Senator Bening, another Republican, rose. Ben knew that these plum on-camera appearances had been assigned by agreement beforehand. The vice-president was a Republican and he could choose to recognize whomever he wanted.
“Mr. President, I would request that by unanimous consent the reading of the journal of yesterday’s proceedings be dispensed with.”
This measure passed with equal ease. Ben had never seen a day when the journal was actually read. There would be no reason to oppose this antiquated parliamentary technicality, except perhaps to delay, and no one was going to do that with so many eyes watching.
Finally, Senator Scolieri addressed the chair. “Mr. President, I move that the Senate proceed without delay to the consideration of the pending business, Calendar Number 1873, Senate bill 1451, a bill to amend the Constitution of these United States.”
The recommendation was accepted.
The debate began.
Ben could not help but sense the crackling electricity in the air. He was feeling nervous himself, and he had no intention of speaking until much later in the debate. Perhaps because of the anticipated television audience, perhaps because both proponents and opponents recognized that this was an important piece of legislation, all words were being chosen carefully. Moreover, the barbed remarks and innuendos normally flung at opposition forces were at an all-time low. There was no shuffling of papers or clinking of water glasses; everyone was paying rapt attention to what was being said. Pages were delivering messages like rapid-fire machine guns, but they did it quietly. A few senators were scowling, but most maintained their best expressions, well aware that the camera could skirt to them unannounced at any moment.
“The senator from Colorado,” the vice-president recognized, and Senator Bening once again rose.
“Thank you, Mr. President.” Bening tugged at his vest, straightening it, then tugged at the gold watch chain that dangled from his vest pocket. “I think everyone present is aware that I support this amendment with the greatest possible enthusiasm. But it is possible that you do not understand exactly why I lend it my support. I would like to take this time to explain my reasoning.”
Ben wondered just how long his time would be. Due to the importance of the matter at hand, all time limits had been removed. Moreover, it was anticipated that virtually ever senator would want to speak, if only to make sure there was some footage to be shown in their home states on the evening newscasts. Those two factors alone ensured that the debate would be a lengthy one, taking several days to complete, regardless of how much civility prevailed.
“Of course I’ve considered the practical aspects, the need to change with the times, to protect our borders, to keep this nation safe from our enemies. I’ve talked to the people in my home state, in the big city of Denver and small towns like Durango and Silverton, and I hear the same thing over and over again: Tell us our government will do whatever it can to keep us safe, to make sure that a horror like 9/11 or April nineteenth never happens again. I know what the people want. And it’s my duty as a senator to give it to them. I want all Americans to go to sleep at night feeling safe. I want them to be able to tuck their children in at nights and tell them that there are no monsters lurking under their beds, that they will be secure until the morning’s light.”
Ben could see Christina glaring at him from her seat in the rear of the floor. He didn’t need a message to know what she was thinking. This was more of what politicians had been working on the American people for too long. The politics of fear. Persuasion through terror.
“Even here in our nation’s capital, all the experts I’ve talked to, from the Pentagon on down, favor this amendment. Certainly everyone in law enforcement does. And so does the leader of this nation, President Blake. I think I take nothing away from this august body when I remind you all that the president himself started this ball rolling, that this is his initiative and given his recent tragic loss-understandably so. Make no mistake-he is a wartime president. It may be an undeclared war, but it is a very real war just the same: the war against terror, the war against violent means to political ends. We are at war, and he is the commander in chief. He is the decider, the man who has to make the choices essential to keeping this nation safe. It is our patriotic duty-the duty of all Americans- to support this bill, in order to form a more perfect union.”
Hardly a few seconds had passed before a page delivered a folded written message to Ben. He opened it.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME, A COMMUNIST? IS EVERYONE WHO OPPOSES THE AMENDMENT A COMMUNIST? ARE THERE 205 COMMUNISTS IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT?
Ben didn’t need a signature to know who had written the note.
“Mr. President!” Several senators rose at once. The vice-president scanned the assemblage.
“Mr. President,” Bening said, “I have not yielded the floor.”
“I realize that,” Vice-President Matthews said. “I hope you also realize that many senators want to speak today.”
“I would not think that I would have to instruct the president of the Senate on the rules of Senate procedure.”
Matthews looked down with narrowed eyes. “I would not suggest the senator from Colorado take it upon himself to instruct the president of the Senate on anything. I would suggest, however, that this might be a very good time for the senator from Colorado to yield the floor.”
Ouch. Ben winced, feeling Senator Bening’s pain.
Bening’s eyes roamed the senate floor till they lighted on a friendly face on his side of the aisle. “I will yield to the junior senator from Montana.”
Ben nodded. Another Republican, natch.
“Very well. The floor recognizes Senator Potter.”
Potter rose. He was one of the younger senators, tall, dark-haired, athletic. Despite still being in his first term, he had made a splash during the recent Supreme Court nomination. During the process, Ben had learned that, among other things, the man had a conscience and was capable of crossing party lines to do what he thought was right. Even if they disagreed on an issue, Ben had to admire that.
“I want to thank the senator from Colorado for his courtesy,” Potter began, “and I want to thank the vice- president for his. I know the job of orchestrating a senate debate is no small chore, especially when passions are as enflamed as they seem to be regarding the matters now at hand. I want to commend the president of the Senate for the firm hand but good heart he has shown today.”
Ben wanted to barf, and he was quite certain Christina was already doing so. Simple courtesy to one of the top men in your party was one thing, but this blatant sycophancy seemed over the top, even on a day when the cameras were rolling.
“I want each member of the Senate gathered here today to look into his or her heart and ask themselves the question: What is the real issue before us? Because I think we all know, whether we favor this amendment or we don’t, that there is more being debated, more pending before us, than the simple matter of a proposed constitutional amendment. I would suggest, ladies and gentlemen, that we are discussing nothing less than the future of this nation.”
He turned slowly, Ben suspected, so the single camera could capture his youthful good looks from the best angle.
“When this nation was still new, some of the earliest Congresses had to determine what course would be taken to defend the country from her enemies. Armies, navies, spies, alliances, moneylending-these were the types of issues our Founding Fathers had to consider when determining how to keep this nation safe. They did not have to deal with ricin poisoning, or snipers, or bombs capable of destroying entire cities. But if they had”-here, he extended his hand in the patented Clintonesque thumb and forefinger gesture that was not quite pointing, because pointing was too in-your-face-“I feel certain that they would have met the challenge. And just as they did not hesitate to draft the Constitution in such a manner as to keep all Americans safe, so they would not have hesitated to amend it when it was necessary in a technologically advanced society to ensure that those selfsame Americans would remain safe.”
There was some stirring in the gallery, some whispering on the floor. These were not new arguments, but Potter was delivering them with vigor and persuasive charm. Ben could imagine what the whispering was about. He would not be surprised if Potter’s name were floated as a possible running mate to replace Vice-President Matthews. Perhaps, in four more years, he might be ready for a presidential run himself.
