Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt-Chapter 102 - 69: From Guest to Host

Carter Wright’s hand, holding the cigar, froze in mid-air.

Leo’s voice continued to emanate from the television.

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for giving our ’Pittsburgh Revival Plan’ such high praise in public."

"This isn’t just a personal endorsement. More importantly, it proves one thing."

Leo turned and pointed to the large screen behind him, his expression growing serious.

"This proves that even an Establishment Faction official like Mayor Carter Wright, who represents the old system and its outdated ideas, must concede when faced with iron-clad facts. He has to admit that the path we champion is the only future for Pittsburgh."

"The Mayor’s praise is, in effect, a public endorsement of our progressive ideals. It shows that even he has realized his old playbook from the last eight years just doesn’t work anymore."

The corner of Carter Wright’s mouth twitched.

But that wasn’t the deadliest blow.

On the television, Leo changed his tack. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the lectern and staring directly into the camera lens.

"Since Mr. Mayor identifies so strongly with my ideals and so admires my capabilities..."

"Then, right here, in front of all the citizens of Pittsburgh, I would like to extend a formal invitation to Mr. Carter Wright."

Leo extended his hand in an inviting gesture.

"I cordially invite Mr. Martin Carter Wright to join my Citizens’ Advisory Committee after he steps down from his position as Mayor."

"I am confident that after he transfers administrative authority of the city to me, we can draw on his many years of experience to find a suitable role for him in the new city government, a place where he can continue to contribute."

"I will personally help him on this committee. I will teach him what it means to truly serve the people in a practical, down-to-earth way."

THUD.

The cigar fell from Carter Wright’s hand, clattered onto the desk, then rolled onto his pant leg, burning a black hole through the fabric.

He stared, transfixed, at the screen.

Leo hadn’t refuted his praise. He had accepted it completely and taken it a step further.

Leo had constructed an entirely new narrative: Carter Wright was praising him because Carter Wright was old, washed up, and bowing before the future king.

Leo positioned himself as the ’future mayor,’ while casting Carter Wright as a ’retiree-in-waiting’ and a ’subordinate in need of education.’

To his supporters, Leo’s rhetoric sent a clear signal: See? Even the Mayor has bowed to our truth. I am educating him, not surrendering to him.

To the swing voters, Leo projected the aura of a bipartisan leader.

He was magnanimous and self-assured, already carrying the air of a successor.

As for Carter Wright himself...

He was being roasted over an open flame.

The only thing he could do was ignore it.

Scott Reed stood to one side, his mouth agape and his face pale.

On the television, Leo finished his speech and turned to leave.

He left the audience with the image of his back—confident, resolute, and in complete control.

Carter Wright frantically patted at the embers on his pants.

The air filled with the smell of scorched fabric.

After the initial panic, however, Carter Wright’s face didn’t twist into a flustered rage.

Instead, as he stared at the dimming screen, a flicker of admiration surfaced in his eyes.

"Brilliant."

Carter Wright muttered.

"That move... using my own momentum against me, turning the tables... just brilliant."

He turned and glanced at his campaign manager, Scott, who stood beside him looking like a clueless fool. The disgust in his eyes was undisguised.

"There’s no way that young punk came up with that on his own, Scott."

"The kind of person who could devise a response like that..."

Carter Wright took a deep breath. He was finally realizing what he was up against.

"That’s the kind of move a top-tier political operator makes. That’s textbook-level public relations."

"Looks like the rumors are true. That old bastard Murphy really spared no expense, lending his best Washington advisory team to that kid."

"Just what you’d expect from the Washington elite." Carter Wright sneered. "They operate on a whole different level."

He realized he had made a colossal mistake.

He had underestimated his opponent’s intelligence, and he had underestimated the power backing him.

But it didn’t matter. This was just one round.

The race was far from over.