used to having their own way that they never really think they can’t have it that way all the time. One of the things Gant had learned working in D.C. was that politics was just as much about illusion as the motion-picture business was, which perhaps explained the affinity the two communities had for each other. But even in Hollywood you had to pay the bills, and you had to show a profit. Politicians always had the option of using T-bills to finance their accounts, and they also printed the money. Nobody expected the government to show a profit, and the board of directors was the voters, the people whom politicians conned as a way of life. It was all crazy, but that was the political game.
That’s probably what the PRC leaders were thinking, Gant surmised. But sooner or later, reality raised its ugly head, and when it did all the time spent trying to avoid it was what really bit you on the ass. That was when the whole world said gotcha. And then you were well and truly got. In this case, the gotcha could be the collapse of the Chinese economy, and it would happen virtually overnight.
“George, I think State and CIA need to see this, and the President, too.”
Lord.” The President was sitting in the Oval Office, smoking one of Ellen Sumter’s Virginia Slims and watching TV. This time it was C-SPAN. Members of the United States House of Representatives were speaking in the well about China. The content of the speeches was not complimentary, and the tone was decidedly inflammatory. All were speaking in favor of a resolution to condemn the People’s Republic of China. C-SPAN2 was covering much the same verbiage in the Senate. Though the language was a touch milder, the import of the words was not. Labor unions were united with churches, liberals with conservatives, even free-traders with protectionists.
More to the point, CNN and the other networks showed demonstrations in the streets, and it appeared that Taiwan’s “We’re the Good Guys” campaign had taken hold. Somebody (nobody was sure who yet) had even printed up stickers of the Red Chinese flag with the caption “We Kill Babies and Ministers.” They were being attached to products imported from China, and the protesters were also busy identifying the American firms that did a lot of business on the Chinese mainland, with the aim of boycotting them.
Ryan’s head turned. “Talk to me, Arnie.”
“This looks serious, Jack,” van Damm said.
“Gee, Arnie, I can see that. How serious?”
“Enough that I’d sell stock in those companies. They’re going to take a hit. And this movement may have legs ...”
“What?”
“I mean it might not go away real soon. Next you’re going to see posters with stills from the TV coverage of those two clerics being murdered. That’s an image that doesn’t go away. If there’s any product the Chinese sell here that we can get elsewhere, then a lot of Americans will start buying it elsewhere.”
The picture on CNN changed to live coverage of a demonstration outside the PRC Embassy in Washington. The signs said things like MURDERERS, KILLERS, and BARBARIANS!
“I wonder if Taiwan is helping to organize this ...”
“Probably not—at least not yet,” van Damm thought. “If I were they, I wouldn’t exactly mind, but I wouldn’t need to play with this. They’ll probably increase their efforts to distinguish themselves from the mainland—and that amounts to the same thing. Look for the networks to do stories about the Republic of China, and how upset they are with all this crap in Beijing, how they don’t want to be tarred with the same brush and all that,” the Chief of Staff said. “You know, ‘Yes, we are Chinese, but we believe in human rights and freedom of religion.’ That sort of thing. It’s the smart move. They have some good PR advisers here in D.C. Hell, I probably know some of them, and if I were on the payroll, that’s what I would advise.”
That’s when the phone rang. It was Ryan’s private line, the one that usually bypassed the secretaries. Jack lifted it. “Yeah?”
“Jack, it’s George across the street. Got a minute? I want to show you something, buddy.”
“Sure. Come on over.” Jack hung up and turned to Arnie. “SecTreas,” he explained. “Says it’s important.” The President paused. “Arnie?”
“Yeah?”
“How much maneuvering room do I have with this?”
“The Chinese?” Arnie asked, getting a nod. “Not a hell of a lot, Jack. Sometimes the people themselves decide what our policy is.