The Beijing conspiracy

CHAPTER 77

T he day after the images that shocked America had been shown around the world, they were followed by another image of a different kind, one that sent a shiver through Arab and Muslim communities. As Vice President Lyndon Johnson had done when President Kennedy had been assassinated, Vice President Charles Bolton repeated the words of the Chief Justice of the United States as he was sworn in as President. ‘I, Charles William Bolton, do solemnly swear… that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States… And will, to the best of my ability… preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States… So help me, God.’

‘Good luck,’ the Chief Justice concluded. Unlike a normal inauguration on the steps of the Capitol, there was no band music and the applause from the small group of solemn onlookers in the Oval Office was muted. As soon as the group had dispersed, President Bolton tested the chair behind the desk. ‘Now we’ll show the Muslims and the Chinese who’s boss,’ he muttered, gaining no satisfaction that it had taken the death of a President for him to gain office. It wasn’t that he mourned the passing of his former boss. He’d always thought President Harrison was weak and indecisive; it was more that he would have liked to win an election in his own right.

‘Let’s see these lily-livered bastards on the Hill criticise the war in Iraq now,’ he said to himself.

‘I want some advice on where we stand on appointing a Vice President,’ President Bolton said, after he’d summoned the White House Legal Counsel and Dan Esposito to the Oval Office. President Bolton’s first order of business was to get the right person into the Vice President’s position; someone who would not show him up in terms of style and charisma but someone who would support him in taking advantage of the renewed outrage in the American community at the downing of Air Force One. His second priority was to kick start a campaign to gain the Republican nomination for the Presidency; not necessarily in that order. Halliwell, he knew, was ambitious and would likely run and that challenge had to be negated, and quickly. Incumbency of office was an advantage he fully intended to capitalise on, although he knew only too well that it didn’t always mean election, as Ford had found out when Carter beat him in 1976.

‘The 25th Amendment allows you to appoint whoever you wish, Mr President.’

Bolton nodded. He had already thought about appointing Halliwell, not because he wanted him in the job but because it would likely stymie any presidential ambitions. It would be near impossible for a Vice President to challenge a sitting President.

‘Of course whoever you nominate will have to be approved by both the House and the Senate,’ the legal counsel said. ‘If I may, Mr President, at this unsettling time in the country’s history, it might be wise to select someone who is not going to run into a lot of flack on the Hill,’ the legal counsel concluded, reading the new President’s thoughts.

Bolton grunted. Halliwell might not be such a wise choice. The Democrats would have a field day over his own relationship with Halliwell and his share portfolio would re-surface. In any case, the Chinese weren’t going away any time soon and that was something that as President he had the power to do considerably more about than his predecessor. Halliwell was probably more useful where he was and, for the moment, he would leave the position vacant. After all, it had taken over five months before Rockefeller was confirmed after the downfall of Nixon. ‘That’ll be all,’ he said, dismissing his legal counsel.

‘I intend to run for the Republican nomination, Esposito,’ President Bolton stated flatly after the White House Counsel had left, ‘and I intend to win. If you value your job around here, you’ll see that it happens.’

‘I have a plan, Mr President, which I’ll be happy to brief you on once you’ve attended to the funeral of President Harrison and other more immediate issues.’

Ever since President Harrison’s untimely death, Esposito had been in no doubt as to the precariousness of his position. On the surface he would appear to support the incumbent but very soon he would get Halliwell to declare his hand.