CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
"You are watching Network News, and this is a Special edition of 'National Report.' Good morning ladies and gentleman, I am John Sanker.
"As we have been reporting, amazing and disturbing events have taken place in and around our nation's capital. Yesterday, Army units took control of parts of Washington, D.C., particularly around the White House, and seized the buildings of both the State and Treasury Departments. The press had been prevented from further reporting what was happening at those sites.
"Then today, from in the White House, Ulysses Pinchon, who also yesterday had been sworn in as 'Acting President,' announced the death of President Woods; now removing the word 'Acting,' and making him 'the President.' He then announced the firing of the Secretary of Defense, Mitch Ishnik, as well as most of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces.
"However, again also yesterday, the Defense Secretary was sworn in as 'Acting President' by the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. This makes for an unprecedented circumstance of two men at the same time, claiming the powers of the presidency, and calling on the Executive Department and the U.S. Armed Forces to obey their instructions.
"Then continuing these unparalleled events, Ulysses Pinchon challenged his contender, Mitch Ishnik, by going to the Pentagon, with a number of Service men and women from the different military Services, along with a couple platoons of armed Airborne soldiers. Pinchon managed to enter the Pentagon, with a number of high military officers, and the armed Airborne troops.
"For further details let's go to Merv Tanner, Network News' Senior Pentagon Reporter. What further can you tell us Merv?"
"Thanks, John. This is Merv Tanner, standing now just outside of the Pentagon. Reporters had earlier been evicted from the Pentagon by the orders of the Secretary of Defense, and later been pushed about one hundred yards from the building.
"As you see from footage that was taken about an hour ago, President Pinchon, along with some Generals and Admirals, after a unique and 'interesting' military Presidential salute by the men and women of the different military Services, did manage to enter the Pentagon. Armed Airborne troops followed them in. We heard no shooting, but could not see what happened inside the building."
"Merv, are there any people from the Pentagon, fleeing the events, that have told you anything?"
"Yes John, a number of people have come out at different times. What we have heard, but cannot confirm is that Defense Secretary Mitch Ishnik and perhaps some others too, have fled the Pentagon, and managed to be picked up by a helicopter, and flown away."
"Where would they go?"
"I do not know, but as I said, I cannot yet confirm the accuracy of what was told to me."
"Amazing!"
"Wait! ...Wait! John, another person just has come from the building and is telling us ...what? ...Oh that is awful!"
"What is it Merv? Tell us!"
"... Evidently, there has been shooting heard inside. Some people have been shot and perhaps killed. I am getting more information from another...
"...I have terrible news to report, ...again unconfirmed, ...but the man says he is sure of what he said."
"Tell us, Merv," John Sanker said.
"It is Army Chief of Staff, William Yates. And Secretary of the Army, Craig Strate. ...They have been shot, ...and some are saying that they both are dead!"
"Do we know if the Airborne troops were involved in the shooting? Did these two men resist the troops?"
"I don't have that information, John. I am told by others now that a helicopter did take off from the back side of the Pentagon, and that at least one person had been seen running to it before it left."
"Roanna Jackson here, let me add to this story."
"Yes! Go ahead Roanna, what do you know?"
"John, I can report that a helicopter a few moments ago landed just outside the east side of the Capitol building. One man got out and was met by Senator Olds, and ushered inside. What they are going to do there, I do not know."
"Very interesting. The Congress yesterday voted its 'sense' that Mitch Ishnik was the 'Acting President,' and the Senate then 'censured' Ulysses Pinchon, for trying to usurp the office."
"The House and Senate are due to begin their daily session shortly," Roanna Jackson said.
"Do keep us informed of what you learn, Roanna."
Merv Tanner broke in and said, "I can report that President Pinchon walked out the front door, and has just left the Pentagon, in an Army Hummer; and appears to be heading back to, I presume, the White House."
"We will try to see if we can tell where he is going, John Sanker said. But we are now getting news from our 'Legal Reporter, Harry Simonson, over at the Supreme Court. What do you have, Harry?"
"We have just been informed that lawyers for Mr. Ishnik have just petitioned the Supreme Court to issue an order 'staying temporarily' Ulysses Pinchon from using the power of office of the President. They go on to ask, that the Supreme Court, meet in emergency session, due to the ongoing contention between Ishnik and Pinchon; and that the court should immediately hear arguments, and rule who is the constitutionally prescribed President. They argue that Pinchon was not a 'Federal Officer,' when he took his oath of office, and therefore was not qualified to succeed the President."
"Harry, this is Stanley Worth, reporting from the White House. I have a question for you."
"What is it?" John Sanker said.
"Harry, if the court were to issue a 'temporary stay' to Pinchon, from using the powers of the President, and agree to hear the case. ...who is President in the meantime? There is no Vice President!"
"I suppose," Harry said, "that would mean the new Speaker of the House would become 'Acting President," until the issue were decided.
"You mean, the new Speaker who just helped pass yesterday's motion against Ishnik being President, would now take over as 'Acting President,' until the Supreme Court Justices ruled on the matter."
"Yes ...Yes, I think that is what would happen," said Harry Simonson.
"Even more fascinating," said John Sanker. "It makes your head spin. The nation has had two dead Presidents, two other men claiming to be the President, and now you are telling me a third person, the new Speaker of the House, may be in effect our fifth President, all within one month."
"The markets are now open," Stanley Worth said, "they will 'tank' at this news! They want this matter settled. How long will it take for the Supreme Court Justices to rule on this case?"
Harry said, "It depends. The Justices don't ever admit it, but they know what goes on outside the walls of the court. They could rule quickly, but if they are divided, or uncertain of their footing in this matter, they could takes days ...or even a couple weeks to make their ruling."
"And would the American people accept whatever ruling the Justices make? Will the markets? For that matter will North Korea? Are America's enemies going to try to take advantage of this situation?" said White House correspondent Stanley Worth.
"We are going to have to hang on tight, and ride this whirligig situation out," said John Sanker. I am now being told in my earpiece that President Pinchon, or whatever you may think he is ...is at the Capitol end of Pennsylvania Avenue, and has gotten out of his Army Hummer. He appears to be walking down the sidewalk towards the White House, and shaking hands and speaking with people on the street. Evidently many of the people on the street are joining him in his walk, and a crowd is building.
A few minutes later John Sanker said, "We are now getting a video sent to us from someone's camera phone, it is not the highest quality ... but we will put it on the screen. Yes, we see that Pinchon is indeed being accompanied by a large crowd.
"We now have a reporter who happened to be nearby, Shirley Chan, with her camera man, who are catching up to President Pinchon now. ...Let's see if she can speak with him."
"President Pinchon, Sir! Shirley Chan here, from Network News. What is happening here, what are you doing?"
"I am going for a walk," Pinchon replied.
"Yes, but this is an 'unusual' walk, at an unusual time."
"It is always an appropriate time for a President to meet fellow Americans."
"Why are they following you down the street, Sir?"
"Because they want to?"
"Did you ask them to come along?"
"Yes," Pinchon said smiling, "I might have done that too."
"Why did you do that? Mr. President."
"I just liked their company, and am glad they have received me so well. Some individuals seem to think that the people are confused as to who I am, or am not. These people don't seem confused to me about anything."
The crowd let out a cheer, and then Pinchon said "...Look up the street. People are piling out of the office buildings and coming out to walk with me. That's just great!"
John Sanker here, "Shirley can you hear me?"
"Yes, John I can hear you."
"Will you ask President Pinchon if he has heard that Mitch Ishnik has gone into the Capitol building? ...And that Ishnik's lawyers are petitioning the Supreme Court to issue a stay against him?
Shirley Chan asked Pinchon, who replied, "Mitch Ishnik can run to the Capitol, but he isn't the President. The Congress cannot make him President because the American Constitution has already made me that."
"As for some petition Ishnik has made to the Supreme Court, I believe they would be wise to decline both the stay and the hearing."
"Why is that, Mr. President?"
"For several reasons. First, the American people themselves are 'ruling' right now, right here. Secondly, the Supreme Court cannot make me President, I am the President. Their ruling would be superfluous. Thirdly, the Supreme Court does not want me to establish a new precedent of Presidential power, that has been available to every President from the beginning of our constitutional government, but unused."
"What is that?" said Shirley Chan.
"The Supreme Court is not the only part of government that has to 'protect and defend' the Constitution. They then, are not the only ones who have to 'judge' whether the Constitution is under attack, and take action. The President also took an oath to do this. No, I suggest, they do not want to make a ruling themselves, and have me as President, declare it 'unconstitutional.' I would then declare their ruling non-binding, null and void."
"But wouldn't that lead to a clash with the court, and a constitutional crisis?"
"We already have a constitutional crisis," Pinchon said. "But I am ending it!"
"But what if the Congress sided with the Supreme Court?"
"As agitated and volatile as this Congress is, I hope cooler heads prevail, and keep them from trying to continue this crisis."
"Couldn't the House proceed to impeach you, and the Senate remove you?"
"No again for two reasons! First, how can the House impeach and the Senate remove, someone who they already said is not really President. But even if they tried, the present dysfunctional House of Representatives might well pass a motion of impeachment against me, but I am certain that the Senate will not have the necessary two thirds votes to convict. So the impeachment would fail.
You see, the constitutional fathers were very wise in how they devised our government into three separate branches. They did this to keep any one branch from taking too much power. They made it so that any two branches, if they agree between themselves, can check any third branch's excesses. But the constitutional fathers also knew, that the Congress, because of its power of the purse, ability to legislate law, and to impeach, convict, and remove, both the Judiciary and Executive; might be able to overcome the checks and balances of the other branches. So it weakened the Congress, by dividing it into two houses, and making a conviction in the Senate, subject to an absolute two thirds vote of all the members. That is true whether some senators are absent, sick, or dead. Today, it means in the present Senate, sixty-seven senators are required to convict and remove. Ishnik does not have sixty-seven votes in the Senate."
"Would you turn the presidency over to the new Speaker, as 'Acting President,' until the matter is decided?"
"No, there is no constitutional reason to do so! I am constitutionally qualified, constitutionally chosen, and have no health impediments. I swore to serve as President, without any reservation, and I am and will serve.
"Well, look here, we have reached 'what is the street number, oh yes, '1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,' and look ...the White House staff are coming out onto the lawn to greet us."
With that Bull, waved and thanked the crowd, and went inside the gate to a rousing cheer from the people outside the fence, and the staff inside.
Charles McKinley Adams was standing at the door of the north portico of the White House as Bull arrived. He smiled and said, "Mr. President, I thought you always claimed not to be a politician."
"I'm not, Bull replied, I'm not running for anything."
"You sure pulled a 'political trick' out of the hat there. You 'glad handed' like a real pro. ...You didn't kiss any babies did you?"
"No!"
"You have knocked Ishnik and company on their back sides."
"We have to do more than that, we have got to knock them out."
"Ahhh, Charles said, come inside ...we have turned up some information that you will find should do just that."
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Four Days In February Page 24
