Day 3: Bad news

JJJS: Call off today's appearances.

WISDOM: It could be a good day for foreign policy.

JJJS: Scrap it.

WISDOM: You're the boss.

JJJS: I can't believe this. If you had asked me how I was feeling yesterday--okay, you did, I know--if you had asked me yesterday I would have looked you in the eye and said, "We are taking this all the way to the White House." Yesterday, I was Optimism. And this has to happen and Mr. President has to go and say--wait, what was it, "We'll pursue them to the ends of the earth?"

WISDOM: Yep.

JJJS: Who even says something like that? You're threatening an unseen enemy. That's just opening more doors for the same old same old violence. When did we get the right to do that?

WISDOM: America is the world's moral authority. And besides, people like an image of confidence and righteous justice. Or whatever the hell you want to call it.

JJJS: Yeah, sure makes me feel safe. You know what I can't stand? I can't stand this. It drives me crazy. We are so much less safe today that we were even yesterday. Every day we're that much less safe.

WISDOM: Image is everything.

JJJS: We need to change that.

WISDOM: Mmm. Yeah, well. Do we really need to be having this conversation again? I mean, like it or not, you already have an image. You're the crusader. You're the change agent. You don't even have to worry about looking weak out there, you're record's pretty safe when you get right down to it. Add some nuance if you want, but you've got to propose something. Anything. As long as someone is held accountable. And I guarantee you that Antichrist already has a statement out. Probably had it out before the news even broke. We're paddling a canoe uphill here, work's got to be done and we've got to do it fast.

JJJS: As far as I'm concerned, the President is accountable. No. I mean, yes, he is, but, yeah, that's too easy. Okay. How many confirmed dead?

WISDOM: 43 as of the last report which I think is 30 minutes old.

JJJS: Keep getting updates. Get us as direct a line as we have access to. This is a shit storm. People aren't ready for this. I mean, okay, so no one's ever ready for this, but we're still grieving over 9/11. I mean that hurts still, that's like a lingering pain in our guts. And some maniac is out there starting a coordinated killing spree against Americans and we don't know what the hell they're doing it for. Hell, we don't even have a clue who it could be. And don't read me that CIA line of bullshit. If it was ______, there wouldn't have been a second attack within a week. This is the kind of thing that changes everything, and that's exactly what they want. Whoever the hell "they" are. I hate that word. They. We blame far too much on "them."

WISDOM: We need a statement, probably have less than 20 minutes.

JJJS: I'm thinking.

WISDOM: No time for that.

JJJS: God. Everything is such a cliche. If people... You know what, even if terrorists thought for half a second, half of the crazy things they do wouldn't happen. I propose an international moment of thought. That might just about fix everything.

WISDOM: Dream on, man.

JJJS: Anyway. This changes everything. Man, what a killer. This election needs to be about America and if this shit keeps happening, America's going to get thrown in the gutter again. I'll bet you anything.

WISDOM: 18 minutes.

JJJS: Fuck.

WISDOM: 17 minutes, and watch your language.