The Tyrant Billionaire

Chapter 344: Chapter 344 ABC Pioneering A New Approach In The Broadcasting Industry

Even within the group, there were voices suggesting that Hardy's investment decision this time was a mistake and could lead to significant losses for the group.

President Johnson naturally heard these voices and was aware of the Hardy Group's predicament. He called Hardy, who answered the phone with a smile, saying, "Don't worry, Mr. President, I will continue to support you as always. I believe you will win."

"Thank you, Hardy!"

Johnson was genuinely grateful for Hardy's unwavering support.

A few days later,

President Johnson's "Great Campaign Tour" officially began, with the first stop being New York. Dewey was the Governor of New York State, so this was essentially his stronghold. Johnson was displaying the courage to walk into the lion's den.

The team organizing the rally found that only a little over two thousand people were likely to attend, which was quite a modest number for a city like New York with millions of residents.

Johnson immediately contacted Hardy, hoping for his assistance to initiate the star support plan. Hardy didn't hesitate and sent Johnny Fontaine to New York.

Johnny Fontaine was a well known singer across the country with countless fans. He had previously developed his career in New York, where he had a strong fan base. Recently, with the airing of the "Super Idol" competition, where he was one of the four judges, his popularity had soared even higher.

The next day, Global Times reported that Johnny Fontaine would be performing at President Johnson's rally, and as soon as this news broke, countless New Yorkers planned to attend to see Johnny Fontaine perform.

Hardy also deployed ABC Television's New York branch to prepare for a live broadcast of Johnson's speech. To ensure that the entire nation could watch the speech live, the television network extended its signal line all the way from the station to Times Square in New York, setting up four cameras simultaneously.

This was the first stop, and it had to be a sensational success.

To that end, Hardy personally flew to New York to visit the old Godfather.

At the Godfather's estate.

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The old Godfather, Hardy, and Michael sat in the study, smoking and chatting.

"Hardy, I've always trusted your judgment. Can you tell me why you chose to support Johnson this time? Because almost no one in the country believes he can win, yet you are so certain and have put in so much effort," the old Godfather asked.

Michael was also curious and looked at Hardy, waiting for his answer.

Hardy recounted the conversation he had with Giannini to the old Godfather. After listening, both the old Godfather and Michael showed surprised expressions. If those who controlled Wall Street threw their full support behind Johnson, he indeed had a chance to turn things around.

The old Godfather was silent for a moment.

He looked at Hardy and said, "Alright, I will mobilize my resources to support President Johnson's re-election." As he said this, the old Godfather glanced at his youngest son, Michael.

He then turned back to Hardy. "Hardy, Michael is also aligned with the Democratic camp, and I think Michael needs more experience."

Hardy nodded. "I will recommend Michael to President Johnson."

A few days later, Michael joined President Johnson's campaign team. Michael was a New York City Councilman, but a councilman's role is more about participating in government discussions rather than working. Joining Johnson's campaign team, however, was real work.

In the future, there was even a possibility of entering the White House and becoming part of the White House staff. It's important to know that there are dozens of positions around the president. If Michael could enter the White House, it would be an excellent opportunity for him to gain experience for a future political career.

Hardy never thought of getting into politics himself, but Michael was someone worth nurturing. Who knows, he might become a political leader in the future.

On the day of the speech.

Times Square, New York.

This was one of the most famous places in New York, also known as "The Crossroads of the World."

Today, a high stage was set up in the square, and over ten thousand people gathered there, waiting for President Johnson's speech.

The large turnout was due to several factors: President Johnson's presence, Johnny Fontaine's performance, and the influence of the old Godfather. Don't underestimate the power of the American Mafia, it's not difficult for them to gather a crowd of thousands or tens of thousands in their city.

Whatever the reason, these people's presence made the event look spectacular, with the scene buzzing with excitement drums beating, firecrackers exploding, flags waving, and crowds thronging.

Several cameras were set up around the area, filming from different angles.

At 10 a.m.

Johnny Fontaine took the stage, immediately sparking a wave of cheers. He performed several songs.

President Johnson arrived at Times Square under the protection of his entourage. As soon as he appeared, a thunderous wave of cheers erupted from the crowd. Despite his low approval ratings, he was still the president, different from an ordinary candidate.

Today, Johnson didn't read from a script. Standing on the stage, he spoke freely and confidently, elaborating on his campaign platform and governance philosophy.

People were surprised to find that this president, who had been labeled by the media as inarticulate and whose speeches often put people to sleep, was nothing like that at all.

Occasionally, a humorous remark or two would even draw light laughter from the audience.

What they didn't know was that ever since his appearance on "The Irina Tonight Show," Johnson seemed to have had an epiphany and was now showing signs of developing into a comedian.

This speech was broadcast live to the entire nation, marking the first outdoor live broadcast of a U.S. presidential campaign speech. ABC was pioneering a new approach in the broadcasting industry.

The cameras kept switching angles: there were shots of the president's passionate speech, shots of the cheering crowd, this atmosphere was something studio broadcasts could never replicate, creating a highly compelling energy.

Even viewers watching at home were fired up.