Halfway through the rumpus in Columbus, shell-shocked officials from the White House, State Department and Pentagon formed a worried huddle on a side aisle of Ohio State University's basketball arena. The place was so rowdy and raucous, they thought, it was threatening to dissolve into chaos. What should they do? Should they pull the plug on this so-called town meeting and hustle their bosses off the center-court stage? Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was scowling, calling for quiet. Defense Secretary William Cohen looked stunned, disbelieving, his toe tapping nervously under his seat. National Security Adviser Sandy Berger hunkered down in his...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
