The Newsmakers by Lis Wiehl Page A

the Hudson this weekend.”
    â€œBe careful. The currents are treacherous.”

CHAPTER 16
    AS THE PLANE DESCENDS TOWARD LAX , Erica feels her pulse quicken. If she lands the interview, Greg and Lesli will follow to set up the shoot; they’ll use local sound and camera people. She spent the flight reviewing her notes on Kay Barrish. What a dynamo. The day after she graduated high school in 1976 she moved to Los Angeles, determined to be an actress. To support herself she got a job selling cosmetics at Bullock’s—within a month they asked her to take over the whole department. She had a brief first marriage to actor Kent Barrish—his connections helped her get cast in television movies. Agents and producers noticed her strong screen presence—what she lacked in beauty she made up for in intelligence, vivacity, and charm. During those early years, she lived in Silver Lake, then a rundown part of town, and got involved in neighborhood cleanup efforts. Then she got her big break: a small but showy role in a Robert Altman film that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She moved up to leads, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and gifted actors in the business. She won a Best Actress Oscar in 1996, the peak of her stardom.
    Then she married Bert Winters, the butter king of the Southland (just about every pat in every restaurant comes from his company), had two children, and gradually gave up acting. She enrolled at UCLA and earned a degree in American history. Her philanthropic and community involvement grew and led her into politics. A moderate Republican, she was drafted by the party to run for governor and proved to be a natural on the stump, with seemingly endless stamina and a gift for inspiring audiences with her call for every Californian to look past self-interest and commit to the common good. She won the election in a landslide and became a star on the national political scene. She was considered a shoo-in for reelection—until a right-wing congressman mounted a primary challenge and beat her by a tiny margin. He went on to lose the general election by twenty points. Her grace after the defeat only increased her popularity.
    Since that time, Barrish has kept a high profile as head of her family’s foundation and the author of three books that detail her policy views. She cunningly leavens the books with down-to-earth personal anecdotes—and lessons learned—about being a woman, a mother, and a wife. Polls regularly name her one of the most admired women in America and the leading candidate for the presidency in the next election. It’s all a long way from a lawn covered with hostas.
    As the pilot announces their final descent, Erica looks out the window and marvels, as she always does, at the sheer size and sprawl of Los Angeles. She loves the energy and diversity of the city, its noirtinged history, its exuberant architecture, its creative output. It’s not New York, but it’s a close second.
    Erica gathers her things as she gets ready for the landing. Nylan’s little power play with her outfits was a cheap trick, a head game designed to let her know who was calling the shots. And placing those glasses in front of her computer? That could have been Claire. GNN is definitely not a warm and fuzzy workplace. Erica reminds herself of her healthy paycheck and the opportunities—including gaining custody of Jenny—that lie in front of her. If she has to put up with some juvenile machinations, it’s worth it. As she folds up her laptop, she can almost convince herself that the little ball of dread at the back of her neck is just a stress knot.
    The plane lands and Erica finds her driver. She’s going to meet Barrish, who lives in Brentwood, in the morning. Then she and her old pal Moira Connelly are going to have lunch. Erica is staying at the Miramar in Santa Monica. On the way to the hotel, she has the