The Republican coalition in the county was splintering and the EDC head was a powerful catalyst in this schism as he deftly played both sides against each other -- while quietly raising huge sums of money for the Democratic machine that had ruled the county for a century until the last election. The powers that be would either see the man replaced or the GOP would risk having much of their hard earned momentum in the East dissipated...
Those thoughts and others floated through the former candidate's mind as he thought back a night earlier to a much more powerful presentation...
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"Replace that term with the word 'rent,'" the GOP Senate candidate said. The term was "foreign policy" and the former candidate's heart leaped with joy at the candid response to the question about foreign policy effectiveness. The Senate candidate had a reputation as a standup guy and that kind of straight talk would play very well with the critical Down East voters that would be the swing element in the next election.
Seventy of the hard core grass roots activists had come to the small deli to hear the Senate candidate speak and for many it was their first exposure to the man. Observing the crowd the former candidate could see that the man was connecting with the GOP avant garde. His firm's models showed that the race was winnable against either the incumbent and presidential candidate or (more likely in his opinion) the Dems previous Senate candidate.
But the GOP would need every vote to win a very tight Senate race in 2004. Down East cohesion would be critical and the former candidate feared that Democratic efforts to dissolve this bond were very advanced for this early stage in the election cycle.
Then one of the young probationers asked why as a teacher he should stay in North Carolina and the former candidate's mind drifted back two days earlier to the state capital...
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"You believe the insurgent army is reconstituted to the point that a Summer offensive is not only possible -- but you project as 'probable?' I don't think your editor is going to like this memo one bit," the company representative said.
The former candidate's editor had recently signed off on some railroad reconstruction along the border in anticipation of the coming fireworks according to a traveler from the East. The firm had been involved in the olde country and its satellite empire long before their more wealthy cousins and as such usually wagged the dog first in that part of the world.
"Perhaps you're right," the former candidate demurred. "But we have to call 'em like we see 'em. By the way, there are some USAID grants that need to be tweaked. Do you think some of these budget requests could be firmed up by the fourth quarter -- or are you guys gonna let the Frank Ballance's of the world keep looting the people like a Baghdad Minister?"
"Frank Ballance beaucoup dinky dao..." the company man responded with a wink.
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Suddenly the former candidate realized the Economic Development man had finished his bumbling presentation -- and he snapped back to the present. Politics was certainly an interesting business he reasoned -- but why was the next speaker at the republican-club event an elected Democratic official?
It would certainly be a long, hot Summer...
--Westerby