ALL IN: Race for the White House by Greg Sandora Read Free Book Online Page A

said.
    Bud added, “The ads will save us from having to do too much meet and greet with the locals. I know you hate that. We are going to play the tape of you in New Hampshire over a much tighter message. We’re going to need some good press right off the bat, as well.”  
    “Thanks, Bud,” I was grateful not to have to be running around too early.  
    Bud asked, “Do you think we could send Sarah and the girls up there for a little vacation? We can get some of our friends in the press to cover the trip.”  
    Everybody in the room agreed with me - Sarah, my wife, was the perfect media darling. Known for her lovely blond hair, she dressed fashionably, was well spoken, and best of all she was a team player. Sarah believed in my plans for the country from the beginning. She thought being first lady would allow her to do the charity work she’d always dreamed of. My daughters are bright and cheerful and look great alongside their mother in photos. The younger, Bethany, at 10 is a petite brunette with blue eyes. She’s easy-going and smart and looks more like me.  
    The oldest, Martha, at fifteen is a five-foot-four-inch blond with green eyes, favoring her mother. She gets more beautiful with each passing day, but she’s becoming a bit of a handful. Thank God for Sarah, because I could never handle her alone.  
    I said, “The press can’t make too much out of a little shopping trip. It’s a good idea Sarah is practically a celebrity in New Hampshire; they love her up there. I’ll ask her to do it for me.”
    “Do you think she’ll do it?” Bill asked.
    “Let me think... shopping, the jet, time with the girls, yeah, I think she will, Bud, load up the debit card!”
    Bud said, “You should make a speech on your Energy Plan for America while the girls and Sarah are in New Hampshire. You know, since we’re going to be shopping it, we don’t want anybody else trying to take any credit for our main card.”
    Lisa said, “We don’t want to do the speech in Iowa; that puts Jack in the fray.”
    “Bud, what do you think about Kentucky? I’d be on friendly territory.”
    Bud thought for a moment, “I like it. You are on home turf for the first run of this, we’d be able to get the kinks out.”
    “How about Georgetown College?” Lisa asked.
    Georgetown is 13 miles north of my residence, in Lexington, Kentucky, and the home of Sarah’s Alma Mater, the University of Kentucky.  
    Lisa cautioned, “We need to have Jack look like an outsider somehow, or at least a maverick.”
    Bud said, “Good thought, let’s do this thing Carter style and only invite a few of the local press. Make it look like the national media isn’t interested.”  
    “That’s good stuff Bud, Carter somehow managed to package himself as an everyman peanut farmer from Plains instead of a Nuclear Physicist who happened to be the Governor of Georgia.”
    Bill said, “Yeah, let’s copy from his playbook. He had this great story about how he started out campaigning and only a couple reporters showed up for his first press conference. He went on to win the damned thing!”
    I said, “Stories sell - if we can tell a good story, people will remember it to the grave. Carter had a great story.”  
    Bill said, “Great, we’ll do the speech on Energy in the afternoon and then fly over to Dubai that night, you’ll be back at the ranch for Thanksgiving.”  
    Everyone was nodding approval and looking my way.  
    “Let’s go with it. Are we good, guys?” That’s everyone’s queue to wrap it up.  
    As everyone filed out, Sandy came in.
    “Are you okay, do you need anything?”
    “Did you tape the game for me?”
    “Of course. Don’t I always?”
    “I’ll watch it then. Is there anything to drink in the fridge?”
    “All your favorites. What are you in the mood for?”
    “Maybe a cold one, no it’s a little early. Is my Red Bull in there?”
    “Of course.”  
    I walked around the corner to the couch and sat down.
    The