Four Days In February Read online

CHAPTER SIX

  Ryan Burlson said: "It's time for the Speaker of the House to speak. General Pinchon, what we are going to do, will be constitutional, swift, effective, lawful, and legitimate. At 9:00 a.m. I am going to gavel the House of Representatives to order. The full House is due to be there, because both whips have given notice that there will be important procedural votes for which every member must be present."

  "Yes, we have had both party whips working hard on this," said minority leader Onan.

  Majority leader Vinnity went on, "We have called back all Congressmen who were away in their home districts. Most members do not know what is about to happen, but they know something big is going on. They know both leaderships are paying close attention to something."

  Vinnity went on, "I will advise the House we face a grave national security issue with unknown consequences, and move, for these reasons that the house go immediately into closed session."

  "After we are in closed session," the Speaker said, "I am going to leave the chair and go to the well of the House, and tell the members of the President's impending death; and remind them that this would mean that with no Vice President, the Speaker would become President. I am going to point out to the House my own age, and tell them that I cannot accept the presidency. I will also warn them that next in line of succession is the President pro tempore of the Senate, who is older than I am, and in even worse health, and that he will not agree to take the office either.

  "I will further advise the House, that if it does nothing, it is likely in the next twenty-four hours, that the presidency will pass temporarily to the Secretary of State, until at some future time a different Speaker or President pro tempore was selected by the respective House or Senate. That would mean in a time of great national stress, with international ramifications, there could be four Presidents inside of a few weeks. It also would mean both houses of Congress could get in a political race to appoint new leaders, and great confusion could be created. Financial markets would react negatively to instability and uncertainty. Internationally, nations of 'evil intent' could and likely would take advantage of our inability to respond with strength.

  "I would then offer the House a chance, for the sake of national security to remedy the situation -- if they would agree to a highly unusual process. I would offer to resign as Speaker, if the House would agree to immediately take nominations, and then vote to appoint a new Speaker. This new Speaker, once elected would take the gavel immediately, and call the House back to order. He would then be duly ready to assume the presidency upon the President's death -- he would become in reality the 'President-in-waiting.'"

  Pinchon said, "Let me get this straight, Speaker. You offer to resign, ...if the House agrees to appoint a new Speaker..."

  "Yes, that's right."

  "Two questions, then Speaker; how do you know that the House will agree? ...And if they do appoint a new Speaker... how do you propose that I become President? ...After all, the new Speaker will become President."

  Vinnity spoke up. "You did not totally understand the Speaker. We are going to nominate you, General Pinchon, to be elected by the House as its Speaker."

  Pinchon said, "How can that be? I have never been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I cannot be appointed Speaker."

  Majority leader Vinnity said: "It may be a surprise to you and the whole nation, but the Speaker of the House does not have to be a present member of the House."

  "He doesn't?" Pinchon said.

  "He or she has always been a sitting member, but this is just a tradition, the House is free to elect whomever it desires," Vinnity said. "We are going to press the House to rise against very present national dangers, by electing you Speaker, so you may be next in line of succession to the presidency."

  Minority leader Onan said, "It is possible that someone else may also be nominated, but in the vote all we need is a simple majority to elect a new Speaker."

  Speaker Burlson said: "We do not absolutely know that the House will agree. If they don't, I don't resign, and we have to face a future with uncertainty in national leadership. We are all here committed to stand together, in spite of political differences, and push for the House to come to the aid of the nation; we think patriotism will prevail."

  Henry Onan spoke up, "I am going to be recognized to speak next, after Mr. Burlson, and am going to tell them that the United States, at this moment, needs us to stand together without partisanship. ...That both parties' leaderships have put politics aside, and agreed to nominate four star General Bull Pinchon to become Speaker, so that he could then become President of the United States. That you are a man of unquestioned patriotism, integrity, honor, and ability, and are someone all of us should be able to agree on regardless of our political party. ...That you, did not belong to, or work for either party. ...That the incumbent majority party was giving up the presidency for the sake of the country, and ...that likewise the minority party is not attempting to use this crisis to take that office. The President-to-be would be a non-partisan, seeking to pull the nation together in this crisis, and they could be assured of this, because they all know and respect the character of General Pinchon."

  Pinchon said: "I expect there would then be a lively discussion. This is something that is just being dropped on them."

  "Yes," the majority leader said, "but everyone knows we are in a crisis. Everybody is wondering why after the assassination, the new President is not being seen or heard. When the House hears the reason, I believe they will choose to in effect, pick the next President. We would remind them that if they did not act immediately, events would overtake them and make the situation more difficult. To do nothing, is possible, but not preferable."

  Pinchon asked: "How long do you think this process will take?

  The majority leader said: "Two to four hours. We want you standing by in my office, because if we succeed, we want you to immediately be sworn in, take the chair, and be seen as, and function as Speaker."

  "You would gavel the House to order," the minority leader said. "Then you would pass the gavel to one of the pro tempores and go and get your picture taken at the bed side of President Woods."

  Charles Adams, spoke up: "Yes, that is very important ...to show the nation and people that the President is still alive, and in agreement with what we are doing. Very soon you are going to have to take hold of, and direct and control the executive branch, from the White House staff, to the Cabinet, and the bureaucracy. They too must see you as the lawful and legitimate successor to the President. Should he die; they are going to have to be ready to follow your orders."

  Pinchon asks: "Do you think that is going to be a big problem? Are there going to be major opponents that will try and rally opposition to my becoming Speaker, and then taking the presidency? If so, where do you think it will be coming from, and how likely is it that they will actually try to prevent the succession?"

  Adams again replied: "This is another thing we cannot be certain about. Upon his accession, President Woods asked the whole Carr White House staff and Cabinet to remain in their posts. Some of them, too, are going to be surprised to suddenly learn how bad President Woods health is. The White House Senior staff, the Secretary of State, Treasury, and Attorney General and a few others know, but others don't. However, I think that most of the Cabinet will fall in line. You will want to accept the resignation of any that you do not believe can be relied on."

  The Minority Leader said, "Charles, tell him about the big concern."

  "Yes, the Leader is right," Adams said. "The wild card in this matter is the DoD. Secretary Ishnik knows the President is sick, but does not know how sick. However, he is a smart man and knows that Woods is not functioning well. We believe that Ishnik has instituted orders to all commands that all contacts with the President and White House staff are to be immediately reported to him. No Presidential orders are to be implemented without his knowledge and consent. He is trying to limit Pre
sident Woods' authority, and take the presidency for himself. This is very dangerous for our republic."

  Pinchon says, "Ishnik and I do not get along, ...we have a history, ...he didn't agree with my strategic plans for our forces overseas. We clashed. He forced me into retirement in the previous administration. I don't know why Carr kept him on with her new administration, but she did. I suppose Woods kept him after the assassination for stability. Do you think Ishnik's orders are just because he knows the President is sick, and doesn't want some staffer issuing orders in the President's name ...or ...or has he gotten wind of this plan ...and is preparing to oppose it?"

  Adams said: "Ishnik has not confided in us, nor we in him. Through military aids in the White House and the NSC staff I am sure he is getting some intelligence reports that conversations have been taking place between the President, the Speaker, the pro tempore, and myself. However, unless he has the white house bugged, he doesn't know what we are doing. The Secret Service has kept the President and his personal communications secure. That is why we used the method we did to get you here, we didn't trust any normal means of communication. We didn't want DoD in particular to know."

  Pinchon said: "You know your secrecy may not have worked. We landed at Andrews, and the Air Force will keep records of arrivals."

  "Yes, but your flight was just returning an 'empty' government plane to Andrews. You were not on the manifest. Moreover, going to get you, agent Melman, and his associates traveled separately and by commercial aircraft to Hawaii."

  "Hmm," Pinchon breathed, "but we were observed by someone getting off the plane. Ishnik is going to be very suspicious. He is also going to hear from General Yates. After all, I was grabbed when I was heading for a meeting with the Army Chief. I never showed up, and Bill Yates would be very curious why. We are good friends, he served as my second in command. Yates will tell Ishnik about me not coming to his meeting, and Ishnik is going to be adding mystery to mystery. I know him, he is going to be a problem!"

  Adams coughed, then said: "Yes, Ishnik and Yates are probable problems, maybe others too, in the chain of command. Yates, for one, has, since the assassination, been flying to various commands across the country, having secret meetings. Neither he nor Secretary Ishnik have told why, at least in the presence of our friends in the DoD. The only reason we know about them is that a couple colonels, one in Texas and another in Montana, have reported that Yates has had unusual meetings with other officers that no one will then talk about. Some of them have been in the middle of the night, and included a couple unknown civilians."

  Pinchon said: "Yates has always been a good soldier, and a strong smart leader; someone I was glad to have my back when going into battle. I never did know why he wanted to see me while I was on vacation, maybe he just wanted to pick my brain on the world situation. We are friends."

  Adams replied, "Perhaps, but our sense is that Ishnik and he, along with some or all of the other Chiefs of Staff, are possible problems, and are surely being secretive about something."

  "And you haven't been secretive too?" Pinchon said. "Let's hope that you are wrong, and that they are just making sure in dangerous times that everything is right with the military."

  Adams replied back: "I hope you are right, General, but until we know for certain, you, ...and we, would do well to take care."

  Speaker Burlson said: "Right now, what we need to take care of first, is to put our plan into motion. If we are successful, this afternoon we will have a new Speaker, and if death strikes again today, a new President. Mr. Vinnity and Mr. Onan, you need to get back to the Capitol, and keep control of your parties."

  Adams spoke, "General, if it looks as if we are succeeding, you will need to be in the Speaker's office by early afternoon. Melman will quietly take you there by at least 11:00 a.m. The Leader's staff will hide you away in his private work room until you are called to the House."

  Pinchon said, "Hiding? I am not a fan of hiding; I like things to be done in the light of day."

  Adams said, "General, I see the rain has stopped and the sun is now shining brilliantly. I hope that very soon, in spite of tragedy, that our nation will be able to have you succeed to the presidency, and that you will pour sunshine into every corner of the nation."

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