Executive orders - Tom Clancy [182]
It's not a claim, Barry. It's a fact. I never resigned. I never actually left the vice-presidency. Because of that, when Roger Durling died, I became President. What we have to do right now, and Mr. Ryan will do this if he cares about his country, is to form a judicial panel to examine the constitutional issues and decide who the President really is. If Ryan does not do that-well, he's putting himself before the good of the country. Now, I must add that I fully believe that Jack Ryan is acting in good conscience. He's an honorable man, and in the past he's shown himself to be a courageous man. Unfortunately, right now, he's confused, as we saw at the press conference this morning.
A pat of butter would not melt in his mouth, Jack, van Damm observed, turning the sound down. You see how good he is at this?
Ryan nearly came out of his chair. God damn it, Arnie, that's what I said! I must have said it three or four times-that's the law, and I can't break the law. That's what I said!
Remember what I told you about keeping your temper under control? The chief of staff waited for Ryan's color to go back down. He turned the sound back up.
What's most disturbing, however, Kealty was saying now, is what Ryan said about his appointments to the Supreme Court. It's pretty clear he wants to turn the clock back on a lot of things. Litmus tests on issues like abortion, appointing only strict-constructionists. It makes you wonder if he wants to overturn affirmative action, and heaven knows what else. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a situation where the sitting President will exercise immense power, particularly in the courts. And Ryan just doesn't know how, Barry. He doesn't, and what we learned today about what he wants to do-well, it's just plain frightening, isn't it?
Am I on a different planet, Arnie? Jack demanded. I didn't say 'litmus test.' A reporter did. I didn't say 'strict-constructionist.' A reporter did.
Jack, it isn't what you say. It's what people hear.
Just how much damage do you think President Ryan could do, then? Barry asked on the TV. Arnie shook his head in admiration. Kealty had seduced him right out of his shorts, right on live television, and Barry had responded perfectly, framing the question to show that he still called Ryan the President, but then asking the question in a form that would shake people's faith in him. It was no wonder that Ed was so good with the ladies, was it? And the average viewer would never grasp the subtlety with which he'd pulled Barry's drawers off. What a pro.
In a situation like this, with the government decapitated? It could take years to fix what he might break, Kealty said with the grave concern of a trusted family physician. Not because he's an evil person. He certainly is not. But because he simply doesn't know how to execute the office of President of the United States. He just doesn't, Barry.
We'll be back after these messages from our cable operators, Barry told the camera. Arnie had heard enough, and didn't need to see the commercials. He lifted the controller and clicked the TV off.
Mr. President, I wasn't worried before, but I'm worried now. He paused for a moment. Tomorrow you will see some editorials in a few of the major papers agreeing that a judicial commission is necessary, and you'll have no choice but to let it go forward.
Wait a minute. The law doesn't say that-
The law doesn't say anything, remember? And even if it did, there's no Supreme Court to decide. We're in a democracy, Jack. The will of the people will decide who's the President. The will of the people will be swayed by what the media says, and you'll never be as good at working the media as Ed is.
Look, Arnie, he resigned, I got confirmed by the Congress as VP, Roger got killed, and I became President, and that's the fucking law! And I have to abide by the law. I swore an oath to do that, and I will. I never wanted this fucking job, but I've never run away from anything in my life, either, and I'll be damned if I'll run away from this! There was one other thing. Ryan despised Edward Kealty.