TWENTY-ONE
Washington, D.C. Tuesday, 7:30 a.m.
With the flags of Texas and the United States as his backdrop, the dome of the Capitol between them, bright morning light causing his gray eyes to sparkle, Senator Donald Orr announced his candidacy for president. A crowd of some two-dozen supporters cheered. Half as many reporters recorded the moment.
Mike Rodgers stood well off to the side with Kat Lock-ley. He had called early to tell her he was going to accept the job offer and she told him Orr would appreciate having him at the announcement. Rodgers was glad to be invited. Admiral Link stood anonymously among Orr's supporters with Kendra Peterson. Explaining the presence of Rodgers or Link was not a concern. Kat had told the gathering ahead of time that there would be no questions. The press secretary had looked directly at Lucy O'Connor when she said that. Rodgers was not in uniform, and it was unlikely that any member of the press corps would recognize him, either as the deputy director of Op-Center or from the news coverage of the UN siege or the assault in India. Those stories had been about Op-Center, not about him. Rodgers had wanted to be here so he could see how his future boss operated in public. He was certainly impressed with the way Orr had handled himself in his two television appearances.
Rodgers routinely taped both the Evening News and Night-line appearances on his digital recorder. The senator was a master of working the camera. He addressed issues directly and with clarity.
When he was not speaking, he used a lowered eyelid, a raised brow, a slight pursing of the lips, or a slant of the head to express himself.
Orr knew the difference between communicating and mugging.
'This will not be an ordinary campaign,' Orr promised after making his introductory statement. 'It will be inaugurated and I use that term with an eye on the future,' he said with a big wink, pausing for applause from his supporters. 'It will be inaugurated under the banner of a new party with a new vision for the nation. The United States First Party, working for a new independence.'
There were cheers and strong applause from supporters.
Kat leaned toward Rodgers. 'That's the slogan,' she said.
'I figured,' Rodgers replied. 'It's a good one. Yours?'
She nodded, then turned her attention back to Orr.
'Our independence will be built on a framework that already exists but has been marginalized by legislation and special interests: the Bill of Rights and the American Constitution. Other nations do not understand our passion for these documents. They do not understand our passion for the freedoms they protect. They are accustomed to being dominated by kings or czars or warlords. We threw off a foreign king. We will not tolerate the dictates of other nations. We will not put their needs above our own. We will no longer be part of a globalization process that finds our values and our way of life reprehensible.'
There were more cheers and a few raised fists. Granted, these were the converted. But Rodgers liked what he heard. He could imagine that a majority of American voters would, too.
'Our party will be holding its first convention later this week in San Diego,' Orr went on. 'Just as the USF will not be an ordinary party, ours will not be a business-as-usual convention. The doors will be open to all. Everyone who attends will have a vote. That is the American way.'
The group roared its approval.
Rodgers leaned toward Kat. 'I assume you have a plan to fill the convention center,' he said. 'What are there, about ten thousand seats?'
'Twelve thousand,' she said. 'Four thousand people are being bused from Texas alone. We have a lot of support in Orange County less than an hour from the convention center '
'John Wayne country.'
'That's right. Our people there have organized a Freedom Freeway caravan to drive to San Diego,' Kat told him. 'That should bring us another three thousand. We have smaller groups coming from other parts of the country, and we believe individuals will come just to be part of something new and exciting.'
'The press likes caravans of ordinary folks,' Rodgers observed.
Kat smiled. Like her namesake, Rodgers thought.
Orr continued speaking. Rodgers just now noticed that he barely consulted his note cards. He had taken the time to memorize his speech. He was using the silences to make eye contact with the crowd.
'There may be voters in my great home state who feel abandoned by this change in party affiliation,' Orr
