POTUS’d Episode 5: The Next President


BOBBY and HOWARD are in BOBBY’s living room. BOBBY is confined to his house as he continues to get weaker.


HOWARD
Inauguration Day is getting close.

BOBBY
I’M AWARE OF THAT! Sorry, I’ve been a little irritable lately.

HOWARD
Think you’ll make it?

BOBBY
Eh. I might. But I’m not thinking of holding on as President.

HOWARD
Didn’t think that was ever even on the table.

BOBBY
The question is, when do I step down?

HOWARD
I’d say today.

BOBBY
Nah, it can wait a little bit.

HOWARD
Inauguration Day is tomorrow.

BOBBY
Hey! Maybe I’ll make it!

HOWARD
Bobby...

BOBBY
I know, I should make the announcement.

HOWARD
Want to film it now?

BOBBY
Sure.

HOWARD takes out his phone and starts to record BOBBY.

BOBBY
Good afternoon everyone. As you may know, I have been elected President. But there’s something I have to tell you. I can’t do it. I am terminally ill. I am hereby resigning. Vice President-Elect Bobby will take it from here. Goodbye.

HOWARD stops the video.

BOBBY
Was that okay?

HOWARD
It was good. You said what you needed to say.

BOBBY
Good. How will the word get out?

HOWARD
I am about to send it to all the major news outlets. They’ll pick it up. Maybe I have to do some interviews, but you’re all set.

BOBBY
Looks like my political career is over now.

HOWARD 
Looks like it.

BOBBY
It’s for the best. This country deserves a President who is mentally and physically fit, and that simply is not me at all.

HOWARD
We’ve been over this.

HOWARD sends the video to major news outlets. Shortly thereafter, he turns on the television and goes on the Internet. All major news outlets are already covering the story. BOBBY watches TV with him.

BOBBY
How come they don’t look more shocked?

HOWARD
I’m sure they’re shocked, they’re just keeping a straight face. It’s their job.

HOWARD turns the volume up.

PANELIST 1
Honestly, this does not come as a shock to me at all.

PANELIST 2
Yeah, former President-Elect Tilbourne has not looked good lately, and public appearances have been few and far between.

PANELIST 3
It is amazing though, how he just released this news today. This has to be a clear shock to former Vice President-Elect, now President-Elect, Howard Brooks.

PANELIST 4
I don’t think so.

PANELIST 5
Clearly a shocker to me—hold up, what were you saying?

PANELIST 4
Brooks is a smart man. He had to have seen this coming. And Bobby Tilbourne always seemed reluctant to be around him. Plus, their political ideologies are completely different. I sense a major scandal coming.

PANELIST 2
Alright that’s enough now. More coming up after this commercial.

HOWARD shuts the television off.

BOBBY
This is not good for you, is it?

HOWARD
I’ll just have to remember to keep denying.

BOBBY hears the phone ring. He answers it.

BOBBY (on the phone)
Yes, Howard did know about this the whole time.

BOBBY (putting the phone down)
Howard, they want to talk to you. It’s Pam Tulina.

BOBBY passes the phone to HOWARD

HOWARD
Hello?

PAM
Hello Howard Brooks, this is Pam Tulina, I’m sure you’ve heard of me.

HOWARD
Yes, I am very sorry for your defeat.

PAM
Oh it’s okay. I’ll be President soon enough.

HOWARD (chuckling)
Maybe in eight years.

PAM
Nah, I mean tomorrow. Bobby told me you knew he was terminally ill.

HOWARD
I knew of no such thing!

PAM
You can deny it all you want, we have it on record now.

HOWARD
You can’t record phone calls, that’s illegal. And he’s confused. I mean joking. He’s confusedly joking.

PAM
Cut out the crap, you’re only fooling yourself. Once this gets out to the major media outlets, your political career is over.

HOWARD
No! I’m just starting out and we’re going to make a lot of progress in my Presidency, you don’t want to do this! He was joking!

PAM
Just like how he was joking at that rally about you being the next President?

HOWARD
Yes! All a joke! I knew nothing about this.

PAM
Are you willing to testify to Congress about it?

HOWARD
Um...yeah. Yes, I’ll testify to Congress.

PAM
Alright, I’ll notify them and we can set up a video meeting in a few minutes. Bye.

PAM hangs up the phone. HOWARD looks at BOBBY in shock.

HOWARD
Bobby, I am so sorry that this is how things are going—Bobby? Bobby? Where’d you go?

HOWARD worriedly runs out of the office and into BOBBY’s bedroom. He opens the door.

HOWARD
Bobby? Bobby? Bobby?!?! Wake up! Please, wake up!

HOWARD stops yelling, realizing what just happened. He stands in shock, and then kneels down and starts to tear up. Not knowing what to do, he slowly walks back to BOBBY’s office and finds a video chat invitation. He opens it. He sees everyone in the House of Representatives in their camber. They start to ask him questions. HOWARD is asked if he knew about BOBBY’s condition.

HOWARD (after a long pause)
No, I did not know about his condition.

PAM runs into the chamber.

PAM
Not so fast!

PAM plays the recording of BOBBY talking to her on the phone from minutes before. Congress asks HOWARD to bring BOBBY onto the call.

HOWARD
I am afraid that cannot be done.

PAM
Just bring him on the call, please, we don’t have all day.

HOWARD
No.

HOWARD is told he needs to put BOBBY on the call by many representatives.

HOWARD
I’m sorry, but you can’t speak to him. Bobby isn’t with us any longer.

PAM
Oh that’s ridiculous, I was just talking to him!

HOWARD
It’s true.

PAM
Prove it.

HOWARD
I’m not going to prove it, you just have to take my word for it.

The House Speaker explains that while Inauguration Day will remain tomorrow, they will hold an impeachment vote against him as soon as he enters office. If he is removed from office, PAM will become President.

HOWARD
Come on, you have to give me a chance!

PAM
Looks like I might be President soon. 

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