!"
"What have you got against Communists?"
"Are you serious?! That's the dumbest questions you could ask me - why Amerikkans hate Communists! They are a bunch of fascists! That's why!"
Olivia exchanged a look with Fitz.
"We fought and defeated the fascists in World War II," The old soldier said behind her.
Olivia turned to face him, saying carefully, "You'll find it was the Communist Russians who fought and defeated the fascists and NeoNazis. We've rewritten history but that's the real story."
There was a silence. Then the hooded man said belligerently, "I'm not talking about history, I'm talking about now. Now we're against commie-loving Fascists!"
"Are you wearing a shirt?"
"Hey, lady, I'm about done with your dumb questions!"
"Just answer the question, dummy!" Sophie shouted.
"I ain't the dummy. She's the one asking all the dumb questions. Yeah, I'm wearing a shirt.""
"Who made it?""
"Man another dumb question! I don't who made it! Wallmart."
"Read the label. It tells you were your shirt was made."
"Unless you don't know how to read!" Sophie suggested.
"Shut that bitch up or I'll back-hand her in a minute!"
"Don't threaten my sister, dumbass! Or I'll punch your face!"
At that point Huck marched up to the man. Dragged him down by his collar and said grimly "His shirt was made in China."
"Maybe you need to take you Commie protest to Wallmart, dumbass!" Sopie called out
In the background, Jerry turned to Rowan. "I like her."
"She's too old for you."
"Too old for what?"
Rowan looked at him then seeing his cheeky grin, said, "Just for that you can write 2000 words about the history of the Pythagorean theorem tomorrow.
"Two thousand words about a Greek dude? That's insane!"
"Are you sure the theorem started with Greeks?"
"Yeah."
"That's why she is too old for you. Sophie doesn't look like the type of girl who like idiots."
"Did you just call me an idiot?"
"Five thousand words on the Pythagorean theorem and I'll let you know."
Morning News Update
TV Anchor: 'These were the tense scenes at Vice-Presidential Olivia Grant's property in Vermont last night, when members of the white supremacy group KKK turned up with burning torches. But the night had a very unexpected ending when church leaders and their congregations came to maintain the peace. We are going live to our New York studio, to meet 16-year-old Sophie Lark who literally saved the day after hearing her brother speak out from the middle of the group of Klansmen. Sophie, tell us what you felt when you heard your brother's voice in the crowd.'
"I was angry. He was meant to do the dishes last night, but he disappeared and I had to do his chores. Then I heard him yelling at Mrs Grant, and I got mad."
"You went storming into the middle of that group of hooded men. Weren't you scared?"
"Well I'm not black. I didn't think they were going to attack me."
"We wanted to speak your brother, but I understand he's grounded."
"Yep, he'll be lucky to get access to his phone when he's old enough to vote."
"Why is everyone talking about this Sophie chick when it was Aunt Liv who stood up to those hooded thugs." Peter asked, seated on the couch with Jerry and Karen in their pyjamas.
"You know why." Karen said, wiping a milk moustache from her lip before reaching for a cookie and breaking it in two to share with Teddy.
"We need to bring this conversation around to bring the focus back on Mom." Jerry reached for his phone.
"I'll bring my laptop."
"Can I bring mine too?" Karen asked.
"Yeah," Jerry muttered, "We're going to need all the help we can get."
Meme wars
We got Poped, sir: Image of Olivia Pope standing with hands on hips facing a cowering bunch of white hoods
We got Sophed, sir: Image of Sophie Larkin karate-kicking a bunch of white hoods
Olivia smashes the Hoods: Cartoon sequence of Olivia facing the KKK, then Kapow!-Bam!-Splat!, before the dust settles to show Olivia at her fashionable best next to a flattened heap of hooded bodies.
Sophie smashes the Hoods: Same image with Sophie replacing Olivia
Fixing Fascists Then and Now: Image of Olivia facing the Klan in front of the White House a year before, and Olivia facing the Klan in front of the Grant property, a few days before
Fixing Fascists and How: Image of Sophie diving into the hooded crowd to drag her brother out by his ear
White privilege: Olivia standing in front of the KKK, Sophie photoshopped into a ticker-tape parade
Red Scare: Sophie Larkin in training to take down the Communists – image of Sophie in boxing gloves, hitting a punching bag which had pictures of Olivia and Peter pasted on it…
"Who the hell is Sophie Larkin?" Cyrus switched off the television and glared at James.
"The new darling of the Liberal Right." James said as he helped Ella pour milk into her breakfast bowl from the glass jug.
"Is Daddy Cyrus angry?" Ella asked in a loud whisper.
"No, he's not." James looked pointedly at Cyrus.
Cyrus pasted a ferocious smile on his face, and said sweetly, "No, I'm not, Ella darling."
"You look mad." Ella insisted.
Cyrus dropped his fake smile. "See, I can't even fool Ella."
"You shouldn't try to fool Ella."
"Who told Ella I wasn't angry?" Cyrus snapped.
"I'm Ella," the little girl said mildly, causing her fathers to stop glaring at each other and focus on her.
"Yes, baby, you are. Would you like more berries with your cereal?" James held out the strawberries.
"No, thank you, Daddy James."
White House Press Briefing…
Question from the Press Corps: "Does the White House have a comment on the meme making the rounds on social media, calling Mrs Grant a Communist?"
Press Secretary: "You want me to comment on a meme? Is that your source? Not exactly Deep Throat."
Press Corps: "So you're not denying there's any truth to the rumour?"
Press Secretary: "What's next? You want me to tell you what's in your stars today? Or got a crystal ball prediction you want me to investigate? It must be a real slow news day for you guys to dig this deep to the bottom of the barrel…"
Headlines:
Is Mrs Grant a Communist? The White House doesn't deny it.
White House side-steps question on whether Mrs Grant is a Communist
Chinese whispers: Could Mrs Grant be a Communist?
"You seen the paper this morning?" Zeke asked, ringing Fitz from the breakfast table in the family dining room in the White House.
"Yep." Fitz replied, while shaving.
"They are calling Olivia a Communist."
"Yep."
"I feel responsible. You want me to issue a statement?"
"Liv's got a better idea…"
A world-famous TV personality arrives at the Grant estate in Vermont for an exclusive interview. She meets the family – all dressed up in their Sunday Best – with Tom, his agents and Huck watching over them discreetly out of the production crew's camera range.
After a brief tour of the main living areas, and polite chit chat with various members of the family – Jerry and Rowan taking the dogs for a walk; Fitz reading Teddy a bedtime story with Gracie in a baby carrier, asleep on his chest; Karen helping Felicia make vegan brownies in the kitchen – the real business began.
Bathed in the warm glow from the fireplace, that spat the occasional crackle, Olivia and Peter sat next to each other on the couch, and faced the interviewer.
TV Host: "Thank you for inviting to your lovely home and introducing me to your beautiful family. You've got a full house here."
Olivia laughed. "It's not usually this quiet. We've managed to get the chaos under control for you."
"It must have been difficult moving out of the White House in such difficult circumstances, with hardly any preparation."
"Fitz made the right choice. For us, as a family. And President Lucas Zeke was wonderful, he did everything in his power to make the transition as easy as possible."
"Do you miss the White House staff?"
"I do. They did take a lot of the hassle of keeping a household, but they were family too. And although we miss the White House family, the move to Vermont has brought the Grant family and our friends, closer together. We have more time for each other now"
"But you've thrown your hat into the ring, to be the next President of the United States."
"Yes."
"What does your family think about that?"
Olivia smiled. "My family are my biggest campaigners. My husband effectively nominated me for the job. I can honestly say that I would never have considered myself for the job, if the people I love and respect weren't one hundred and ten per cent behind the idea that I could be President of the United States."
"Do you think you have a chance of winning?"
Olivia laughed. "The odds are against me, but you never know – miracles can happen."
"There is a rumour, that is gaining momentum in the mainstream media, that you could be a Communist."
"Like all rumours, there is no foundation in fact. I can assure you that I'm not a Communist."
"But you have close ties to the Communist Government, you visited China earlier this year."
"I was invited, as First Lady, to visit China with my family, and I accepted the invitation because I'm fascinated by China's efforts to end poverty within its borders by 2020. They, have according to some economists, ended poverty within its cities. That's a major achievement, and one that my husband and I were interested in developing here in America. Fitz supported the Fight for 15 minimum wage hike, and he introduced paid internships at the White House. There was so much he wanted to do, before he decided that his family would be safer out of the White House until our youngest child was born. "
"It sounds like you and your husband are fans of the Communist regime."
"We are fans of how China brought 800 million of its citizens out poverty in less than 40 years, and its efforts to reduce income inequality, which is rising in most other parts of the world."
"You don't think your enthusiasm for the Chinese jobs' initiative, and talk of reducing income inequality would make the voting public think you are Communist?"
"If that all it takes, then every Presidential Candidate who talks about job creation should be branded a Communist. I'm not a communist, nor is Fitz. What we want is to support job programs that bring an end to the anomaly of being classed as 'working poor'. If you have a job, you should not be poor. You should be able to work yourself out of poverty, out of homelessness, out of out of poor health outcomes, out of debt. We want to end the cycle of poverty for 16 million kids in this country. I don't think that's a bad thing. As for China, it's an important member of the global community. Richard Nixon understood that, which is why he was the first American President to visit China in 1972. Since then nearly every one of our Presidents has visited China during their term of office, apart from Jimmy Carter, I doubt that any of our Presidents would be called Communists."
There was a pause, then the TV personality acknowledged Peter's presence for the first time. "There was an incident in Vermont recently. The locals feared a Red Scare, a Communist threat because of one of your guests."
Olivia reached for Peter's hand, smiling at the boy. "Peter is part of our family."
"But you admit that his presence has concerned residents in the area?"
"They were paid to be concerned."
"There is no smoke without fire."
Before Olivia could answer, Peter said clearly, "I'm Malaysian. Malaysia is not a Communist country, it has a Federal Constitutional Monarchy – that means we have a King. Our government is based on the British Westminster Parliament, not the Communist Party of China."
There was a longer pause, as if the TV Personality was surprised that Peter could speak, then she asked abruptly, "But you admit your father does business with Communist China, and has close ties with the Chinese government?"
"Yes, my father does business with China, so does Walmart."
The camera caught Olivia's quick smile, which disappeared when the TV host said, "We have a long history of fighting Communists in America. Since World War II, we have tried to control the threat of Communism around the world. A veteran who found in Vietnam, whose father fought fascists in World War Two, was concerned."
Peter gave the woman an unsmiling look. "Capitalist America fought side-by-side with Communist Russia to get rid of Fascists in Europe during World War II. America didn't fight the Communists during that war, they were fighting Fascists, who believe everyone different must die. Fascists have killed many people under that belief. Fascists, like the Nazis and the Klu Klux Klan, believe in nationalism and racism, they don't believe in democracy."
"The same could be said of Communists."
"And Capitalists." Peter shot back. The Constitution of America says that it was established for the common good, for liberty, justice and peace. Yet this nation was founded on the murder of 100 million indigenous native peoples; its wealth was created by 245 years of slavery; its domination of world trade is result of more than two hundred years of war since independence in 1776."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying America is fascist – American Presidents use the phrase national interest to invade and destroy other countries for selfish reasons. Vietnam didn't invade America, America invaded Vietnam, Afghanistan didn't invade America, America invaded Afghanistan, Iraq didn't invade America, America invaded Iraq. To be clear, I'm saying America is fascist, only it is called Patriotism by Americans."
The interviewer shifted bodily away from Peter, and directed her next question to Olivia. "You must realise that these opinions will not be popular with most voters. Do you still believe you will have a whisker of a chance after this interview?"
Olivia looked at Peter and smiled. "We live in a democracy. Peter is exercising his right to free speech. And I will defend that right, under the First Amendment."
Peter blushed, then said quietly. "I'm just a kid, but from what I learnt in history, there's no perfect system of government. That's we need to work together to find out what is in the best interests of the people. In school we learn to work in groups, to work with people who are different, who think differently. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, Yet, each time, we learn what works best in a group, how to communicate, how to sort out our differences, how to get the best results working together. If we can do this as kids still school, why can't adults do this in government, in Congress, in the White House with the world community?"
The TV host blinked, then blinked again, then turned to the camera, "Well, I believe that's all we have time for tonight. Thank you both for your time…"
Post-Mortem
Cyrus and James
"That Chinese kid has… potential," Cyrus switched off the television and smiled.
"He's Malaysian," James murmured, typing away on his laptop.
"I know he's Malaysian. I'm saying he's got potential… for a Communist." Cyrus grinned cheekily.
Zeke and Fitz
"I need to get that kid onto the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations." Zeke's grin could be heard over the phone.
Fitz chuckled. "You'll have to arm-wrestle, Liv. She thinks Peter would make a great Secretary of State."
"Did Liv write his speech?"
"No, that was all Peter. He's effectively shut down mainstream efforts to brand Liv as a Communist."
"He's done more than that. Since last night, Communism is the most popular web search in America.'"
Fitz laughed. "That'll keep some people in DC awake tonight."
The Shadow Committee
As Olivia and the kids sat enjoying hot chocolate with extra marshmallows in the kitchen, five men stared at their whiskey sours flying 10000 feet above New York state.
"What's Plan B?"
Source: After Bringing 800 Million out of Poverty, China Aims to Eradicate It Completely by 2020 - Telesur English