JК
The Third Option :: Flynn Vince
Страница: 254 из 267Hayes slammed his clenched fists down on the table, creating a dull thud that caused Rudin to blink.» Albert, if you so much as utter one more offensive word toward Director Stansfield, I will crush you.»
Kaiser jumped in. «What in the hell were you doing meeting with Midleton and Clark?»
«Nothing. We were talking about intelligence issues.» Kaiser looked to Rohrig. «What's the name of that young hotshot who wants to challenge Albert for his seat?»
«Sam Ballucci. He's going to make a very good congressman someday.»
«Mr. President, would you be willing to raise some money to help Sam Ballucci win the party's nomination?»
«How does twenty million sound, and I'll throw in half a dozen appearances with the young man. Maybe I could even speak to the delegates at the state convention?»
«I think that would be a good idea,» answered Rohrig.
Rudin's crinkled face had taken on an angry red sheen. «I can't believe you are doing this to me. After all I have done for this party.»
«All you've done for this party?» challenged Kaiser. «In my opinion, you've been nothing other than a major pain in the ass. Would you mind telling me what in the hell you were doing when you called Dr. Kennedy before your committee this week?»
«I would say I was doing my job.»
«You now consider throwing wild, unfounded accusations at the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center your job? Accusations that do nothing more than harm our president, a fellow Democrat?»
«I take oversight of the intelligence community very seriously,» snapped Rudin.
«Albert, so help me God, if you don't lose that irritating tone of yours and start showing some remorse for your stupidity, I will leave this meeting, and before noon I will have you stripped of your chairmanship.»
Rudin pushed his chair away from the speaker and blinked. This was so unfair. All of this anger should be directed at Stansfield, not him. He was the one trying to protect Congress.
«For the last time, Albert, what did you talk about with Hank Clark?»
Rudin licked his dry lips and looked down at the shiny table. «We discussed the need to find a suitable candidate to run the CIA after Director Stansfield leaves.»
«Did Dr. Kennedy's name come up?»
Rudin reluctantly answered. «Yes.»
«How so?»
«We didn't feel that she was the right person for the job.»
Kaiser shook his head in disgust. «There are two things about this, Albert, that really chafe my ass. The first is that it is not your job to find a suitable appointee to head the CIA.
Kaiser jumped in. «What in the hell were you doing meeting with Midleton and Clark?»
«Nothing. We were talking about intelligence issues.» Kaiser looked to Rohrig. «What's the name of that young hotshot who wants to challenge Albert for his seat?»
«Sam Ballucci. He's going to make a very good congressman someday.»
«Mr. President, would you be willing to raise some money to help Sam Ballucci win the party's nomination?»
«How does twenty million sound, and I'll throw in half a dozen appearances with the young man. Maybe I could even speak to the delegates at the state convention?»
«I think that would be a good idea,» answered Rohrig.
Rudin's crinkled face had taken on an angry red sheen. «I can't believe you are doing this to me. After all I have done for this party.»
«All you've done for this party?» challenged Kaiser. «In my opinion, you've been nothing other than a major pain in the ass. Would you mind telling me what in the hell you were doing when you called Dr. Kennedy before your committee this week?»
«I would say I was doing my job.»
«You now consider throwing wild, unfounded accusations at the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center your job? Accusations that do nothing more than harm our president, a fellow Democrat?»
«I take oversight of the intelligence community very seriously,» snapped Rudin.
«Albert, so help me God, if you don't lose that irritating tone of yours and start showing some remorse for your stupidity, I will leave this meeting, and before noon I will have you stripped of your chairmanship.»
Rudin pushed his chair away from the speaker and blinked. This was so unfair. All of this anger should be directed at Stansfield, not him. He was the one trying to protect Congress.
«For the last time, Albert, what did you talk about with Hank Clark?»
Rudin licked his dry lips and looked down at the shiny table. «We discussed the need to find a suitable candidate to run the CIA after Director Stansfield leaves.»
«Did Dr. Kennedy's name come up?»
Rudin reluctantly answered. «Yes.»
«How so?»
«We didn't feel that she was the right person for the job.»
Kaiser shook his head in disgust. «There are two things about this, Albert, that really chafe my ass. The first is that it is not your job to find a suitable appointee to head the CIA.