The Right Wing, starring Mitch, John and Mr. President

The Speaker's office.

"Mitch, what do you have on Jim DeMint?" he says.

"Nothing," says Mitch.

"You mean you didn't strong-arm him to resign?"

"Of course not. But now that you mention it . . . "

"No, no, I'm sorry I said it. But it was just such a stroke of luck . . . "

Rep. Ryan appears in the doorway. "Gentlemen! It's a great day for The New . . . The New . . . The New Era in America!"

Mitch, with his old, stern "one term for Obama" look, says, "Go ahead, Paul, go ahead and say it."

"Where Obamacare becomes . . . aiiiyeeee!"

"He's not ready yet," says Mitch, studying the chair-hurdling athleticism of Rep. Ryan's retreat.

"Well, it took me a few tries too," smiles the Speaker, remembering. He turns to the window, spreads his arms wide and says, easily, as if from a podium, "Where Obamacare becomes Americare!"

"Whoa," mutters Mitch, lifting his chin in the direction of the window, as if sniffing the wind. "Can you feel Lindsey Graham drifting toward the center?"

"It's like David Brooks wrote this morning about the GOP," says John: "'They are moving in the right direction and moving fast. These are first steps, and encouraging ones.' 2016, here we come!"