THE L WING  - CHP 1

Narration of Tina Kennard.

Its Friday at 7pm and over what feels like my 50^th cup of coffee that day I finally have time to reflect on the glorious insanity that is being the Press Secretary to the President of the United States. I have sat in on a military briefing, been given passionate warnings about my security now that I am the public face of the Porter Administration. But the biggest buzz of the last few days has been the realization that I surrounded and supported by an amazing team of women.

Take Shane - Porter's Chief of Staff as an example - she is brilliant and decisive despite only being 30. She has a busier schedule than the President at times but she has still come to see me twice a day to check that I am not being overwhelmed by my new job. Carmen her deputy is younger than Shane but just as brilliant - I'm in awe.

Then there's Alice - the Director of Communication - she talks at warp speed and thinks just as fast. She has an unerring talent for how we get our message across. She has a team of speechwriters around her that simply take my breathe away . I have sat in on a speechwriting session with Valerie and Jennifer and I could not believe that people so unrecognized could be so talented. All my encounter have hammered home to me the sheer brilliant of empowered women throughout the world.

I think back over how Bette Porter came to be the President. Hillary Clinton had come to the White House as the first female President of USA - she had brought in a radical civil rights agenda which brought in full gay rights in all states. Eventually it was the fear of other civil rights legislation that caused her assassination by extremists.

But by assassinating their sworn enemy in Hillary Clinton they had only be faced with her Vice President taking control - the African American, homosexual, female Bette Porter. Porter had been in charge of the country for a year before the elections and there was never a question that she would not be swept in as President with her own political mandate. Even after a difficult first year her approval ratings currently stood at 71% - There was no doubt that America loved its President.

I am day dreaming when my temporary secretary Josh comes in - he is carrying a huge bunch of yellow and white flowers.

" You have an admirer ? " he says with a grin

" I doubt it " I say going back to my economic briefing memo.

There is a bubble of hope that they are a peace offering or declaration of love from Senator Helena Peabody. But I know in my heart that she does not go in for gestures like that. I wait until Josh leaves me alone before I take the card from the top of the bunch.

Tina - welcome to the team. You are doing a brilliant job.

Bette Porter

OMG - Forget about getting gifts from a US Senator - these are from the Commander in Chief. I've seen enough of her hand writing to know that she actually wrote the card herself. I feel a warm sensation surrounding me like a blanket.

I finally manage to tear my eyes from the card and go back to my memo. I've been reading for ten minutes when Shane walks in - she's wearing jeans and a black tee -shirt - informality is big in this White House. She raises her eyebrow at the flowers.

" From the President ? "

"Yes - I'm really touched - its an amazingly sweet thing to do "

"She is amazing - a total dictator at times - well most of the time to be honest but she tempers it with a sensitivity that takes you aback when you experience one of her gestures "

Shane sits down

"You've probably  guess that everyone of us would do anything for her"

"I have and you can put my name down on that list too "

Shane fiddles with the gold ring on the little finger of her left hand - a nervous gesture that I have noticed all ready.

'She really will put herself on the line for any of us but none of us would let her. If any of us screwed up she is very loyal - maybe its her biggest fault. So we all have a pact that we'd would fall on own sword rather than damage her or the Presidency. Having THIS woman as President will change this country forever. We really do have a chance to create history Tina. If we can keep her in the White House for eight years we can all bring our children up in a better world . All the Senior staff - which you are now a key player in - have a responsibility to see the bigger picture which is eight years of this brilliant woman as President. Do you understand the weight of that burden Tina ? "

I am silent for a few seconds - taking in the speech from this quiet and unassuming but very powerful younger woman. I nod.

"Yes. I understand Shane and I agree with all  of your sentiments. I will resign rather than harm her"

Shane grins " We all had an instinct that you were the right person for the team and for the President "

"Can I ask you something about her ? "

" Yes - you need to become the expert on her - and the whole operation. And you can only learn from asking questions"

"Does the President have many dates ? How do I deal with questions about her love life ?"

"All the time she was Vice President and her year after Clinton's death and for the last year I've  worked with her almost every day -and she hasn't had a single date. The President doesn't date "

" God that's awful "

" I agree - but that was part of her strategy - no sex scandals will taint this White House. We'd all love her to have a girlfriend but who'd want to take that baggage on ?.

I quickly do the sums - a full term as V-P plus the likelihood of two full terms as President - that's a long time to not share your most precious moments with someone special.

" However, I didn't come her to give you the lecture that I just did "

Shane grins " Do you play poker ? "

"Poker ? yes I can play poker - is there a reason ?  "

" We like to have Friday night gal's nights together. Its not always possible but when there's two or three of us around we get together and play poker or pool - we have a few beers and it's a good laugh. Carmen and I thought that your first few days merited a Friday night girl's club gathering "

"' I would love that - who'll be there and when does it start"

"Alice never misses a session, Carmen and I will be there. Lara - that's the President's Personal Assistant has said she'll be there. Kit's back in the country - she's the President's half sister and was Campaign Manager for us - and of course the boss herself "

"The President ? "

Shane gets up " Sure - she's a mean poker player - never trust her. Plus she always buys the food - sometimes it's the only healthy food any of us eat from one week to the next. We all just let down our hair and have a laugh. Be in my office by about 9pm okay ? "

I work until 8:45 when I start shutting my computer down - I hope to freshen myself up before a long night of beer and poker. I sense that someone is standing in the doorway. It's the President in tight jeans, a baggy black sweatshirt and white trainers.

" Good evening Madam President "

" Evening Tina " she looks at the flowers and grins at me.

" Thank you for the flowers - it was a nice gesture "

" Well I figured that you are in the middle of a steep learning curve and you are doing exceedingly well. Alice and Shane are thrilled with you - and so am I - Are you enjoying the job Tina ? "

"I love it Madam President "

She gestures for me to sit down and she drops onto the sofa . I sit down at my desk and watch her. Regardless of how many times you see her on TV nothing prepares you for being so close to her - she is a unique beauty. Her eyes are amazing and her smile is captivating. I wonder how much of the devotion she is held in is due to her looks as well as her personality. Its only been four days and I'm hooked on both.

"I hear from Shane that you are playing poker with us tonight "

" Yes Madam President - I'm looking forward to it "

" Shane will have told you not to trust me when playing poker "she iis smiling.

"Yes she did "

" You can trust me a hell of a lot more that either Kit or Alice - you won't have met Kit yet - she's only just back from Italy "

"No madam President "

"She is my roving ambassador - I ask her to do things for me that I can only trust to my big sister. She's going to Africa in a couple of weeks with Senators Gold, Bakke and Peabody next week"

Helena's going to Africa with the President's sister ?!

The President leans forward.

" I'm sorry Tina  - I shouldn't have mentioned Helena Peabody to you. I forgot "

How the hell did she know - let alone forget about Helena and I ? Just hearing her name and looking at the flowers from the President combines with the lack of sleep and emotional highs of the last few days suddenly overwhelm me. I look at the President in confusion - the question is unspoken.

" I read your CIA report yesterday . its not a part of my job that I like but  I prefer to do it myself though. You dated Helena for ten months and she ended the relationship "

" Yes "

As hard as I am struggling with my tears they start to win the battle.

In an instant she gets up and sits on the desk facing me  - I cannot look at her. She takes my hand and squeezes it.

"I like Helena but she has her faults. I keep her close so I can watch out for the dagger she wants to stick between my shoulder blades. She is useful to our work and nice to look at . But to let a woman like you go - well I need to have her CIA file updated to say that she's crazy "