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"Prime Minister Goldberg," started the President.
"I've been waiting for your call, Mr. President," answered a slightly irritated Israeli leader.
"I'm sorry I didn't let you know about the operation in advance, but for obvious reasons security has been very tight."
Goldberg, in his typical short manner, chose not to acknowledge the President's reason and instead asked, "Do you have any news to report?"
"I do," replied Hayes. "Approximately an hour ago U. S. Special Forces personnel stormed the Al Hussein Hospital in Baghdad and achieved their primary objective. The weapons we were after are in our possession, and the facility has been destroyed without any damage to the hospital."
There was an incredibly long period of silence on the line before a heartfelt Goldberg replied, "Mr. President, the country of Israel is forever indebted to you."
The President smiled at Kennedy, who was listening on an extension. "That is very kind of you to say. I'm sorry I can't talk long, but I'm looking forward to our visit next week." The Israeli prime minister was due in town shortly for scheduled peace talks with the Palestinians.
"Are you sure my Arab neighbor will show up after what has happened tonight?"
"Oh, I'm sure Yasser will be here. I'm not going to sit on our little secret. I'm going to let all the world know what Saddam was up to."
There was apprehension in Goldberg's voice when he spoke. "I hope that my country's role in this will not be mentioned."
"I appreciate your concern, David, but that goes without saying."
"You are a great ally to the Israeli people, Mr. President."
"And Israel has been a great ally to the U. S." Hayes said this with considerably less conviction than Goldberg had. The President looked at Kennedy who mouthed a name to him. Hayes nodded and spoke into the phone. "David, would you do me a favor and pass along my gratitude and apology to Colonel Freidman."
"I would be happy to, but whatever in the world would you need to apologize for?"
"I gave him a bit of a chilly reception when he was in DC. last week."
"Oh, don't worry about that," laughed Goldberg. "I don't think he expected you to be happy with the news he delivered."
"Well, that doesn't change the fact that I was less than hospitable. It was wrong to treat him the way I did and I would like to apologize. In fact, I think you should bring him along next week. America owes him a debt of gratitude, and I would like to thank him personally."
"In light of the efforts you've made, Mr. President, I think Colonel Freidman would be honored by such a request."
"Good then tell the colonel that I look forward to thanking him in person next week. I have to run now, David." The President listened to Goldberg thank him one more time and then he hung up the phone.
In an extremely rare show of emotion Irene Kennedy smiled and nodded her head in a show of satisfaction. "That was perfect, sir."
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX.
The White House, Monday evening
The President had spent much of the last four hours trying to reassure his chief of staff that he was making the right decision to address the nation from the White House press room. Jones wanted him behind his desk in the Oval Office in a controlled environment. She wanted him reading a carefully scripted speech from a Teleprompter so there was no room for error. No surprises from an overzealous reporter who might be looking to make a name for her or himself. No slipups by the commander in chief on an important issue. The situation was already delicate enough, and there was little room for error.
President Hayes strongly disagreed with his chief of staff. He knew that the truly great speeches, the ones that won people over, were given off the cuff, from the heart. Not when reading from some Teleprompter. Sure, the historians with all of their diplomas would fawn over the great written speeches, but not the people, not the populace. They wanted you to act like a fellow citizen, not a robot. That's what he would do tonight. He was at his best when he just stood up and let it fly.
The President was alone in the Oval Office, taking a moment to organize his thoughts before he went out in front of the cameras. On a legal pad he scratched out his major themes. Like a loosely scripted play he outlined the first, second and final act. It helped immensely that victory was complete. Rapp and the Delta team were safely back in Saudi Arabia with the nukes, and every air crew and special forces soldier was accounted for. His critics both domestically and internationally were still spouting off, taking him to task for the bombing. Either through innuendo or direct attack they were all saying the same thing; that he'd bombed Saddam for political cover. In a few minutes they would all look very petty.
A knock on the door interrupted the conclusion he was working on and then he remembered that he needed to speak to someone before the briefing started. "Come in." The President stood and walked around his desk.
Kennedy entered the room with a very nervous looking Anna Rielly. The President met them halfway and directed them toward the couches by the fireplace. Hayes imagined that NEC was wondering why the President had asked for a private meeting with their White House correspondent just minutes prior to addressing the nation.
"Ladies, please sit." Hayes sat on one couch and Kennedy and Rielly the other. "Anna, Irene tells me you've had a very difficult week."
Rielly, not wanting to talk about her personal life with the President, gave him a curt nod. The truth was it had been hell. If the entire matter in Milan hadn't been bad enough, she'd had to deal with the deluge of phone calls from family, friends and co-workers after Congressman Rudin had showed Mitch's photograph on national TV. The whole world now thought of him as an assassin.
"Well," continued the President, "after all you've been through, I thought you deserved to know a few things before I go out there and address your colleagues." The President paused briefly and then began explaining the events of the last week to a shocked Rielly.