On Friday, November 14, 2008, The Hill's final edition this week underwent a significant change in style, as if it had transformed into the Washington Post overnight:
"From Boardroom to Congressional Hearing: The Dual Identity of a Young Icon."
Because traditional print newspapers were distributed in Washington D.C. and surrounding areas, and the audience mostly consisted of congressmen, the newspaper's influence, though not small, often went unnoticed by the general public.
However, Clay Lee's arrival changed the situation.
Things became lively starting Wednesday, and yesterday, a large number of police officers even brought their families to "star-gaze," a situation that thrilled media reporters.
Although the Rayburn House Office Building has been built for a long time, its design was originally intended to serve congressmen.
The initial budget was $2 million, but the "additional funds that might be needed" were simply too numerous.
Ultimately, these "additional" funds exceeded $90 million.
To facilitate better work, the leaders at the time secretly built an additional gymnasium on the first underground parking level, complete with luxurious and well-equipped fitness facilities.
Dozens of cardio machines with TV screens, weight machines, and free weights were all available.
On the third underground level, there was also a shooting range managed by the Capitol Police and a basketball court.
Yesterday morning's hearing ended very early.
In the afternoon, Lee, arranged by the police officers, enjoyed a "staff lunch" and then went to the shooting range to exercise.
Finally, due due to everyone's overwhelming enthusiasm, an impromptu "Capitol Police Basketball Game" was held!
Comrade Philip D. Morse, who became the police chief in 2006, was very satisfied.
The New York Police Department's information was correct.
Lee was indeed generous and considerate of grassroots workers.
The New York Police Department's foundation finances were very opaque, which provided an opportunity for those with ulterior motives to provide funding.
Since 2001, Lee has never missed a dinner hosted by the foundation.
His good reputation gradually spread from that time.
As the first police foundation in the United States, it held significant influence in the industry.
This time, Lee received a lot of useful information from Philip D. Morse.
As for the slight cost, that was not important.
Upgrading equipment ensures better safety for congressmen, and this all serves democracy!
In response, the Donkey Party members from Massachusetts were very displeased.
They couldn't make trouble for George Soros and didn't want to bully scholarly figures like Jim Simons.
Philip Falcone, who didn't make huge profits from subprime mortgages, was difficult to target, so they naturally wanted to get a handle on Kenneth Griffin's Citadel and Lee's Axe Capital.
Regrettably, some people were uncooperative.
Not only did they successfully draw attention to Lee's "flaunting of wealth," but Kenneth Griffin and Bobby Axelrod also argued forcefully, leading to the hearing ending on bad terms.
More and more media began to focus on today's situation.
On Friday afternoon, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee met again in Room 2128.
Yesterday's hearing was chaired by Barnett Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
After the heated debate, this gay chairman failed to achieve his goal.
The afternoon meeting was led by Henry Waxman, also a Democrat, currently serving as the Chairman of the House's primary investigative committee, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Coming to Washington, officials are everywhere.
If no one introduces you, just trying to pull strings can create a lot of complications.
Around 2 PM, the observing congressmen and relevant staff were already in place.
Although the tension of yesterday's hearing was gone, seeing the bald Henry Waxman's sour face indicated that things would not be simple.
In fact, Chairman Waxman was the one who investigated the oil company Halliburton two years ago.
Axe Capital had long been on his investigation list, but he had never found a breakthrough.
Many executives from major Wall Street investment banks also attended.
Today's meeting was to discuss the "rescue plan."
Without the accountability session, these onlookers were still in the mood to whisper among themselves.
The $700 billion plan had been finalized in mid-September, and now they just had to wait for stock prices to rise.
Secretary of the Treasury Mr. Paulson indeed did not mistreat Wall Street.
At the front meeting table, George Soros remained silent, and the legal personnel beside him sat upright.
The white-haired Jim Simons was still organizing documents with the help of an assistant, occasionally exchanging words.
Philip Falcone, with his curly hair, occasionally pushed up his glasses.
He had the least pressure.
His hedge fund did not profit from subprime mortgage derivatives, and his legal team also looked relaxed.
Soon, the door to the back meeting room was pushed open.
Accompanied by two police officers, Clay Lee and Bobby Axelrod entered with smiles, holding folders.
After taking their seats in the front row, Kenneth Griffin, who had been leaning idly in his chair, raised an eyebrow at them.
His assistant immediately motioned for them to sit down.
Seemingly sensing that Waxman, who was presiding over the meeting, was in a bad mood, Kenneth Griffin lowered his voice and asked curiously:
"What did you do? This guy was 'cocky' yesterday, but now he's giving us a sour face."
Bobby raised his hand to check the time, ignoring the gazes from the front.
Seeing that there were still 5 minutes, he immediately turned his head and joked with a smile:
"Victory is always decided outside the meeting room!"
The voice was not loud, but some people around could still hear it.
Some of the observing Wall Street executives all smiled.
No one liked to have chains around their necks.
Regulators shouldn't think they could control how people make money.
Unbuttoning his black suit, Lee opened his folder, turned to look at several Democratic congressmen, nodded with a smile, and then said softly:
"I've endorsed General Motors products and have a good relationship with Ms. Debbie Dingell."
After a moment of stunned, Kenneth Griffin realized that Lee was referring to John Dingell's wife.
The old man was 82 this year and currently still the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
John Dingell's wealth mostly came from General Motors stocks and options, and his wife had always lobbied for the three major automakers: General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford Motor Company.
Debbie Dingell was a descendant of the Fisher brothers, founders of General Motors.
These congressmen might have party affiliations, but ultimately, they all served their own interests.
Kenneth Griffin never liked to cooperate with traditional companies on a downhill path, but hearing that Lee could even connect with them, his eye twitched slightly, and then he teased with "admiration":
"I thought you were only good at dealing with young girls!"
Lee pouted.
In fact, as long as he attended a few gatherings, sent $100,000 annually, and some more on holidays, the old lady would naturally be happy.
Not to mention, Lee also took over some General Motors shares.
Now that the old man was about to retire, if this favor wasn't used, it would be taken to the grave.
"Being old doesn't mean they don't like green paper. We need to take the lead, not be at their mercy."
Lee, checking the documents, responded softly again, and seeing Henry Waxman's unfriendly gaze, he smiled and nodded slightly.
Perhaps in a few days, the other party would replace John Dingell as the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, but the official assumption of office would be in January, and time was not on his side.
At 2 PM, the meeting room quickly quieted down.
Under Henry Waxman's guidance, George Soros still took the lead, and this financial magnate began by discussing the global financial landscape.
Then the scholarly Jim Simons provided a brief supplement, attempting to explain the effects of relevant regulations to the congressmen through simple numbers.
Soon it was the "young people's" turn.
Philip Falcone also opposed the proposed regulations for hedge funds.
With Griffin and Bobby joining in, the relevant bills were ultimately disrupted by the congressmen.
Towards the end of the meeting, Henry Waxman suddenly changed the topic, asking again about the issue from yesterday's hearing:
"From the latest information provided by Goldman Sachs, I've seen some new issues. Abacus 2007-AC1, the issuance of collateralized debt obligations, received advice from Axe Capital."
"Now I want to reconfirm this matter, as it involves misleading Congress."
The meeting room suddenly fell silent.
No one pursued Waxman for "meddling," as if everyone tacitly agreed to this behavior.
"Misleading Congress" sounded very serious, but George Soros didn't even raise his head.
Jim Simons wanted to say a few words, but unfortunately, the microphone in front of him was pulled away.
"Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps not everyone is familiar with this particular term, and I am no exception."
"The Chairman's professional questions should ideally be answered by our Defense lawyers, but we are here with sincerity, so I will answer this question now."
Clay Lee adjusted the microphone in front of him, gradually raising his voice so that everyone in the meeting room could hear clearly.
Noticing Henry Waxman's wave, he then calmly said:
"Goldman Sachs played the role of a market maker in this. They were not the creators of subprime mortgage-related securities products. This is confirmed information."
"Axe Capital had no moral or legal obligation to tell Goldman Sachs' clients that they faced huge risks."
"Goldman Sachs sells their products, and we buy products. All of this is permitted by law. As for the huge profits, you can look at our losses between 2005 and 2006."
"I believe no one can be above the law. Axe Capital has always abided by the law, and this is our corporate culture."
Soon, some congressmen expressed agreement, believing that Goldman Sachs should be responsible to those clients, but Waxman still looked at the few people and said again in a deep voice:
"What I want to know is, were you involved in the design of Abacus 2007-AC1?"
Seeing that the other party was truly trying to drag Goldman Sachs into this, Lee's lips curved upwards, his tone becoming lighter, and he responded again:
"Perhaps Mr. Lloyd Blankfein should be invited today!"
"I must reiterate our role. Neither Axe Capital nor Goldman Sachs has a legal obligation to inform clients that they are betting against the products they sell them."
"..."
Clearly, Lee was changing the subject, not discussing the creation process of this CDO product, only the result.
Henry Waxman was helpless because, legally, it was indeed compliant.
If it were Goldman Sachs' CEO Lloyd Blankfein, the rhetoric would likely be the same.
Even if the two companies colluded to manipulate CDO products, it was legally permissible.
This was not a hearing.
Ultimately, George Soros and several congressmen redirected the topic back to the issue of "hedge fund regulation," and Waxman could only purse his lips.
Nearly 4 hours later, the meeting room doors reopened.
The invited Wall Street executives witnessed how Lee and his associates were "law-abiding," each with a strange expression, then regaining their confident demeanor.
The financial crisis indeed occurred, but the related practitioners did not feel that they were wrong.
They only envied those who made big money!
A large number of media reporters were outside the Rayburn House Office Building.
At the Rayburn statue in the ground-level courtyard on the first floor, some invited reporters had already been waiting there early.
Seeing these "frenzied" reporters, Bobby and Kenneth Griffin immediately took a detour.
George Soros also didn't want to be interviewed and began to leave under the protection of guards.
Clay Lee, on the other hand, accepted all comers and was quickly surrounded by a barrage of questions, forcing him to wave his hands for quiet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't the place for an interview, but I still want to answer everyone's questions."
"Yes, a financial crisis has occurred, and the Federal Government is preparing a 'rescue.' Everyone attending today's meeting will do their part."
"There's nothing wrong with wanting a house. It means a home, and we all want to provide the best life for our children!"
"Think back to how it feels to see those lovely smiling faces when you return home! For your family, everyone needs to hold on a little longer. Everything will be fine!"
"…"
Lee's grand talk about family made Philip Falcone, who was about to slip away, twitch his mouth.
Asking people to keep working and pay high mortgage rates, even calling for the whole family to pay together, was simply devilish!
But in Lee's words, a family paying off a loan together became something to be praised.
The curly-haired Falcone quickened his pace but ultimately couldn't escape the "teasing."
"Basketball? Of course, I won't give up basketball. I love this sport, just like Mr. Falcone loves ice hockey!"
"If he went back to being 31, he would definitely continue playing ice hockey! Wealth isn't important. We just purely love it. This is a man's romance…"
Forced to stop, Philip Falcone saw Lee give him a thumbs-up, his teeth seemingly shining at that moment.
For a moment, he could only force a smile and express agreement to the reporters:
"Yes, Lee is right, wealth isn't important. Even now, I still play ice hockey."
"If it weren't for the injury, maybe I would have become a professional athlete too. I can understand Lee's feelings…"
Lee cordially put his arm around the middle-aged man, who was more than 10 years older than him, and a sincere smile reappeared on his face as he spoke passionately to the reporters about how pure sports are more important than excessive wealth!
Philip Falcone listened to this nonsense and saw that many reporters seemed to agree, momentarily unsure what to say.
It wasn't until he walked out of the hall that this Harvard elite quietly sighed:
"Those people actually believed you!"
After sighing, Philip Falcone felt a bit regretful.
Axe Capital had brought down many companies over the years, and he didn't want to deal with them too much.
Lee, however, didn't care and responded softly:
"Because everything I said is true! Isn't it worthy of respect for a family to repay a loan so their children can have a home?"
"…"
For the CDS they were taking over to appreciate, mortgage payments couldn't stop.
Philip Falcone couldn't discern Lee's true intentions and could only shake his head in the end:
"Say hello to Paul for me. I hope to see him again at the Harvard alumni meeting!"
"He will. He earned 200 million, so I believe he'll definitely be there."
Lee embraced Falcone again.
The latter was still sighing as he left.
He knew that the other party was not satisfied with the Federal Government's bailout plan, and the faces of some congressmen had most likely broken Falcone's heart.
The evening temperature in Washington was only about 7 degrees Celsius.
On Saturday, the onlookers soon spotted the "low-key" black Saleen S7 supercar near South Capitol Street.
The police officer had a reluctant expression as he exited the car.
The scissor doors rose, and he handed the keys back to Lee.
Seeing reporters taking photos, he couldn't help but quietly exclaim:
"Lee, this is truly a great car!"
"Actually, I prefer SUVs! Thanks, buddy. There's a discount at Happy Restaurant on Connecticut Avenue, but you need to make a reservation in advance."
Seeing Lee wink, the Black police officer immediately thanked him sincerely.
Signatures Restaurant had closed due to the bribery case involving the well-known lobbyist Jack Abramoff and had recently been taken over by Lee's side.
In the past, this "political restaurant" was extremely famous and a gathering place for the Republican Party.
However, after Lee took over, it was completely reformed, stripping away its 'squid' restaurant attribute, which might be one of the reasons for Henry Waxman's dissatisfaction.
This resulted in some loss of customers but also made it more popular.
Onlookers also started going to the restaurant to enjoy good food.
In short, the restaurant was making more money than before.
The car lights flickered slightly, the engine purred, and some reporters were still pressing their shutters, watching Lee slowly drive away in the black supercar.
It wasn't until the taillights disappeared that the reporters reluctantly withdrew their gaze.
This sports car was indeed attractive, but it was also more likely to make people feel envious:
"When did Lee buy this car? Why haven't we seen it before?"
This young white reporter from the Washington Post was clearly sour.
Reporters from New York, on the other hand, were used to it and, seeing the young man's envious gaze, said somewhat proudly:
"Why wouldn't a car dealer give it to Lee?"
Hearing the "superior" answer, the young man was immediately exasperated.
He really didn't understand why these people would empathize with Lee and could only lower his head and mutter in a low voice:
"It's not your car anyway…"
It's hard for ordinary people to understand celebrity fans.
For die-hard fans who like Lee, if their idol is amazing, it means they are amazing too!
The meeting, which should have been held discreetly, began to sweep across the entire United States from Washington with Lee's "help."
Previously serious bills began to receive more attention.
The Associated Press, as a relatively neutral media outlet, also released its latest exclusive interview content at this time.
Lee's call to "strive for family" brought tears to the eyes of a large number of fans:
"Our idol is truly great!"
As for those ordinary people who said they couldn't repay their loans, they were silenced under the attack of the fans.
They had no chance of winning online arguments:
"Why don't you fight for your family? You must not be working hard enough!"
Even more excited die-hard fans stated on Reddit that they cried after watching the exclusive interview.
Their idol was so rich, yet still worked hard to play for them.
What kind of love was that:
"I will always support Clay Lee! He is a true lover of basketball! He fights for our victory!"
"Those clowns will never steal Lee's honor. We must boycott them!"
The content of related posts received widespread recognition on social media.
Those who spoke sarcastically were attacked.
The "family members" mobilized collectively, and for a time, the few players hoping to win awards fell silent.
On Saturday, the 15th, the Cavaliers will host the Utah Jazz tonight.
Deron Williams is still out due to injury, but Dwight Howard is making his return from injury.
With a superb record of 7 wins and 2 losses, Coach Mike Brown was in high spirits.
Coaching the Cavaliers was much easier than coaching the Houston Rockets.
Under the new tactical system, it was simply a matter of giving the ball to James.
In a brief pre-game interview, Mike Brown still sang praises for his disciple regarding the MVP.
He had found his coaching philosophy:
"It's hard for me to describe how good LeBron is! He's truly outstanding, and I think he has a chance to become the next Clay Lee!"
"As for the awards, I believe young people should be encouraged! We've all seen LeBron's transformation. He's simply omnipotent this new season."
To better serve LeBron James and Dwight Howard, Mike Brown chose to trade Drew Gooden and acquire Mo Williams from the Milwaukee Bucks.
This recent trade seems to have played a significant role.
With the help of the backcourt duo of Delonte West and Mo Williams, the Cavaliers' offensive firepower is stronger than last season!
Their excellent record is the best proof.
Mike Brown abandoned the idea of building a team around Defense and began developing James into a ball-handling forward.
Cleveland's sports media was quite satisfied with the Head Coach's response.
The outside public opinion was too outrageous!
Lee obviously hadn't fully committed to basketball, missing a week, yet his MVP shouts were growing louder.
Faced with this phenomenon, they could only resist and hope that James would perform even better.
Quicken Loans Arena was packed that night.
Although many teams were having attendance issues, the Cavaliers' market was still booming!
The The Chosen One also lived up to the fans' expectations, scoring an efficient 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the first half.
His firepower didn't diminish in the second half, ultimately stopping his stat line at 38 points.
In 42 minutes of play, he shot 13-of-21 from the field, 3-of-7 from three-point range, and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line, finishing with 38 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers.
93:106, the Cavaliers successfully defeated the Utah Jazz, extending their recent winning streak.
Dwight Howard, returning from injury, played 27 minutes, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-8 from the free-throw line, easily tallying a double-double of 16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 turnovers.
After the game, Quicken Loans Arena was filled with joy.
Cavaliers fans were cheering for their home team.
Both the inside and outside core seemed to be entering their prime.
At this moment, everyone believed the future was bright!
The change in tactics turned Howard into a supporting player.
In Van Gundy's system, he was the absolute Defense core, but after pursuing offense, not only did his offensive role greatly decrease, but he also had to "reduce the burden" for his partner.
During the interview, although Howard smiled brightly, when discussing the game process tonight, he couldn't help but laughingly call out:
"I feel great! My body is stronger than before the injury!"
"Brothers, don't worry about me. I can take on more responsibility on the offensive end. You know, I'm a talented big man. I can dominate both ends of the court in the game!"
Cleveland's sports reporters didn't pay much attention to these words, as the "Big Boy" always boasted in the past.
And James, although he understood his partner's meaning, didn't respond immediately:
"I want to thank Coach Brown for the new system! I'm not a scorer. I understand my talent, and I can find my teammates!"
"The team has developed good chemistry. Dwight's return allows us to launch counterattacks more easily! Compared to the past few seasons, we've become more in sync."
Howard glanced at his partner.
James still didn't react much.
Instead, a smile appeared on his face as he put his arm around the "Big Boy" and joked in front of the reporters:
"We will become the strongest duo of the 21st century! We are very confident about this."
"MVP!"
As they walked towards the player tunnel, fans on both sides shouted loudly.
Howard and James waved simultaneously, both seemingly thinking the fans were cheering for them.
The excellent record and the Head Coach's unwavering support indeed gave James more confidence.
As he was about to enter the locker room, he turned his head again to instruct his partner:
"Dwight, you know, low-post offense is an inefficient way to attack."
"Convert my assists into dunks, and we can keep winning."
The Cavaliers coaching staff, who also advocated data analysis, supported James's style of play, but Howard was not very satisfied with his current role.
He didn't betray Van Gundy just to be a "dunk-finisher":
"We'll always get into half-court offense. The team needs my low-post presence, Bro, you should trust me!"
"…"
Neither of them said anything more.
Daniel Gibson saw his Good Brother and immediately led the cheers in the locker room.
Delonte West also followed with applause:
"MVP! MVP!"
.....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)