Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt-Chapter 39 - 33: Dancing with the Demon

Leo knew this was the most dangerous and critical choice he had faced since entering politics.

Accepting the proposal would allow him to immediately escape his current predicament and smoothly advance his plans.

But the price was that he would be shackled by the Morganfield Family, becoming another one of their pawns in the city.

If he refused the proposal, he would have to continue opposing the city’s most powerful interest group.

His Pittsburgh Revitalization Plan would also grind to a halt.

Leo was silent for a long time.

He stared at the amber liquid in his glass, sensing the aura of power in the room.

He began a rapid exchange with Roosevelt in his mind.

’I should refuse him,’ Leo said. ’The Morganfield Family has exploited Pittsburgh’s working class for a century. Cooperating with him would be the same as betraying the workers who support me on the streets.’

’No, my boy,’ Roosevelt immediately countered. ’Politics isn’t some black-and-white fairytale for children. A simple refusal will only make you look like an out-of-touch fool and throw you right back into a dead end, besieged by those hyenas on the city council.’

’We must learn to dance with the Demon, but on one condition: we lead the dance, and we decide when it ends.’

Following Roosevelt’s guidance, Leo raised his head and looked directly into Morganfield’s sharp eyes.

He presented his own conditions for cooperation.

"Mr. Morganfield, I can accept your proposal in principle," Leo said. "We can purchase products from the Morganfield Building Materials Company, but the price must be at true cost."

Leo continued, "All procurement contracts must undergo a strict audit by a third-party accounting firm I commission, one with ties to the Steel Union. The price of every screw, every bag of cement, must be public and transparent."

Morganfield raised an eyebrow.

Leo didn’t give him time to think and continued with his second condition.

"The city council must permanently repeal that temporary amendment regarding municipal project bidding, not just ’reconsider it’ as you suggested."

"I want this problem solved once and for all. I don’t want them to have me by the throat with the same excuse when my project is halfway complete."

"Finally," Leo’s tone became exceptionally serious, "I need a promise from you."

Morganfield, holding his glass, gestured for him to continue.

"What promise?"

"A promise concerning the future leadership of this city," Leo said, enunciating each word.

This sentence made Morganfield pause.

Leo had made himself very clear.

"Mayor Carter Wright is a competent city manager, but he is not a competent leader. He can only maintain the status quo; he cannot lead Pittsburgh out of its predicament. You know this better than I do."

"What this city needs is a leader who truly understands its history and dares to plan for its future. Someone who can unite all classes and, like me, can bring back real money from Washington to get things done for Pittsburgh."

He didn’t explicitly say, "I’m going to run for Mayor," but every word he spoke conveyed that meaning.

"So, my third condition is this: when the time comes for a change in the city’s leadership, I need you and your Morganfield Industrial Group to show sufficient goodwill toward the true victor."

When Leo finished speaking, the entire cigar lounge fell silent.

Morganfield looked at Leo, the kind and appreciative look in his eyes gone. His face was now expressionless.

He hadn’t expected that this young man, who seemed so harmless, would not only be unintimidated by his presence and his offer but would also dare to sit here and negotiate with him over the city’s highest seat of power.

This young man was not at all the idealist he’d imagined, someone who could be easily bought and controlled.

He was a young lion who had just bared its fangs.

Morganfield was silent for a long time, so long that Leo began to feel a little nervous.

’Mr. President,’ Leo asked Roosevelt in his mind, ’did I say too much? I just directly revealed our greatest ambition to him. Wouldn’t it have been better to quietly build up our strength?’

Roosevelt’s voice was calm and firm.

’No, my boy. Quietly building up strength is the way of assassins and spies, not the posture a political leader should take. At the poker table of power, you must immediately show the other players your value and your threat.’

’For someone like Douglas Morganfield, weakness and humility are an invitation for him to devour you. If you only let him see you as a community activist content with the status quo, then he might help you today, but tomorrow, when you’re of no more use to him, he’ll crush you without a second thought.’

’But today, you showed him that you have the ability and the ambition to contend for the highest power in this city. This will elevate you in his eyes from a disposable pawn to a potential partner to be taken seriously—or a formidable future enemy.’

’He won’t help a naive Boy Scout, but he’d be more than happy to invest in a future winner.’

Just as Leo and Roosevelt were having this rapid exchange, Morganfield finally reacted.