The race is on

He aced his way through college before joining the American military and receiving a Purple Heart for the valour he showed when captured and tortured behind enemy lines.

Now a maverick Republican senator who’s loathed by the right-wing of his party, his bid to make it to the White House could be derailed by a romantic scandal which hostile media elements are making sure doesn’t go away.
No it’s not John McCain we’re talking about, but Corey Grace, the central character in Richard North Patterson’s new best-seller, The Race.
Given that the former Watergate lawyer conceived the book four years ago, he’s either got a very good crystal ball or impeccable political contacts.
“Bill Clinton is a reader of mine, so when I decided to write a book about being President, I asked if I could interview him and shortly afterwards found myself sat down with him in the Oval Office,” says the 61-year-old author. “Since then we’ve become friends and he’s given me book-jacket quotes a couple of times.”
An impressive character?
“One of the smartest people you’ll ever meet, which is why Barack will never agree to be Hillary’s running mate. Having to settle for Vice-President is bad enough, but with Bill around he’d be the Vice Vice-President.”
Not that North Patterson thinks Hillary is incapable of doing the job without her hubby.
“I’m a great admirer of hers,” he enthuses. “She’s capable. She’s grounded in the issues. She’s certainly battle-tested. You know she’s not going to screw up, and she’s terribly smart. Hillary gets a lot of flak – in great measures undeserved – just because she carries the Clinton baggage. There’s also a lot of psycho-sexual weirdness about a woman running for President, which combined makes her this Antichrist figure in the eyes of the religious far-right.”
Bringing us to the $64 Million Question of, “What is America more ready for – a black President or a woman President?”
“I’m not sure you’re going to get a straight up and down answer to that. As much of an issue is whether people regard Hillary as more of a woman or more of a Clinton. Does her Clinton-ness subsume her womanhood? My guess is that under the right circumstances they’re ready for either.”
Has he met Barack?
“Yes, I have. Very smart guy. Unusual for a politician in that he’s not afraid of complex thinking. He has a bit of detachment and a sense of humour about himself. I saw him recently and said, ‘Are you enjoying running for President?’ to which he replied, ‘Well, enjoying isn’t quite the word I’d use!’”
Another member of Patterson’s inner circle is Ted Kennedy, the Democrat grandee who’s firmly nailed his colours to Obama’s mast.
“I spoke to Ted four days before he officially pledged his support, and could tell he was concerned about the Democratic Party becoming divided over issues of race. He’s really attracted to the fact that young, idealistic people are coming into the voting process because of Obama. Ted’s an entirely admirable guy who cares deeply about issues of justice.”
Has Kennedy ever spoken to North Patterson about the extremist elements that might want Barack dead if he gets the Presidential nomination?
“I’m reluctant to delve into what, for obvious reasons, is obviously such a personal issue for Ted. Suffice to say I think it’s a concern that he and many of us have,” the author says, carefully choosing his words. “There are too many guns in America and too many nut-jobs prepared to use them.”
Talking of which, our man was delighted recently when he made it onto the National Rifle Association’s enemies list.
“It breaks my heart,” he deadpans. “I wrote a novel about the need for people who are mentally ill, obvious alcoholics, wife-beaters and felons to be denied access to guns, which scandalised the NRA. They don’t have a great sense of humour about these things.”
Lest this interview be deemed a Democratic love-in, North Patterson is also on “Let’s go for a gargle” terms with the aforementioned John McCain.
“He’s taken a principled stand on not amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage, which of course drives the doctrinaire far-right crazy,” his friend concludes. “They’re also horrified about him wanting to take the money out of politics and get rid of the elegant bribery that’s flourished under the Bush administration. John’s also one of the funniest guys around, and has a resolve steely enough to carry him all the way through to the White House. I think we’re in for a battle of epic proportions.”

Richard North Patterson’s The Race is published by Macmillan