Speaker 1: Calarugus Shark Media. Welcome to Acting President, Episode two viral.
Speaker 2: Bennett stared at his former chief of staff, momentarily speechless.
Victor Harding's suggestion hung in the air between them, outrageous
and tempting all at once. You can't be serious, Bennett
finally said, forcing a laugh. That's treason. Victor Harding's expression
didn't change. Is it treason to save a country from itself?
To intervene when the constitutional mechanisms are failing, when foreign
powers are gaining influence through a compromised administration? He took
a sip of a scotch. I'm simply posing a thought
experiment like your show. Bennett stood up, needing to move
to put distance between himself and the dangerous ideas Harding
was planting. It's a television drama, not a political manifesto
or an instruction manual, of course, Harding replied smoothly. I'm
merely suggesting that art sometimes anticipates reality. The show is
resonating because people's sense the system is broken. Bennett turned
to face him. What exactly are you proposing here? Nothing concrete,
just opening a conversation. Harding set his glass down and
rose to leave. Think about it, Jimmy, the difference between
being remembered as an actor who played a governor and
a leader who changed history. After Harding left, Bennett poured
himself another drink and walked to the edge of his property,
where his manicured lawn gave way to the steep cliff
above the Pacific. The ocean stretched endlessly before him, dark
and mysterious in the night. What Harding suggested was insane, impossible,
and yet Bennett couldn't deny the brief flicker of interest
he'd felt, the what if that had flashed through his mind.
His phone buzzed with a text from Emma. The ratings
for episode two just came in, even bigger than the
premiere network ecstatic call me. That night's sleep eluded Bennett.
He tossed and turned his mind, replaying Harding's words, interspersed
with scenes from The Insurgent, the lines between his character
and himself becoming increasingly blurred. The following morning, Emma arrived
at his house with a stack of newspapers and print
outs of online coverage. They're calling it the defining show
of the decade, she announced, spreading the materials acrod ross
his Kitchen Island. Political scientists are writing op eds about it.
Conservative outlets are claiming its liberal wish fulfillment fantasy. Progressive
outlets are saying it's a warning about populist authoritarianism. Everyone's
watching and everyone's talking. Bennett skimmed the headlines. His face
stared back at him from every page, sometimes from publicity stills,
sometimes from his gubernatorial days. The juxtaposition was unsettling. The
president's press secretary made a comment. Emma continued, said it
was interesting that Governor Bennett chose this particular story to
tell at this particular time, not exactly subtle. Bennett's stomach tightened.
It's just a show, Emma, is it, though she fixed
him with her publicist analytical gaze. You've been approached about running.
Your approval ratings when you left office were historically high.
This show is keeping you in the spotlight in a
way that's politically potent. I didn't take the role as
some elaborate campaign strategy, Bennett protested, maybe not consciously. Emma
shuffled through her papers. Anyway. Pantheon Plus is launching a
marketing campaign that's going to make things even more confusing
for people who can't separate you from your character. What
do you mean? Emma pulled up an image on her tablet.
It was a billboard mock up with Bennett's face and
the slogan America needs a course correction, a direct quote
from the show. They're putting these up in ten major
cities starting tomorrow. Emma explained. There's also going to be
a social media campaign with similar messaging, deliberately ambiguous whether
it's promoting the show or some kind of political statement.
Bennett frowned. That seems irresponsible. That's entertainment, Emma shrugged. They're
capitalizing on the buzz. The showrunner says, you should embrace it.
Do some appearances where you stay partially in character, keep
people guessing. I'm not sure that's a good idea. Why not?
It's great publicity. Unless Emma studied him, did something happen
you see him off? Bennett considered telling her about Harding's visit,
but decided against it. The less people who knew about
that conversation, the better. I'm just tired, he said. The
press tour is intense. Later that day, as predicted, the
marketing campaign launched and immediately went viral. Hashtag course correction
became the top trender. Cable news devoted segments to debating
whether the show was dangerous. Bennett's old political rivals issued
statements condemning the reckless blurring of entertainment and political rhetoric.
Bennett watched it all unfold with growing unease. What had
seemed like an interesting creative challenge playing a fictionalized version
of himself now felt like something he couldn't control. His
phone rang Victor Harding again. Quite the marketing campaign, Harding said,
when Bennett answered, almost like they're testing the waters for you.
It's just publicity for a TV show. Bennett replied firmly,
if you say so. Harding paused, have you thought about
our conversation, There's nothing to think about. What you suggested
isn't just illegal. It's impossible. Nothing's impossible with the right
people involved, Harding said quietly, And I know the right people, Jimmy,
people who are concerned about the direction of this country,
people with resources and influence, people who remember your leadership
and wish you were still in a position of power.
I'm hanging up now, Bennett said, of course, But before
you do, there's a restaurant in Malibu Junipero Tomorrow night eight,
private room in the back. No obligation to do anything
but listen. Some people I think you should meet. Bennett
ended the call without responding, but the invitation lingered in
his mind. Just listening couldn't hurt, could it? He wasn't
agreeing to anything. That evening, Bennett watched episode two of
The Insurgent alone in his home theater. It was a
strange experience seeing himself deliver lines he'd spoken months ago
during filming, playing a character that was simultaneously him and
not him. In this episode, his character began assembling a
team of like minded individuals, a retired general disillusioned with
the civilian leadership, a tech billionaire with concerns about national security,
a former intelligence official worried about foreign influence. The fictional
Bennett was still reluctant, still insisting he just wanted to
raise awareness, not lead a movement. While being inexorably drawn
deeper into the conspiracy. The parallels to his current situation
were becoming uncomfortable.
Speaker 3: Welcome back to Insurgent theory. I'm Garrett Fisher, and holy hell,
did you all see episode two of The Insurgent? Because
the Internet is on fire right now. If you thought
the premiere set the stage for something big, Episode two
just kicked the door down. We're watching Bennett's character cross
that line from concerned citizen to active conspirator, and I've
got to say the man can act that scene where
he meets the General at the driving range, the reluctance,
the moral conflict, the slow realization that he's being pulled
into something bigger than himself. That's Emmy worthy stuff right there.
But let's talk about what everyone's really talking about. This
marketing campaign. America needs a course correction. Billboards popping up
overnight in major cities, social media flooded with cryptic messages
that could either be promoting a TV show or launching
a political movement. Pantheon Plus is deliberately playing with fire here,
and it's genius. Some context for those who might not remember,
when Bennett was governor, course correction was actually one of
his favorite phrases. He used it in at least three
major addresses to describe his policy adjustments. So this isn't
just pulling from the show, it's pulling from Bennett's actual
political history. The question on everyone's mind is this just
brilliant marketing for a streaming show, or is Bennett testing
the waters for a return to politics. The line is
getting so blurry it's practically invisible. Now. About those coincidences
I mentioned last week, they're getting even harder to swallow.
The retired General Wilson character is clearly modeled after General
Thomas McKinney, who publicly criticized President Stillman last year. The
tech billionaire character might as well be wearing a name
tag that says hi, I'm basically you know who. And
don't get me started on the intelligence official who somehow
has access to classified information even though he's retired. That's
not how clearances work, people. But here's my biggest issue
with episode two. Bennett's character keeps insisting he's just raising awareness,
not leading a movement, while doing exactly the thing someone
would do if they were, in fact building a movement.
It's like the writers want to have it both ways,
present a character planning something unprecedented while maintaining his moral
high ground. Still, I'm hooked, and based on the viewership numbers,
so is everyone else in America. Episode three drops next Sunday,
and the preview suggests we'll see Bennett's character making some
kind of public statement that could be interpreted as political positioning.
Can't wait to see how that plays out. If you're
loving these breakdowns follow insurgent theory from Calarroga Shark Media,
wherever you get your Until next week, I'm Garrett Fischer
reminding you that in today's world, sometimes the most dangerous
fiction is the one that feels like it could actually happen.
Speaker 2: Bennett found himself staring at the restaurant website on his phone.
He hadn't committed to attending Harding's meeting, but he hadn't
definitively refused either. His doorbell rang unexpected. His home was
gated and secured. Visitors needed to be cleared through security.
Bennett checked the security camera feed on his phone. A
woman in a dark suit stood at his door, her
posture rigid and professional. She looked directly into the camera.
Mister Bennett, my name is Catherine Mills. I'm with the
United States Secret Service. I need to speak with you
regarding a matter of national security. Bennett felt a chill
run through him. Had someone reported Harding's conversation. Was he
already implicated in something he hadn't agreed to? He opened
the door cautiously. What can I do for you? Agent Mills?
She held up her credentials. May I come in? This
is a sensitive matter. Bennett led her to his living room,
mind racing through possibilities. Had Harding been under surveillance? Was
the insurgent being interpreted as some kind of threat, mister Bennett,
Agent Mills began once they were seated, I'll be direct.
The Secret Service has received information about a potential threat
to national security that may involve you involved me. How
We've been monitoring certain individuals with concerning connections to extremist ideologies.
Your name has appeared in their communications repeatedly over the
past week. Initially we believe they were simply discussing your
television show, but recent intelligence suggests something more concerning. Bennett's
mouth went dry. What exactly are they saying about me?
They appear to believe you're sending coded messages through your
show that your signaling willingness to lead some kind of
political restructuring. To put it delicately, Bennett almost laughed with relief.
That's absurd. It's just a television drama. We understand that,
but these individuals are taking it very seriously and We've
learned they may attempt to make contact with you. Make contact,
how Agent Mills's expression remain neutral. That's what I'm here
to ask you. Has anyone approached you recently with unusual
political propositions, particularly anyone suggesting actions outside normal democratic processes.
Bennett felt like the air had been sucked from the room.
Should he tell her about harding about the meeting scheduled
for tonight. Before he could decide, his phone buzzed with
a text. He glanced down reflexively. The message was from
an unknown number. Don't tell her about tonight. Your house
is bugged, Your phones are monitored. Trust no one in government.
Meeting location changed, will send and secure details. Delete this message.
Bennett looked up at Agent Mills, who was watching him expectantly.
Mister Bennett, is there something you'd like to tell me?
Speaker 1: Acting President has been a production of Cala Rogua Shark
Media Executive producers John McDermott and Mark Francis. Elements of
AI have been used in the production of this episode.