The Journalist by G.L. Rockey Read Free Book Online Page B

behind his
White House Press Room desk, he said, “And there he is. Looking
more and more like a TV news show, Benny.” Zack leaned back, sipped
some coffee and watched a slow zoom-in to the President’s seasoned
leading-man face. “Hair’s a little less gray, Ben. Grecian Formula
or Just For Men?”
    The camera zoom stopped at a medium shot of
Armstrong. Dressed in a navy blue suit, white shirt and red tie,
the President flashed what reminded Zack of a “tent-crusade smile”
then, as always before speaking to America in his soft
up-from-the-Piedmont South Carolina baritone, said, “May we have a
moment of silent prayer?”
    Zack shook his head. “Unbelievable.”
    Armstrong bowed his head and clasped his
hands on top of the TV-style anchor desk. The desk fronting the
White House’s version of a TV news set, in the background, twenty
silent television monitors flickered video from around the world,
round clocks displayed earth’s twenty-four time zones, and a
four-by-eight red-white-and-blue sign, dominating the background,
proclaimed WHITE HOUSE NEWS CENTER.
    “White House News Center,” Zack shook his
head, “is that a joke or what.”
    Armstrong ended his silent prayer, looked up
and smiled at the camera.
    “Amen and amen,” he said.
    “Me, too.” Zack popped a stick of Juicy Fruit
in his mouth.
    In a medium close-up, Armstrong began: “My
brothers and sisters in democracy, a pleasant good evening to you.
Well, here we are, another anniversary of our declaration of
independence, on what should be a proud and continuing celebration
of America’s two and a half centuries of service as a good and
decent world citizen. I am especially pleased with the achievements
we have made in the little ol time of my administration. (Pauses,
wipes upper lip, then continues).
    “But on the other hand I am chagrined.
Chagrined by the cowardly acts of terrorism especially of the past
few months. You know of what I speak. The senseless attack on the
citizens of Paris was bully cowardice. Shame, shame. As to the
French leadership, we must lead them into the light of the
twenty-first century. But that aside, tonight I am grieved to tell
you we have classified reports that this senseless terrorism,
feared to happen, is about to strike again at the very heart of
America.”
    Zack, moving his Juicy Fruit gum between
molars and cheek, drank some coffee and observed that the famous
Armstrong smile was turning ominous. “Uh-oh.”
    The President continued. “Fellow citizens,
America, not of her own choosing but by the weight of her being the
most blessed nation on earth, has truly been ordained the trusted
architect of mankind’s future. It is not a role that we cherish but
one that has been thrust upon us by a divine providence.”
    At Armstrong’s pause for a drink of water,
Zack made a note thrust upon us by a divine providence “Hummm.”
    Armstrong sighed and went on. “Fellow
Americans, there are evil forces in the world who would see our
great America destroyed. Yes, my dear friends, these dark forces
would rob us of our God-given destiny.”
    The President paused to wipe his upper lip,
Zack jotted god-given destiny
    The camera tightened to a close-up of
Armstrong. “These beasts are driven by one thing—America’s
destruction. But I want to remind them tonight, all you nations who
harbor terrorists (wags finger)—and you know who you are. I remind
you, freedom is absolute and equality is certainly not true of
everyone  Democracy is a divine right, and
America will guarantee that that divine right (thumps desk) shall
prevail  ”
    “Hell you say.” Zack scrawled a note America guarantees divine right , spit his gum in the
wastebasket, mutered, “What happened to the original
guarantor?”
    Armstrong proceeded. “Let me explain. In the
annals of humankind there have been many forms of governing, from
kings and queens to fascism to communism to democracy. And they all
have failed but one. One, dear friends.