Aaron Sorkin - Manchester Part II lyrics

TEASER FADE IN: EXT. MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - DAY CUT TO: INT. A BARN IN THE BARTLET FARM - CONTINUOUS Bartlet and his staff are in the barn practicing a speech. BARTLET [reading] We are more than a set of borders. We are bounded by the reach of human freedom. We have mastered every moment. We have vanquished every foe. We are strong. We are prosperous. We are at peace with the world. We are, as we have ever been, the envy of every civilization. We are, as we have ever been, the hope of all mankind. But I am not satisfied. Indeed, I am restless. And I come before not to speak of the America we have, but of the Amer.... TOBY Excuse me? BARTLET Yeah? TOBY We are the envy of every civilization? DOUG Yeah. TOBY (laughs) Really? DOUG They don't vote in England, Toby. SAM Well, they do, actually. CONNIE He meant that... TOBY We know what he meant. Thank you. SAM (to Bartlet) I'll change it, sir. BARTLET Okay. TOBY (indicating Doug) Could somebody stick some pom-poms in that guy's hands? BARTLET (reading) "But I am not satisfied. Indeed, I am restless. And I come before you not to speak of the America we have, but of the better, stronger, more prosperous America we can create together." C.J. There's a snake over there. (All look.) SAM (walking toward it) What kind? C.J. I don't know and I don't want to ask him. Can somebody shoot it, please? SAM (looking at it) Probably a garter snake. BARTLET It's a garter snake. Don't worry about it. C.J. Okay. BARTLET (reading) "I seek re-election to the presidency, not because of its glories, but because of its challenges..." DOUG And I have a problem here. BARTLET Yeah? SAM I wrote that. DOUG (sarcastically) I'm happy for you. (to Bartlet) "It's challenges" make it sound like you're overwhelmed by the job and this is exactly the wrong time for that. SAM No. It's exactly the right time to raise the stakes of the election. DOUG Why? TOBY Cause if it's all day at the beach, any bozo with a handshake can do it. DOUG I'm sorry but America wants a happy warrior to lead the country, not Dr. Kevorkian. JOSH (to Bartlet) It's true, sir. America does not want Dr. Kervorkian to lead the country. We've got polling data on that. BARTLET All right. We'll revisit that. C.J. The snake is looking at me now. BARTLET (reading) "A presidential candidate owes his campaign no less than he owes his country; everything he has, everything he can give, all his hope... DOUG (wincing) Again, I'm sorry, sir. BARTLET Yeah? DOUG I'm not wild about it being "your" campaign and "your" country. CONNIE No, that's okay. DOUG People don't hear that well. SAM The people who're going to be there hear fine. CONNIE No, he doesn't mean people don't "hear" that well. He means people don't hear "that" well. But I disagree. JOSH Okay, I see the snake now, too. TOBY Sir, you're perfectly entitled to declare yourself the leader of the campaign and the country, since, after all, you are. Leo and Bruno walk into the barn. DOUG But if it's him and not the voters, then it points the pundits towards the M.S. BRUNO I think the cat's out of the bag on the M.S. BARTLET (joking) Does somebody here have M.S. and they haven't said anything? JOSH Seriously, that's a pretty big snake. BARTLET (reading) "But I am not satisfied." Indeed, Leo, I am close to taking my own life with a wheat thresher. LEO Bruno? BRUNO Yeah. Uh, listen up. I've been thinking it might not be such a bad idea to lock you all in here and set the place on fire. We have 48 hours before we kick off this campaign. We will work hard. We will work well. We will work together. Or so help me, mother of God, I will stick a pitchfork so far up your a**es, you will, quite simply, be dead. BARTLET "And so with pride and purpose, I hereby announce my candidacy for the presidency of the United States." SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES. END TEASER * * * ACT ONE FADE IN: EXT. THE WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT FOUR WEEKS EARLIER CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS Soft music is playing. Bartlet walks into his room and through it to the bathroom, pa**ing Abbey, who is reading a book in bed. ABBEY Jed? BARTLET [comes out swiftly] I didn't see you there... ABBEY Yeah. BARTLET I didn't see you. ABBEY What's going on? BARTLET Peter thinks sanctions are a waste of time and I agree. In about half an hour we're buzzing the island with... uh, what they call an Alpha strike formation - to show Bazan... I don't know. [goes into the bathroom] ABBEY Will it work? [beat] Jed? BARTLET [VO] Yeah? ABBEY I said will it work? BARTLET [comes out with a towel] Sorry, I said I don't know, we'll see. ABBEY C.J. got beaten up pretty good in the Briefing Room. BARTLET Yeah, it was bound to happen. [goes back into the bathroom] ABBEY Maybe you want to think about sitting her down for a few days. [beat] Jed? BARTLET [VO] Yeah? ABBEY I said maybe you want to think about benching C.J. for a few days! BARTLET [VO] Yeah. ABBEY At least on Haiti. BARTLET Ah, it's Leo's call. ABBEY Send in Nancy or Peter or someone from State? That way the two stories don't get mixed up. BARTLET [comes out] Yeah, it's Leo's call. Look, I'm sorry, I can't get into our thing tonight. ABBEY Two days ago you said you had a lot to say. BARTLET I do, that's why I can't get into it. I have to read. ABBEY That's all right. BARTLET All right, I'm going to the study. [heads out] ABBEY Okay. BARTLET [turns] Abbey, you were lying down when I came in. I didn't see you. ABBEY I believe you. Bartlet leaves as Abbey closes her eyes. CUT TO: EXT. BARTLET FAMILY FARM, MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - PRESENT CUT TO: INT. NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Josh walks into a room in the house where senior staffers and consultants are already present. DOUG [VO] He has to sell the greatness of America. SAM [VO] Why? DOUG [VO] Because it's an implicit argument to stay the course. SAM We're selling the greatness of America. DOUG Not enough. SAM We're selling it in paragraphs one, two, eight, sixteen, twenty-six, thirty-six... DOUG Listen, it's a simple equation. Bartlet rules America. America rocks, therefore, Bartlet rocks. SAM America "rocks?" TOBY Bartlet... "rocks?" DOUG Yes. JOSH He really doesn't... that much. Leo? Can I see you for a second? LEO Yeah. Leo follows Josh into the hallway. Doug sighs. CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS Leo and Josh stand at the bottom of a ladder. JOSH RU-486. LEO There's nothing we can do... JOSH The last thing we need is to come out of the gate waving a flag to the American heartland... LEO Look, Josh... JOSH ...saying we don't share your values. LEO The President understands all that. JOSH And? LEO That's the way it goes. [walks off] JOSH [follows him] Leo! LEO The FDA is an independent agency. They can announce when they want. JOSH The FDA is a division of HHS and technically not an independent agency. LEO Technically? JOSH I can keep the President away from this. I can call the FDA's chief of staff, I got him his job... They can wait... LEO No! JOSH Two weeks - to announce the drug. They don't have to do it on Monday. I can fix tobacco. LEO Tobacco? JOSH [absently] No, I meant 486. LEO Leave the FDA alone. Leo leaves, as Josh sighs heavily. CUT TO: EXT. BARTLET FAMILY FARM - DAY A car pulls up to the farm. C.J. gets out and approaches Abbey. C.J. Good morning! ABBEY Hi, C.J.! C.J. You just get in? ABBEY Oh, a few hours ago. C.J. Ellie and Zoey are here? Abbey walks to the house with a basket full of apples. C.J. follows. ABBEY Yeah. Liz will be here in a while. We're going for a hike later if you want to join us. C.J. No, thank you, I can't. But I do want to talk to you about a photo-op. ABBEY Would you like some cider? C.J. No, I'm fine. ABBEY We grow the apples right down the hill. It's good. C.J. Okay. So, at any rate... ABBEY The photo-op. C.J. Yes. ABBEY My husband and I, together. C.J. Yeah. ABBEY With the kids. C.J. That'd be nice if... ABBEY Because my husband and I came to the house separately there were photos of the President getting on the plane alone. C.J. Ma'am, this is uncomfortable territory and obviously, I... The press has sources that say that you and the President... ABBEY Do we have names? C.J. I'm sorry? ABBEY The sources. C.J. No, these are... ABBEY Unnamed sources. C.J., unnamed sources make me crazy. Just one time, I'd like to see... instead of "according to unnamed sources" I'd like to see according to tweaky little ill-informed chicken-a** wannabe... Don't ever come to me again with unnamed sources, C.J. You don't get any cider. [walks away] C.J. Yes, ma'am. CUT TO: INT. NEW HAMPSHIRE HOUSE - DAY C.J. [VO] I spoke to the First Lady before. LEO Hmmm? C.J. I spoke to the First Lady. I thought it might not be a bad idea if there were some opportunities with the two of them together at the house. LEO What was her reaction? C.J. Well, she denied me cider. C.J. follows Leo outside into the STREET. LEO What else? C.J. I'll brief the Sunday papers on what they can expect from the speech on Monday. LEO You know it's not written yet. C.J. I'm just giving them highlights. LEO What highlights? C.J. I'll make them up! LEO Okay. C.J. I thought maybe you could speak to her. They cross the street. LEO Who? C.J. The First Lady. LEO Look, I... C.J. Every paper today had a picture on the front page of the President boarding Air Force One to go home by himself. LEO It's a Saturday paper. C.J. There are any number of press questions about... LEO We're two private men, C.J. We don't talk about our marriages. What do you want from me? C.J. I'm not wild about the fact that you told Toby what we discussed. LEO He's the communications director, you don't think he should know? C.J. When I think it's time... LEO [angrily] When I think it's time I will tell anyone who works for me anything I damn please! You know what, C.J.? Stop being pissed at me about Haiti. [walks away] C.J. Yeah, okay. She walks in the opposite direction. CUT TO: INT. THE SITUATION ROOM - FOUR WEEKS EARLIER The entrance is viewed through a security monitor. LEO [VO] It's a surrender. BARTLET [VO] It's not a surrender if he has demands. LEO It's as close as we come these days. BARTLET What does he want? LEO Ten million dollars US, a private plane and a guarantee we won't be prosecuted for the war crimes. BARTLET What else? Bartlet and Leo enter the room. LEO Asylum for himself and sixty of his family members. BARTLET Where?! LEO Here. BARTLET Well, that's a bit of a dilemma. Does anybody have room at their place for Bazan and sixty of his relatives? MIKE Sir, any amnesty conditions could be in violation of Haiti treaties. BARTLET Yeah. PETER Do we want to set a precedent that anyone can stage a coup and walk away if it doesn't work? MIKE And with ten million dollars and a private plane? NANCY A shoot-out in the Presidential Palace is the worst possible outcome. Bazan's full surrender is the best and that's what we've got on the table. BARTLET I want to handle this peacefully and right now. Nancy, what do you think of Venezuela? NANCY Venezuela would like to be considered a resource for supplying Strategic Petroleum Reserves. BARTLET Tell them I'll give the SPR strong consideration. Mike, have the Canadians get a message through: we'll unfreeze his US accounts but he can't remove any money from Haiti. Only his wife, his children and his parents can seek asylum. If he tries to go back, he'll be under arrest. LEO And he can screw the private plane. We'll fly him on a C-9 from Port-au-Prince to Caracas and if he's very good we won't shoot him in the head on the way. BARTLET Tell me when it's done. NANCY Yes, sir. EVERYONE Thank you, Mr. President. LEO Nancy? NANCY Yeah. LEO Let me talk to you a second. They walk out of the room together. LEO When this is a done deal, I want you to stick around for a while and brief the press. NANCY She made a mistake, Leo. LEO I'm not punishing her. NANCY She made a mistake... LEO I'm not punishing her! You're not the political face of this administration, you're no part of the MS thing and you won't be asked questions about it. NANCY I don't feel right about this. LEO I don't care. [leaves] CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OUTER OFFICE - NIGHT Sam walks to Margaret's desk. MARGARET Hey. SAM Can I talk to him? MARGARET He's on his way up from the Sit Room. SAM Hey, good news about Haiti. MARGARET I say we should have gone in there with four tank divisions and turned the place into a casino. SAM Manifest Destiny? MARGARET Bet your a**. LEO [walks in] Calls? MARGARET On your desk. SAM You got a second? Sam follows Leo in LEO'S OFFICE. LEO Yeah. SAM So, I wanted to apologize about before. LEO Don't worry about it. SAM You know what I'm talking about? LEO Yeah. SAM So I wanted to make you aware of something. LEO Yeah. SAM Well, I've looked through the transcript a couple of times, and he never apologized. LEO What do you mean? SAM In the interview - he never apologized and I think that's something we're going to be humbled with later. LEO Well, let's wait a few weeks, see what happens with the numbers and take another look. SAM Yeah. LEO Anything else? SAM He wanted a private plane? LEO Can you believe it? Sam chuckles as Leo walks out of the office. Sam leaves. CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Leo walks in to see Bartlet. BARTLET The State Department's suggesting that we praise the French government for their help in resolving this matter. I would, but I'm worried they'd surrender. LEO You did well, Mr. President. Leo follows Bartlet out to the PORTICO. BARTLET When do you think C.J. can brief? LEO Nancy can brief. BARTLET Yeah? LEO Don't worry about it. You did well. FADE OUT. END ACT ONE * * * ACT TWO FADE IN: EXT. THE WHITE HOUSE - DAY CUT TO: INT. C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Leo walks inside and hands C.J. notes. LEO We haven't picked up any ground in Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, and Illinois. C.J. It's only been a week. LEO Yeah, but we struck the agricultural trade deal with Argentina and the farm country ought to love that. C.J. Well, that story got a little drowned out. LEO Yes, it did. Leo walks out of the office into JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA. C.J. follows. C.J. I could have stood on top of the Sears Tower with a Stratacaster and that story would have been drowned out! LEO I'm not a**igning blame. C.J. Really? LEO Yes. We need help. I'm bringing in Bruno Gianelli. C.J. It's too early for Bruno. LEO No. C.J. Toby, Sam and Josh... the guys aren't gonna like it! LEO They'll have to live with it. Leo leaves, as C.J. goes back to her office and closes the door. CUT TO: INT. BARTLET FAMILY FARM HOUSE - PRESENT Leo is reading some papers, and Doug, Toby and Sam can be seen two rooms back, arguing. DOUG "I say to you today, I love this country and I will make sure our military continues to be the best-trained, best-equipped, best-led fighting force in the world." SAM Oh my god. TOBY I think Sam wants to take this one. SAM If you want to substitute 'testosterone' for foreign policy... DOUG I'm not... CUT TO: INT. THE OTHER ROOM - CONTINUOUS Connie is standing with papers in her hand. SAM You want to have the President wade out into the crowd and challenge it to an arm-wrestle? CONNIE The problem is the foreign policy section was too long. DOUG And there are no votes in foreign policy! SAM You just wrote of 98 percent of the world's population and three quarters of the President's job description. TOBY It's that kind of thinking that makes us the envy of every civilization. SAM [throws the speech away] Scrap this. CONNIE I have a problem here. SAM Where? CONNIE [reads] "This campaign must not be about the disease God gave me, but the opportunities God has given our country." DOUG You're going back to the strategy that failed for a month! TOBY What's that? DOUG All MS, all the time. TOBY It was a little damage control needed to be done. DOUG You couldn't stop educating the public. You guys are never happier than when you're educating the public! TOBY A month ago 74 percent of them thought MS was fatal. DOUG And every time you told them it wasn't, there was a story about MS! Just change the subject! TOBY [shouts] God, why the hell didn't I think of that?! DOUG I don't know, Toby, but if you had I'd probably wouldn't be here. Toby stumbles and walks away. Doug looks frustrated. CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OUTER OFFICE - FLASHBACK Margaret is at her desk, when a man comes by. MAN Hello. MARGARET Yes? MAN I'm Bruno Gianelli. MARGARET [beat] Yes? BRUNO I have an appointment. Margaret looks through her books, indicates Bruno should wait and steps into Leo's office. MARGARET [VO] Who's Bruno Gianelli? LEO [VO] A strategist. MARGARET [VO] Really? LEO [VO] He got five senators elected, three governors. He got Hacket elected where they haven't elected a Democrat in 46 years. He got the Prime Minister of Israel elected and it's entirely possible that he's never voted in his life. CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Leo is at his desk and Margaret's standing in front of him. MARGARET He's here. LEO [takes gla**es off] Why didn't you send him in? MARGARET [adamantly] He didn't have an appointment. LEO I meant... I did it! MARGARET You did it yourself? LEO Yes. MARGARET And you're not supposed to do that, are you? LEO [shouts] Bruno! Bruno walks in and shakes hands with Leo. Margaret leaves. BRUNO You people could find more ways to blow it. LEO We might be running out. BRUNO [as both sit] Nah, I don't think so. LEO Look. BRUNO Why the hell didn't you call me before the announcement? LEO What would you have done? BRUNO Told him not to make the announcement. LEO That'd be concealing the truth. BRUNO Ah, would it now? LEO [smiles] Can you help us? BRUNO [nods] I need to see your internals. LEO Joey Lucas has been polling every day for two months. BRUNO The girl? LEO Yeah. BRUNO I worked with her in California. She's good. LEO [beat] What do you want? BRUNO 15 percent of the ad buys. You're gonna say, 10, so why don't we just say, 13? LEO Why don't we say 12? BRUNO Why don't we say 13? I want hiring and firing prerogatives in my department and for starters, I'm bringing in Doug Wegland and Connie Tate. LEO Fine. BRUNO A room at the Hay-Adams and a car and a driver. LEO Fine. BRUNO And I want unfettered access to the President. LEO No. BRUNO I need it. LEO Can't have it. BRUNO Leo, the only races I've ever lost are ones where the candidate didn't listen, or the advice didn't get through. That isn't gonna happen this time. LEO Can't do it. BRUNO This is ego, and you know it as well as I do. I take this request to the President, tell him it's a deal breaker, he's going to say yes. LEO Knock yourself out. [shouts] Margaret! MARGARET [comes in] Yes, sir. LEO Would you take Mr. Gianelli into the Oval Office please? MARGARET Sure. BRUNO [to Leo] Are you playing with me? Leo smiles. MARGARET Mr. Gianelli, would you follow me, please? BRUNO Sure. CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Bartlet is reading in a chair. Bruno walks in. BARTLET [stands] Bruno! BRUNO Good morning, Mr. President. [They shake hands.] BARTLET I understand you're going to be working with us. BRUNO Well, sir, obviously I'm pleased to be approached. I believe there's a great deal I can do for you. BARTLET You have one or two demands. BRUNO Yes, sir. [They sit in the opposing chairs.] BARTLET You want 12 percent of the ad buys. BRUNO [beat] Okay. 12, and... BARTLET A room, a car, and a driver, that's no problem. BRUNO Well, thank you, sir. I'll also need unfettered access to... BARTLET No. BRUNO Sir, I... BARTLET I'm sorry, Bruno. Leo runs the show. BRUNO Respectfully, sir... BARTLET It's a deal breaker. BRUNO Okay. Anyone else I have to field things through? [beat] I was sorry to hear about Dolores Landingham. BARTLET Can you help us out? BRUNO Yes, sir. They stand and shake hands again. CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS MARGARET Do I need to explain the rules on making appointments again? Are you confused? LEO [annoyed] Get out! MARGARET [leaving] I'll jot them down. Bruno returns to Leo's office. LEO How'd it go? BRUNO Shut up. LEO What's first? They walk out into the HALLWAY. BRUNO We get together in a room. LEO After that? BRUNO An event. LEO How's two weeks from Monday? BRUNO Is that the soonest we can do it? LEO Yeah. BRUNO Okay. We'll scout locations in New Hampshire. Maybe a high school. CUT TO: EXT. COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - DAY A school band is playing a theme song and waving flags. There are guards with dogs, people preparing for the event everywhere, putting up balloons and signs. BRUNO Sam! SAM [runs up]Yeah! BRUNO "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean?" Is he christening a minesweeper? SAM It was part of the deal. BRUNO What deal? SAM They're the Columbia high school marching band, they get to play their song. BRUNO We had to negotiate with the band? SAM Look... BRUNO They're going to be live on four networks. They will play what we want to hear. Toby comes up with a big sign. TOBY Bruno! BRUNO Hey, how you doing? TOBY Good. Whose throat do I shove these down? Whose skull do I crack with this sign? BRUNO Don't worry about it. TOBY "Bartlet for President." BRUNO Yeah, we'll get rid of it. TOBY [backs away] Good, 'cause I was there when he won. I saw him get sworn in, I actually rode in a limo... BRUNO Write me a speech, would you? One that doesn't make me think I'm sitting Shiva someplace, black curtains on the mirrors? Toby gives him a 'fed up' sign and leaves. CUT TO: INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY C.J. and Josh walk in. C.J. We'll be using this as the Green room. He can walk right out the door and up on stage. JOSH What's this room usually used for? C.J. I don't know: desks, a black board, could be some kind of a cla**room? JOSH C.J.... C.J. Yeah. JOSH What's going on? C.J. What do you mean? [beat] Nothing. JOSH You sure? C.J. Yeah. C.J. walks outside. Josh follows. C.J. What's going on with RU-486? JOSH Leo won't let me wave off the FDA. C.J. That's against the law. They walk out to the STAGE AREA. People are busy all around. JOSH [throws his arms open] Yeah, I'm not talking about sticking out the fruit stand - a phone call, a favor from a friend. I know the Chief of Staff at the subcommittee, I got him his job. C.J. You mean the FDA? JOSH This is the second time this weekend I've done that. TOBY [VO] Hey, see this? [comes up] This why I didn't want to do an announcement. He holds up a sign "Bartlet for President" on which he crossed out "FOR" with a black marker and wrote "IS THE" instead. C.J. [pa**ing him by with Josh] We're taking care of it. TOBY No, I'm taking care of it. CUT TO: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - FLASHBACK Strategists and Senior Staff are inside, along with Kenny and Joey Lucas. TOBY I want to say for maybe the eighteenth time that I don't an announcement event at all. DOUG If he's going to run for reelection than he's got to announce he's going to run for reelection. TOBY He did that two weeks ago. BRUNO He's not gaining enough ground which means he's bleeding. JOSH If we put him up there like any other candidate, we trade away the one big advantage we've got. DOUG What's that? TOBY He's the President already? DOUG Signing executive orders and decorating a tree isn't gonna do it! BRUNO Fellas, I'm getting old over here. This subject was closed on Tuesday. DOUG He's gotta stand up, and he's gotta declare, and he's gotta apologize. TOBY He's not going to apologize. DOUG Why not? TOBY For what? DOUG For your campaign and your White House perpetrating a fraud. Toby and Joey look at him apprehensively. DOUG I'm from Oregon. In Oregon, we like to see a man stand up and say he's sorry. Where are you from? TOBY Me? DOUG Yeah! TOBY I'm from the United States of s** my... JOSH All right! Let's take lunch. Everyone packs their papers and stands up. DOUG Republicans talk about how arrogant you guys are. I always thought it was the natural reaction that comes from not getting the girl. I can't believe how much they've been low-balling it. BRUNO Josh! JOSH Yeah. BRUNO Wait up. Let me walk you to your office. JOSH Sure. Bruno and Josh walk out to the HALLWAYS. BRUNO You know, he had a point. JOSH Who? BRUNO Doug. JOSH That we're arrogant? BRUNO Yeah. JOSH I guess that means Doug won't be coming to my sweet sixteen then. BRUNO [smiles] You were the one who sent them the press releases, right? JOSH What press releases? BRUNO Subcommittee. About tobacco. JOSH Yes, I was. BRUNO Well, that was stupid. JOSH You think? BRUNO No, I know. JOSH I got two years as legislative director in the House, two years as floor director in the Senate, and thirty months as Deputy Chief of Staff. What do you got? BRUNO Josh... Josh stops to sign a document a staffer hands him. JOSH Kalmbach's a fat-a** Rotarian gasbag. I knew once I sent the thing he'd raise the profile and give us the press we needed. BRUNO Kalmbach is vulnerable in his home state. He's got an influx of tech and other clean industries along his Route Nine corridor, along with the suburban voters that go with it - affluent parents that who don't want their kids smoking. They reach JOSH'S OFFICE. Josh sits. JOSH We got the money, Bruno. BRUNO You don't want the money. You want the issue. [sits] You should have waited until the fall when the bell rings and then we hammer them with it. Then Kalmbach, Leder, Ross, Roark, Steve - whoever gets the nomination - has it hanging around their necks they're nicotine pushers. Plus, you get the money. The sooner you get I know what I'm talking about, and I'm on your side, the sooner your world gets better. Of course, you got the money. I'm amazed they didn't send it to you with candy and a stripper. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio - three swing states you could have brought over with that. That's an election. Bruno gets up and leaves as Josh ponders his words. CUT TO: EXT. COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT Limos drive up as Abbey is standing correcting a speech. Bartlet and Charlie climb out of a limo. CHARLIE You still get nervous talking in front of big crowds? BARTLET I've never been nervous talking in front of big crowds. It's talking to one person... [sees Abbey] I didn't know she was going to be here. [walks up to her] I didn't know you were going to be here. ABBEY I'm introducing you. BARTLET I thought Leo was gonna... ABBEY Well, C.J. thought it would be good. BARTLET Okay. ABBEY I... I can tell them... BARTLET No, I think it's a good idea. ABBEY Okay. You need to reach out to the staff. Once you do that, they'll feel better, and then so will you. I'm going back to the house. CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - FLASHBACK Abbey is on an ottoman, and Bartlet is in a chair reading. ABBEY What are you reading? BARTLET I don't know enough about agriculture. ABBEY I wouldn't worry about it, agriculture isn't really your field. BARTLET Yeah, well, agriculture is responsible for one in five American jobs, so it is a little bit my field. ABBEY You know... [gets up] BARTLET 15 percent of the world's cotton, 25 percent of the world's beef, and 50 percent of the world's soybeans are grown in my field; farmers and ranchers pay taxes in my field, their kids go to school in my field, they go to jail in my field. From time to time they go to war in my field. ABBEY Jed... BARTLET So when I say 'it's not my field,' I'm not saying something, I'm trying to learn so I can. ABBEY Why won't you talk to me? BARTLET Why aren't you with me? ABBEY How do you know I'm not? BARTLET You're not. ABBEY You're pissed at me? BARTLET I'm trying to read here. ABBEY You're pissed at me! I don't believe it! I don't believe you! BARTLET Abbey... ABBEY I don't believe you. You go from 'I've got a lot to say' to 'I can't say it right now because I've got so much to say' to 'I gotta read, I've got agriculture' and 'you're not with me' and go to hell... BARTLET Look... ABBEY Now that's an extraordinary evolution! BARTLET [rolls his eyes] Can I go a week without explaining myself? ABBEY You can go as long as you want without explaining yourself. Read your book. BARTLET Sit down, we'll talk about it right now. ABBEY I'm not in the mood, jacka**. [turns away] BARTLET [sarcastically] Isn't there any way I could change your mind, 'cause I really had my heart set on it. ABBEY Go to hell. [leaves] CUT TO: EXT. COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL - PRESENT Leo walks up to Bartlet. LEO You feel all right? BARTLET Yeah. C.J. wants her to introduce me. LEO Yeah, I thought it was a good idea, too. BARTLET I wouldn't mind a little... you know. There's gonna be a big crowd here tomorrow. LEO Well, that's your kind of crowd. BARTLET I need to finish the speech. He walks off to sit in one of the folding chairs. LEO Yeah. FADE OUT. END ACT TWO * * * ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. SAM'S OFFICE - NIGHT Toby stands in Sam's doorway. TOBY What are you doing? SAM Hmm? TOBY What are you doing? (beat) Going over the transcript? SAM He needs to apologize. TOBY Don't worry about it. SAM He lied. TOBY He didn't lie. It's what your people call a "sin of omission." SAM I'm not Catholic. (walks to Toby) It's what everybody calls a sin of omission. Bartlet lied to us. TOBY President Bartlet, Sam. Come on. Did you know that many Multiple Sclerosis advocates actually instruct victims to hide the illness because it's so misunderstood? SAM You think they instruct presidential candidates to do that? They walk down the HALLWAY. TOBY I don't. SAM That night he told you? TOBY Yeah? SAM Didn't you feel like... TOBY I went crazy. I whaled on him in the Oval Office. SAM None of us had the chance to do that. TOBY I know. SAM We could have gotten it done. If he just told us at the beginning, this could have been a whole different... TOBY Yeah. Go home. (walks away) SAM All right. CUT TO: EXT: BARTLET FAMILY FARM - NIGHT Sam is near a fence. Connie drives up in her car. CONNIE Hey. SAM Hey. CONNIE What are you doing? SAM Talking to myself. CONNIE I'll join you. SAM Feel free. Connie gets out of the car. CONNIE I thought the speech was locked. They're still up at the house arguing. SAM It's not locked 'til the president says it's locked. CONNIE Hmm. I was trying to find a Starbucks. A guy in a gas station said, "Round here, people don't pay four bucks for a cup of coffee." SAM New Hampshire. Live free or cheap. CONNIE Doug means well, you know. And he's smart. SAM Connie, it seems to me your job is to wait until Doug leaves the room and then say, "What Doug really meant was..." How much they pay you for that? CONNIE Sometimes it's my job to say it when he's in the room. SAM Yeah. CONNIE We're making a mistake not including an apology. SAM Is this what you mean or is this what Doug means? CONNIE Both. SAM It's not going to happen. CONNIE Why not? SAM Cause Jed Bartlet's Jed Bartlet and that's the way it goes. CONNIE Well, I think that's what you're saying, and it makes sense, but you know what? SAM What? CONNIE I think you want him to apologize and not just for political reasons. SAM I haven't thought that much about it. CONNIE Sam... SAM There's been a lot going on and I haven't really thought that much about it. CONNIE You were with him when he got elected. You got him elected. You "got" him elected. You worked for Bartlet 18 hours a day. You never felt... SAM Connie, please. It's President Bartlet. Okay? CONNIE Yeah. SAM I should get back up to the hotel. (turns to leave) CUT TO: INT: MANCHESTER HOTEL - NIGHT Toby, Doug and Bruno sit at a table. DOUG We have to mention values. If we don't mention values, we're going to spend the next 15 months trying to convince people we did mention values. TOBY (reading) "My `values' are New Hampshire's `values' hard work and responsibility, strong families and strong communities, a boundless faith in American idea of self-reliance." And poor people can go screw themselves. BRUNO Our point is, for 30 years, Democrats have been labeled "tax and spend" as if they don't believe in getting up everyday and going to work. That's why we have to say it. TOBY Well, if that's your point, nobody's going to understand it. DOUG Which is exactly why I wanted to cut the three paragraphs... TOBY (sarcastically) Are there any problems you're interested in solving or are you helping us run for the Grand Marshal of the Rose Bowl Parade?! DOUG Look... Toby stands up and walks into the kitchen. Bruno answers his ringing cell phone. BRUNO Yeah? (beat) Okay. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Toby is leaning over the counter, his shoulders hunched. Doug walks in. DOUG Is that something you run for? TOBY (turns to face him) Huh? (eats something in his hand) DOUG The Rose Bowl Parade. Don't you just get picked? TOBY I don't, uh, I don't know. (throws a pit hard into the garbage can) DOUG You guys are so pissed at him you don't even know it. You're more pissed at him that the press is. You're more pissed at him than the party is. You're so pissed at him, you're pissed at me. Cause if he hadn't lied, you could've run the campaign you always wanted to run instead of a bunch of people coming in here and teaching you how not to bother anybody. Toby glares at him. DOUG I never drank the Kool-Aid, Toby. I came to win. And you're so pissed at him that you can't even admit that for the last two weeks, you've gone to sleep at night thanking God that I did. TOBY Yeah? DOUG Bruno just got off the phone with Leo. The speech is locked. Doug walks away. Toby watches him, then throws another pit into the garbage. FADE OUT. END ACT THREE * * * ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. MANCHESTER HOTEL - DAY Through the window, we can see several people climbing into a van parked across from the hotel. Inside, the ground floor of the hotel is hopping with aides and staff making last minute preparations for the speech. Phones are ringing. Leo is standing next to a table where an aide is seated. He's reading a document and talking to the aide, while other people, including Donna, scurry around the room and the hallway. LEO Whitley left in the first van. He's there already. So somebody sit with the Boston Globe. (looks around, sees Donna) Donna, where's Josh? DONNA I'll get him. Donna goes upstairs. CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY There are papers all over the table and the bed is unmade. All the lights are on. Josh is slouching in a wing chair with his back to the door. He's wearing gym clothes and eating candy. Donna knocks on the door. JOSH Come in. Donna enters the room and shuts the door behind her. DONNA You're supposed to be downstairs. JOSH Yeah. DONNA You're not ready yet? JOSH (exasperated) We're blowing this RU-486 thing. DONNA You got to get in the shower. Donna hurries around the room gathering up pieces of clothing for him to wear. Josh just keeps talking, not moving. JOSH Among everything else, it's gonna look like we're kicking off the campaign by pandering to women's groups. DONNA (mildly annoyed) Josh... JOSH Yeah, no question about it, most voters are pro-choice, but the ones that aren't are gonna devote their lives and their money to beating you. "Guns don't k** people; Bartlet does." It's gonna look like we screwed up the timing so the press is gonna write about process and not about issues, and getting political reporters to write about issues in the first place is like getting kids to eat their vegetables. DONNA You got to shave. JOSH Don't you want to know how it's like getting kids to eat their vegetables? DONNA Shave and shower. JOSH (sighs and finally gets up) It helps if there's nothing else on their plate. Josh shuffles toward the bathroom as Donna arranges his clothes on the bed. He looks exhausted. DONNA (concerned) You couldn't sleep? JOSH (stops and turns to look at her) I know I could stop this thing! One phone call! The President's not even involved! "Could you do us a favor, could you hold off two weeks? We love your drug but we don't want it folded into our news cycle! He's getting more and more animated and distressed as he speaks. He's breathing heavily. I could have picked up the phone, I could have picked up the phone, I could... DONNA Josh... All of a sudden he turns away from her and smacks the bathroom door frame very hard. JOSH (yelling) God! He leans against the doorframe, looking very upset. DONNA What's this about? JOSH (sighs and pauses) I blew the tobacco thing... That could have helped us, and I was... He looks disgusted with himself. He's still breathing heavily. JOSH This is gonna be a very close election. Donna looks worried, but doesn't say anything. JOSH I gotta take a shower. He turns away and shuffles toward the shower and closes the door, leaving Donna standing silently in the middle of his room. CUT TO: EXT. BARTLET FAMILY FARM - DAY C.J. drives up to the guard station near the house. A police car drives past her in the opposite direction. There's a black SUV pulled up on the front lawn and a couple of security officers milling about. C.J. Good morning. GUARD You can go on up. C.J. drives past the house and out to the barn. CUT TO: INT. BARN AT BARTLET FARM - DAY Bartlet is standing at his lectern and scribbling notes on his speech. C.J. pulls up next to the entrance, gets out of her car, and walks into the barn. She stands near the door, keeping some distance. Even though he must have heard the car door close, he doesn't look up. C.J. Mr. President? BARTLET Come in. C.J. I was told you wanted to see me. BARTLET Yeah. Don't be a marriage counselor. It pisses me off. Okay? C.J. looks a little confused. He keeps scribbling notes on the speech, barely meeting her gaze. C.J. I'm sorry? BARTLET You know what I'm talking about. C.J. Sir... She walks toward him, stopping just a few feet away. BARTLET That part of my life doesn't belong to you. C.J. (sincerely) Sir, I was simply putting together what I thought was the best press event. The First Lady is an excellent speaker and... Bartlet dismissively waves at her, still focused on the speech. BARTLET All right. That's all. I'll see you out there. C.J. looks a bit dismayed and frustrated. She turns and slowly walks away, but then stops and turns back around to face him. He's completely focused on the speech again. C.J. Sir, I think if you get a bump in the polls after today's speech, as we expect you will, I think it'd be a good time for me to resign. BARTLET (looks up) Yeah? C.J. (nods) Well, to leave earlier would have been strategically... He gives her another dismissive wave and tries to go back to focusing on the speech. BARTLET Yeah, okay. C.J. (raising her voice) Look, the press is... BARTLET (sternly, raising his voice) That's nonsense to me and I don't care! C.J. Well, you might not care... BARTLET (yelling, gesturing) For all the new jobs we've created, there are single mothers working two of them at minimum wage. There are school districts where less than half the students graduate. And a kid born in Harlem is more likely to go to prison than a four-year college! They're bringing guns to school, C.J.! C.J. (hurt, defiant) Don't you dare lecture me, Mr. President! Don't you dare do it! Bartlet stops cold, his gla**es held in mid air. He looks pretty taken aback, practically speechless. C.J. slowly turns away from him, but seems to hesitate, not sure if she should leave or say something else. Bartlet stares at her for several long moments. BARTLET (gently) I was never supposed to win. C.J. turns around to look at him. He's holding his gla**es and rubbing them nervously. BARTLET I got in it polling in the single digits. Hoynes had it locked up. I got in it to give some speeches and keep him honest... He walks toward her slowly, occasionally allowing a tiny smile to cross his face, trying to lighten the mood. BARTLET ...then you guys came along and all of a sudden I got 22% in Iowa and then South Carolina and Michigan and... then Illinois. C.J. looks at him with a mixture of sadness and distress. BARTLET (shakes his head) It was a mistake benching you for that last press conference. She just stares at him. Charlie knocks on one of the barn doors and they both turn toward the door. CHARLIE Excuse me. C.J., they need you. C.J. turns back to look at Bartlet, with a pained expression on her face, the anger gone. He stares at her for several moments. His expression is serious and direct, but kind. BARTLET (softly) I need you, too. C.J. takes this in, the impact of his words really hitting her, and nods slightly. C.J. Thank you, Mr. President. She walks out with Charlie. Bartlet watches them go, then goes back to his lectern. He puts his gla**es on and sighs as he begins to work on the speech again. CUT TO: EXT. COUNTRY ROAD IN MANCHESTER - DAY The Presidential motorcade, consisting of half a dozen vehicles and an ambulance, races along past farms, trees, and stone fences. Several police motorcycles, their sirens blaring, escort the motorcade. CUT TO: INT. BARTLET'S LIMO - CONTINUOUS Bartlet and Abbey are sitting in the back seat, silent, looking out the windows. Bartlet sighs deeply. BARTLET Did you know that hardly any of the guys who landed on the moon are married to the same people they were married to before they went there? ABBEY (looks at him, puzzled) What? BARTLET I'm just saying it could be worse. I could've been an astronaut. ABBEY (slightly amused, but concealing it) You could not have been an astronaut. BARTLET I'd have been a great astronaut. ABBEY You're afraid of heights, speed, fire, and small places. BARTLET I'd have overcome it to go to the moon. ABBEY (pauses to look at him)I know you would have. BARTLET (pauses to look at her) I'm really happy you're introducing me. I'm really happy about that.Neither one of them says anything for a few moments. ABBEY There's something important I have to say. BARTLET Say it. ABBEY I haven't really made up my mind yet... but at the moment... I'm leaning towards voting for you. They look at each other for several moments, hints of smiles on their faces. Then he looks back out the window. CUT TO: INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY The band is playing and the crowd is cheering as Secret Service agents make last minute preparations onstage for the President's arrival. In a cla**room off the hallway, the campaign staff, Doug, Bruno and Connie, are meeting with the regular staff including Donna, Charlie, Sam, Josh and Toby. Leo and Josh are pacing, while most of the others are leaning or sitting on the desks. Bruno is standing in the back of the room. They're arguing about the speech. As they argue, the cheering and applause continue outside. The introductory speeches have started. DOUG (reading) ..."to fall victim to torpor and timidity." "Torpor"... is not a word a lot of people know. SAM It means apathy. TOBY And dullness. DOUG I know what it means. CONNIE Doug means... DOUG They know what I mean. C.J. walks into the room and closes the door behind her. She looks a little tired. C.J. Hey. Leo and Toby look up to acknowledge her, but they don't say anything. They just turn back toward Doug. DOUG If they don't know what the word means... C.J. What's the word? JOSH (after taking a sip of water) "Torpor." C.J. It means apathy. TOBY And dullness. Everyone but Doug is looking more and more impatient with this conversation, rolling their eyes, standing up. Even Bruno looks annoyed. DOUG (louder, more exasperated) I know what the word means. I'm saying if people don't know what the word means... Bartlet walks in briskly through a door behind Doug. BARTLET They can look it up! Everyone, including Doug, stands. Bartlet stops and stands next to the teacher's desk at the front of the room. EVERYONE Good morning, Mr. President. BARTLET It's not our job to appeal to the lowest common denominator, Doug. It's our job to raise it. If you're going to be the "Education President," it'd be nice not to hide that you have an education. Abbey's voice can barely be heard as she starts her speech. Bartlet points at Bruno and gestures politely to Doug to leave. BARTLET Bruno, would you mind? Bruno nods. He, Doug and Connie quietly leave the room. As the door opens, the staff can hear a bit of Abbey speaking and the crowd applauding and cheering. ABBEY (VO) ...of being elected Governor of his home state. Bruno and his colleagues close the door, returning the room to relative silence. Bartlet sighs and casually leans against the desk. There's a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the wall. Leo and Charlie are standing somberly behind him. BARTLET Churchill and FDR: serious men using big words for big purpose. Bartlet stops and pauses for several moments, like he's changing his mind about what to say. The staff look at him patiently and expectantly, like they're anticipating an inspiring lecture. He sighs, then speaks with great emotion. BARTLET It occurs to me, I never said "I'm sorry." (pause) I am. (pause) For the lawyers, for the press, for the mess, for the fear. Bruno, Doug, Connie: these guys are good. They want to win. So do we. The only thing we want more is to be right. I wonder if you can't do both. The staff are all standing very still, listening intently to his words. Bartlet slowly stands up. BARTLET There's a new book, and we're gonna write it. You can win if you run a smart, disciplined campaign, if you studiously say nothing -- nothing that causes you trouble, nothing that's a gaffe, nothing that shows you might think the wrong thing, nothing that shows you think. But it just isn't worthy of us, is it, Toby? TOBY No, sir. BARTLET It isn't worthy of us, it isn't worthy of America, it isn't worthy of a great nation. We're gonna write a new book, right here, right now. This very moment. Today. The staff look more determined, especially C.J. An aide opens the door leading out to the hallway and the podium. C.J. turns at the sound of the door opening. Once again, they can hear Abbey speaking. ABBEY (VO) And so, my friends... AIDE Sir? Bartlet nods at the aide, then looks back at Leo and Charlie. They do not waver as they meet his gaze. ABBEY (VO) ...it is my pleasure and my great fortune to introduce my husband, our friend, New Hampshire's greatest son, and the President of the United States: Josiah Bartlet. The crowd's cheers and applause get louder and louder as Abbey finishes her speech. Bartlet walks toward the door, past the staff, and bu*tons his jacket. Only Charlie follows him. The rest of the staff wait for Bartlet to leave. Just as he reaches the doorway, he stops and hesitates. He hears Abbey say his name. And then he turns around to face them. BARTLET You know what? Break's over. Bartlet turns and walks out through the hallway to the podium where Abbey is standing, waiting for him, clapping along with the crowd. The cheers and applause have gotten very loud. When Bartlet reaches the podium, he kisses Abbey and then he turns to wave to the crowd. C.J., Josh, Sam, Toby and Leo emerge onto the podium, one by one, and a**emble themselves behind Bartlet. They clap along with the crowd. Donna and Charlie hang back by the doorway, clapping. DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES. FADE TO BLACK. THE END