BLACK PRESIDENT, Chapter 55. Election day, 2012, has many surprises (in "historical fiction" it's allowed!). I'll just say, 'Caroline Kennedy S. ALMOST becomes President,' But, instead...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2seBQcPuHg

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

NOVEMBER 7, 2012

Election day began with blustery weather along the eastern seaboard, high winds off the Carolinas, and a threat of rain in Florida, while the west coast enjoyed clear, sunny skies and record turnouts at the polls. The presence of a Black American again on the Democratic ticket had given new voting zest to approximately forty million African-Americans, whose voices had not yet been properly heard.

Many Blacks had long memories, and thought back to earlier elections in the New Millennium and the obstacles to getting their vote counted. In 2000, Gore had been defeated, most agreed, by a series of very suspicious events. The Florida Highway Patrol (or imposters posing as officers) had held up thousands of Blacks as they drove in from rural areas to vote. Those votes alone would have been enough to change the outcome of the election. Then there was the ‘butterfly ballot’ with its confusing hole-punch layout. Everyone in the media agreed it seemed highly improbable that elderly Jewish citizens would have voted for Pat Buchanan, and even Buchanan agreed it was unlikely. Then there had been the ‘list of felons’ fiasco, effectively eliminating the votes of thousands of Blacks with perfectly clean records. Whoever had compiled the felon list had been recklessly inaccurate to say the least. And who could forget the image of Republican minions filling in addresses on improperly completed overseas ballots, while the Democratic counterparts, ballots with the same error, were simply discarded.

So, wary of potential tricks and still mourning the loss of the previous elections to the Republicans, Black and White Democrats all over the US formulated what they believed would be a foolproof strategy for winning. To avoid the last-minute rush to the polls in Florida, Blacks gave themselves an extra day to make the trip in from rural areas. Democratic organizers rented entire campgrounds and RV hookups so that the mass of expected voters could walk to polling areas, even in the worst weather conditions. And throughout each state, volunteers made sure that everyone who was a Democrat had the proper papers, permitting them to cast legal votes on election day.

Within each major Black community, lawyers handed out cards with their name and address, cell phone number and email, indicating to employers – in particular – that if there was any difficulty with Democratic employees getting time off from work to vote, a major lawsuit and extensive media coverage would ensue.

With regard to the women’s vote, it was forecast that Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg could pull a large percentage of ‘undecided’ female votes from the Republican ranks. Mothers, grandmothers, and eighteen-to-twenty-somethings were expected to come out in droves for the Kennedy ticket. Caroline would be a full advocate for their personal issues, including abortion rights, equal pay, freedom from fear of abuse, and equality in the workplace as well as in the home. Minorities and women would be heard in 2012.

In the opposing camp there was much trepidation. Even seasoned Republican politicians were worried, given some of the comments their own wives had made recently. The sanctity of the voting booth the cloak of privacy behind an opaque black cloth, was what gave wives everywhere, from the Washington Beltway to the panhandle of Texas, the courage to consider a vote for the feminist cause and back JFK’s daughter.

Rudy and Sarah watched the returns come in from their room at the Sheraton Hotel in Washington DC, in a suite adjoining the twins’. By the time they turned in for the night at about 2am, the cautious forecasts were for a Democratic victory. Morning TV talk shows confirmed the win. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg was now President- elect, set to become the forty-fifth President of the United States. Vice-President-elect Jackson Little would serve as the nation’s second- highest official. The Secret Service immediately tightened security on the Schlossberg loft, as well as the Littles’ residence; both the families of Kennedy-Schlossberg and Jackson Little were assigned extra Secret Service personnel.

Republicans were furious. The high-rollers of the oil industry wanted to know why they had wasted their time and donations on a losing ticket. They may have lost the election, but the deep-background executives of the military-industrial alliance were not going to sit back idly and watch all their contracts dry up. No woman was going to put them out of business. They promised that Ms. Kennedy would have a definite ‘problem’ in fulfilling her duties as President.

It has to look like an illness, Sturgis had been told. You can’t use bullets to kill a woman, especially a Presidential one, at least not in the United States of America. That was the word. He would be paid handsomely, as long as the President-Elect failed to make it to inauguration day for one reason or another. They figured it would be a hoot to watch her Vice-President trying to run the country. So Sturgis researched JFK’s daughter’s eating habits, the New York outlets where she or her staff shopped, along with restaurants she frequented. He made friends with the butchers and fresh produce suppliers behind the scenes. He even visited a few food- processing plants. Somewhere along the line he decided to add a certain lethal ingredient, to ensure that Caroline’s health was a prime factor in her declining the Presidency. For his efforts, he looked forward to a four hundred thousand dollar payday. It was to be his last job before retirement. Good money for a good cause, he thought. Bay of Pigs never forgotten.

Two weeks later, in mid-December, while mistletoe and pine-scented wreaths decked their co-op halls, President-Elect Schlossberg came down with an acute bellyache, followed by a sudden lowering of her red blood cell count. As her condition worsened, a team of doctors ran tests of every sort, desperately trying to identify the cause. Within hours they’d determined she was a victim of the notorious amanita phalloides, better known as death cap or destroying angel mushroom. Sturgis had introduced the deadly fungi into Caroline’s salad right alongside the similar paddy straw variety. It had been almost impossible to tell them apart on her plate. A nation sent their prayers, with TV talk shows commenting on her fortitude and courage under such dire circumstances.

Caroline was immediately treated with penicillin, along with other antidotes. After a few hours her doctors introduced anti-hepatoxic compounds, the combined effort paying off within twenty-four hours – she recovered without the liver or kidney failure generally associated with the toxin. But when Caroline received an anonymous email, from Sturgis, intimating that her spouse could be next unless she declined the Presidency, she made the decision to step down. In late December, just weeks before the scheduled inauguration, worldwide communication networks got the announcement. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg was to address the nation.

With her husband and children and Vice-President-Elect Jackson Little and his wife by her side, she leaned forward into the cluster of microphones. A thinner and paler Caroline stood before the cameras as commentators explained that her speech would be watched by the largest audience in history.

‘Hello, dear Americans, and my friends in many parts of the globe. First of all, may I thank you one and all for your prayers during my recent illness. I’m happy to report that I’ve fully recovered, though I don’t recommend the treatment to anyone who can’t afford to lose a few pounds.’ (A small titter came from the audience gathered in the Washington Press Corps auditorium.) ‘As you know, my family – the Kennedy family – has endured its share of tragedy through the years, often while in the service of the United States. It is a tradition for us to pursue careers in politics. So it is with deep regret that I must make the following announcement.’ Audiences around the world waited for her next words.

‘I’ve decided to step down as your President.’

The shocking statement was met by cries and sobs and the rustle of mobile phones being removed from pockets. Caroline quickly continued.

‘I am in no position to serve properly in the manner that this high office requires and demands, and it would be a disservice to the country for me to continue. Therefore, effective immediately, I am no longer the President-Elect of the United States. This means that my Vice-President-Elect, Jackson Little, will assume the Presidency with all my blessings, to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the Democratic Party. While I’ve been told these are pretty big shoes to fill, I can’t think of anyone more qualified than President Little.’ The audience was silent as she took a breath.

‘In this year of our Lord, 2012, we continue to be long overdue in having people of color in high political office.” Cheers and clapping suddenly filled the hall. ‘Please give this man the support he needs, to accomplish the important tasks ahead. Thank you all so much.’

As Caroline stepped back from the pages of history the whole world watched, believing that JFK’s powerful legacy had finally come to an end. They couldn’t have known that Jackson Little was exactly that person of ‘Camelot’ lineage, the word so often mentioned during the Kennedy administration..

The Black man received Caroline’s embrace and took the podium.

———-

https://www.amazon.com/Black-President-Historical-Rick-Schmidt/dp/0955861314