“But what if they’re wrong?”

“Well surely it’s better that we face this as soon as possible.”

There was a murmur of disquiet as the President continued.

“So,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to prepare the ground for me. Let it be known that this is the moment. If God is ever to appear on earth, we want it to be now. This is our one shot. We need the full media release. I want this speech televised live all over the world. I want a bank of screens so we can see the international participation. At sunset on Christmas Eve I want to feel the whole world behind me as we turn our attention to God. Now… thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen. We’ve got twenty-one days – let’s get to work.”

31.2

Alone again, the President looked out over the huge crowd that was already taking residence outside the White House. By simply refusing to rush in, he’d created enormous hype – not just in America but all over the world. Now he had what he’d been waiting for, the final imprimatur.

By the time he turned his mind to the actual content of his speech the President was riding such a wave of confidence he knew that the words would come easily to him. He opened the drawer of his desk, took out a small well-loved document that had been inspiring Americans for hundreds of years, and had just opened it when he was disturbed by the telephone.