"The Republican Party will launch endless investigative hearings."
"They'll paralyze the entire government."
"At that point, the President will be at the Republican Party's mercy just to change the carpet in his own office."
"Do you want that outcome?"
"Tell me, David."
"What's more important, appearances or power?"
Stern was running the numbers.
He was weighing the pros and cons of this political deal.
Bringing these people in would offend the party's radical left and trigger a backlash from the media.
But if they could win Pennsylvania, they could hold the Senate.
Hold the Senate, and they hold judicial appointments, budget approval, and the President's political legacy.
The math was simple.
It was just that the deal was too dirty.
So dirty that it was hard for him, a chief of staff who had always championed "progress and inclusivity," to stomach.
"That kid from Pittsburgh…"
Stern suddenly spoke up, changing the subject.
"Leo Wallace."
