Chapter 467: Monica Lewinsky

[Chapter 529: Lewinsky]

At the headquarters of the Motion Picture Association of America in Beverly Hills, Viacom was engaged in negotiations with Hollywood's six major film studios regarding the pricing of movie copies.

With the formation of the DVD Alliance, Blockbuster's stock, which primarily focused on video rental and sales, began to plummet. Companies like Time Warner and Galaxy were extremely dissatisfied with Blockbuster's demands to lower rental splits, given their substantial copyright libraries.

Video rentals were a major source of revenue, and the high cost of copies ensured that no store would have too many copies of the same movie.

Now, with DVDs about to hit the market -- cheaper and easier to store -- supermarkets, convenience stores, and malls could sell or rent them directly, without needing specialized storefronts.

Viacom's acquisition of Blockbuster served primarily as collateral, effectively bringing Paramount into Viacom's fold.

...

However, Arthur found himself heading to Washington, D.C., because President Clinton had vetoed a temporary spending bill passed by the House of Representatives. This led the U.S. government to shut down some agencies due to funding shortfalls, forcing approximately 800,000 federal employees -- about 40% of the workforce -- to stay home.

With the government shutdown, the White House was quieter than it had been in years. Since the official budget mechanism began in 1976, this shutdown marked one of the many occurrences tied to partisan disputes between the White House and Congress. It could last anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

...

Arthur followed Leon Panetta to the Oval Office but spotted the famous White House intern Monica Lewinsky in the hallway.

"Mr. Panetta," Monica said, greeting the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Leon nodded but looked a bit upset. Arthur had been watching their interaction, and it was clear that something had changed.

Last month, the White House shut down for a few days, but after reaching some sort of resolution, things had now officially ceased functioning. It seemed there was nothing wrong with a bored president spending time with a young intern.

...

"Arthur, congratulations! Galaxy and CBS Broadcasting are definitely a powerful alliance..." Clinton greeted Arthur warmly in the Oval Office. Arthur was there to discuss ways to strengthen their partnership, especially since CBS's involvement gave Galaxy a stronger voice.

"The president looks real good," Arthur said with a smile.

...

That evening, at the Hyatt in Washington, Arthur and Panetta sat on the couch. "When did that woman start seeing the president?" Arthur suddenly asked. His question caught Panetta off guard, nearly causing him to spill his wine.

"What do you mean, Arthur?" Panetta replied, puzzled.

Arthur remained calm. "That intern, Monica Lewinsky, she clearly looked a bit off when she left the president's office today. Looks like our president really is a bit of a ladies' man. Isn't Hillary just next door?"

Panetta glanced at Arthur, "You see that too? Isn't it obvious?"

"The aura and expression on Monica's face can't be faked," Arthur dismissed Panetta's concerns. "She is Jewish right? The president can have his fun, but he should keep it discreet. Next year's the presidential election, and we've invested so many resources in Clinton. If there's a problem now, a lot of folks are going to be upset!"

Panetta nodded. "This situation will have to stay under wraps. By the way, are you really planning to take action in Indonesia?"

"Of course! Not to mention the oil resources on Java, there are plenty more on other islands," Arthur said nonchalantly. "The Indonesian economy's a mess, and Suharto's family is in constant trouble. A little internal agitation, and bringing him down will be a piece of cake. I just want some assets from the state oil company in Java; the rest can go to others."

"Taking down the Suharto family won't be hard. We'll find partners," Panetta said, eyeing Arthur. "Western oil company is too small; we need to team up with Chevron, Mobil, and Exxon."

Panetta understood that Arthur's Western Oil Company would be looking to benefit, and companies like Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum would inevitably be involved. But since this deal was coming through Arthur Smith's Western Oil Company, the focus would definitely be on American interests.

"Don't worry, John Edwards is already in talks with Chevron and Mobil. The rest is up to their skills," Arthur didn't seem too concerned about the profits; his main goal was to eliminate the Suharto family from power. 

"When do you plan to make your move?" Panetta, who was well-acquainted with these capital sharks, asked.

"Probably in the second half of next year," Arthur said, confident that he wouldn't lack for support from the White House during the election season.

"Make sure to gather plenty of personnel to operate within Indonesia; that'll make things smoother," he was referring to both CIA insiders and outsiders.

"I got it..."

...

After leaving Washington, Arthur headed to Miami Beach to vacation, as Yu Feihong was there.

"Are you really going back now?" In their hotel room, Arthur lay on top of Yu Feihong, enjoying her softness.

"Yeah," Yu Feihong said, flushed and breathless as she held him close. "I've decided to go back home and start an entertainment company, beginning with talent management and advertising. There's still a vacuum in talent management back home. If we want to make movies, we need proper qualifications and partners in production; it'll be a slow process!"

"You can do it," Arthur kissed her chest and turned to lie beside her. "No rush, you can take your time. Don't forget to use our connections in Asia."

"I also plan to fund some young directors to make short films to show internationally," she nestled against him. "In China, short films are sort of overlooked; you can complete them for just a few thousand RMB!"

"Exactly, we could develop some talent and, who knows, we might get unexpected results," Arthur teased as he playfully grazed her chest. "Let's take a shower together..."

*****

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