Kalistani Major History

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INTERVIEW:  Cohen to Stand for ElectionTravels Kalistan on "Goodwill Tour"; Praises opponent
Meridon, Neveras
March 22, 4697


President of the Republic Cohen tours the country in a restored antique KalMoCo microbus

The President of the Republic, back from his visit to Lourenne has launched his re-election effort from the front seat of a restored KalMoCo Microbus.

"We have decided to use this old auto to tour the country.  It is more than 170 years old and I assure you, it runs like a dream!" said the President at a tour stop in Meridon, where we caught up with him.  "Kalistani Republican technological superiority on true display!"

Izquierda's reporter Dianne Rogers submitted this interview with the President of the Republic:

[Iquierda Reporter] D[ianne] R[ogers]:  Comrade President, it is a joy to meet you at last.  You are a hard man to catch up with!

[President of the Republic] H[enry] C[ohen]:  That is partly by design, Comrade journalist.  It seems I have become something of a world traveller!

DR:  It does seem so.  Welcome back.

HC:  Thank you.  As much as I love traveling overseas and meeting all these wonderful foreigners, I'd always rather meet foreigners in Kalistan than in their own country.  Kalistan is such a beautiful nation.

DR:  So tell us about the Microbus.

HC:  Well this is a KalMoCo, 4517 Escape Wagon.  It seats 6 comfortably, with two bucket seats up front, two bench seat in the back.  Its got a 4 cylinder 3.4 L engine, which is water cooled, not the air cooled models which don't do so well down in Suldanor.  The top pops up and the seats swivel back, a table comes up from the floor, and the thing turns into a little camper.  And then at night, this turns into a surface here, see, which you can drop a couple twin sized air mattresses on.  You can almost live in one of these things!  It even has a built in generator, which is separate from the vehicle's battery, and is solar powered, so you can operate appliances or radios or whatever in here on a charge that lasts a full 12 hours.  All of this stuff was standard at the time.  A real outdoor's person's vehicle.  We had to rehab it.  My secretary found the the thing in a junkyard up in Dulnerstaad.  We had the rust removed and some of the panels had to be replaced.  We replaced the canopy and the batteries, detailed the inside and had it repainted, and we've been driving around Mainland in it for a couple weeks now.  Its been a lot of fun!

DR:  What inspired this bus trip?

HC:  This is something I wanted to do for a long time.  It took a while to get the bus fixed up, but when I want around Lourenne with the "squad" as we started calling them, I got reinspired.  Here's a perfect opportunity to get to meet people and to let them know that they should vote in the elections.

DR:  Yes.  Let's get to your campaign for President.

HC:  I would like to correct that term.  I am not on campaign.  I am merely standing for re-election. 

DR:  Forgive me, Comrade.  What is the difference?

HC:  Oh, people always wish to portray politics as some sort of gladiatorial sport.  I assure you, I have much respect for Comrade Paris, the candidate from the National Conservative Party.  I think he is an intelligent person and I think he will represent his Party's ideals well.  But the role of the President is to sort of be above the petty ideological squabbles which the punditocracy likes to engage in.  We must be the face of the entire People in Kalistan.  As a result, he will do as good a job, I am sure as I have, and perhaps better.  Maybe he has some new ideas that we can all benefit from.

DR:  This is an unusual take for someone who is asking people for their vote.

HC:  Perhaps it is.  But, if I do not set a high tone for this office, it will descend, and will be devalued, and I promised myself, my Party, and my People that if I was ever asked to serve Kalistan in some capacity, I should hope to leave the place a little better than when I arrived.  Admittedly, in Kalistan, that is difficult, seeing how amazing this nation truly is.  I wish Comrade Paris well, and leave the choice up to the people.  If they like me, they will re-elect me, but if they like Paris better, they will elect him and I will be the first to shake his hand and wish him well.

DR:  Can you give the voters some reason to choose you over the National Conservative candidate?

HC:  Well, speaking to my record, we have enjoyed three years of peace and prosperity. We have stepped back from the precipice of war, we have returned ODEN, we have rechartered the National bank and just last week, we reopened the Kalsie.  all very strong economic successes.  But of course, I had nothing to do with those things:  that was the Comrades in the National Assembly and the Government.  I am not taking credit for those things.

DR:  And your own record?

HC: (with a smile)  Well, I am not crazy.  That is something that works out in my favor. I named a balanced and very capable government.  I have traveled for the first time to Dolgova and met their king.  I met the new Canrillaise Emperor.  I did not embarrass the country, and I improved relations between our nation, those nations as well as nations like Dorvik and Kizenia.  I'd say I have done a decent job as President, and it really comes down therefore to whether or not you think I am doing alright or you would like to see someone else have a chance.  But at the end of the day, I mean, what do you expect of a President of the Republic.  I have been the best public face of our nation that I could be.

DR:  Do you feel like you have a lot of support among the population?

HC:  I know I have made a lot of friends during my time in office so far.  I met a lot of very intelligent and promising kids on my trip to Lourenne.  I hope they are inspired to do great things in Kalistan.  And a lot of adults who must think they are kids, who call into radio contests during the day when they should be working.  But that is really their business.  Ive met a lot of folks on this tour so far.  We picked up a hitchhiker outside of Razar, up in Vrassa who told us about a particular forest that she was interested in going to here in Neveras.  It appears that the forest is slated to be logged in the near future and she was on her way to try to save it.  She made a very compelling case about why I should intervene.  I listened respectfully, and then I responded that I think that forests should be used for resources in a sustainable way, and without taking at least some trees, a forest does not remain healthy for long.  Scheduled burns in forested areas are beneficial as well for new growth and to preven other catastrophes.  We respectfully disagreed on the matter, but I feel that I learned something from that young lady, and I am glad that this nation strikes a balance that allows her to feel that she can discuss matters that she finds very important with political leaders, while I can use my office to lean on the Socialist Governor of Neveras to meet with her and discuss a solution that will satisfy all. 

DR: And did you?

HC:  Yes, we detoured to the Governor's Office in Neveras City, and we had an hour meeting with him.  I feel that she was satisfied with the solution he agreed to, and she decided to continue on to the forest anyway, to go visit the natural spot.

DR:  If you are re-elected, what will you do in your next term?

HC:  I'll try to name a good balanced cabinet in consultation with the Parties, and then do basically the same thing I did in the current term.

DR:  So no changes?

HC:  Personally, I'd like to see the Nationalists and the Socialists get a move on with KALNAPECO and KALNAFERCO.  The Premier has been sitting on that for a while, moving very slowly so as to not cause a lot of major disruptions too soon and give the institutions a chance to take root again, but I think it is about time, and naturally, I will meet with whoever it is to tell them my opinion on the matter.

DR:  How do you see Kalistan's influence growing overseas?

HC:  Kalistan is in a really good position right now.  Whatever the outcome of the election, I would like the Nationalists to take the lead on naval modernization.  The ASCA affirmed our role in both the Straits and in the Anantonese Ocean as a whole, and especially if we get KALNAPECO going, we are going to need an updated navy to protect our assets in the international zones.  So this is something I am convinced the Party will help the Nationalists with, regardless of who wins the election.  As for other nations, I am convinced that as they meet us, and get to know us, they will soon see us as a very friendly and welcoming nation, and will finally accord Kalistan the respect it deserves as a paradise on Terra.

DR:  Do you have any final words for our readers?

HC:  Yes, please remember to go and vote.  Voting is the main way you can participate in your Government which doesn't involve you getting elected and moving to Kaliburg.  It is very important that no matter who you are, or who you support in the elections, you go and vote.  Kalistanis have literally fought and died for the right to live in a society free of fascist influences, so it is now up to you, and to everyone, to protect those gains.  Please do your duty to the Republic and vote. I am Henry Cohen, an I approve THAT message!

DR:  Well spoken, Comrade President.

HC:  Thank you Comrade Journalist. Now-  If I may, I would like to invite you and your charming assistant there to join me and Ben [the President's driver] for some pancakes.  I know a wonderful restaurant just across the street, and their pancakes are to die for.  Off the Record, of course.

[This reporter, and her assistant, accepted the President's invitation.  He was right, they were a delight.  The restaurant was Maridon House of Pancakes in downtown Maridon.]