America 1982-Chapter 280 - 10: Welcome to Your TV Station_3

"It’s up to you, I’m just responsible for introducing clients and running advertisements. As for how KeyBank operates, I don’t get involved. You can go now; someone else will be coming to see me soon."

"I bet it’s a woman."

"No, it’s a black man. The reason I had you settle Ottelia’s matter last week is partly because of him. He accounts for about 10 percent?"

Jim took his feet off the table and asked with some confusion, "You’re not likely to marry Ottelia off to him, are you? And you actually say that sending Ottelia to the New World Foundation has something to do with a black man?"

"Of course. I even thought of a name for the child Ottelia would bear me, Jim. How could I possibly let Ottelia marry a black man?"

"Clap, clap, clap, clap~" Jim stood up from his chair and clapped his hands, "Goodbye, wish that black foreman good luck for me. I am damn glad that when I met you, you were still human, and I’m even more grateful that I’m white, Tommy."

"Right, thank you for your praise and flattery. I know that in your heart right now, I have become the perfect righteous man..."

Without looking back, Jim walked out of Tommy’s office, "F*ck you! Righteous Tommy!"

...

"Mr. Hawk, I am Earl Rash, but you can call me Earl." Earl Rash looked like the most honest and reliable black friend by your side, his mouth full of neat and white teeth, and his face beaming with a genial smile, as he extended his hand to Tommy.

Tommy gripped his hand firmly in return, "Didn’t Delia say that my friends usually call me Tommy, Mr. Earl Rash?"

"Well then, Tommy, that’s quite a firm handshake. Do you work out often?" Earl withdrew his hand and made an exaggerated hand-shaking gesture to Tommy.

With a smile, Tommy gestured for him to enter the living room of the villa, which was currently staffed by only Martin, "I’ve actually just started working with a personal fitness trainer to come up with a fitness plan, because I understand a lot of black people like to work out. Maybe that would give us something to talk about."

"Racial stereotypes are everywhere, and that’s this country’s fault. In law school, I was just like you. I used to think that every white person who got good grades was gay, because that’s what my black friends said, so I went to ask and ended up being regarded as an idiot by my white classmates," Earl Rash explained his perception of white people during his college years after hearing Tommy’s remark about black people liking to work out.

"So, give me some advice. Should I fire that fitness trainer after all? Her salary is quite expensive," Tommy asked, smiling towards Earl Rash after he had taken a seat.

Earl Rash looked at Tommy with a soft gaze and said with a hint of helplessness, "That statement of yours conveys a lot, and I’m not sure if you want me to advise you to fire her or if you’re looking for a reason to keep her on, Mr. Hawk."

"Alright, I understand." Tommy laughed. After Dorothy brought over drinks and then excused herself again, he continued to Earl, "Delia must have introduced you to some information about me and BT Television, my requirements, right?"

Earl Rash nodded, "That’s right, Ms. Case did share some details about you."

"OK, then let’s skip the small talk and discuss topics of mutual interest, such as why you think I want a lawyer rather than a professional manager to run a TV station?" Tommy took a sip of juice from the glass beside him, his gaze expectant as he looked at Earl Rash.

Earl Rash didn’t immediately reply; he just smiled at Tommy, watching him drink small sips of the coconut juice, until Tommy put down his glass. Then Earl Rash slowly began, "Because it’s not about business, it’s about politics. You don’t need a black manager to increase your financial income, but rather a black politician to help you seize political advantage?"

"So you think that someone who has failed even in the campaign for a seat on the Oakland City Council could be a qualified politician, Er?"

"Of course, losing to the Republican Party is not surprising since California is the stronghold of President Reagan, a Republican. As long as you give me the platform to raise my profile, the Democratic Party will give me the opportunity for an internal nomination. I think this is my job, or should I say, our cooperation?"

"You speak well, but still lack depth, Er. As a late bloomer in law, it’s already quite good of you to say such things, but it’s still not enough. However, it’s sufficient for us to move on to the second topic now, like how CBS, NBC, and ABC, the three major TV networks, tend to support the Democratic Party and liberals. In your opinion, which stance should BT Television take?"

Er laughed as if at his own expense: "The Black Panther Party, the Democratic Party—if I now say that BT Television should support the Republican Party, that would mean I’ve changed my position three times. If I were a businessman, I’d naturally think the Republican Party is the best choice, convenient for starting cooperation, seizing benefits, but I’m not a businessman. So I think the value of black people lies in not rushing to declare a stance, which makes it more convenient for both sides to make offers. Everything is negotiable."

"If you were in charge of BT Television, what would you do after it starts broadcasting?"

"I’m not good at the production side of the programming, but if the show is successful, gains a small-scale viewer popularity, and the funds flow back normally, I would target an ordinary television station with similar viewership, create an opportunity to acquire it at a low price, and grow BT."

"You’ve done a lot of preparation work."

"So, Mr. Hawk, was my guess just now accurate?"

Tommy’s gaze shifted to a blank space for a few seconds before he looked back at Er: "If it’s untrue, you’ve spoken flawlessly. If it’s true, Er, then you’re only at the level of a mayoral candidate for a small city of tens of thousands." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"Good, because that’s exactly how I intended to speak. You’ve seen through me and didn’t continue to flatter me against your better judgment. This makes me believe that you’re not preparing to make me a puppet. After all, my answers earlier sounded just like those of a perfect puppet." Er also looked at Tommy with a smile:

"Political and business harmony must be bilateral, right?"

"Are you married?"

"I have a white wife, been married for seven years, and the relationship is still quite good."

"I suggest you find yourself a black wife because my woman is a board member of the New World Foundation. She won’t recommend another white woman to join the foundation. Bilateral, how’s my attitude towards commitment?"

"Full of sincerity."

"Then perhaps you’d be willing to slightly raise the standard you have for me as a candidate in your mind?"

"Use the television station to first gather the black community, then at an important political juncture in California, trigger a black conflict. After drawing everyone’s attention, we perfectly quell the dispute, proving to all that we have a strong sense of social responsibility, and at the same time telling potential collaborators that BT Television has leadership over the black community."

"Before, you were only at the standard of a small town mayoral candidate, but now, you’re at the standard of a mayoral candidate for a big city like Los Angeles."

"I think, managing BT Television, the level of a Los Angeles mayor should be enough."

"Of course, welcome to your own television station, Er."