Trump and Hillary's first TV debate viewership far exceeded major media expectations.
US cable news networks claimed the debate's viewers could surpass 100 million, comparable to the Super Bowl, and breaking the 80 million viewer record set by Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980.
Meanwhile, Suicide Squad's North American box office had surpassed $282 million, with hopes of breaking $400 million; globally, it reached $427 million, with hopes of shattering the $789 million R-rated record set by Get Out.
Warner finally breathed a sigh of relief; Suicide Squad's success masked Batman v Superman's failure—this time, they could report to the board.
...
Griffith Park.
As one of the US's largest city parks, it covers about 16 million square meters.
Facilities are complete, with golf courses, observatories, zoos, museums, etc. You can also hike, horseback ride, and more.
The park has many picnic tables; after tiring from ball games, you can picnic here—picnicking in vast nature has a unique flavor.
Griffith Park has two golf courses, offering classic yet unique golf experiences.
Wilson Course: Provides wide practice greens and shaded fairways for amateur golfers.
Harding Course: Picturesque scenery, worth every golf enthusiast's challenge to enjoy the sport's charm.
Martin was a member of the Wilson course, paying high annual fees, but he rarely played there.
Compared to golf, Martin preferred basketball.
But Martin still got a membership because Western elites loved discussing business in this environment—the open space made eavesdropping hard.
Today, he was invited by Disney CEO Robert Iger.
Since teaming up with Martin to suppress Roy Disney's board influence, their relationship had entered a honeymoon phase.
Given that in the original timeline, Robert Iger elevated Disney to "world's top entertainment company," Martin usually didn't oppose him on the board.
But this time, Robert Iger invited Martin not for Disney matters, but—
"So you're here as Hillary's lobbyist?"
"You know, I'm a Democrat too; I couldn't refuse Hillary's request. Of course, I'm just the messenger, conveying her invitation— the decision is yours."
"Have me abandon Trump and join her campaign?" Martin laughed, somewhat curious. "So what is she prepared to offer?"
"Hillary discussed extending Obama's aid policy to Guinea, and those steel mills in Cleveland—she'll convince the owners to sell to you, and allow you to ship the equipment to Guinea."
Robert Iger's words made Martin smile faintly, shaking his head: "That's not enough. Aid to Guinea is to ease domestic unemployment—even if Trump takes office, it'll continue. As for Cleveland's steel mills—haha, they're already in the red; if I'm willing to take them, those owners would beg for it."
Due to convenient water transport and rich resources, Cleveland's manufacturing was once highly developed, a US heavy industry hub, with world-class shipbuilding.
Unfortunately, with manufacturing shifts and industrial changes, Cleveland began a slow decline fifty years ago—numerous factories closed, massive worker unemployment, the rich fled, leaving only the poor struggling there.
In the 21st century, this city once hailed as "best location in the US," "best city in America," and "Rock 'n' Roll Capital" is now called the Rust Belt.
In current Cleveland, numerous steel mills are shuttered, waiting to be sold.
Downtown houses, the cheapest down to one dollar—yes, one dollar—and still unsellable.
Many unsold houses sit vacant; owners long fled the city, then these empty houses get occupied by vagrant blacks, quickly forming new black ghettos.
So Hillary's promised "steel mill sales" to Martin were actually clearing bad assets for the capitalists behind her—conversely, allowing steel mill equipment export to Guinea was somewhat interesting.
In the US, heavy industrial equipment can't be exported without government approval.
But these didn't sway Martin—Trump could do the same.
Robert Iger continued: "Hillary also promises to introduce some of her connections behind her to you."
Martin still scoffed: "Behind Hillary aren't just those—Rockefeller family? Wall Street finance tycoons? Rockefeller is my competitor (oil conglomerate), finance tycoons already friendly with my family."
As a longstanding member of the US "WASP" group, the Meyers family, before Martin's rise, though not top-tier US families, had extensive networks.
What is the "WASP"[1] group? In the US, it's the true ruling class.
Because the English word for yellowjacket is "wasp," many (including many WASPs) jokingly call WASPs yellowjackets.
The "WASP group" not only dominates US politics but also the economy, dominating society as a whole.
Closest to Anglo-Saxons are the Germans. Most Germans are Protestant, and Anglo-Saxons are a German branch, so they're kin. The Irish produced the Kennedy clan, so they're on the WASP periphery.
In the US, only the "Jewish group" can rival the "WASP group"; they cooperate and compete.
You could say the "WASP group" and "Jewish group" are the "sword and shield" ruling the US.
But over time, the two have begun merging, intermarrying, their ties growing closer.
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[1]: WASP is an acronym for white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant, which refers to members of the predominant British ethnic group whose legal, cultural, and religious traditions have been most influential in structuring what has become "mainstream" American life.