ENDANGERED SPECIES

Prologue: New York City, New York
June, 1990


The workday had ended. It was minutes after eight p.m. on a friday night, and the late shift's maintenance crews had come and gone. Building security personnel were omnipresent but invisible, manning their sophisticated surveillance monitors from within the secure off-limits confines of the fifth floor. On the main floor twelve elevators sat silent behind stainless-steel double-doors, shut down for the weekend. The Harlem Office Building was officially closed. With one exception, that is. For on the top floor, thirty-two stories above Harlem's streets, the Chairman sat working his usual long hours inside his private chambers. A green-shaded antique Tiffany desk lamp--a gift he'd gotten from a dear friend, whom he'd provided a service to many years ago--provided all of the illumination he needed.
A rust-brown colored legal folder lay open on his desk, its contents scattered about the desktop. He'd just completed reading the file for what seemed like the umpteenth time and, admittedly, he was getting tired. He sat back, unfolding his body into the lush comfort of his leather chair. He could feel the tension coursing through his arms, legs, shoulders and neck muscles as he stretched to his full, trim six-feet. Reflexively, he removed his rimless wire-framed glasses. He closed his eyes. They, too, were tired.
It had been another long, exhausting workday. He took two slow deep breaths, filling his diaphragm, expanding his lungs. Aaah, he exhaled slowly. Then, twice more, he repeated the process. He needed to take a break. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. Indeed, the day had taken its toll.
He could recall showering the night before, and then going straight to bed. He'd slept comfortably until his peace was disrupted by the persistent ring of the clock-radio's alarm. He remembered rolling over at least twice before extending his right arm and shutting it off by slapping his hand onto the contraption's control switch.
He was barely awake when he started his daily scheduled thirty minute exercise regimen. His thoughts were somewhere else when he began contorting through a series of disciplined stretches designed to unlimber and prepare his muscles for the calisthenics and isometrics that were to follow. Then, as he did every day for the past eight years, he would jog.
He ran at a respectable, consistent pace, running two full laps, keeping within the perimeter walls that secluded his Sag Harbor Estate. He timed himself, marked each mile with his stopwatch as he aimed to maintain a nine-minute-per-mile pace; five miles in total.
It wasn't easy at his age but he prided himself on meeting his goals. He expected nothing less than success in this as in all things he endeavored. And so, nine minute miles it was.
A hot, steamy bath and a cool shower completed the first phase of his day. Next was a light, wholesome breakfast. Usually, that meant hot oatmeal and a corn muffin. Or sometimes, on rare occasions, he would substitute whole wheat toast and sneak in a tiny dab of margarine. That's because butter was unacceptable, according to Jarvis, his Personal Trainer, who monitored his cholesterol and blood-sugar levels weekly. Fresh-squeezed orange juice and a cup of hot, freshly-brewed Colombian coffee-black with no sugar-topped off his early mornings.
He followed this regimen religiously. Seven days a week, weather not withstanding. It was part of a structured exercise, fitness and diet program that Jarvis had designed for him. It was an appropriate regimen for a man of his advanced age, Jarvis had said. And, indeed, it was. For ever since beginning with the training and diet, he felt newly energized and, accordingly, it made him more capable of dealing with the grueling pace that had brought him the success and power that he wielded. And he felt good, and healthy too.
Maintaining and meeting the challenges of his regimen, that's the way he kept his sixty-four year old body and mind in tip-top condition. He was always ready and able to compete with the young whippersnappers--the newly-minted "just out of business school" hotshots-- who had a mind to challenge his business acumen, whenever and wherever. Yes indeed, his daily regimen kept him sharp.
And yes, this had been another long, trying day, he reminded himself as he set his glasses down onto the desk. Instinctively, his feet commandeered the chair. Moving in slow motion, he spun it around. It rolled silently, circling, effortlessly, upon the thick, golden carpet.
He'd opened his eyes and, now, exasperatedly, he eyed the file. It sat mutely and dispassionately uninformative upon his desk. It was absolutely worthless, far as he'd been able to discern. As were the stack of Freedom Of Information Act documents, and the several still photographs which he'd frustratedly slung across his desk. He'd carefully read every page. He had a verbatim sense of their contents. Hell, he knew the grain of paper and the time frame between shots for each of the photographs in the file too. Still he couldn't get a genuine sense of who the man, the subject of the documents and photos in the file, really was. And that was unacceptable. He didn't like not knowing, not fully understanding who he might be dealing with; and he didn't care, at all, for the quasi-mystery that was Vance Dawson.
And that really irked the Chairman. He did another three-sixty degrees, bringing his chair back to its original position. Disgustedly, he shook his head. Thus far, nothing within the content of everything he'd read provided a single clue as to Dawson's raison d' etre--the man simply wasn't in there. And there were too many unexplained gaps; oftentimes, as much as a year and longer between the substantive data provided in the file. And that was most embarrasiing to the Chairman, as it was totally unacceptable.
He drew another long, slow breath. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. This was totally unacceptable, this Dawson thing. He knew that he needed much more detailed information than was presently available in this file. For the real persona, the genuine flesh-and-blood character known as Vance Dawson remained an enigma.
He would have to use his personal covert sources. He whirled in his chair, spun it to the right-hand side of his desk, where he brought it to a sudden stop. He pressed several buttons secreted within the cushioned portion of his chair's right armrest. He closed all phone lines, except for his private secured line. Using confidential numerical codes, the Chairman entered his active agency password to gain access. He would forego the mid-level amateurs who'd been unable to provide the necessary information he'd requested. Now he would get some real answers, some pieces to complete the puzzle before him. He completed his coded message. He left his line open.
All he could do now was wait and hope that his good, dear friend was available and would return his call as quickly as possible. He switched on his speakerphone. He would continue working while the connection was being made, because it might take some time before his call cleared the proper channels.
He set one folder aside then began stacking the remaining folders, placing them to his immediate right where he could easily reach them. The words 'CONFIDENTIAL-UNDOCUMENTED INFORMATION' were clearly printed across the front of the file in bold black lettering.
The Chairman exhaled, mightily. He picked up one dossier, flipped the front cover and began reading, trying to retrace Dawson's steps and, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he would discover something that he'd missed...

Inaugural Feedback

From: wniles@nilesadvertising.com
To: Vaughndobson@aol.com
Sent: 1/20/2009 10:33:27 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: RE: INAUGURAL DAY MOMENTS


Hey Family,

I am getting emails from California, Houston, US Virgin Island, Arizona, Philadelphia, Dominican Republic..... all over. Everyones is pumped-up and so optimistic. I am on my way to Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Bldg. to share this moment with the Harlem Community. I will continue pray and encourage others to do the same for President Obama, his family and administration. Pray is powerful.

Wendell Niles

President

Niles Advertising

The Inaugural Feedback

From: Rositakard
To: Vaughndobson
Sent: 1/20/2009 2:44:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: our president

Hello Vaughn.
I am just filled with such emotion just having witnessed a president of our United States make his case for our nation to be hopeful of the changes he will usher in to make our country whole. Changes that will give everyone the opportunity to be what they have dreamed of being regardless of who their grandparents were; changes that will honor our gift of freedom by uniting in peace not war; changes that will once again make the United States earn its legacy of the most powerful nation in the world by upholding those "old" values of hard work, compassion, honesty and tolerance; changes that will allow the United States to make alliances and give aide to countries who come to us in peace- I loved the way Obama said that citizens of a country will look to to see what has been built not what has been destroyed. Obama honored over and over again the struggle of race and equality in this "young" nation. His presidency is the absolute culmanation of that long, hard struggle seen in the faces of so many people there.

I truly believe that Obama has the grit and high intelligence to get this job done. Every young African American person I see in my work at Catholic Charities has demonstrated in some form or another that they have HOPE. Obama celebrated and honored his roots. Awesome for young people to see.

The bigots of this country have no place to hide anymore. I really feel that they won't be tolerated.Let's pray that Obama is safe always and God protects him and his family.I have never been prouder to be an American. I have never had more hope in humanity.

Hope to see you soon and give you a celebratory hug.
Rose

President Obama In Living Color!

Catch the Inaugural Address here:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Full Speech Here:

My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Read more...

Thompson for Mayor: The Political Whirl

From the New York Times:

William C. Thompson Jr. has put it in writing: He’s running for mayor.

In documents filed on Wednesday afternoon with the city’s Campaign Finance Board, Mr. Thompson, the city’s comptroller, formally designated himself as a candidate for mayor, said an aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the information is not yet public.

By checking the mayor’s box on the fund-raising forms, Mr. Thompson is “putting to rest any doubts about his plans,” the aide said. “He is running for mayor.”

Mr. Thompson, a Democrat who is the city’s chief financial officer, was roundly expected to drop out of the mayor’s race after the city’s term limits were extended this fall, clearing a path for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to seek re-election. Many predicted that the comptroller, a low-key, mild-mannered politician, did not have the stomach to take on Mr. Bloomberg.

Instead, Mr. Thompson has started waging an unexpectedly aggressive campaign for mayor. Over the last month, he has created a Web site, held a series of fund-raisers and lashed out at Mr. Bloomberg in combative speeches.

Read more...

Before They Were The First Couple

From The New Yorker:

On May 26, 1996, Mariana Cook visited Barack and Michelle Obama in Hyde Park as part of a photography project on couples in America. What follows is excerpted from her interviews with them.

MICHELLE OBAMA: There is a strong possibility that Barack will pursue a political career, although it’s unclear. There is a little tension with that. I’m very wary of politics. I think he’s too much of a good guy for the kind of brutality, the skepticism.

When you are involved in politics, your life is an open book, and people can come in who don’t necessarily have good intent. I’m pretty private, and like to surround myself with people that I trust and love. In politics you’ve got to open yourself to a lot of different people. There is a possibility that our futures will go that way, even though I want to have kids and travel, spend time with family, and like spending time with friends. But we are going to be busy people doing lots of stuff. And it’ll be interesting to see what life has to offer. In many ways, we are here for the ride, just sort of seeing what opportunities open themselves up. And the more you experiment the easier it is to do different things. If I had stayed in a law firm and made partner, my life would be completely different. I wouldn’t know the people I know, and I would be more risk-averse. Barack has helped me loosen up and feel comfortable with taking risks, not doing things the traditional way and sort of testing it out, because that is how he grew up. I’m more traditional; he’s the one in the couple that, I think, is the less traditional individual. You can probably tell from the photographs—he’s just more out there, more flamboyant. I’m more, like, “Well, let’s wait and see. What did that look like? How much does it weigh?”

BARACK OBAMA: All my life, I have been stitching together a family, through stories or memories or friends or ideas. Michelle has had a very different background—very stable, two-parent family, mother at home, brother and dog, living in the same house all their lives.

Read more...

Mr. Obama, Here's How You Fix The Economy

Paul Krugman, columnist for the New York Times gives the President-elect some advice:

Last week President-elect Barack Obama was asked to respond to critics who say that his stimulus plan won’t do enough to help the economy. Mr. Obama answered that he wants to hear ideas about “how to spend money efficientlyand effectively to jump-start the economy.”

O.K., I’ll bite — although as I’ll explain shortly, the “jump-start” metaphor is part of the problem.

First, Mr. Obama should scrap his proposal for $150 billion in business tax cuts, which would do little to help the economy. Ideally he’d scrap the proposed $150 billion payroll tax cut as well, though I’m aware that it was a campaign promise.

Money not squandered on ineffective tax cuts could be used to provide further relief to Americans in distress — enhanced unemployment benefits, expanded Medicaid and more. And why not get an early start on the insurance subsidies — probably running at $100 billion or more per year — that will be essential if we’re going to achieve universal health care?

Mainly, though, Mr. Obama needs to make his plan bigger. To see why, consider a new report from his own economic team.

On Saturday, Christina Romer, the future head of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Jared Bernstein, who will be the vice president’s chief economist, released estimates of what the Obama economic plan would accomplish. Their report is reasonable and intellectually honest, which is a welcome change from the fuzzy math of the last eight years.

Read more...