"Paul Levinson - Loose Ends 02 - Little Differences" - читать интересную книгу автора (Levinson Paul)

things to say to them about the Space Program at lunch today. Sam had a plane to catch back to New
York right after the meeting. George had asked Jeff if they'd like to resume their discussion a bit at the
Lincoln Memorial, since the April evening promised to be balmy. Jeff was delighted to agree. This was
the third time Sam and he had been in Washington with George in the past few months, and Jeff was
eager to find out more. All he knew about George and his moustache at this point is that they toiled in
some murky, unnamed division of the President's тАЬstaff".

George breathed in deeply. тАЬI can still smell the tear gas,тАЭ he said, тАЬfrom the October 1967 march on the
Pentagon. Armies of the night. They were just kids, for crissakes. Exercising their constitutional right to
assembly. Country's going to hell. Going to get worse.тАЭ

Jeff thought about asking who he was again, but decided not to push it. Let him keep dropping these
intimations of the future.

тАЬI'm no oneтАФat least as far as history is concerned,тАЭ George said. тАЬNo rosy wisdom of hindsight to see
me in. I'm off the screenтАФyou gotta be seen in the first place to be seen in rosy hindsight, right?тАЭ

Jeff said nothing.

тАЬYou hate this war?тАЭ George asked.

тАЬYeah,тАЭ Jeff replied. тАЬThe bitterness it's created in this country, the fusing of Vietnam and military and
space in the public mind, poisoned the space program. I'm sure of it.тАЭ

тАЬAnd you're right. But you gotta hate the war itself. Do you?тАЭ

тАЬWell, it's wrong,тАЭ Jeff said. тАЬIt's unconstitutionalтАФтАЭ

George grabbed Jeff's shoulder. тАЬThere are things in this life more important than laws and even
constitutions,тАЭ he said in a harsh urgent whisper. тАЬYou better think on that, my friend, before you do what
you plan to do.тАЭ

Jeff stared at him, started to speakтАФ

George interrupted again. тАЬThe Vice President is much better than Nixon on spaceтАФyou were right in
what you said this afternoon. But is he any better on the War? You think Agnew will get us the hell out of
there any faster than Nixon?тАЭ George's voice had risen to something more painful on the ears than a
whisper.

тАЬWe were just talking hypothetically,тАЭ Jeff equivocated.

тАЬI'm not going to belabor the point,тАЭ George said. тАЬAnd I have a dinner engagement.тАЭ He made a show
of looking at his watch. тАЬSo, with regrets, I'm going to have to terminate this interview. But you need to
think: Which is more important to you: Vietnam or space? And, if both are important, you'll need to think
of a better way.тАЭ George half smiled, nodded, then turned with a flourish and strode away.

Jeff was alone in the Lincoln Memorial. Thirteen more months to May 9, 1970, when Nixon would be
here, almost alone.

Jeff breathed in the blossom air. Maybe he could smell some of the tear gas too. He wasn't sure.