Speech by President Askew on 19 July 1978 (Night of the Living Alternate History Map Game)

(This is a transcript of Floridian president Reubin Askew's July 19, 1978 speech announcing the succesful vaccination of the partially Zombified dog 'Shark'. It was broadcast live by Radio Free Earth worldwide. Transcript courtesy of the Associated Press.)

President Reubin Askew:
People of Earth, we as a species are going through an unbelievably dark time. For the first time in recorded history, humanity is actually in danger of extinction. We are facing a soulless menace that has no fear, no mercy - nothing but hatred for our kind and hunger for our flesh.

Today, however, there is hope. Hope that we can weather the storm that has beseiged us for the last nine years.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am prouder than any other person on this planet. I am proud because today, an international team of scientists working at our very own Deep Science Research Station have made a massive breakthrough. (Applause.)

For the past several months, they have been working - in secret - on a chemical called phylaxocortin. And today, they have succeeded in successfully limiting the infection of a dog named Shark using this chemical.

(Standing ovation. Cheers can be heard in the background.)

This is not a cure. We are still a long way from a cure. But, phylaxocortin, if injected into a lifeform currently being infected during the first two hours of infection, is capable of keeping the infection at bay. The vaccine must be administered every forty-eight hours from this point onwards. However, preliminary evidence shows that, while in this state, the lifeform in question has full control of its own body. Furthermore, they bodies essentially become human-Zombie hybrids, giving them many of the enhanced physical capbilities that we have observed in Zombies - without the risk of these 'hybrids' spreading the infection:

(Applause.)

This state does not appear to be permanent. Based on our understanding of the Zombie virus, the infection will eventually take over. However, we believe that this state can persist for around three to five years.

(More applause.)

We are a long way from this vaccine being able to be used on humans. That, according to expert estimates by my science advisers, may be anywhere from six months to two years away. But we will carry on. We will survive. We will fight the undead menace on all fronts, at all costs. We will win.

(Standing ovation.)

Thank you! Good night!