The governor's wonderful appearance greatly changed the public's attitude towards him, and even made him fall in love with Donkey Party candidate Dukakis.
Some people even publicly shouted, "Damn it, maybe we elected the wrong candidate." This sentence was originally a wonderful speech delivered by the current president, Ronald Sr., at the national convention after he failed in the primary election in 1976.
After the speech, what the media said at the time.
Everyone clearly saw a younger version of the current commander-in-chief, with a deep personal demeanor and a good sense of humor.
This even caused the displeasure of the real candidate Michael Dukakis. Fortunately, the governor publicly stated on Johnny Carson’s show that he would not be interested in running for office until his daughter grew up. Such a public statement,
It still counts in American politics.
Therefore, the powerful figures in the Donkey Party have no intention of suppressing him. However, it is obvious that the media controlled by the Donkey Party have begun to tone down their reports on the governor, and more news has focused on the high-tech development that Dukakis has achieved in Massachusetts.
Here comes the little economic miracle.
For a time, Dukakis' approval ratings skyrocketed in the polls of various newspapers. After the Persian-gate weapons scandal, everyone was a little tired of the current commander-in-chief who had been stressing for eight years. The computer and medicine industries in Massachusetts
This small economic miracle brought about by high technology has given the people new expectations.
Coupled with the attention brought by the governor of Arkansas, the approval rate actually exceeded George Sr. by 10%. The Elephant Party suddenly became nervous and began to prepare for the largest national convention in history in New Orleans. They wanted to use the convention to confront the convention and attract media attention.
The focus is back on, and we look forward to a big rebound in support rates.
Ronald had already arrived in New York at this time. Here, he and Douglas Jr. met some leading figures in Staten Island, plus banker Bannon, New York City Council member Susan Molinari of the First District, etc.
People, held a regular meeting of the "Continuing Action to Promote Jobs and Prosperity" Action Committee.
This action committee is nominally to promote the policy concepts of low unemployment and rapid economic development of the current president, hoping that the next president can maintain it and bring benefits to the people of America. In fact, it is a group of Staten Island and Wall Street
A group of wealthy people hope that after George Lao is elected, the existing tax incentives and income tax deferral policies can be maintained without modification.
By the time the National Convention of the Elephant Party was held at the weekend, the candidates of both parties had settled down and officially entered the decisive battle of the general election. The most important thing in a battle was logistics. Barbara had hinted and made it clear many times that the committee continued to ask old George
of campaign contributions.
Whether it is George Sr. or Michael Dukakis, they are the kind of candidates who have no personal charm at all and rely entirely on campaign funds and advertising and marketing to gain influence and support. Therefore, donations are ammunition, and the cannonballs are about to come.
They ran out of money, and the deputy commander was very worried.
"It's not that we don't support the deputy governor. In fact, we have done more support than ordinary committees during the primary election. However, the deputy governor only acquiesced in the extension of the tax cut bill. He did not express his position in public..." Douglas Jr. seemed to be
Becoming the spokesperson of this small political group, he made demands on behalf of Ronald and the local faction of the Elephant Party.
As for the vice-commander, those present at the meeting were Roger Ailes and his eldest son George Jr. Now is the most critical moment. Barbara kicked all her children out to raise money for her husband. Her younger son Jeb was also there
In New York, he went to a selective fundraising event in Brooklyn, where Latinos are concentrated. After the fundraising in New York was completed, the two of them had to go their separate ways, with George Jr. going to Texas and Jeb going to Florida.
Barbara's management of the family is similar to that of running an army. Everyone has to contribute to the big family and will be rewarded based on their achievements. Internal competition has arisen between the two sons. They both want to win in the fundraising competition.
"You don't have to worry about this. The vice-commander will officially express his position at the national conference at the weekend." Roger Ailes assured firmly.
Little Douglas curled his lips, you said the same thing last month, always investing money without seeing a formal commitment, this is not a good investment.
"Doug, my father has his own difficulties. Most people now want to continue the economic policies of the current leader, but continuing the policies does not make voters happy. They always want something new, a balanced budget, green environmental protection and so on.
"
Little George was very anxious. This was his "turf", an action committee with relatively strong fundraising capabilities. Unlike those fundraisers on Wall Street, Ronald still owned several factories, as well as their relatives and friends, and supporting factories.
The service industry has brought many job opportunities. The people of Staten Island have a "simple" custom. Anyone who asks them to bring bread to their home will vote.
Little George turned to look at Ronald. He wanted to get support from his friend.
"The deputy commander's promise is still trustworthy." Ronald spoke up and calmed down. After all, this was the strategy he and Douglas Jr. had discussed. One played the role of a doubter, and the other played the role of a good person who trusted the other party. In short, let old George know.
, their hosting was not in vain, it was time for him to promise something.
As soon as these words came out, Councilor Susan, Bannon, and Roger Ailes all breathed a sigh of relief. If there is no continued support at this time, all the early investment will be in vain. In the end, this committee is still Luo
Nader and little Doug have the final say.
"You have helped me a lot. I don't want to lose to that guy Jeb." Little George came over and thanked Ronald with the attitude of a good buddy showing off his own ugliness, "But you still have to help me.
A favor."
"Tsk..." Ronald felt a familiar feeling. The longer George stayed in the campaign committee, the more he acted like a politician, similar to the governor. The more you invest in them,
The more they believe in you, the more they will make you invest more.
Of course, this is also a common characteristic of successful politicians in America. Ronald did not expect that the former playboy George Jr. would now have such a level.
"I have to rush to Texas right away. Can you help me send someone to New Orleans, Louisiana? It's not convenient for her to take a commercial flight."
"Who?" Ronald happened to be going to Louisiana to visit the filming location of "Steel Magnolias". By the way, he would supervise Herbert Ross's directing style and see if it was a good fit with a group of movie queens. He flew over on a business jet and took him with him.
Personally, there is no problem. However, little George uses the female personal pronoun "she". Could it be that he is his lover who is hiding from Laura?
"She's your Hollywood actress, you understand. I don't want to be disturbed. You go to her house to pick her up when the time comes, and I'll call her. She's very punctual."
"Where does she live? I'll find someone to pick her up then." Ronald wondered why little George also started dating an actress? Anyway, it's not a problem to pick someone up quietly.
…
"Oh, I never knew there was such a beautiful place in Manhattan, much like Beverly Hills in Los Angeles."
On the day of going to Louisiana, Ronald and little Douglas, who wanted to meet little George's lover, came to pick up the actress. Little Bud drove the car all the way north from the Broadway Theater District, along the Hudson
All the way along the river, through Washington Heights and the high school district, to the North Broadway area, near the address, you will see a large white Victorian-style house surrounded by hills.
The car drove up the road and passed through a large block of tall trees, and more details of the house were revealed. The house is halfway up the mountain between two hills. Except for a road, it is surrounded by tall trees.
The trees separated the hustle and bustle of the city. The very good air quality made Ronald feel refreshed.
This actress comes from a wealthy family.
Ronald and the others walked along the road. There was a large yard next to the house. There were bright red and yellow roses planted in it. They seemed to be of a special variety. The color and size of the flowers were extraordinary.
As we approached the door of the house, the obstruction of the hill was gone, revealing the view of the backyard. This was even more amazing. It overlooked the Hudson River. The river bank was very quiet in the morning, except for a few boats on the river. New Jersey was opposite.
The banks of the river are also filled with high-end residential areas.
"Ding dong..." Ronald rang the doorbell.
"Here we come." A short old lady who looked to be over seventy years old came out to answer the door. "You must be Ronald. Little George called me and I have prepared my luggage."
Ronald was stunned. Isn't this the actress who played the stubborn and affectionate Queen Mother in Ingrid Bergman's 1956 movie "The Princess?", Helen Hayes?
"Mrs. Hayes, let me help you with your luggage."
Ronald was in awe of this old actor. Helen Hayes, born in 1900, is known as the First Lady of Broadway. She is a top actress in both drama and film. She once won an Oscar.
Later, she won the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Tony Award for Best Actress, and the Golden Age Emmy Award for Best Actress. This is known as the triple crown and is the highest honor an actor can receive.
The most interesting thing is that she has also recorded audio books for record companies and won the Grammy Award for Best Language Recording. She is a veritable "EGOT (abbreviation for four awards)", the winner of the highest honor in the entertainment industry.
Why did the Elephant Party invite this eighty-eight-year-old actor to go to the national convention to build momentum? Ronald turned back and looked at Douglas Jr.
"You should call Her Majesty the Queen Mother." Little Douglas was naughty and called Hayes after the character in "The Princess and the Fake Princess."
"Haha, I like you, young man, come and help me." Helen Hayes got into the car.
The old lady was in good spirits, but she was much older than when she played the role of the Queen Mother. Ronald told Little Bud to drive more carefully.
"Here is the rose I cultivated. They all call it the Helen Hayes rose." The old lady was full of love for this house and showed Ronald the front and back of the house.
It once hosted Marilyn Monroe and the silent film star John Gilbert. The author of "The Great Gatsby", Fitzgerald, and Katharine Hepburn were also frequent guests here. Laurence Olivier
When Francis and Vivien Leigh came to Broadway, they would definitely stay here.
Ronald liked the old lady's drama very much. She played the Russian Empress Dowager very vividly. Later in "Airport", she played a retired teacher who evaded fares. She also performed very well. It was impossible to tell that she had played the Empress Dowager before.
It brought her an Oscar nomination, and the latter even won.
The car went south along Broadway Street. The old lady also pointed out to Ronald the charity hospital named after her.
After being appointed to the board of visitors of this public hospital in a poor neighborhood in 1944, the hospital tried to capitalize on her popularity to get more funding. They later changed the name to Helen Hayes.
Hospital. The old lady actually regarded the hospital as her honor. She kept running around and used her influence to win countless funds from the city council. She also successfully opposed the relocation plan proposed in the 1970s. This hospital
The hospital was also able to stay in the community that needed him most.
"I didn't know there were supporters of the Elephant Party like you in Hollywood." After boarding the business jet, the old lady was still chatting with Ronald.
"Actually, when we were young, we were all leftists and sympathized with the actors who were bullied by the studios. But starting with Franklin, our income and freedom were reduced to the point where almost no one wanted to work in the film industry.
You see, even James Cagney, the former chairman of the Hollywood Screen Actors Guild, eventually became a supporter of the Elephant Party. The Donkey Party always talks about fairness and justice, but in fact it makes a mess."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! What the old lady said is the truth. Back then, actors were all disadvantaged groups, and the union used to help these poor low-income earners a lot. But as time went by, it slowly became corrupted, and now
It has become that they only know how to fight for power and gain, regardless of whether members have no jobs or income...
After all, she was an eighty-eight-year-old man, and the old lady quickly dozed off on the plane.
The plane arrived in New Orleans, and Ronald personally helped Helen Hayes off the plane. The person who came to pick her up was already waiting at the airport.
"It's really nice to meet you. Next time my hospital does a charity fundraiser, you have to come..." The old lady liked Ronald very much. She held Ronald's hand with both hands and refused to let go.
, until Ronald promised her to go back to raise funds for the hospital, she happily got into the car going to the hotel.
She had a smooth life, engaged in the career she wanted to do, and loved the person she wanted to love. When she got old, she met good friends like Lillian Gish, and the only thing she couldn't let go of was the hospital named after her.
.
Douglas Jr. stayed in New Orleans to attend the national convention. Ronald also flew to Nastosh, the filming location of "Steel Magnolias."
…
"Hmm... you're coming to see me so soon?" Diane hugged Ronald and was so happy. She lived in the house of screenwriter Robert Harlin's friend. People in the town were filming for the movie.
Many people went to live with friends and relatives and gave their southern-style houses to the actors.
"I'm always here for the start of filming. How is Herbert (director) treating you? Is the rehearsal going well?" Ronald scratched Diane's nose. It seemed that there was an important supporting role, and Diane's spirit was high.
Much better. She really loves acting, not other things that come with the profession of acting.
"Herbert's relationship with me and Olympia (Dukakis), Sally (Field), and Shirley (McLean) is pretty good. It's a normal director and actor relationship. But..."
"But what? Is he mean to Julia (Roberts) or Dolly (Parton)?"
"None of them are very good. Herbert is quite strict..." Diane stuck out her tongue, "Dolly is not a professional actress, and Julia has just made a movie. Herbert always accuses them of not having acting skills."
"Tsk...", Ronald thought to himself, this matter needs to be resolved. There are so many actresses and the director is too harsh. It would be bad if they scold them to tears.
The two hugged each other and lay on the sofa watching TV. Both Diane and Ronald regarded the time together as a kind of rest and relaxation.
"I believe that just as he has done an outstanding job as deputy commander for eight years, he will also perform well in more important tasks, and I believe that I have found for you the best person to continue to lead the people of America forward.
.”
The commander-in-chief once again endorsed George Lao at the conference.
"As everyone knows, I am an elephant party..." Helen Hayes also came on stage, praising the deputy commander's characteristics and giving him special recognition.
Much later, George Sr. finally took the stage and began his speech accepting the Elephant Party's 1988 presidential candidate nomination.
Ronald put his hand on Diane's shoulder. He watched George Sr.'s speech attentively. Roger Ailes had promised.
Halfway through his speech, George Sr. began to elaborate on his economic policies. Strict review of the southern border, avoiding the inflow of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs, a more balanced budget, advocating environmental protection, etc...
But what Ronald is most concerned about is the issue of whether to raise taxes.
"Look at my lips, there are no new tax increases!" The tax issue finally came up. This time, George Lao was very tough. He used a cowboy-style statement in front of the TV cameras and categorically said there would be no tax increase.
"Hahaha, that's it." Ronald saw what he wanted to see and was about to turn off the TV.
“I will continue to support volunteer organizations, whose brilliant diversity spreads out like stars, like a thousand points of light in a vast and peaceful sky.
We will keep America moving forward, ever forward—for a better America, for an endless abiding dream and a thousand points of light.”
Old George read aloud the speech written for him by the writer in a dry tone on the podium.
"What are a thousand points of light?" Ronald didn't understand at all. It was probably a metaphor from some literary work.
The next day, Ronald got up very late. When he got up, he took the newspaper outside the door and read it. The Washington Post and the New York Times both praised George Sr.'s speech yesterday.
According to a sample survey of voters, George Sr.'s support rate also began to rebound significantly.
It seems that yesterday’s statement that there will be no new taxes is indeed very effective!
Ronald thought to himself, many voters are actually looking to see if they can get benefits. Doesn't Dukakis' so-called balanced budget mean paying more taxes?
Turning on the TV, today's stock market also started to look green. Especially for Coca-Cola, Ronald saw the financial channel on the TV. The stock price of the blue-chip stock he bought had also rebounded for the first time this year after consolidating.
Everything went well, but he seemed to have forgotten something important. Ronald touched his head.
"Ring ring ring..." The phone rang.
"Hello, Doug. How are you doing in New Orleans?"
"Fortunately, the rooms are just too expensive. This is the second National Congress of the Elephant Party held in Shenzhen. There are only 20,000 rooms in the two cities, and more than 30,000 people came."
"Then what, can you call little George and ask him? Who is the candidate for deputy commander? People from our action committee kept calling me last night." Little Douglas chatted for a while before speaking.
The reason for disturbing Ronald in the morning was explained. The committee also wanted to invest in the candidate for deputy commander, so now it could only worry.
"I didn't have time to watch it last night. Didn't Old George announce it later?" Ronald finally remembered what he had forgotten. At the conference, the candidate for deputy commander was not announced?
"George, I'm sorry to bother you and Laura this morning. But people in New York have been urging me. Wasn't the deputy commander originally scheduled to announce it at the conference? Who is it?"
"It's Quill. It will be announced in the afternoon. You can tell your companions."
"What's going on?" Ronald didn't understand.
In the afternoon, the TV station finally announced that Senator Dan Quayle from Indiana had become the candidate for deputy commander, running alongside George Sr.
"Tsk, I don't want to be robbed of the limelight." Ronald looked at the senator who looked like a movie actor on TV, and finally understood why he didn't announce it at the conference.
George Sr. knew that his image and affinity were not good, and Dan Quayle was a handsome guy who could compete with the governor of Arkansas. He did not want the candidate for vice-president to steal the limelight of the main candidate like the governor of Arkansas.