Free The Run by Stuart Woods

nodded.
    Sam Meriwether was Will’s own congressman, representing Georgia’s fourth district, which included Delano. He was in his late thirties, smart, energetic, and supremely well organized.
    “Kitty, call Sam at home and ask him to come and see me here as soon as he can.”
    Kitty went to the other side of the room and pickedup a phone. She came back a moment later. “He’s on his way; he was already in his office.”
    “Good. Now, tell me: Who did you two come up with for the Holy Man?”
    “Mason Rutledge,” Tim said, “known as Rut to his friends.”
    “I know him vaguely,” Will replied. “Bring me up-to-date on him.”
    Tim read from a sheet of paper. “Harvard Law, class of ’52; private practice with Woodman & Weld in New York for thirty years, with occasional leave for public service; worked for Archibald Cox when he was independent counsel, during the Watergate investigations; was axed with Cox during the Saturday Night Massacre; an assistant attorney general under Griffin Bell during the Carter years, responsible for, among other things, campaign-law violations; said to have turned down the AG job when Clinton offered it to him. Clinton appointed him to the Court of Appeals. Rumor had it he would have appointed him to the Supreme Court, but the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee would have obstructed, so he walked away from that. Last year he retired from the court, and he now holds a chair in constitutional law and legal ethics at Harvard Law. Married forty years, two sons—one an assistant AG, the other at Woodman & Weld. Old New England stock, spotless character, only a little pompous.”
    “Will he do it?”
    Kitty spoke up. “I know the son, Arthur, who’s at Justice. We had lunch a couple of weeks ago, and Artie said his father missed public life a little. My impression is he’ll do it, if he can stay in Cambridge.”
    “No reason why he couldn’t do it with a phone and a fax machine, is there?”
    “Not that I can see. I don’t think Harvard Lawwould require him to take a leave if he’s just a consultant on campaign law and ethics.”
    “Put him high on the list to call on Friday.” Will consulted his notes. “Who to run the advance operation?”
    Tim shuffled some papers. “We think Leo Berg would be good.”
    “Secret Service guy?”
    “Retired. He ran the White House detail for four years; before that he was their top advance man. He’d be good for liaison with the Secret Service detail, too. He’s well liked in the Service.”
    “Good choice; I would never have thought of him. Tim, you call him Friday afternoon.”
    “Right.” Tim made a note. “Kitty and I both think that Mimi Todd would be good to run Issues. She’s done a great job in the Senate office, and she’s already trained an assistant.”
    “I agree. On Wednesday, have her start rewriting everything, removing references to Georgia and putting a national cast. I want us all to review each issue before anything is carved in stone.”
    There was a rap at the door, and Will pressed the button under his desk that released the lock. Sam Meriwether walked in. Tall, shambling, always slightly disheveled, he gave an almost opposite impression of the man he really was.
    “You’re up early, Sam,” Will said.
    “Shoot, I’ve been at my desk for at least two hours.” Sam grinned.
    “Come sit down,” Will said. “I’ve got some good news for you.”
    Sam folded his length into a chair. “Always like getting good news.”
    Sam,” Will said, “I’ve decided to make you a United States senator.”

    Sam smiled broadly. “Well, I guess I could choke that down.” He half rose. “You want to switch seats now?”
    “Sit down, Sam.” Will laughed. “I didn’t say I was going to do it today.”
    “How long do I have to wait?”
    “A little over three years, if you’re lucky.”
    “What do I have to do to get lucky?”
    “You have to get me elected president of the United States.”
    “Is