US Government [Wednesday, October 18, 4th period]

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh was on his cell phone when the government students began arriving. "Ron? Where are you?"

A pause.

"Okay, I should've told you about that bookstore. Sorry."

A longer pause.

"Third door on the right."

A tall man with a serious expression on his face and a buzz cut poked his head into the classroom, glanced around and then walked to the back of the room.

He had an earpiece and a dark suit. Anyone who had ever watched the news could probably guess who was going to come in after him.

Josh bounced to his feet, grinning. "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States."

A distinguished looking man with a warm smile came into the classroom and shook Josh's hand, clearly thrilled to see him. They exchanged pleasantries before he turned towards the students.

"My name is Jed Bartlet," he said, "and I'm the President of the United States back where Josh comes from. Someone else is apparently President in this dimension?" Josh nodded, looking a bit pained and Jed paused for a moment, clearly mulling that concept over. "I understand that you are learning about the Executive Branch. Josh decided to call in a favor and get me to guest lecture."

He sat down at Josh's desk and smiled. "I'm here to answer any questions you might have about the historical powers of the presidency or my experiences with the job in particular." He looked around the room. "Don't be shy."

Comments

Sign in [October 18, USG]

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

...

Re: Sign in [October 18, USG]

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter Pevensie

Re: Sign in [October 18, USG]

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Yasutora Sado

During the lecture

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Pass notes, talk among yourselves.

You know, if you can with the President in the room.

Re: During the lecture

[forgottenpants]

Pete just kind of sat there gawking at President Bartlett.

Re: During the lecture

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh smiled. "He doesn't bite, you know," he whispered.

Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

That's what he's here for, after all.

Re: Ask the president questions!

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow, who still looked tired and a little on the sick side but no way was her mun she going to miss this, raised her hand. "Sir, how do you feel about the witch issue?"

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

"About which issue?" Jed asked, looking a little confused.

Josh was biting his lip to stop from laughing.

Josh was very lucky he couldn't get fired.

Re: Ask the president questions!

[once-a-king.livejournal.com]

Peter took a second to collect his thoughts then asked. "Sir, do you worry about who will follow you as President. With only eight years, how do you know what you do will affect the country after your time is done?"

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Jed gave him a small smile. "Every President worries," he said. "You set plans into motion that will continue long after your administration has left office: economic policies, for example, take years before you can really see their effect. Foreign policy decisions that your predecessors have left can't be reversed overnight. The next person to fill the office can make some fairly sweeping changes, but they cannot reverse everything you've accomplished."

He leaned forward in his chair. "Some Presidents begin worrying about their legacies from the moment they step into that amazing office. I prefer to do the work and let history judge me later."

Re: Ask the president questions!

[proudsidekick.livejournal.com]

Layla raised her hand, going for what she hoped was a simple question. "Sir, what's your favorite part of your job?"

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Jed gave her a warm grin. "I have an opportunity to help influence the history of the world. I can make people's lives better. If that's not worth getting out of bed in the morning for, I don't know what is."

He winked. "And I have my own theme music."

Re: Ask the president questions!

[absolutesnark]

Summer stared in awe. It's not everyday she got to ask the president a question. "Would you mind taking over the presidency in my dimension?"

Because seriously, anyone had to be better than her current president.

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Jed burst out laughing. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to do that, young lady. Is he really so awful?"

Re: Ask the president questions!

[ktarian-wildman.livejournal.com]

Naomi considered her question before raising her hand, "Sir, what are your goals for space exploration?"

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Jed's eyes started to shine. "It's the final frontier, isn't it? A staffer of mine once said that we have to explore Mars because it's what's next. 'For we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill, and we saw fire. And we crossed the ocean, and we pioneered the West, and we took to the sky. The history of Man is hung on the timeline of exploration, and this is what's next.'" Jed grinned. "He was a speechwriter, in case you were wondering."

Re: Ask the president questions!

[senor-chado.livejournal.com]

Noting Naomi's own, uhhh....topical question, Chad raised his hand and asked, "Where do you stand on Mexican border control? And, uhhh...illegal immigrant workers?"

He still wasn't entirely positive his employment at Empire was entirely legal...

Re: Ask the president questions!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Make me have to relive season 6, will you?

"People want a better life," Jed said, "and they want it here. Turning them back won't stop the problem. Building a fence certainly won't stop the problem. The Pilgrims arrived without paperwork. Tens of millions of immigrants came into this country from 1850 to 1920 before we implemented new immigration policies. America stands for freedom throughout the world and has for generations. And every generation of Americans develops a selective memory problem remembering exactly how they got to this land of ours. Diversity is good. New people are good. It makes us stronger, better, more creative. We need to make sure our immigration laws reflect our national idealism, and right now they don't."

He leaned back in the chair. "On the Statue of Liberty, it's written 'give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free'. We shouldn't be angry when they take us up on it."

After class

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Josh and the President are chatting up at the desk. Feel free to interrupt.

OOC

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Jed yay!

Re: OOC

[a-phale.livejournal.com]

[*squee!*]

Re: OOC

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

OMG JED! *cheers*

I just saw Two Cathedrals earlier today. I am filled with love.

Re: OOC

[bookyeve.livejournal.com]

*major squee and wishing one of my characters was in this class!*

Re: OOC

[lovechildblair.livejournal.com]

*loves on you so very much*