Sharky's Machine by William Diehl

that Hotchins needed him.
    The suite was modest, a living room furnished with comfortable but undistinguished hotel furniture, a bedroom with a king-size bed, and a small kitchenette. Only a few of J-Hotchins’s closest confidants knew he maintained the suite. The senator was standing near a window when Lowenthal entered the room, He smiled and limped across it with the aid of a highly polished shillelagh, a tall, lean, handsome man, well-tanned, with blond hair and penetrating blue eyes. He was casually dressed in flared slacks and a dark blue sports shirt. He shook hands with Lowenthal.
    ‘How’s the foot?’ Lowenthal asked.
    ‘It’s okay. Occasionally it acts up when the weather’s bad.’
    Lowenthal smiled. ‘Can you run on one leg when the weather’s bad?’
    ‘He can run on his bands if he has to,’ Charley Roan said. ‘I appreciate your coming,’ Hotchins said. ‘Do you think I’m crazy?’
    ‘Sure- I do,’ Lowenthal said. ‘Anybody who runs for public office is crazy. Anybody who runs for this office is mad as a hatter.’
    Hotchins smiled. ‘Okay, welcome to the tea party. How about some coffee?’
    ‘Cream and sugar,’ Lowenthal said. ‘I stayed in the airport motel in Washington last night and sneaked out. I don’t think anybody knows Pm here. Once the press finds out, the cat’s out of the bag. Pd like to forestall that as long as possible.’
    ‘You can stay here. Nobody knows about this suite but a few of us. My press secretary. Pete Holmes, is at a luncheon. He’ll be along in an hour or so. He’s very good at handling the media.’
    ‘So I’ve heard.’
    ‘Well,’ Roan said, rubbing his hands together, ‘what do you think?’
    ‘What do I think?’ Lowenthal said raising his eyebrows. ‘What do I think about what?’
    ‘I think what Charley means is, What do you think of our chances?’
    Lowenthal stuffed tobacco into his battered pipe and lit it, almost disappearing in a nuclearean smoke cloud. He waved the smoke away with a hand.
    ‘I think if you can survive until the convention, once you’ve made the announcement, you’ve got a chance. I also think that is one big if.’
    ‘I’m not a pussyfooter, Julius,’ Hotchins said. ‘Are you interested in working with us?’
    ‘That’s why I’m here, Mr. Senator.’
    ‘Great. That’s great!’ Roan said and slapped his hands together. Lowenthal felt a moment of annoyance before remembering that exuberance was one of the prices one paid for youth. ‘I took the liberty of talking to Bob Fitzgerald at the National Committee yesterday,’ Lowenthal said. ‘I hope you don’t object. I realize it was a bit unorthodox going ahead before we talked, but the timing seemed right to me. I operate on instincts, been living with them a long time. Usually don’t take time to question them, Ijust go.’
    ‘And how does Fitzgerald feel about us’?’ Hotchins asked.
    ‘Well, you got to remember that Fitz is an old party bull. He’s been chairman of the NC for ten years. He’s tough, probably the best machine politician this country’s seen since Tammany. He’s like an odds maker. He adds it all up and then he makes his bet.’
    ‘And?’ Hotchins said.
    ‘And he’s still betting on Humphrey.’
    ‘Humphrey!’ Roan bellowed. ‘Jesus Christ, he’s already been whipped once. Does he want to hand the election to Ford?’
    ‘The way he sees it, it’s going to be a free-for-all in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and all the early runners are going to burn out in the stretch. We’re talking about a Jot of money and a lot of endurance. Hubert can afford to wait it out until May, maybe even June, then jump in at the last minute after all the shooting’s over and walk off with it.’
    ‘So,’ Hotchins said, ‘what it’s going to take is a long- distance runner with a lot of money.’
    ‘That’s it,’ Lowenthal said.
    ‘And he’s writing us off, right?’ Roan said.
    ‘He thinks Carter’s going to be the