Harry Beltway, idealistic young conservative and grand son of a famous evangelist, has just come back from a two-years tour as a missionary when he is persuaded to join the campaign staff of Tim Duncannon, an arch-conservative television commentator who has set his sights on the Republican nomination for presidency so that he can build a barbed wire fence around America. As a candidate, Duncannon wows conservative fundamentalist Americans with his promises to protect them from Zulus and wetbacks and his reassurances that school prayer will someday return and abortionists will disappear. Harry must run interference when Duncannon's campaign starts to fall apart after accusations of campaign bullying (Duncannon's brothers are harassing and beating up his opponents), sexual misconduct (Duncannon is discovered having semi-weekly rendezvous with a mysterious blonde), and devil worship (Duncannon is caught channeling the spirit of Richard Nixon, his former boss). Along the way. Harry starts a confusing love affair with a fellow campaign worker that turns out to be, literally, a drag.