Jesus Walks: A History of the War on Terror, 1979-1992
- Thread starter DStecks
- Start date
It wouldn't have to be they get back together and stay together forever and don't do anything else, either. They could release solo material whilst in the band still, they could stick together for a while after the reunion and then drift apart not necessarily ending the band but with gaps between when the Beatles as an entity works on something, etc.
In reply to your James Bond song list, I forgot about this and I wanted to submit it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd8fOouKiLc
Chapter 18
Washington, DC, January 20th, 1981:
It is a rainy day on the National Mall, as the quiet crowds gather to witness the Presidential Inauguration. A solemn cloud held those gathered in its grip, in anticipation of bittersweet celebration. Those at the far back of the crowd could make out only a few figures, one who appeared to be Walter Mondale, one who appeared to be Chief Justice Warren Burger, and a third figure in a wheelchair.
7 Days Prior:
Across the street from the hotel, a young man sits in his car, pretending to read the newspaper.
The group stepped out the hotel doors into the bright midday sun. A crowd surrounded the cordoned-off walkway to the Presidential limousine, hoping to get a glimpse of the President or of Foster. Paparazzi snapped photographs of the group while the young man muscled his way to the front of the crowd. An unwitting paparazzo snapped an image of the man reaching into his jacket pocket. While she was walking, Foster turned and saw him. She knew him from the photo included with the letter. Hinckley.
Panicking, the man pulled out of his pocket a Rohm RG-14 .22 calibre pistol, loaded with Devastator-brand explosive rounds, and aimed at the President. Instinctively, Foster jumped at Carter and threw herself in front of him. Hinckley pulled the trigger. A god-awful bang burst the eardrums of the admirers and paparazzi as the bullet shot out along its course, hitting Foster directly in the torso. A shocked expression on her face, her legs gave out from under her and she collapsed to the ground.
Carter turned to face Hinckley, and saw that the young man looked horrified. A moment passed that felt like an eternity to the President, and Hinckley shot again, twice. The first bullet hit the President’s abdomen, shredding his lower right lung. The second shot hit his stomach, and he fell to the ground. Hinckley looked at Foster in horror. Her eyes were closed, and she lay motionless, not even breathing. He began bawling uncontrollably as the Secret Service agents ran towards him. As they leap, he stuck the barrel of the gun in his mouth. The faces of the agents were covered with blood and brain matter as they pounced on Hinckley’s corpse.
Walter Mondale ran to the felled President, holding him in his arms.
Carter’s head bobbed as he struggled to remain awake.
Dear Jodie,
There is a definite possibility that I will be killed in my attempt to get Carter. It is for this very reason that I am writing you this letter now.
As you well know by now I love you very much. Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself. Besides my shyness, I honestly did not wish to bother you with my constant presence. I know the many messages left at your door and in your mailbox were a nuisance, but I felt that it was the most painless way for me to express my love for you.
I feel very good about the fact that you at least know my name and know how I feel about you. And by hanging around your dormitory, I've come to realize that I'm the topic of more than a little conversation, however full of ridicule it may be. At least you know that I'll always love you.
Jodie, I would abandon this idea of getting Carter in a second if I could only win your heart and live out the rest of my life with you, whether it be in total obscurity or whatever.
I will admit to you that the reason I'm going ahead with this attempt now is because I just cannot wait any longer to impress you. I've got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake! By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me. This letter is being written only an hour before I leave for the Hilton Hotel. Jodie, I'm asking you to please look into your heart and at least give me the chance, with this historical deed, to gain your respect and love.
I love you forever,
John Hinckley
Chapter 18: We Have All the Time in the World
Washington, DC, January 20th, 1981:
It is a rainy day on the National Mall, as the quiet crowds gather to witness the Presidential Inauguration. A solemn cloud held those gathered in its grip, in anticipation of bittersweet celebration. Those at the far back of the crowd could make out only a few figures, one who appeared to be Walter Mondale, one who appeared to be Chief Justice Warren Burger, and a third figure in a wheelchair.
---------------------------
7 Days Prior:
The handful of cameras in the room flashed as Jimmy Carter shook the hand of the young woman. “Thank you for meeting with me, Miss Foster, I’ll ensure the Secret Service takes every precaution in dealing with these threats.” The President said.
Across the street from the hotel, a young man sits in his car, pretending to read the newspaper.
Carter and Mondale made their way down the hall, Jodie Foster following, all under watch by the Secret Service. “I’m just saying, Jim,” said Mondale in a hushed whisper, “The election is over. We don’t need to waste time with exercises in publicity. We’ve got more important things to be focusing on: the imminent transfer of power to the Shah, the Russian sphere of influence demands, or maybe, I don’t know, the goddamn economy?”
“If I knew a way to solve the economy in a morning, Walter,” replied the President, “I wouldn’t have spent this one here. As it stands, I can spare a few hours to discuss security.”
“There is only so much time you get to be President, you know.”
“Relax, Walt. I have all the time in the world.”
“If I knew a way to solve the economy in a morning, Walter,” replied the President, “I wouldn’t have spent this one here. As it stands, I can spare a few hours to discuss security.”
“There is only so much time you get to be President, you know.”
“Relax, Walt. I have all the time in the world.”
The group stepped out the hotel doors into the bright midday sun. A crowd surrounded the cordoned-off walkway to the Presidential limousine, hoping to get a glimpse of the President or of Foster. Paparazzi snapped photographs of the group while the young man muscled his way to the front of the crowd. An unwitting paparazzo snapped an image of the man reaching into his jacket pocket. While she was walking, Foster turned and saw him. She knew him from the photo included with the letter. Hinckley.
“Holy shit!” she yelled.
Panicking, the man pulled out of his pocket a Rohm RG-14 .22 calibre pistol, loaded with Devastator-brand explosive rounds, and aimed at the President. Instinctively, Foster jumped at Carter and threw herself in front of him. Hinckley pulled the trigger. A god-awful bang burst the eardrums of the admirers and paparazzi as the bullet shot out along its course, hitting Foster directly in the torso. A shocked expression on her face, her legs gave out from under her and she collapsed to the ground.
Carter turned to face Hinckley, and saw that the young man looked horrified. A moment passed that felt like an eternity to the President, and Hinckley shot again, twice. The first bullet hit the President’s abdomen, shredding his lower right lung. The second shot hit his stomach, and he fell to the ground. Hinckley looked at Foster in horror. Her eyes were closed, and she lay motionless, not even breathing. He began bawling uncontrollably as the Secret Service agents ran towards him. As they leap, he stuck the barrel of the gun in his mouth. The faces of the agents were covered with blood and brain matter as they pounced on Hinckley’s corpse.
Walter Mondale ran to the felled President, holding him in his arms.
“Jim, Jim, can you hear me?” he asked.
Carter coughed up blood. “Yes, Walter.”
“You’ve got to hold on, ok? The ambulance will be here soon, everything will be fine,” Mondale said, his voice faltering.
“Walt…” the President said, grimacing in pain, “I… don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“Don’t say that! Focus on living, you are going to pull through this!”
“Walt, I’m so sorry… it’s all a lie, all of it!” Carter said before falling unconscious.
Mondale slapped him, trying to wake him up. “Jim! Jim! Wake up! What’s a lie?”
Carter snapped back to consciousness. “The war… it’s a lie…”
“Jim, you’re delirious, you need to stay focused, help is coming...”
Carter coughed up blood. “Yes, Walter.”
“You’ve got to hold on, ok? The ambulance will be here soon, everything will be fine,” Mondale said, his voice faltering.
“Walt…” the President said, grimacing in pain, “I… don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“Don’t say that! Focus on living, you are going to pull through this!”
“Walt, I’m so sorry… it’s all a lie, all of it!” Carter said before falling unconscious.
Mondale slapped him, trying to wake him up. “Jim! Jim! Wake up! What’s a lie?”
Carter snapped back to consciousness. “The war… it’s a lie…”
“Jim, you’re delirious, you need to stay focused, help is coming...”
Carter’s head bobbed as he struggled to remain awake.
Mondale began tearing up. “Jim… what do you want me to tell them? What… what do you want me to tell Rosalynn? … You want me to tell her you love her?”
Carter awoke and looked at Mondale, a disappointed expression on his face. “She knows that, Walt.” His head slumped over into Mondale’s chest, and he stopped breathing.
“No!” Mondale cried as he cradled the President, “No, no, no, no no no!”
Carter awoke and looked at Mondale, a disappointed expression on his face. “She knows that, Walt.” His head slumped over into Mondale’s chest, and he stopped breathing.
“No!” Mondale cried as he cradled the President, “No, no, no, no no no!”
---------------------------
Dear Jodie,
There is a definite possibility that I will be killed in my attempt to get Carter. It is for this very reason that I am writing you this letter now.
As you well know by now I love you very much. Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself. Besides my shyness, I honestly did not wish to bother you with my constant presence. I know the many messages left at your door and in your mailbox were a nuisance, but I felt that it was the most painless way for me to express my love for you.
I feel very good about the fact that you at least know my name and know how I feel about you. And by hanging around your dormitory, I've come to realize that I'm the topic of more than a little conversation, however full of ridicule it may be. At least you know that I'll always love you.
Jodie, I would abandon this idea of getting Carter in a second if I could only win your heart and live out the rest of my life with you, whether it be in total obscurity or whatever.
I will admit to you that the reason I'm going ahead with this attempt now is because I just cannot wait any longer to impress you. I've got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake! By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me. This letter is being written only an hour before I leave for the Hilton Hotel. Jodie, I'm asking you to please look into your heart and at least give me the chance, with this historical deed, to gain your respect and love.
I love you forever,
John Hinckley
---------------------------
“We have all the time in the world
Time enough for life to unfold
All the precious things love has in store
We have all the love in the world
If that's all we have
You will find we need nothing more
Every step of the way will find us
With the cares of the world far behind us
We have all the time in the world
Just for love nothing more nothing less only love
Every step of the way will find us
With the cares of the world far behind us
We have all the time in the world
Just for love nothing more nothing less only love”
-Louis Armstrong
---------------------------
END OF ACT I
“We have all the time in the world
Time enough for life to unfold
All the precious things love has in store
We have all the love in the world
If that's all we have
You will find we need nothing more
Every step of the way will find us
With the cares of the world far behind us
We have all the time in the world
Just for love nothing more nothing less only love
Every step of the way will find us
With the cares of the world far behind us
We have all the time in the world
Just for love nothing more nothing less only love”
-Louis Armstrong
---------------------------
END OF ACT I
Erp.
So, with Carter gone, I take it Mondale is now President? Unless I've missed something vital, that is...
Also, how many people just heard the President declare the Iran War 'a lie'?
In summary, I repeat: Erp.
So, with Carter gone, I take it Mondale is now President? Unless I've missed something vital, that is...
Also, how many people just heard the President declare the Iran War 'a lie'?
In summary, I repeat: Erp.
Wow! That's big! You should've had Hinkley survive and not kill himself. Would be interesting to read his thoughts while locked up, awaiting the chair.
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A really great finish to a amazing first act.
I predict they'll be a hiatus. Act II in September/October?
I predict they'll be a hiatus. Act II in September/October?
Well, the opening post states that there is a third figure in a wheelchair, so I'm suspecting Carter may still survive (or Ms. Foster); either way, I hope one of them pulls through!
I don't know. Carter was shot twice, in the chest (collapsing his lung) and in the stomach. Even if he survives, I don't really think he'll be up to going outside in the cold in just one week from the attempt. I think it was a couple of weeks OTL before Reagan was able to resume public engagements after the attempt on his own life, stipulating that he was a quarter of a century older (though in peak physical condition for his age). On the other hand, if Carter dies, I have to seriously question whether the Inauguration ceremony will go on as originally scheduled; in such a circumstance, it'd be much more appropriate for Mondale, as his successor, to be quietly sworn in at the White House or in some other suitable location such as the Capitol rotunda. So yes, the clue, skimpy as it is, does point to Carter surviving though he'd have to have amazing powers of recuperation to attend such a big, stressful outdoor event in mid-January weather.
Probably all that nuclear radiation he picked up, Carter always was our most nuclear President.
But in all seriousness, Carter likely is dead, meaning Mondale now has an entire term to himself. And the biggest question of the administration is, who is he going to choose as Vice-President?
How long was that moment, and why didn't the Secret Service shoot Hinckley during it?
You could ask the same question about OTL. Standard procedure is to take the shooter alive, but I'll admit I fudged the likely reaction time of the Secret Service for dramatic purposes. In any case, Hinckley actually shoots fewer people than OTL (half as many, actually).