Clinton and Obama's meeting- As a One Act Play!

The popular press and Internet have been positively buzzing about the clandestine meeting between Senator (and now presumptive Democratic nominee for president) Barack Obama and Senator (and still potential candidate for the presidency) Hillary Clinton. It was reportedly held on the evening of June 6th, 2008 in a Washington D.C. area home. In our era of hyperconnectivity and ceaseless news chatter, they some how managed to keep this almost perfectly secret until after the fact.

This fascinated me. Regardless of political affiliation any American would have to have some interest in a meeting where these two major political figures went head-to-head, doubly so if they did so without any press or staffers watching. I am intrigued by the secret movements and moments of those in power, and both Obama and Clinton come with a fair amount of mystery already. Plus, in terms of secret moments this was a doozy. This was the political equivalent of the world's largest tree falling in the woods and no one being there to see if it made a sound. So my mind just leapt into action imagining what might have transpired behind those closed doors. With nothing else to do with my wild fantasies I committed them to the page in the form of a modest one act play (even that is generous it's more of a sketch minus the comedy). I felt a strange pride in what I had wrought, so I decided to share it with Internet. I have therefore published it in the body of this post. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed making it.

One other note for liability purposes. This is all speculation. I have NO affiliation with either the Clinton or the Obama campaigns. I have not contributed to them, volunteered for them, and I have not sought the opportunity to do so. There's no way of knowing if any of this was actually said, and in fact parts of it have been factually disproved already. Still I kept those elements in because they fit a larger narrative of the campaign and serve the theme of the scene. Try not to let questions of accuracy obscure your reading of this work. It is meant more to capture the "voice" and "character" of these to figures then it is to guess at the blow-by-blow of actual events. As a historian I am awe struck that such a moment could go unwitnessed and unrecorded, so to supplement -but hopefully NOT falsify- the historic record, I submit the following: a outsiders summation of where these two political titans stood at the end of an unprecedented political contest, and how they related to each other.

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The Smoke Filled Room

(INTERIOR: A stately dining room in a Washington D.C. area mansion. A single long table with fourteen seats- because after much discussion it was decided that fourteen seats, no more and no less, was the appropriate number to have- dominates the center of the room. This does not resemble a high level business meeting. There aren’t many provisions, no LCD projectors or binders filled with information. There is a tea cart next to the wall opposite the double doors with a coffee pot and an open box of bagels that has already been picked over, a wastebasket sitting on the floor next to the cart. HILLARY stands near the head of the table, or is it the foot? She wears a look of intense concentration; we can see the gears turning in her head. Around her buzz half a dozen staffers, some standing, some sitting, some snacking, some chatting, most looking nervous, ALL dressed sharply even by their standards. They are all clearly waiting for a moment that should have come seven minutes ago.)

(One side of the double doors opens STAFFER #1 pops her head in.)

STAFFER #1
He’s here.

(The room is a flurry of activity. STAFFERS gulp their coffee and finish off their bagels. ALL stand and fix their appearance to be ready for his arrival. Only HILLARY is unchanged only turning to face the door.)

(ENTER BARACK. He wears a suit without a tie and a smile without a hint of smugness. Throughout all that is to follow he never stops giving the impression that he is having the time of his life. STAFFER #1 hold one of the doors for him, then returns to the hall. HILLARY crosses the room to great him.)

HILLARY
(Offering her hand)
Senator Obama, thank you for coming. I’m glad you agreed to this meeting.


BARACK
(Accepting her handshake)
Senator Clinton. Thank you for being willing to meet.


HILLARY
Well, I’m sure we’d all love to get started. (Gesturing to the door) So if you want to call your staff in from the hall, we can go ahead.


BARACK
(Cordially) Oh, I thought he had agreed to a private meeting.


HILLARY
(Smiles and nods as she considers this)
Absolutely. (To STAFFERS) You can go now.

(STAFFERS assemble anything they had brought in and quickly file out the double doors, to wait in the hall. EXIT STAFFERS)

HILLARY
We were just wrapping up. We usually meet around this time, so I figured we could just bump that meeting up and use it to segue into this.


BARACK
Hillary. It’s over.


HILLARY
(Thinks for two beats.)
Nothing is over until the vote in August.


BARACK
When you use to litigate, did you ever let a case go to deliberations without knowing exactly how it would turn out?


HILLARY
I still have certain rights.


BARACK
You do have rights. (Makes his way over to the tea cart and starts making himself a cup of coffee.) Look, I have the delegates. I have the media narrative on my side. I have the votes in the credentials committee. I have a list of at least 80 of your delegates who would have to vote down any minority report brought to the floor. I have charts and spread sheets to track all-


HILLARY
(Interrupting)Those delegates can still change their minds. Nothing is certain until Denver.


BARACK
Some of them might change their minds sure. You’ve been shaking that tree for awhile now though, and I don’t think you have much fruit to show for it.


HILLARY
Your support isn’t as strong as you think.


BARACK
Yes, it is. Among the delegates, it is. And my people have put together these charts, like I was saying before. We know which of your supporters need help fundraising. Which of them are counting on high minority turnout. We know which of them have weak polling among independents. It’s over.


HILLARY
Lot of things can still happen. It’s far too early to start saying anything is over.


BARACK
Was there anything I said that wasn’t true?


HILLARY
I agree that’s the way things stand right now.


BARACK
Then it’s over. (Sips his coffee) All that’s left is to say the words.


HILLARY
There are millions of voters who supported me. They aren’t going to accept it’s over that easily. They’re going to want to keep on fighting.


BARACK
Weak coffee. (Pours the rest into the wastebasket) Those voters have time to come around. We’re going to bring them around. If you want, I can show you our plan. Listen, we have issue ads, high profile supporters, and a multi-city tour. Plus, you’ve seen the polls. Most of them are going to want to support the Democrat in the end.


HILLARY
Not all of them.


BARACK
Yeah, there seem to be some people in Appalachia who have a problem with me being the nominee. I wonder why that could be.


HILLARY
There it is again! The race card. My supporters are not just a collection of bigots and racists. There are millions of women who feel offended by the way my campaign was treated.


BARACK
(Firmly, perhaps overly so) I never said anything about race. (Half a beat then softer) I understand what those women are feeling. I know what it’s like to be talked down to. But their problem is with the people they see on TV, not with me. Look all they are going to hear from now until November is that I am going to be better for women’s interest that John McCain. They’ll hear it from people they trust. They’ll hear it from people they know. We have it all planned out.

HILLARY
But what are you actually going to say to the people who think I should take this fight to the convention floor?


BARACK
I am going to tell them that I am honored and proud to belong to the same party as Hillary Clinton, who has spent her life being a leader, a fighter, and an honorable person, who is a model for all of us. And I will continue to say that unless you for some reason should part ways from the Democratic Party. Listen, I fully intend to fight for every vote in this country. We know I won’t win them all, but what’s most important to us and to our party is that we don’t ignore any voters.


HILLARY
Well what am I supposed to say to all the people who voted for me, and supported through the entire primary season? What do I say to them?


BARACK
We can figure that out together. I’m sure you have people writing drafts. I had people writing my introduction for you. What matters is that you agree to say it standing next to me in front of an audience and the media. And that we do that soon.
(Crumples up the coffee cup and shoots it like a basketball at the wastebasket. It goes in. BARACK does a silent fist pump. Turns back to HILLARY really listening this time.)


HILLARY
If I agree to say it’s over. . . (Rolls around the flavor of that in her mouth)
If I agree, what’s on the table?


BARACK
(Looks at the conference table) There isn’t anything on the table. There are some bagels over on the cart.


HILLARY
You know what I meant.


BARACK
I’m not going to bully you and act like I’ve worked out some kind of punishment if you don’t do this. I’m not going to insult you and rattle off data showing why it helps you out in the long run. I’m here to tell you its time to do this, because it’s really the only option left. Everything else would just take options off the table. You do this now and everything is still available.


HILLARY
What about sharing the ticket?


BARACK
Your name is on a short list.


HILLARY
Is my name really on a short list, or is that just what you’re going to tell the press?


BARACK
You’re name is really on a short list. That list gets a lot shorter if we end this together.


HILLARY
I don’t know if I can afford to stop now. I put a lot into this campaign.


BARACK
Governor Dean and I are talking with some donors. We can put together a package to help some of that.


HILLARY
Some of it?


BARACK
We’ll also be drumming up some good business for the former President. By this time next year you should be back to where you started.
(Reach into his pocket and takes out a necktie. He starts to tie it around his neck)


HILLARY
I’m still not convinced that you’re ready for the general. I don’t know if you can beat John McCain once the Republicans really get theirsights set on you.


BARACK
We've known that's been coming for a long time. You can see our plan, we're ready. Besides, I think we both know that you are a much tougher opponent than John McCain.


HILLARY
Even if you will win, there are still plenty of Americans who don’t think you’re ready for the job.


BARACK
Without prior conditions I met with you to negotiate the end of this campaign. Look at what we’ve been able to agree to since I arrived. (As he finishes up his tie) I know people have doubts about me, but I also know your not one of those people.


HILLARY
Well, I wouldn’t say that.


BARACK
You have some doubts?


HILLARY
Not doubts, more like questions. I want to make sure of certain things.


BARACK
What else could you want?


HILLARY
What I want is . . . (No, not even now, she still won’t let it slip. She just turns to BARACK and smiles) In the end it was never about what I wanted. Let me get my staff in here.

(As soon as HILLARY says it ENTER STAFFERS, pouring into the room. They clearly have the look of a half dozen people who were all standing with their ears to the key hole. Some even look embarrassed. STAFFER #2 carrying a legal pad walks straight to HILLARY. STAFFER #3 makes his way to the table and pulls out a chair.)

STAFFER #2
Senator Clinton if you and Senator Obama would like to plan a joint event. We have some suggestions for times and locations that we think would fit into your upcoming schedule.


HILLARY
I think we can change the schedule to accommodate Senator Obama’s request.


BARACK
Next Wednesday, 5:30pm Cincinnati, Ohio. We’ll send you the specifics tomorrow.

(STAFFER #2 makes a note of this. STAFFER #3 lowers himself into the chair)

HILLARY
(Spotting STAFFER #3)
Don’t sit! You don’t sit while he stands. (nods to BARACK).


STAFFER #3
(To HILLARY) Sorry, Senator. (To BARACK) Sorry, Senator.


BARACK
I’m sorry I could only stop by for a few minutes. They need me to get on a plane soon.


HILLARY
I’m glad we had this meeting Senator.

(BARACK starts to move to the door.)

HILLARY
(To the two STAFFERS nearest the double door)
If you could help Senator Obama on his way out. . .

(The STAFFERS swing both sides of the door open for EXIT BARACK. He exits as if entering a larger stage to face a bigger audience. A moment after he exits, STAFFER #2 turns to HILLARY.)

STAFFER #2
Senator, I’m not sure what was said just now, but I think we can still discuss quite a few options for you moving forward-


HILLARY
(Interrupting) No. (Three full beats as the STAFFERS wait in silence and the last 35 years play across HILLARY’s face) It’s over.


-FIN-