The minister closed by quoting George Washington who said that it was impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible and that reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality could prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
“Mr. Washington memorialized this feeling forever in his farewell address when he stated, ‘Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens…’”
The men stood outside of Josh’s limo at the bottom step of the Lincoln Memorial. They could not stop thinking of the sermon they had heard fifteen minutes earlier. They mulled around the sidewalk for a few moments while Mr. Washington studied each man, noting their expressions. The silence was broken by a smiling Anders.
“Gentlemen, Mr. President, I believe we all experienced an epiphany at the National Cathedral. All of us have been wondering since Friday afternoon why we were brought together in Philadelphia, the forces at work, and what they have in store for us. Well, I believe we received our answer this morning. Providence spoke to us and has led us to this brilliant morning. As President Reagan so optimistically stated, “It’s morning in America.”
With that said, General Washington looked up the steps of the memorial and led the men past a small number of early morning tourists to the summit. The father of our country was once again face-to-face with the larger than life President Lincoln.
Mr. Washington walked to his left and studied the inscribed Gettysburg address. He then turned right and focused on Lincoln’s second inaugural. As George focused, he inched toward the middle of the rail and began speaking aloud, first directed toward the men and then for all within earshot.
“Indeed, anything is possible in this great land of ours. President Abraham Lincoln had uncommon strength, courage, and conviction. He took the sacred oath of office clear and forthright in his noble intentions, committed to relegating the shackles of slavery across these United States to, as President Reagan said in describing the demise of the Soviet Union, the scrapheap of history, while somehow bringing the nation together.”
The men shot each other looks of astonishment. Hahn mouthed to the others, “What the hell?”
Anders shrugged, smiled and winked at Jenson, Hahn, and Murray.
“I guess he watched the History Channel in the hotel this morning.”
The men looked down and chuckled as George resumed his lecture. “I see a man before me who knew that his ideals were supported by the majority, vehemently rejected by many and deemed worthy of war by all. I see a man who was viewed by more than a few as a tyrant, yet brought the country together. And yet with the threat of certain war looming, Mr. Lincoln steadfastly held his guiding principles.”
Mr. Washington reviewed the growing audience that built around him. He started to walk slowly toward the top of the steps and into the morning sunshine. While his audience grew, so did his ideas and the strength in his voice. Mr. Washington said he could see the steadfastness in Lincoln’s clinched fist and steely eyes. He described Lincoln as a man who may have bent during the horrific stresses of war but who refused to break.
George then quoted a founding father. “As Thomas Paine once wrote, ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.’”
Mr. Washington was now on the top step of the Lincoln Memorial. He stood tall, erect and strong, as the crowd grew. Many cell phones were pointed in his direction, recording every word. One phone hoisted in the air to capture the moment belonged to Josh Anders. Even the park rangers moved in closer to listen. One even handed George his megaphone which he politely declined.
“The founders had not settled the question of slavery when the Constitution was adopted. It was left to the next generation to decide, but, like Mr. Lincoln, they truly believed in the individual’s liberty and freedom in the Natural Rights of Man.”
He spoke extemporaneously, something not lost on the new founders.
“Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, ‘That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.’ Not all Caucasian men, but ALL MEN. Jefferson also wrote that the abomination of slavery must end, stating that there is a superior bench reserved in Heaven for those who hasten it.”
Looking toward the turgid crowd, a more confident and passionate Mr. Washington began reciting some of the most famous words in American history. “‘Four score and seven years ago…. that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.’”
He paused as the waves of people soaked in one president’s words delivered by another. He needed to connect these words and show relevance in today’s world.
“Yes, the founders did bring forth a new nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. That founding principle is ingrained in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, documents which lay out our principles as American citizens, inspired not from some legislature or monarch, but from God the Almighty Himself, stressing that our government is of, by, and for the people, not of, by, and for the government, nor of one man.”
Mr. Washington chastised today’s political class by pointing out that while DC had monuments to great men and women, there are too many monuments erected by government in honor of itself. He directly cited the colossal edifices erected for the Departments of Education and Agriculture. He questioned why anybody would have veritable monstrosities dedicated to bureaucracies called the Housing and Urban Development Department and the Department of the Interior.
Looking right at Jack Murray, he asked if these leviathans were chartered in the United States Constitution.
Before Jack could even shake his head, a spontaneous, “No!” erupted from the fervent crowd.
The new founders looked at each other with nervous smiles. Jack’s initial impulse was to try and stop a scene from developing, but all the men quickly realized that the assemblage was directed by Providence itself. They stood and listened, as enthralled by Mr. Washington’s words as the mesmerized tourists surrounding him.
“In his second inaugural, Mr. Lincoln teaches us that ours is a just God. That the pain the country endured, indeed the pain that Lincoln himself endured, was as deep as the lashes from the whip of slavery. Lincoln was of one mind with the founders over four score years before.”
He again quoted himself by explaining that the determinations of Providence were always wise, often inscrutable, and though its decrees appeared to bear hard upon us at times, was nevertheless meant for gracious purposes.
“Lincoln reminds us that even after enduring such pain, we will look to God’s example to reconcile and come back together as a people. And that is a lesson for the ages.”
As the unknown speaker paced the top step, the crowd followed, cell phones and video cameras trained on him. Mr. Washington slowly walked down the steps toward the reflection pool, pausing on a lower step to conclude his speech for the day.
“Political party allegiances have replaced the allegiance to the American people. President Washington predicted their danger over two hundred years ago, when he said that they serve always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. He said they agitate the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms. He believed they kindled the animosity of one party against another and opened the door to foreign influence and corruption.”
George urged the crowd to look to Mr. Washington’s and Lincoln’s examples and reject party allegiances and put the good of the country above the wants of the party. He stressed that by doing so, the American pe
ople would once again be free to pursue the unalienable right of their happiness.
He warned that failure to do so would hasten our collapse.
The General paused for a moment, as if to gauge the reaction of the captivated multitude. He wanted to finish on a high note, and he would not be denied.
“Remember, these United States of America are exceptional in the history of human civilization. Do not let anyone or any law makers tell you what you or your family can or cannot have. Do not let them tell you what you or your family can or cannot achieve. Your life belongs to you. Your happiness is yours to define.”
Hahn leaned toward Jenson and Murray and whispered that he felt like he was dreaming. The two men hardly acknowledged their colleague as they remained riveted on their new leader.
“Be sure that your public servants understand that they work for you. They are there to clear the way for your pursuit of happiness and not to limit it!”
By now, the crowd had surrounded Mr. Washington and the new founders. A number of well-wishers started to reach out and touch the first president, as if to ensure that he was not a mirage or a figment of their imagination. The General had whipped the mass into a near frenzy and his cabinet of gentlemen sensed it was time to depart.
To Jack’s relief, Josh Anders took the initiative and quickly called his driver while motioning the men to surround Mr. Washington like secret service agents and lead him to the approaching limo.
The crowd followed with thunderous applause as their chant of “MORE” echoed throughout the mall and within the Lincoln Memorial itself. As the group of men hurried to the waiting car, Mr. Washington stopped and paused yet again. He placed one foot on the floorboard of the back seat, stood tall above the crowd, and surveyed the scene.
“Thank you for sharing this moment in history with me. God bless all of you and God bless the United States of America!”
The crowd, having drawn silent when Mr. Washington raised himself up, erupted into a deafening cheer, followed by a rousing “USA” chant. The father of our country gave one last look around, smiled, and disappeared into the idling limousine. At once, the people rushed the car to get a look at the most powerful and mesmerizing speaker they had ever laid eyes on. But their looks were fleeting as the car sped away toward the Jefferson Memorial.
Chapter 14
The new founding fathers had finally settled into the car as the crowd faded from view. As the car pulled up to the traffic light, the men pondered in silence what they had just experienced. But even though they were quiet, inside the men were as excited as kids on Christmas. Anders broke the silence with a clear proclamation.
“Now that was something else, wouldn’t you say gentlemen? I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I don’t care because I think it’s important.”
The new founders leaned in, eager to hear what their colleague was about to say, as if he didn’t go out on a limb one hundred times a day on his show.
“I think we should put forth Mr. Washington as candidate for President of the United States.”
Even though he was serious, Anders deliberately halted his words to see what the shock value would be in the car. The men knew from their collective experience in the National Cathedral that this was inevitable. Mr. Washington sat stoic, neither nodding nor changing his facial expression. However, Tim Jenson was enthusiastically nodding his head up and down in agreement. Noticing this, Anders immediately seized the moment.
“You agree, Jenson?”
“Absolutely. He is the perfect candidate. He’s an eloquent speaker and there is no one more passionate about his country. He knows how to build a country. Damn, he built this country! If we bring him up to speed on world and US history and today’s big issues, he would kick butt. Look what he did this morning. Twenty-four hours ago we were introducing him to the twenty-first century and giving him a crash course in US history. Throw in a few newspapers, a couple hours of the History Channel and cable news and you get what you saw this morning. Just imagine if we had some time. The people are starving for a candidate like George.”
Anders noticed that Mr. Washington’s expression never changed, hinting that maybe the General approved of his idea. The men took notice of this too. Their faces reflected mixed expressions as Jenson finished his thought.
“I agree with Anders. Why can’t we run GW as a candidate? The Republicans seem to be going nowhere and can’t get out of each other’s way. Our current president has taken the country away from what made it great and his approval rating shows it. From socialized healthcare, to unsustainable deficits, to open borders, to an Attorney General who releases terrorists—this president is managing the ruin of our country.”
Murray may not have physically shown it, but he emphatically concurred.
“Constitutionally, the most important job of the government is to protect our people and our rights under God. This administration does the exact opposite.”
George sat up at Jack’s interjection, as if waiting for Mr. Murray to enter the conversation. The history teacher from Virginia now had the first president’s undivided attention.
He preached that those currently running the country spent trillions of tax dollars on some ridiculous ‘stimulus’ that did nothing to help the economy, on socialist programs like PresidentCare, and on new entitlement programs that did nothing more than cede the people’s freedom to the government.
Murray, looked around expecting to be interrupted, but to his delight, the roomy rear of the car stayed quiet. It was lecture time as he expounded.
“Then they claim they have no money to protect our country, which is what they are mandated to do in the first place. Then they gut the military by hundreds of thousands of service men and women and reduce the number of warships to pre-World War II levels. Hell, we decrease our nuclear arsenal by eighty percent while the most dangerous dictatorships in the world are developing and stockpiling nukes! My God, sorry, Mr. President, our country is completely upside down.”
Hahn jumped in, stating that he could not have said it better himself. It was rare that Anthony Hahn would ever breathe a compliment like he just had. But he liked Jack Murray from the moment they met at Independence Hall. Hahn didn’t feel like he had to compete with Jack like he did with Anders. There was a quality about him that Hahn read as an intelligence that didn’t need to prove it every second, something totally different from what the currency trader was. Now in the back seat, he thought that maybe opposites do attract.
“This country is craving a guy like George. We owe it to the people to do it. When will we ever get this chance again? Never.”
Murray, playing devil’s advocate for a moment, slowed the rally cry. He began by reminding the team that their new found colleague was not like George Washington. He was George Washington. He reiterated that it would be a tough sell to arrange for ‘the’ George Washington to run for office.
“We’re already on that!” exclaimed Anders as the limousine pulled up to the hotel.
Anders described how he had made a call and sent text messages to some important people during Mr. Washington’s speech at the memorial. Hahn, looking skeptical, let out a snort as he and Murray asked Anders who in the world he could have called to make that happen. Anders was all too eager to respond.
“I reached out to a cohort of mine; a very important person who you’ll be meeting shortly.”
Mr. Washington shot a look of concern in Anders’ direction as the car door swung open and the sunlight lit up the interior. Murray and Hahn looked at each other as if to ask what this guy was up to now. Murray even whispered to Hahn that he didn’t want to be a part of anything illegal. Hahn responded by alluding to the recent currency exchange scandal the bank had and that he was not about to embark on more legal troubles. It seemed like they were not the only ones with concerns.
George also did not seem comfortable with the pending introduction of another person into their tight group. He pulled Anders to the side of the front door at the h
otel entrance. Jenson tagged along.
“Mr. Anders, do you think it is prudent that we allow a stranger into any grand plan of ours? I do not know if Mr. Jenson and I agree with this turn of events.”
Mr. Washington guessed correctly that Tim, along with the other two men, had reservations of bringing in an extra political bigwig into the mix. Jenson nodded in agreement as they studied Anders.
Anders held his hand out, palm down as if to gesture that the men should calm down. He explained that the man they were about to meet had his unyielding trust and admiration. He reassured the two as he ushered them into the lobby and up the elevator.
The group assembled in the Anders suite. The men nervously loitered about the room as they waited for their new guest. Mr. Washington had again pulled both Anders and Jenson aside for a brief discussion. He described his trepidation at the initial thought of a candidacy. But in the last fifteen minutes, the ideas seemed to grow on him. He proudly proclaimed that he never actually campaigned for the office of president. The eighteenth century gentleman was asked to take a nomination and dutifully accept or decline.
Anders and Jenson assured him that they would handle his candidacy in the most gentlemanly way possible but warned that there was no tougher fight than a presidential election. They asked General George Washington if he was up for a good fight.
Mr. Washington stood tall and told the gentlemen that he trusted their opinion and valued their support. He smiled. “Gentlemen, the greater the chaos, the greater will be our merit in bringing forth order.”
Sensing Anders’ and Jenson’s brief hesitation as they digested Mr. Washington’s words, George removed all doubt as to his decision. He stated that if the two of them felt strongly about his run for the presidency, then he would agree to run.
The New Founders Page 13
