Chapter 7

The morning was filled with news leaks indicating an agreement movement on the budget, breaking the stalemate that had stalled progress for weeks. Congress had stayed in session all night.

There were pictures of sleeping Senators and congressional people at their desk. The word I received from the Vice President was the two separate bills were in conference committees, working out the differences. The Senate version contained the cuts and tax bill as I wanted. The House version, liberals had tried to eliminate the spending cuts but kept the tax.

I had told the group that had come to the White House to discuss the new revenue portion - the wealth tax had to be included as written, the cuts had to stay in place and there was to be no additional spending or else - no signature.

Even if they passed it I would use the pocket veto and the government would close three days before Christmas and remain closed until the Senate and House returned for special session or in January, unless Congress stayed in session for the ten days that I had to sign or veto the bill. They didn’t like the threat but they took it seriously.

If it was put off to the new Congress, I would have even more leverage with the numbers of conservative legislatures coming in. But I knew they would never allow the government to be closed down over the holidays.

I finished my Christmas list and called senior agents Brewer, Carter and Tull and asked if there was any way for me to leave the White House incognito to finish my Christmas shopping at the mall.

“With your luck finding terrorists at mall’s, not likely. Get your list together and we will send someone to get the things for you,” Brewer said.

“The media and Congress would find out about it and I would have to hear a raft of horse crap about it, plus the hearings and all the other crap to go with it. I will just have to do differently. How were Clinton, the Bush’s and Obama able to get out discretely for the things they did?” I asked.

“They didn’t carry the risk that you do. There are still very serious unresolved death threats against you,” Brewer replied.

“Every President had death threats against them,” I said.

“You have had many more and too many close calls,” Agent Brewer said.

“OK,” I said.

I called Ziva and Abra to come to my office. I would have to get them to do the shopping for me as much as I hated it. They were on the JBG payroll so neither Congress nor the media could say anything.

I explained the list item by item of the things that I wanted them to get for me and why I needed them to do it for me. I had used catalogs to put the list together.

“What do Abra and Ziva want for Christmas? What can I get you?” I asked.

“JBG has already given a nice Christmas bonus. I don’t think I need anything else,” Ziva replied.

“I agree,” Abra added.

“Well, that is not what I wanted to hear but if that is the way you want it, so be it,” I said.

I knew that gold coins were to be given to Andy, Burt, Robert and Cindy. I would give each one of my personal JBG security group a coin. They had been shot at protecting me; it was the least I could do.

I had ordered as much as I could from the internet, the problem was every single package had to go to the decontamination center and be opened, inspected and tested for contact poisons before it got to me. It was a process that left everything messy.

I sent a text to Vicky, she and Ching Lee were coming over to stay with me for a couple days. “Please bring five rolls of the Thimble Shoals gold coins and the plastic gift cases for them when you come over” I said.

I called the ethics group to send someone over - I had a couple questions I wanted answered. It was my first Christmas as President; I needed answers to issues related to me giving gifts to my staff. Did those gifts have to be reported, did the person have report them on IRS forms? Did they have to be entered on campaign or other disclosures? There was still so much to being President I had to learn.

I went back to work on the list of things to do after January fifth when the new Congress was sworn in. I started another notepad with rules and laws I wanted to have Congress change, agency by agency.

Every President loaded up the agencies with new rules and requirements that aligned with their political persuasion. Those rules were going to be reviewed and removed, either by Congress or me by executive directive.

It was 1800 when the helicopter touched down on the lawn. Not only were Ching Lee and Vicky on it, but all my mates and all the kids who were bundled up like the Pillsbury dough boy. All the mates were carrying briefcases again.

I was glad to see them and displayed my affection as soon as the door closed off the cold air. I gave each of them a gigantic hug and kisses, including the boys.

The chefs had to change the supper plans - the boys wanted Mac and Cheese and hot dogs and we all were getting a much better meal than I had planned for myself.

With Christmas just two days away, the boys were out of school. Takeo and Sara were walking and talking. Damn, when did that happen? I was missing so much of their youth, they were growing so fast.

I sent a text to Ziva that when they returned to have the things they were getting locked in one of the security closets, that all my family was here. Marcy gave me the five rolls of the coins I wanted and the cases with a presentation sheet for each one and a gift box. I placed them in my desk in the Oval Office.