We ordered rum-and-cokes at the bar and I asked Ian, "Is Reb leaving,
too?"
"He doesn't know what he's going to do yet. It's all happened pretty
fast. One minute we're up there with the world's top news services and
the next minute we're a government mouthpiece."
"You mean World Wide sold out?"
"Lock, stock and teletypes. It was one of those top-level decisions.
Nobody knew about it till it was all over."
"But why?" I asked him. "They've got the Voice of America. What do they
want with another propaganda outfit?"
"The way I see it, they want to propagandize the Americans. The Voice
only goes overseas. Besides, it always takes a while for the facts to
get around. In the meantime they'll have got their message across. By
God, Sam, if I'd wanted to be a flack for somebody I'd have gone into
P.R., and that nice money, a long time ago."
I took a slug of my rum coke and asked, "Where are they moving to? I
don't see why they have to move at all."
Ian swallowed the rest of his drink and ordered two more. "I'm
surprised you hadn't heard. Since you don't know, this will give you a
laugh. World Wide is moving into the White House."
"The White House?"
"That's what I said. You'll be right at home. Door A, Executive
Mansion, the President. Door B, his press agent, Sam Kent. Door C,
World Wide. Nice, huh? Bye-bye free press." He took his new drink.
"Bye-bye Constitution. I give you a toast, friend: Here's mud in the
eye of the Bill of Rights."