The AFL-CIO leadership had managed to keep potential trouble-makers away from the large meeting room where the President’s speech was to take place. President Hart was given a favorable, if subdued, welcome. The union leaders listened politely enough to the speech, but gave the President a less than enthusiastic ovation when it was over.

Although the speech had not been interrupted by catcalls, or other protest, it had been evident, even before the news correspondents had pointed it out, that the representatives of organized labor had not embraced the President’s message. Indeed, the news coverage had included very little of the message itself, preferring to run continuous video clips of the protests, interspersed with commentary predicting that the President’s plan for UHC was “in trouble.”.

When angry, Helen Hart was not given to violent outburst. She was not known to yell, scream or throw lamps or other furnishings about. She did, however, have a temper. Jonathan Sprague knew from painful experience that, when she was really angry, Helen Hart’s voice actually became quieter, and took on a steely timber. That quiet voice was harder now than Sprague had ever heard it.

The President clearly was not nearly so upset with the protesters as she was with Sprague. “I was blind-sided, Jonathan,” the President stated. “I don’t mind dealing with protesters, they come with the territory. It would be nice if I didn’t have to listen to protests from our supposed friends, and nicer still if I didn’t have to fly 5,000 miles out of my way to hear them, but I can even handle that when I know to expect it.”

“I’m sorry, Madam President,” was all Sprague could offer. She was right, of course. There was no excuse for such a slipup and Sprague made a note to ream the leader of the advance team a new anal orifice on his return to Washington. The President was not through venting, however. The speaking tour had been less than a stunning success. They had managed to avoid other embarrassing episodes like the mess on Maui, but nothing had been resolved. They were no closer to finding an acceptable means of providing universal healthcare than before, and the media had actually recognized and was reporting this fact.