Johnson went to several cities in Georgia and Alabama to do campaigning, but as the election was approaching, he officially stopped his campaign and returned to Washington.
October 31st.
Johnson called Hardy and asked, "Hardy, are you busy in Los Angeles?"
"It's OK." Hardy said with a smile.
"Why don't you come to Washington and stay with me? I'll invite you to play golf on the 2nd," said Johnson.
"Of course, I'll accompany you to welcome the news of the election victory." Hardy said with a smile.
"No one knows the outcome until the last moment," Johnson said.
Hardy knew that Johnson was still worried, which was only natural, so he asked the person he trusted most to accompany him.
The next day.
Hardy took a private plane to Washington and met with President Johnson in the White House. Things have come to the end and everything that needs to be done has been done. Now all that needs to be done is to wait for the results. Hardy had dinner with Johnson and they talked about economic matters.
For example, investment in Europe.
The future economic development direction of the United States.
Hardy also benefited a lot from the conversation because he knew Johnson's vision for the future and could plan ahead.
Sometimes a word from a big shot can make a person rich. If a group company like Hadi can grasp the future direction and seize the opportunity, it can move to the next level. This is why those big conglomerate businessmen are willing to invest in politicians.
Sometimes you don't really need to let them help you make a profit, it is enough to just hear some plans from them.
For example, if Hardy knew that senior management was preparing to vigorously develop high-tech enterprises, he could make arrangements in high-tech enterprises in advance.
For example, if they know that the real estate market is about to be suppressed, they will sell off their real estate investments in advance, cash out at high prices and invest in other more profitable industries.
For example...
November 2, 1948.
Election day.
Hardy and President Johnson arrived early at a private golf course in the suburbs of Washington. The place is relatively remote and no one else is allowed there today, only Hardy and Johnson.
It's very quiet here.
The two of them played ball and chatted. When they were tired, they rested, drank some wine and ate something. When they were sleepy, they went to the hotel to sleep.
At this time, the outside world was extremely noisy.
Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the White House, holding signs supporting Johnson's re-election, singing songs, and demanding that President Johnson come out to meet them.
Reporters also crowded the gate of the White House, hoping to interview the President.
Outside Dewey's New York Governor's Residence, a large crowd also gathered, shouting slogans in support of Dewey, and the crowd was deafening.
On the other side of the ocean, a bald man was also anxiously waiting for news. He had previously chosen to invest in Dewey, who had a higher voice, hoping to gain strong support from the new president, but he did not expect that the campaign funds he provided would put Dewey in trouble.
The so-called 'black gold incident' occurred.
He offended both President Johnson and Dewey, and the $5 million he had paid was also withheld. It was a situation that was not good for both sides.
He also heard that President Johnson was asking the Secretary of State to prepare a white paper on flowers, and a lot of content in the paper indicated that he wanted to break with them. This made the bald man very angry and very scared, so in this election, he still hoped that Dewey would win.
At least if Dewey came to power, he would not retaliate against him as cruelly as Johnson did.
He even hoped to continue to receive support. Recently, the civil war has been tense. The Northeast War was lost, with more than 500,000 troops lost. This made the bald man even more panicked. The enemy was getting stronger and stronger, and he could feel that the crisis of subjugation was approaching.
So he urgently sought external help.
Johnson was completely hopeless, and Dewey was the last straw.
It's already dark.
After Hardy and Johnson finished their dinner, the lights on the golf course came on. The weather in November was already a bit cold, and the two walked on the grass in their coats.
"Hardy, if I am re-elected and want to implement universal health care, do you think it is feasible?" President Johnson asked.
Johnson remains obsessed with Medicare for All.
He mentioned it when he was vice president, and he mentioned it again when he became president. This time, his campaign promises also include universal health care.
But Hardy knew in his heart that it was not until Obama came to power that a simplified version of universal health care was truly introduced, and Johnson certainly could not do it.
"Mr. President, I have to hit you. This universal health care plan, strictly speaking, is to significantly increase taxes on the rich. Taking money out of the pockets of the rich to subsidize the poor will definitely lead to opposition from all the rich."
"To implement this huge plan, it needs to be passed by Congress. Now that the Republican Party has the upper hand in Congress, I'm afraid your plan will not be passed by Congress."
Johnson's face darkened.
It is indeed as Hadi said, the Republican Party now holds a majority of seats in Congress, and his plan will harm the interests of many people and will probably be difficult to pass.
Moreover, other reform proposals proposed by him in the future will probably be strongly opposed by the Republican Party.
Even if he is re-elected, life will not be easy.
"Is there no other way?" Johnson asked with a frown.
Hadi shrugged, "I am not a politician, so I am certainly not as comprehensive as you are. But I have heard of a story about a frog in boiling water. You don't have to do it all at once. You can do it step by step. If you cannot complete it in this term, you can hand it over to the next president and lay a foundation for them."
"What do you say?"
"In a limited universal health insurance plan, the federal government pays for part of the financial expenditure, local state governments pay for part of the financial subsidies, and the people themselves pay for part of the insurance. Of course, this insurance cannot pay in full, but can only reimburse a certain proportion, and there is a maximum amount."
"With the financial support from the federal and state governments, residents only need to pay a small amount to get limited health insurance, which can solve a large part of the problem. Although it is impossible to achieve perfection as you said, at least minor illnesses can be treated, which is easy to promote and is easily accepted by Congress, insurance companies, and the wealthy class."
After listening to Hardy's words, President Johnson felt as if his eyes were suddenly opened.
Instead of standing there motionless, it is better to reduce the pace and move forward slowly. At least the people will benefit.
"Hardy, your suggestion is very good. I will ask people to study it carefully and formulate a plan when I return." Johnson said with a smile.
The two walked a few steps forward, and Johnson took a puff of his cigar and asked casually, "By the way, does your Hardy Group have insurance business?"
Hardy immediately understood what Johnson meant.
This is possible.
If we can get the government's health insurance business, it will be a huge business. Even if there is no insurance company, Hardy will be able to create one.
"Yes, Hardy Group has insurance business." Hardy said.
President Johnson nodded.
The two continued to chat about other topics.
At this moment, Hardy has already started planning how to use this resource to gain greater benefits for himself.
Wells Fargo has insurance business, but it is not large. Bank of America has insurance business, mainly in automobile, life, fire, commercial and other aspects.
Security Pacific Insurance Company is a large professional insurance company with business covering the entire United States and a full range of insurance products, including medical insurance.
Don’t say that health insurance doesn’t make money. According to statistics from later generations, the total annual revenue of the five largest medical insurance companies in the United States is higher than the total revenue of the five major technology giants: Apple, Google, Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook.
This shows the money-making ability of the medical insurance industry.
......
The two returned to the golf course hotel.
Hardy turned on the TV.
Tuning into ABC TV, it was broadcasting normal entertainment programs. Johnson appeared very calm, and he and Hardy were watching the program and chatting about interesting topics.
Waited until 12 o'clock in the evening.
Originally, ABC TV station would close for a break at this time, but not today. Hardy gave them an order to broadcast live 24 hours a day today.
This was also the first television station in the history of television to broadcast 24 hours a day. Hardy once again made history.
In the TV,
The three hosts sat there, talking non-stop about election topics, and at the same time, they would immediately announce the results as soon as a state came out.
Many people across the United States who are following the presidential election are now gathered around their televisions, watching the results come out bit by bit.
One o'clock in the morning.
News came one after another from Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Statistics showed that Johnson won these five states with a relatively clear advantage.
Dewey took the three northern states.
Three o'clock in the morning.
Once again, news came that Johnson was leading by a slight margin in three key populous states: California, Ohio and Michigan.
Six o'clock in the morning.
The election results are in.
Johnson received 49.5% of the popular vote and 305 electoral votes, while Dewey received 43.1% of the popular vote and 187 electoral votes.
Johnson won by a landslide, with no suspense.
Of course there are six other candidates, but they are all pitiful decimal points and not worth mentioning.
At this time, Hardy and Johnson woke up. When they opened their eyes, they saw people on TV congratulating Johnson on his re-election. A large crowd of cheering people had gathered at the gate of the White House early in the morning.
"Congratulations, Mr. President. You still have four years to work hard for this country." Hadi congratulated with a smile.
"Thank you Hardy."
Johnson hugged Hardy and patted him on the shoulder.
Only Johnson himself knows how difficult his life was before. No one supported him and no one loved him. His approval rating in the polls always hovered around 20 or 30. Even his own party did not support him. It was not until he approached Hardy that things really started to improve.
Johnson returned to the White House.
Thousands of people gathered at the gate of the White House at this moment, many of them holding signs supporting Johnson's re-election. When the presidential car drove over, people swarmed over to congratulate him, and Johnson smiled and waved to the people.
In the East, a bald man received the news that President Johnson won the election and was re-elected. His face looked very ugly and he slowly walked to the sandbox, preparing for the next battle.
2 p.m.
President Johnson held a small press conference on the White House lawn.
This is not an inauguration speech. The president's inauguration speech will be delivered on Capitol Hill on January 20 next year. This is just a press conference, where he simply expressed his feelings and let the public see the president's joy.
This press conference will still be exclusively broadcast live on ABC.
According to statistics, there are more than 30 million people in the United States watching Johnson's speech on TV.
Johnson walked to the podium. Behind him were several rows of chairs, where dozens of politicians and celebrities sat, including the Senate Speaker, the House Speaker, the Chief of Staff, Vice President Barkley, and other officials, as well as business celebrities.
Hardy sat in the first seat among the business people, very conspicuous.
When President Johnson was giving a speech, the ABC camera gave enough footage of the President, then moved to the VIP seats at the back, and after scanning everyone, it stayed on Hardy's face for several seconds. Hardy was always looking forward with a smile on his face, and his eyes were somewhat deep.
Many Americans know him.
Jon Hardy, owner of the Hardy Group, is only 27 years old this year.
Many people know that President Johnson's re-election this time can be said to be caused by Hadi. Even if some people know that it is not 100% of Hadi's credit, they must admit that he played an extremely important role in this election.
When California tycoon Giannini saw Hardy on TV, he sighed softly, "We got what we bet on. He's such a talented young man. He has a lot more to offer."
When the heads of other big conglomerates saw Hardy, they all looked at him seriously and memorized his appearance in their minds. They knew that with Johnson as their political backer, this young man would be able to thrive in the next four years.
With Hadi, both sides try to reduce conflicts and increase opportunities for cooperation.
It is human nature to fight against the red, and now that Hardy is red, they naturally have to avoid his edge, and even try to flatter him. This is the most correct way to deal with things.
The world of martial arts is not about fighting and killing, but about the ways of the world.
The presidents and managers of various companies in the Hardy Group felt proud to see their boss sitting in that position. They admired their boss's ability in their hearts, and more importantly, they became more confident and had more faith in future development.
When Marilyn Monroe saw Hardy, she immediately thought of the feeling of being satisfied by a man that night, and she shuddered unconsciously.
To be honest, she was fascinated by strong men.
In the outside world, there are also more rumors that Jon Hardy is the man standing behind the president.
......