'Loose Talk'
By Benjamin Benedict

Hi Ben, it’s Barack

Mr President, what a surprise!

Well I needed to talk to someone ‘out of the frame’, and one of my aids saw your articles. Thanks for all the good thoughts, by the way.

You are welcome. Is there something special on your mind?

Your take on our Health Care issue triggered my call. People here just do not get the link between major domestic legislation and our international standing.

It does seem that your system of ‘checks and balances’ checks a lot more than it balances.

I was elected on the mandate of bringing National Heath Care to America and a year later, with Bills already passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate the whole project could crash out. How can I persuade the North Koreans to give up nuclear weapons when I cannot even persuade my own guys to accept something which not only the North Koreans but the Chinese, the Iranians – I could go on -  could enact in a week if they wanted to?

It’s a problem alright.

So what would you do about it?

Assuming that this is a brick wall, I would go back to the voters. Your opposition has no one to run against you.

They wouldn’t need anyone with the voting swing we have just seen in Massachusetts.

A Presidential election is different, and if you don’t go down that road the mid-term elections will weaken you further.  

I don’t think you understand what it takes to call a Presidential election here. And then what about all the other programmes I have initiated. What would happen to them? Also, if I was re-elected it would be my second term and I would have restricted the possible time that I may have as President.

You’ll never have enough time, not with eight or even eighteen years.

But eight would be a lot better than five and a half.

Not if you are hamstrung for the duration.

Well, I don’t know.

Look, neither do I, but I don’t trust ‘long term’. I am one of those guys who’ll make a play on fourth down. Kicking the ball away might work statistically, but when its peoples hearts and minds…….

Umm, I hear what you’re saying. I’ll think about it.

It might not happen if you let them know that.

Know what?

That you are thinking about it.

Maybe you would make a politician after all.

Maybe not, but I fancy a knighthood if you could put a word in the right persons ear.

Barack laughs. Don’t call me. I’ll call you.

Anytime, Mr President, anytime

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