Under New Management

Posted on Mon Nov 29th, 2021 @ 9:31pm by Mr. Ulrich Brauneg & President Gabriel Helman & Ms. Sara Gilmore (*)

Mission: So Help Me, God
Location: Transition Team Offices, Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Timeline: Friday, January 13, 10:00am

Outside the Office of the President elect, Sara Gilmore sat, her pile of papers much smaller than they were at the start of the day. Across from her sat Jim Brady, the President elect's body man and a good friend of hers. He was working away at his desk on his own reporting and paused for sporadic moments to look up at her and stare for seconds on end. She pretended not to notice, as always.

His appointment was at 10:10 am and he was early to allow for any issues that might crop up. But he was on time and stopped at the desk. "Hello." A pause, "I have an appointment with the President Elect at 10:10am."

Behind the massive figure that had just approached, Jim's eyes went wide. It was Ulrich Brauneg, Green Bay player turned political staffer, one of his biggest heroes. His heart began to race in his chest and he wasn't sure what he should do except to make himself as scarce as possible. He stood up and scampered off as silently as he could.

Sara watched her friend go and understood that he must recognize the man. She knew this wasn't the time, however. She clicked several times at her computer and then she looked up at him, her uniquely blue eyes shimmering in the light from the sun entering through the window.

"Mr. Brauneg, welcome to the office." she said, offering a quiet smile. She stood and walked around the desk, her grey dress moving against her motion. She turned the knob on one of the doors and pushed it open, pocking her head in.

"Mr. President-elect, Mr. Brauneg is here for your 10:10am."

"He's early; good for him." Gabe said with a smile as he landed another ball of paper in the trashcan. He stood near the assortment of couches and chairs placed by the fireplace in the room, his suit jacket was sitting on the back of his desk chair and his tie was loose. "Bring him in, Sara. And, could you bring us a couple coffees, please?"

"Absolutely, sir." she said, smiling, and then pulled her head back into the lobby. She smiled politely at the large man. "The Govern-..uhhh, the President-elect is ready for you, sir."

"Thank you." He was nothing if not polite, especially to the secretary of the person you were going to see, there was a lot of power in that desk, even if that wasn't the case, his father had in some cases literally beaten manners in to him. No son of his was going to be rude, manners maketh man, was his favorite saying.

He stepped in to the office, "Mr President Elect, congratulations on a well fought campaign and victory."

"Thank you, Mr. Brauneg, thank you." Gabe said, moving toward the man with his hand outstretched and a big smile on his face. "And we have you and your people to thank for our victory as well. The Party's New Media programs made me look like a Saint."

"We just used the material we had, it made it easy." the two men shook hands , then sat down. "Besides, new media can only do so much, even with rapid response on Youtube and Facebook. You still had to connect with the voters and make them like you. "

"I tend to be good at that part, but that's not all it takes to be President, is it?" he asked rhetorically. The door opened after he said it and Sara entered with two mugs on a tray. She sat it down on the table in front of them. "Sara, is your old man a football fan?"

"Yes, sir, he is." she answered.

"Well you can tell him you met Rich Brauneg today, former Green Bay Packers player." Gabe said in response.

They young woman regarded Ulrich again, seeming to take him in a bit more than before.

"I'm sure he'll be very excited about that, sir." she said with as much truth as simple politeness. Then, in a flash, she turned and walked out of the room.

"Some of these kids are so damn awkward around me. That's one of the things that going to be strange about being President. I mean, when I was Governor of Indiana people treated me with respect, but most people wouldn't recognize me in a grocery store. Now, though.."

"I wouldn't get too used to walking in to a grocery store any more, the security detail would give you away, more then a couple of Indiana troopers." He nodded, "But with that strange thing comes the fact you will leave your mark on the world. My father just told me last night, it's amazing in this nation, anyone who puts in the hard work can change so much."

Gabe regarded the man with a curious expression and a slight smile. The statement sounded like something straight out of one of his stomp speeches. Making a difference; making a mark; making a change. With words like those, he had inspired a nation which he had once feared had grown too cynical to believe in anything anymore.

"Not many people think of America that way anymore, it seems to me." he said, "And this town is the worst of them all. How does a man from a corn field come into a city like this and make a change?"

"It can be done. You keep the optimism and the idealism and let your staff handle the dirty end of politics." He began, "The biggest way is you set the game plan and set the ground rules and your staff and the party will execute the plan."

Gabe reached for the hot mug and lifted it by the handle. Bringing it to his lips, he took a short sip of the warm liquid before placing it back down. As usual, Sara had brought him his coffee just as he preferred it: half a mug full with whole milk and sugar. He thought about the accommodation which had been made and all the people who's job it was about to be to make him comfortable and confident so that he could lead the country in its trials. He knew that what Ulrich was saying was true and that he needed a strong team.

"You're smart enough to know that I didn't just call you here to shoot the breeze or wax poetic about public leadership." Gabe said, cradling the mug with his other hand and leaning back on the elegant red chair. "as you said, I'm building a team that knows me, understands where I'm coming from, and can execute those plans well. This country has been run by big-shot coastal elites for too long; I want to show the American people what Midwest country-folk can do. You've got experience, you've got leadership skills, and you've got clout in the party. I want you to lead my team as my Chief of Staff. What do you say?"

That got a pause, he had expected some policy position, or maybe liason with the party, but this. After a few seconds he knew, he couldn't say no, his family was on board, they had been through this entire mess. "When do I start?"

Gabe expected to do a bit of convincing and he raised his eyebrows in surprise in the quick affirmative answer.

“Tomorrow if you can, but I figure you’ll have to square things away at Party HQ.” He responded, his hand on his own knee. “You do realized you just agreed to take on the worst job in Washington, right?”

"Yes I did." He chuckled, "Someone has to do dirty parts of government."

Gabe laughed and slapped his knee as he did so, then he stood up, his hand extended for a goodbye shake.

“After you meet the transition staff, you’re going to want to take some time to meet the Vice President elect. She’s bound to be a handful for us and seems to want to be..very active in the administration. The more familiar you are with her, the better we can keep her on a leash.”

He nodded, "I'll meet with her, but one thing I've found, the best leash is one that the other party agrees to, get her a focus and let her loose, she can feel part of the administration and not be too disruptive."

“That sounds like a good idea to me, Ulrich. See if you can find out what she wants, would you please?” He asked. “And thanks for signing on. We’re going to do a good work for the people. All of us.”

"I will have that conversation immediately." He rose and the two men shook hands.

Now the work begins.