Deadlines

The time is late August 1984. Edward T. (Eddie) Devlin is back in the newspaper business, a copy editor at the Monitor Union & Standard & Herald (aka the MUSH) following some "down-sizing" at the Greedy Mfg. Co. The primary election is fast approaching and political shenanigans begin to unspool. Eventually these involve: Peter P. Hohn, Chief MUSH Capitol Correspondent. Ralph Sackett, a public relations person whose principal client is GOP gubernatorial candidate Borg (Beanie) Olson). Mary Margaret Mergenthaler, the Democrat-Farmer-Labor candidate for lieutenant-governor. Lester Fester, the MUSH executive editor, a fearless journalist when fueled with Wild Turkey. Jerry Burns, a veteran city editor. LifeStyle editor Doodie Vermun. Lassiter Diddleworth, editor-and-publisher. Several Diddleworth relatives-by-marriage employed at the MUSH. The State Council on Fairness in the Media. A snarl of lawyers (Wiley Snagg & .Stahl, Levy Botch & Bray, Muddie Waters & Scamm). And H. Wiggins, a rich jolly widow who has nothing to do with any of the above but finds E. Devlin attractive. He her too. The girl of his dreams.