“Madam President, with all due respect, that’s a tall order.”

“That’s because we’re dealing with very high stakes,” says Maddy, “and I’m appealing to you as a citizen first and a journalist second.”

“Madam President, you know that’s not how it works.”

“I’m hoping you can make an exception this time,” says Maddy. “There have been a number of cases where journalists agreed to keep some news confidential, like impending military operations or the location or condition of hostages being held overseas.”

“Madam President, those were issues of national security,” says Martin. “You can’t tell me that making changes to entitlement programs is in the same realm.”

“Really?” Maddy opens a desk drawer, removes a sheet of paper, passes it over to Jessica. It’s an old black-and-white photograph of an elderly couple in a street in an unidentifiable city pushing a wheelbarrow full of banknotes.

“That’s Opa and Oma in a small German town going out to do their shopping with a wheelbarrow full of marks. This was right at the end of the First World War. Inflation at the time was running at three hundred and twenty percent a month. A month! The postwar German government eventually collapsed, and you know where that led.”

Martin nods with a grim expression. “I do. It led to Adolf Hitler.”

Maddy leans forward. “Believe me, Jessica, what we’re wrangling with is definitely an issue of national security.”

Jessica Martin gives her a skeptical look. “But Madam President, previous administrations have issued the same warning—”

Maddy interrupts. “And every one of them knew they were just putting off the pain. Well, the time has come, Jessica. Hard but necessary decisions need to be made.”

“What kind of decisions, Madam President? Off the record.”

“I can’t tell you that now, Jessica. I’m just asking you not to scare people, people like your own parents, by running just part of the story.”

Martin puts her iPad back into her bag. “I want an exclusive.”

Maddy nods. “Deal.”

“A day before the announcement.”

“One hour,” the president counters. “The world’s too wired for me to give you a day.”

“All right, one hour,” Martin responds. “I also want an exclusive interview with you and key members of your group and a timeline of your decisions.”

“Agreed, but all embargoed until the announcement is made.”

“I can live with that, Madam President.”

“But one more point,” says Maddy. “Starting today, if even a hint of our discussion or any rumors about this legislative package appears in the Post, it will have a chilling effect between this administration and your newspaper. And when I say chilling, I’m talking absolute zero. No more interviews, no sources, no rides on Air Force One.”

“I understand, Madam President.”