TM-249: Write about politics
Politics had never been the foundation of Steve Rogers’ life. That might sound strange, even laughable, as a way to describe the life of a man who, since 1940, had been wearing the American flag on his chest. But being Captain America was never about being political. Being Captain America was always about fighting the good fight and protecting the nation, and all the people of the world, from those who wished to do them harm. Impartiality was inherent in that role. Captain America represented all Americans equally. And, more importantly, Captain America had no time for politics. He’d been asked, once, to run for president, but he’d turned down the nomination. His job wasn’t to sit in an office and dictate policy. He was a soldier, a general at most, and a living symbol. He had important work to do that only he could accomplish. He wasn’t a politician.
So even now, when he’d made a move that was undeniably political (and didn’t involve a rejection of his country, as his experiments as Nomad and The Captain and his fight against the SHRA had), Steve knew that his job as Captain America still came first. And that was why, instead of facing the horde of reporters pounding on the doors of Stark Tower on the afternoon of his coming out, Steve found himself on a Quinjet with Carol Danvers, flying to meet Tony at a Hydra base he’d discovered on his way home to see Steve.
After the battle was over and the Hydra agents captured, Steve saw that the crowd outside the base was swarming with reporters whose camera footage had caught him in action. He wondered, for a moment, whether Tony had planned that - whether he’d wanted Steve to have a battle to remind people that nothing had changed. Steve immediately pushed the thought aside as cynical nonsense - Tony hadn’t invented the Hydra base, after all. But he couldn’t help thinking that this, too, had somehow become political - that maybe, on this day, his entire life had turned into politics.
If that was true, Steve was going to have to talk to a real politician. A politician who he happened to be madly in love with, and who had seemingly nearly proposed an hour earlier.
Steve politely excused himself from the crowd of reporters, promising to talk to them soon, and reboarded the Quinjet.
It was time to talk to Tony.
So even now, when he’d made a move that was undeniably political (and didn’t involve a rejection of his country, as his experiments as Nomad and The Captain and his fight against the SHRA had), Steve knew that his job as Captain America still came first. And that was why, instead of facing the horde of reporters pounding on the doors of Stark Tower on the afternoon of his coming out, Steve found himself on a Quinjet with Carol Danvers, flying to meet Tony at a Hydra base he’d discovered on his way home to see Steve.
After the battle was over and the Hydra agents captured, Steve saw that the crowd outside the base was swarming with reporters whose camera footage had caught him in action. He wondered, for a moment, whether Tony had planned that - whether he’d wanted Steve to have a battle to remind people that nothing had changed. Steve immediately pushed the thought aside as cynical nonsense - Tony hadn’t invented the Hydra base, after all. But he couldn’t help thinking that this, too, had somehow become political - that maybe, on this day, his entire life had turned into politics.
If that was true, Steve was going to have to talk to a real politician. A politician who he happened to be madly in love with, and who had seemingly nearly proposed an hour earlier.
Steve politely excused himself from the crowd of reporters, promising to talk to them soon, and reboarded the Quinjet.
It was time to talk to Tony.