Justin raised his eyes wearily, an acceptance of Bruno’s offer. Then Bruno went inside, returned a few moments later with Jonathan Westwood, Roger Mallone, and Connie Martin. The actress looked concerned. Mallone looked frightened. Justin’s father was impassive. He said nothing to his son, but he did reach out and gently squeeze his arm.
“Bruno,” Justin said. “Check with the pilot. Make sure no one, and I mean no one, had any physical contact with the plane. If anyone did, make sure it’s checked out before it takes off.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Jonathan said. “It’s my usual pilot. He couldn’t be more trustworthy.”
“But these aren’t the usual circumstances,” Justin told him. To Bruno he said, “Check out every little detail.”
“If you need anything, let me know,” his father told him.
“Hopefully, you’ve given me enough. But I will. Thank you.”
“Jay,” his father said, then stopped. His lips were pursed as if the words were stuck inside.
“Go ahead and say whatever you want to say.”
“The thing is, I don’t think I have anything to say. I feel like I should give you some advice, but I doubt there’s anything I could tell you that you don’t already know.”
“I guess we’ll see soon enough,” Justin said.
Jonathan nodded crisply and Bruno led his group down Main Street to where his SUV was parked. Justin couldn’t help himself; he held his breath when the engine started up. As the car pulled onto the road, he relaxed.
“The big guy. Bruno,” Reggie said. “What are his particular skill sets?”
“Pretty much what you think they are.”
“Must be nice to have so many people who want to help you out.”
“I guess it is.”
“You need any more help?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “I think I’m gonna need all the help I can get.”
23
Associated Press story, circulated on America Online
Updated: 03:37 PM EDT
President Anderson Approval Rating
Carries VP Dandridge to Top of Polls
By DEB REYNOSO, AP
November 21
Concerns About Civil Liberties
Dismissed by Attorney General
Priority Given to War on Terror
Washington, D.C.-According to the latest Gallup Poll, the recent spate of terrorist activity within the United States has propelled President Thomas Anderson from the lowest to the highest approval rating he has achieved in the seven years of his presidency. In the wake of those positive numbers, Vice President Phillip Dandridge now has an unprecedented lead over any possible opposition in next year’s presidential race.
Prior to the suicide bombing of Harper’s Restaurant in East Hampton, New York, on November 4 of this year, the percentage of Americans who approved of President Anderson’s performance stood at 42 %. The poll has a margin of error of plus/minus 4 %. According to those questioned in September of this past year, the President’s numbers were down because the majority of people disapproved of the way he was handling the economy as well as the ongoing military situation in Iraq, the various human rights scandals that have emerged there, and what Secretary of State Clayton Bendix calls “The Path to Peace” in the Middle East. As a result of such negative reaction, Vice President Dandridge’s poll ratings were dragged down as well. The Vice President lagged well behind his two likely opponents for next year’s election. The poll now shows, however, that an overwhelming 91 % of the American people approve of the job President Anderson is doing. A nearly equal amount, 88 %, support the Triumph of Freedom Act the President is currently attempting to pass through Congress. The legislation is the centerpiece of the administration’s self-declared war on terrorism.
Carried by President Anderson’s newfound popularity and support, Vice President Dandridge’s numbers have surged. He is now viewed favorably by 78 % of the American population-up nearly 30 % from the previous poll-and 67 % of registered voters now say they will support him in the next presidential election.
There has been muted criticism from political opponents that the President and, in particular, Vice President Dandridge and Attorney General Jeffrey Stuller, are using the Triumph of Freedom Act to greatly limit civil liberties, as well as to cement their political standings, but the public does not seem to agree. The Vice President stated yesterday, “No one wants to erode or abridge anyone’s civil rights, especially the President and myself. However, as President Anderson and Attorney General Stuller have said repeatedly, what people must understand is that we are at war. And during wartime, priorities must sometimes shift away from the idealistic and toward reality. Right now, the reality is that we must and will do everything possible to protect our country and our country’s citizens from further attacks. That is the President’s priority, and it is, he believes, the country’s priority. To that end, his hands must not be tied and he must be able to deal with these unprecedented attacks.”
According to the Gallup Poll, President Anderson and his likely successor have correctly assessed the desires of the American people and the Congress. The Triumph of Freedom Act is expected to unanimously pass through both the House and the Senate within a matter of days. During the same period of time, the Supreme Court is due to make a ruling on the treatment of prisoners being held as suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. The President has drawn a line in the sand, openly declaring that any and all prisoners seized during combat with Afghanistan and Iraq, or as suspects connected with any act of terrorism, shall be considered “enemy combatants” and thus not subject to the rules of the Geneva Conventions. If the court rules in the administration’s favor as it is expected to do, and if the Triumph of Freedom Act passes, terrorist suspects will be able to be detained and questioned for an indeterminate length and with no right to legal counsel.
At a press conference, Shirley Greene, the lawyer for five men living in upstate New York recently accused of being members of a terrorist cell and currently being detained at the U.S. military base at Gitmo, as it is often called, said, “No one is denying the horror of the acts [such as yesterday’s McDonald’s suicide bombing] being committed. And no one wants an end to such acts more than I do. But the ramifications of what the President and Attorney General Stuller are trying to do are at least as terrifying as the terrorist acts themselves. Mr. Stuller wants us to understand that we are at war. Well, even during wartime, people have rights. The reason we’re fighting this war is to preserve the very rights that Attorney General Stuller is trying to take away from us.”
Mr. Stuller did not respond directly to Ms. Greene’s criticism, but at a separate press conference, he did say, “This is not the time for anyone to be questioning our government’s commitment to freedom or to give any encouragement to an enemy bent on destroying everything this country has stood for and fought for since its inception. I will not dignify such criticism with a response other than to say that those critics will also be protected from terrorist activities by our actions and our policies.”
President Anderson issued a statement saying that he fully supported Mr. Stuller and his handling of the terrorist attacks. “We have done a remarkable job gathering information,” the statement said, “under the supervision and leadership of Attorney General Stuller. I expect that the whole country will soon realize, when new facts come to light and this terrorist cell that’s attacking our country is destroyed once and for all, what an extraordinary job he’s doing. It will not be long before the siege we have experienced is over and the evildoers responsible for it are brought to swift and final justice.”
The only voice of caution within the government has been from Assistant Attorney General Ted Ackland, who is often mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate for Mr. Dandridge. Mr. Ackland said that he supported the steps taken by the administration to curtail terrorist activity but he acknowledged the dangers that come with such steps.