The debate had been going on for ninety minutes.
For ninety minutes, the two sides had gone back and forth, neither yielding an inch.
Sweat soaked the back of Leo's shirt. Across from him, a fine sheen of oil glistened on Carter Wright's forehead. Despite a thick layer of foundation, the pallor of physical exhaustion was still visible.
The moderator glanced at his notecards, then looked up at the camera and the five hundred audience members holding their breath in the studio.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the debate is drawing to a close. We will now begin the closing statements."
"Based on the drawing, the first to speak will be the incumbent Mayor, Mr. Martin Carter Wright."
"You have three minutes."
The lights dimmed, leaving only a single spotlight on Carter Wright.
The veteran politician, a fixture in Pittsburgh politics for twenty years, took a deep breath.
He placed his hands on either side of the lectern and leaned forward slightly, bringing his eyes level with the camera.
