Today I had an episode of "Law & Order" on during my radio shows, as I multitasked. Sure enough, the episode I had been thinking about earlier this morning was one that came on late afternoon.
A man of substantial means and influence, a close friend of the DA, Adam Schiff, travels in the same circles socially and politically. The man, Mr. Carl Anderton, is played by Robert Vaughan who can pull off rich, eccentric businessman easily. Anderton goes between a wise and good manager/controller of his family and business to being a caustic and biting paranoid bully to those who try to mess with it.
This character reminds/reminded me of the front runner businessman presidential candidate. His 'stream of consciousness' speeches are often bizarre, overflowing with unsubstantiated bluster and assurances, and, like Anderton, no one dares to go against him. If you do point out the foibles or fables he espouses, you run the risk of being excoriated publicly, mocked and ridiculed based upon your physical appearance or attributes. In fact, Mr. Anderton approached the ADA, McCoy, and threatened to bring Jack down, snarling to 'expose him for the little man he is." Sound familiar?
Mr. Anderton denied, even forbade, any mention at all about his needing to 'go away' for rests (hospitals), claiming everyone else is nuts, not him. I knew someone close to me who suffered with bipolar disorder, a condition which causes the removal of filters or limits, and allows for euphoria and exuberance where none is required. It is hard to witness in one's family and is equally difficult when you see the potential leader of the free world and the USA going down that road. Yikes!
"...I'll expose you for the little man you are."
In the end, the ADA is able to get enough evidence to convict Anderton's grandson in the murder of his step-sister. The biggest job was to persuade Adam to let Jack go against his good friend. Jack talks with Carl's daughter who has little decision-making or handling in regard to her teenaged son, as Carl has guardianship over his grandson. Adam meets with Carl and others and exhibits his wildly erratic behavior in front of Adam, who saw enough to convince him that his friend needed help. The young grandson had confessed to the murder of his half-sister many years ago to his grandfather, but was told to never talk about it again. But, someone cracked the egg open and exposed the empire for what it was.
How our real-life egg is going to work out remains to be seen and my hope is that his supporters realize and care that the emperor has no clothes.
