President PartyTime, after a long, difficult and disputed transition into his presidency, and after several hard months of making staffing decisions, getting up to speed on life in Washington, meeting with the media owners, the executive branch of government, members of Congress and staff, the courts, city philosophers, a pivotal world leader here or there and all the thanking he had to do with the key people who put him into power, finally decides: "It's PartyTime--I'm gonna hit the vacation trail!"
So he slips out of D.C. and escapes to Greenwich Village for a month of fun and Warhol-like partying--lol!
But vacations don't come easy for a U.S. president.
The very next morning after his arrival, after an extended evening of hanging out in the back rows of several NYC blues/jazz clubs, this in the company of former President Clinton, President PartyTime thinks he'll just spend most of his first day in The Village by hanging out in Washington Square Park, perhaps getting in a few good chess games with The Wizard, the renown grandmaster of this very famous park.
Fresh from a well-deserved and long overdue hangover, a bit dreary-eyed (no headache though!), he rubs his eyes open as he turns the tube onto the C-Span channel. Next, he reaches for his already-made pot of coffee, pours some into his favorite cup and then lunges for a bag of jelly donuts (never did like bagels!).
Satisfied he got two of the best ones out of the bag, his takes the morning briefing papers from his aide, who immediately leaves the flat to wait dutifully with other aides in the outside hallway.
President PartyTime notes the kitchen counter stool in front of the wide window that overlooks the corner of Mcdougal and Bleeker streets and hunches upon it. He takes a quick glance out the window, and thinks: "Man, what a great day!" He then peers outward through the window and not only hears the birds chirpin' in small city-lined trees, but he sees them also. It's nice the way their sound mingles with other typical city noises. He sees people walking along the sidewalks under his window, and he feels good as they all seem proud, happy and determined. They, too, are in the midst of having a great day.
"This is good," he thinks and begins chomping on his first donut, sippin' on his coffee and examining his morning brief. The first document he sees is from the CIA, and it's entitled: "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States." Jelly literally falls from his mouth, as he considers the document's implications.
"Oh, no!" is his first thought. "Them bastards!" is his second thought. In a muttering state and increasingly concerned, he reads more. Upon finishing the page-and-a-quarter document, he thinks: "There's gotta be more to this. Are there any attachments?"
He immediately summoned his aides. "Get the National Security Director over here right now, fast as possible!" Dr. Rice, of course, spent her first evening in New York by partying at Trump Towers, where she had a room. Looking toward his second aide, he hands him the PDB and says, "I want you copy this document to all code red parties, with a cover memo telling them each to be on alert for emergency instructions instructions, if needed."
President PartyTime, in a frustratingly paused moment, gasps: "So much for my good day in the park, and tonight's party!"
He then grabs his secure phone and calls Vice-President TigerPaw, fills him in and then orders him to round up the appropriate Pentagon brass, including the heads of NORAD and the Coast Guard. He also tells him to contact the FAA Administrator, and the Secretaries of State, Defense and Transportation. Also the heads of the respective Congressional Intelligence Committees. "I want them all in the Oval Office at six p.m. tomorrow evening, and I want them to tell me everything they know about guarding the country against terrorism, and if any of them are aware of any suspicious movement, activities or reports. I want them each to report exactly what they know or suspect about terrorists in this country, how they know this and how alert they feel they are in case America is attacked by terrorists."
This done, he makes three more calls. First he calls the CIA director and asks, "Who wrote the PDB? Why weren't any attachments to that PDB? Is there more? What else do I need to know? I want you to get everything you can, bring me up to speed. ASAP! He orders him to bring additional materials and reports, after checking with all field offices and cross-investigations. "We'll meet at six o'clock the next day in the Oval Office.
President PartyTime then calls his FBI director and orders him to do everything he ordered the CIA director to do. Additionally, he orders the FBI director to "make sure there's heightened alert and security for the World Trade Center, Wall Street and other landmarks throughout New York City. And the same goes for Washington, D.C.!"
Next, he calls former President Clinton, fills him in on what he's learned, and asks to him to meet with him, and anyone in proximity who worked under him in his Administration on terrorist issues. Clinton agrees and a time is set to meet shortly after noon.
President PartyTime, bummed out he couldn't have the great time he thought he was gonna have, takesa huge bite out of his jelly donut, safe in the knowledge that his national security director would be with him in a few minutes, so they can make better plans.
For now, on vacation, this is his only comfort: jelly donuts, a great cup of coffee and the morning editions of The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal--he can't bear the thought of reading through more PDBs, but he knows he will.
He hears the door open and Rice entering the room. Vacation's over!
PS: TigerPaw, you might wish to copy the above to SI's President George W. Bush thread--lol! |
