Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt

Roosevelt began his analysis.

"Ever since he lost the election to Murphy, Monroe has been in an awkward position. He’s the Vice Governor, number two in name, but he’s been marginalized within the party."

"For a political golden boy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had a smooth ride to the top, being ignored like this is worse than death."

"He’s desperate to make a mark, to prove himself."

"But he’s trapped in the system, so all his struggles have had little effect."

Roosevelt’s gaze sharpened.

"Therefore, he needs a variable."

"A variable from outside the system."

"That variable is you, Leo."

"You’re going to stir his ambition."

"Tell him that if he works with you, you can give him what he wants."

Leo nodded. He understood the logic.

"But Monroe is the Vice Governor," Leo pressed. "Can’t we just go directly to Campbell? He’s the current Governor, and he holds executive power. If he truly supports my bill, wouldn’t that be better?"

"Campbell..."

Roosevelt mused for a moment.

"He’s a rather complicated man."

"He comes from an old-money family in Pennsylvania. He has wealth and status."

"In his eyes, the governorship is just a stepping stone in his career, not the final destination."

"Do you know what he really wants?"

Leo ventured a guess, "The presidency?"

Roosevelt shook his head.

"No, Leo. Not every Politician wants to be President. That position requires too many compromises, too much acting, too many handshakes and kissing babies."

"For some people, a life lived in the spotlight is torture."

"Campbell is one of those people."

Roosevelt began to dissect the Governor’s personality.

"His core motivation is a paradoxical combination of elite arrogance and populist consciousness."

"He looks down on the upstarts in Washington who rise to power on their donors’ money, yet he yearns for recognition from Washington’s inner circle of power. He’s desperate to prove that he’s smarter and nobler than they are."

"Don’t forget his résumé. How did he rise through the ranks? As the Attorney General of Pennsylvania."

"He sent countless criminals and bureaucrats to prison. He’s accustomed to the thrill of wielding the sword of justice and judging good and evil."

Roosevelt lowered his voice.

"What he wants is to be Attorney General."

"That’s the most difficult, most controversial, but also the position in Washington that best embodies an individual’s will to power."

"For the supremely confident Campbell, it’s about the desire to challenge himself, to conquer the highest halls of power. He’s desperate to prove that he can not only handle local politics but also master the most complex machine of all: national law."

"The President has to balance Congress, watch the polls, and compromise with various factions. But the Attorney General, in theory, is only accountable to the law and the Constitution."

"There are many things an Attorney General can do that a President cannot."

"Campbell is more like an aristocrat from a bygone era. What he seeks is that sense of pure, unrestrained control, not the approval of capital."

Roosevelt continued, "Campbell is an elected Governor. His roots run deep, and his family’s influence is immense."

"Even if he signs the bill, you’ll have no leverage over him. He could turn on you at any moment, kick you to the curb whenever he wants."

"Besides, he’s a legal professional. He’ll definitely find ways to limit you."

"But Monroe is different."

"If Monroe takes power, it will be by exploiting a loophole in the rules, with your help, through a less-than-honorable coup."

"His legitimacy would be flawed."

"And you, you’d be holding the will of the people."

"You’ll have the surging support of the people in the Pennsylvania Rust Belt. You’ll have leverage over him."

Leo frowned.

"So..."

"I have to go stir up public opinion again?"

"We’re going to create chaos, force Campbell to make a mistake, and then push Monroe into his place?"

"Whether for you or for Monroe, this step is necessary," Roosevelt replied.

Leo recalled their earlier discussions about "mob rule."

"Public opinion..."

Before Leo could finish, Roosevelt cut him off.

"Leo, you have to understand one thing."

"Within this country’s vast and intricate bureaucratic system, public opinion is the only weapon that exists outside of it."

"It is the final arbiter."

"The ability to capture the hearts of the people, to rally public opinion, is a Politician’s ultimate weapon."

Leo fell silent.

He stared at the fire, a trace of doubt still lingering in his heart.

"But, Mr. President."

"I know this is a way to solve the problem, but is this what democracy is? Just stirring up public opinion again and again?"

"Isn’t that just wearing out the will of the people?"

Roosevelt sighed.

He turned his wheelchair to face Leo.

"My boy, you have a misunderstanding about democracy in the United States."

"You think democracy is about everyone sitting down, drinking tea, reasoning things out, and then choosing the best solution?"

"Wrong."

"That’s the kind of democracy you only find in heaven."

"Democracy in the United States, at its root, is simply a form of order in a savage world."

Roosevelt began to explain his understanding.

"The starting point of this nation wasn’t an expectation of public servants, but an extreme fear of power."

"The Founding Fathers didn’t trust the King, they didn’t trust Parliament, and they didn’t even trust each other."

"In their view, government is a necessary evil."

"Anyone who holds power, whether it’s Campbell or Monroe, will eventually be inclined toward corruption, toward oppression."