04x13 - Vote of Confidence

[bunniefuu]

l see a day when there'll be
no neglect of the elderly,...

of hispanics, of blacks, of women.

When Florida stands
as a beacon of compassion...

Education, housing,...

law enforcement, social services.

The list goes on.

A leader to our neighbors and
to the rest of the nation as well.

lf you listen to that crap
it's gonna melt your brain down.

Well l'm just checking the pulse
of the body politic partner.

-You outta give the guy a chance.
-Gee l'd love to Rico.

But you see we have this date
these high priced panty raids.

and l don't wanna
keep the ladies waiting.

He's almost through.

And with your help
l believe with all my heart...

that l can show this grand and
glorious state of ours the way.

Thank you.

Because the solution
to your problems is right here,...

in this bottle,
ladies and gentlemen, of snake oil.

Step right here.
your solution here. Get out of here!

What is it with you? Do you like
the other guy, Cowan? He's a fascist.

At least he's a hundred percenter
when it comes to the cops.

Not like this limp rag Pierce.

-l thought you didn't vote statewide.
-l don't.

l can't bring myself to choose
the least dangerous mediocrity.

Everybody's in position.

Yup. The circus is right on time.

Sure you got enough fire power
for all them hookers Switek?

This is
the Metro Police Department.

You're about to be boarded.

Don't attempt to leave the train
The party is over folks.

Good evening ladies.

l wasn't trying to buy you.
Just take you away from all this.

-You seemed like such a nice girl.
-l am a nice girl.

l'll vouch for that.

Well, we got an old friend of yours
Crockett, Cha-Cha Tangero.

Cha-Cha.
What's up, dude?

Well so much
for that fast rehabilitation.

-And early parole.
-Kiss of Crockett.

What happened? You get lonely?

You start missing them bunkmates?

Well don't worry. lt looks like
you're gonna be reunited real soon.

Yup he's doing the best he can.

Talk about a caboose.

You know you better be glad
l don't use this on you.

lt's goodnight for the love train.
Hey sweetheart.

Grab her, will you?

Come on.

Where the hell are you going?
Don't you see this badge?

l'll bet you do
a hell of a bunny hop.

Keep those hands
right where we can see them.

Alright turn around nice and slow.

By God he's got my vote.

So there's this guy there right...

with this huge diaper and...

with the huge pins and everything.

He's lying in this gigantic crib.

He weighs about 280 pounds
and a pacifier in his mouth.

He's crying out for his mother.

And there's this gigantic woman
and she's telling him:...

'Naught naughty'.

-You mean Tubbs.
-Who the hell are you?

Hazlitt does this clown
have your seal of approval?

That's enough, Crockett.
This is official.

l don't give a damn what it is.
OCB is off limits.

Whoever you bring here, compromises
everyone that works undercover.

David Macklin, l'm Congressman's
Pierce's campaign manager.

Then, you must be looking for a job.

This cretin could deprive Florida
of the governor it deserves.

Great campaign speech.

-Who put you up to it?
-To what?

To your display
of puritanism run amok.

That's police business.

Lieutenant Castillo.

Deputy Comissioner Hazlitt,
how are you?

l need to know the reason
for you being here.

lt's about the badge
controlling the brain.

Commissioner's orders.

After what happened last night,
he thought it might be best...

if Mr Macklin talked
with the arresting officers.

Now hit the bricks bozo.

The next time you have a problem
with any one of my detectives...

see me first.

Follow the chain of command.

Come into my office.

Well gentlemen,...

it's time for what some football
coaches call a gut check.

We're gonna be pushing the rock
uphill from here on out.

Belabouring the obvious,
won't help me out of this mess.

Have you decided on a strategy?

Yeah. Keeping questions like
that to an absolute minimum.

Shouldn't be too difficult.

We just have to keep people's eyes
on the issues and off my sex life.

l got a call from Tallahassee.

The league of women of voters
is preparing a formal denunciation.

How self-righteous.

However, they cannot be ignored.
They reflect public sentiment.

Just keep pounding away
on the issues.

-My record will be good for something.
-Alright.

What about the Press?

Annie will be here soon.
l'll wait for her input.

How's she holding up?

Look this is nothing that
she hasn't been through before.

-Nice to get an objective reading.
-You're getting one.

Why do you think l have the highest
conviction in this department?

l don't take bad cases to trial.

And your case against Pierce
wouldn't fly if you put wings on it.

Look the man was arrested
on a rolling whorehouse.

And what was he doing there?

-He didn't pass out campaign flyers.
-You don't know that for sure.

Sarelli, the sheets were still hot.

So?

His playmate and others go to court
and some will get conviction.

Hot pants Pierce
doesn't get a call?

Kind of a double standard.
don't you think?

lf nothing else the double
standard thing is consistent.

A fireman wouldn't face trial for
frequenting a house of ill repute.

A candidate for governor
shouldn't either.

What the hell
is vice doing in business?

Selective prosecution isn't
a difficult concept to understand.

Sounds more like
selective protection.

Look detectives,...

Pierce may be guilty
of questionable Taste,...

but there is no crime committed.

Find a crime you can prove
he committed and l'll prosecute.

Let it go.

So he can hang a red light
in the governor's mansion?

We'll let the voters
decide that not you

Lieutenant l think what Sonny
is trying to say is...

His pride's speaking.
Yours is too.

l think you're both good cops
to realize it's a dead end.

There's just something about...

the way he'd Haslan lean on us
it makes it uncomfortable.

Clean up the cases you already have.

-Do you want to see the pictures?
-Forget it

Let me take a look, Stan.

Kind of hard to find this exotic.

His name's Barry Bloom. Last night,
he drove Pierce to the train station.

So?

He works for Pierce but
he's got a dodgy reputation.

Meaning?

His specialty is dirty tricks.

Who told you that?

A volunteer
at Pierce's headquarters.

Said he's real good
at screwing up a guy's campaign.

The other guy's campaign l mean.

This guy's a real charmer.

Looks like he should be
handing candy to little girls.

Angelica,...

if we didn't trust you we'd have
made the pitch in the first place.

But since things came together
better than we ever imagined...

-You want me to keep my mouth shut.
-lt's more of a bonus.

For a job well done.

Did this come directly from Miles?

Well...
And me of course.

Of course.

So we were thinking
ten grand would be nice.

-No, thank you.
-Do you want more?

-l don't want anything.
-Be serious!

-Everybody wants something
-l'm serious.

l said l'd help Miles Cowan,
he's an old and valued friend.

Frankly, Mr Bloom l'd rather have
the future governor of Florida...

for me than against me.

Beauty and brains.

l like that in a woman.

On second thought, Mr Bloom,...

there is something
l want from you.

Well that's what l'm here for.

l want you to leave.
You're quite detestable.

Now you know why
l'm so good at what l do.

l'd like to find out
how long those legs are.

l doubt you could do
anything about Mr Tiny.

So you're the romantic type,
are you?

Yeah, l developed my technique
when l was covering cops.

Maybe you and Pierce
should compare notes.

l don't have the pay for it.

When you get your mind
out of your crotch,...

l'd like to know how Pierce got
so far and fast politically.

Well l'm desolate.

You have'nt read my stories
about the rise of Thomas Pierce.

lt's on my list
right after 'w*r and Peace'.

-A beer over here, please.
-Two.

The man brought the party together.
He started out as an errand boy.

You'd believe Clarke Kimbell and
Trevor Watkins got their jollies...

having a kid from Harvard Law
fetch their coffee.

Pierce is smart.

He made partner at Cannon
and McCarthy at the speed of light.

And...

While he was becoming
a political white knight.

He saw the right side
of every issue, so...

why should he play referee
for marital disputes?

He chucked it all and made
state senate, congress,...

and he'd have been governor
if his hormones hadn't overheated.

ls that a regular occurrence?
Hormones?

Comes with the territory my friend.
Power's an aphrodesiac.

Take some guy who
has been living like a monk...

put him in public office and 6 months
later he thinks he's Warren Beatty.

Did Pierce throw his weight around?

Not so anyone would get a rash.

Pretty much a straight sh**t.
Politically anyway.

l gotta go
Press conference waiting for me.

Why don't you k*ll an hour
and tag along?

Rare opportunity to see
the implosion of a super nova.

An hour from now Thomas Pierce...

will be a black hole.

With that in mind knowing full
there's so much to be done...

that l cannot allow myself
to be sidetracked...

by small minds who wish
to derail this campaign,..

l'll continue to be your candidate
for governor of this great state.

Thank you.

Thank you.

l still have friends
in the police department.

l've heard all about you two birds.

Sure l can't offer you some coffee?

lt's the official
Grover Watkins recipe.

lt's a little early
in the morning for coffee for us.

You better hang on
to that family recipe.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Good...

l guess you all wanna know
about Tom Pierce.

My boy Tommy...

Really stepped in it
this time, didn't he?

With both feet.

l was his Rabbi.

lntroduced him to the ins
and outs of the hurly burly.

Heard he was a fast learner.

First met him he didn't know
the difference between...

a plain brown envelope
and a bag of groceries.

Three years later he ran
my last campaign for me.

l didn't know it was my last
until l found out...

Tommy had made off
with all my staff.

That booger Pearl harbored me.

Cause some bad blood
between you two?

what you gonna do
with a fast learner?

He was just following through
what l had taught him.

You should have taught him
to keep his zipper up.

Try and understand
something, both of you:...

Tom Pierce is on the edge.

He likes it there.

Maybe he's lost his balance.

Tommy...

lost his balance a long time ago.

Look up some
of his campaign contributors.

Sometimes l think the man will take
money from the devil himself.

Funny thing is l can't figure out
where it's all going.

He's taking in way more
than he's spending.

That's the way it works, isn't it?
He gets you, you get him.

Pretty fast learner
yourself, Crockett.

You were right on.

Pierce is pulling in money from
half a dozen dummy corporations.

Recognize any of the names?

We can trace them but l bet
they'll lead to a dead end.

lsn't the fact that he's receiving
from fronts somewhat incriminating?

lt might not look entirely kosher,
but it's certainly not illegal.

lf it's not illegal
then l'm not interested.

Lieutenant, we got some new leads.
Pierce should keep his mouth shut.

He might be receiving
illegal campaign funds.

-lt's difficult to prove.
-l think we should talk to him.

-Worth a sh*t
-Take the day.

See what you come up with.

Thomas Pierce is going to survive.

That disappoint you?

-You've lost me.
-Cut the crap, Mr. Bloom.

l want your resignation and
don't tell my husband the reason.

He has enough problems without
becoming paranoid about his staff.

You're dropping a stitch.
He needs what l can do.

Try and understand
something, Mr Bloom.

My husband and l
want this very badly.

l think l covet being First Lady
more than he covets the governorship.

-You've been right behind him.
-That's right.

And that's why you're history.

Hold it.
Where do you think you're going?

l've got a couple of questions
l'd like to ask Mr Pierce.

He's on stage in an hour.
Make an appointment.

-Not this time, Macklin.
-Everytime, Frazier

lt's policy.

l don't think the cops are happy
about taking a number and waiting.

And what's that supposed to mean?

l'm to pitch Pierce batting practice
so he'll be ready for the cops.

You wait here.

Hello, Tom.

Gimme 5 minutes, Dave.
Excuse us, will you please?

ls everything alright?

What do we have to do?
File harassment charges?

-We'd like to speak to you.
-No.

-He's got a speech to give...
-lt's alright Dave.

This won't take long, stick around.

-When l'm finished l'll talk to you.
-That'd be fine, thank you.

Excuse me.

These are unsettling times
for those of us in public service.

We find ourselves being subjected
to the kind of microscopic,...

personal scrutiny that only
saints and children can withstand.

No longer are we judged
by performance in office.

Or on our positions
of the important issues.

Rather our private lives
are invaded.

incidents that are
nobody else's business.

incidents that have absolutely
no bearing on our public duty...

become swords
on which to impale us.

The press dogs us all
the way into our bedrooms.

While the police worry about
these essentially crimes...

real criminals from drug dealers
to corporate executives...

operate unchecked.

Maybe it's the whining of someone
caught and sees no way out.

But l beg for your forgiveness.

lf you grant it to me, it'll have
to come out of your hearts.

What l do ask however...

is to understand the problems
of political life today.

and that you understand why...

l'm walking away from it.

l'm sorry to say that recent
developments have forced me...

to reconsider my earlier pledge
to stand and fight.

The press and the cops won't have
Tom Pierce to kick around anymore.

To my friends
and supporters, l say:...

''Thank you..

and goodbye.''

For all the rest,...

l say: ''Good riddance.''

-Did you know he was going to quit?
-He didn't say a word.

Sonny, we'd better
grab this guy quick.

l don't believe it.

-lt's just like a politician.
-What do you mean?

Never around
when you need them the most.

The department tries to protect
its backside by hanging us?

Detectives,...

Thomas Pierce is one of the most
recognizable men in the state...

and he has completely disappeared.
Plus, the rumor mills...

are heating up with regard
to the train bust being a setup.

Maybe my partner and l are trying
to overthrow the government.

Was the bust a setup?

Every law enforcement agency
in the state...

has known about
that train for over a year.

You just happened to bust it
the night Thomas Pierce was onboard.

-Luck of the draw
-Now Pierce has vanished...

just before he was
going to talk to you two.

Do you wanna get
to the point there, Millsy?

lt won't be very difficult
for Pierce's people...

to start screaming harassment.

Some of the press has already
picked up the ball.

Does the department think...

that we actually stepped outside
the confines of our job?

That hasn't yet been determined.

You be sure
and let us know when it is.

You can bet on it smart guy.

So much for the civic lesson.

lf they were gonna suspend you,
they'd have already done so.

l think the lAD has got
our names stenciled on it.

Don't worry about them, you have
enough business to take care of.

What's Switek got on that prankster,
the merry prankster?

-Bloom
-Let's see how he acts.

-Very efficient, Mr Frazier.
-l owe it all to newspaper training.

l might have more use
for the press than l ever imagined.

l know the feeling l'm getting
soft in the head for politicians.

Stay that way. Not that l mind
you crucifying one of my rivals.

10, 000 dollars cash as discussed.

l'll skip the count.

-We'd trust the next government.
-You have my word.

My final word.

This is for the primary right?

There's still the regular election.

l thought you were
the political expert, Mr Frazier.

You wrote that whoever won
the primary would be governor.

but here l am a survivor
and a shoo-in.

-Things could change
-Like what?

Things that could be prevented
by having a reporter on your payroll.

lf l didn't have respect
for the fourth estate...

l'd say that you were hinting
at blackmail, Mr Frazier.

Good enough for Pierce.

But the reporter
l've had on my payroll...

was far too fair-minded
to even consider...

blackmailing somebody
who has been his benefactor.

You never can tell.

lt's difficult to know someone.
l mean really know him.

lt wasn't hard to get Pierce
out to the train.

All l had to do was tell him
he could get his ashes hauled.

Makes sense if his load
is lighter make it easier...

for him to run for governor.

You gotta know Tommy. He always
tried everything on the menu.

Who's he trying noW?.

l dunno. l didn't think
he would fall off the planet.

How much did Cowan pay you?

You guys are good.

Don't flatter yourself.
You ain't a well kept secret pal.

We know you were kicked off
Pierce's staff before he walked.

So you get caught and you leave.
lt's part of the game.

Advertise rallies that don't exist,
distribute embarrassing pictures.

Tom would have done the same
to Cowan if he'd gotten to me first.

That's wonderful.

Such outstanding candidates we have
for the voters to choose from.

-How did you know about the bust?
-A leak at the courthouse.

l probably knew the warrant
had been signed before you guys did.

For the love of...
Who else is in this sewer?

How about l go out
with some dignity?

Don't ask me to drag
other people down with me.

lf this gets to the press
you all are gonna be garbage.

You tell that to your buddy Cowan.

Maybe we outta try
life without a governor.

Couldn't be any worse.

The nerve of this bozo?

-Cowan?
-Who do you think l'm talking about?

-You aren't talking but blathering.
-Blather well.

Try this one
on for size sweetheart.

The way l figure it
you got plenty on Cowan.

You'll never know.

Look, neither of us are virgins.

You have any idea how much
your trick book is worth?

-l don't ask them their names.
-Like hell you don't.

lf they want to tell me
their names fine.

l'm in the business to soothe
nerves not to put them on edge.

Well how about l splash you
all over page one?

l think this conversation
just ended.

-l'll tell you when it's ended!
-You don't value anything.

Not a bottle of perfume
not even a man's life.

ls this how you won your awards?
Blackmail?

l'll tell you something mister:...

everybody knows what l am.
But you...

they think you're a star reporter.

But we know that
you're really just scum, don't we?

ln the political headquarters
phones are continuously ringing.

Volunteers address envelopes...

aides plan strategy.

But here,
at 1 400, Ocean Avenue...

the feeling persists that workers
are going through the motions.

They count the hours
until election day.

each hour brings them closer
to face the unthinkable.

-They should try a séance.
-That'd be a good start.

''Pierce speaks from the grave''.
Don't split the ticket.

There're more questions
than answers:...

ls he being
held against his will?

Conspiracy theorists
are having a field day.

Live from the Pierce
campaign headquarters,...

David Jarvis, channel 3 news.

The lAD have
their own conspiracy theory.

They're not still
maintaining that we overstepped?

-They haven't yet said otherwise.
-Good.

-Now everybody's playing politics.
-Nothing has changed.

-Boy, so what's next?
-Nothing has changed.

Has anyone spoken to Pierce's wife?

The steadfast politician's spouse?

Yeah.

She'd probably tell a tale or two
about hubby. Make our heads spin.

We'll give it a sh*t.
Behind every great man...

Wouldn't this be easier if
we talked about this someplace else?

lf l got out of this chair...

my reputation as the unflappable
Mrs Pierce would fall apart.

We're very sorry to have to do this.

Don't be.

Living without my husband
will be easier eventually.

Do you have any indication
that you won't see him again?

Are you asking me
if my husband took his own life?

-There has been some speculation.
-Not his style.

He loved being Tom Pierce
more than anything in the world.

Do you think he ran away?

Vanity breeds cowardice, can't it?

-You tell us
-Boy,...

l never saw it demonstrasted
up close until this past week.

Things started happening so fast
even Tom couldn't handle it.

-You mean the arrest.
-lt's not just that.

There were other things.

Pressures that
he wouldn't talk to me about.

He was afraid.

Of what?

He wouldn't say.

l've been married to Tom Pierce
for 8 years. l could tell.

Has he ever disappeared before?

You mean,
for more than a weekend?

No.

Does he have anybody
that he confides...

-in politically.
-l don't know whom he tells what.

When he came out of the interview
the day he disappeared...

With who?

That awful man.
That awful man. What's his name?

He's been pestering us for years.
He writes for the Racket.

-Hank Frazier?
-That's the one.

-Thank you.
-Thank you.

lt looks like your standard garden
variety strangulation.

No sign of anything sexual.

Place was ransacked it's hard
to tell if anything was taken.

Whoever k*lled her,
just walked right in.

Do you think it was a friend...

Or maybe a business partner?

Angelica Payson worked alone.

Lieutenant, the neighbors saw
someone fitting Blooms description.

-That campaign k*ller?
-Yeas, he was really in a lather.

-That's how the lady remembered him.
-Excuse me.

Castillo. Yeah.

Thank you. Barry Bloom
has been arrested. l'm going in.

She was just somebody
we were using another tool.

All l wanted to do was warn her
things might get uncomfortable.

We don't believe you k*lled her.

-You'd be a character witness.
-lf it goes on, we might need one.

Shut up, Joe. l've gotta trust
somebody, no politician deserve it.

Now....

There was
Cowan's dirty tricks team,...

and who else was in on it?

l'm still not selling anybody out.

You tried to protect
Angelica Payson...

and look how she wound up.

The stakes are
a lot bigger now Barry.

l wasn't the only one that
infiltrated the Pierce campaign.

There were at least 3 others
all low profile jobs.

We need names.

l'm not even sure who they were.
Anonymity was our camouflage.

Dammit Bloom.

This is getting us nowhere.

l don't think we'll ask
anymore questions at this time.

-Fine.
-No, l said what l wanted.

Our network went
beyond the campaign.

There were people
outside who could help us.

Who?

A newspaper reporter named Frasier.

-Hank Frazier?
-Yeah.

-What did he do?
-Fed us dirt on Pierce.

What kind of dirt?

The sexual stuff, of course.

Where he was getting his money.

He had a lot of shady contributors
and Frazier seemed to know them all.

Was he blackmailing Pierce?

Possibly.

Say he was.

What was he blackmailing him for?

-Or was he just a wrong number?
-Debts.

He had gambling debts.

His creditors were leaning on him
as hard as he was leaning on Pierce.

l wish l could tell you
l'm surprised.

-Have you had this problem before?
-When he was working he was fine.

He's working now.

He's in Atlanta with the National
Democratic Committee.

He says he's got a king-hell
of a story about a power struggle.

-What happens when he isn't writing?
-Let me put it this way.

l have a 19 year old daughter

lf l saw Hank coming up
the path on a Saturday night...

l'd pray to God
he was a process server.

So women aren't his only problems?

No there's also gambling.
l'd put gambling in first place.

-How's his luck?
-Lousy.

-Does it affect his work?
-Only the accounting department.

-He draws advances on his salary.
-Do the advances cover it?

l doubt it.

So if we told you
that we think he might...

have blackmailed Pierce,
that wouldn't surprise you?

Yeah, it would.

Mr Chance,...

every good newspaper reporter
knows things about powerful people...

that could be used for blackmail.
But they don't use them.

Frazier is the first person
l know who might have done it.

and that hasn't been confirmed.

Then you don't believe
in the law of averages?

Newspaper people are like cops.

When they raise their right hand
And take one step forward...

it's like a vow of poverty.

But they do it anyway
because they love their work.

There's a voice inside them telling
them their doing the right thing.

Yeah, l'm sorry l asked.

What do you think Frazier's
little voice says to him?

''Whirlaway in the eighth''?

Crockett.

Yeah, Stanley, do it right now.
He's got a call from Frazier.

Where are you?

Chez Frazier. Where else?

Well, stay put.
You're gonna have company.

-Well you better hurry.
-Now don't do anything crazy.

Save your advice
for someone who needs it.

l'm not sticking
my head in the oven.

But there're a couple of guys
who might do it for me.

Are we talking about bookie muscle?

So, you heard?

-Do you know how much l owe?
-l'm listening.

75.000 large.

75.000 l don't have.

They're coming over here
to give me that much in medical bills.

Maybe you deserve to suffer.

Are you not coming to save me?

Forget it. l don't have time
to trade cheap sh*ts.

l just wanna make sure
you get my story straight

l'm still listening.

Okay.

First things first, okay?

l k*lled Angelica Payson.

l lost control. l needed what
she had and she wouldn't help me.

-What did you get?
-Names, l needed big names.

For what? For Cowan?

Cowan?

He was one of the ones l was
trying to blackmail. No for me.

What did you use against him?

He gets money from some
of the same slugs as Pierce.

-Were you blackmailing Pierce?
-Yeah, you bet l was.

Then the doofus decided to disappear.

l think you lost the race Crockett.

Excuse me, the bad guys are here.

Frazier, listen.
Have you got a g*n?

Man, l'm a pacifist at heart.

Just a minute. l'm on the phone
with my money man, okay?

Frazier.

Frazier!

What happened?

ls he dead?

Yeah, and so is the case.

Sonny, have you seen
the morning edition?

Pierce to announce that
he will resume his candidacy.

Quote: ''with a vengeance''.

-Down but not out.
-They never are for long.

Metro says they got the bookie
muscle that k*lled Frazier.

Sounds very solid.
Prints and fibres match.

About time something broke on this.

Pierce's people just called.
He says he owes you two a talk.

He'd be more than happy to comply.

After 3 weeks?

What is this?
Unfinished business day?

Sounds like they are trying to cover
any toe holds in the character issue.

Don't you mean: ''Bless me,
Detective, for l have sinned...

and l need a clean press release?''

You got it.

We should go and see this gentleman
before he changes his mind again.

Yeah, or becomes invisible.

What do you think? All these
people here to see the freak shoW?.

No way.
These people are the true believers.

Nice to have
believers with checkbooks.

Yeah.

Slumming fellas?

Yeah. How about you, Ms Sarelli?

Tom Pierce is the best candidate.
l'd like to help him.

You already have, haven't you?

Things are never what they seem.
You oughta know that.

You also oughta know
that we play by the same rules.

What about Pierce?

What rules does he play by?

The same ones
as every other candidate.

Does that make it okay?

Nature of the game, guys.

All these things you don't like,...

all these people you dont trust,...

sooner or later
you gotta put all that aside.

And believe in someone.

You mean sell yourself short?

Sometimes that Shangri-La attitude
does more harm than good.

Thank you.

Maybe you'll learn
something from this.

Thank you.

Annie and l thank you
from the bottom of our hearts.

Let me add that it's good
not to be the lnvisible Man anymore.

lt's no secret l've been gone
for these past 3 weeks.

And during that
self imposed solitude...

l've learned many things.

l've wandered the back alley
and streets of this great state...

and l've gazed
upon it's sickened heart.

That discovery lead me
to one conclusion,...

a decision that was based upon
the people's need for leadership...

rather than my own comparatively
insignificant need for privacy.

and l have every intention...

of giving this grand state of ours
what it needs to attain greatness.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This should make for a guest wing
at the governor's mansion.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.