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THE DEBATE THAT THURSDAY evening was another draw, according to the media analysts. Both Fiore and Singer had their agendas, the issues they knew they had to articulate for the audience. Each was skillful at turning certain questions around and using them to send the appropriate message. Of the two, Fiore seemed more relaxed, walking around the stage as he answered questions from both guests and students in different parts of the auditorium. But it appeared that Singer, more or less anchored to one of the stools provided for the candidates, received as many rousing ovations as his opponent.

Clearly, however, the loudest applause of the evening came when Fiore addressed part of an answer to “any journalism students who may be sitting out there tonight.”

“I want you to recognize how innuendo, based only on a vivid imagination, as in the stories that ran the past two weeks in the Providence Herald, can almost destroy a reputation or libel an innocent party. It makes no difference whether that innocent party is a young lawyer running for governor of this State or an unpopular Family on Federal Hill that is well known for its interest in gambling. If you don’t have the facts, stay out of the newspaper.”

Fiore waited for the applause to die down and for the audience to rivet its attention on him again before he concluded his answer. “I want to tell those in attendance here and the tens of thousands watching on television that I remain outraged at what the Herald has done. At this point, ladies and gentlemen, I don’t care whether the newspaper endorses me or not.” As expected, that got him a standing ovation from his supporters.

When the forum ended, the two candidates walked toward each other for the obligatory handshake. This time Singer’s daughters reached the stage to embrace their father as quickly as Fiore’s family was there to greet him. The Singer team, minus an important member, understood that with the race in a dead heat it couldn’t give Fiore any further advantage than what the presence of his wife by his side already provided him.

* * *

There was a fresh pot of coffee, along with a small chocolate cheesecake from Alden Merrell, waiting when Singer and his daughters arrived home from the debate. Carol greeted them as they came in, and told her husband that he performed wonderfully. “You looked much more sincere than Fiore in the close-ups,” she said.

“How come you watched?” he asked. The question was friendly, not malicious in tone.

“Oh, you know, with election day getting so close, I’ve got to start making up my mind who to vote for.” She smiled at her family and led the way into the dining room.

“Did they give any new polling numbers tonight?”

“I didn’t hear any, Bruce. What’s the latest?”

“Through Tuesday night Daddy was down by a point,” Rachel said, “but with that plus or minus two points stuff.”

“What do you think?” Carol asked, passing a cup of coffee to her husband.

“I think we’re in good shape right now, but I’m not sure what will happen in the last two days. If I had to bet, I’d say the Herald will endorse Fiore. That was great strategy he used against them tonight.”

Bonnie Singer, the older and less attractive of the two girls, was already cutting herself a piece of cheesecake. “And if Fiore gets in, he’ll probably make his friend Sandy Tarantino the chief of staff.”

They all laughed.

A little later, as their daughters were clearing the table, Carol told Bruce that she wanted to talk to him upstairs about Friday night before he went to sleep.