It’s a funny thing about Washington, when you think you understand who and what forces are at work making policy, there always seems to be a wild card that pops up that completely changes the game plan. This was one of those times.
Wayne Whitefield, a topnotch divorce attorney from Nashville, was having a late lunch with one of Senator Harry Reid’s aides at Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons in Georgetown. Wayne was known in Tennessee as the hillbilly attorney to the country stars and was now representing his biggest client ever, Tipper Gore. He knew that this meeting was probably one of his most sensitive discussions involving a client's divorce and one misstep could end his star-studded career in a D.C. second. The room was quiet and almost deserted with only one other couple on the other side of the room. “OK, Wayne what’s the damage?” the aide said. Wayne replied, “Half a billion tax free.” “Jesus Wayne, what’s your cut on this deal?” Wayne smiled while adjusting his glasses which always seemed to slip down on his nose whenever he got nervous. “Alright, Wayne what does this legislation have to fear?” “First off, my client has emails, taped phone conversations and messages along with personal conversations which have been documented and corroborated. Mr. Gore’s pet project is nothing more than a money making scheme with no real science behind it. Now, my client is teetering on a fence. She’s being pulled between simply exposing the fraud or just taking the money and running. I, of course, have advised her to take the money,” as he smiled. The aide smirked back thinking, you son-of-a-bitch you’re going to make a fortune on this.
“What’s the timing on this,” the aide said? “We’d like a settlement before the midterm elections,” Wayne smoothly commented, knowing that it was his only window of opportunity. He knew that after that the congressional balance will change against the Climate Bill and passage would be doomed for at least the near future. Wayne shoved a package over to the aide containing a small sample of his evidence just to get the President’s attention. He knew this would go all the way so he acted as though he was negotiating with the big guy himself. “Alright Wayne I’ll pass this on and get back to you as soon as I have something concrete.”
Three hours later the aide with Mr. Reid’s approval met with Rahm to pass on the bad news. Rahm knew that Tipper was going to destroy this Bill if he let her. Paying her was almost out of the question, which left quieting her. Quieting can come in many forms Rahm knew, but which should it be, Marilyn Monroe style or a smear campaign. While Rahm and the President whispered for 30 minutes in the Oval Office, dinner was being served to the first family. After this weekend's disastrous meeting he just heard that his latest victim, General McChrystal, was retiring and had a ten million dollar tell-all book deal. He thought, yeah and I bet his book is released right before the midterm elections, as the 514th day of the Obama Presidency popped another pill.
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