ALL IN: Race for the White House (18 page)

People pushed up against the car enough that we could feel it bouncing, like when you test the shocks on a used car to see if they’re any good. The cops quickly cleared a path up to the building. I followed Tip out of the car into the chill of a January wind that felt much colder without an overcoat or the sun.
 

It gets dark around 4:30 this time of year in the Northeast. As we entered through a cold, dark police line toward the building, I saw a man to my left jump over the barricade, lunging towards me. Tip stepped over, and, with a quick snap of his arm, the back of his hand slammed the guy square in the center of his face. The guy fell back into the police who quickly covered him.

“This is crazy, Tip,” I said as we ascended the granite steps through the heavy black doors.

A quick memory flashed in my mind about the Boston Police. They beat up a kid we knew years ago because he mouthed off on the street in front of the Red Sox stadium. I thought they might do the same again.
 

Tip said, “Good thing we’ve got our guys out there.”

We hurried through the police rope line set up in the center of the hallway, past hundreds of onlookers calling out to me as we entered the large open area. Bud arranged for us to be met at the main entry door on the second floor. As we climbed to the top of the staircase, I heard a young man’s voice call out, “Senator, please follow me. I’ll take you to your dressing room. I’m Vic Miller, Associate Producer with KIM News; it’s great to meet you, Sir.”

“Likewise, Vic.”

“We’ve got to get you into makeup; there’re only 25 minutes till airtime and we are live.” Vic had a nervous voice and he whisked us into a backstage area lined with small dressing rooms.
 

We entered through a small door and met Melanie, who was waiting for us. Tip stood by the door as Melanie introduced herself, guiding me into a chair in front of a mirror, as you would see in a hair salon. She stood behind me and stuffed black linen into my collar to keep from spoiling my white shirt. She arranged the cloth to cover my blue suit.
 

“We don’t want to get any makeup on your shirt,” she said.
 

Melanie was young and spent the whole time telling us about herself. She was a single mom with a 4-year-old daughter, Stephanie, tattooed into one wrist and Judy, her mom’s name, on the other. I could see her in the mirror talking behind me. Her brown bangs were bobby pinned off her face. The rest of her hair was styled in a severely angled cut, long in front with the back of her head shaved short. Melanie obviously worked hard for a living. Her story gave a hint of her struggle, although she wasn’t complaining, “Senator, I am going to vote for you! I’ve seen your ads on TV and I think you’re exactly what this country needs.”

I could tell she was a tender person under the dark eyeshadow and bright red lips alternating between a smile and motion.

“Thanks, Melanie, I appreciate that. Are you from the Boston Area?”
 

Small talk is definitely not my specialty. Some folks can talk for hours about anything. I’ve never had a talent for it. I heard Vic’s voice nervously interrupting as he popped back into the tiny dressing room,” Senator we’ve set up screens outside of the crowd to watch the debate. I’ve never seen this many people gathered for an event like this; it is amazing, the effect you’re having on them.”

“The people outside, Vic?” I quizzed.
 

“No, everywhere - at the mall, the gas station. I was at the grocery store this afternoon and all people could talk about was - we need to make our own energy.”

All the advance work had paid off. The materials we put together and the ads were having an even greater effect than we’d hoped.
 

Vic said to a sound guy, “We need the senator mic’d and out front in 5.”

Melanie was applying a thin cream makeup to my face, “It looks a little dark, Melanie, are you sure?”

“You’ll get washed out under the bright lights if you don’t have this on. Don’t you worry, I’m doing my best work for you.”

At the same time, the soundman is wiring me up.

Vic says, “All set, let’s go. This way, please, Senator.”
 

We filed through a doorway onto the stage area. Vic walked me over to a small podium facing the moderators. Lexi and I immediately found each other’s eyes. I was glad she was here.

Brett Prauer, a brash egocentric bully that passed for a Washington correspondent, was next to her. Brett was twice divorced. I thought what woman could stand him. In his late forties, he made his reputation asking the so-called tough questions many other national reporters would not ask. I usually cringed when watching him interview and preferred to change the channel. Brett had very thin hair, black hair he made a point of cutting short, and cold features that reminded me of a third world dictator.
 

I’d have to be very firm with him right out of the gate and let him know this dog could bite back. Let him lock horns with the governor or one of the others. Next to me, on my left was Anne Griffin, on my right Dr. Tim Greene. Next to him were the Reverend Terry Williams, and Bobby D on the far end. The league invited the five of us for tonight’s debate and Anne Griffin was spoiling for a fight. She had edged out Dr. Tim in Iowa and I could tell by the way she was posturing that she was looking to break out of the pack tonight. In her usual style, she wouldn’t care who she stepped on to do it. I’d have to put her in her place like a gentleman I thought looking over at her and smiling.
 

The crowd was standing room only. It looked over capacity for a room that normally held five hundred; it probably had seven hundred fifty pressed into it. I was ready to go; the throngs of people calling out to me on the way in had given me a burst of energy. It made me feel incredible.
 

I could hear a producer’s voice in my earpiece counting down the seconds until we were live. The cameras were hot, the producer signaled to Brett Prauer who introduced himself, the event, and then Lexi.
 

Lexi began speaking, “Thank you, Brett. Each candidate will be allowed a brief opening statement, after which we will begin the questions. There will be no direct questions between the participants, but rebuttal to statements will be allowed.”
 

Lexi introduced each of the five candidates, including their state, then gave time for opening comments. I listened as each candidate gave their canned spiel, to polite applause, and I thought how cliché they all were. I didn’t like any of the competitors personally with the exception of Dr. Tim. I thought he was a good man from Maine, smart, but with views a bit too ‘save the planet’ for my taste. Lexi introduced me and I began.
 

“This campaign is for the poor, the disenfranchised, the forgotten Americans who have suffered the hardship of back to back recessions. You deserve better than you are getting from Washington. The middle class is shrinking, the poor are suffering, and wealth is ever more concentrated in the hands of a few.” I paused for a moment and scanned the audience.
 

“I am in this race because it is unfair that 1% of Americans control 50% of the income in this country. It’s wrong that the other 99% are forced to subsist on what remains. The inequity has gone on too long. An elite superclass has developed in this country while ordinary Americans suffer as a result.
 

“If you’re tired of living off the scraps…

“If you’re fed up with a lack of opportunity…
 

“If you want to take this country back for the many rather than the few…

“Then I need your help and your vote.”

The crowd broke out into a raucous applause and many people stood.
 

Brett Prauer was trying to regain control, “Please, we are going to have to ask for you to hold your applause in the audience.”

I continued speaking over him, “If you want the unfairness to continue…

“If you’re happy with the way things are…

“If this economy is working for you…

“Then by all means, vote for Gil Barker!

“If you want an America that produces its own energy and the jobs and investment that goes with it then vote for me.
 

“This campaign is all for you, America, and make no mistake - We Can! Take this country back!
 

“Look, everyone, it’s not going to be easy to change the status quo. We’re all brainwashed from school age that everyone has an equal chance to make it in this country, but that’s a lie!

“I reject the myth, and I strongly object to 48 million food challenged. I vehemently object to millions of homeless in this country.
 

“If you’re tired, if you’re hungry, if you’re worried about your home, this campaign is for you—the real people who are hurting in America!

“Our bridges and roads are crumbling on the outside while our hearts are breaking on the inside. The pain is causing many to rot from within; it impacts health, marriages, and self-esteem. It is not your fault our jobs were sent overseas.
 

“But… there’s plenty of blame to go around in Washington. Our campaign is for the future of every man, woman, and child in America.
 

“I am asking you to take to the streets and tell your neighbors what you heard here tonight! Let’s take this country back and create a brighter future for all Americans.
 

“If you’ve had enough…

“If you’re fed up with all of the above…

“If you want an America that works for all Americans - Now is the Time to act!”

I could hear the cheers from the crowd outside. I spoke the words
God Bless America
as the audience sprang to its feet. Americans were at the end of a very long rope, and our message was gathering momentum. It took several moments for Brett Prauer to settle the crowd enough for the Texas Governor to begin.
 

 
Anne Griffin introduced herself last, spoke about her two terms as Governor and her executive abilities, “What America needs is someone who has managed a budget and handled the number one job of managing a state. America has illegal immigrants crossing the border stealing American jobs. We need to produce more of our own oil by expanding drilling in the Gulf and cutting the red tape, allowing for more refinery capacity. We need to put more into education to attract higher paying technical jobs within a growing global marketplace!”

 
She raised her voice for effect, “My plan of Free State College for every citizen would make America more competitive. Like it or not, the fuel for our economy is oil and that isn’t gonna change anytime quick.”

She was looking at me while making an effort to dissuade the crowd, “If the Senator’s plan would have worked we would’ve done it already. Why hasn’t that happened?”
 

Brett Prauer said, “Thank you all for the introductions, with that I would like to ask Senator Canon the first question. Sir, what do you think of the Governor’s last statement?”

“Brett, I would answer the Governor by saying we are already doing it. The technology is with us to turn corn, soybeans, and Jatropha into biofuels. I gave a speech a few weeks ago at Georgetown University, outlining our plan to create energy right here in America, and we have a book out on the subject.
 

“What she’s not telling you is it’s going to take a presidential initiative to steer us in the right direction. The oil companies are not going to lay down while we work to drop the price of their product! We need to subsidize the growing and production of feedstock like Jatropha into biofuels. We have to give farmers the incentive to grow fuel for America. Like the victory gardens of old, citizens have to get involved. School kids could learn about bioenergy growing gardens at recess. We need to change the national psyche to understand and to use the new fuels. The great thing is we can make a major impact in one growing season; we are talking months, not years.
 

“We can work to increase yield the way we did with corn, and Jatropha is a grass, not a food source. It grows where many other plants will not, making it perfect for our efforts. Our goal is to produce enough bioenergy that the price of oil drops in half.
 

“The oil producing nations, realizing the market is shrinking, will begin to dump oil onto the market and the byproduct of our efforts will be cheaper energy.
 

“For the foreseeable future to help that along, we will outlaw the speculation in oil and petroleum by those who do not take delivery as an end user of the products. The reason is simple. Right now oil, gas, and natural gas are bought and sold many times each day on speculation that the price will rise. This happens with many commodities and usually it’s a good thing because it makes a market for products and allows manufacturers to lock in prices for raw materials like sugar or cocoa for the year. The exchanges allow a market to be made for planning purposes and the system works well.
 

“The problem is - there is such a vast and nearly insatiable market for petroleum and energy products - the speculation only drives the price higher and higher. People know that winter is coming and we will need oil to heat our homes. Speculators bid up the price with no intention of ever taking delivery of the product. They know people will want to hit the road over the Fourth of July, so they bid up gas prices. This phenomenon serves to create a false demand that drives the price artificially higher.
 

“Look, if you’re an airline or own a chain of gas stations, nothing changes; taking delivery of the products as an end user, you will be able to lock in the price. That was the original intent of these commodity exchanges.
 

“Conversely, if you’re sitting home in your pajamas with nothing more than a computer waiting for a cold snap or a summer holiday to buy up oil and gas and you have no intent or ability to use it then you won’t be able to do that.