But now, Leo Wallace, this young madman from Pittsburgh, had kicked the cage door open. He was pointing to the wilderness outside, telling Smith that *that* was his true domain.
Smith's mind was racing, calculating every move on the board.
Energy sovereignty meant he could justifiably use the Democratic Party's green funds to subsidize his coal mines and drilling rigs. The workers would support him, and so would the bosses.
Constitutional immunity meant he could remain the tough conservative. He could still be buddy-buddy with voters at the shooting range, maybe even more beloved than before, because he would be a "lone hero who dared to defy the party's political correctness."
The Blue-collar Party meant he would be completely free from the arrogant accusations of the Philadelphia elite. He would be standing on the moral high ground, a warrior fighting for survival.
This wasn't surrender.
This was evolution.
