Johnson and Hardy talked for four or five hours, and as they were about to wrap up, Hardy said, "Mr. President, you know that ABC Television is mine. If you need any promotional help, I'm willing to assist."
Hearing this, Johnson knew that Hardy was ready to support him. Chapter Explore:
He smiled broadly.
"Thank you, Hardy. I do indeed need that kind of help," Johnson replied.
Since he had already chosen to support him, Hardy decided to do the job perfectly.
"Mr. President, I'm planning to arrange an exclusive interview for you. You've probably seen 'The Irina Tonight Show .' We could do an interview there first, the program has a more approachable style."
"In the future, if you plan to hold large scale speeches, ABC Television can broadcast them live."
"I also have an idea to produce a few docuntaries about you, starting from your ti in office, highlighting your contributions to the country, like ordering the nuclear bombings of Japan and ending Germany's war of aggression."
"If you have policy proposals, you can publish them in the Global Tis. The Global Tis now has nationwide coverage, so I believe it would be an excellent way for people to understand your vision for the future."
After hearing Hardy's suggestions, Johnson beca sowhat excited. He hadn't expected Hardy to arrange everything so thoroughly.
The Irina Tonight Show could showcase his more relatable side.
Live broadcasts of his speeches would an addressing the entire Arican public, far more effective than any single speech.
Promotion in the Global Tis.
And that docuntary proposal, this truly surprised Johnson, sothing he hadn't thought of at all.
After Hardy brought it up, Johnson suddenly realized this could be an excellent promotional point, and it was one of the key differences between him and Dewey. Dewey was just a politician, the governor of New York, while Johnson had already been president for over three years. Ending World War II was undoubtedly his most praiseworthy achievent.
"Hardy, you've thought of everything. Thank you for your support, Hardy," Johnson said sincerely.
This year's election was indeed extrely difficult for Johnson.
His opponent was very strong. Dewey had the backing of the Republican Party, high public approval ratings, and abundant campaign funds, allowing him to give speeches all over the place. Dewey had now beco the people's choice for the next president.
As for Johnson, his support within his own party was weak, public approval was low, and he was severely lacking in campaign funds, to the point where he couldn't even organize a large scale speech.
People in his party had lost faith in him. The party chairman, Robert Hannegan, had even advised Johnson "not to appear at campaign events to avoid demoralizing supporters." This left Johnson with no choice but to hole up in the White House every day.
Now that Hardy had clearly expressed his support, and with such significant backing, Johnson was naturally pleasantly surprised.
"This is just the promotional aspect," Hardy said.
Johnson paused. Was there more help?
Hardy continued, "I plan to contribute $2 million to your campaign fund to support your campaign activities."
Johnson was overjoyed.
He desperately needed money right now. Without money, many activities couldn't be organized. Up to this point, he hadn't been able to hold a single proper campaign speech.
Providing help in a ti of crisis is far more valuable than adding icing on the cake. Unlike the usual candidates seeking sponsorship in exchange for benefits, Hardy's assistance ca at Johnson's most critical mont, genuinely touching him.
Hardy continued.
"You know I own an airline. You'll certainly need to travel across the country for speeches during this ti. HD Airlines can arrange all your trips at any ti, and I'll cover all the expenses."
"Hardy, I sincerely thank you."
Johnson grasped Hardy's hand firmly, and Hardy could feel the intensity of his emotions.
"Mr. President, if you need any more promotional help, I can provide further assistance," Hardy added.
"You know I'm the president of the Actors Guild. If you need, I can invite so Hollywood stars to endorse you."
Hardy's thinking was simple: this was a big gamble for him, so if he was going to play, he'd give it his all.
Johnson was well aware of how powerful those stars were. If he wanted to organize a rally with a thousand attendees, it might take a long ti to plan, but if a star announced they wanted to et their fans in a certain place, thousands or even tens of thousands of people would flock to the venue within few hours.
That's the power of super stars.
Johnson received Hardy's support, which could be said to be the most substantial backing he had received since announcing his candidacy. Of course, he knew that Hardy's support ca with its own motives, if Johnson were to win re-election, he would undoubtedly have to support Hardy's endeavors in return.
Johnson had no objections to this at all.
In fact, this was sothing that every president of the United States had to do, and it had beco an unwritten rule among the upper echelons. Anyone attempting to break this rule would surely face severe consequences.
After bidding farewell, Hardy imdiately boarded his private plane and flew back to Los Angeles.
Johnson, buoyed by Hardy's strong support, felt significantly more confident. Upon returning, he began planning his next moves.
He instructed the White House Office to prepare materials for him to participate in ABC's "Irina Tonight Show."
After appearing on the show, he planned to embark on a large scale nationwide tour, during which he would invite Hardy to send so celebrities to help draw crowds.
Moreover, before the tour, he intended to host a White House gala, inviting all his supporters to attend and holding a fundraising event.
...
Upon his return to Los Angeles, Hardy imdiately summoned ABC Television's director, William Fox, and Irina.
"William, have the docuntary production departnt create a docuntary about President Johnson, focusing on military warfare, public welfare, diplomacy, and the economy."
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