Disclaimer: Terry chemistry and American Politics inspired this story.

Quote: Being taught to avoid talking about politics and religion has led to a lack of understanding of politics and religion. What we should have been taught was how to have a civil conversation about a difficult topic - Posted by Gideon Keter on Facebook, 30 December 2017 ·

Plan B

Morning News Panel.

'…A poll out today says that one in four Americans thinks Socialism would be good for the country. What do you think about that, Josh?'

'Adam Smith must be turning in his grave.'

'Karl Marx would have loved to see this day.'

'Marx was a Communist. We're talking Socialism, not Communism – the red scare, isn't a dead scare yet.'

'Yet is the operative word – yesterday social media blew up with discussions about alternative economic models to Capitalism, after a Malaysian teenager told a few home truths about war, liberty and freedom of speech.'

'Never thought I'd live to see the day that the Grant family would make Communism cool in the birthplace of capitalism…'

'You'll have to check your facts there, Steve, the birthplace of capitalism is Iraq and Syria more than 4000 years ago…'

"I don't care where Capitalism was born, I care where it lives!" Chuck Cosh thumped the table. "We can't have a bunch of commies running the country!"

"The Grant woman has stated categorically that she's not a Communist."

"Don't tell me you're swallowing that hook, line and sinker from some dumb broad. There's a reason you've been married six times, and it ain't because they are getting younger!"

"Leave my personal life out of this."

"Like hell! Your personal life will feature front and centre when that Commie Witch divides what's left of your assets between your pool boy, cook and driver. I won't say I told you so when the homeless occupy your holiday homes in Martha's vineyard!."

"Ýou will."

"Damn straight, I will!"

"What do you suggest?"

"We need to get that Grant woman out of the picture."

"Edison Davis already went with that plan."

"I'm not talking about some half-assed plan by an amateur, I'm talking about getting the big guns to take that woman out with a bang!"

Breaking News…

Major city centres are shut down as hundreds and thousands of citizens across the country rally against the looming threat of Socialism. [Cameras focus on the anti-Socialism signs, taking care not to zoom out and show the 'hundreds and thousands' were mostly hundreds, and very few thousands].

Random demonstrator carrying a sign saying 'No Socialism, No Big Government, No Olivia Pope in the White House' is asked, "What do you fear most about Socialism?"

"I don't want the government to get its dirty hands on my property, on my guns, my land, my right to freedom of speech. They don't have no freedom of speech in Red China. Man, remember that time they rolled out the tanks at Tiananmen Square, all because a bunch of kids wanted freedom. So here I am exercising my freedoms while I still can!"

Meanwhile, in the Grant household…

"Sally Langston sent the army to arrest Mom! Why aren't people talking about that?" Jerry yelled at the television.

"We stand with Sally Langston now," Rowan muttered from behind his newspaper.

"I won't stand with her!"

"But Mom has to, if she wants to be President," Karen said.

"Sally won't let Mom be President, if she wins, she'll have Mom arrested again for being a 'terrorist'."

"Aunt Liv is not a terrorist," said Peter, with a grin.

"She accused Mom of being a terrorist before."

"And she could do it again." Rowan lowered the paper. "She can say Olivia is loyal to a foreign power, like China, and intends to overthrow an elected government by force. That's what they did during the Subversive Activities Control Act of 1950 when Senator Joseph McCarthy began his witch hunts for Communists. Based on little or no evidence, a lot of people lost their jobs and had their reputation ruined. Sally could follow that same path. She has precedent. She suspended Habeas Corpus during her 21 days as President. She only needed 21 days. McCarthy's fear campaign ran for nearly a decade with unsubstantiated accusations. His victims had their access to due process denied, and their civil liberties were suspended. When a lunatic gets power, no law can save you!"

Rowan paused for breath, then realized that Karen, Jerry and Peter were staring at him in silent horror. He cleared his throat. "I'm not saying history will repeat itself. I have no way of knowing that."

"But based on past evidence history usually does repeat," Jerry said softly.

"This is a disaster." The campaign manager stared at a graph on his laptop. "At this rate we'll have to fly commercial for the rest of the campaign."

Sally smiled accepting a glass of champagne from the flight attendant on their private jet. "I'm sure you worrying too much. Worrying is like sitting in a rockin chair, it won't get you further down the road."

"Did you read your morning emails? The Bank of America wants its donation back! There's talk about a class action suit to stop you being President because you'll open the White House doors to a bunch of Reds from Communist China!"

"China is our leading trading partner. They own more than a trillion of our debt, second only to Japan. Besides, I have been called a red-necked hillybilly on Capitol Hill." Sally took a sip from her glass. "This isn't the McCarthy era."

"Our donors missed that memo. They don't want Communists in charge of National Security. They'd take a gay Deputy over a Communist any day of the week. Take a look at these figures." He turned laptop screen in Sally's direction. "You're going to have to fire her."

"I can't fire someone who hasn't officially accepted my invitation to run on the Republican Presidential ticket."

"You made the announcement to get her on the ticket without consulting the Pope woman. There's nothing stopping you from changing your mind!"

Sally makes a phone call.

"You'll have to make a statement."

Olivia: "Saying what?"

Sally: "Saying you're not a Socialist."

"I'm not a Socialist."

"You'll have to make that clear. In a statement."

"Do you want me to make a statement that I'm not black?"

"Are you saying you are a Socialist?"

"I'm saying I'm black. There are more voters who have a problem with the fact that I'm black, than the idea that I'm a Socialist."

Sally rang off without a word.

Olivia turned to find Fitz. "That got under her skin. Let's see how far Sal takes this charade of being a born-again Liberal." Olivia smiled as Fitz burst out laughing.

Olivia makes a statement.

After Sunday morning service, she stopped by the contingent of media gathered outside church and let the questions flow.

"Is it true you're a socialist?"

"I'm not a socialist, no."

"But you identify with socialist policies like raising the minimum wage?"

"I don't believe raising the minimum wage should be classed as a socialist policy. We work to get paid, to earn enough to pay our bills, to put a roof over our heads, to put food on the table, to give our kids a better future. If you work, and you don't get paid enough to do that, then we need to raise the minimum wage."

"When the Roosevelt Administration managed to get the minimum wage law passed in 1938, the national hourly rate was 25 cents an hour. Today it's $7.27, that's in the states where Fight for $15 hasn't succeeded. You have to admit we've come a long way since 1938."

Olivia smiled. "The cost of living has come a long way too. It has overtaken the minimum wage. In real terms, people earning the minimum wage today have less to spend on food, rent and what we call the bare necessities than their parents or grandparents paid the minimum wage in 1968. In a little more than 50 years, minimum wage workers are nearly $7,000 worse off in earning capacity. That's not something to be proud of. We don't want people with jobs to feel like their field slaves on a cotton plantation. We want people with jobs to feel like they are making a valued and valuable contribution to national growth and the economy. That's not socialism, that's the American Dream."

Morning News show…

'What have you got for us today, Ron?'

'It's probably the worst kept secret on Capitol Hill, but my sources tell me that Olivia-Pope Grant, our will-she-or-won't-she candidate, will finally say 'I do' to Sally Langston.'

'To tying the knot?'

[Laughter]

'Heck, no, Langston's views on same sex marriage won't allow for that, but the two women will join forces on the Presidential ticket, to face off the heavy-weight front-runner Edison Davis…'

"Are you sure about this?" Sally campaign manager frowned at her. "That little sound bite won't save us."

"In a rigged game, it's important to know where your queen stands."

"What?"

"My old man taught me a few tricks with three-card Monte Carlo."

"You been hitting the hooch?"

"You never heard of three card Monte Carlo?"

"It's a card game that robs victims blind."

"Ah, but the victim bets that they'll beat the dealer."

"In this game, you're not the dealer."

"No, but they've got themselves thinking I'm a mark and they are sadly mistaken."

"What is Olivia thinking?" James wondered as they waited for the news conference to start.

"She's thinking." Cyrus leaned over, offering a bowl of freshly popped corn.

James grabbed a handful. "Did we forget this is Sally Langston? The woman is unstable and vindictive."

"She's a Republican. Goes with the territory."

"You're enjoying this!"

"Yes."

James rolled his eyes and went to check if Ella had woken from her nap.

"That sound bite won't save them," said the two men sitting across from Edison, in the heavily armoured car, driving around the Washington Monument. "We've got the Electoral College in the bag."

"But it's another break in the Berlin Wall." Edison sounded impatient.

"What are you talking about – the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. It was a great day for the free market."

"Brought an end to Communism in Central and Eastern Europe."

Edison sat forward. "Olivia's got people talking about Socialism. She's got college kids and school kids breaking the Internet looking up free education and universal healthcare."

"All we need to do is remind every American of the amount of tax they'll need to pay to fund those pie-in-the-sky schemes and that'll be the end of their little socialist dreams. We hate paying taxes – that's what the Boston Tea Party was all about."

"It was about taxation without representation."

"School kids can't vote. They don't vote, and they don't pay taxes."

"Unless it's a sales tax."

"They still can't vote. And those who can – college kids – don't vote. The youth vote polls the lowest in every election."

"That could change in this election."

"It won't matter, you'll still be President. It's guaranteed."

"Second thoughts?"

Olivia stopped pacing the deck and turned to find Fitz, carrying Gracie wearing a red dress with white polka dots.

"And ruin Gracie's debut as the newly-anointed Republican mascot?"

Fitz grinned. "Sally's not stupid, she knows Gracie is going to be the real star of the show."

"Not just for her pretty face. There's a reason Sally wanted this circus to be held at the Ulysses S Grant High School. Reminding us of the Republican President who took on the Klu Klux Klan."

'And the school is not as plush as the US Grant Hotel in San Diego. Got two birds with one stone, our Sal, socialism and racism. In a very subtle manner. Your influence."

Olivia laughed. "Not true!"

"I believe you're right. Not that you're not a good influence, but I have a hard time swallowing the idea Sally has changed so drastically, deep down inside."

"Sally is in it, to win it."

Fitz grinned. "That the real slogan for her campaign."

Abby sniffed the air. "Something doesn't smell right."

Quinn rolled the window down with a push of a button.

"What are you doing?!" Abby rolled the windows up from the driver's side.

"I'm just letting in some fresh air! Chill!"

"You're letting in bugs!"

"You were complaining about a bad smell!"

Abby stared at Quinn for a moment, then shook her head. "I have a bad feeling about Liv's meeting with Sally tonight."

"If it's a contest between your gut and Liv's gut, I'm going with her gut."

"Her gut has been playing up ever since she had Gracie."

"Not it hasn't! Take that back!"

Instead Abby did a sharp right, ignoring blaring horns and Quinn's shriek of alarm.

"What's got into you?! Are you trying to kill us?!"

"No! I'm going to keep Liv safe!"

"What are you talking about?"

"There was a gun shop back there."

"You can't buy a gun – they won't let you into the school carrying a gun."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Outside your own home, schools are on the list of most likely places you could be shot dead. Besides I already have a gun. I'm going to buy a gun for you."

"I don't want one!"

"You're going to get one. Think of Olivia. Think of Grace."

"I am! That's why I don't want one!"

"It's a gift."

"I don't want it!"

"Remember your manners. Got any preferences for brand, colour, size? On second thoughts, I'll decide. We can't have you choose a gun, the same way you'd choose a man."

"Abby!"

Olivia walked downstairs to find Rowan adjusting Teddy's red bowtie, Felicia plaiting a red ribbon through Karen's French braid and Peter making sure Jerry's tie was on straight as Gracie watched the proceedings from her bassinet.

"Ready?" Olivia asked.

"Mom, are you?" Karen responded.

Olivia paused.

"It's not too late to change your mind," Jerry mumbled, with his upturned chin.

Olivia smiled.

Then Fitz walked in with Tom and Huck by his side, to announce that Oscar had landed on the front lawn, in a military helicopter.

"Did you see that?" Quinn hissed in outrage as Abby hurried her down the corridor. "We didn't go through the metal detectors. They didn't even pat me down!"

"Ssh! If you want a pat down, you'll have to find a dating app."

"That's not what I'm talking about!"

Abby hurried her steps. "They know we're with Olivia."

"How do they know that?!"

Abby paused to pick up the official campaign pass that Quinn had around her neck and shove it under her nose.

"We could have stolen that off someone," Quinn grumbled as they started down the corridor again.

"After we went to the trouble of finding someone who looks like your twin?"

"Yes."

As everyone scattered and scrambled doing last minute checks, grabbing last minute things, Oscar and Olivia faced each other in the middle of the melee.

"Are you sure about this?" Oscar asked softly.

"No!" Olivia laughed. "Sometimes you have to deal with trolls to get to the pot of gold."

Oscar grinned. "Sounds like you've been spending too much time with Jerry. That's the kind of thing I'd expect him to say."

"He did say that! And he's right. Even though my head thinks this is a really bad idea, my gut feels okay about this."

The phone buzzed in Oscar's pocket. He looked at the caller ID, and handed it to Olivia with a wry smile.

"Zeke, you worrying again?"

"A lot of folks aren't going to be happy with the news they're about to hear. They don't like Sally, and they don't want you on her ticket. I've had to call in the Marines, the National Guard, the Police, you name it. They are there to protect you all."

"I'm grateful, but you shouldn't have. We'll be safe. I'm sure of it."

"That makes one of us. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to my Grant family."

"Nothing will."

"I come bearing gifts," Sally's campaign manager said drolly, handing her two corsages – one of a white rose, the other a red rose.

Sally picked up the white rose, pinning it to the lapel of her red jacket.

"Ready for war?"

"War?"

"The War of the Roses between the Lancasters and Yorks, fighting for the English throne in the Middle Ages."

"Olivia and I are on the same side."

"For now."

"We're living in the now. Tomorrow will take care of itself." Sally picked up the box with the red rose. "I feel like I'm going to the Prom."

"Let's hope your date sticks to her lines."

"Oh, I believe Olivia is ready to play ball. She has finally got her sights on the throne."

"If we go back to the War of the Roses, Henry Tudor, the guy with red rose won in the end."

"He married Elizabeth of York, from the white rose family."

The campaign manager paused. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"I'm telling you that the warring factions joined forces to create a dynasty that lasted more than a century."

"…Who are you?"

Sally laughed. "Watch this space."

"Wow, look at all those people." Peter smooshed his face against the window, staring down at the mass gathering at the entrance of the school.

"Sally wanted to have a Town Hall setting without an actual Town Hall." Fitz peered over Peter's shoulder.

Olivia sidled closer to Fitz. "Probably didn't want a repeat of the night that people were held hostage at the Town Hall debate you moderated between Edison and Sally."

"That was the night Darius Taylor stole the show," Fitz grinned, slipping his arm around Olivia. "Just like you will tonight."

Jerry started making kissy-kissy noises, making Karen giggle.

"That's our cue," Fitz murmured, meeting Olivia's smile with his lips.

"Guys keep it PG, we've got kids here." Jerry covered Teddy's eyes, as Karen did the same with Gracie on her lap.

"Get used to it," Fitz muttered, before deepening the kiss.

"Ewww, gross!" There were gagging noises which were completely ignored.

Oscar, Tom and Huck arrived in a military helicopter ahead of the Grants. They scattered on landing in the middle of the baseball oval to check on the safety aspects of their location.

"They're letting 500 people into the auditorium," Oscar informed Zeke via a secured phone line, a short while later. "But the metal detectors were switched off."

"Switched off?"

"The directive came from the Langston camp."

"Huh? Do they have sniffer dogs down there?"

"No."

"Get the dogs. Tell them it's a Presidential order!"

"Something doesn't feel right." Huck appeared abruptly at Tom's elbow.

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Security is hit and miss."

"Oscar is taking care of that."

"Might be too late." Huck glared at a group of four or five men standing in a corner of the auditorium, looking like they were part of the sound and light team. "Those guys look like professionals to you?"

A minute later, the group were surrounded by security with guns drawn. As they were made to kneel with their hands in the air, their equipment was searched.

"We've got a live one here!"

Instantly the atmosphere changed, the men were thrown to the ground and handcuffed. The news cameras zoom in…

Breaking News

'We interrupt this program to take you live to Shaneya, at the Langston-Pope conference, where we've just heard there has been an alarming development. What can you tell us, Shenaya?'

Shenaya: 'Four men were arrested minutes ago, suspected of an attempt to assassinate Republican Presidential candidate Sally Langston, and her newly announced deputy, Olivia Pope Grant. [Pre-recordings of the men being arrested appear on the screen…]

'Security searched the men's equipment and found a cache of weapons and ammunition hidden in the audio and video equipment intended for the press conference…Wait, the county police chief is about to make an announcement…"

Police chief: "We have taken four men into custody. We can confirm that we found several concealed weapons in the sound and lighting equipment they brought into the auditorium. The metal detectors didn't pick anything up because of the metal in the equipment. Yes, I can assure that the county has taken the safety of the two women who could be our next President and Vice President seriously. No, we don't know who the suspects are, or why they did this, we're waiting for their lawyers to arrive."

"How long are we going to circle up here?" Peter sat back.

"Until we run out of fuel," Jerry said seriously.

"Until Oscar gives the all clear."

"How long do we have to keep driving around?" Sally looked at her watch. "Until we run out of gas?"

"Until we get the all clear."

"This is ridiculous. I asked for security to be stepped up at the venue. How did the tech team walk in with guns in their equipment?"

Breaking News…

'Police SWAT teams have found a van with four men, unconscious and handcuffed, in their underwear…. [A chopper view of scene zooms in on a blue van parked on a grassy verge]. The men have been taken to hospital where they have regained consciousness. From early reports, it appears the men were on their way to set up the audio equipment for the Langston-Pope community meeting but they were stopped by what they believed was a cop car. The men were asked to step out of the van with their hands in the air, and they have no recollection of what happened after that…'

[The news anchor asks the roving reporter if the men in custody have said anything yet].

Reporter: 'No, they are still maintaining their silence and it seems all four men are represented by the same lawyer…'

"Who's paying the lawyer?" Zeke asked the FBI chief. "Are we following the money trail?"

"We're following the money trail."

"Keep me posted. This is a priority. I need to know who organised this."

"Yes, Mr President."

When Sally Langston's vehicle was given the all clear, it rolled in front of the school entrance which had been cleared of everyone, except security.

The moment Sally and her campaign manager stepped out of the car, they were surrounded by FBI.

"What's going on?" Sally demanded.

A senior field agent stepped forward. "Ma'am, there's been a development."

"What kind of development?"

There was an exchange of looks between the agents. "Let's get you inside to the Principal's office. We can talk there."

"What's the development?" Sally demanded as soon as they stepped into the vacated principal's office.

"Why don't you sit down, ma'am. Get comfortable."

"I don't have time to get comfortable. We have an auditorium full of people waiting for Olivia Pope and I to show up with our campaign messages."

"Mrs Langston, there could be a slight problem with that. We have evidence that the lawyer, representing the men arrested for trying to kill you and Mrs Grant, is getting paid by your campaign office."

Sally stared at the speaker in utter silence, until her campaign manager cleared his throat. Instantly Sally turned on him.

"Don't say a word. Do. Not. Say. A Word." Turning to the FBI agents she held out her fists. "Arrest us and read us our rights!"

"Have you committed a crime?"

"This is entrapment!"

"Entrapment? We have a copy of the $20,000 retainer paid to the lawyer to represent the suspects in the assassination plot."

"I fail to see a connection."

"The money originated from an account in the name of your campaign manager's mother."

"Mom hates communists," said the campaign manager.

Sally glared at him. "You wanted me dead?!"

"No! NO!" The man took a deep breath. "I wanted to scare Olivia Pope so she would drop out of the campaign. We can't have a socialist running on the Republican ticket."

"We've got our confession," said one of the agents to his neighbour.

Sally turned on him in a flash. "We were not under arrest and you didn't read us our rights. This is not a voluntary confession."

"We're not required to Mirandize suspects in terror-related acts that threaten public safety." The agent then proceeded to handcuff Sally's campaign manager and read him his rights.

Breaking News…

"News just in, a senior member of the campaign to elect Republican Sally Langston has been arrested on terror-related charges. We understand that Mrs Langston is not under arrest, and that her professional relationship with the alleged suspect did not extend to an assassination attempt on herself or her deputy Olivia Pope Grant…

"Is Sally under arrest?" Fitz asked as Olivia got off the phone with Zeke.

"No."

"Are you still going ahead with this?"

"I guess I am. I have a strong feeling in my gut that there's more to this story."

"So your gut wins over anything I have to say?"

Olivia scrunched her nose, and pecked a kiss on his peeved looking mouth. "Yes."

When Olivia faced Sally Langston.

"It appears I owe you a categorical apology. Not everyone in my campaign office got the memo that we're on the same side."

"Or that I'm not a Socialist."

"This may be a good time to get the message across to everyone else who may be confused."

[The assassination attempt has every news channel switched the Langston-Pope show, so that when Sally and Olivia walked on the makeshift stage, several million eyes in America and around the world were tuned in to what they had to say]

Sally: 'Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies and gentlemen, but there was an element in today's schedule that was a surprise.'

'Who were those men?' a voice yelled out from the audience.

'Your guess is as good as mine," Sally said gravely. "But let's not make what happened, the focus of this evening. We are here to announce a change; a change in the way we see the world, a change in the way we react, a change in the way we move forward with the challenges that face us. Olivia Pope and I want to be the change you want to see in this country, and the world... As the world's only remaining superpower, we have a responsibility to lead where others follow."

"I'm from a red state but I don't support communism!" Another voice yelled out.

Olivia sat forward. "I'll take this one. Sally and I are not communists or socialists. I personally feel there are areas of the economy that needs fixing. Homelessness, unemployment, student debt – these are all on the rise. I don't believe the solution to fixing those national issues is through state ownership or higher taxes. I strongly feel we need to take a good look at the books, and find more efficient ways to distribute the taxes we pay the United States at every level of government. Every good business does that, they grow and succeed by constantly looking at ways to improve productivity and efficiencies because they have a direct impact on profit. Isn't it time, the government was run along the same lines?'

There were rumblings in the audience. Then a voice called out, "So you're not trying to turn the United States of America into Russia or China?"

"No." Olivia paused to let that word sink in. "Now let me get personal with you. As parents, we think we know what's best for our kids, and most of us do what is best for them. Governments sometimes adopt the same attitude—"

"I don't want to live in no Nanny State!" a voice yelled and was met with a ripple of applause from other audience members.

Olivia waited for silence, before continuing. "I feel the same way, I don't want to live in a Nanny State and I don't think Big Government is the answer to our problems. But people in government have access to data, they have access to experts, they talk with world leaders, they meet scientists, economists, civil rights activists, you. Governments have access to the Bigger Picture, and this picture may look different in each country – which is why different leaders have different ways of doing what they think is best, to get people out of poverty, to educate people, to provide jobs, to make sure there's enough hospitals to look after the sick, and people have enough saved to keep living comfortably after they retire. I sincerely believe all our countries, whether we are Communist or Capitalist, want the best for our citizens but we get lost in trying to prove we have the better system. We get lost when we elect people who only want the best for themselves and their buddies, but no one else. We get lost when we don't see that we're all in this together – when we don't see that the homeless on the street have as much right to a good life as the President of the United States. We are all part of this great nation, but has this great nation done a good job in making the guy who flips burgers believe he's living the American Dream as much as the CEO of a multinational company? Do you think our great nation values the sacrifices made by our soldiers who fight for our freedoms as much as their commanders, if we did why do so many of veterans end up homeless or dead from PTSD? Do you think our nurses, our janitors, our teachers, do you think they feel as valued for their hard work as much as an actor or sports star? If you think we do, you would be lying to yourself. And we cannot keep lying to ourselves if we want to fix what's wrong. And that's what I would like to do – have a chance to fix what is not working, with Sally's help and guidance."

There was a pin drop silence after Olivia stopped speaking. No one asked another question. Then someone clapped and then another, and another. In minutes, the whole audience had risen to their feet and they were clapping.

When Olivia turned to Sally, the other woman smiled.

As the applause subsided, another voice yelled out, "Why are you running on the Republican Ticket; you sound like a Democrat?"

Olivia chuckled. "If you look at the history of the Republican Party, you'll find it has been the party of progress for both Blacks and Women. The First Republican President Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Republicans Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the 19th Amendment in 1872 to give women the right to vote."

Sally came to stand by Olivia. "Anthony and Stanton were ahead of their time, because we had to wait another 48 years before women's right to vote in the United States was ratified in 1920."

"White women's right," Olivia reminded Sally gently.

"Yes," Sally acknowledged. "Black women had to wait until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 before they could vote.

Olivia smiled at Sally, before turning to the audience. "Another bit trivia from history, is that a woman – Republican Jeannette Rankin from Montana – was elected to the House of Representatives in 1916, four years before the majority of women could vote. Those who have the vote have the power to change history. Those of us who vote have the responsibility of electing leaders who inspire confidence, courage, innovation, change for the better."

Someone tapped the microphone, the first person to do so, and said clearly, "You campaigned as an Independent. Your husband, while he was in office, turned his back on the Republican Party to be an Independent. Can Republican voters trust that you won't change your stripes if you get to the White House again?"

Olivia took a moment before replying. "You're right. I did run as an independent because I felt this country needs to move away from party politics. And for that reason, I cannot ask you to vote Republican or Democrat, that choice must be yours. I only ask that you don't use your vote in a popularity contest. Some of our greatest achievements as a nation were very unpopular at the time, but our Presidents – both Republican and Democrat – chose to move ahead at great cost to themselves, respecting the great costs borne by our civil rights pioneers. Republican President Dwight Eisenhower desegregated schools with the help of the National Guard in 1957. President John F Kennedy prepared our nation for the Civil Rights Act in 1963. He was assassinated that same year. So dare I ask that you choose the best candidate for the change you would like to see in the world. A change that will require guts and vision. A change for the better, if not the best."

Sally waited until the applause died down - which took longer this time - before saying, "Unlike Olivia, I have been a dyed-in-the-wool Republican for many generations. It is in my blood, my DNA and for that reason but not that reason alone, I ask you vote for us. Because the best man for this job, is a woman and you get two on our ticket."

A/N: References -

How the Interrogation of Reality Winner Reveals the Deceptive Tactics of "Exceedingly Friendly" FBI Agents (The Intercept) 20 Of the Greatest

Moments In the History Of the Republican Party (Townhall)

Minimum Wage in the United States (Wikipedia)

Low-wage workers are suffering from a decline in the real value of the federal minimum wage (Economic Policy Institute - )