“Ummmmm…”

She grumbled a bit, looked down at the podium and rubbed her forehead with concern.

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd as she drew in her breath; the presidential hopeful felt fragile and exposed, but she knew what she had to do.

She grasped the podium with earnest hands and looked up at the crowd peering at her with hopeful and fatigued eyes.

“Listen,” she said. “I’m not going to beat around the bush or fuck around here. I’m not going to fill your ears with false tunes of hope so you’ll vote for me.

Our nation is currently in dire straits and it’s going to take more than some fresh blood to lead us in a different direction.”

There were some gasps from the crowd, but the mostly silent citizens were focused on her words and respectful of her shift in approach.

“We have a lot of work to do. Our nation has managed to damage key international relationships due to egomaniacal behavior and complete lack of strategic planning. We have created not only a governmental structure with drastic dichotomies in political affiliation, but a nation of citizens who reflect this polarization.”

She took a deep breath.

“We are in the midst of a drastic division in economic class, a health care and social service crisis and a stealth but steady undermining of human rights in general.”

The crowd began to murmur and stir in agreement.

“We all must learn to join together to fight for our rights and for the health of our nation as a whole.

We all must scream FUCK YOU at the top of our lungs if that’s what it takes to ignite our hearts and stir our souls to take action!”

“Let me hear you say it!” She pointed to the crowd.

“FUCK YOU!” The crowd shouted in glee.

“Again!”

“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!” The citizens chanted.

“I believe this is my new campaign motto,” she said grinning. “It’s definitely more fun than ‘Forward Together’”