Here's the latest. Hope you enjoy the twist.
The two men, the President and the Russian Ambassador, had
met more than a hundred times; some meetings documented, most not. This was the first time ever in Hawaii. “Never,”
the ambassador mused, “Has he been this way with me. Something is seriously wrong.”
“Mr. Ambassador,” the President stormed.
“No arm around the shoulder, no affectionate questions about
my family?”
“I have issued an executive order providing me authority to
respond to your cyber activity in undermining our election processes and
institutions. Be warned. I will use that authority immediately.”
The ambassador blanched.
This was serious indeed.
“Tomorrow I will announce sanctions against the GRU and the
FSB, against a number of your countrymen, and against the companies we both
know supported your cyber operations seeking to influence our elections. We will also expel a number of Russian
nationals and will require you to cease operations immediately at two of your
compounds.”
“But Mr. President…”
“Don’t Mr. President me,” the POTUS interrupted. “You forced me into this. I’ve never seen such incompetence in my
life. How could your people have allowed
themselves to be found out? I was told
your people were the best, that they knew how to influence an election quietly,
that success was inevitable, that no one could possibly detect your
activities. Now I’m forced into
this. A monumental failure! What happened?”
“We are as puzzled as you are, Mr. President. It all worked so well in California! Why there and nowhere else? Is California so different?”
