Amendment XXIX - SYNOPSIS
It is a presidential election year. The Republican candidate is weak
and linked to a series of scandals. The Democratic candidate, Senator
Rathburn Stoddard, should have it locked except that a charismatic business
tycoon has formed a third political party with the intent of transforming
the American political system. The interloper seeks to give citizens
the right to vote directly on major issues through binding national referenda.
That, of course, is a threat to Washington norms.
However, the new Voice of Independence Party (V.I.P.) is a victim
of its own success. The founder's granddaughter is kidnapped.
To ensure her safe return, the V.I.P. candidate is forced to withdraw from
the presidential race. The party leaders need a viable replacement immediately
or their fragile movement will disintegrate. They decide to approach
Mr. Thomas Jefferson (“T. J.”) Carroll. Carroll is the wealthy owner
and editor of a major national magazine, a decorated war veteran, and son
of the well-known Ambassador Jefferson Carroll.
T. J. just happens to be looking for a new challenge. Several factors
compel him to accept. He needs something to fill the void left by
a wife lost to illness and he is no longer satisfied with political commentary
from the sidelines. Besides, it seems to be a Carroll family legacy
to champion the downtrodden. As his grandfather once said, “You fight
for the lost causes hardest of all.
Retired Senator Maggie Russell, a feisty old campaigner from Texas, complements
Carroll’s quiet leadership. She is the vice-presidential nominee for
the V.I.P. And in Smokey Weston, a wily campaign strategist with the
demeanor of a Montana cowpoke, he finds a comrade and confidant to replace
his late father (though Weston is confined to a wheel chair). This
team gradually energizes the disaffected citizens of America and mounts a
renewed threat to the Stoddard campaign. A brilliant performance
in the presidential debate, coupled with last minute blunders by the Stoddard
machine, lead to a nail-biting election. Carroll manages a narrow
victory. It’s on to the White House.
Another member of Carroll’s campaign staff is southern-born divorcee, Laura
McLaughlin, his chief speechwriter. There is an instant attraction.
Both struggle, however, to maintain a professional relationship. They
are the last to realize love is blossoming. With the election over,
they succumb to their emotions and soon after taking office, T. J. proposes
to Laura in the Oval Office. She becomes the new First Lady and his
strong right arm in the fight for political reform.
As President, Carroll battles Congress for passage of the 29th Amendment;
a change that would implement the national referendum system. This
would mean nothing less than the dawn of direct democracy in America.
Senator Rath Stoddard leads the opposition. He plots to preserve the
status quo through political maneuvers and dirty tricks. In a last-ditch
effort to derail the President’s initiative, an over-zealous member of the
Senator's staff orchestrates an assassination attempt. The ambush fails,
but there are several casualties. The FBI soon discovers the link to
Stoddard.
In the climactic scenes, Carroll orchestrates an ambush of his own.
He addresses a special joint session of Congress on July 3rd and simultaneously
calls for a great march on The Capitol to demonstrate public support for
the amendment. Passionate debate rages through the night.
Carroll finally reveals Stoddard’s role in the attempt on his life and maneuvers
Congress into a compromise. As dawn breaks on July 4th, President
Carroll emerges to tell a huge crowd surrounding the Capitol that democracy
is born again in America and in the world.
Amendment XXIX Photo Gallery ----- Author Biography
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