'Fly On The Wall' Series - Justice Manson, by Kerry Tomasi

"Good morning everyone, thanks for commin."

"Our pleasure Mr. President, as usual. Always a profound joy to be in your presence."

"Good try Scooter, but you're going to have to leave now. Just wouldn't look right. We'll fill you in later. Still got a lot of work for you to do once we get you off the rap, so don't go too far."

"OK, Scooter's visit does bring up why we're all here. We're in dire need of a major media diversion from this Fitzgerald investigation. So what do we have brewin?"

"Supreme Court's the ticket, sir."

"You back on the job full time again Karl?"

"Yes sir, piece of cake. He didn't even get close to us."

"So what's our move?"

"No need to overcomplicate things, we just need to focus on the original plan. Miers played her part exactly as it was drawn up, now we need the kicker."

"I agree, Mr. President. I've spoken to each of the honchos at the major media outlets, and they all assured me they would dump the CIA outing story if we can give them adequate cover with a controversial nominee."

"All right, so who's on the short list?"

"If I may, sir, I think we need to ditch the original short list and go for a real heavy hitter right off the bat. You know how those pansy Democrats are. If we don't put up someone truly outrageous, they're liable to just wimp out again and we won't be able to get the fight, and the diversion mileage, we need. So I'm thinking along the lines of a Fred Phelps type of guy."

"You mean the 'God hates fags' nut?"

"That's the one. Although it might cost us a bit more than we have budgeted. He makes a boatload of money from that 'God hates fags' racket. We'd have to make it worth his while."

"Might I interject something here? Do you actually think Phelps would make a good Supreme Court justice?"

(Everyone turns and stares vacantly at the new guy)

"What's your point?"

"Yeah, what is your point? What kind of question is that?"

"Well, this is someone likely to be on the court for the next 40 or so years. Shouldn't we consider whether or not he would make a good justice? Isn't that part of our sworn constitutional duty?"

(The room erupts in laughter)

"Look, whatever your name is, in case you haven't heard, we don't like to plan too far down the road around here. Whether our nominee would make a good supreme court justice is irrelevant to the issue at hand. The question is whether he or she will provide the kind of short term media diversion we need right now. And, of course, be someone who would do exactly as they were told once we got them in there. So don't get yourself all bogged down in some kind of judicial quagmire over constitutional duties. Just stick with the diversion issue."

"Well then, if that's the case, why not just pardon someone like Charles Manson and nominate him to the Supreme Court?!"

(Contemplative silence)

"Charlie Manson? Justice Chuck Manson? you know, you just might have something there 'New Guy'! Karl, what do you think?"

"I like it, sir. But it might be a tad risky setting up a meeting in a maximum security prison to see if he'll play ball. Be much better if we had someone on the inside as a go between. Someone who could get real close to Manson without arousing suspicion."

"You're right. Call Scooter back in. Tell him the plan has been altered slightly. He's probably not going to be too thrilled, but it looks like he might be back in action sooner than he thought."