The first big bill was passed almost by acclamation. At the end of September I had issued an Executive Order (my very first) that created a National Counterterrorism Center, to be funded by the CIA initially, and run out of Langley. It was a temporary measure, and I had told Clarke I would move it out of there as soon as I had some legislation. In April we rammed it through, and he put Winston Creedmore, he of the Three Amigos, in charge. By now, Winston knew as much as anybody did about counterterrorism and the problems with interagency cooperation. I had a long talk with Winston, threatened massive and dire consequences if something like 9-11 ever managed to slip through again, and then we went on camera in the Press Room, where I praised him glowingly and introduced him to the nation. They would be clearing land for a secure complex in McLean by mid-summer.
In June I thanked Alberto Gonzalez for his distinguished service as White House Counsel, and sent him packing. He had been a direct pipeline from the White House to Dick Cheney for the last year, and the sooner he was gone the better. I instead appointed John Weisenholtz, a constitutional law professor at Georgetown that both John Ashcroft and David Boies thought well of. If those two men, so dissimilar and with different views, thought Wesienholtz was okay, that was good enough for me!
The recession we were in was uncomfortable, but not crushing. What was of more importance in the long term was the effect the tax cut we had, and the deficit we would be facing. In 2001 we still had the Clinton era tax rates in effect for the fiscal year, and we had run about a $150 billion surplus. This year, with lower rates and a slower economy, we were facing about a $150 billion deficit! Once the economy improved, that would bounce back, but we had to keep an eye on spending. On the plus side, we hadn't invaded Afghanistan, with the huge expenditure that involved; that would help immensely.
This year, 2002, was also a mid-term election year, so everything we were doing was also being done with an eye towards what would be happening in November. If passing legislation normally was like tap-dancing through a minefield, in a mid-term year you have to do it blindfolded. (During a regular Presidential election year you don't even try. Nothing gets accomplished every fourth year. What a system!) With all that being said, there was still a sense of national unity and a desire to get something accomplished. It looked like I would be able to get passed most of what I wanted.
There was a price to be paid, though. I had enough popularity at the moment that a lot of Republican candidates wanted to ride my coat tails. Beginning at the end of March I found myself scheduled for campaign trips around the country every few weeks. On a typical trip I might find myself flying to Topeka or Butte or Lexington, to be met by the local Congressman or Senator at the airport. We would visit some local factory or public works project or college, view with pride whatever it was they were doing there, and we'd both give a speech. No matter what we were viewing, my speech would have two distinct themes, that Congressman Wonderful is just the kind of fellow who needs to be sent back to Washington to continue his valuable leadership role, and that whatever we were pushing that week on the legislative front had something to do with what we were watching. We'd wave the flag and dry hump each other in a mutual love fest. Half the time Stormy would travel with me, because the idiotic mutt was even more popular than I was!
Afterwards, we would have a fundraiser of some sort, and I would do a meet and greet with whoever they could sell my soul to. Then we would have a delicious rubber chicken dinner. Chicken Topeka tastes pretty much like Chicken Butte and Chicken Lexington. I think Stormy had better dining some nights. The next day we would fly somewhere else and repeat the process. Do that for two or three days and then back to Washington. Wait three weeks and repeat.
On a personal level, if you are an unpopular President, nobody wants to be seen with you. The requests for personal appearances are dramatically reduced, as is any chance of getting any legislation passed. Like I said, there is a price to be paid.
Chapter 149: Springtime
Most of the spring was spent, by me at least, with the legislation I was pushing and with trying to tone down the idiots on both sides who were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I was still being damned by Dick Cheney, but he was looking increasingly nervous. The Indians were circling the wagon train and getting closer and closer. It made his vitriol even more excessive, but it was taking on a very bitter and self defensive tone. Regardless, I had my hands filled with this through the spring, that and campaigning for my fellow Republicans.
Marilyn and the girls, on the other hand, were driving me nuts with their antics. The twins weren't all that bad, in that you kind of expected a pair of seventeen year old girls to be nutty. They were graduating high school this semester, and between that, getting ready for the prom, planning to move to Washington for the summer, and then off to college in the fall, they were driving Marilyn and me crazy. Still, one particular morning at the beginning of April got extra nutty. It was spring break and Marilyn and the twins were staying at the White House. Monday morning, I was in a 10:00 AM meeting with Paul O'Neill from Treasury and Mitch Daniels of the OMB, along with a few aides, when we were interrupted by the intercom. "Mister President, your daughters are here and would like to see you."
I glanced at the phone, and then at the others. I shrugged my shoulders and hit the speaker button. "We're kind of busy right now."
Molly squawked over the phone. "Daddy! It's important!"
"What?"
"Daddy!"
I rolled my eyes and muttered, "All right.", and then stood to go to the door. Instead, the guard at the door must have heard that as an assent, because the door opened before I could get to it, and Stormy barreled into the room. "What in the... ?"
The twins followed her in, their eyes popping to see it wasn't just me. Molly nervously waved, and Holly said, "Daddy, you have to take care of Stormy. We're going out."
"Excuse me?" I couldn't quite believe this!
"Daddy, we have to go out with Mom! We have to shop for dresses, for the prom! We told you that.", she pressed on.
I looked over at Stormy, now sitting on the couch next to Paul, who was scratching her neck. "So? What does that have to do with the dog? Leave her upstairs!"
"She didn't want to stay. She gets lonely.", answered Molly.
I stared at the pair for a second. "This is the Oval Office! This is the White House! I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! THIS IS NOT BRING YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY!", I roared.
Behind me I heard a snicker. And a 'Woof!'
Holly simply whined, "Daddy you have to do it!"
Molly settled it by going, "Bye, Stormy. You behave for Daddy!" Then she kissed my cheek and zoomed out, followed by her sister. They closed the door behind them, leaving me stranded with the dog.
I turned to find Paul and Mitch trying to hold in the laughter. Some of the assistants had their mouths hidden by their hands. "The first guy who laughs gets a direct ticket to the unemployment line! I haven't fired anybody lately, and I'm due!", I warned them. The room simply exploded at that.
I sat down on the couch, next to my dog, and suddenly I heard a click and saw a flash. I glanced over and saw Eric Draper, the Chief White House Photographer, taking a picture. Most of the time you forget these guys are around. They keep their mouths shut and are constantly taking pictures, and they flit in and out of surprisingly sensitive meetings. He must have snuck in behind the girls, and now he got several shots of Stormy sitting on the couch between me and the Secretary of the Treasury. I gave him a droll look and he smiled and took off.