Jed Bartlet's Presidency started out, literally, with a bang

[Mark Rand]

This is another drop in thread. Many characters are from The West Wing. Some Secret Service agents are from other programs. This is based, slightly, on an incident mentioned in the 1986 routebook of the Carson & Barnes Circus. According to the report, the Secretary of Education, and family, complete with big black cars, police escort, and security, visited the 4 PM show.

 

Secret Service agent Kelsey Innis frowned when she saw the motorhome on the lot that in the morning would be home, for one day, for the Ross Brothers Circus. She waved to the woman, dressed like a working cowgirl, that stood by it. The cowgirl waved back.

 

"Help you?" the cowgirl asked when Kelsey joined her.

 

"Kelsey Innis, United States Secret Service," the agent said, showing her badge.

 

"Mary West, 'Cowgirl' to most," the cowgirl said. "I'm the 24-hour advance agent for the Ross Brothers Circus. Do you need to see my ID?"

 

"Please," Kelsey replied. After looking at Mary's driver's license, she said, "Nobody told me that you'd be here already."

 

"Figures," Cowgirl said. They talked for a few minutes, then they walked the lot together before laying it out.

 

To be continued.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Jed Bartlet's Presidency started out, literally, with a bang

 

The next morning, circus vehicles started rolling in at 7 A.M., and were guided to their parking place by Cowgirl, who left at 11:10.

 

At 7:15 P.M., 45-minutes before the evening show started, Treasury Secretary Josiah Edward "Jed" Bartlet, Ph.D. arrived with his wife, Abbey, two of their three daughters, staffers, and security. Since he was a VIP, the circus staff let them enter the upper midway early.

 

"Zoey," Jed exclaimed when he saw his youngest daughter. "Married life and training big cats seem to agree with you."

 

"I agree," Zoey laughed. "What brings you here?"

 

"Dubya is addressing a joint session of Congress tonight," Jed replied. "I'm the designated survivor. They didn't mind me coming out here to see the show my daughter is part of."

 

The show started, on time, at 8 P.M. Central Standard Time. At that same time, Dubya was entering Congress. As he stood at the podium, a hydrogen bomb hidden in the trunk of a car one mile away detonated. Washington, D.C. was no more.

 

To be continued.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Jed Bartlet's Presidency started out, literally, with a bang

 

By the time the news reached the circus, the band was playing the overture. After the ringmaster made the announcement, the bandleader sounded Taps. Less than one minute later, after Zoey retrieved her bible, Jed Bartlet was sworn in before a nationwide audience.

 

After talking with Zoey, who was staying, the new President and his party took a helicopter to where the current Air Force One was sitting and flew to Denver. Enroute, Jed called the Secret Service agents in and put Special Agent Ron Butterfield in charge of security for his family.

 

"I have some agents that could fit in at the circus," Ron said. Gina Tuscano is the perfect agent to head Zoey's detail and Kelsey Innes is a good advance agent. She'll be working with the show's 24-hour advance agent."

 

"Fine, Ron," Jed said. "Now, I have a nation to heal."

[Mark Rand]

Re: Jed Bartlet's Presidency started out, literally, with a bang

 

As Air Force One flew on, Jed had the nation taken to Defcon 4 and ordered the military commanders meet him in Denver to pick a new Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also had the governors send emergency delegates sent there. He and Lieutenant Commander Gail Peters, U.S.N., who carried the Nuclear Football, consulted some of the documents inside it.

 

While this was going on, Abbey briefed Ron Butterfield on the new President's relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and gave him a list of medications he took. She finished by saying, "We have two weeks of Jed's medications in our luggage."

 

"That's good to know," Ron said. "Does he need a wheelchair or a cane?"

 

"Jed's used a wheelchair only once in the past six years," Abbey replied. "He has, however, used a cane quite a bit."

 

"Not a problem," Ron said as Jed reentered the main cabin. "Sir?"

 

"I have to address the nation when we land," Jed said. "I need to proclaim a National Day of Mourning for everyone who died in Washington. The stock markets will have to close tomorrow, as will all schools. The public has to know that the government can still function and the perpetuators of the destruction of Washington, D.C. will be dealt with." With that, he fell backwards, into a chair.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Jed Bartlet's Presidency started out, literally, with a bang

 

"Jed!" Abbey, a trauma surgeon, yelped, running toward him.

 

"Mr. President," Ron said, joining her.

 

"Just lost my balance," the President said. "I'm having trouble feeling my legs."

 

"An MS attack," Abbey said.

 

Just then, the pilot, Colonel Edwards, entered. "Sir, I just had a report from Denver International Airport," he said. "Due to the snow storm that dumped two feet of snow there in thirty minutes, the airport is now closed. Both Colorado Springs Airport, which is also Peterson Air Force Base, and the United States Air Force Academy are still open. Where do we land?"

 

"Air Force Academy," Jed replied.

 

"Will do, sir," Colonel Edwards said before returning to the cockpit.

 

Jed then turned to C. J. Cregg and said, "Claudia Jean, you're my Press Secretary. I want the press to know about the National Day of Mourning as soon as possible."

 

"Yes, Mr. President. What about the MS?"

 

"That, too," he replied.