Abortion: A Fight to the Finish

Stevie marveled at Senator Bellardi's self-control. Were she at the lectern instead of him, she would be worked into a fire-breathing frenzy right now defending the senator's cause in the face of the challenger's impudence. Yet Bellardi remained self-assured and winsome as he calmly deflected the challenger's verbal assault. And he always seemed to know which camera was trained on him, holding both the on-site audience and the television audience with his steady gaze.

 Ms. Dunsmuir's prepared fifteen-minute presentation on the topic of abortion would be next. The senator would be allowed a ten-minute rebuttal, which would be followed by Dunsmuir's three-minute response. Thus would end round two of the debate. The folksinger-turned-politician had launched an impressive mid-round offensive, Stevie thought. But the former state senator from California had minimized the threat and turned it to his advantage. Stevie did not know much about boxing, but she would have to give rounds one and two to Senator Bellardi. She could not wait until tomorrow night. She could smell a knockout coming.