Free Power Games: Operation Enduring Unity I by R A Peters Page B

won’t hurt my campaign!” He turned back to the president.
    “That only leaves our runaway senator friend. Once you’re out of the picture, he’ll no longer have any illegitimate foe to demagogue against. A rebel without a cause. His popular support will fade away as quickly as it came. As for his financial backing, well, I’ve already approached Dimone’s biggest financiers. They aren’t interested in throwing good money after bad. I know exactly what they want and find it an acceptable price. It’s a bit funny how they’re willing to sell him out so cheaply. They’ll settle for even less than my own supporters will. Maybe I’m in the wrong party!” He was excited as a schoolboy, while the president just shook his head.
    “Anyway, with Dimone defanged, I’ll offer that calculating attorney general running the show in Florida a face saving way to come back into the fold. Another notch on my belt as the hero that brought this country back from the brink. I don’t know why you never thought of it. You’ve dealt with harder political problems over the last eight years; why were you stumped by this one?”
    The president tried hard to hold the disgust out of his voice. “You think this is some sort of political campaign? Do you have any idea of the social and economic forces aiming to subvert our democracy? The struggle we’re facing is harder and even more dangerous than the Civil War! Those rumors about holding ‘independence referendums’ out west are real. We as a nation are on the verge of the greatest fight in our history, and I don’t know how to stop it!”
    Pierce still kept his perpetual grin on, but his voice held no humor. “No sir, I’m afraid it has always been you doing way too much fighting. You, by staying in power beyond your term and using military force to defend that position, have not only created this crisis, but made it worse at every turn. The only real threat to democracy that needs to be dealt with is you.”
    The president’s eyes burned for a fight. The soon-to-be president backed off. “Ok, I know it’s not as cut and dried as all that, but you know how these things work. Come on, the people need a scapegoat. Five hundred dead or wounded soldiers on both sides is not something we can pass off on an overzealous subordinate. ‘We need to hold someone’s feet to the fire.’ ” Pierce grinned harder at his favorite campaign slogan.
    “Not to worry though. This is politics, nothing personal. I’ll pardon you in a few months when things settle down. As part of the healing process. Sure, we’ll have to let Congress haul you up for some televised grandstanding hearings, but that’s all.”
    Pierce wagged his finger. “Your biggest problem will be all those pissed off soldiers and the families of the fallen. If I were you, I would be spending these next few months reinventing myself as the greatest and most generous veterans advocate around. Have your handlers talk to my PR people; they are great at this stuff and will help with all the details. To help show there’s no hard feelings.”
    The president ambled away from the desk and over to the Lincoln portrait on the far wall. “You know, they, Buchanan and even Lincoln at first, thought the same thing back then. That the growing southern rebellion was just political stuntery and could be countered by other political games. They failed to take decisive action until it was too late to stop the war from happening.” He hung his head.
    “My mistake wasn’t sending in the Army, but rather calling them back. I lost my nerve and now I seriously doubt the military will follow me again. I don’t dare to push them and find out. You should learn from that mistake.”
    He spun around, jabbing his desk with one finger. “Dimone has bitten off more than he can chew. From everything we can tell, what’s happening down South is turning into an honest to God secessionist movement. If you don’t rip this tumor out now, the