Chapter One: The Interview

 

Chapter One: The Interview

 

The delivery driver stops a dark brown truck in front of an old wooden and brick frame house.  The house has been converted to a place of business, what was the front yard are paved customers parking and the back yard has few parking spots for employees.  Along this major street of this older neighborhood are similar houses some are still residents and other are churches, daycare and other business.  The driver swiftly jumps from his truck rolling open the back door pulling out his dolly quickly laying 3 boxes on it rolling up the walkway through the front doors.  This old house has been home to many businesses in years past from law offices, title companies to bail bonds and now it the offices of Matthew Clark Insurances.

 

A thin mature woman, the secretary Aunt Jen greeted the driver and sign for the boxes as they said there friendly hellos and goodbyes.  Matthew steps out of his office an average height man with streaks of gray in his brown hair, phone in hand dialing as Jen open the top box.

 

“Hey Pete they are here,” spoke Matthew as Jen pull out a yard sign giving it to him, he is excited; “Wow they look great!”  The sign has red, white and blue lettering saying from the top:

Vote for

Mathew Clark

36th Congressional District

A Man from the People

 

Matthew is running for the newly created congressional district 36 in the Great State of Texas, by law every ten years the district lines must be redraw to reflex the current population of the state.  The state has grown in the last ten years giving four extra sits in congress, but its elective officials in Austin, the state capital are bound by law to draw the lines without decimating any racially minority groups vote.  District 36 is approved by the federal government under the voting rights act and Matthew is running to become the first congressman in District 36.

 

“That awesome, Matt!  I will have our volunteers get those sign out this afternoon.” Spoke Pete, Matthew campaign manager and his best friend from college.  Pete is not a novice; he has experience of running county offices for presidential candidates and managing winning campaigns for state representatives.  “…Now you have that radio interview at 11:15, do you need me to be there with you?”

 

“No Pete, I think I will be OK,” said Matthew very confidant.

 

“Well OK,” Pete voice waver, “Just remember to stay on message, because they like to throw in gotcha questions to mess you up.”

 

“Yes I know, I think I be fine this is not going to be a long interview.”

 

A political campaign must be able to get it message out to it audience, the voters in its district, an effective way is the use of media.  Sign place in yards and other location, billboard and commercial on radio and television, but those options are expensive.  Another use of media that cost nothing are interviews with newspapers, magazines and TV/radio news programs, but there are inherent  problem with those types free media the campaign don’t have complete control on how the message is presented to the public.  Much planning is involved so a candidate can stay in control of the interview and not the journalist.

 

“Thank you Mr. Matthew Clark for joining us on K-A-A-M-560 Texas Vote, I’m Lester Cook.”  Spoke the interviewer.

 

“Thanks I am glad to be here.”

 

“Mr. Clark this is your first political run in your life, so how is it going so far?”

 

“I believe it progressing very well, I am learning a lot and it’s hard work but I’m having fun.  It’s going well, I think,” Nervous laughter.

 

“You know there are two others running for the Democratic nominee for Texas district 36, experts say who ever win this primary most likely will win in November.  One of your opponents is a city council member and the other is a state rep, and you haven’t held public office before, what make you qualified for the voters to elect you?”

 

“Well Lester, not being a long time politician is my advantage to the voters, I grew up here in the community and I have a successful business here.  I am a normal guy from the people…”

 

Soon the interviewer asks questions about the US economy, boring to most and Matthew gave nice plain dull answers.  Then the conversation move into foreign policy issues, really mind-numbing stuff, but he responded to the questions with confident. He is speaking in a way that shows his knowledge on the major issues of day and can be trusted to make the right decision.   He hopes this interview can convince the undecided voters to give him a chance during the primary elections.

 

“The Supreme Court upheld the President’s health care law, but the next congress the Republicans if they get the majors of both chambers vow to repeal this law, what you think?”

 

“Well Lester, I know this law invoke strong emotional responses on both sides, but I don’t think this law will be repeal.  I admit this law will change our whole structure of health care and there will be problems, we will need good sensible people in congress to fix those upcoming issues. 

 

“The first big problem this law will face is the shortage of doctors at a time when 27 millions new patients are added.”

 

“Yes that a problem, but you know that can be solved,” Matthew smile, “When a person graduate from medical school he or she already has a mountain of debt.  I think if we give incentive to young people to go into the medical profession we can payoff off their debt by how many charitable hours they give …” Matthew is giving details of a solution to the potential problem that the reporter brought up.

 

“Speaking to my personal doctor it seems mix with her she like some things about this law but not everything.  Do you think your doctor like this health plan?”

 

“Well I do not know because I don’t have a doctor.”

 

Lester pause, which is not good to have dead air on the radio, quickly he gather his thoughts, “So when you get sick and needs to go to the doctor do you go to those store front clinics?”

 

Matthew laughs a little, “No when I get sick or pains hit my body I just open my Bible start quoting healing scripture, by Faith, command that sickness or pain to leave and I get better, just that simple.”

 

“Wow,” Lester glance at his producer in the studio with a grin eyes wide open mouthing word to him without speaking, ‘thank you lord, I got a good one here,’ “Wow…OK…Lets see if I understand you correctly you are some kind of faith healer, huh?”

 

“No, I am not that, but I believe God’s Word that I can be healed of all sickness and that how I live by Faith.  I wish everybody could apply this in their lives it would be great…”

 

“Oh Matthew I wish could talk more about this subject but our time is up, we must re-schedule for another interview.”

 

“OK Lester, hopefully our next interview I will be the Democratic nominee for district 36.”  With those closing words the interview is over he spoke to the producer a few minutes then he disconnects the call lending back in his chair.  He is glad the radio interview is over and he thinks it with fine. 

 

Campaigning in the twenty-first century information good, bad or twisted of what a candidate say can go world wide within minutes.  A statement spoken that is shocking and controversial broadcast on a website are picked up by hundreds or thousand bloggers spreading to its audience.  People listening to the recording can make commits and they can share it with their friends by linking it a social website or email.  The speed is like lighting and once the word is out it like a raging grass fire being feed by dry timber and strong winds. 

 

Aunt Jen open Matthew office door quietly as he is reclined back in his chair the Bible is open.  Gospel music is playing softly eyes closed as his mind tying to meditate on what he just read.  He pop open his eyes disturb with himself not able to concentrate on God Word, turning his head he see his secretary he sits up in his chair. “Hey Aunty Jen, what’s up?”

 

“Sorry Honey, your phone must be off because Pete has been trying to reach you, he said it urgent.”

 

Matthew glances at his Smartphone on his desk noticing a little light blinking, touching the screen he see all of the miss calls he had and the voice mailbox is fill to capacity, ‘What’s going on?’  He thought to himself picking up the phone hitting the speed dial to call Pete.

 

“Oh Mat, don’t worry I’m on top of this!” answered Pete his voice strained and frustrated, “Dang!  I can’t believe K-A-A-M did this to us, I thought they where a fair and balance station, NO!  They are just another right wing hack station…”

 

“Pete what’s wrong…”

 

“…I left a message with a lawyer friend of mine to call back to see if we can get K-A-A-M to re-tract that story and admit they alter the interview,” continue Pete, “I’m working on a statement now to put on our websites and social networks pages and I got a man at CBS Radio in Dallas to help set up another interview so we clarify what happen.”

 

“Pete, Pete what did K-A-A-M do that was so bad?”  Ask Matthew perplex of what’s going on with his friend.

 

“Look man, I listen to the last part of the interview five or six times and I can’t figure how they did it, they made you sound like the dumbest, uncivilized and the most uneducated person in the world.  You don’t have a doctor because you pray and the tooth fairy makes you well, I can’t believe them thinking they can get away with that.”

 

Matthew clearing his throat, “Ulm Pete, the radio station did not alter the interview I did say I don’t have a doctor because God heal me of every illness.”  Pete is silent hearing Matthew words.

 

“Ho-ho,” Pete laughing, “Ha-Ha, Oh I get it you where jesting with the reporter, like you just did with me.  That ok I can fix this and make it to our advantage because it good to have a candidate that has a sense of humor, I will put a statement on our website reaffirming that you whole-heartily believe in having a doctor, taken medicine and going to hospitals to treat all forms of illness…”

 

“Pete.”

 

“After I post this I will send a copy to K-A-A-M so they can put on there evening news broadcast, but I think it still a good idea to do another interview on CBS radio clarifying to the public that you are not some religious fanatic.  You support the Presidents and the healthcare system in general…”

 

“PETE!”  Raising his voice Matthew is trying to get his friend to listen. “Look!  I was not joking during the interview I was telling the truth, if you going to put a statement on our website is to verify what I said is what I believed.”

 

“Mat you must be losing your mind, I am listening to a talk show and the subject is about your commit.  The host thinks you a strange sliding into craziness, all of the caller are poking fun of what you said and calling you just insane.  There are preachers calling you extreme and questioning if you are a Christian talking like that…”

 

“Hey, I will not authorize any statement claiming that I don’t believe God can heal, that’s not going to happen,” Said Matthew very adamant. 

 

“DANG; you don’t understand, look, all the news website is reporting this as a negative story portraying you as a foolish hick from Texas running for congress.  Now if we don’t do anything to try to control this flash fire it will hit the evening news unabated and the late night comedians are going to grab hold of this and lambast our campaign.  Then it will be too late by morning when tens of thousands of bloggers get hold of this incidents, When that happen it don’t matter what we say or do this thing will have a life of its own bad for us we can not control it.  This is the worst thing that can happen to us, three days before the televise debate and fifteen days till the primary election…”

 

Groaning Matthew took a deep breath, “For a long time I just had a religion, you know I believe there a God but I did not know Him.  I found God, ha no He found me around about the breakup with Ebony,” he pause, “I was so mess-up I felt like the biggest failure, the only thing I thought that went right was the breakup so I didn’t have to expose Ebony and my daughter through the hell of depression I was going through.,” pausing again smiling as he gaze into the heavens remembering, “You know the song ‘Nothing but the Blood’?   I thought even God hated me because I was so useless, but He showed me Love.  I don’t know if you can understand me when you realize that God came down from Heaven took my punishment because He just loved me and I did nothing to deserve it.”  Matthew pauses again.

 

“That great that you and Jesus are tight like that, but public opinion is against us and the media is fanning the flames, this is red alert we don’t have time to stand on some religious principle…”

 

“Pete, you don’t understand, look I got to let you go so I can prepare for the speech at the hospital.”

 

“No Mat, you don’t get it, there will be no speech, it already started, and they just sent me an email canceling tonight speech.”

 

Matthew ending the call laid the phone gently on his desk sat back in his chair covering his face with his hands blowing into them.  Removing them slowly from his face his eyes open as he gaze at a corner of his office viewing a display of campaign banners, signs and buttons.  ‘Maybe Pete is exaggerating about the situation,’ he grab a remote control to the radio pressing a button to power it on a local talk show, multiple voices talking laughing in the background.

 

“He-He, Ha-Ha, this guy sound like someone with some sense in the beginning typical liberal babble; Yel, the same old stuff, Ha-Ha; Then out of the blue he just drove off the cliff crash and burn, He-He what a nimrod…”   He turned off the radio with an unhappy smirk on his face staring into space wondering if the campaign is now over.

 

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Reviews

[A. H. Pinley]

Like the concept so far. Needs to be reread for errors. So here's the question, will Mat stand on his faith or bend his knees to the world? I hope he stands on his faith.

[Lonnie Paul Johnson]

Thank you for the review. Mat is standing on a truth of God that the world view as extreme and foolish. I am thinking about explaining the story than it three chapters.

[Robert]

Good opening to a political drama. Its certainly a novel twist, and I'll admit I was surprised by the interview. Interested to see where it goes.

(I did notice some grammatical errors like failures to add -s or -ed to words. Minor point, but just thought I'd let you know)

[Lonnie Paul Johnson]

Thank you for the review