novelnext Chapter 244 - 126: Moral Judgment
Chapter 244 - 126: Moral Judgment
The television in the office was turned up loud.
When Representative Murphy raised the bottle of murky water, Karen couldn’t help but let out a whistle.
"Beautiful."
Karen stared at the screen, her eyes filled with admiration.
"Old John finally wised up. This angle of attack is perfect. Environmentalism, corruption, and class stratification—we’re killing three birds with one stone. After tonight, his poll numbers in the Philadelphia suburbs will go up by at least five points."
Sarah was scrolling through X.
"The response is already out there."
She excitedly turned her tablet around for everyone to see.
"Three of the top ten trending topics on X are about the speech. The hashtag #ToxicWarren is blowing up."
"Look at this."
Ethan pointed to an email notification on a computer screen.
"The Washington Post’s online editorial just went live. The headline is, ’Uncovering the Underbelly of Pennsylvania Politics: Why We Need to Pay Attention to Chad Evans.’"
"They’re praising Representative Murphy for showing rare political courage by daring to challenge this kind of systemic corruption."
"And on the news channels, they’re bringing on a legal expert to discuss the conflict of interest between the Senator and his former employee."
"We won this round."
Sarah grabbed a bottle of beer from the table. It was warm, but she excitedly cracked it open anyway.
"Warren’s ’Teflon’ image is finally shattered. The whole country is talking about his upstart assistant. He won’t be able to explain this away, not even with a hundred mouths."
An air of triumph filled the office.
For a long time, they had been suffocated by Warren’s unassailable, perfect image.
Now, they had finally ripped a tear in it, allowing everyone to see the lice crawling under the sanctimonious old politician’s robes.
"Great work, Leo." Frank toasted him with a disposable paper cup from across the room. Leo was sitting behind his desk. "That was a vicious move. You sent him reeling."
Leo remained seated, without a drink in his hand.
He watched the triumphant Murphy on the television screen, and the fervent young faces in the audience below.
A faint smile played on his lips—the smile of a victor.
But deep within his mind, the voice that was his constant companion had fallen silent.
’Mr. President?’
Leo asked inwardly.
’Don’t you think this is good news? We did it. We’ve completely turned the tide of public opinion.’
’Now, Warren not only faces attacks from the Democratic Party, but also doubts from independent voters. His moral authority is shaken.’
Roosevelt’s voice finally spoke up.
’Yes, Leo. This was a very successful tactical strike.’
’In terms of the media war, and the battle for urban voters, you’ve won a stunning victory.’
’But...’
Roosevelt’s voice carried a hint of worry.
’Have you noticed the backdrop during Murphy’s speech?’
Leo paused. ’The backdrop? What about it?’
’That’s Philadelphia,’ Roosevelt said. ’A university. A convention center.’
’The people in that audience are students, professors... the urban elite who drink Evian water and worry about global warming.’
’Of course they’ll be outraged by toxic water and corruption. It aligns with their values. It offends their moral sensibilities.’
’But, Leo.’
’Pennsylvania isn’t just Philadelphia.’
’There’s also that vast middle ground, those so-called hinterlands.’
’The people there... the workers whose livelihoods depend on the shale gas wells, the truck drivers who draw a paycheck from the Appalachian Energy Company.’
’When they see this news... when they see Murphy holding up that bottle of water and denouncing the very company that puts food on their tables as a purveyor of poison...’
’What do you suppose they’ll think?’
’They’ll be on our side,’ Leo answered with conviction. ’They’ll be furious about Warren’s corruption.’
’Be careful, Leo.’
’In Pennsylvania’s Coal County, in those small towns that have nothing but the energy industry, this might be interpreted completely differently.’
’To attack Warren, you’ve chosen the double-edged sword of environmentalism and anti-corruption.’
’But that sword might just cut the very people you’re trying to win over.’
’No, Mr. President.’
Leo shook his head.
’You underestimate the weight of three words for the working class: "It’s not fair."’
’When a worker covered in coal dust sees some young assistant—who can’t even tell one drill bit from another—make more money than he could in ten lifetimes, just for having carried the Senator’s bags...’
’...what he feels isn’t gratitude that his industry is being protected. It’s the fury of being exploited and made a fool of.’
’Sixty thousand versus six hundred thousand.’
’That comparison is too stark. It’s enough to tear apart any lie about ’the greater good of the industry.’’
’They’ll realize Warren isn’t protecting their livelihoods; he’s protecting the interests of his own inner circle.’
’That sense of betrayal, that class resentment... it’s powerful enough to override everything else.’
Leo turned his head and looked at the celebrating team.
The atmosphere in the office had reached a fever pitch. Everyone was basking in the joy of their victory.
They believed the tide had turned irrevocably in their favor.
They believed that justice was finally on their side.
As Leo watched his excited colleagues, the atmosphere swept him up, and his own confidence soared.
He stood up and walked to the map.
On that electoral map of Pennsylvania, the large red area in the middle was no longer an indestructible fortress in his eyes.
It was a field of dry tinder, just waiting for him to strike the match.
"Everyone."
Leo spoke.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the noise in the room, and everyone fell silent.
Everyone turned, their eyes fixed on Leo.
"Don’t stop."
Leo’s finger tapped heavily on the map.
"The fire’s lit, so let’s pour some more gas on it."
"Get a message to Murphy."
Leo gave his next order.
"Tell him to change tactics for the next leg of his rural speaking tour."
"We’re going to focus all our firepower on those three words: ’It’s. Not. Fair.’"
"As long as we hammer this point relentlessly, Warren will have no chance of a comeback."
"Because in this world, nobody can defend unfairness."
"Not even God."
The room erupted in cheers once again.
Karen got back on the phone, relaying the new directives to Murphy’s campaign team.
Sarah started designing a new round of campaign posters, featuring the stark salary comparison graphic.
Fueled by an unshakeable belief in their victory and feverish hopes for the future, the team launched their final assault on the seemingly indestructible fortress.
Leo stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at his own face reflected in the glass.
His young face was etched with confidence and fearlessness.
He was certain that he had finally found the fulcrum on which to move the world.
He was certain that an angry populace would stand with him.
He was certain that the bastion of a bygone era was about to crumble at his feet.
And deep within his mind, Roosevelt said no more. He simply watched it all unfold in silence.
Even though his keen intuition told him something was wrong, the human heart remains the most unpredictable thing in the world.
’Perhaps Leo was right? Perhaps that primal class rage really could override everything else?’
’Or was this just a feverish delusion before the fall?’
Regardless, the bullet had left the chamber.
And no one could stop it now.