September 1 1995

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An excerpt from "Gideon's Torch," by Charles Colson and Ellen Santilli Vaughn.

Make that two crises: Bernie, the president's counsel, has just popped a suspender button while getting dressed for a black-tie aids benefit; and pro-life "terrorists" have hijacked an ABC news feed to broadcast a D&X abortion.

Griswold was on a fast boil. A live abortion on the evening news … his daughter traumatized … get troops moving … take over the studio.

"Let me get this straight, sir." Bernie was seated now at his small conference table, scribbling across a yellow pad with his maroon Mont Blanc pen.

Caroline Atwater, who had seen the broadcast in the press room, had run up the main west wing stairway and down the long corridor to Bernie's reception room, arriving only moments after he picked up the president's call. Bernie's secretary, Barbara Shannon, a plump gray-haired woman who had taken care of her boss through every conceivable crisis for more than a decade, tried to fend her off.

"Please, Ms. Atwater, don't go in," she said, jumping up from her desk. "Mr. O'Keefe is on with the president … see the red light is on … and besides-"

"That's exactly who I want, the president." Caroline threw her head back. "I'm sorry, move aside."

She swung the door open, and there was Bernie O'Keefe sitting at a small conference table, his shirt draped open exposing a hairy chest and rumpled layers of flesh, his white legs punctuated by boxer shorts and dark socks.

Caroline shrieked. Bernie held his hand up, pointed at the door, and shouted, "Shut that!"

"No, no, sir, I wasn't saying 'shut that' to you, Mr. President. It was to Caroline. … Yes, sir, I understand, yes, sir." …

Bernie hung up, darted to the sofa, ...