Chapter 98: The Powers That Be

The next day, I shaved off my beard and mustache and went to my regular stylist at the mall for a haircut before I went to work. Everybody stared, and I called the brain trust into the office. “What’s with the beard and mustache? You look like you’re going back in the army!” commented Jake Junior.

“That’s why I called you all in here. Have a seat.” We all sat down around the coffee table. “Okay, I have something to tell you all. John already knows this, but now you have to hear about it.”

“You’re not sick, are you?” asked Missy, a concerned look on her face.

John snorted out a laugh at that and I gave him a dirty look. “Only sick in the head. I am filing next month to run for Congress in the Maryland Ninth District as the Republican candidate.”

“Holy Christ!” she exclaimed. Jake Junior’s reaction was the same.

Only Jake’s father’s face didn’t have a strange look on it. “I can’t say I’m surprised. What with your books and speeches, and the appearances on TV, I figured it was just a matter of time before somebody asked you to run. Was it John here?”

I nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been planning this for a few weeks. I got drafted by the various county committees and the RNC in Washington.”

He just nodded in understanding.

Jake Junior and Missy looked at each other. It was he who spoke up next, and I knew before he opened his mouth what the question would be. “So, what happens to the Buckman Group?”

I nodded. This was a pretty big deal, and no matter what happened, there would be some changes. “Okay, very good question. First things first. The election isn’t until November 6, so we have damn near a year to worry about this. While I’m running, I will still be in charge, but pretty much like now. In other words, you guys are doing the work and I am reaping the benefits.” Normally that line would get a chuckle from the others, but not today. Too serious, I guess.

I shrugged. “Okay, not so funny. Listen, there are two possible outcomes. First and foremost, I am running as a Republican in a liberal Democratic district in a liberal Democratic state. More likely than not, I am going to go down in flames that will make the Hindenburg look like a birthday candle. On November 7^th I may have to hightail it out of town to escape the laughter!”

Jake Senior looked thoughtful and nodded at that. “Maybe, maybe not. You’re not all that conservative, and you’re smarter than Andy Stewart. You have a chance.”

“Okay, so outcome number two - I win. Then we have to make some changes. I can’t run this place and be a Congressman at the same time. That doesn’t mean we shut this place down. This place is too good to break up. No, I resign, but I keep my shares, and the rest of you keep running it. We are not going to shut down this place! We have all worked too hard to do that.”

There was a brief sigh of relief around the room, and some nods. I turned to Missy, a potential wild card. “What are your feelings about this? I know you’re a Democrat.” Then I looked at the two Jakes. “What about you guys?”

Jake Senior admitted he was a Democrat and Junior replied he was a Republican. Senior’s response was, “You can’t be any worse than some of the idiots in there now. Hell, I’ll vote for you.”

Missy smiled. “I’m a little more dedicated than that, but I won’t be leading any protest rallies outside your door. You’d better be nice, though. I know where we keep the stash of silly photographs!”

That got some laughter, and then we turned to business. We had to craft a response to media inquiries, and Jake Junior was designated the responsible ‘talking head.’ We needed a statement that would both reassure our investors and our clients and demonstrate corporate neutrality. Then we worked on my responsibilities. Missy pointed out that since I was a director at Microsoft, Dell, and Adobe (I had given up the one at Autodesk) I had a fiduciary responsibility to inform them, and possibly resign my directorships. I knew I would be making some phone calls that afternoon. I wondered what Bill at Microsoft would think of this.

I got a call from Rich Miller to be available Tuesday afternoon of the following week to be in Washington. The reason - meet the powers that be! I had a command performance in front of the Minority Leader and Minority Whip. That would be Bob Michel and Newt Gingrich. In one sense I was expecting to meet them ahead of time, but in another, I was a touch surprised. There were 435 Congressional seats in the House, the majority of which were Democratically controlled. Would they be meeting all of the contenders one on one? That would be well over 200 meetings. Maybe they would split them up? Or maybe this was so important they would take the time? I just didn’t know.

I quizzed Brewster on this, and he said it was important that I attend. He didn’t need to be there, but Miller would be, to sponsor me, so to speak. I could assume that they would have some sort of background on me, whether provided by Miller or somebody connected with the Maryland Ninth. Michel I knew very little about; he was on the way out, so to speak. He would be retiring in a few years. Newt I knew quite a bit about! He was brand new to the Whip position, getting it when Dick Cheney was selected by Bush 41 as his Secretary of Defense. Over the next decade he would rise to become one of the most powerful men in Washington, and then self-destruct and be cast out.

I drove down Tuesday morning and Rich and I went to lunch. Our appointment was at 2:15. I asked, “So, am I meeting with both Michel and Gingrich? Together? One and then the other? Is it a group thing?”

Rich shook his head. “It will just be Newt. I found out this morning that Bob had to fly back to Chicago for a funeral.”

“As long as it wasn’t his own,” I quipped, which earned me a smile. “What’s Gingrich like?”

That got me a little shrug. “Smart, very smart, that’s for sure. He can turn on the folksy country charm when he needs to, but don’t let the down-home West Georgia good old boy routine fool you. He has a doctorate in history and taught college before running for office. You two will get along on that score. You’ve got the accent, too. How’d that work for you up north, by the way?”