The desire to pull the phone out of the wall overwhelmed Warner. His knuckles turned white as he slipped the receiver. He swallowed hard, craving a drink. Don’t do anything rash, he told himself.
Edmund must have taken his silence for submission and continued. “Here’s what I want you to do. First, release a statement to the press that you are not, in any way, connected to my businesses. Then, speak out against it personally, act outraged. Directly address the plight of these people who are abused in sweatshops – say you’re glad this came up, for it’s a great opportunity to help raise awareness of these horrible situations, etcetera, etcetera. You know the routine. Oh, and have Carolyn demand that these charges be investigated. Her sincerity will carry it off.”
“Why the hell couldn’t you have straightened this out before the campaign?”
“Shit, son, this makes things interesting. Quit being such a pussy. Besides, I said I have it handled. Within the week, the conditions at the factory will be exemplary. At which point, you’ll be doing your television interview.”
“What television interview?”
“The one I’ve set up for you and Carolyn. You’ll be hearing from the producer shortly. I’ll let you be surprised by my choice. It’s a top rated show. I’m sure you’ll be pleased. In the meantime, parade that wife of yours around in public. Her popularity will keep you afloat until we can put out the flames.”
“Fine.” Warner switched gears, trying to sound tough. He wasn’t sure why he still tried to please the old man. “What about the Georgia primary? If we pull off New Hampshire, I don’t want to lose our momentum. Call Richard and see if he can persuade Governor Hicks to endorse me.”
“Richard and I have already discussed it. If we need Hick’s pull. Richard can call in a marker. But Warner, if Richard does this favor for you, it locks you into running with him as your vice presidential candidate. Now that his son is recovering, he wants back in.”
“We need the edge, so I’m willing to solidify the deal. Richard will look good on the ticket. He has the strength to carry the south. Shit, he’d probably beat me if he’d been able to run in the primaries.”
“Is Carolyn still set to meet with Governor Hicks?” Edmund asked.
“Yes. Knowing the way she thinks, she’ll also ask Hicks to endorse me.”
“Good. Let her believe it was her success. She can also take the fall if it backfires.”
“I know the drill,” Warner said, and hung up.
They took a late-night flight back to Missouri to escape the press and regroup. The sweatshop story had frazzled everyone’s nerves.
Carolyn convened a meeting in the basement of their home, recently dubbed the “Situation Room.” The location insured privacy. Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets sat on the table. No one ate, except Warner. Quietly, he observed the group between bites.
“How are we going to deal with this?” Ernie finally asked. “Is it even possible to recover?”
“Yes, and we’re going to come out swinging.” Carolyn announced.
Everyone in the room turned to stare at her.
Warner watched cautiously; he wouldn’t mention anything about his conversation with Edmund. As long as Carolyn and Nick headed in the right direction, he’d remain silent. So far, the methods of the Council had yet to be detected, effective as they’d been.
They continued to let Carolyn believe she ran the campaign. This illusion provided an excellent cover for the Council. Warner’s next gift to her would be her belief that she’d convinced the Governor of Georgia to endorse him.
Edmund and Richard had already sealed the deal. Yet, no one knew. And the information wouldn’t be released until Carolyn believed she’d orchestrated the maneuver. He took delight in predicting Carolyn’s future moves and staying ahead of her.
“There are several fronts on which to attack,” Nick said, picking up the gauntlet. “We’ve devised a strategy. First, we issue a press release denying any affiliation on Warner’s part with Edmund Lane ’s companies. This is technically accurate, and we can produce corporate documents proving Warner and Carolyn are not stockholders. When we leave this room, Matt, Ernie, and I will be on the phone, calling every major periodical, television network, and newspaper in the country. Second, we attack the allegation on the basis of credibility. Let’s face it. This is a tabloid reporter we’re talking about. We’ll attack him on that angle. And third, we create a diversion.” Nick looked around to make sure everyone was paying attention.
