Chapter 60

Chapter 60—Preparing for 

the press conference

6:10 a.m., Friday, December 30

Janet was used to taking orders from James, because it was understood that he spoke for Allison. So when he told her to close the door behind her, she simply complied with his command.  Neither she nor Lesley took issue with that arrangement. Actually, the two aides both greatly admired James. They viewed him as possessing genius intellect. He was always able to see the larger picture, and always seemed able to solve a problem.
 “Allison has some important news for you. But first, when this short meeting is over, we want you to get hold of Cal. Tell him that James and Allison need him to get over here ASAP. Tell him to cancel all his meetings for today, we’ll be keeping him busy here.”
 Cal was a special lawyer. Allison and James both trusted him as much as anyone can trust a lawyer. You could probably say that Cal was one step up the ladder from being a mob lawyer. Or maybe below—it depends on how you look at it. But just like a mob lawyer, Cal knew where all the bodies were buried, and he knew he would end up in the same place if he ever broke a confidence. So, when James told the aide to have Cal cancel all his appointments, there were no questions to be asked about it. If Cal was burying his mother, it was understood that he would have to miss the funeral. Cal had to come when beckoned by James or Allison.
“Okay, we’re going to make this quick,” James continued. “We’ve got a lot to get done. A lot. Al, would you tell them about the call?”
“Earlier this evening James got a call. It was from a reporter neither of us ever had ever heard of. He said he was from the New York Times. We can’t verify it, but he did have James’ phone number. He wanted to get a comment on an article he intends to run. The article is based on some bogus information. We don’t have any idea yet who’s behind it. Probably some right-wing group. Who knows. There are so many kooks out there. Anyway, we denied it. We called the Times, and they had no idea who this so-called reporter was, and they knew nothing about the story.”
“Why is that a problem?” Janet asked. “If the Times won’t back it up, why is that a problem?”
“Normally that would be right,” James jumped in. “But this could create a very dangerous situation for Al. There is one element of truth about what the reporter was saying. That has to do with the fact that Allison and I have been intimate. We have no idea where this reporter is getting his information. But he is right about Allison and me.
“Therefore, we are holding a press conference—so we can announce it to the press before this reporter can. We’re going to pre-empt him.”
Allison then added, “it’s a cinch that the Times won’t touch it, but once it hits the internet, and the idiot bloggers start running with it, all hell could break loose.”
Neither Janet nor Lesley opened their mouths. They both just stood there trying to imagine all the ramifications. James then continued. “Used to be all we had to worry about was the Times—east and west. Not so anymore. Once a rumor hits the web, there’s no controlling it.”
The news about the sexual intimacy was hard for both Janet and Lesley to believe. In all the years they had known Allison and James, they not once ever suspected there was anything going on between them, other than the business of politics. In fact, they had never once suspected that James ever screwed around. He certainly had plenty of opportunities—late nights on the campaign trail, hotels, bars, and endless airports and smelly airplanes. But not once had either of them ever witnessed James making a pass at anyone, not even after a few beers. They viewed him as the consummately boring faithful husband. They were shocked to hear about the affair.
“Unfortunately, we are being forced to admit it,” Allison said. “There is no point denying it. There is just too much evidence.”
Janet and Lesley both wondered about that. They had served on Allison’s staff when she was in the White House, and they knew that almost anything, even the most obvious, could and would be denied, if it suited their purposes. Neither of them commented, but if a thought bubble were to have appeared above their heads it would have contained the image of Bob continually denying his indiscretions.
But wisdom dictated they remain silent, and they did.
James looked at his watch. “We are having a press conference, downstairs in the lobby, at 10 a.m. today. That way it will hit the network news fresh, as well as cable. Janet, you can take care of that announcement.  Are we competing with any breaking news?”
“Not that I know about,” said Lindsay. “But if the President’s Press Secretary gets wind of this, she might generate something. It is Thursday, after all.”
James was not worried about that. He knew from his vast experience that sex drives the news. And a solicitous scandal drives it even harder. It would not be a good time for anyone to try to step on this. In fact, this would be a great opportunity for some Senator or Representative to fess up to a DUI. This sex scandal would drive a DUI right off the front page. James knew that this story would steal the above the fold headline slot in all the major papers, as well as own cable and network coverage, at least through the weekend news cycle. He realized that no one can predict what the bloggers might do, but they could not be controlled, anyway. James had decided that the best way to deal with the potential disclosure of the assassination plot was to provide the piranha with a better story. That, he calculated, would give him time to do some damage control. At least, that’s how he viewed it, and how he had explained it to Allison.
James looked down at his watch for the fifth time. “Fifteen minutes till show time. Are you good to go?”
“I’m ready,” Allison said. It was, however, obvious that she was not totally sold on James’ concept.
Allison then turned and addressed her two aides. “Both of you might be useful in getting this set up. Go down and offer any assistance you can.”
Once Janet and Lesley had gone, Allison turned back to James. “During my eight years in the White House, press conferences like this were set up to deny extramarital sex, not to admit it. Why are you so sure we’re handling this in the right way? Once we make this announcement, there’ll be no turning back.”
“By admitting to this one or two night stand with your chief advisor, we will deflect every other news story out there. That’s all anyone will be interested in. I swear, Russia could attack Alaska, and China could invade Hawaii, and no one would care. All they’re gonna be caring about is, ‘What’s Bob gonna think about this?’ And they’re gonna be checking into our backgrounds trying to find out how long this has been going on. They will be so busy they’ll have no time for anything else.”
“Speaking of Bob, how sure are you he’ll get on board with this? Have you talked to him?”
“No time. But he’s a smart guy. He’ll know exactly what we’re up to. Anyway, it’s best that he be caught off guard. That way his face will get red, and he will blow a gasket. But once he talks to us, he’ll play along.”
James took one more look at his watch, then asked, “Well, Al, ready to rock and roll?”
“You sonofabi**h, you better know what you’re doing here, or your head will roll. Bob will kick it around like a soccer ball.”