"What's going on? You said you had something important," Mickey said.

"Yes, I do… very important I think it answers all our questions." He paused, then plunged on. "I have been contacted by Harlan Ellis at the Democratic National Committee. As a matter of fact, I spent two days with him down here. He left two DNC pollsters behind. We've been going over strategies for the past two days. They've done some tracking polls and some demographic projections, and I'm scoring huge in the West and Midwest. I should get fifty percent in Iowa."

"Yeah… I know. That's 'cause we've had you on UBC-TV's national news every night for a month. I hope you didn't bring me down here to tell me that."

"The Democratic National Committee wants me to be their candidate. They want to throw all the party resources behind me." His voice couldn't contain his excitement.

"Then we all want the same thing. Tell 'em to get off the field and we'll make it happen."

"But if the DNC is pushing me and financing me, I don't think it's necessary for you and your father to stay involved."

"You're kidding me, no?"

"Mickey, it doesn't change anything. You know there's a big risk using offshore laundered cash to run my campaign. What if somebody finds out?"

"You mean like maybe Warren?"

"The DNC has a huge campaign war chest. They have a preexisting staff… media consultants, polling experts, issue experts, advertising and media buyers, stature strategists… the whole setup. Plus, they can put pressure on other candidates to get out of the race."

"Forget it."