novelnext Chapter 134 Survive Like a Dog
Chapter 134 Survive Like a Dog
Chapter 134 Surviving Like a Dog (Bonus Chapter for 22000 Monthly Tickets)
The silence in the office was amplified by the ticking of the clock.
Leo sat in the chair, his mind racing with thoughts.
Something's not right.
Leo suddenly broke the silence in his mind.
"Mr. President, there's something wrong with the logic."
Roosevelt's voice quickly responded to him.
"Where is the blockage?"
Leo stood up and walked to the window.
Pittsburgh outside the window was shrouded in the deepest darkness before dawn, with only a few streetlights flickering in the gloom.
"If the Democratic National Committee really wants to drive Murphy to his death, and drive me to my death, aren't they afraid I'll flip the table?" Leo stared at his reflection in the glass. "I told the White House before that if they push me too far, I'll take the votes from Pittsburgh and switch sides to the Republican Party."
"This is a devastating blow to the Democrats; they should be afraid of this bargaining chip."
"Even if it was just to keep me calm, they shouldn't have used such a confrontational approach to issue an ultimatum."
"unless"
Leo paused, his eyes sharpening.
"Unless they are certain that the Republicans will never accept me."
Bingo.
Roosevelt snapped his fingers, and although it was just a crisp sound in the space of consciousness, it still sent chills down Leo's spine.
"Child, you've finally seen things clearly."
"Who were you a few months ago? You were a political new star who burst onto the scene with a historic 72 percent vote share."
"You are innocent, you are a hero of the workers, you are the dragon-slaying boy who ousted the corrupt mayor."
"Back then, if you said you wanted to switch parties, the Republican Party would roll out a red carpet to welcome you, because you represented the will of the people and the victory."
"But what about now?"
"Look at yourself now."
Roosevelt's words were like knives piercing the heart.
"You are facing a federal antitrust lawsuit, accused of colluding with oligarchs and betraying the city's sovereignty."
"Your core supporters are calling you a lackey of capital online."
"You are embroiled in corruption rumors, and your political credibility is on the verge of bankruptcy."
"You are now a bad asset to the Republican Party."
"If they accept you, it's like accepting a tainted mess that could explode at any moment."
It turned out to be the case.
With just a little guidance from Roosevelt, Leo immediately grasped the key point.
This is why the lawsuit came so precisely, and why public opinion exploded at the same time.
This is not only to smear him, but also to cut off his escape route.
This series of moves transformed him from a "political bargaining chip" who could be used by both sides into a "political waste" that no one dared to touch.
"and--"
Roosevelt's voice became even deeper.
"In my judgment, the reason why the top leaders of the Democratic Party are so confident, and even dare to issue you an ultimatum, is because they have reliable intelligence channels."
"They know that the Republicans will absolutely not accept you."
Leo frowned: "Why?"
"Think about what Murphy said on the phone just now?"
Leo recalled the conversation he had just had.
He said that the antitrust lawsuit would end as long as Murphy dropped out of the race.
"Yes, that's it." Roosevelt grasped the key point. "Who is the plaintiff in the antitrust lawsuit? It's the Pennsylvania Free Trade Promotion Association."
"On what basis can the Democrats advocate for the plaintiff? On what basis can they guarantee that the lawsuit will end?"
There are only two possibilities here.
Roosevelt held up one finger.
"The first possibility, as you just said, is that this is a purge within the Democratic Party. That association is a front man arranged by Monroe or the National Committee. If that's the case, they can certainly just withdraw."
Leo nodded; this perfectly matched their previous assumptions.
"But, Leo, I've thought about it carefully," Roosevelt's voice was firm. "The possibility is actually very low."
Why?
"From a broader perspective, this doesn't align with the establishment's operating logic. Yes, they want to purge dissidents, but they want to win the election even more."
"Using the Sherman Antitrust Act to attack a major infrastructure project in a city governed by our own party? This is not just a slap in the face to you, it's a slap in the face to the Democratic Party's economic recovery banner."
"If this lawsuit really blows up and proves that the Democratic star mayor is engaging in monopoly and corruption, then during the general election, the Republicans will use this indictment to completely crush all the Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania."
"To kill a challenger within the party, would you hand the opposing party a knife that could stab you in the back? The establishment may be arrogant, but they are by no means stupid."
"This scorched earth policy, which kills a thousand enemies but also loses eight hundred of your own, is usually only done by a madman, while the bureaucrats in Washington are best at risk control."
"It's far too risky to do something like this in a key swing state in order to carry out an internal purge."
"Therefore, this possibility is very small."
Roosevelt raised his second finger.
"That leaves only the second possibility."
"You were sued by Republicans."
"And most likely it's Russell Warren."
Leo's pupils contracted sharply.
"Warren?"
"That's right. Only Warren has the motive and the ability," Roosevelt analyzed.
"The Democrats' current actions are simply an attempt to cut their losses."
"But—" Leo felt his mind was a bit confused. "If Warren filed the lawsuit, why would the Democrats promise that the case would end as long as Murphy withdraws from the race? Can they control Warren?"
"They can't control Warren," Roosevelt said coldly, "but they can read Warren's signals, and there was a key catalyst that made all of this happen—Aston Monroe's panic."
"Recall Warren's speech in Scranton."
"Warren portrayed Murphy as a radical socialist, which actually helped Murphy solidify his left-wing base, but he then turned around and attacked Monroe for being weak."
"Monroe panicked. He realized that Warren was using his attacks to boost Murphy's profile, and he worried that this would make Murphy a real threat to him in the primaries. So, he used all his resources within the party to send a warning to Washington."
"He told the National Committee that if they didn't intervene, Murphy would win the primary."
Leo frowned: "Even if Monroe complains, which explains why the Democrats forced Murphy to step down, it still doesn't explain the core issue."
"How dare they guarantee the lawsuit will be dropped? Did they conspire with the Republicans?"
"Breaking the news? Leo, you're oversimplifying politics."
Roosevelt let out a sneer.
"There's absolutely no need to call and discuss it; it's a tacit understanding built on shared interests."
"What is Warren's purpose in filing this lawsuit? He wants to influence Murphy's campaign. Once Murphy withdraws from the race, Warren's threat will be eliminated, and he has no reason to continue spending a lot of money to fight a lawsuit with no opponent."
"The top leaders of the Democratic Party are well aware of this."
"I even bet that some middleman in Washington has already relayed the message to the ears of the top officials on both sides."
"Republicans want Murphy dead because he can steal blue-collar votes."
"The Democrats want Murphy dead because he ruined the establishment's succession plan."
"In that instant, Warren sat at the same table as the Democratic Party and the National Committee."
"They reached a consensus: as long as Murphy is taken down, and you are taken down, this damn trouble will be solved. Warren dropped the charges, the Democratic National Committee cleaned house, and everyone has a bright future."
"After it was done, Warren had one less dangerous opponent, and he felt he could easily defeat Monroe for re-election. The Democratic Party purged the radical elements within the party, ensuring Monroe would be included in the general election and guaranteeing the purity and control of the policy."
"This is a win-win situation for Washington."
"The only losers are you, Murphy, and Pittsburgh."
That's why they dare to make you promises.
"Because in this deal, you are the sacrifice, and Murphy is the sacrifice."
"And they are the diners who share the offerings."
After listening to Roosevelt's analysis, Leo felt nauseous.
This is more despairing than a mere enemy.
Although the hunters on both sides wore different colored clothes and shouted different slogans, when faced with the same prey that did not want to be controlled, they tacitly lowered their guns, smiled at each other, and then tightened the net together.
"A difficult person to manage, someone who might overturn the table at any moment," Roosevelt said wistfully, "is far more difficult to deal with than an opponent who has a clear stance and plays by the rules."
"For those in power, order is more important than victory or defeat."
Leo finally understood.
The crux of the problem isn't in Pittsburgh, or even in Pennsylvania.
The crux of the matter lies with Sanders.
What they really wanted to eliminate was not Rio Wallace, this small mayor, but Sanders's nascent local power.
They want to make an example of someone.
Just then, the phone rang again.
Leo took a deep breath and regulated his breathing.
He answered the phone.
"Leo—"
Murphy's voice came again.
"I just contacted Sanders' office."
Murphy paused for a long time, as if gathering the strength to say those words.
"What was the result?" Leo asked, though he already had a vague idea of the answer in his mind.
He didn't answer my calls.
Murphy gave a bitter laugh.
"Marcus answered the phone. He told me that the senator was in a meeting and very busy, and didn't have time to deal with these local matters."
"Busy?" Leo sneered. "It's past midnight. Is he busy giving speeches on Capitol Hill?"
"No, Leo, you don't understand."
Murphy's voice lowered.
"Marcus confided in me that this time, Sanders is also preoccupied with his own problems."
"What do you mean?"
"The entire progressive caucus, including members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, who are facing the midterm elections this year, have been attacked to varying degrees in the past week."
Murphy began listing the messages circulating in Washington.
"A progressive female congresswoman in New York had her district suddenly redrawn and filled with a large number of conservative voters. This was done by Democrats in the state legislature."
"The Ohio candidate who supported the Green New Deal withdrew from the race yesterday after it was revealed that he had tax issues from ten years ago."
"A progressive congressman from California had his major donors suddenly withdraw their funding and instead support his primary opponent."
"This isn't an operation targeting just one of us, Leo."
Murphy's voice was filled with fear.
"This is a purge."
"A systematic purge targeting progressive forces across the United States."
"The establishment has made its move."
Leo was shocked.
"Are they crazy?" Leo demanded into the microphone. "The midterm elections are just around the corner! The Republicans are eyeing us like tigers! Are they starting an internal purge now? Don't they want the majority seat?"
"Leo, you're still too young."
Murphy sighed on the other end of the phone.
"In the eyes of the bigwigs in the White House and the National Committee, what is happening now is not a crisis at all."
"For them, this is just a change of candidate within the Democratic Party."
"If I drop out, Aston Monroe will take my place. The name on the ballot will change, but the Democratic Party label next to the name will remain the same."
"As long as that candidate is still a Democrat, as long as he enters Congress and can still follow the whip's orders and press the button to vote, that's enough."
"Compared to a progressive troublemaker who leads an angry crowd and is always ready to cause trouble on the new policies, they clearly prefer an obedient, law-abiding establishment member who, while perhaps lacking in charisma, is safe enough."
"This is their political calculation."
Leo fell silent.
He looked out at the night sky and felt as if the whole world was collapsing.
He thought he was fighting for the party's victory and for the workers' interests.
But in the eyes of those big shots, he was just an unstable variable, a mistake that needed to be corrected.
Roosevelt's voice rang out.
"Whether it's the Regional Economic Recovery Act, which went through many twists and turns in the House of Representatives, or the momentum you're building up now, it makes the establishment feel that the progressives are uncontrollable."
"This midterm election is the perfect opportunity for them to take action."
"Under the guise of uniting against the Republican Party, we will eliminate all the disobedient troublemakers and restore the party's internal dynamics to the state they are familiar with."
"So Murphy's voice became very soft, as if it were drifting from a very far place."
"Sanders also compromised."
"In order to preserve the core of the progressive faction in Parliament and to prevent the entire faction from being uprooted, he had to make a trade."
"He has to give up some of the outer positions."
"We are the abandoned position."
"Marcus relayed Sanders's advice."
Murphy used the word "suggest," but his tone carried only a commanding tone.
"He advised me to consider the bigger picture and end the campaign gracefully."
He said this was the price he had negotiated with the pro-establishment camp.
"As long as I withdraw from the election, the antitrust lawsuit will be dropped, and they won't make a fuss about it anymore. If you work hard, you can still protect your base."
"You can keep your mayoral position, and I can keep my congressional seat."
"We can survive."
"Even though it was like surviving as a dog."
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