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Callaroga Shark Media, Welcome to Acting President, Episode one pilot.
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The morning after The Insurgent premiered, James Jimmy Bennett woke
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to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly on his nightstand.
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Twenty seven text messages, forty two emails in a series
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of increasingly excited voicemails from his publicist, Emma Delgado. He'd
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been in Hollywood long enough to know what this meant.
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His new show was a hit. Bennett had spent the
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last decade focused on politics. Terms as California's governor left
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him with a reputation as a moderate who could work
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across the aisle, a rare commodity in today's political landscape.
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Before that, he'd been an action star, not quite a list,
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but reliable box office for a solid fifteen years. When
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Pantheon Plus approached him about The Insurgent, he'd been skeptical.
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The premise seemed provocative. Bennett would play a fictionalized version
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of himself, a former actor and governor who disenchanted with
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the current administration gets pulled into a conspiracy to overthrow
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the government. The pitch had come just six months after
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he left office, while he was still considering his next move.
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It's fiction, governor, the showrunner had assured him, but with
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just enough reality to make viewers wonder. That's the sweet spot.
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Bennett hadn't expected the show to become an overnight sensation.
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The Nielsen data, Emma texted showed it had shattered Pantheon
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Plus's previous premiere. Bennett scrolled through the reviews as his
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coffee brewed in his Malibu kitchen, ocean waves visible through
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Florida ceiling windows. The trades had called his performance surprisingly nuanced.
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The Time said the show raised uncomfortable questions about the
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fragility of American democracy. The entertainment websites compared it to
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House of Cards in Homeland, with a dash of wish
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fulfillment fantasy for those disillusioned with the current political climate.
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When Emma called, she didn't just sound excited. There was
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concern underlying her congratulations. People were talking about the show
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like it was Bennett's political statement. The line between him
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and the character was getting blurry already. Bennett laughed it off.
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That was the point, wasn't it. That's why they cast him.
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Emma cautioned him to be careful in interviews. Make it clear,
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you're playing a role, She insisted. President Stillman's people are
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already calling, wanting to know if this is your way
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of testing political waters. Again, Bennett assured her he had
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no intention of going back into politics, at least not anytime.
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Soon after two terms as governor, he was enjoying the
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relative freedom of being a private citizen again. The show
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was just a role, good acting, nothing more. Over the
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next few days, Bennett's schedule filled with press junkets, late
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night appearances, and radio interviews. Everyone wanted to know the
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same thing. How much of the fictional Jimmy Bennett reflected
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the real one. The character is frustrated with the direction
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of the country, Bennett carefully explained on the morning show.
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I think many Americans share that frustration, regardless of political affiliation.
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But orchestrating a coup that's pure fiction. Would you ever
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consider running for president? The host pressed, Bennett offered his
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practice smile. I've learned to never say never, But right
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now I'm focused on my return to end entertainment. If
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people want political commentary for me, they'll have to look
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for the subtext in my performance. By the end of
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the week, the viewership for episode one had doubled with
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on demand streaming. Social media couldn't stop dissecting every scene,
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looking for parallels between Bennett's character and his actual political positions.
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Pantheon Plus's marketing team capitalized on the buzz, releasing cryptic
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teasers for upcoming episodes that further blurred the line between
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fiction and reality. The Sunday night following the premiere, Bennett
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found himself watching the social media response in real time
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as episode two dropped. Hashtags about the show dominated trending topics,
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Gifts and clips from pivotal scenes circulated at a frantic pace.
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One scene in particular, where Bennett's character addresses a room
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full of disaffected politicians and military officials, was being shared
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with captions like where's the lie. Though in bennett twenty
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twenty eight, Emma had advised him to stay off social media,
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but Bennett couldn't resist the blurring of fiction and reality
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had become fascinating, like watching an experiment unfold, where he
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was both scientist and subject. The show was tapping into
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something real, a current of dissatisfaction, a hunger for disruption
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of the status quo. His phone rang a number he
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didn't recognize, but with a DC Area code Governor Bennett.
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The voice was familiar, though Bennett couldn't immediately place it.
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It's been a while, Then it clicked. Victor Harding, his
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former chief of staff during his first term as governor,
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the man who'd helped architect his political rise before differences
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in their vision led to an amicable parting of ways.
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Harding had gone on to work for several high profile
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administration officials in Washington. Victor Bennett said, genuinely surprised, it
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has been a while. Quite the show you've got there.
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Harding's tone was difficult to read. I'm in California for
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a few days. Thought I might stop by catch up
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if you're not too busy being a television star.
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Welcome to Insurgent Theory. I'm your host, Garrett Fischer breaking
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down every twist, turn and political machination in Pantheon Plus's
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explosive new drama The Insurgent. Today, we're dissecting that premiere
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that has everyone talking. First off, can we acknowledge the
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absolute genius of casting James Bennett to play himself. The
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man governed California for eight years, with approval ratings that
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never dip below sixty percent. He's practically American royalty, and
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now he's starring in a show about overthrowing the government.
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That's either the most brilliant meta commentary on our political
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system or it's wildly irresponsible. Maybe both. For those who
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haven't watched, Thought suggests that's approximately twelve people in America.
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The Insurgent follows a fictionalized version of Bennett, who, after
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leaving the governor's office, becomes increasingly disillusioned with President Stillman's administration.
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The parallels to reality are impossible to ignore. Bennett did
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criticize Stillman's tariff policies during his final press conference as governor.
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But here's where things get interesting, folks. Bennett's character gets
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approached by a shadowy cabal of political operatives, military officials,
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and tech billionaires who believe American democracy is failing. They
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think Bennett is the only person with enough popularity to
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lead what they call a course correction, not a coup,
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mind you, a course correction. Gotta love that euphemism. The
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question the show asks is what would happen if a
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genuinely popular public figure decided the system was broken beyond repair?
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What if they had resources, connections, and public goodwill could
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they actually pull off restructuring the government outside constitutional means?
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Now I've got my theories about where this is headed.
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But let's talk about that scene in Bennett's Malibu home
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where he's watching President Stillman announce another round of tariffs.
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The camera holds on Bennett's face for a full thirty seconds,
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no dialogue, just that slow burn of frustration. That's not
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acting people, that's the real James Bennett's showing through. But
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here's what's bugging me. And listen, I love this show.
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I'm all in, But some of these coincidences are just
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too convenient. The way Bennett's character just happens to run
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into a disgruntled general at his jem, the way his
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former chief of staff just happens to have connections to
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intelligence agencies. The writers are asking us to suspend a
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lot of disbelief here. Still, I can't wait for Episode two.
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Previews suggest we'll see Bennett starting to assemble his team.
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Will he cross the point of no return? And how
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far is this show willing to go? If you're loving
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these theories, follow Insurgent Theory exclusively on Calaoga Shark Media,
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wherever you get your shows until next week I'm Garrett Fischer,
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reminding you that the line between fiction and reality isn't
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always as clear as we'd like to think.
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Two days later, Bennett agreed to meet Victor Harding at
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his home. For old time's sake, he told himself, though
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curiosity was the greater motivator. What did his former chief
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of staff want after all this time? Harding arrived in
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a sleek BLACKOUTI dressed in the same impeccable suits. Bennett remembered.
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He'd aged well in the years since they'd worked together,
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a touch of silver at the temples, perhaps a few
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more lines around the eyes, but still carrying himself with
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that quiet assurance that had made him such an effective
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political operative. They settled in Bennett's backyard patio overlooking the Pacific.
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The conversation began with pleasantries, mutual connections, shared memories from
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the Governor's office, Harding's recent consulting work for various Washington
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power players. I have to say, Harding finally, said, swirling
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the Scotch Bennett had poured. Your show has made quite
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the impression. In certain circles. People are talking. Good ratings
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are hard to ignore. Bennett replied with practiced modesty. It's
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not just the ratings, Harding leaned forward, it's the premise.
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It's got people thinking. Bennett chuckled, it's just entertainment, victor
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is it? Harding's expression remained neutral, but his eyes were intent.
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Because your fictional self makes some compelling points about the
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state of things. Those tariffs are crippling certain industries. The
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executive orders are bypassing congressional oversight. The courts are being packed.
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I remember you expressing similar concerns when you were in office.
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Everyone has concerns, Bennett said, carefully. That doesn't mean I'd
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advocate for what the character is suggesting, of course not.
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Harding smiled thinly. But hypothetically, do you think something like
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that could work in the show? I mean, Bennett studied
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his former advisor. The writers seem to think so. Critics
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are divided. Some call it a fascinating thought experiment, others
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dangerous fantasy. And what do you think? I think it
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makes for good drama, Bennett answered diplomatically. Harding set down
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his glass. President Stillman's approval rating hit thirty four percent
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this morning, lowest of his presidency. Congress is deadlocked, the
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Supreme Court is making increasingly partisan decisions. Foreign powers are
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testing our resolve on multiple fronts. He paused, what if
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it's not just drama, Jimmy, what if it's prophecy. Bennett laughed,
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but the sound fell flat. Now you sound like one
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of those conspiracy theorists online. I just find it interesting.
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Harding continued, undeterred that you chose this role, this specific role,
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at this specific time. I didn't write it, Victor, I'm
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just playing the part convincingly. Harding stood walking to the
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edge of the patio to look out at the ocean.
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You know, when we worked together, I always thought you
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were playing the long game, that governorship was just a
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stepping stone. Then you stepped aside after two terms, when
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you could have run for Senate or positioned yourself for
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a presidential campaign. I did my service, Bennett said, eight
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years was enough. Harding turned back to face him. What
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if it wasn't What if there was another way to
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serve a more direct approach. The conversation had taken a
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turn that left Bennett uneasy. Was his former chief of
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staff suggesting what it seemed he was suggesting, President Stillman
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has three more years in office. Bennett pointed out, potentially
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seven if he wins reelection. That's the system. We wait
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our turn. Harding's smile was an amatic what if it
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didn't have to be What if what's happening on your
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show could happen in real life with you. At the helm,
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Bennett stared at his former advisor, a chill running through him.
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Despite the warm California evening, the line between fiction and reality,
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already blurred by his role, suddenly seemed to be dissolving altogether.
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In the most disturbing part, for just a moment before
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his better judgment kicked in, Bennett found himself considering the possibility.
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Acting President has been a production of Caloroga Shark Media
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executive producers John McDermott and Mark Francis. Elements of AI
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have been used in the production of this episode.