Summary

In Chapter 2, which is entitled “Under the Spell,” Zuckerman thinks about the upcoming U.S. Presidential election. Zuckerman has always voted for the Democratic candidates and consistently viewed the twentieth-century Republican Presidents as destructive and misguided. Billy and Jamie invite Zuckerman to their home to watch the election results with them, and they are all hoping that John Kerry will win. Billy talks about his family and about Jamie’s family. Jamie’s father did not approve of Billy because Billy is Jewish, and her father even threatened to cut off Jamie financially. However, her father eventually relented. Zuckerman, Billy, and Jamie discuss their dislike of Bush, Republicans, and American conservatives in general. When Bush wins the election, all three of them are devastated.

When Zuckerman returns to his hotel room, he writes an imaginary dialogue between himself and Jamie. The dialogue is somewhat...