Westman, Part II: The Rising

[Mechaman]

June 8th, 1979
The Drunken Dutchman
Fairfax, Virginia
6:58 PM:

A lull in the conversation.  O'Connor looks oddly intrigued by Westman circumstance.
Westman: You think is is fascinating?
O'Connor used to saying the wrong things around Westman, comments.
O'Connor: Well to be honest yeah.  I mean, this isn't a typical scenario you know.  You're the first guy I know who ended up with-
Westman looks frustrated.
Westman: I did not ask for my girlfriend to have balls, Thad.  Stop acting like I'm some cool or hip science experiment.
O'Connor: Well, frankly I think it'd be fascinating to hear about your relationship.  I mean, from a psychiatric perspective it's fascinating.
Westman looks at him funny.
Westman: When did you suddenly become a Psych MD?
O'Connor: Well, human sexual identity is a very murky area in the area of psychology.  As you know many people typically associate sexual attraction on the genetic "sex" of a person.
Westman groans, this is really not helping me Thad.
O'Connor: However, many psychologists and the like believe that what really determines a "man" from a "woman" is their "gender".
Westman looks even more confused.
Westman: Call me ignorant Thad, but I thought that was the same thing.
O'Connor laughs.
O'Connor: Well, you wouldn't be the first.  But, you seem to be more understanding of gender concepts than many other normative heterosexuals.
Westman: Thad, you're not going f****t on me are ya?
O'Connor: No not really.
Westman: You seem to place a bit of emphasis on this "normative heterosexual" term, like they are ignorant.
O'Connor: Well they are.  Unlike you, they haven't had enough experience with non-normals to reach logical conclusions based on interactivity.
Westman: Hey smartass!  Small words here!
O'Connor: Okay, fine.  Anyway, back to the gender thing.  You yourself seemed to be able to differentiate very well between genetic sexuality and gender identity, given your continued usage of the pro-nouns "her" and "she" when referring to Calpernia.  You seem to recognize, subconsciously, even after the revelation that she was genetically male that she is a gender woman.
Westman: Well, I certainly don't want to start thinking of her as a man.  Just saying.
O'Connor: Further, given your staunch masculinity and attraction to feminine qualities, I don't think it's surprising that you still have feelings for her.  What I'd be interested in is now that the white elephant is out in the open, if this will proceed like a normal heterosexual relationship. . . . with some improvisation needed in the bedroom.
Westman laughs.
Westman: At least she doesn't have that time of the month.
The two men clink glasses together.
O'Connor: So, are you going home after this?
Westman sighs.
Westman: Well, I've decided that I'm not leaving Calpernia, Thad.  I have feelings for her that have not gone away even after the fact.  However, I can't go back this soon.  Things are still too awkward between us.  You don't mind if we go back to your place and I crash do you?
O'Connor laughs.
O'Connor: Here's the thing. . . . . I don't have a place.
Westman looks at him funny.
Westman: What?
O'Connor: Not sure if you notice Scott, but I'm not exactly rolling in the doe.  I'm just a small town fisher, honorably discharged from the Persian War who got laid off in the middle of his congressional campaign.
Westman: Well then where do you sleep?
O'Connor: Well. . . . . . in Falls Church.  Mark and his wife. . . . they let me stay in one of their guest rooms.
Westman shrugs it off.
Westman: Whatever man.  He'll be cool with me coming by.  Worst case scenario I sleep in the car.
O'Connor: If you insist.  Anyway, did you see the Star Trek film?
Westman laughs.
Westman: Wish I didn't.  It's boring as hell.
O'Connor: Really?  I thought it was an ingenious usage of special effects and space shots.
Westman: Porno is more exciting than the Start Trek film.  My goodness, somebody needs to be shot for this atrocity.
O'Connor: Well, it generated some good box office receipts.  The might have enough for a sequel.
Westman: More power to them.  Sequel couldn't be much more boring than this one.  I mean what was the plot even about?  Some weird soundwave eating worlds or something?
O'Connor: I don't really remember.
Westman: That's the problem, the had a real lackluster story to this without a powerful maddened antagonist.  Did you ever seen the episode "Space Seed"?
O'Connor: I think I did. . . .  is that the one with Romulan Bird of Prey?
Westman looks amazed at O'Connor's stupidity.
Westman: No, no no!  That was "Balance of Terror" you nimrod!  Space Seed was the one with the genetically modified crew of humans.  Senator Montalban was the head bad guy!
O'Connor looks like he's about to die laughing.
O'Connor: Really?
Westman: Yes really!  He did a badass job of it too!  Seriously, the guy needs to just retire from the Senate, go down to Paramount Studios, and talk to the people there about returning as the baddie in the next Star Trek film!
O'Connor looks dumbfounded.
O'Connor: That's the most insane thing I've ever heard Scott.  Nobody in their right mind is going to drop out of the US Senate just to star in a Star Trek film!
Westman laughs.
Westman: You are no true believer, obviously.

[Mechaman]

June 8th, 1979
Hatfield Residence
Falls Church, Virginia
Around 9:32 PM:

Thad O'Connor unlocks the door to the house with Westman in tow.  Luckily for them, the house was dead silent and the lights off.
O'Connor: Lucky you.  Mark and his wife are asleep.  I would pity you if they weren't.  Alright, let's go into the basement
Westman follows O'Connor into the basement, which was stocked with what seemed like at least a hundred different types of hard liqour.  O'Connor goes between the stock of alcohol and eyes a few brands.  He comes back to Westman with some brand of coke flavored vodka, Kraken Black Rum, and some Michael Collins Irish Whiskey.  Westman smiles.
Westman: Read my mind.
The two go into Hatfield's kitchen and look in the refrigerator for something to mix in with the drinks.  Looking towards the back O'Connor spots some Florida's Best Orange Juice and some fruit punch.  He procures a couple of 12 oz glasses.  He turns back to Westman with the choices.  Westman shrugs.
Westman: A little fruity, but it'll have to do.
The two men head upstairs to Thad's room.  The room is very disorganized, with clothes lying all over the floor, and very spartan.  What few suits and button up shirts Thad had were hanging on the doorknob.  From what Westman could ascertain O'Connor was a man of very limited means, with the only signs of a hobby being his full bookcase next to his bed.  There were a few framed items. . .  a picture of his squad in Persia, a copy of a university degree, and an invitation to the 1972 Republican National Convention where he was a Maine delegate.  Next to his single size bed was a lampstand that had a photo of Mary Sears Lodge on it.
Aww, that's so sweet Thad.
O'Connor points at a couch on the other end of the room.
O'Connor: There.
Westman takes a glass and fills it up with whiskey and fruit punch.  O'Connor takes some of the rum and mixes it with orange juice.  The two men take a drink.
O'Connor: Man, we really need to cut back.
Westman: Hey man, whatever helps you sleep at night.
O'Connor: Man, that was pretty incredible what you did today you know?
Westman: Don't tell me I'm brave for having feelings for Calpernia man.  I can't help how I feel about her.  No matter how hard I have tried.
O'Connor: No man, the vote!  It was incredible I never could've predicted we would have decisively defeated Reagan and his cronies on it.
Westman: Elections have consequences dear Thad.  Elections have consequences.  Shame that most of the support came from your end and not mine.
O'Connor: Cheer up mate.  Some day things will be better.  I am certain that if things continue on this trajectory, in a few years time you will be moving up real fast in the world of politics.
Westman laughs.
Westman: That's flattering Thad, but I don't feel anywhere close to being a hero.  Or a grand game changer.
O'Connor: You really underestimate yourself.
Westman puts his glass down on a nearby coffee table.
Westman: Look man, I'm just an anti-war man from Missoula.  People like me aren't meant to be presidents or revolutionary party leaders.  My election was a pure fluke.  I bust my ass off now with this sort of thing so that I can get as much done before my inevitable loss in '82.
O'Connor: You know that's not true. .  
Westman: It's quite easy for you to say, you don't have as nearly the amount of controversial crap as I do.  This nation is full of holy rollers and they aren't forgiving of sex addicted Catholics IN Name Only.  And now with Calpernia. . .  .  .I would rather be in Washington for one term than give her up.  And I would feel vindicated if in 1983 I'm back in Missoula.
O'Connor felt very moved by what Westman was saying.
O'Connor: Wow man. . .  . . . . . that's a pretty brave statement.
Westman looks over at him.
Westman: Tell me man, would you do the same for Mary?
O'Connor was struck by Westman's question.  Thad really didn't know how to answer.  Unlike Calpernia, Mary was well ingrained into the political world almost by birth.  She was a child of prominent political dynasties in Massachusetts.  While Thad felt that his relationship with her was very pure and that her feelings towards him were quite true and real, he couldn't imagine her every being attracted toward him if he weren't an officeholder.  After all, that was how they met in the first place.  Calpernia, on the other hand, was very much an "other" who had no connections with DC besides her modeling contracts.  She could've easily fallen for Westman in any other situation.
O'Connor: Not sure I would.  She's too much in the polical world for me to think about any situation besides it.
Westman: Figures.  She's in the world and so are you.  Too much a part of it to think about anything else.  You've found yourself in a most envious position Thad: being romanced by the politics.  If you got a sane head on your shoulders you will stick to her like glue.  Me, I'm probably doomed because of love, not saved by it.  Because that is what this feels like.  I'm not sure how I know this, how I am certain of it, I just do.  I never felt this way about anyone before, not even Catalina.  Hell, I didn't even really care for her that much when I was still alive.  It was just something I did because of fear for my manhood y'know?  If I wasn't shotgunned into the whole affair I probably would've just gone to college and sh*t.  Oh well, that's how the dice ro. . . . . zzzzzzzz
Midspeech Westman just happened to fall asleep.
How?!
O'Connor laughed as Westman fell asleep, likely to his own excessive boozing.  He turned towards the picture of Mary Sears Lodge, picking it up and holding it in his hands.
Would you do the same for Mary?
O'Connor looks at her eyes deeply.  He had known for awhile that he had loved her and that she had some strong similar feelings for him.  Strangely enough, he found himself in a similar boat as Westman: he had no idea how to show Mary how much he felt for her.  Especially with their chastity vow.  He just knew that when he was with her his heart skipped beats and he felt truly happy.  Unlike Nora Westman.
O'Connor lays back, with the photo over his heart, and falls asleep.

June 9th, 1979
6:48 AM:

O'Connor wakes up as the sunlight is hitting him through the windows.  He glances around, noticing the glasses and punch and alcohol on the ground.
Sh*t, Mark is going to kill me when he finds out I left the juice on the floor.
He gets up and notices that Westman has disappeared during the night.  On the couch he notices a little note:

Hey Thad,

Hey man thank you for being an ear last night.  I really needed someone to talk to to sort out this mess in my head.  The last few hours have been really trying on me. .  .as has the whole day.  Look, I know I can be a handful sometimes and that my personal issues might get to your head.  I'm sorry if I seemed a bit invasive with questions about you and Mary.  I promise you that soon we will get our beloved political discussion back and that we will get back onto the issues.  I just want you to know that for the first time in a long time things are making sense.  Today when I woke up I had a hangover but never had I had more clarity and more peace.

Your friend Scott Westman

P.S.: Here's fifty bucks.  For smoke and drinks.
O'Connor laughs.
O'Connor: Thanks pal.

Meanwhile. . . . in Fairfax:

Westman had arrived at his townhouse with the nascent scent of Michael Collins on his breath.
Man, Thad is right.  I really need to cut this sh*t out.
Westman had woken up at about 3:12 in the morning and for some reason sat still for about thirty minutes before deciding to write O'Connor a letter thanking him for being a "listening ear".
What dorky words.
The note took Westman about thirty minutes to compose and he decided to leave a fifty for Thad for drinking and smoking.
Compensation.
When Westman was done he decided to go back to drinking some more orange juice with whiskey.  He had about three glasses while he was enjoying an hour long read of one of Thad's psychology books.  In it he found nothing useful, but he enjoyed the sensation of having a drink and reading a book.  Then he decided to leave the house, taking the Micheal Collins with him.  He took a long drive back to Fairfax where he decided to stop at a breakfast diner to have some eggs and sausage with some biscuits and gravy.
All American Meal for the All American Champs he thought.
While there he would slip some more whiskey into his orange juice, to the chagrin of the owner.  However, Westman was a regular there, so no charges were pressed.  While he was there he started reading through part of a book called "The Zemoski Experiment", a sci-fi book dealing with human cloning.  He had read about 50 pages of it when he noticed the time on the clock said 6:46 AM and he really needed to get home.
So here he was.
Westman exited his car and made his way to the front door, whiskey in hand.  He blindly pulled out his keys and started randomly attacking the door knob with it, expecting one of his random jabs to find the keyhole.  He finally finds it and twists it in the lock, unlocking the door.  He twists open the door and enters.
He expected:
To see Calpernia sitting on the living room sofa eagerly waiting for him to come back and rushing into his arms, crying into his hair.  He would welcome her back with an emotional kiss and the two would profess their undying love for each other.  He would then get ready for work and brush off the alcohol from his breath.
What actually happened:
He entered the living room/den area and saw no sign of activity whatsoever.  He went into the kitchen and put his whiskey in the freezer, extra cold, the way he likes it.  Figuring that Calpernia already left for work he headed to his room.  He opened his bedroom door to find her in an emerald green sleeping gown, curled up underneath the sheets.  He pulls back the sheets of the bed, climbing in next to her, and then wraps his arms around her in a spooning postion.  Like him, she smelled strongly of booze and likely drank herself into a stupor.
Before Westman could have a witty thought he passed out once more from the booze.  Man, he's got a problem, it's not even 7:15 yet!

[Mechaman]

October 4th, 1987
The Denver Hilton
Denver, Colorado
Room #809
Around 9:30 PM:

What a long flight. The woman thought as she brushed her hair.
The flight from Jersey City had wrecked hell on her neck.  Leaving me in a not so good mood tonight.  Well, I should at least try to be in one for him.  It's a special day.
She examined herself in the mirror as she applied her makeup and glossed her lips.  Getting herself ready for a very passionate night.  Fortunately for her, her man had pretty simple tastes.  Just bring the woman with you, Cal.  Just bring the woman.
She left the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door to keep out unwelcome visitors.  She would know he was here when she heard the knock at the door.
Her plan of seduction was simple: a pair of black lingerie bra and panties with a garter belt, stockings, and some high heels underneath her bathrobe.  No need to go extravagant with a teddy, bodysuit, or anything too excessive.  All he needed to see was her, exposed, under that bathrobe and lose his mind.
She heard a knock on the door and gleefully got up, ready and willing for her man.

In the hallway:

The secretive man in the shades walked suspiciously up to the door.  Double checking to see if he was followed or if there was anybody in the hallway.  A few times he got a bit well.. . . . sloppy and ended up with a body count too high.  Or in some cases, regrettably too low.  This number, however, he'd been tracking for weeks.  This number, would be the kill of his lifetime and of the lifetimes of many.
He was going to kill a supermodel.
Weeks of preparation, and this was the perfect opportunity.
He had started to miss his old hobby, given the amount of time he had to work at BankCorp to fund his new BMW addiction.  It's really hard to do killing when you're making a killing, after all.
So the question is: Why was he doing this?
Well, there were certainly plenty of reasons for him to be doing this.  Most would figure that he is motivated by hatred and rage, by a bigotry against those he kills.  That his actions are motivated in part by his disgust at society.
Those assumptions would be incorrect.
He doesn't kill out of insecurity or bigotry.  He kills because it is fun.  And he chooses his victims not out of personal spite, but out of the pure dare he say. . . .sexual thrill of butchering them.  And besides, with so many "serial killers" out there he needed his own unique target market, his niche.  Killing ex-wives, ex-husbands, children, dogs, cats, the elderly, Jehovah's Witnesses gives some people kicks but not him.  For him he needed a new thrill, a very unique target.
He didn't ask much of his victims, except that they are docile like women but fall like men.
Which is why he was here.  Usually he had his trusty .90 Ingram with Silencer, a most effective tool that puts them down quick and easy with little fuss.  However, due to recent airport regulations he determined that the risk factor of the police lining up the bullets in his gun with previous murders was just too high.  Instead, he would need to go for a quick knockout followed by a neck breaking and then the operation could begin.  For that purpose his tools were quite simple: an ether covered rug and a razor sharp Remington Combat Knife.
He walks up to the door with the "Do Not Disturb" sign and knocks.
Let the fun begin, he maliciously smiled.
The door opened wider than he was expecting.  From the way it was opened, and the presence of a woman throwing open her bathrobe revealing her sexy underwear. . . . . it was quite obvious she was expecting someone else.  Almost as if the "Do Not Disturb" sign was to keep solicitors away and only for the right person to knock.
The door was open for barely a second when the man charged forward with his rag of ether, knocking the woman unconscious as she breathed in the fumes.  In about 20 seconds she was stone cold silent, dead asleep from the contents of the rag.  Immediately the man closed the hotel room door and brought her further into the room, preparing himself for what needed to be accomplished.
Petting the woman's hair, he gazed into her blank unmoving face.
Killer: You've always wanted to live as a woman, now you can die as one.
Overcome by his own bloodlust, the killer pulls out his knife and takes off the woman's panties.  Then he prepares to make his fatal strike.

Room #807:

Officer Donald A. Russo of the Denver Police Department was on suspended leave for excessive property damage while foiling a robbery.  During his time off he was busy getting drunk and lonely at the Hilton while his wife was probably screwing some company executive.  He didn't know why be moved out west except maybe as an act of self loathing.
The faucet turns on in the bathroom.  He looks over and sees the scantily dressed blonde woman washing parts of her body.  She exits the room and sits down next to him, stroking his shoulders and back before kissing him on the side of the head.
Loretta Mancino: Come on baby. . . . you're better off without that slut.  I gave you good time no?
Loretta Mancino was a stripper at a local night club that Russo met about five years ago.  Whenever he had a fight with his wife, which was often, he went there to blow off some steam.  It wasn't until recently, however, when the two of them advanced beyond the customer-client relationship.
Russo takes her hand off his shoulder, poised to say something.
Russo: Look. . .
He hears a noise that sounds an awful lot like a door being slammed open and bodies falling onto the floor.  On instinct he reaches into the jacket near his head and pulls the gun out from the holster.  He turns to Loretta.
Russo: Stay there alright?  DON'T.  MOVE.
Russo goes into the hallway and observes room #809.
Looks closed.  This is only a hunch though, is this good enough reason to barge the door down?
Russo gets the idea to check to see if the door is locked or not.  He turns the knob. . ..  .slowly and quietly.  The door opens as he stealthily opens the door.
What he sees before him looks like something from a crime thriller.  He sees a man, a very creepy thin white guy who looks to be in his thirties with big ass nerd glasses, staring obsessively at a woman with a pretty damn big knife in his hands.  On impulse Russo yells.
Russo: DPD!  DROP THE F***ING KNIFE!
The crazed man goes for a strike at the woman that is stopped in mid air by a bullet from Russo's gun.  The man yelps in pain.
Russo: Motherf***er!  Don't make me kill you!
The killer looks at Russo with an animalistic fury and then charges at him full force.  As the killer is a few feet from Russo, Russo fires a bullet straight into the man's forehead.  The man falls down, pretty f***ing dead or in a coma.  He goes over to check the man's vitals.
No pulse.  Nothing.  He's deader than the f***in' dinosaurs.
Russo is conflicted over this.  For one, some bleedingheart moron is going to charge him with being a fascist and try to get him suspended for "excessive use of force".  However, another part, a much bigger part, of him is brimming with joy because he killed this scumbag before he could have the decency of a criminal trial.
And hopefully, he saved a woman's life today.  A woman who would've otherwise been dead if he didn't trust his instincts and investigate what was happening in the room next to his.  He hears footsteps behind him, he turns around with a gun in his hand to see Loretta standing there.
Russo: Loretta, get the f*** out of here, NOW!
Loretta, though still shocked by the scene before her, runs out of the room back to her own and starts packing up and getting dressed.  Russo picks up the hotel room phone and dials a line to the 911 First Responders.
911: This is dispatch, how may I help you?
Russo: Yes this is Sergeant Donald Russo I would like to report an attempted murder at the Denver Hilton!
It was then that Russo went over to the woman and decided to check her out head to toe.
Well she's a stunner alright.  Would rate an easy 9.5 if not a perfect ten.  He takes her pulse.
Thank god, she's still alive.
Russo: Victim is still alive!
911: Sergeant, details.
It was then that Russo started looking lower on the woman.  He noticed something quite odd.
What the f***?
Russo: Ugh. . . victim is.. . .   .a ugh. . . . a woman.  About 6'1", very white, black hair. . . . looks like a model.
911: Sergeant you sounded a little unsure earlier.
Russo: Forget it, just get some people over here to the Denver Hilton, room #809.
It was then that Russo realized the kind of knife the killer had. . . .and some disturbing coincidences.
He puts the receiver up to his mouth and says somberly.
Russo: Listen, I think this might be related to the Nightstalker cases.

[Mechaman]

A little later:

Sergeat Russo is hunched over the woman when he hears a noise behind him.  On instinct he turns around and whips out his gun.
Russo: DON'T.  F***ING.  MOVE.
He sees a tall man with long red hair in a Randy Rhoads Experiment shirt and a leather jacket.  In his right hand are flowers.  The man looks distraught.
Must be lover boy.  Well he definitely underdressed for the occasion.
Russo laughs.
Russo: Figures.  Look, there was a breakin tonight.  She'll be alright, Mr.-
Russo suddenly has a brain explosion.  He realized he's seen the man before.  Heard about him on the news hundreds of times (poor schmuck, that's what happens when you marry into the Kennedy family) and even saw him today on the news.
Lover boy was Scott Westman, Governor of Montana.
Russo: Governor. .   .  . look, this is a very bad situation as it is.  We don't need to make it much worse with you being at the scene when the police and press get here.
Westman is dead silent and unmoving, lost in the scene of the moment.  Russo is getting irritated.
Russo: Look man, you only got one chance.  I'm sure with everything you've done you're feeling bulletproof.  Well man, I'm not sure how you're going to spin this one.  I mean, this isn't normal adultery, now is it?
Moron, they tried this same trick before. . . . . though sans a dead guy.
Westman: Can I see her first?
Russo, feeling a bit peaved, relented.
Russo: Okay, fine.  She's not dead anyway.  Just don't do anything that would raise eyebrows.
Westman kneels down next to Calpernia, carresses some of her hair and holds one of her hands.
Westman: Darling, you'll be fine again.  I promise you.
Westman gets up and turns back towards Russo.
Westman: What is your name?
Russo: Sergeant Donald Russo, Denver Police.
Westman: YOu know, I'm not really a fan of authority figures.
Russo: No sh*t?
Westman: However, I like you Russo.  Like you very much.
Russo does a clicking noise and does a shooting motion with his right hand.
Westman exits the room and makes his way to the elevators, with a world of worry rushing through his head.  He felt somewhat responsible for what happened.  After all, she put herself in this situation for him.  To give him comfort, to soothe him before he went before the wolves of the court.  And now she was. . . . . still not dead dude.  Relax.
Westman had began to worry about her safety after the Nightstalker killings, calling her every other weekend to see what her plans were, to see if she wasn't doing anything alone and was with friends, family, or guards.  He couldn'tve guessed that something similar to the Nightstalker, if not the Nightstalker, would've striked again.
Westman reaches the elevator, luckily with no one in the halls looking out their doors. Shocking considering that the policeman discharged his gun.  Would've thought that would've had everybody on the floor out of their rooms.  Or did those three happened to be the only people on the 8th floor at 9:30 at night?  The elevator door opens as he exits through the night.

Meanwhile:

Russo is looking through the drawers of the room looking for some identification for the woman.  Finally he spots her purse underneath the sink in the bathroom.  He ruffles through the contents before finding a State of California Driver's License:
Calpernia Siobhah Weils
118 S. Riverdale Lane
Alameda, California

Date of Birth: October 9th, 1960
Hair: Black          Height: 6'1"
Eyes: Brown        Weight: 132 lbs
Sex: F
Russo has a loud laugh.
Like most women, she seems to be an excellent liar.  Besides the obvious elephant in the room, there's no way a woman is 6'1" and weighs 132 lbs.  That's practically starvation!  This gal has some nice curves.  Whoa what?
After his moment of confusion, Russo gets back to looking through other parts of the room for more evidence.  He gets back to the dead guy and reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet.  He opens it up and spots his license plate:

Harold Francis Wahlberg
871 S. Sheridan Ave
Scranton, PA

Date of Birth: May 11th, 1958
Hair: Brown     Height: 5'9"      
Eyes: Green     Weight: 135 lbs
Sex: M
Well I guess lying isn't something only women are good at.  This man is obviously only 5'6".
A few minutes later the squad arrives with Captain Gene McCluskey.  Russo gets up and nods.
Russo: Sir.
McCluskey shakes his hand.
McCluskey: Congratulations Donny, you just got rid of yet another scumbag.
McCluskey had long been an advocate of Donald Russo.  Being a results man, he strongly disagreed with the department's decision to suspend Russo after Russo drove his car through the front part of a bank to foil a robbery.  Well that, and it pissed that hard on Gardino, who has had it out for Russo since he went out with his daughter.
McCluskey: Awful quiet around here isn't it?
Russo jumps at the opportunity.
Russo: Yes, I found that odd Captain.  You would've thought that the 8th floor would've had more people on it.
McCluskey chuckles.
McCluskey: Bad economy.  Only the rich and privileged can afford to sleep at Hilton now days.  Thanks Republicans. .  and Crane.
Russo didn't really care much for McCluskey's politics.  The Captain, a diehard Democrat, didn't let any opportunity go to waste to remind everybody that the Republicans were the source of all the world's evils and suffering.  He was sure that if you asked him, McCluskey would even connect Robert Taft with Adolf Hitler and that Dewey secretly negotiated with the Soviets to make the Cold War longer.  Yeah he was that kind of hack.
Not to mention that he made the comment about only the rich and privileged being able to afford to sleep at the Hilton when he bankrolled Russo's week long stay there.
McCluskey: So tell me Donny, was there anyone else here?
Sh*t, it's the captain.  I can't lie to him.  I have to tell him something though.
The question was difficult in his mind.  For one, he didn't want the knowledge that he was seeing a stripper to get back to his wife and family.  Even though his wife was a non-paid whore who was probably doing his boss as he was working this case.  On the other hand though. . . . . . . .  .if he told the Cap about Scott Westman being in the hotel room that could lead to a press nightmare if it's not covered up well enough.  That, and it could potentially destroy Westman's career, something Russo being a troubled man himself wasn't in favor of.
What the hell?  It's the captain.
Russo: Okay, I know this was the wrong way to act. . . . . but Scott Westman was here earlier.
McCluskey looks shocked.
McCluskey: What!?
Russo looks down at the ground, suffering inexplicable hurt of pride.  He had just admitted to an unethical course of action.
Russo: He was here. . . . and I let him go.  But I saw the perp with my own eyes trying to kill the girl. . . so I thought-
McCluskey puts a hand on his shoulder.
McCluskey: Look man, it's protocol.  You can't just let a witness go, even if they had nothing to do with the crime.  It's about getting as much useful information as possible.  Besides, this isn't the first time Westman has met a woman at a hotel.  Hell, I think this might even be the same one from several years ago!  You know when he ran for the Vice Presidential nomination?  I mean look!
Suddenly Russo remembered the bit of news that hit in the last week of the general campaign.
McCluskey: Look, we'll just keep this between us.   No need for you to get yourself into further damage control in order to preserve your career.  Trust me.  We'll question Westman later, after all, he knows the.. . . .girl.
Little did they know that the hotel room was full of it's own eyes and ears.

[Mechaman]

Link to first part:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=119018.0

For future convenience.

[Mechaman]

October 4th, 1987
Hilton Hotel
Room 412:

Brian Schweitzer is watching tv as the door opens and Westman walks in.  Schweitzer seems surprised to see Westman come into the room since he was given the impression that he already had lodging plans.
Schweitzer: Uh.. . . . .  .what're you doing here?
Westman is pacing back and forth in the room.
Westman: Man. . . . 
Schweitzer notices the look of shock on Westman's face.
Schweitzer:. . . . . . what happened Scott?
Westman: She's. . . . . . .she was attacked tonight Brian.
Schweitzer knew what Westman was talking about instantly.  Ever since the Nightstalker killings throughout the Rocky Mountain West Westman was paranoid about Calpernia's safety.  So paranoid that he called her everyday for about a year to see if she was with friends or if there were police around.  It was a terrifying time for him, as Westman was in the midst of a Gubernatorial campaign and the woman he loved was in jeopardy.
Of course, he lied to himself back then about that as well.  Scott was fool enough to believe that he and Caroline were destined to be together back then.  However, if he was actually so in love with her why was it Calpernia he was calling every day to see if she was safe and he didn't even know where Caroline was half the time?
Anyway, as time went on the FBI got involved and a year after the initial murder the authorities arrested a man they believed was responsible for the killings.  While he was on trial, however, several more murders happened that fit the Nightstalker's MO.  The paranoia was at a fever pitch.  18 people had already been murdered up to that point: 15 transgendered and 3 gays.  Most of the killings the Nightstalker used a silenced handgun, a .90 Ingram, to inflict a fatal head shot.  And then he proceeded with something much much nastier.  Over time, news about the manhunt for the most wanted serial killer in America had fallen on the wayside as much more pressing issues came up.
America had forgotten about the Nightstalker.  The only relief that Brian felt is that Westman's first words weren't "she's dead, Brian".
Schweitzer looks at Westman.
Schweitzer: She's alive?
Westman nods.
Westman: Yes, but not conscious.  I arrived at the door, there was an officer and a dead man in the room with her.  The officer told me to get out of there.
A tear falls down Westman's face.
Westman: He at least allowed me the decency to hold her, if only for a moment.
Schweitzer gets out of the chair he was in.  He walks over to Westman and embraces him like a brother.  Westman starts crying.
Westman: Man, I feel like such a f****t!  Crying and hugging with another grown man?
Schweitzer laughs.
Schweitzer: We must all do things we don't approve of once in awhile.  You really needed this brother.
After thirty seconds Schweitzer lets go of Westman.  Westman lays down on the bed as Schweitzer goes back to his chair.
Westman: I'm really glad you were here Brian.
Schweitzer: Don't get too comfortable there Scott.  I'm not into sharing my bed with dudes.
Westman: Haha asshole.  Me neither.  I expected to be somewhere else tonight.  Anyway, Nora is in town.  I'll stay with her.
Schweitzer looks shocked, as he had no idea that Nora was still in Westman's life.  Yes, she was his sister, but the two had a pretty dysfunctional relationship.  Her sudden appearance in Denver caught him off guard.  He was even more shocked that Caroline didn't bother to fly over from Hyannis to at least show some moral support to Westman during the trial.
Schweitzer: Where is she staying?
Westman: At the Sheridan Downtown.  A one bedroom with a King size bed and some alcohol in the mini-fridge.  A pretty cozy way relax after this mess, no?
The news comes on.
New Anchor: Tonight at the Hilton, an off duty police officer kills a man caught in mid assault of a transgender model.  We will keep you updated as more details of the story become available.
Schweitzer: Sh*t.

[Mechaman]

June 19th, 1979
McGuinn's Grill
Fairfax, VA:

Thad O'Connor is at a table with Mary Sears Lodge.
Mary: So wait. . . . . .Calpernia Weils is staying with Scott?
Thad laughs.
O'Connor: Oh I guess I forgot about that.
Mary: Well it's not like we talk about him that much.  He seems to talk about himself enough.
O'Connor: Very true.
Mary: Nice of him I guess.  Don't really see why he would randomly let a model like her live with him.  I mean, it's not like he's going to do anything with a-
O'Connor: She's his girlfriend Mary.
Mary Sears Lodge looks shocked.
Mary: I'm sorry, but Scott Westman?  With her?
O'Connor: I know.
Mary: I mean he just seems like a very meat and potatoes kind of guy.  I mean she's very beautiful-
O'Connor:-so wait, how did you know?
Mary: I'm close friends with the owners of Ford Modeling Agency.  She's their top model.  Do the math.
As they are speaking Westman and Calpernia show up, taking seats at the opposite end of the table.  He was in a black button up short sleeve shirt with a bolo tie, black jeans, brown cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat.  She was in a very seductive black romper and had knee high boots on.  As she walked by Thad noticed several men, some of them married, staring after her.  The two looked like they couldn't keep their hands off of each other.  Man, has Scott gotten over his qualms already?
Westman: Evenin Thad.  Evenin' Mary.
Calpernia extends her hand to Thad.
Calpernia: Calpernia Weils.  I hear that Scott confides a lot in you.
O'Connor nods.
Calpernia: Well that's good.  I hear you talked some sense into him.  Thanks.  Hi Mary.
Westman: Wait, you know her?
Calpernia laughs.
Calpernia: Of course I know Mary!  She's on the board of directors for our company!  We have coffee sometimes!
O'Connor: I thought you said you didn't know she was in DC!
Mary: Well, she said she was staying with a prominent politician.  Didn't know it would be Scott.
Calpernia: You sound so shocked?  That I'd be with the best looking politician in DC?  Who were you expecting?  That creep Clinton?
Everyone laughs.
Calpernia puts her hand on Westman's upper thigh, stroking it intently.
Mary: Someone is a bit cocky.
Calpernia moves her hand. . .. . . closer.
Calpernia: Am I now?  Scott is giving me a much different impression at the moment.
Her hand hits the jackpot.  Thad and Mary are looking mortified.
Calpernia: Hmm yes, someone is hungry.  Down boy, you'll get the dessert course eventually.
Mary: Well, how's work guys?  Any bills coming up?
O'Connor: Oh yes I got the Decriminalization Bill coming up.
Mary: Silly Thad, so obsessed with pot.
Westman and Calpernia give her a look that tells her she's being a prude.  She looks irritated.
Mary: What!?  I mean, it's not something that civilized people do a lot of!
O'Connor: Really Mary, calm down.
Mary: And it makes you smell horrible!
Westman: Yes, and it makes you quite the annoying little sh*t Thad.
O'Connor laughs.
Westman: But seriously, kudos man.  Meanwhile, I'm pushing for efforts to not just prevent raises for the Iraq surge, but to defund it entirely.  We had a mandate on the eighth, 57% against.  It was quite clear that the "police action" is quite unpopular.  And once this is over .  . .. . it will soon be "goodbye India!"
Calpernia: And people say I'm cocky.
Westman: A new foreign policy revolution is happening.  The partisanship of fellow Democrats on the issue is discouraging, but I believe that there is enough across the aisle support to defeat intervention now.  Hell, there is even strong support amongst the Constitution Party!
The waiter comes by.
Waiter: Sorry for the wait.  Today's special is the Gourmet Roasted Sauteed Italian Sausage with Pecking Duck special and a side of oudevres.  Interest anybody?
Mary: No thanks, I'm vegetarian.
Westman gives her a look of disgust.
Westman: This place is called "McGuinn's"?
Waiter: Yes sir.
Westman: With all this fruity French sh*t I almost forgot.  I'll pass on that.
Calpernia: Hmm, sounds tempting.  However, I'm already having sausage later this evening.
Waiter chuckles.
Waiter: Well. . . . . .  .
O'Connor: Yeah sure, I'll try some.
Waiter smiles.
Waiter: Great!  You folks want any drinks?
Westman: Yes, me and the young woman with me would like a bottle of Jameson-
Waiter:-sir, we don't carry whiskey by the bottle-
Westman: "McGuinn's Grill". . . . . ha!  You got about the worst ass advertising in the world.
Waiter: Sir, I will not tolerate your hostile attitude.
Westman laughs.
Westman: You're right.  I apologize.  Do you have Hennessy at least?
Waiter: Yes we do.
Westman is slightly impressed.
Westman: Alright, now we're getting somewhere.
Calpernia: Well, sh*t alcohol is better than none I guess.
O'Connor: You want anything Mary?
Mary shakes her head.
O'Connor: Alright, I'll take a rum and coke, if you have it.
Waiter nods before walking away.
Westman: You're a bit of an odd woman out Mary.  No drink?
O'Connor: Give her a rest!  Not everyone is a major epic gamer you know?
Calpernia: Prude.
Calpernia gets out a cigarette and lights it.  Mary coughs.
Mary: Seriously!  Would you stop it with the smoking!  You do this every time we have coffee!
Calpernia: That waiter had quite the mouth on him Scott.  Are you really going to let him talk to you like that?
Westman: Cal I was being an asshole.
Calpernia: Still you know he can't just threaten customers like that!
Westman: Hey, it's within the rights of businesses to throw people out for whatever reason.  Their loss if they do.
Calpernia: Jeez, you think "customer service" would be natural to these people.
Westman: Well, only people who really REALLY want tips do that.  Average restaurant worker makes at least $5/hr.  At 40 hours a week that's $200 to deal with sh*theads.  Well above the minimum wage.  I wouldn't treat these jerks with much respect if I worked here.
Calpernia: Such a pity you think that.  You could've talked him down.  After all, you got quite the talented tongue.
O'Connor: Yeah, you were quite incredible at winning people over to oppose the surge.  If you tried hard enough Scott, you could get enough votes for a Green Energy Bill.
Westman: Enough Thad.  Energy lobby is much too big now days to get respectable opposition.
O'Connor: Whatever.

(to be cont.)

[Mechaman]

June 19th, 1979
Cont:

The alcohol arrives at the table.  Calpernia and Scott make a beeline for the Hennessy and start pouring it in their emptied water cups as the waiter looks on, almost in shock.
Waiter: I can't interest Mister or Missus in wine cups?
Westman looks up at him, gleaming.
Westman: Nah, we're good.
Calpernia: We could use an ashtray though.
Mary Lodge looks astounded by the two people on the other side of the table.
I'm not surprised by Scott, but Calpernia?  I thought she was a model!
Almost immediately the two started downing the alcoholic material from the glass.  They are halfway done when they stop drinking and look at each other, hungrily.  Mary could tell they were seconds away from devouring each other.
Suddenly she speaks up.
Mary: So, I finally finished reading "Last Stand."
O'Connor: Really?
Mary: Long freaking book.  And a bit graphic too.  Good lord, do you think the end of days will be that scary?
O'Connor: I don't know, I think a virus would've been a better way of doing it.  After all, nuclear war was so ten years ago.
Mary: Well, you must admit the "Vault" concept was pretty original.
Westman, who had lit another cigarette (he was on his fourth one), suddenly spoke up.
Westman: What a bunch of entitled sh*ts, those entitled preppy assholes hiding in their Vaults.  World has gone to hell and back without them.  The nukes fell and failed to wipe out humanity.  And those dicks in their super duper titanium reinforced Vaults just stayed in their little super duper elite rich hiding place while the rest of the world was left in darkness.  F***ers.
Mary: Quite enlightening Scott.  Well, what would've you liked to have seen happened?
Westman sns.
Westman: I would've loved to see them get their just desserts, lady.  Would've loved to have seen some ugly f***in' Mega Mutants break through that f***in door of theirs and rip them to shreds.  Maybe even have their limbs with some tartar sauce.  But no, Poor Ole Willie is the protagonist.  And these are his people.  So we must feel for them!
Mary: But surely, the people needed a new radiation core.  Otherwise it would've melted down and they would've. . . . burned to death.
Westman: Well far be it from me to judge people who had been hiding underground for a hundred years while the rest of humanity was busy getting clawed to death by big f***in' Demonclaws, Mary.  Besides they are the real villians!
Mary: I don't know Scott, the President and his Mega Mutants-
Westman:-were just doing what a hundred years of survivalism drilled into their heads.  They didn't know anything else!  Unlike those entitled motherf***ers in that nuclear powered tin can underground who were responsible for the whole mess in the first place!
Mary: But they weren't at the DefCon Center!
Westman: Oh of course they weren't Mary.  They just let their own sacrificial lab rats hit the switches and launch the nukes.  Thousands of years of powerblind greed. . . . finally catching up to the elites.  But, thanks to the bomb, they make out like bandits while the rest of us proleteriats burn under the rays of an atomic sun.  And those of us unfortunate enough to survive are left with incurable radiation poisoning, permanent mutations, constant fear of drying, of being shot and raped by some meth addicted barbarians!  You name it!  All because Betty Sue's beau got into a fit with some Yin Yang's over the Earth's last remaining supply of crude Alaska oil!
Mary: Well that's a very cynical take.
Westman: It's a very dark book tis is.  The bad guys win, just like in real life.
Mary: That's not true!  The Vault was rescued!  William defeated the Mutants!
Westman: More like William killed the Mutants.  Like a futuristic Hitler with his robot Nazis.
O'Connor laughs.
O'Connor: Sh*t Scott, it's just a f***in' book man.
Westman: It's more than a book!  It's life!  Look around you man!  We are in a war!
O'Connor finally takes a swig of his drink, before looking back at Westman.
O'Connor: No, we are in like five or six.  Maybe seven I lose track now days.
Westman chuckles.
Westman: The real war isn't out there with the Indians, or the Iraqis, or the Persians, or the Russians!  It's with our fellow men in the hallowed halls of Congress!  Everyday, every damn day, they set money aside so that millions more tomorrow will die!  And even without Soviet Russia, they are imbiding their time until the cause of Nuclear Armageddon has come full circle!  It's a f***in' Pyramid Scheme bro, and they are f***ing us!
O'Connor: Christ you're a neurotic mess.  Seriously dude, hop on the damn wagon!  You and your woman here have been gaming since 6:30 this morning.
Calpernia laughs.
Calpernia: Actually, 5:42. . . . . we needed a few drinks before our morning. . . .well (blushes) relaxation.
Mary: Cal, stop talking like a whore!  This is a formal dining experience!  Upper crust people bring their kids here for crying out loud!
Calpernia licks her lips before making a slight moan while moving her hand back down on Westman.  Westman closes his eyes momentarily.
Westman: Uhhhh. . .  yes.  Anyway, what we do in the next few months is vital, lest we end up like these poor f***in sods in this book!
Calpernia: Hmm, you sound so sexy when you talk about going nuclear Scott.  Food better get here quick, or I might just have to eat you.
Westman: Cal, crying out loud I'm trying to talk to Thad here.  It's hard to have a thought out discussion when you are all over me.
Calpernia huffs.
Calpernia: Oh brother.  You're no funny tonight.
She takes her hands away from Westman and reaches into her purse to resume smoking.
Westman mouths some words to Thad, before giving him a thumbs up.
Man, Scott has really opened his mind lately.
The waiter comes by with their plates.  He hands the Sausage Special to Thad, some Vegan dish to Mary, a grilled chicken breast with fancy smancy sauce all over it to Calpernia, and a "steak burger" to Westman.  The waiter is about to walk off when Calpernia grabs him by the apron.
Calpernia: Good you finally got here, Mack.
Mack: What'd you mean?  I got here just in time.
Calpernia: My man was getting so hungry he was about to rip my clothes off with his teeth.  Not a frightening scenario to me. . . . . but this is a family establishment.  Man's got to eat. . . .(flicks his employee name tag) Mack.
Mack stammers, obviously feeling a stirring somewhere, speaks up.
Mack: S. .s ssssssssoory.
Calpernia laughs.
Calpernia: I know you are.
Oh diss!
Mack: Wwwwwwwwwhat cacacaccacan I do?
Calpernia moves his chin over to her, looks deep into his eyes, and whispers.
Calpernia: Give us some Jameson, sweetie.  I know you got it.
The waiter nods, before awkwardly walking off towards the back.
Westman looks at her, astonished.
Westman: What the hell did you say to him honey?
Cal laughs.
Calpernia: I asked him to see me outside.  Behind the store.
Westman throws his head back with laughter.
Westman: Bullsh*t Cal.  You such a bad liar.
Calpernia: Well you're a very dumb man, so I guess that makes us the perfect match.
They both laugh heavily.
Calpernia: But sweetie, really I convinced him to actually give us a bottle of good stuff.
Westman: F***ing liars!  I thought they didn't have Jameson!
Calpernia: Oh they do have it, they just don't like giving it to people by the bottle.
Westman: What the hell does he take us for?  A couple of idiot hardons who can't hold their own liquor?
Calpernia: I know right?  What a moron.
Great, Mary thought, it's hard enough dealing with drunken Scott.  Now we have to deal with him and his date going sky high off of shanky Irish whiskey.  I just hope he doesn't turn my food into technicolor yarn like the last time we went out.
Mary: F***in Hell!
The three other people look at her like she just did something completely out of character.  She chuckles before throwing her hands up.
Mary: What!?

[Mechaman]

October 4th, 1987
The Sheridan Downtown
Room #702
About 11:21 PM:

Nora Westman was looking herself in the mirror.  At 5'6", shoulder length straight red hair, and the looks of a supermodel she was quite a looker.  She pulls out a baggie from a pocket on her teal nightgown, opening the contents and spreading it over a plate nearby.
Gotta get ready for Scott.
She gathers the brown material onto the plate, and then pulls out a syringe and a strap.  Measuring it on her bicep, she tightens the strap to a suffocating degree, as she pulls the material into the syringe.  Grimacing, she pulls as tight as she can on the strap as she injects the syringe into the conjunction between her forearm and upper arm.
OH HEAVEN!
She injects the full contents into her bloodstream, sending wave upon wave of incredible unimaginable highs into her.  She instantly starts feeling the unstoppable shaking feeling of being taken over by an almighty deity, the China White deity.  She feels herself collapse to the floor, feeling the ecstacy of a thousand orgasms rupturing through her body.
Yes, Nora Westman felt Heaven.  Unfortunately for her though. . . . she survived.
Feeling the shakes come on as she got up from the floor, after her own sexual experience with Zeus, she examined the area around the sink.
Sh*t!  It's already 11:50!  Scott will be here any sec-
Knocks on the door.
Westman: Nora!  Babe!  I'm here!
Thinking off the top of her head, she yelled:
Nora: Give me a sec!  I'm taking a piss!
Westman: Okay!
Nora quickly gathers what remains of the material and throws it in her baggie before quickly hiding it at the bottom of a Kleenex box.  Wiping the snot away quickly with a napkin, she walks over and opens the door.  And then she sees him.
So distraught, but still so handsome.
Overcome with joy, seeing her brother after what felt like an eternity, she walks towards him and embraces him tightly.
Nora: Hmm brother, I mizzed you so much.
Westman: Oh you too?  Yeah, today's a good day to have a drink.
It is then that she notices that he had a bottle of Kraken on him.  Cool, maybe he's too drunk to notice anything.
Sure enough Westman took off his jacket and his shirt and collasped on the King sized bed, not at all inspecting the room for anything odd.  Nora sits down next to him, rubbing his shoulders.
Nora: I saw the news, bro.  That sucks.
Westman laughs.
Westman: I thought you never liked her Nora!
Nora laughs, yeah I didn't look highly upon that freak.  Which I mean really, that's what "she" is.  But hey, I can't let Scott know that right now.  He could really use a warm body right now.
Nora: Well, I wasn't always secure around her.  I guess I was a bit of a-
Westman:-bigot, yes.  Well, you didn't really approve of Celia either.
Nora laughs.
Nora: Well come on Scott, she smelled bad-
Westman: Good lord woman, you haven't changed!
Nora: Oh come on, it totally wasn't a n thing!  She really did smell bad!
Westman laughs.
Westman: Nora, this is why I won't sleep with you.
Nora looked taken aback.
Nora: I'm sorry, what!?
Westman: Well that, and it's illegal.
She hits him with a pillow.
Nora: Illegal huh?  Explain all those little girls you were with in Berkeley-
Westman: Oh that was totally legal.  Dumbasses just weren't smart enough to craft laws back then.  And really, at Hellgate I didn't do anything illegal.  There are no laws against taking girls to movie theaters or buy them dinner after all.
Nora: You scheming cad!  Can we cuddle at least?
Westman grabs her as she nestles up against his chest.
Westman: That seems to be a good idea.
She starts playing with his chest hair, giggling.
Westman: You seem a little chipper tonight, Nora.
Nora: So.  . . . . how's the trial going?
Westman sighs.
Westman: Well this Donlon guy and his prosecuting team are hardons.  They have no case and it's so obvious.  However, no one wants to go through the shame of admitting an obvious f***up and releasing me of all charges.  Well that, and somebody, ROCKY!, doesn't want the embarrassment of an administration scandal.
Nora: But I thought Rockefeller had effectively removed himself from the situation.
Westman: Still a DOJ investigation Nora.  Sure, he's very embarrassed by what has happened and has been undertaking a ton of damage control in the Primaries.  However, to completely remove the Department from this case would make him by extension look weak, which is why he's going moderate hero and letting Donlon take the reins instead of putting his foot all the way down.  Also, this should be of note, Donlon is a Democrat.  So having him continue on this case is less damaging to Rockefeller and most of the Administration, who are Republicans and Conservatives.
Nora: Aww right then.  That makes sense.
Westman: I mean, it's obvious that they got nothing.  As they need to prove malicious intent on my part to undermine the US Government.  Really, I don't do nearly far enough to prevent the application of the DAA, which is a shame.  They can send in their own federal agents to do their data mining and what not in Montana.  My authority only goes over to state troops, who aren't 100% accountable.  Really, I can't even order the termination of state troopers who go against the order against the DAA.  Once Manning brings up this as evidence, of how limited my authority as Governor is. . . . . . goodbye Sedition case.
Nora: So really that's it?  They can only try you on your authority and ability as Governor?
Westman: If the case is legitimate yes.  Either I am a state level tyrant who controls everything, like they say. . . . or I am the greatly underpowered paper tiger of a Governor that I really am who can at best issue edicts that have the appearance of being an "Executive Order".
Nora: Wow really, I thought you had much influence.
Westman: Yes, "influence". . . . not actual power.  Virtually everything I've accomplished in the state has been because I've talked other people into legislating it into law.  Sure, I could order the National Guard to enforce my regime, like some other Governors, or direct the Justice Department to unconstitutionally try my opponents.  However, I am consistent in my rhetoric and as a result. . . . . . I refuse overstepping my boundaries.
Nora: But, what if they pull some character attacks on you?  Like the whole sleeping around thing-
Westman:-I fail to see how they would have a case.  Anyway, the judge would probably Sustain Manning's objections on that on the grounds that it has nothing to do with the issue at hand.
Nora: Well, reminding people of your past behavior could bring up an argument for dishonesty.  The prosecuting team they could play you out as a selfish bastard or something.
Westman: I believe that my team standing on the facts and actual evidence of the matter would prove me beyond a shadow of a dount innocent of all charges.  This trial is merely a formatliy to bring this to it's logical conclusion: the Supreme Court.
She closes her eyes and sighs contently.
Nora: Glad I could be here bro.  What I'm wondering is why it took you this long to seek me out.  And why you went to "her" first.
Westman gathers his thoughts before speaking up.
Westman: Usually this is where I go into some long and meaningless talk about the needs of men and love or whatever.  But really the truth is Nora, you're a f***ing druggie.
Nora: How'd you guess?
Westman chuckles.
Westman: You spilled some of the sh*t on your forearm, moron.

[Mechaman]

Republican Presidential Primary Debate
October 5th, 1987:

Moderator: Gentlemen, as you are aware there is the recent court trial of the Montana Governor Scott Westman on charges of sedition.  Secretary Rockefeller, you are very close to the trial, given that the action to prosecute Westman was undertaken by the prosecuting team of your Assistant AG Lloyd Donlon.  How would you handle this situation?
Rockefeller stammers, before speaking up.
Jay Rockefeller: Well. . . . . (chuckles) this is kind of an embarrassing situation.  I can tell you what I've been doing: trusting the logic of my lieutenant.  This is his baby, this is his case.  He's made it quite clear that he knows what he's doing and to leave the situation to him.  I trust Lloyd's judgement.
Moderator: Senator Keating?
Frank Keating: Such wordy verbage Secretary, but it still misses the fact that when this first came out you responded in a manner suggesting gross incompetence.  Almost as if the disconnect between your office and your Assistant AG's office.  And now you want to suggest that all of this was a result of Donlon's own investigations and that you support it?  When a week ago you were acting borderline embarrassed?  WEAK!  WEAK!  WEAK!  Mr. Rockefeller!  The point of being a leader is to make bold and strong decisions and to stand by them!
Rockefeller: Yes, but you don't understand.  What happened was a bit out of-
Keating: OUT OF CONTROL!  Damn right it was Jay!  Now we've seen what Mr. Rockefeller does as a Cabinet Minister dealing with our justice system in these times, can you really trust such a weak leader in the highest office in the land!?
Moderator: Governor?
Robert Percy: I would've motioned for the termination of Donlon.  I wouldn'tve made such a weak evasive dodge as this.  What he did was wrong and heavy handed.  The proper courts for this kind of matter would've been the Supreme Court, and not in a criminal court.  It is wrong of this administration to treat these cases on the same level of violent drug offenders, which is absolute nonsense.  As it is, this initial Defend America Act was rushed through the Congress with very little time to actually go over the implications of the Act.  What I see when I read some of the excerpts of this document is scary.  You don't have to be a libertarian to see the dangers inherent in this Act and the wide powers it grants federal government.
Moderator: Governor, are you coming out as against the DAA?
Percy: Not quite.  However, I would've had the decency of a proper reading period so that meaningful regulations could be made to the Act.  The actions of the US Congress in regards to the Act were the actions of desperate men rushing to rash decisions in the wake of tragedy.  While the need of security is indeed important, the warrantless phone tap provisions, with no specification of judicial prudence, is of concern.  Not sure I would oppose this act on principle, but in it's current form I would've.  And this is what I think the US needs: strong reasoned logic with a healthy respect for Constitutional procedure.
Moderator: Senator Paul, would you like to comment?
Paul: No, I think that Governor Percy said everything I find wrong with the DAA and the recent court controversies.

The trend was about to change.

[Mechaman]

Massachusetts Elections, 1974
The Republican Wave:

The year of 1974 was a notable year in the political history of the United States.  Many point to the 1974 Elections as the beginning of the end of the New Deal alignment.  And nowhere was this more evident than the results that occurred throughout Massachusetts, one of the nation's most Democratic states, that resulted in the highest Republican representation in the state since pre-New Deal.
At the heart of the Republican Revolution of 1974 was a reformist campaign marketed towards traditionally Democratic voting blocs in Massachusett's urban areas who had grown wary of corruption in the Democratic ranks.  A number of organized crime scandals, ultimately linked to the state's Democratic Party, would be damning for many Democrats from the Berkshires to Plymouth to even South Boston.  Republican lawmakers would prove extremely successful in this campaign strategy, winning over record numbers of Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, and other ethnic Democrats in a campaign against corruption in the Democratic ranks.  Due to this successful strategy, Republicans saw themselves win 12 of the 15 US Congressional seats (an 80% majority, up from 2 seats in 1972), go from a 31% minority in the State House to a 68% majority in the House, and go from a 36% minority in the Senate to a 52% majority in the Senate, and a sweep of all statewide political offices.  In this one election, the Massachusetts GOP reached it's highest position of political power since the Presidency of Calvin Coolidge.  Even in heavily Democratic South Boston response for the GOP was enthusiastic, with polling showing that "Southies" showed a 42% preference for Republicans, much higher than the usual 5-11%.
Nationwide the story wasn't as dramatic, but the trends of traditionallly Democratic voters toward the GOP camp in response to Reagan's unpopularity and the corruption in many Democratic machines was damning to the national party.  After many decades of effective machine persuasion, many reliable Democrats were shifting towards the GOP as concerns about urban crime, political corruption, and the effect of high progressive taxation and the "business penalty" became predominant.
A sea change was underway.

[Mechaman]

October 5th, 1987
Court Room
Denver, Colorado:

Westman: This is ridiculous.
Manning: Tell me about it man, this case has so many holes in it I don't know how Rockefeller just let it slide.
Westman: Because if he forcibly injected in it he would be made to look weak and incompetent.
Manning: Like he is now?
Westman: Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Manning: Looks like you had a rough night man.
Westman chuckles.
Westman: Yeah you could say that.
Manning had heard the news.  He also heard Westman complaining about needing "support" during "these hard times."  Manning knew that Westman was in that Hilton. . . . probably going to see her.
What an addict.
Manning: Here comes Wonder Boy.
Donlon strides down the center of the court and looks over at Manning and Westman.
Manning: Where's your brains Lloyd?
Donlon laughs before giving Manning a look of spite.
Donlon: You think you're so f***ing funny do you?
Manning gives him a non-impressed grin.
Manning: Not nearly as your case, Lloyd.  I've seen how well the "best legal mind" DC has to offer has handled the case.  I'm too young for a heartattack, so I won't risk imaging how effectively you would argue this case.
Donlon: Bit of a cocky fella are you?
Manning: But hey, I'll be a generous winner Lloyd.  After this trial is over, and it will be very quickly, my client will buy you and Underwood drinks to sully over your embarrassing loss.
Donlon gives an evil chuckle.
Westman: For a guy who is being made the ass on the national media you seem to be having a gay old time.
Donlon: Not as much as you seem to be having Westman.
Westman: Quit with the innuendos Donlon, your sense of humor is severely lacking.  That joke got stale in fifth grade or so.
Donlon: You think you're so invincible Westman?  Because your drunk attorney from Duluth insists this is a slam dunk?  You're in for the fight fo your life Westman, we got a solid case.
Underwood shows up next to Donlon.
Underwood: You gentlemen are done waving your dicks around, right?
The other three get silent.
Underwood: Charles, I want to push a motion to extend the review period.
Manning looks at her, speechless.
Manning: Woman-
Underwood:-the name is Claire, damn it.  This is the 1980's, not the 1910's.
Manning: Fine, Claire, you've had all the time in the world to prepare for this case.  If you were so bold as to challenge us, you should've brushed up on all the facts first.
Claire smiles.
Underwood: Fool!  I'm doing this for you!  Not for us!
She throws some folders on his table.
Underwood: Read it and weap!  I'll press the judge for two more weeks before we resume.  In the meantime Mr. Westman here-
Westman:-Governor Westman.  I didn't get elected by a mandate a few years ago to be called "mister" thank you very much.
Underwood:-Governor Westman, can go back to his little Governor's Mansion and go about his business.  Governor, you're going to need a lot of rest before this trial, I suggest you take it easy.
Westman: How kind of you.
Baliff: Everyone!  Take your places!  The honorable Judge Wilhelm Steegle presiding!
Manning: Other judge must've gotten hammered last night and called in sick.
The judge takes the big chair.
Steegle: Mrs. Underwood, have you and Mr. Manning come to any arrangement regarding the trial?
Claire Underwood stands up, looking especially distinct in her black business suit and salt and pepper hair, and speaks up.
Underwood: Your honor, I've pushed to motion that the trial be resumed two weeks from now, allowing the Defense to go home and recuperate and study up for new evidence we have for the trial.
Steegle gives a sound of mild approval.
Steegle: How generous.  Does the Defense agree.
Manning turns to Westman.
Manning: Haha, why not?
Manning stands up.
Manning: The Defense agrees with the request for a later trial date.
Steegle smiles before hitting the gavel.
Steegle: Agreed, trial will resume at a later date. (aside) Thank f***, got the rest of the day off.
Manning chuckles after hearing the judge.
Manning: Well, I'm getting a drink, how about you?
Westman looked lost in his thoughts.  He looks over the crowd before he notices a strikingly beautiful blond woman in the crowd.  She notices him looking at her, and waves.
Laura.
He looks over the crowd to see if Larry or any of the kids were there.
Nope.
She walks down the center aisle and reaches Westman, giving him a warm embrace.
Westman: Laura. . . . .what're yo-
Laura: (whispers) I missed you.
She steps back, looking him over with a smile.
Laura: For moral support of course!  Somebody from the Watson family had to show up!
Westman: Loyal, like a terrier.
Manning: I'm going to the Fox Hound on 11th.  You guys coming?
Westman looks down at Laura, feeling overwhelmingly happy to see her there.  He puts an arm around her.
Westman: No thanks Charles, we need to be alone for awhile.
Laura nods.
Laura: Yeah, family stuff and all.
Charles nods.
Manning: Okay, well looks like I'm getting buzzed alone.
Manning heads out of the room as Westman is left with Laura Watson.  With about a billion thoughts running through his head.

[Mechaman]

Scott Westman
Political History:

Registered Member of the United States Democratic Party: January 9th, 1960-August 28th, 1980
Registered Member of the United States Classical Liberal Party: August 28th, 1980-January 1st, 1981
Registered Member of the United States Democratic Party: January 1st, 1981-Present

Political Affiliations:

The University of Montana College Democrats 1964-1969
Co-Founder of Americans for a New Way 1968-1973
Advocates for Alternative Energy 1975-Present
Card carrying member of the National Rifle Association 1965-Present
Card carrying member of the American Civil Liberties Union 1966-Present
Registered member of the AFL-CIO 1984-Present

Senate Committee Assignments/Leadership nominations:

Member of the Senate Committee on Environmental studies 1977-1982
Chairman of Environmental Studies 1979-1980*
Ranking Democratic member of Environmental Studies Committee 1981-1982
Nominee for Senate Minority Whip, 1981 (failed)

Political Caucuses:

Member of the Non-Interventionist Caucus: January 1977-Present
Democrats for Drug Reform: January 1979-Present
Democrats for Equal Rights: June 1979-Present
The Democratic Freedom Caucus: February 1978-Present

Political Roles as Governor:

Vice Chair of the Western Democratic Conference 1986-Present
Senior member of the Democratic Governors Association 1987-Present
Member of the National Governors Association: 1985-Present
Chairman of the Western Governors Association: January 1988-Present

[Mechaman]

NOTE: I made some recent modifications to Part I, considering the development of this timeline.  So if you decide to reread Part One, expect some surprises, given recent direction.

[Mechaman]

October 9th, 1987
Back in Helena
Montana State Legistlature
All Chambers Meeting with Governor:

The Honorable Lynn Clark (D-Anaconda) Residing: And now ladies and gentlemen, the Governor has arrived.
The assembled 145 members of the House and Senate of Montana rose with some applause to the recently beleagured Governor who just spen a few days in Denver, Colorado.  Gazing out over the crowd that had some noticably hostile faces, Scott Westman took his place behind the podium and looked down at the doc with him while shaking hands with Lynn Clark, one of his biggest allies in the Montana State House.
Westman: Thank you for the promo Lynn.
Clark: No problem, chief.
Westman had a lot of respect for Lynn Clark, who openly defied some of the more traditional "Labor Democrats" in rallying support for the Green Montana legislation.  Being from a laborite stronghold such as Anaconda, his support was much appreciated in rallying a majority of the Democratic caucus behind Green Montana given the loss of support amongst independent minded Republicans Westman had in the months leading up to the passage of Green Montana.
Westman looks over the audience and begins his address:
Westman: Greetings fellow Montana statesmen.  This past week has been a bit crazy for me, getting arrested and then faced down by incompetent lawyers and all.  Anyway, I intend to stand by my original Executive Orders in regard to the Defend America Act passed by the US House and Senate last year.  As each day goes by, I'm being proven the more right.  In both parties, the Democratic and Republican Parties, we've had major candidates for the office of the Presidency publicly condemn the DAA as an act that harms our freedoms and liberties unduly and does little to advance our own security.  In light of recent events, and recent polling as well as these aforementioned declarations against the DAA, I see very little reason to recant or modify my stance.  In fact I would urge other Governors to follow the lead of myself and the Governors of Colorado and Washington in opposing this great abuse.
Right now there are races across the country, on both sides of the aisle, that will be vital to determining the fate of the DAA.  This fight will not merely be legislative and judicial, as the Executives of our great states can lead a fight in delegitimatizing this Act.  Please know that no amount of arrests and grand intimidation from the Justice Department can stop the momentum of this movement.
There are those here today, in this very chamber who disagree with me.  People in this state full of people, 68%, a strong majority, who said that they oppose the tyrannic impositions of the DAA.  Know this: opposing the right of privacy in Montana will not be a winning issue in 1988.  Or 1990.  Or 1992.  Or ANY OTHER YEAR!
Loud applause and cheering is heard from the crowd.
Westman: I am well aware of this being transmitted around the nation.  Aware that people in our sister states will be watching this, that the Administration is hearing the cheers, the approval, by my fellow statesmen in this movement.  That the cameras have seen the crowds outside this very building, with multitude of supporters, protesting the DAA.  The voice of this state and it's people shall ring through today into tomorrow and for all time as a loud one against the tyranny of a few power mad reactionaries in the halls of DC.  People far removed from their constitutiencies who have now taken route to the principles of reactionarism, of fear, over those that lack prejudice and those that uphold the constitutionality of this great republic.
Suddenly a bold loner stands up amongst the crowd, loudly clapping.  Ronald Donegan, Conservative.
Donegan: Brave words, if not hazardous ones Governor.  I'm sure that most everyone here agrees that you shouldn't be tried for the crimes listed by the Justice Department.  Of that you can have no argument even from the most diehard Conservative member.
Westman starts laughing.
Lynn Clark comes up next to Westman and yells into the microphone.
Clark: You sir are OUT OF ORDER!
Westman comes back up to the podium and pushes Clark back.
Westman: No, he's not.  THis is an assembly is it not?!  Let the bold man speak up if he wishes.  Really, if there is one thing I envy about British Parliament it is their ability to openly discuss issues of importance with their leaders.  Please, go ahead Mr. Donegan.
Donegan: I find it fascinating, quite fascinating, how the Governor and his savants here in the capital have so easily manipulated the public with the use of target words and other dishonest language over the matter of the DAA.  Further, I find it disgraceful that he has used his recent episode as a strawman for what the DAA represents.  Like I said before, the Governor being taken to trial is clear judicial overreach, however it has little to do with the merits of the Defend America Act.
Westman laughs.
Westman: Well it certainly pleases my heart that you and I are on the same page Donegan.  I only wished that you, like Representative Hall, were willing to be so open on Green Montana.
Donald H. Hall, a Conservative Rep, slid into his seat after hearing his name mentioned.  Donegan gives him a look of disdain.
Donegan: Well Governor, some of us Conservatives still have a backbone to confront this extremist administration over the troubles it is causing this state.
Westman: Oh really now Ron?  THe people seem to disagree!
Donegan: BEcause of a systematic campaign of intellectual dishonesty waged by your camp since day one!  It is quite incredible what a team of overpaid propagandists can do for your image Governor!  Just a few years ago you would've been lucky to get elected dog catcher for your filthy libertine lifestyle that seems to have gone unnoticed these past several years by the voting public.
Westman: Fellow citizens of Montana, the almighty disdainful conservative on full display!
Donegan: Oh shove it Scott, spare me the paternalistic holier than thou posturing!  Anyway, it's about time that the people of this state had a real and honest debate about the Defend America Act besides your blatant unpatriotic posturing that is hurting morale amogst people in all fifty states.
Westman chuckles.
Westman: YOu know you really surprise me Ronnie.  You have had ample opportunity to make your views well known with the ease of access and freedom of information laws in this state.  You know as well as I that there is free public access radio and television for you to promote your views.
Donegan: Not enough to combat your war machine, Governor.  All I'm asking is that someday down the line that you and I, man to man, be granted the opportunity to debate this in a proper forum on a live program in this here capital over the matters at hand in the Defend America Act.
Westman: Well then come up here pardner.
Donegan gets out of his place in the Assembly, walks up to the Governor, and shakes his hand.
Westman: We got a deal.  You have three months to prepare your arguments.
Donegan: Three months?  Ha!  I don't need near that long!
Westman: Don't be so sure.  I think you'll find that it's hard to stay on a boat that is going through quicksand.
Donegan: That makes no sense.  Why would a ship be on quicksand?
Westman groans.
Westman: What the hell ever man.  Just go back to your seat.
Westman waves Donegan off as he goes back to his seat.
Westman: Anyway, next issue is the recent activity along the Canadian border, a serious issue that I believe has been ignored for too long.
Everyday our people are closer and closer to danger from these dangerous radicals.  I've sent appeal after appeal to the government in Washington for an increase of border protection, but the response has been nill.  It seems that Montana isn't a high defense priority, despite the ample opportunity for the Taimid to come over the border through the mountain passes.  We've been fortunate as a nation that the Taimid haven't scored yet another attack on US Soil since last year.  I fear that someday soon, we might not be so lucky.  In the meantime I would recommend rallying up the citizen militias throughout the state to coordinate for the local defense with our state's reserve guard and state and local law enforcement agencies to tackle possible terror attacks in this state.

[Mechaman]

October 9th, 1987
Later that night
Governor's Office:

The Governor is having drinks with Carl Herschelwitz and Russell Means, his Lt. Governor.
Westman: Seriously?  Could these people be bigger dicks?
Means: Well, I guess they are getting bored over in DC if they have to come up with something like this to harass us with.
Westman: Looking over these files man.  What bullsh*t is this?
Means takes over the folder and looks at them.
Means: Looks like bullsh*t.
Westman: Told you.  I mean, why are they even trying a case?
Means: Bureaucracy.  Plain and simple.
Westman: Government is retarded man.  Trying me like a criminal for a case that they have no chance in hell of winning?  This is just repeating the accusations thrown my way in the controversy last year with Laura.
Herschelwitz: Which, by the way, how was your meeting with her the other day?
Westman chuckles.
Herschelwitz: My goodness, you didn't Scott!
Westman grins.
Westman: Yep.
Herschelwitz: What the hell is wrong with you?  Seriously!?
Westman: Hey, it's just nature alright?   Why does everyone always act so seriously about it?  She's just showing that she loves me.
Herschelwitz: Damn it Scott, he's like a brother to you!  How can you keep on backstabbing Larry like this?
Westman: IT's not my damn problem.  Man can't satisfy his wife.
Means: Man, you really are a dick!  A walking hardon of a dick at that!
Westman: Save your moral judgments gentlemen.  Judge me all you like but remember: she came back to me.  Like she always does.  Why?  Because he's too f***ing busy to be a husband.  And when he tries to be one he sucks at it.  Hey I love him to death, but Laura.. . . . . . . .I've shared something with her me and Larry can never have.
Westman throws his beer into the trash can.
Westman: Besides, you're a really big man to talk Carl.  You're dating my daughter.  Growing up you were like a f***in uncle to her and now you're her. . . . .  . lover.  So don't lecture me about weird relationships man.
Herschelwitz: Big man to talk about relationships too Scott.  Tell me, when was the last time you saw your sons?
Westman: I uh. . . .  .well I saw the two boys with Caroline in. . . . . oh damn, I think it was June?
Herschelwitz: Yeah see, you can't even remember when you saw your kids.  In fact, you barely spend any time with any of your sons.
Westman: You best shut the f*** up!
Herschelwitz: When was the last time you hung out with Patrick?
Westman: Come on that's unfair!  That bitch won a custody battle against me!  You think I can just come in there and get my son illegally?  That's against the law!
Herschelwitz: I seem to recall, if Brea's memory is correct, that you didn't really enjoy your kids when they were babies.  You seemed to have a habit of avoiding them as much as possible.  What's your response to that lazy arse?
Westman walks over to Carl and rears back his arm and punches him right in the kisser.
Westman: F***er!
Herschelwitz: Ouch!
Westman points his finger at Herschelwitz.
Westman: You need to ease up on the rum buddy.  You drink too much of it and you will begin saying the wrong things.
Means is looking on in dignified silence.
Means: Enough of this white man drama gentlemen.  Let's begin talking state business.
Westman: Fine!  Oh and Carl, you talk to me that way again and I'm firing your ass.
Herschelwitz: Bullsh*t man!  We been together since '72-
Westman looks at him with a look of disgust before he begins speaking, in a forceful voice.
Westman: No it's not.  I've had enough of your divisive language and judgments.  You seem to feel enlightened enough to bite the hand that feeds you to the point that it's really starting to piss me off.  You're my best friend.  Act like it.  Or at least don't have the decency to be nailing Brea while having the nerve and audacity to criticize me for my behavior.
Means: Just f***ing fire him already so I can begin.
Westman: Alright whatever.  Forget it.
Means pulls out some photos.  Pretty large ones at that.
Means: These were picked up by some camera planes yesterday afternoon in Flathead County.
A photo of a camp of men with assault rifles, bazookas, and various other weapons in a wooded area.  Westman knew the place. . . . . very well.
Westman: Another illegal arms trader?  Damn it!  Why is it so common in this state?
Means: DUmb question.  What should be asked is why they are so bold as to do it outside of Whitefish?  We don't have full intel, but have reason to believe that what this is a photo of a covert Taimid assault force.  And we have reason to believe that there are dozens of these.  Scattered throughout the countryside.
Westman: What does that mean?
Means: Well, they could be organizing for a big attack in an urban area to make a point.  We've notified the DoD, but they seem non-committal to the matter at hand.  At the moment the best I've been able to do is coordinate with the Montana Reserve Guard to begin patrols in the northern portions of the state.  However, I don't think they are massing to attack an urban area.
Westman looks up at Means.
Westman: Russell.. . . . .you don't think that. . .
Means: Yes.. . . . these folks aren't going to willy nilly attack Kalispell.  Too big and too obvious.  Instead they seem to be going for a more traditional form of attack.
Westman: no. . . . . . .
Means:. . . . . . we need to send out a blanket emergency broadcast to the countryside.  Every populated place with a population density of 25 or less people a square mile is prime real estate for these bastards.

[Mechaman]

October 9th, 1987
Governor's Mansion:
Note: A previous entry establishing that Westman and Caroline reconciled has been deleted due to change in writing.

Scott Westman got into his bedroom and collapsed onto the lonely bed.
Yep, another lonely night.
His wife, Caroline, has been gone for several weeks.  At this point there was no longer a marriage.  Just a legal arrangement so that Westman could sleep with Caroline and he could benefit from being in the fam.  And with her Catholicism, it's unlikely that he could ever successfully get out of the relationship unless she died.
Westman picked up the phone and dialed a number.  After a few clicks a familiar voice comes on.
Lena D'Israeli: Hey stranger, I'd have a feeling you'd call.
Westman: Hey baby, how'd you guess?
Lena: Not to sound really desperate and lonely, but you're the only man I've been with the past six months or so.  Since that bastard left me for his faggy cousins in Wyoming.
Westman: She's gone Lena, she's not coming back.
Lena: Figured.  Well, it's nice to know where I stand now.  I'll be over in ten minutes.
Westman: Bring some of the stuff would you?[/b]
Lena: Alright.  Hey Scott?
Westman: Yes?
Lena: I love you.
Westman didn't know how to respond to that.  Unlike a lot of times he didn't feel like crying.  In fact, he found himself not really caring that much.  And shocked that Lena D'Israeli saw that much in their arrangement to go that far.  Love?  Woman, you got some problems if you think this is love.
Westman, being a wise man did his best:
Westman: Love ya too doll.  The driveway is open for ya.  I'll be waiting upstairs.
He hangs up the phone and sighs.
Too many women and too many pills.
Well said Bon Scott.
Westman didn't know how he got this far in life with as many girl problems as he had.  No matter where he went, what time of the year, he always managed to somehow get in the middle of drama.  THey all wanted love, he just wanted sex.
You're Forty-F***ing-TWo years old man.  You have to settle down sometime.  You can't just continue this rock and roll politician lifestyle forever man.  Something's gotta give.
If that were the case The Lord would stop making pretty women.
Westman didn't know why girl issues were on his brain now days.  Maybe it was because he didn't want to deal with the more pressing scary as hell situation that was brewing in his state's backyard.  At the moment there could be dozens of Montanans being mowed down in their sleep by deranged Irish Marxists.  Even as tired as Westman was, how the hell was he going to sleep at night with that thought going through his head?  That Montanans, the people he has served and loved most of his adult life, were in grave jeopardy to an evil force out there bent on chaos?
The door opened as a pretty brunette woman who looked to be in her late 30's entered.  She was wearing a flannel nightgown and moved over to Westman, getting into the bed and curling up against him and giving him a kiss.
Lena: Missed me?
Westman: You have no idea.

[Mechaman]

June 20th, 1979
Westman Townhouse
Fairfax, Virginia
4:26 AM

Westman was in bed with Calpernia cuddled up against him while he was having a nice smoke and drink.  The TV was on, for no discernible reason, to the local news station.
Westman takes a long swig of his rum and coke as Calpernia plays with his chest hair.  The two were naked, having spent most of the night making love after their dinner with Thad O'Connor and Mary Sears Lodge.  Cal's long black hair covered half of Westman's face as he tried smoking, watching tv, drinking, and holding her all at once.
Hell tallness, being 6'1", made it harder for him than other women who normally rested on his chest.  And, to be certain, there were other issues at hand, but by the day even those were proving to be minor trivalities.
Calpernia starts kissing him on the side of the face before taking his cigarette from him and stealing a puff.
Calpernia: Hmm, Kamel Red!  A little strong for this time of morn, don't you think?
And now her cute Scottish accent was slipping out.  She had gotten good at hiding it in public since she immigrated to America in 1973, but every now and then the brogue would slip out.  Especially early in the morning or late at night when she was too tired to sound "proper".
TV: And now there are reports of human rights abuses in Palestine, with many Jew minorities being forced out of Jerusalem and into the Gaza Strip-
Calpernia laughs.
Calpernia: Is there ever such thing as peace in the Middle East?
Westman, smoking his cigarette, voices his disinterest.
Westman: Israel, Palestine. . . . .who cares what it's called?
Calpernia: But surely you the kind of social justice and of peace and non-interventionism can see how wrong the apartheidesque regime is in Palestine.  Jews are forced from their homes, from their businesses into poorly constructed ghettos in Gaza!  And none of Palestine's neighbors give a damn and the West could certainly care less about the rights and privileges of a few Jews.
Westman bites his tongue, before talking back to her.
Westman: Look. . . . . .it isn't an important issue.  Jews want to live in a civilized place they can just come here.  There's plenty of rights and liberties here.
Calpernia laughs loudly, almost in a mocking tone.
Calpernia: Oh yes, says the straight Irish boy!
Westman: Seriously?  You are playing this card?
Calpernia: You have no appreciation for what the truly oppressed have gone through.  How it is to be judged by society for who you are physically and not for the content of your character.
Westman: You had no problem sleeping with such an ignorant person Calpernia.
Calpernia laughs before playfully slapping Westman in the face.
Calpernia: You think you've climbed the Fount of Enlightenment because you slept with a tranny?  Is that it?
Westman wraps his arms around her and kisses her on the forehead..
Westman: Yeah, I think I'm pretty openminded and sh*t.  I'm feeling a good deal of enlightenment right now, Cally.  Would you care for some of it?
Calpernia starts laughing really hard, getting spittle all over Westman's face as she laughed.
Westman: Woman!  Learn how to laugh without inundating everything around you with saliva!
She returns Westman's advances with a long kiss, sticking her tongue in and out of his mouth, before pulling back with a smile.
Calpernia: If you weren't so devilishly handsome I would've really let you have it.  But nonetheless, I do find you ignorant about many things.  Even the trials and tribulations your cousins across the sea faced and continue to face.
Calpernia turns around on Westman so that her back is facing him.  He wraps his arms around her in a spoon position as she sighs contently.
Calpernia: You know, I am doing pretty well I guess.  Not many girls like me find themselves this lucky.  I'm sleeping with a millionaire politician.  That's like winning the lottery for us, Scott.
Westman has a good chuckle.
Westman: S'pose so.  Now enlighten me about the oppressed masses.
Calpernia: Yours is a life of privilege-
Westman: Woman I grew up in a small resort town in far northern Montana.  I could walk to Canada in half a day if I wanted to.  We didn't have air conditioning or a furnace!
Calpernia: Haha really?
Westman: Me and my sister shared a bed!
Calpernia: That doesn't surprise me.
Westman: Oh come on!  You continue with all these insinuations about me and Nora?
Calpernia: Well come on man, I've read the source material.  I know there's something unnatural going on there.  But, that hasn't stopped me, has it?
Calpernia continues kissing his neck as he continues to smoke.
Calpernia: Scotty, put that tv remote down.  Give me some sex.
Westman puts down the remote control and shifts Calpernia onto her back, kissing her as the tv news is playing.
TV News: In other news, Senator Westman has been open to criticism lately of stroking nativist and racist feelings amongst many Americans as he rallies against the Reagan Administration's latest foreign policy ventures.  Senator Thomas Dodd, bringing up his time convicting Nazi war criminals, said there was as "odd parallel between Scott Westman's rallying against the humanitarian missions in Iraq, Persia, India, Turkey, Yugoslavia, and other third world areas and that of the anti-semitic right wing in the 1930's against taking action against Hitler's Nazi Germany.  I think that there is more to the Senator's opposition to military action than he is letting on.  After all, consider how many congressmen with a history of bigotry and supporting segregation and against Civil Rights voted against the Iraq Surge?  I think it would disturb most Americans."

[Mechaman]

A Few Hours Later:

Scott Westman is walking up the Capital Rotunda drinking from his flask of rum and lemonade that Calpernia prepared for him in the morning.  As he's walking up he feels a hand on his shoulder.
Mo Udall
Udall: Hey champ, did you have a long night last night?
Westman, who got maybe three hours of sleep total the previous night, just mumbled out a barely audible "yes".
Udall: Man that Calpernia girl you've been dating, she just doesn't quit does she?  How many other girls you've been seeing.
Westman: Zero, haven't had time.
Udall: That's my boy!  Hey, did you see the news this morning?
Westman: What's goin on?  I seemed to have missed it earlier.
Udall: Well apparently you're a racist.
Westman: Was some uptight n talking about my AA paper in college?
Udall: Shhh!  You're in DC dumbass.  Unless you feel fit to see the undertaker soon, I wouldn't be using words like that.
Westman: Sorry!  Is this the work of some damn GOP spook trying to convince the blackies to vote Republican?
Udall facepalms.
Udall: Jesus, I can't take you anywhere.  How many black people do you know anyway?
Westman: I was in prison with one once.  Good dealer he was.  Really good dealer.
Udall: You're like a walking controversy bro.  Nevermind, forget it.  Anyway, the hawks are pressing the attack today and will be grilling your ass today over your vote record in regards to Reagan's interventionism.
Westman: So pretty much you're telling me to be ready to deliver another speech?
Udall: Yep.
Westman: F***.  I hate doing speeches.

[Mechaman]

Senator Westman's Office
Forty Minutes Later:

Westman: Well f*** Gio, is this some twobit response that they got conjured up?
Giovanni Russo, a relatively young member of the US House of Reprentatives as a Republican from South Carolina, was sitting on the couch in Westman's office pondering the last turn of news.  He, like Westman, thought it was an act of desperation from the Reagan office that wanted to degrade the image of the anti-war coalition.  However, he also knew that the longer that Westman and others left the charges of racism go unanswered the more people were going to start believe those charges and thus side with Reagan.
If someone keeps saying something false, eventually people will start believing it.
Russo, who had come up against the worst that the pro-segregationist Dixiecratic machine of South Carolina could throw at him, put his hands on his knees before commencing to speak.
Russo: You know, unlike your personal affairs this is something that has to be confronted head on.
Westman laughs.
Westman: Gio, their accusations are ridiculous!  Everybody knows that I'm no racist, despite what those greedy monied Jew bastards on Wall Street would like the average American belie-
Russo: Shut up damn it!  You're not really helping your case right now.
Westman: Oh come on, it's not racism.  Greedy Jew bastards, who also own Hollywood, are cashing in large with their propaganda about war crimes and genocides against their people around the MIddle East so the US can spend billions of dollars-
Russo gets off his butt, walks over to Westman, and slaps him in the face.  Hard.
Russo was unused to being so authoritative, especially to Westman.  Westman looked at the face of his friend from the opposite party, and gave him a grin.
Westman: -fine.  No more stuff about greedy Jews.  You happy?
Russo smiles.
Russo: Great.
Westman chuckles.
Westman: But I thought you was Italian.  Why you fretting about the Jews anyway?
Russo: Well, you never know who might've secretly bugged your office.
Westman gets a look of paranoia about him.
Westman: What?  The?  F-
Russo reaches inside one of the arm cushions on Westman's couch and pulls out a small little black dot.
A bug.
Russo takes it out, throws it on the ground, and crushes it.  Then he gets up, checks Westman's lamp made out of moose horns, and pulls out another bug.  He puts it in front of Westman's eyes, and nods.
Russo: These are what they call "gnats".  Small, tiny enough to be mistaken for a black dot or lint.  However, they have miniature speakers that have the sound quality of full size Westinghouse speakers you can find in living rooms across the country.
Westman looks shocked.
Westman: How did. . . .how did you kn-
Russo puts up his hands, looking at Westman with a look of joviality.
Russo: Come on paisan, you don't think you're the only one here with "family connections"?
He winks at Westman, who has a chuckle.
Westman: Wait, so this must mean that they have tons of dirt on me-
Russo: All they have is some statements that could be taken out of context quite easily.  With today's bugs destroyed they probably don't have any of your Jew bullsh*t, that is unless you ranted to Congressman O'Connor the other day when he came to visit.  You haven't said anything else stupid, have you?
Westman ponders for a second before speaking up.
Westman: Well, besides talking about the vaginas of Asian women?
Russo laughs.
Westman: Okay fine. . . . I did talk a lot about Calpernia with Thad man.
Russo: Oh so that's her name?  That tall dark haired chick ya been hangin with?
Westman: Yeah.
Russo: Well then what's up buddy?  Does she charge money for sh*t like that?  She's not a rent collector is she?
Westman: No man, she's not a f***ing prostitute.
Russo puts his hands up.
Russo: She's not like a girl of a mob guy is she?
Westman: No no no, not exactly that.
Russo: Well then, what the hell is the problem?
Westman stammers, before trying to spell it out.
Westman: Well, it's just there's just some. . . . bedroom details.
Russo laughs.
Russo: My friend, since when do you fear what the opposition will make out of your relationship choices?  Didn't you publicly introduce Marci Flounders as your girlfriend once?
Westman laughs.
Westman: Well yes, I suppose.  But that was a bit more, well. . . . traditional.
Russo: What is this chick like bi or something?  She's not making you have sex with other dudes is she?
Westman laughs.
Westman: Hell no.  F*** no.  I don't do that sh*t for anyone or anything.  Not even for a Klondike Bar.
Russo: Well man, unless she's packing a bomb, blackmail information, or a dick I wouldn't really stress too much about it.
Westman:. . . . . .  well. . . . . . . . yeah about that. . . . . . . .

[Mechaman]

The Rotunda
A few minutes later:

The press are waiting as Senators Thomas Dodd (D-CT) and Max Baucus (D-MT) show up.
Press: Senator Dodd, you were quite quick to throw accusations of racism and nativism at opponents of the Iraqi surge?  Care to follow up on that?
Dodd takes a mic from a nearby press person.
Dodd: After the war in Europe was over, I had the honor of persecuting Nazi war criminals for crimes against humanity.  It was absolutely astonished and floored by the  horrifying bits of evidence that the courts displayed of Nazi cruelty and barbarism.  My heart was wrecked with such sorrow to think that for years many of my fellow Americans wanted to stand on the sidelines and allow evil acts like that to occur.  It is only with the kind of knowledge that can only be gained through time that I've come to realize now as I should've then that such cruelities were only possible when Americans started thinking themselves better than the world.  That the world doesn't deserve the help of America or Americans.  In my mind that is racism, that is bigotry, that is nativism, that is every dirty word you can come up with to describe this grand American ignorance of the right to life and liberty of millions around the world.  But alas no, Senator Westman, the vast majority of the GOP, the bigots who I wish would just leave our party by the day (you know who you are), and some of my misguided colleagues would prefer that only humanitarianism and other liberal American privileges stay with Americans.  In my mind, that is indeed a very misguided view.
A balding pressman comes forward.
Pressman: Such verbosity Senator, but surely the allegiance between men like Westman with the likes of Wallace and Javits, a very wide coalition, should bring up concerns that there is serious opposition to surge policies, no?
Dodd: Why yes, and what a Coalition indeed!  I just touched on the racism of the Wallace types, really not much more will be necessary.  As for the vast majority of Republicans, need I remind everyone in the press that the Republican Party of Mark Hatfield and Gerald Ford has proven themselves from day one to be bitterly opposed to anything that President Reagan has tried to accomplish?  These two men and their syncopants have managed to date be one embarrassing campaign to turn one dye in the wool New Deal liberal into the worst president in American History.  They failed to do it in 1976, undoing the historic gains they made in 1974 after a campaign of mass distortions, and they will fail to do it by the time Reagan is done in office.  While no doubt Reagan will never be in the top ten, thanks to the scheming of Republican obstructionists who have forced him into a position of weakness, his tendency to react courageous while even under fire will be applauded by many historicans for decades to come.  They can not change this.  And as for the "New Left"?  These men are just scared to death by the obstructionists in the GOP whose supporters reside in states with Democratic congressmen, particularly in the Mountain West and Plains States.  When you feel like there's a gun to your head 24/7, it's kind of hard to think and react rationally.  And further, I would highly recommend that you all read Westman's full remarks on why the Senate should oppose the surge.  They are quite revealing of his character in regards to the rights of foreigners.
Presswoman: Senator. . . . . what are you implying?
Baucus gets in front of the mic.
Baucus: It's okay (chuckles) let me get this one.  We aren't really implying anything.  Everybody should know by now just how bad of a boy Scott Westman has been.
Baucus smiles the smile of a thousand douchebags before shoving the mic down and walking off with Dodd in tow.

[Mechaman]

The 1976 Republican Presidential Primaries:

Leading up to the 1976 election season, President Reagan was seen as a particularly vulnerable incumbent.  As such, the field seemed wide open for the Republicans to take out the President.  Of note, there were a few notable Republicans who ran in the 1976 Republican Party Primaries who made strong showings:

Ambassador to the UN Elliot Richardson of Massachusetts: Appointed by Reagan as emissary to the United Nations, Elliot Richardson had a long record of "moderate Republicanism" that many in the party felt appealed largely to independents and disaffected Democrats.  Unlike New York Governor John Lindsay, however, Richardson also took some strong fiscally conservative positions in an effort to brand himself as an alternative to the Reagan Administration.
Governor John Lindsay of New York: An unapologetic liberal, John Lindsay first served as a US Representative from 1959-1970, when he succeeded long reigning Governor Nelson Rockefeller as Governor of New York.  Often derided by critics as a champion of "benign neglect", Lindsay faced criticism of being a "limousine liberal" by both more conservative forces in the state Republican Party and liberals in the Democratic Party.  The fact that his Congressional District was drawn to the "Silk Stocking" district didn't help either.  However, he used his affluent monied white liberal base along with strong Civil Rights appeals to non-white minorities in 1970 to win the Governorship, succeeding fellow liberal Republican Nelson Rockefeller.  Though not a very popular Governor (he won re-election with 45% of the vote in a threeway race), Lindsay's tenure as the Governor of one of America's most populous states would surely be an advantage in the race.
Senator Robert "Bob" Wilson of California: Known for his staunch anti-communism as a House Rep in the 1950s and the 1960's, Bob Wilson made the unexpected climb to the US Senate in 1970 when he defeated the widely favored John V. Tunney in the Senatorial Election.  Though considered to be a solid right winger in a swing state, Wilson was able to oust the "movie star looking" Tunney by calling out Tunney's lack of substance on the issues.  Known for his hawkishness and his advocation of a stronger US border with Mexico as well as trying to repeal the 1965 Immigration Act, Wilson is running in 1976 as the candidate from the "Republican wing of the Republican Party", as his press manager often states.  Along with his strong defense stances, Wilson is also running off of a program of reduced taxes and smaller government, effectively making him one of the stronger conservative candidates in the race.  He comes into the race with the endorsement of influential conservatives such as Barry Goldwater and William Buckley, making him a force to be reckoned with next to the more moderate campaigns of Richardson and Lindsay.
Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee: Known as "the Great Concilator" by his Senate colleagues, the congenial Republican from Tennessee is also well known for being an effective power broker in Washington where he played a major role in passing key Civil Rights and tax reform legislation.  Baker's platform is perhaps the most balanced of the major candidates, embracing liberal ideas like Affirmative Action, Environmental Regulations, and the Equal Pay Amendment while also embracing conservative ideas like the Balanced Budget Amendment, reductions in the Corporate Tax rates, and drastic reductions in foreign aid.
Senator Beauregard D'Israeli of Wyoming: The enigmatic Senator from Wyoming who has been running for President every year since 1960.  A political oddity, D'Israeli is often described by many of his fellow Senators as a "bit daft".  No one knows how he initially got elected, not even people from Wyoming.  What is generally concluded is that he made a deal with Lucifer for his first Election Victory and all the voters were struck by the dark passion and voted him into office.  Since it's Wyoming and he's a Republican many people stopped caring long ago about how crazy he was and just kept electing him back into office.  Known for his paradoxically contradictory views on issues, D'Israeli's chances at winning the nomination are slim at best.

Map to come later.

[Mechaman]

1976 Republican Primary Map:

Richardson
Wilson
Baker
D'Israeli

[Mechaman]

Montana Gubernatorial Elections since 1948:

1948:
Governor Sam Ford (Republican): 49.1%
Former Attorney General John W. Bonner (Democratic): 47.9%
Others: 3% (State's Rights and Progressive, et al)

Notes: Running a tight race allthroughout, incumbent Governor Sam Ford manages to win a slim re-election due to a combination of Dewey coattails (though Wilson won the state), improved state economy, and the popularity of his alcohol liberalization and energy works projects.  Bonner, who resigned his office to fight in World War II as an officer, would never win another political office.

1952:
Union Leader Brendan McGuinness (Democratic Labor): 45%
State Representative William F. Thompson (Republican): 36%
SamCo CEO Warren L. Gobbins (Progressive Democratic): 18%
Others: 1% (State's Rights, Liberal, Socialist, etc etc)

Notes: A divided Democratic Party goes into the Election of 1952: one faction, that got a backing of the Labor establishment in Butte, backs the infamous Union Leader Brendan McGuinness who runs on a platform that embraces large scale government takeover of industries in the state.  Another faction, a "Progressive Democratic" faction is formed at the behest of mostly middle-upper class affluent intellectuals and business owners.  The aim of the "progressive" Democrats is to oppose the "authoritarian" tendencies of the Democratic Labor ticket and to "reform" the political establishment.  Finally, on the Republican side an arch conservative state representative wins in a divided primary.  McGuinness wins after running a campaign hammering Gobbins on "running a campaign of paternalism" and savaging Thompson's right wing economic views.

1956:
Governor Brendan McGuinness (Democratic): 50.3%
Billings Mayor Walton L. Davis (Republican): 48.3%
Others: 1.4%

Notes: Governor McGuinness runs for re-election against the popular Republican Mayor of Billings Walton Davis.  Davis, who had established a record as a strong yet pragmatic conservative Mayor of the largest city in Montana, was widely seen as the best candidate to take down the radical brash Democratic Governor.  Up to Election Day most polls showed Davis beating McGuinness by several points.  However, a last minute push amongst the unions, as well as some unethical machine activity, would give McGuinness the re-election victory.

1960:
Attorney General Timothy L. Pickering (Democratic): 63.8%
Former US Congressman Ronald K. Derrell (Republican): 35%
Others: 1.2%

Notes: THe widely popular moderate Democratic Attorney General wins in a large landslide against a former no-name Congressman who served a term in the eastern flat part of the state.  Given a large mandate, many predicted that Pickering would be instrumental in bringing Montana into the 1960's.  No one had a clue that his "mandate" wouldn't be decades, but DAYS long as one of the worst scandals in Montana political history would unravel just two days after the election.

1964:
State Representative Carl Dredsner (Democratic): 49.5%
State Supreme Court Associate Justice Thomas M. Riddle (Republican/Coalition): 49.4%
Others: 1.1%

Notes: In one of the closest elections in Montana History, far left wing state representative Carl Dredsner manages to defeat Montana Supreme Court Associate Justice Thomas M. Riddle, who was widely favored to win the election.  Running with the endorsement of the Republican Party as well as a few "anti-Butte" Democrats, many pundits in the state thought that Riddle had it in the bag.  As well, many thought that Morton would carry the state on the presidential level, thus his coattails would aid a likely Riddle victory on the state level against a widely maligned extremist in the Democratic Party.  What the Coalition didn't count on, however, was the Democratic GOTV machine that was in place since McGuinness first term in office.  Such was the efficiency of the Democratic machine that they were able to get supermajorities of the Irish and Native American votes, helping score overwhelmingly strong victories in counties with reservations and large Catholic populations.  Further, Dredsner's campaign against corruption (he explicitly ran against the incumbent Governor, John Smythe, a conservative, for being complicit with corruption like the Pickering Scandal and accused Riddle of being "weak" on political reform) won the hearts of some otherwise opposed people, giving him the incredibly unlikely victory.  Following the election there was a court challenge to the results by the Riddle Campaign that was dropped in early January after it was proven that there was insufficient basis for Riddle's challenge.

1968
Governor Ryan A. Loftkey (Democratic): 68.5%
Activist Robert L. Tydings (Republican): 22%
Union Leader Wally A. McGuinness (Labor Democrat): 8.6%
Others: .9%

Notes: Incumbent Governor Ryan Loftkey wins a decisive mandate election after "returning the calm to Helena" following the removal of his predecessor Carl Dredsner.  The nomination of nativist far right activist Robert Tydings on the Republican ticket (due to weak enthusiasm amongst the faithful) also helped secure his strong election victory in a race that also include a third party ticket with Walter "Wally" McGuinness, the younger brother of the former Governor, who ran opposed to the "Democratic In Name Only" administration of Loftkey.

1972:
Missoula City Council President Gerald "Gerry" Schumacher (Democratic): 78.5%
District Attorney Ronald L. Daystrum (Constitution): 20.7%
Others: .8%

Notes: In the words of one political witness "the real election in 1972 was the Democratic Primaries.  Thanks to the downfall of the state GOP into a joke party with less than 20% representation in the state legislature, the only opposition that Schumacher faced in the general was a far right racist third party ticket that received at best mum support from the right wing of the Republican Party."  After several decades of continuing electoral losses and a treasury that was virtually empty, the Republicans didn't run a ticket in 1972.  In the Primaries Schumacher would face a tight race against Wally McGuinness, winning over the former Governor's brother by a 1.2% margin in a runoff election in June.

1976:
Governor Gerald "Gerry" Schumacher (Demcoratic): 63.7%
Trial Lawyer Winston R. Claymore (Republican): 35.3%
Others: 1.0%

Notes: Once again, the real election was the Democratic Primary, which the incumbent Governor won by about 9 points in a runoff against another labor Democrat, this one Roger McCabe.  The GOP, having recovered from it's fall from grace earlier in the decade, fielded their first ticket since 1968.  Though Winston lost by almost thirty points many considered the fact that a ticket ran and got more than 30% to be a moral victory.  Many believe that had Schumacher been friendly with Reagan, who wasn't very popular in the state (despite winning it), the race might've been tighter.

1980:
State Senator Richard Peters (Republican): 40.9%
Secretary of Labor Katherine A. Mulcahy (Democratic): 35.7%
State Representative Wilhelm A. Robbins (Constitution): 22.8%
Others: .6%

Notes: In a race with a strong third party conservative ticket, State Senator Richard Peters wins a victory running on a platform running against the long reining Democratic establishment in Helena.  Hammering the Democrats on corruption, as well as hitting Democratic candidate Katherine Mulcahy for her connection to the Butte machine, helps Peters win over some "anti-Butte" Democrats and thus the election.

[Mechaman]

Office of Senator Westman
June 20th, 1979:

Taking yet another drink from his trusty bottle of Johnny Walker, Westman was pondering over his speech.
Herschelwitz: Good god, how do you drink like that?
Westman makes a churning noise.
Westman: Osmosis.  Eventually you drink enough, it becomes you.
Herschelwitz: Dude, you are such an alcoholic.  Get help.
Westman: Here's an idea: how about you go f*** yourself?
Herschelwitz: I'm not an acrobat Scott.
Westman: You mean an Olympic Gymnast?
Herschelwitz: I also don't drink liqour straight out of the bottle.
Westman: Does it really matter if I drink hard liqour or not, you annoying cocksucker?
Herschelwitz laughs.
Herschelwitz: Real rich coming from you.  Really rich.
Westman sighed.
Westman: Just stop interrupting my train of thought.  I'm going strong here.
Herschelwitz: Your train of thought is clearly going through City Hall!
Westman: Come on this is the only way I can think!
Herschelwitz: My lord, you really are damaged.
Westman stops for a second.
Herschelwitz: You know, I don't mean to sound nosy or anything but ever since you became involved you Calpernia-
Westman: Jesus Carl, I don't want to hear this sh*t.
Herschelwitz: Look it has nothing to do with her physical condition-
Westman: Shut the f*** up!  "Physical condition"-
Herschelwitz: It has everything to do with her being an enabler.
Westman: Why are you using such faggy speech now Carl?  I thought you were my chief advisor, not my psychologist.
Herschelwitz: Well I'm just saying, she drinks more than a small German village.  Granted, a small German village, but still!  And she smells like 100% unfiltered Red Kamel!
Westman: So?  She likes to smoke and drink?  Who doesn't?
Herschelwitz: You two are like a flaming run away train going through an oil tanker.  That's what I'm saying  She'll kill you man, she'll kill you.  She's already got you hooked on alcohol like a.. . . .  . well like an addict!
Westman finishes what was left of his bottle, and glares at Carl.
Westman: Why do I put up with your sh*t?  I should fire you. . . . . why I haven't is a complete mystery to me.
Herschelwitz: Because I'm your sane half.
Westman: No thanks Carl, I'm really not into dudes.  I know in this day and age it's hard to find someone, but there are plenty of fruit bars available.
Carl laughs.
Herschelwitz: Oh f*** you man!  I've been with plenty of women!
Westman laughs.
Westman: Oh really?
Herschelwitz: Maybe not as many as you, but none of them had a Mazaratti in their front yard!
Westman: You said before this wasn't to do with physical conditions and now you're bringing up her machinery.  Consistency much?
Herschelwitz: Oh no, I have no problem with Calpernia having an Italian, what I find hilarious is you throwing these insinuations at me.  You of all people Scott!  Do you seriously hear yourself sometimes!
Westman: If you quit whining like a sissy little twink maybe I wouldn't think you were a fan of Kansas City!
Carl looks at him derisively.
Herschelwitz: That doens't make any sense!
Westman: Yes it does!
Herschelwitz: No it does not!
Westman: Yes it does!  You're a Queen!
Herschelwitz: No it doesn't you f***ing idiot!  the Major League Baseball Team based out of Kansas City are the Kings!  Not the Queens, you dumbsh*t!
Westman: Fine whatever, don't be such a fairy about it.
Herschelwitz: You are like a walking flaming wall of dumbass hypocrisy.  Absolutely incredible.
Westman: Look man, if I were gay you would have a point.  However I'm not.  Not even close to it.  So you made no point whatsoever with your scriel, and probably don't even know what hypocrisy actually means.  It means doing something that you supposedly don't do.
Carl starts to chuckle so hard he stifles a cry.
Herschelwitz: F*** this!  I'm going to the coffeehouse.
Herschelwitz walks out of the room.
Westman: Good riddance.
Westman looks at his speech:

The accusations and slander of the Senator from Connecticut are unfounded.  It is absolutely ludicrous that he would ascribe such sentiment to me.  I would say his wife thinks differently, but I don't do old broads.  That is gross and disgusting.  I do not sleep with old women, that is something that Thomas Dodd does.  Why?  Because he's an old crusty fart who has long outlived any usefulness to his state or his country.  World War II was never popular, neither was the Holocaust.  They are both overrated things to make people like Thomas Dodd feel special.  Sure, killing Jews is wrong. . . .  no doubt about that.  Killing anybody is wrong.  Of course Doddy, we all agree.  However, does that necessitate Jews acting like whiny little whores whenever a community gets hit by ghetto rockets?  OR using the blanket "racist" card against anybody who doesn't support throwing hundreds of billions of dollars towards a Jewish state that nobody recognizes?  Go back to eating your Kosher Hot dogs and stop being self righteous assholes, you greedy monied Wall Street harlots.

Westman: Could use a little bit more I guess.  Lord I'm horny.  Time to dial a page.
Westman picks up the phone and dials a White House extension.