Executive orders - Tom Clancy [326]
Good evening, Donner said to the camera behind the Ryans. We're here in the Oval Office to speak with President Jack Ryan and the First Lady. As I said on NBC Nightly News, a technical glitch damaged the taping we did earlier today. The President has graciously allowed us to come back and talk live. His head turned. And for that, sir, we thank you.
Glad to see you again, Tom, the President said, comfortably. He was getting better at concealing his thoughts.
Also joining us is Mrs. Ryan-
Please, Cathy said, with a smile of her own. It's Dr. Ryan. I worked pretty hard for that.
Yes, ma'am, Donner said with a charm that made Cathy think about a bad trauma case rolling off on Monument Street at lunchtime. You're both doctors, aren't you?
Yes, Mr. Donner, Jack in history, and me in ophthalmology.
And you're a distinguished eye surgeon with the Lasker Public Service Award, he observed, applying his anchorman's charm.
Well, I've been working in medical research for over fifteen years. At Johns Hopkins we're all clinicians and researchers, too. I work with a wonderful group of people, and, really, the Lasker Prize is more a tribute to them than it is to me. Back fifteen years ago, Professor Bernard Katz encouraged me to look into how we could use lasers to correct various eye problems. I found it interesting, and I've been working in that area ever since, in addition to my normal surgical practice.
Do you really make more money than your husband? Donner asked with a grin for the cameras.
Lots, she confirmed with a chuckle.
I always said that Cathy was the brains of the outfit, Jack went on, patting his wife's hand. She's too modest to say that she's just about the best in the world at what she does.
So, how do you like being First Lady?
Do I have to answer? A charming smile. Then she turned serious. The way we got here-well, it's not something anyone would wish for, but I guess it's like what I do at the hospital. Sometimes a trauma case comes in, and that person didn't choose to be injured, and we try our best to fix what's wrong. Jack's never turned away from a problem or a challenge in his life.
Then it was time for business. Mr. President, how do you like your job?
Well, the hours are pretty long. As much time as I have spent in government service, I don't think I ever really understood how difficult this job is. I am blessed with a very fine staff, and our government has thousands of dedicated workers doing the public's business. That helps a lot.
As you see it, sir, what is your job? John Plumber asked.
The oath says to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, Ryan replied. We're working to restore the government. We now have the Senate fully in place, and as the several states get on with their elections, we'll soon have a new House of Representatives. I've got most of the Cabinet posts filled-for HHS and Education, we still have the sitting Deputy Secretaries doing a fine job.
We spoke this morning about events in the Persian Gulf. What are the problems there as you see them? It was Plumber again. Ryan was handling himself well, much more relaxed, and Plumber noted the look in his wife's eyes. She was smart.
The United States wants nothing more than peace and stability in that region. We have every wish to establish friendly relations with the new United Islamic Republic. There's been enough strife there and elsewhere in the world. I'd like to think that we've turned the corner on that. We've made peace-a real peace, not just the absence of war-with the Russians, after generations of turmoil. I want us to build on that. Maybe the world's never been fully at peace, but that is no reason why we can't do it. John, we've come a very long way in the past twenty years. There's a lot more for us to do, but we have a lot of good work to build on.
We'll be back after this break, Donner told the cameras. He could see that Ryan was pretty pleased with himself. Excellent.
A staffer came