Four Days In February

by Roy Diestelkamp

CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Ishnik called Army Secretary Strate, to his office.

  "Strate, we must keep world leaders, and Americans too, from thinking of Pinchon, as President. He has the possession of the White House. It is the residence of, and its image the symbol of, the President of the United States. When the President speaks in the press briefing room, the Presidential seal is on the lectern, and the image of the White House is on the wall behind him."

  "Yes, what of it," says Strate?"

  "So far, when people have seen me, they have seen me with a lectern that has the Defense Department seal on it, and a picture of the Pentagon behind me. They have to be led to think of me as President! We have to connect me to the White House.

  "How are we going to do that?"

  "Well, the best way would be to make a handcuffed Pinchon do a perp walk from the White House. But until we can arrest Pinchon, we have to take the image of the White House away from him. I have had made a mock-up of the White House briefing room. From now on when I speak, it will look like I am in the White House. I will have the Presidential Seal in front of me, and the White House image behind me on the wall. Symbols are important to people's perceptions."

  "But Pinchon is still actually in the White House."

  "Yes, but does everyone know that. There is so much confusion in Washington today. Who is certain of what is really happening? I say, 'he that is confused, let him be confused still.' However, it is time for us to eliminate Pinchon!" Mitch Ishnik said. "If I am going to be the "President,' he cannot be."

  "Are you going to kill him too?" Asked Strate.

  "No, after Carr, I doubt the 'North Koreans' are up to another assassination."

  "Yah, and even that would have made him look like he had been legitimate."

  "Yes, and that would mean I was not the legitimate President. No, after we get our hands on Pinchon, eventually I will let a military court try him for treason, and hang him. The nation hasn't hung a traitor in a quite a while.

  Strate asked, "how are you going to get Pinchon out of the White House so you can arrest him? If I were him, I would stay behind those gates, and the protection of the Secret Service."

  "You would, but General Pinchon is not you. I have known the General for more years than I like. He has butted heads with me so often, but in the end I prevailed, I won. I retired him, and put him out of his precious Army a few years ago. Because of our past history, I know him, his mindset, style, and methods. He is bold enough that he is going to walk out of the White House again, and try to gain freedom of action. He is feeling right now like a bird in a cage, and he won't accept that."

  Strate said, "Shall I have Yates call General Ucclese, and warn him that Pinchon will try again to leave the White House."

  "No... no, I think we leave Yates out of this for the present. He is just too sympathetic to his mentor. I will phone Ucclese myself, and lay the law down as to what he is to do when his Airborne gets Pinchon in their hands again.

  "Instead, why don't you call a meeting of the Patriot Council for tomorrow morning around 7:00 a.m. Make sure the senators and everyone else knows they need to be there. I want to make sure that everyone keeps up their nerve."

  "Olds and France proved their abilities today in the Senate. They are strong."

  "Absolutely, they have been with me from nearly the beginning. As soon as I appealed to their patriotism and their love of the Constitution, they jumped to join my cause. But the council is not just the two senators. Most of them are not as deeply dedicated, but are motivated followers. I need you, and Olds, and France, to help me now that our plans are put to action, to keep the council from wavering. Yes, go and get things in order."

  Strate left, and Ishnik told his military aide to get Major General Ucclese on the phone.

  "...General Ucclese, this is President Ishnik. I congratulate you on taking control of the Departmental buildings so swiftly, and without any bloodshed. I am surprised they did not resist more...

  "...Yes, your overwhelming forces made them realize resistance was useless. They had to accept the 'fait accompli.' Good.

  "Do you have the Secretaries of State and Treasury with their Departments?

  "They are being kept safe by your soldiers. …Good! Eventually they will need to be transferred to a safe haven. Perhaps you could send them over here to the Pentagon in an armored unit.

  "Right. I also need to tell you that I expect Bull Pinchon to try and get out of the White House.

  "Yes, I know he came and met you already. Yes, your orders hadn't said to arrest him. But you have my new orders?

  "Yes, arrest on sight. If he resists, or is about to get away, you are authorized to use lethal force. He is not to get away. Do not allow the Secret Service to prevent you.

  "Shoot, if they shoot! For that matter, shoot if they threaten to shoot!

  "Pinchon will not stay cooped up, he will try to get out to mobilize opposition to me as the constitutional President.

  "Yes, 'Acting President.' General you have been placed in a unique position, at a unique time, to defend our nation and our Constitution. If you capture this traitor, your name will go into the history books as a patriot. Your nation would be very appreciative, and so would your President. You got your second star not long ago, but a third one would not be far away.

  "I agree, you need to take personal command of the situation at the White House...

  "Yes, It would be a good idea to move the press and media away from the White House, so that they would not misconstrue the situation, if physical force was necessary. It sounds like you understand your orders, and you have a plan. Let me know, as soon as you have arrested Pinchon. Good bye, and good luck."

  Ishnik then told his secretary, "Get me Chief Justice Grantham on the phone.

  "Mr. Justice, it is a good evening, the situation is not over, but it is progressing. I hope the matter will be concluded by tomorrow about this time. At critical times your counsel has always been useful for me."

  Grantham replied, "We think alike on the Constitution, and the needs of this nation. President Carr was a necessary tragedy. Woods would have been ineffective, and you could have dominated him now, and then defeated him in the next election. Woods illness changed the plan, but you have reacted well. If you keep pressing that constitutional officers are the legitimate successors to the President, you will prevail. When the matter gets to the Supreme Court I am confident a majority will be persuaded by our... ...I mean your argument. In conference I am sure other Justices will follow my lead."

  "That will be what finishes off any effective opposition to me. If the Supreme Court rules that a constitutional officer must be the successor to a President, the matter will be over. Then the Legislative and Judiciary branches of our government will have stood together to keep the Executive branch from being usurped.

  "I will have documents at the court tomorrow, asking that the Supreme Court immediately rule on who may succeed President Woods. I will argue that only the Supreme Court can, in this current time of crisis, resolve this question."

  "Mr. President, I am confident that your cause will be justified."

  "Thank you, and good night, Mr. Justice."

  "Good night, Mr. President, long may you live to defend the Constitution."

  As soon as he had hung up, Ishnik's secretary said, "Senator France is on the phone."

  "Mr. President, I wanted you to know that both houses of Congress have majorities that will stand with you against Pinchon. I assume that you have already heard what both houses already did today?

  "Yes, France, you and Olds really used your influence today."

  "I want you to know that there is a real movement afoot to have the House impeach Pinchon, and the Senate convict him. A lot of members in the House are really pushing for this, and want to get it going tomorrow. And a number of Senators are backing the idea too."

  "But that would de-legitimize my presidency
in the process," Ishnik said.

  "The whole idea is that I am the real President. I have been telling the American people that I am the President. I have been telling the Chinese President that I am the American President, with my finger on the nuclear button. I have been saying that Pinchon is an unconstitutional, and hence illegal successor to President Woods. How do you impeach a President, who really isn't President?"

  "I can see where you are coming from, but this idea from the House has a lot of wind in its sails. They are wanting to do this to end the crisis and get you into the White House. If Pinchon were impeached and convicted, the White House would be yours."

  "I still don't like it. I hope to pre-empt Congress's plans by arresting Pinchon for treason."

  "How are you going to arrest him in the White House?"

  "He will come out soon, maybe even tonight, because he will lose this fight if he stays where he is. No one can come see him, and he cannot go to them. He can phone people, we haven't yet been able to wrestle communications away from him, but he's not free, and is cut off, and Pinchon won't be able to stand that.

  "I have General Ucclese taking personal command around the White House, so there will be no mess-ups again when Pinchon comes out.

  "No, we will get Pinchon tonight or tomorrow, and when we do, we will have won."

  "If Pinchon does come out, it would be a shame if the North Koreans shot an 'Acting' President in front of the Army Airborne." Said Senator France.

  "No, I don't think that the North Koreans are going to shoot Pinchon. That is too much.

  "It would certainly end the Pinchon problem.

  "True, but it would not end all the constitutional problems, and others might still be emboldened to try to become President. The Secretaries of State and Treasury are still not in a safe location. Oh, General Yates is here to see me, I have to go."

  General Yates said, "President Ishnik, I have just received word that Ucclese's Airborne troops have moved the media back and away from the White House."

  "Yes, I told him to do so."

  "I didn't issue that order," Yates said.

  "No, I did it myself …phoned him, and told him what I wanted him to do."

  "That's unusual for a President to do, Sir. There is a chain of command, for a purpose. It can insulate you from blame, and it helps in maintaining military order and discipline. I mean the Army Chief Of Staff should know and be in charge of what the Army is doing."

  "True, it is unusual for a President to direct troops, but in effect I am still also the Secretary of Defense, as I have temporarily kept that job too. Also, now is not the time for too many formalities or niceties, Yates. You are still in the loop, and a valuable Army Chief.

  "I had the Airborne move the media because I was afraid it could be dangerous around the White House, tonight or tomorrow. I didn't want them in harm's way, and also I didn't think it good for them to report things that we did not desire."

  Yates asked, "What is about to happen at the White House?"

  "Well, I think Pinchon will try and make a break tonight or tomorrow, and we are going to be ready for him."

  "What are you planning to do with him, kill him?"

  "No, no, Yates! I have issued General Ucclese orders to arrest Pinchon. I will let a court determine what to do with the General. I haven't gotten along with Pinchon, but I believe in the Constitution and law, and I am not going to kill him.

  "Did you hear about the Patriot Council meeting tomorrow at 7:00 a.m.?

  Be there and we will bring everybody up to date with the situation. ...And stop worrying Yates."

  "Yes, Sir. But this is all new territory."

  "Good night General, I need to get a little sleep. I am sleeping here tonight, so as to be able to stay on top of any situation."

  "Good night Mr. Secretary."

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