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MY GUESTBOOK
�What have I possibly done to incur the use of the moniker of �Spanky� this time?�
�Josh got you to come,� CJ said happily as we sat down. I noticed that she went out of her way not to sit in Leo�s favourite chair, the one that faced away from the window. I wondered if she had ever sat in that chair. �Maybe you can convince the Congressman to get his head out of his ass about Kazakhstan.�
It was nice to know I was missed. �It�s President-Elect, CJ, and has it not occurred to you that maybe this has all helped rather than hurt matters?�
�What do you mean?� CJ frowned.
�Think about it for a second. Bartlet and Santos are playing geo-political good cop bad cop and its working. Russia and China are closer to an agreement than they�ve been since this whole debacle started,� I said rationally. Every comment that Santos made, every subtle battle the President and the President-Elect had let leak was carefully orchestrated to make Russia and China believe that dealing with Bartlet would be easier than the �iron fist� of Santos. It was almost brilliant in its simplicity. I could understand why Josh and CJ, not to mention Russia and China, couldn�t see what was happening�they were all too close to see that they were all being played. �You starting to see what I�m talking about?� I asked when I saw comprehension flash across CJ�s eyes.
�He�s been using me!� CJ stated.
�And it was easy until you came back to town, Sam,� a familiar voice said from the doorway that connected the Chief of Staff�s office to the Oval.
CJ and I got to our feet. �Good afternoon, Mr President,� CJ said, her voice as cold as it had been whenever we withheld things from her when she was Press Secretary.
Bartlet nodded to CJ and motioned for us to sit back down while he came in and chose the chair that CJ had so carefully avoided. �When did you get back to town, Sam?� he asked me, as if I was any former employee and he was any former boss.
�This morning,� I said.
�Josh convinced him to sign on as Deputy Chief of Staff,� CJ put in civilly, though I knew she was angry and probably a little hurt.
�Getting back in the game, huh?� Bartlet asked me.
I shrugged. He still wanted me to run for office, to be President one day, but there was no way I would put Sara through that. Having a relationship while being the guy behind the scenes is hard enough. Having a relationship while being the guy is impossible. I know there are success stories, but the broken marriages far outnumber the lasting ones.