The Immigrant’s Daughter by Howard Fast Read Free Book Online Page A

not because I can reason it out or win an argument from you about is the Virgin the mother of God. No. The belief is part of me. I can’t exist without it. It doesn’t make me good or bad, it’s just something I have to have. Now this lady, Barbara Lavette, she has to believe. That’s why she breaks her back with her peace movement. What she has is either grace or an affliction. I don’t know. When I retire, I’m taking a trip to Italy, and I’m going to put that to the Pope. No, not really.” He smiled. He had a good smile. “You see what I’m getting at, Boyd?”
    â€œShe believes. What then?”
    â€œDo you know what a free election is, Boyd? It’s one of the most beautiful things man ever invented. I’m not talking about the turkeys we put in office. I’m talking about the process. Let me tell you what we’ll give your Barbara Lavette if she agrees to be our candidate. First of all, we’ll help her raise money from our sources, aside from what she might decide to raise on her own. She’ll have a sound truck, posters, at least ten hours of radio time, and this is a radio city. We’ll make sure she can buy some TV time, and she’ll have some free TV coverage, the equal-time privilege, and the party behind her for two large mass meetings. Furthermore, we’ll put her on the platform with our other candidates. I can’t be specific now, but believe me, she’ll talk to millions. And she can say her piece. No one is going to censor her or interfere. That’s what the process means, an opportunity to say your piece.”
    Boyd had come to her to repeat Tony Moretti’s proposal, and to add, “Before you agree or disagree with this, Barbara, I have to tell you how I feel about it.”
    â€œShouldn’t that wait until you hear how I feel about it?”
    â€œNo — for one reason. I know the Forty-eighth Congressional District and you don’t. I also know you. I’m not going to wait until you grab on to this with all your enthusiasm and then try to talk you out of it. You’re too damn stubborn for that.”
    â€œI’m stubborn? Oh, I like that, Mr. Kimmelman — I certainly do like that.”
    â€œGood. When you’re really hating me, I become Mr. Kimmelman. Well, I know how your mind works. Know the truth and the truth will make you or your constituents free. Baloney. You can deliver the truth as passionately as only Barbara Lavette can. You can evoke the whole dirty stink of this war in Vietnam, and it will not win you a vote. But halfway into the campaign, you will come to believe that you can win, and when you don’t, it will break your heart. And in the Forty-eighth C.D., there is no way you can garner even a respectable losing number.”
    â€œYou’re a dear man,” Barbara said.
    â€œYes. Which means that in spite of what I said or might say, you’re going to run.”
    â€œYou can bet your sweet patooties.”
    â€œYes, I suppose I can.”
    â€œNow you’re peeved with me,” Barbara said. “Don’t you even want to know why?”
    â€œI know why.”
    â€œNot really, because you’re a lawyer, and no matter how cynical or horrified you may become, you still see yourself living in a land that is ruled by the law.”
    â€œSort of. Don’t you?”
    â€œNo. I see my country ruled by nincompoops, governed by pompous fools, driven witlessly into a terrible war — and we’ll pay the price of that war for years to come. And I don’t like it, and if your friend Moretti will give me TV time and radio time and a sound truck to boot — well, Boyd, I’m going to shout my head off.”
    â€œAll right. And who knows, miracles happen.”
    The miracle did not happen, but Barbara lost the election by only three thousand votes, whereas the general pattern was for a Democrat to come in at least twenty thousand