THE WEST WING TRANSCRIPT: Liftoff (S6E4)

THE WEST WING
6x4 - “LIFTOFF”
WRITTEN BY DEBORA CAHN
DIRECTED BY ALEX GRAVES

Transcribed by Walking, Talking, And Yelling At Clouds
(kegofglory.blogspot.com)

TEASER

FADE IN: BLACK SCREEN

The title LIFTOFF appears at the bottom of the screen as we hear knocking on a door. FADE IN on shot through a door peephole, showing CJ inside her apartment putting on a shirt. She approaches the door as the knocking continues; we see her eye through the peephole, then she unlocks and opens the door. Two military members are outside.

KELTY
Morning, ma’am, Staff Sergeant Kelty, this is Sergeant Wulitzer.

CJ
Is everything all right?

KELTY
Sure is. May we?

The sergeants push inside past CJ, followed by other security personnel.

CJ
It’s 5:30 …

KELTY
5:26 on mine, I’m gonna use this chair here.

CJ
We couldn’t do this at my office?

KELTY holds a schematic diagram of the White House, pointing to it.

KELTY
According to our logs, you usually exit the building here.

CJ
Right.

KELTY
All right, you may find it’s easier to head out the west gate now, it’s closer for your parking. You’re gonna have to time that, but in the event of a situation, we’ll need you to exit here.

The security personnel are busily going through CJ’s apartment, carrying out computers and other items. CJ is distracted as they move past her.

KELTY
Ms. Cregg?

CJ
I’m listening. What kind of situation?

KELTY
A nuclear attack.

CJ
Are we expecting one?

KELTY
Well, any attack, but nuclear’s gonna top the list. So you’ll exit here -

He brings up a diagram of the interior of a helicopter.

KELTY
- directly to Marine One, you’ll sit at S5, behind the President and left of the NSA, and they’ll evacuate you to your secure location.

CJ (putting on her jacket)
Okay.

KELTY (now holding a different diagram)
If there’s a situation in your home we’ll ask that you make your way with all due haste to this field, off Denville Road. It’s about a mile to the south.

CJ
A field.

KELTY
A pasture, more like.

CJ
I’ll be standing with cows?

KELTY
A couple of horses is all, and they’ll scoot out the way as soon as the copter shows up. It won’t be more than three minutes from code call to liftoff.

There is another knock at the door.

CJ
Excuse me.

She goes to open the door, finding several Secret Service agents standing there.

AGENT
Morning.

CJ
No.

AGENT
Sorry. Agents DeCastro and Shea, they will be your -

CJ
I do not need a Secret Service detail.

AGENT
They’ll give you a wide berth -

The Secret Service agents push past CJ into her apartment.

CJ
Could we please discuss this?

AGENT
Not really. Have you got a spare room or a basement or something?

As CJ closes the door, another person stops it and enters.

AGENT
They’re gonna need a place to sleep.

CJ checks out in the hallway and closes the door.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE RESIDENCE – MORNING

CJ exits the elevator and heads towards the President’s bedroom. CHARLIE is standing there outside the door.

CJ
You’re not waiting, right?

CHARLIE
I just knocked. You okay?

CJ
In the event of an emergency I stand in a field with a cow and wait to be airlifted. 

The door opens and BARTLET emerges.

BARTLET
Hey. 

CHARLIE
Morning, sir.

BARTLET
There she is.

The three begin moving briskly down the hall.

CJ
Good morning, Mr. President.

BARTLET
You excited?

CJ
Absolutely. Berlin’s your first call, they’re angling for a piece of the Baltic shipping deal, we can’t make it happen.

BARTLET
Look at that, hit the ground running.

CUT TO: EXT. - PORTICO – MORNING

BARTLET, CJ, and CHARLIE continue walking towards the Oval Office.

CJ
I won’t be in the security briefing, I’ve got paperwork with the CIA, but NSC will get me up to speed.

BARTLET
Sky is falling, damage estimate to follow.

CJ
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
You’re gonna be great at this.

CJ
Thank you, Mr. President.

They enter the outer Oval Office, where DEBBIE is standing behind her desk. CJ continues on to her office.

BARTLET
She’s gonna be great!

DEBBIE
She nervous?

BARTLET
No, she looks fine.

DEBBIE
That’s good, I’d be apoplectic.

BARTLET and CHARLIE continue into the Oval Office.

BARTLET
Let’s keep it light today. Anything you can, hold til next week.

CHARLIE
Already on it.

BARTLET
Check the hospital, see if Leo’s up to a phone call.

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET’S DESK – MORNING

A young man is standing with a cart full of binders next to MARGARET. CJ walks up to them.

MARGARET
This is Elroy. He brings the briefing books, you guys are gonna be friends.

CJ (gesturing to cart)
These are this week’s?

MARGARET
These are today’s.

TOBY walks by.

TOBY
Ready?

CJ
I told Josh to be there in case you need backup, he probably forgot, we should -

TOBY
Oh - I don’t need backup.

CJ and TOBY walk down the hallway towards the press briefing room. CAROL joins them.

CJ
Just try to keep tight rein, I’m not the story, Leo’s not the story -

TOBY
I know. Camp David’s the story. Stop worrying.

CJ takes a document from CAROL and hands it to TOBY. She takes a bottle of water from TOBY.

CJ
Let me have that.

CJ drinks from the bottle, hands it to CAROL, then walks into the press briefing room. She walks to podium and takes in the reporters as cameras flash.

CJ
Good morning.

The reporters respond.

CJ
This will be my last briefing as White House Press Secretary. Toby Ziegler will be filling in until the President names a replacement. I’ll ask you to please be kind to him, and if you can’t be kind at least speak slowly. 

Someone hands CAROL a note, and she quickly passes it on to CJ’s podium.

CJ
These past six years working for this exceptional group of journalists -

CJ reads the note.

CJ
I’m sorry, um – thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

The reporters all stand as BARTLET enters the room and goes behind the podium.

BARTLET
Thank you. After bypass surgery at Bethesda Naval Hospital 36 hours ago, I’m relieved to announce that Leo McGarry is in stable condition, and headed for a full recovery. Though he will always be a very valuable part of this administration, he will not be returning to his post. I am therefore pleased and terribly proud to announce that, effective immediately, the position of White House Chief of Staff will be filled by Claudia Jean Cregg.

CJ has a small smile.

BARTLET
Congratulations.

BARTLET begins to applaud. The reporters gradually follow suit, standing and clapping for  CJ.

SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER.
***

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - WHITE HOUSE HALLWAY – DAY

CAROL, MARGARET and CJ are walking quickly through the halls. CAROL hands CJ a piece of paper.

CAROL
Marburg Fever.

CJ
Then it’s a virus?

CAROL
Six cases so far, AP heard it on the ground in Ecuador.

MARGARET
You’re telling her this as Press Secretary or Chief of Staff?

CAROL
I think both.

CJ
We’ll have something by the end of the day, ask AP to wait.

MARGARET
That was Press Secretary.

CJ
Yes.

MARGARET
CDC.

CJ
Call CDC, immigration, DOH, give them what you have, set up a conference call for me.

MARGARET takes notes and walks away.

CAROL
Great. CJ … do you want me in? I’m not sure where to sit.

CJ
Oh, God, right. Toby’s gonna need you.

CAROL
That’s fine.

CJ
Just for the next couple of days.

They head opposite directions down the hall.

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET’S DESK – DAY

CJ walks up to MARGARET’s desk and sees an arrangement of flowers there. She bends down to smell them.

CJ
Wow! Oh, people shouldn’t be sending me flowers!

MARGARET
They’re for Leo.

CJ stands, looks at MARGARET, then goes into her office. It’s dark and cluttered, with an array of flowers and a cacophony of voices from the TVs there. MARGARET enters, carrying a large binder.

MARGARET
I’m … sorry about the stuff, uh -

CJ
Don’t worry about it.

MARGARET
You need coffee or anything?

CJ
I’m fine. Let’s do it.

MARGARET
CIA briefer’s on his way. Security’ll be by for a palm print and an eye scan. President’s got Treasury in 10 minutes, you’re on the call. EPA’s waiting for feedback on the Clean Air markup, Armed Forces is coming to talk about a budget boost for the peacekeeping tour because they forgot to factor in food, for the troops.

CJ
And this gets us to -

MARGARET
8:45.

MARGARET exits as CJ looks at her watch.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM – DAY

TOBY is giving a briefing to a room full of reporters.

REPORTER
NATO’s expressing reluctance to contribute troops to the peacekeeping effort.

TOBY pops up from behind the podium after picking up some papers he’d dropped. He speaks as he shuffles the loose papers.

TOBY
The Secretary General of NATO, the President is speaking with him, the Secretary General of, uh, NATO, this afternoon -

The reporters clamor to be called on.

CHRIS
There’s verbal support and there’s boots on the ground.

TOBY
I’m not commenting on a, on a negotiation before it happens.

REPORTER
Can we do this without them?

TOBY
I’m not commenting.

CHRIS
If NATO’s out, would the President reconsider UN peacekeepers?

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET’S DESK – DAY

The press briefing is seen on C-SPAN on a television next to MARGARET’s desk.

TOBY (on TV)
I do not have an answer.

CHRIS (on TV)
Can you point us toward a subject you’re commenting on?

CJ comes out of her office to talk to MARGARET.

CJ
Can you find out where Counsel put the DOD analysis?

CJ sees MARGARET watching the TV with dismay, and she turns to watch it herself. Our point of view shifts back and from the briefing room to CJ and MARGARET watching it on TV.

MARK (on TV)
Will CJ Cregg’s role be the same as Leo McGarry’s?

TOBY (on TV)
Title, parking spot, gym membership -

MARK
She’s not coming into this with any kind of national security experience.

TOBY
The President has a flock of, of national security professionals prepared to address his questions and the Chief of Staff’s.

MARK
But we’re about to stage a military action that would -

TOBY
Yeah, a military incursion into, into the most entrenched conflict on the planet! CJ Cregg’s not the only one working without a net.

MARGARET stands in shock as CJ exclaims her dismay.

CJ
Oh, oh, no, no …

TOBY
- has every confidence -

We see JOSH standing in his bullpen watching the briefing on that TV.

MARK (on TV)
You just said nobody has experience with this kind of military incursion.

TOBY (on TV)
The Pentagon has experience. As do the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the NSC, but in the event they all lose their way, the President can always send CJ Cregg to Ramallah to swat at suicide bombers with her purse.

As the reporters erupt in the briefing room, JOSH dashes away from his bullpen.

MARK
That’s her foreign policy portfolio?

Now we see DEBBIE and CHARLIE watching the meltdown on TV in the outer Oval Office, as JOSH runs by in the background.

DEBBIE
Oh, good Lord.

JOSH continues running past CJ’S office as CJ yells at no one in particular.

CJ
My purse! Page Carol, get him the hell out of there!

Now BARTLET comes out of the Oval behind DEBBIE and CHARLIE and he takes in the disaster on the TV.

TOBY (on TV)
I didn’t say that.

MARK (on TV)
Who has the quote?

CHRIS (on TV)
I got, “The President can send CJ Cregg to Ramallah to swat at suicide bombers with her purse.”

JOSH tries to stop running as he slides past the back door of the press briefing room. CAROL is leading TOBY out of the room.

CAROL
You don’t have to brief. You’re better with the written material. We can flood ‘em with press releases.

JOSH casually walks up to TOBY. They walk down the hall together.

JOSH
How’d it go?

TOBY
Fine.

JOSH
Missed it.

TOBY
Well … there’ll be others.

JOSH
I’m thinking about the substance abuse initiative? … um, what do you say we send CJ to Compton, have her swat at drug lords with her purse.

JOSH and TOBY are outside CJ’s office. MARGARET and CAROL are there as well.

TOBY
It was an ambush. They love an opportunity like this, if they could dance around me with a pig’s head on a pike, they would.

WILL steps up to join them.

WILL
How’s it going?

JOSH
Well. Well.

WILL
Pat Quigley called me, wants to know if either of you is interested in a conversation.

JOSH
From the Policy Institute?

TOBY
It’s a job offer.

JOSH
I’ve gotten five of these already today.

TOBY
Job offers. It’s gonna be that kind of day.

MARGARET
She’s ready.

WILL
She been doing okay?

JOSH
She’s fine. She’s a pro.

WILL
Like a ninja with a Prada clutch.

JOSH, TOBY, and WILL go into CJ’s office for the senior staff meeting.

CJ
Men of valor.

TOBY
It was an ambush.

CJ
I say we move past it.

TOBY
I’ve never seen you sling anything but a briefcase over your arm -

CJ
Don’t mention it.

TOBY
- loaded with 30 pounds of, of legislative detritus, not your lipstick or your hanky -

CJ
Jump right over it?

TOBY
I’m just putting, I’m gonna put it back into the -

CJ
Shut up.

TOBY
Okay.

JOSH (to MARGARET)
Hey, how’s he doing?

MARGARET
Leo? Awake and cranky.

WILL
Sounds about right.

MARGARET (to CJ)
You started senior staff?

CJ
I guess we did. Why don’t we … go ahead and sit.

As the men take their seats, MARGARET speaks quietly to CJ.

MARGARET
The intel estimates, did you … ?

CJ
I’m sure I didn’t.

MARGARET
Leo likes to glance at the top sheets before senior staff, circle anything he’s got questions about, that way NSC can pull material for the afternoon briefing.

CJ
Uh …

JOSH
We can wait. Go ahead.

CJ takes the estimates and sits at her desk. She begins to circle items on the sheet. As she circles more and more, JOSH and TOBY turn around in their seats to watch. Eventually she makes a large circle around most of the sheet and hands it to MARGARET.

MARGARET
Okay. We’ll set aside some extra time.

CJ
Thank you.

MARGARET
We also try and cover the lunch order before senior staff. Leo likes a roast turkey sandwich.

CJ
That’s fine.

MARGARET remains standing next to CJ.

MARGARET
Mayo?

CJ
Please tell me we can talk about this later.

MARGARET exits.

CJ
Hi. Press secretaries.

TOBY
Can I apologize again?

CJ
No, but let’s move finding my replacement from priority three to priority one.

TOBY
Yeah.

CJ
Short list by the end of the day, four or five good choices – and D triple C’s coming in to talk about the election.

TOBY and JOSH spin their seats around to face CJ, who hasn’t moved as she’s started the meeting.

WILL
Vulnerable seats?

CJ
Josh, get an overview and then sit down with Will -

TOBY
I’ll do it. It’s gonna be Merridy -

CJ
Josh can do it.

TOBY
Merridy hates him.

JOSH
Excuse me?

CJ
Toby, Josh is gonna meet with D triple C and then sit with Will, there’s gonna be fundraising trips in this for the VP.

WILL
Well, get to me sooner rather than later. Our campaign office has him double-booked already. 

CJ
Toby, Marburg virus.

TOBY
Not that I know of.

CJ
There’s an outbreak in Ecuador. CDC’s setting up a border screening plan. Try and make sure we don’t seem panicked.

TOBY
Yeah.

CJ
And let me say what would have been best articulated an hour ago: The peacekeeping plan is still vulnerable, this place needs to reek of confidence. Maybe we best avoid any further implications that the President’s in over his head.

JOSH
Working without a net.

CJ
I think that’s it. We’re all working without a net today. Thanks.

Everyone stands as the meeting breaks up.

TOBY
CJ? Wow, this is hard. I couldn’t be happier that you got this gig. But I think it’s, it’s just time for, for me to go. Six years is, uh … 

TOBY pulls a letter out of his pocket and puts it on CJ’s desk.

TOBY
I just think it’s time for me to move on. This is my letter of resignation to the President.

JOSH
I don’t want to pile on, but … working for one of my closest friends is, I think, not gonna bring out my best.

JOSH pulls a letter out of his back pocket and puts it on CJ’s desk.

CJ
Josh …

WILL
Wow.

There’s a knock at the door.

CJ
You can’t -

BARTLET comes in from the Oval Office.

BARTLET
I’m sorry to barge in -

CJ
Mr. President, can I have just a minute -

BARTLET
I’ll make this quick. I don’t know if I’m comfortable working this closely with a woman. Maybe it’s time for me to call it a day. Give the VP a chance to steer the ship.

There is a moment of quiet, then TOBY breaks into a chuckle, followed by JOSH. CJ smiles, realizing she’s been pranked.

BARTLET (to TOBY)
You’re weak. You have a weak will, you should have held it, see if she pulled out the Continuity of Government plan.

WILL
He cracked up at the mere suggestion of the VP.

TOBY (still laughing)
I had a whole thing on, on spending time with my kids, and I, I went up!

CJ
You are bad, bad men.

BARTLET (heading back to the Oval Office)
In the service of a vengeful God.

WILL
On behalf of the Vice President, and myself, and every man who’s ever had a Wonder Woman fantasy, it’s a bright day.

CJ
Get out.

CJ and TOBY share a quick moment as TOBY takes back his letter, then exits.

CJ
Margaret, we behind yet?

MARGARET
Very.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE FOYER – DAY

CAROL comes up to meet JOSH and TOBY walking through the foyer.

CAROL
Toby!

TOBY
We need a list of press secretary candidates, uh, ah, pull some resumes.

CAROL (handing him a thick folder)
This is the list, these are the resumes.

JOSH
You always do that?

CAROL
CJ keeps an “In Case I Get Hit By A Bus” file. You’ve got appointments today with the obvious top choices, spokesmen from State, Interior -

TOBY
A nightmare.

CAROL exits. JOSH helps TOBY sort out some pages as DONNA rolls up in her wheelchair.

JOSH
Here, I’ll help …

DONNA
Haffley’s in your office. Time, time.

JOSH starts to run off, then returns to leave a folder in DONNA’s lap.

JOSH
Here. Donna’ll help.

JOSH exits. TOBY and DONNA look at each other.

DONNA
Nice briefing. 

CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

MARGARET is bringing more documents to CJ’s desk.

MARGARET
CJ?

CJ (taking a document)
Thank you.

MARGARET
That was something, everybody pretending to resign.

CJ
Bless their cotton socks.

MARGARET turns away, then stops and returns to CJ.

MARGARET
But … you know I’m actually leaving, right? I mean Leo’s going to be doing something and it’s a long time I’ve worked for him, and I just can’t imagine -

CJ
Margaret?

MARGARET
Sure. Sorry.

MARGARET has one more folder to give to CJ.

MARGARET
Mr. Roman Mendili from the Republic of Georgia in the Roosevelt Room.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM – DAY

CJ enters, greeting a man (ROMAN MENDILI) sitting at the table.

CJ
Good morning.

MENDILI
Thank you. Good morning to you.

MENDILI stands, holding a package and with a briefcase shackled to his wrist.

CJ (shaking hands)
Oh. You okay there?

MENDILI
Would be better on left hand.

They both sit.

MENDILI (gesturing to briefcase)
Important documents.

CJ
Of course.

MENDILI
I wanted to speak with Mr. McGarry. (gesturing to package) This is … gift? I bring for him. Saperavi, from my own vines.

CJ
You’re a, a winemaker?

MENDILI slides the package across the table to CJ.

MENDILI
Former economic adviser to Georgia President Rustaveli. You want taste?

CJ
Oh, no, it’s a little early, I …

CJ stops, considering.

CJ (suspiciously)
Did Josh Lyman put you up to this?

MENDILI
President Rustaveli send me, with important offer, but – I wish to speak it to Mr. McGarry.

CJ
Sadly, Mr. McGarry’s been ill, so I’m afraid you’re going to have to speak it with me.

MENDILI puts the briefcase on the table and prepares to open it.

MENDILI
Most top secret?

CJ nods.

MENDILI
President Rustaveli wants to offer United States gift of … uranium. Highly enriched. To your government.

CJ
Uranium? Like, to make bombs?

MENDILI
We do not wish to make bombs. We give to you, you make what you want.

CJ
Can you excuse me just one moment?

MENDILI
Yes. I, I, I open this, show you maps.

CJ
That’s great.

CJ leaves the Roosevelt Room and quickly walks up to MARGARET, who is dealing with another floral arrangment. JOSH walks up at the same time.

CJ (to MARGARET)
Is this a thing, like the two-weeks notice gang?

JOSH
Hey.

CJ (to JOSH)
Inspector Clouseau in there, was that your idea?

JOSH
What?

CJ
You and Toby didn’t send a guy with a combover to offer me -

JOSH
Did he proposition you?

CJ
No, you lummox, he tried to give me his collection of highly enriched …

CJ stops, realizing the truth.

JOSH
What?

CJ
Oh, my God. This is happening.

JOSH
What?

CJ
Margaret, get the National Security Advisor right away.

JOSH
Is there a problem?

CJ
I’ve got an emissary from the Republic of Georgia offering me a load of wwapons-grade uranium. I’m gonna go with yes.

CJ heads back through her office towards the Roosevelt Room.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

CJ is meeting with NANCY McNALLY. NANCY is on the phone.

NANCY (into phone)
Go ahead, I’ll wait.

CJ (handing her some papers)
They’ve got 300 kilgrams of weapons-grade uranium in a research reactor the Soviets left behind when they pulled out. That’s, what?

NANCY
Enough for ten, maybe fifteen bombs.

CJ walks out of her office door as MARGARET, unnoticed, enters behind her. CJ returns, seeing MARGARET already there.

CJ
Margaret? I need a meeting with the Secretary of State, Energy, Defense, the JCS, and CIA first thing tomorrow. (to NANCY) You’ll brief everybody?

NANCY
We tried to take this stuff off their hands in ‘92, they didn’t want to part with it.

CJ
Because?

NANCY
Figured if things got rough, they could always build a nuke.

CJ
Well, they’re not building anything, it’s just sitting there behind what he’s describing as an excellent padlock.

NANCY
It’s a miracle nobody’s boosted it yet.

CJ
The Russians don’t guard this stuff?

NANCY
They gave them the padlock. (into phone) Yeah? Thank you. (she hangs up) Mendili’s been over to the Italian embassy twice in the last three days, we’re not the only ones who got this offer.

CJ
Margaret!

She turns, surprised to see MARGARET standing right next to her.

CJ
That meeting’s gotta be today.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM – DAY

DONNA and TOBY are sitting in the seats of the briefing room as the door opens and DAN EDMUNDS enters.

DONNA
Hi. Come on in. I’m Donna Moss, this is Toby Ziegler. You’re … Dan, right, from State?

EDMUNDS
Uh, Dan Edmunds.

TOBY
Thanks for coming in.

EDMUNDS
Good to meet you. (indicating the podium) You want me up here?

DONNA
That’d be great.

EDMUNDS steps up behind the podium.

DONNA
Toby’s going to ask you a few questions, just pretend he’s 150 reporters.

TOBY (reading)
The UN seems to have ruled out sending, troops to help us with peacekeeping, what’s the administration gonna do?

EDMUNDS
Well, obviously the North Atlantic Council has made and will continue to make determinations in regard to burden-sharing, and a, great many factors weigh upon those determinations. It would be premature to prejudge what the Council, in its deliberative fashion and fully appropriate to its role as a deliberative body, may or may not have predetermined out of any zeal to ascertain the precise nature of those deliberations.

TOBY (whispering to DONNA)
This is gonna be a long day.

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY OUTSIDE CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

CJ walks out of her office carrying a folder. She meets CHARLIE also walking in the hallway.

CHARLIE
We need to do schedule.

CJ
I was just coming to see the President.

CHARLIE
You know you have a door in your office.

CJ (taking the schedule from CHARLIE)
Let me see.

CJ examines the schedule as they continue walking toward the Oval Office.

CJ
Looks good.

CHARLIE
The Chief of Staff clears every item on the President’s schedule. The Chief of Staff knows what happened in every meeting, and gets most of the information the President will get in the meeting before the President gets it.

CJ (referring to the schedule)
In that case, get me briefed on this one, and this, push the 1:45 to next week, and this shouldn’t even exist. Cancel it.

DEBBIE is seen behind CJ and CHARLIE answering a telephone.

DEBBIE (into phone)
Fiderer.

CHARLIE
Better.

DEBBIE (to CJ)
Secretary of Defense for the President – unscheduled.

CHARLIE
The Chief of Staff clears every unscheduled phone call. (to DEBBIE) You know what the call’s about?

CJ (to DEBBIE)
Ask what it’s -

DEBBIE (into phone)
Mr. Secretary, may I ask what it’s in reference to?

DEBBIE shakes her head to CJ.

CJ
Tell him the President’s unavailable, but he should call my office, let me know what it’s about.

CJ turns to CHARLIE, then heads into the Oval Office.

CJ
Thanks for …

CHARLIE
Just today. Tomorrow you’re on your own.

DEBBIE (into phone)
Mr. Secretary, he’s on a call right now, can I direct you to the Chief of Staff?

CJ enters the Oval, seeing BARTLET working behind his desk.

CJ
Mr. President?

BARTLET
That’s what they tell me. 

CJ
We’ve been approached by the Republic of Georgia. They’re looking to unload some highly enriched uranium. We may need to stage an emergency extraction. There’s some concern it could wind up in Iran.

BARTLET
That’s worth avoiding.

CJ
We’re briefing the agencies. I hope to have options for you by the end of the day. 

DEBBIE enters at the doorway.

DEBBIE
Uh, Mr. President -

BARTLET
Yeah.

DEBBIE
- they’re ready for you in the Cabinet Room.

BARTLET
Thank you. (to CJ) You putting together a tiger team?

CJ
Uh – I’m not quite sure what that is.

BARTLET and CJ are on the move out of the Oval.

BARTLET
Four, five agencies on one project, particularly something this complicated, they’ll pass it around like a hot potato - fourteen months from now we’ll wake up having accomplished absolutely nothing. You’re gonna have to spearhead the project yourself.

CJ
Sure, I’ll … tiger team. Grrr!

BARTLET turns back to CJ.

BARTLET
What was that?

CJ
Nothing.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH’S BULLPEN – DAY

JOSH is leading the DCCC staffers, MERRIDY and SEGAL, into his office.

MERRIDY
He could work with Chuck Horowitz. Hell, he could replace Chuck Horowitz.

JOSH
Guys …

SEGAL
The D triple C’s a great place to work, Josh, we could really use you.

JOSH
I’m not looking.

MERRIDY
You already got something lined up?

JOSH
I’m staying at the White House.

MERRIDY
Wow. Gosh, working for CJ …

SEGAL
Okay, let’s talk about the -

JOSH
Really, anything else. Coffee?

MERRIDY and SEGAL
No.

SEGAL
Thanks and adulations for all the help at the midterms last year, you guys were fantastic.

JOSH
Our pleasure.

SEGAL hands a folder to JOSH, and JOSH looks it over as they continue into his office.

SEGAL
We’re looking at next year, our latest count was seven members of Congress retiring, and we’ve got 12 -

MERRIDY
Maybe 13.

SEGAL
- vulnerable incumbents. We got the Presidential race pulling the spotlight.

MERRIDY
And the money.

SEGAL
So we want to make sure we’re not neglecting these seats.

MERRIDY
The Republicans certainly won’t be.

JOSH (still looking at the folder)
Why is Matthew Santos dropping out?

MERRIDY and SEGAL
He’s done.

JOSH
He’s not done. He’s 42. We just got him on Ways and Means, for God’s sake.

SEGAL
Well, he says that he’s had enough.

JOSH
Uh, he hasn’t. I’ll talk to him. Who else?

MERRIDY
Uh, Wexler in Connecticut’s retiring. Hey … you’re from there. You could run for his seat.

JOSH
I have a job.

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE – DAY

CJ walks up to CHARLIE.

CJ
Can I get in there?

CHARLIE
You know you have your own door - 

CJ
I’ll be quick.

CHARLIE
He’s talking with the Secretary of Defense.

CJ
Hutchinson’s in the Oval?

CHARLIE
He walked the President back from the Cabinet meeting. Weren’t you in there?

CJ
I got pulled out. Hutchinson doesn’t have a meeting.

CHARLIE
They walked in. I thought about taking him down, but it seemed excessive.

CJ picks up a phone.

CJ (into phone)
Margaret, did the Secretary of Defense call for me? (she listens, then half-turns away from CHARLIE) It’s CJ … he didn’t.

CJ hangs up to phone.

CJ
Get him out of there.

CHARLIE
Really?

CJ
Pull the President, take him to the Mural Room, tell him he’s late for his 1:15.

CHARLIE
He doesn’t have a 1:15.

CJ
Make one up! 

CJ starts back to her office as CHARLIE goes to the Oval Office door.

CHARLIE
Excuse me, Mr. President?

CJ hears the door close. She stops, turns, and walks back towards the Oval, meeting SECRETARY HUTCHINSON on his way out.

CJ
Secretary Hutchinson.

HUTCHINSON
Congratulations. Woman of the hour. 

CJ
Thank you.

HUTCHINSON
I wanted to catch you in the Cabinet Room, you’re gonna do a fantastic job.

CJ
Thank you. I know the President had to run and you were speaking, is there anything I can help you with?

HUTCHINSON
No, this Georgian project could be tricky, but we’ll cover it in the meeting. See you in  a few.

HUTCHINSON walks away.

CUT TO: INT. - COMMUNICATIONS BULLPEN – DAY

JOSH is following TOBY into the bullpen, where they sort through a box with lunch orders inside.

JOSH
How come Matt Santos doesn’t want to run again?

TOBY
Well, what makes a man seek public office, Josh? What makes a man abjure the comforts of a private life?

JOSH
Here we go.

TOBY
The decadence, really, of simple breadwinning for the Athenian wrestling mat that is the forum politic?

WILL walks up to join them.

WILL
Hey.

JOSH
Why doesn’t Matt Santos want to run again?

TOBY
‘Cause he’s a tool. We just got him on, on to Ways and Means.

WILL
They love him in Houston, maybe he wants to run for governor.

JOSH
You think?

WILL
Term or two as governor, he could come back here and run for the big chair.

TOBY
Are you high?

WILL
People like him. Ex-Marine -

TOBY
He’s not running for the – no.

JOSH
I’m talking to him. D triple C wants help on 19 races, yours are the ones with the stars.

JOSH hands a folder to WILL.

WILL
Well, the VP’s gonna be fund-raising for himself. I’m just not sure we can double-dip in all these places.

JOSH
I think it falls under the category of, people scratching other people’s backs?

WILL
Indeed.

CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

MARGARET is working with CJ on her afternoon schedule.

MARGARET
It’s first priority.

CJ
For the day?

MARGARET
For 1:45.

CJ
Three hundred pages on snowmobiles.

MARGARET
The President’s got lunch with Interior tomorrow, Yellowstone’s gonna come up.

CJ
And there’s no one else in the building that can position us?

MARGARET
Toby and the policy shop are split.

CJ (flipping through a binder)
All right, give me the rest of -

MARGARET
We’ve now talked through the snowmobile window. You have to leave.

CJ
Where am I going?

MARGARET
The Georgian thing?

CJ
Where’s the non proliferation … ?

MARGARET
I have one.

CJ
And the uranium repatriation study?

MARGARET
You really have to start walking now.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE STAIRWELL – DAY

CJ and MARGARET are on their way to the meeting.

CJ
It’s downstairs?

MARGARET
At DOD’s request.

MARGARET hands a paper to CJ.

MARGARET
WHO faxed preliminary plans for the Marburg virus.

CJ
It’s – this is – they’re asking for 18 million worth of emergency aid, it doesn’t say how they came up with that number. Does HHS know they’re calling it a global health alert?

CJ and MARGARET have arrived outside the Sitation Room. MARGARET makes a few entries on a  keypad, then turns and grabs CJ’s wrist, pressing her palm against the scanner.

MARGARET
I’ll call them.

MARGARET pats CJ on the shoulder as she leaves and the Situation Room door opens.

CUT TO: INT. - SITUATION ROOM – DAY

CJ stands hesitantly at the door. A Marine guard speaks to her.

MARINE
Ma’am … this way, ma’am.

CJ walks into the room. We hear a “Ten-hut” in the background, then discussions by security advisers, including SECRETARY HUTCHINSON, NANCY McNALLY, and ENERGY SECRETARY DELOIT. CJ slowly moves to her seat and sits during this conversation.

DELOIT
Anybody run this by the Russians?

NANCY
The Georgians don’t want to go to the Russians.

DELOIT
They left the damn uranium there in the first place.

HUTCHINSON
The Russians can’t secure it, their facilities are a joke.

NANCY
It’s gotta come here.

DELOIT
Well, who’s gonna pay for it?

HUTCHINSON
Excellent question.

DELOIT
The Department of Energy’s tapped out -

NANCY
Mr. Secretary, we’re all tapped out.

HUTCHINSON
It’s probably not just enriched uranium, I bet there’s a load of spent fuel along with it, nuclear waste.

DELOIT
And leaking, likely as not, we may be looking at a massive biohazard cleanup -

HUTCHINSON
Which costs - ?

DELOIT
Extraction, maybe five million, cleanup’s easily twenty. Besides which we take foreign-owned nuclear material and dump it in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, every environmental group, every community -

NANCY
We can’t let this go public.

DELOIT
It’ll get out. You’re gonna have a PR nightmare on your hands.

CJ
Isn’t the larger PR crisis one wherein Al-Qaeda steals this stuff and we have to admit it wasn’t under our control because we were too cheap to go get it?

HUTCHINSON
You got a congressional appropriation I don’t know about? … Who pays?

DELOIT
He called it a gift, didn’t he? Your friend.

CJ
Are we considering leaving a stash of uranium unprotected because we can’t scrape up 25 million bucks?

HUTCHINSON
I’m considering this the tip of a very large iceberg.

CJ
Maybe we can look into helping the Russians secure it.

HUTCHINSON
The President isn’t interested in bringing this to the Russians.

DELOIT
He’s not?

HUTCHINSON
Figure out something else.

DELOIT
I didn’t get a copy of the site analysis.

HUTCHINSON
Have we run an independent test on this material?

CJ
Um, I’m not -

NANCY
This just walked in the door.

HUTCHINSON
Before we deploy a fleet of C5s with an extraction team, be nice to know we’re not buying a lump of clay.

DELOIT
We’ll test it.

HUTCHINSON
Get the President your report on domestic storage capacity.

CJ
Hang on, I’m not sure we’re ready to -

HUTCHINSON
He asked me for it. We done?

The meeting breaks up as everyone starts to stand. NANCY watches CJ as she leaves. We see CJ walk up a stairwell and then in her office, where she paces and then tosses a stack of papers across the room in frustration.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – DAY

PRESIDENT BARTLET is sitting in a chair, thinking, as CJ enters.

CJ
Mr. President?

BARTLET
What do we have on domestic nuclear storage facilities?

CJ
I’ll get you Energy’s quarterly. Uh, sir, we may be able to get the Russians to help -

BARTLET
Hutchinson wants to keep the Russians out of it. He said we don’t even know if it’s actually uranium. Can you get some documentation they’re not trying to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge?

CJ
We’re looking into that.

BARTLET
You know, I asked for the breakdown on domestic facilities this morning.

CJ
I’ve got it, I just wanted to look it over be-

BARTLET
I didn’t get a copy. You sure Margaret and Charlie are keeping your papers flowing?

CJ
Yes, sir.

BARTLET nods. CJ sits next to BARTLET.

CJ
Sir, your conversation with the Secretary of Defense -

BARTLET
We didn’t talk that much. Charlie high-tailed me into a meeting with an empty chair. I know it’s going to be bumpy til you’re settled in, but I just want to make sure things aren’t being lost in the shuffle.

CJ
Of course.

BARTLET (dismissively)
Thank you.

CJ exits.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM – DAY

TOBY and DONNA are continuing with the press secretary interviews. CLARE STEIN is behind the podium. She speaks in a direct, emotionless, flat tone. 

TOBY
Sources say NATO’s reluctant to contribute troops to the peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. How’s the President going to address that?

STEIN
The President was aware when he drafted the peacekeeping agreement that the international community wasn’t going to jump in like a pack of eager lemmings.

TOBY
You’re saying it’s a – suicide mission?

STEIN
Not necessarily.

TOBY
The lemmings die at the end of the story.

STEIN makes a face, indicating nothing so much as “oh, well.” CUT TO: TOBY interviewing the next applicant, CHRIS LAKELY. He is smiling and ebullient – perhaps too much so.

TOBY
Sources say NATO’s reluctant to contribute troops to the peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. How’s the President going to address that?

LIKELY
Joanne, marry me! Make me the happiest man in the world!

LIKELY laughs as TOBY and DONNA watch impassively. CUT TO: the next applicant behind the podium, DONALD DONCHICK, who speaks rapidly, without pauses, and in a very quiet tone, practically whispering, as TOBY and DONNA strain to hear.

DONCHICK (whispering)
- NATO has historically shown reluctance to commit troops as a body; individual member nations are still likely -

TOBY
Sorry, um, we can’t hear ya … back here.

DONCHICK stops, clears his throat, takes a moment – then continues exactly as before.

DONCHICK (whispering)
NATO has already agreed to provide tactical support as well as military aid -

DONNA
Thanks.

There’s a montage of TOBY and DONNA dismissing three other unseen candidates. CUT TO: another interview, this time with ALAN ZWICK, who appears confident and capable behind the podium.

TOBY
NATO doesn’t seem to want to pitch in troops to the peacekeeping mission.

ZWICK
The President asked for NATO troops largely as a courtesy. What we really need from our allies is financial support. Logistical support, tactical aid – all of which they’ve enthusiastically pledged.

TOBY
We don’t need their troops?

ZWICK
The President doesn’t want to present the impression that we’re strong-arming the region with an onslaught of European forces marching into Jerusalem under an American flag. This is a process that will be executed by the Palestinian and Israeli governments. We’re just there to help out.

TOBY
What if it turns out to be a bigger job?

ZWICK
It won’t. The President knows exactly what he’s getting into, and he’s crafted a mission he knew could succeed. And it will.

DONNA gives a half smile as she and TOBY look on.

CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

MARGARET follows CJ into the office.

MARGARET
The governor of Tennessee called. “Georgian package – absolutely not.”

CJ turns to look at MARGARET.

CJ
How did he - ? 

MARGARET shrugs.

CJ
Who the hell leaked it? I cannot have a leak right now, get the governor on the phone please, quickly.

MARGARET spins and heads to the door. CJ stops her.

CJ
Margaret! Once I’m done with him, Nancy McNally needs to call the governor and reiterate that he needs to keep a lid on this and so does State, and … have Charlie put it on the President’s schedule for tomorrow.

As MARGARET exits TOBY comes in to CJ’s office.

TOBY
We got a guy.

CJ
What kind of - ?

TOBY
A Press Secretary. He’s smart, he’s articulate, and – you can hear him, which is more of an issue than one might have thought, and he was like the Great Wall of China up there around the President -

CJ
I thought we were gonna look at a short list.

MARGARET comes to the door.

MARGARET
Governor of Tennessee on one.

CJ picks up a phone.

CJ (into phone)
Mr. Governor. Thank you, sir. I understand you heard … the Secretary of Energy?

TOBY
This is the guy. We’re done.

CJ (covering the phone with her hand)
We’re not done. I’d like a list. Three to five names.

TOBY stands at the door looking at CJ, then walks away as her conversation continues.

CJ (into phone)
Unfortunately, sir, his decision to share that information was premature. The President would appreciate it if you did not go public with this. … No, I’m gonna have to insist.

CUT TO: INT. - MATT SANTOS’ OFFICE – DAY

JOSH enters the door and speaks to the receptionist.

JOSH
Josh Lyman, for the congressman?

We see JOSH sitting in the waiting area as MATT is having a debate with staffers RONNA and NED.

MATT
We’re not in the dream-making business. Why not a cap that says punitive damages stop at five million?

RONNA
Because, in the most egregious cases, you have -

MATT
You invest that money, it’s a good life.

RONNA
For a kid who is paralyzed when he was two?

NED
It’s giving insurers the kind of immunity nobody gets, not auto makers, chemical companies, not me if I mow you down in my car.

MATT
A distinct possibility, I’m told.

RONNA
It’s a societal disincentive.

NED
We run the system into the ground, it’s a societal disaster.

MATT
Josh, are we gonna run the HMO system into the ground?

JOSH leans around the corner, still sitting in his chair. As he speaks he rises and walks into the outer office.

JOSH
HMOs pulled down 8.8 billion in profit last year, we’re not running them into anything.

NED
So that brings us back to the Republicans are greedy bastards.

MATT
Profits are a red herring. And what if the Republicans on the committee aren’t worried about protecting profits? What if they know that the companies’ll do that on their own by boosting premiums and letting costs soar through the roof in an industry that was created to curtail the price of health care?

NED
Then I have to have lunch with Joel Hague again.

MATT
And watch him put ketchup on his mashed potatoes? Bipartisan or bust, my friends. Come on in, Josh.

MATT gestures for JOSH to come into his office.

JOSH (entering MATT’S office)
Patients’ bill of rights.

MATT
The final shuddering gasp of a dying piece of legislation.

JOSH
You’ll bring it back next term.

MATT
I’m not gonna get, like, five minutes of small talk first, you’re not gonna ask me about my kids?

JOSH
How are your kids?

MATT
They don’t recognize me.

JOSH
One more term -

MATT
“Who’s that guy hugging mommy?”

JOSH
We’ll take care of your fundraising, we’ve got committee chairmanships opening up, we can talk about what you’re interested in -

MATT
It’s not gonna happen.

JOSH
Congressman, you’re a strong presence on the floor, your staff’s on fire, how can you walk away from this? Who champions patients’ bill of rights if you’re out of here?

MATT
You.

NED comes into the office and hands MATT a document.

NED
Sir.

JOSH
I’m happy to help, but … you’re the one who’s gotta put his name on the bill.

MATT (writing on the document)
When I was the mayor of Houston, we opened up eight neighborhood health clinics. Each one sees 200 patients a day. I’m gonna go home, and open up 20 more. That’s not a health care agenda, Josh, that’s health care.

JOSH
Aw, it’s appealing. As I’m sure is the governor’s mansion.

MATT
You think I’m gonna go home to run for another office? I’m getting out of the business.

JOSH
What about your 20 clinics?

MATT
Privately funded, that’s all we got left. There’s never gonna be a patients’ bill of rights, Congress won’t do it. Or else they’ll spend five years wrangling over minutiae and come up with a toothless plan -

JOSH
A toothless national plan is not an inconsiderable force, and, uh, well, a little wrangling? That’s the fun part.

MATT
Oh, that’s how you have fun. That’s why you’re here and I’m going home to Texas.

MATT puts on his suit jacket as he prepares to leave.

MATT
I hear, uh, CJ Cregg got Chief of Staff. That’s gotta be a blow.

JOSH
It’s fine, really.

MATT
Everybody likes the look of the next rung up the ladder. But you know what – you couldn’t do the kind of politicking you do behind Leo McGarry’s desk. You’d be making sure the trains run on time. They need you. You love that - fight. And you’re good at it.

MATT pats JOSH on the shoulder and starts out of the office.

MATT
I don’t love it.

JOSH (whispering)
Yeah.

MATT
Go on, get out of my office. Go out there and do what you were born to do.

JOSH
Now, you’re screwing the party a little bit here, it’s not like we got a lot of bench strength in Texas.

MATT
I know. And I’m sorry about that. Ronna? Get Mr. Lyman a copy of the talking points.

RONNA
On?

MATT
Patients’ bill of rights.

MATT walks out of the office as JOSH watches him go.

CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – NIGHT

CJ is trying to go through the mountain of briefing papers. CAROL enters carrying Gail’s fishbowl. She places it on CJ’s desk.

CJ
Gail!

CAROL
I fed her this morning.

CJ
We’re not in Kansas any more, Gail.

CJ picks up the fishbowl to look at Gail.

CAROL
Greg Brock’s writing an “Is the administration in over its head” story.

CJ
About the peacekeeping mission?

CAROL
He’s trying to get face time with General Alexander.

CJ
Where’d he get -

CAROL
Rumors, speculation …

CJ
Toby’s briefing.

CJ leads CAROL out of her office.

CAROL
First day’s tough.

CJ (to MARGARET)
Is Toby in his office?

MARGARET
I think so, I’ll check.

CJ keeps on going as she heads off to find TOBY.

MARGARET
Traditionally … we call people and they … come to you.

CUT TO: INT. - COMMUNICATIONS BULLPEN – NIGHT

TOBY is going over some folders as DONNA sits in her wheelchair next to him.

DONNA
No, Toby, that’s the wrong file.

TOBY
You want a magazine -?

DONNA
That’s the “not enough experience” file.

TOBY
Yes, indeed.

DONNA
We have people with more ex -

TOBY
We’ve got a guy who was a sheet of bulletproof glass who’s willing to throw himself in front of the press corps like the lone man facing down the tanks in Tiananmen Square … (ruffling through papers) … three, four (handing papers to DONNA) bring me these four tomorrow.

CJ walks into the bullpen, unseen by TOBY and DONNA.

DONNA
Well, I think that’s a waste of time.

TOBY
Yeah, it is a colossal waste of time -

TOBY looks up to see CJ watching them.

TOBY (to DONNA)
These four.

TOBY leads CJ into his office.

CJ
Talk to Greg Brock. Get him to hold the story.

TOBY
He has nothing.

CJ
Then he’ll run nothing next week.

TOBY
I misspoke, okay? No one thinks you can’t handle foreign policy -

CJ
We all think it, had you thought any differently it would have been “she’s been involved in foreign policy decisions for five years,” not “she’ll bounce every question to somebody at NSC,” it never crossed your mind to reject the premise of the statement.

TOBY
So I’m a lousy public speaker -

CJ
Talk to Brock.

CJ turns and walks out of TOBY’s office. TOBY stops her.

TOBY
This thing runs tomorrow, it’s two grafs on page ten, we make him wait a week it’s top left page one.

CJ
It wasn’t a suggestion.

TOBY
It was what? An order?

CJ looks at TOBY, then turns and walks away.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE CORRIDOR – NIGHT.

CJ is walking down the hall towards MARGARET’S desk.

CJ
It’s almost eight, you should get out of here.

CJ continues into her office. As she grabs her jacket and coat, she seems to realize something. He heads back out past MARGARET’S desk.

CJ
I’ll be back.

MARGARET
Where are you going?

CJ doesn’t answer as she keeps walking.

CUT TO: INT. - HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT

CJ comes into LEO’S hospital room. She takes in LEO, unconscious in his bed, as monitoring equipment beeps. She pulls up a chair next to LEO. Shaking her head, she speaks haltingly.

CJ
I … (sniffs) I don’t think this is gonna work out.

CJ studies LEO intently, then sits back in her chair, defeated.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – MORNING

CJ is on the sofa, studying a file, as MARGARET sorts out other documents on the table. CJ checks her watch as MARGARET starts to leave.

CJ
Lord … I never wanted a double vodka at 9 am until this week.

MARGARET
They say the first step is admitting you have a problem.

MARGARET turns to go. CJ stops her.

CJ
Margaret? Sit.

MARGARET takes a seat.

CJ
I have a problem.

MARGARET
Wow. I’m not sure I’m the right person -

CJ
Hutchinson’s a son of a bitch, is that just me or - ?

MARGARET
No.

CJ
How did Leo deal with him?

MARGARET
Leo always talked to Tim Crawford first. He’s chief of staff at DOD.

CJ
How about Secretary of Energy?

MARGARET
Leo’s first calls were always sub-Cabinet. Secretaries have agendas, policy wonks have information.

CJ
Right. How many policy wonks work for me?

MARGARET
A bunch!

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM – DAY

CJ is handing out binders to a group of staffers as WILL and JOSH enter.

CJ
Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Energy, all fans of nonproliferation, all doing everything they can to keep their hands off this – they’re the “no” team, you’re the “yes” team.

WILL
Where’s Toby?

JOSH
He had a, a … I don’t know.

CJ
I need a viable plan for funding an emergency uranium extraction from sunny Tbilisi. Keep in mind, we need to secure it, contain it, transport it, and bury it in a manner that will shelter it for upwards of 30,000 years. Resist the temptation to rely on the emergency nonproliferation fund, apparently we’ve already spent it.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM – DAY

DONNA and TOBY are sitting in the reporter seats, awaiting more auditions.

DONNA
I’m just saying, you knew these four were underqualified when you called them in.

TOBY
He mispronounced, “New York.”

There’s a knock at the door.

TOBY
God help me.

DONNA
Come on in.

ANNABETH SCHOTT enters nervously.

ANNABETH
Is, this - ?

DONNA
Yep, right place. You’re Annabeth Scott?

ANNABETH
Schott.

DONNA
What?

ANNABETH
Schott. Bang bang.

DONNA
Oh, there’s an H. I didn’t see it.

TOBY
She didn’t see it.

DONNA
Go ahead and stand behind the podium there. It’s fun.

ANNABETH
Up there? 

DONNA
Yeah.

ANNABETH
Oh, I’m not going up there.

TOBY (muttering)
Sweet lord in heaven -

ANNABETH
Why would I do that?

DONNA
Much of the job is, you know, briefing the press?

ANNABETH
A deputy?

DONNA
Deputy what?

ANNABETH
Are you the gal I talked to on the phone?

TOBY
Thank you so much for coming in, but we’re gonna move on to somebody who has a clearer understanding of the position.

ANNABETH (realizing)
You’re hiring a press secretary.

TOBY (to DONNA)
Do something.

ANNABETH
To be press secretary.

TOBY
Yes, CJ Cregg, former White House Press Secretary, has been promoted. Big day, all over the news, you should go home and watch.

ANNABETH
I’ve seen the news. The President’s fixing to send CJ Cregg to Ramallah to swat at suicide bombers with her purse. That’s gotta be some purse.

TOBY
I never said “fixing.”

ANNABETH
Why on earth would you try and hire a new press secretary with CJ Cregg only ten minutes out of a job?

TOBY
Did somebody not talk to these people, did nobody tell you why you were coming in?

ANNABETH
Deputy Press Secretary for Media Relations. I sent in my resume six months ago - ?

DONNA
They were looking for somebody to replace Tim Watters, he used to prep for the morning shows.

ANNABETH
Yes.

TOBY
He was irritating.

ANNABETH
He saved your tail on more than one occasion.

TOBY
Okay …

ANNABETH
Did you ever replace him, because – I’d be a fine choice.

TOBY
If you’re very nice, I’m gonna get a dress Marine to walk you out.

ANNABETH
You don’t want a new press secretary. Not yet. Anyone who tries to stand in CJ Cregg’s shoes will be eaten alive.

TOBY
Then who exactly do you think is going to brief the press?

ANNABETH
You. You need someone from inside the administration to get you through this transition period. 

TOBY chuckles.

ANNABETH
Don’t make a face! You were good.

DONNA
I saw it. He really wasn’t.

ANNABETH
You just need a little grooming. I can take care of that. And I’ll help you find a new press secretary. A real search, not some 24-hour emergency rescue mission. Who’s this administration’s most vocal and effective critic?

DONNA
Taylor Reid.

ANNABETH
When I found him he was a bartender with half a novel. He had what you have.

TOBY
What’s that?

ANNABETH
A watchable quality.

TOBY stares at ANNABETH.

CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY

TOBY hands a couple of resumes to CJ.

TOBY
Short list.

CJ
Two.

TOBY
A shorter list than we had discussed.

CJ
Alan Zwick, who you brought me before -

TOBY
Because he was good.

CJ
He has no soul. Of course he sounded good. The man would front for the Gotti family if you asked him to. And Annabeth Schott – the little pixie from the Taylor Reid show?

TOBY
I don’t think we should hire either one of them, I think I should do it.

CJ
Do what?

TOBY
Brief the press. (a pause as CJ and TOBY look at each other) I have a quality. Look, not forever, for a few weeks, until, we’ve, we find somebody. But we do a real search, not in one day and hopefully not with me sitting in there listening to them.

CJ
This is remarkably well thought-out.

TOBY
She came up with it, Marybeth -

CJ
Annabeth.

TOBY
She said we were rushing this, and she’s right. We put a fresh face up there, this week – they’ll be ground beef by sundown.

CJ
She selling herself as your followup act?

TOBY
No, she wanted some media relations – cause she’s irrelevant, the fact is -

CJ
She wants Tim Watters’ job?

TOBY
And she wants to conduct the search for your replacement, again, not the point.

CJ
Not a bad idea.

TOBY
It is, actually, but could we focus on -

CJ
On you as spokesman for the ship of fools? It’s a dream come true.

TOBY
The deputies can handle most of it, I’ll just do the high-profile stuff.

CJ
Like this morning?

TOBY
Yeah. No. Slightly better.

CJ
Did you talk to Greg Brock?

TOBY
He’s not holding the story. (CJ gives him a look) Don’t give me the face.

CJ
This is … I don’t know how this is gonna work, Toby, I really don’t.

TOBY
You’re not his story. “We’re unprepared” is the story, and it’s not coming from here, it’s coming from DOD.

CJ
What are you talking about?

TOBY
Graham Bradley told him they low-balled the troop estimates, we can’t do it with 18,000 men. DOD’s trying to bury the real number ‘cause they know they can’t get that kind of money from Congress, DOD’s in over their heads.

CJ (realizing)
I love you, desperately!

TOBY
I know.

CJ
They low-balled the estimates. Hutchinson’s trying to railroad the Georgia project because he can’t afford it!

CJ plants a kiss on TOBY.

TOBY
I could be good at briefing.

CJ
That’s debateable. Bring her in to do the search, put her in Media Relations.

TOBY
I don’t think that part’s a good idea.

CJ
She’ll be helpful to you, and you … if you want to brief, you should brief. You know why? Because I trust you and … you most certainly have a quality.

CJ exits.

TOBY
I’m watchable.

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET’S DESK – DAY

CJ approaches MARGARET as she comes out of her office.

CJ
I need the Secretaries of State, Energy, Defense, Nancy, the JCS, and the CIA in the Sit Room right away. Not the Sit Room, my office. This office. Here.

CJ happily heads off.

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE – DAY

CJ strides up to CHARLIE at his desk.

CJ
I need to speak with him.

CHARLIE stands, staring straight ahead. He goes to CJ.

CHARLIE
Come here.

CHARLIE leads CJ out of the outer office, through the hall, back into CJ’s office, and directly to the door that leads into the Oval Office. CHARLIE knocks.

CJ
Right.

BARTLET (from behind the door)
Come in.

CHARLIE opens the door and leaves. CJ enters the Oval Office.

CJ
Good afternoon, Mr. President.

BARTLET
How you doing?

CJ
Fan-dab-tastic. You got the energy quarterly?

BARTLET
Got it right here, thank you.

CJ
I’d like it back.

BARTLET
How ‘bout you get your own copy?

CJ
We’re not ready to assess domestic nuclear storage facilities, sir, the team hasn’t evaluated all the options and I haven’t presented you with complete information.

BARTLET
You don’t think this is a good start?

CJ
I think it’s you doing my job for me. You’re looking at this based on DOD’s call. Their perspective is valid, but it’s only one perspective and until we’ve gathered all the others if you need something to read, I recommend the new Benjamin Franklin bio. It’s a real page turner.

DEBBIE enters with some documents as CJ takes the Energy report from BARTLET’s hands.

CJ
Thank you, Mr. President.

CJ exits into her office.

DEBBIE
What was that?

BARTLET
I just got spanked.

DEBBIE
Mm, sorry I missed it. She still nervous?

BARTLET
I don’t think so, no.

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET’S DESK – DAY

MARGARET hands CJ a paper as CJ enters.

MARGARET
They’re in there.

CJ
Great.

CJ stops suddenly and turns to MARGARET, bringing her to an abrupt stop.

CJ
You’re an odd woman and I’ve never quite understood you, but you’re extremely capable and you run this office like a Swiss watch and you’re tall, which is reassuring. Leo may need you, and if he does, that’s okay, but if he’s willing to part with you, I hope you’ll stay.

CJ walks into her office, filled with Cabinet secretaries and security advisers.

CJ
Thanks for coming in. These are tentative figures for the extraction.

NANCY
We need to re-jigger the numbers on flight support, but it shouldn’t change the bottom line all that much.

DELOIT
I’d like to sit with the President and -

CJ
Recommendations on the project will flow through this office and I will keep the President up to speed. Let’s look at the breakdown -

HUTCHINSON
I’m sure this is all well thought-out -

CJ
Thank you.

HUTCHINSON
- but, um, the only viable option right now is -

CJ
Mr. Secretary -

HUTCHINSON
- to secure the material where it is -

CJ
Mr. Secretary -

HUTCHINSON
- because operationally and financially we don’t have the resources -

CJ
Miles. (HUTCHINSON stops) We will find the money. You will not. Though DOD will likely be saddled with most of the operational responsibility, you will not be saddled with the cost. You’re about to send 18,000 troops into the Middle East, and we can safely assume that’s just the beginning. You’re overextended, we’ll find the money elsewhere. Let’s look at the breakdown on page three.

HUTCHINSON and the others open their binders to examine the proposal. CJ settles into her seat behind her desk.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY’S OFFICE – NIGHT

JOSH appears at TOBY’s door.

JOSH
CJ wants us upstairs.

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY – NIGHT

JOSH and TOBY are on their way to meet CJ and the others.

JOSH
I had a great meeting with Matt Santos.

TOBY
Good.

JOSH
What do you think about that patients’ bill of rights?

TOBY
Lead balloon.

JOSH
Maybe, I don’t know. I’m gonna take a look at it again.

TOBY
So he’s keeping his seat?

JOSH
No, he’s screwing us. 

TOBY
That’s your idea of a good meeting?

JOSH
Yeah.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM – NIGHT

A few tables with snacks and drinks are set up in the room as servers set up more chairs and tables. A few staffers are already there, including DONNA in her wheelchair at one table. JOSH and TOBY walk up to her.

JOSH
Look what the elves have done.

DONNA
Hey.

JOSH
Hey.

DONNA
CJ wanted to be here but she got pulled in. Staff’s on their way. She wanted me to give this to you.

DONNA hands a note to JOSH. He reads it.

JOSH
“J and T. Nothing without you.”

WILL walks up to the group.

WILL
Hey.

TOBY tosses a beer to WILL.

WILL
Thanks. Who did this?

TOBY
The boss.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – NIGHT

CJ enters from her office door.

CJ
Good evening, Mr. President.

BARTLET
Hey. How’d it go with the tiger team?

CJ
We took a vote and elected not to call it a tiger team. Beyond that, I think we’ve isolated the funding. There’s still some concern about the political fallout, if we bring foreign nuclear material onto American soil.

BARTLET
EPA.

CJ
An environmental impact study could take over a year, we don’t have that kind of time. We’re thinking about going to the British, see if they’ll help out.

BARTLET
We talked about nonproliferation at the G8 last year. They said they were willing to get more involved.

CJ
Great. I’ll schedule a call for you and the Prime Minister tomorrow.

CJ turns to leave.

BARTLET
CJ. (She stops) You’re Chief of Staff, you can make the call.

CJ
Right. Thank you, sir.

CJ heads back into her office, closing the door to the Oval. She looks around, taking it in. She picks up Gail’s fishbowl from the coffee table and places it on the desk.

CJ
Margaret?

MARGARET enters at the door.

CJ
Would you please set up a call first thing tomorrow morning with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?

MARGARET
Sure. Who’s going to be on the call?

CJ
Me.

MARGARET nods and exits. CJ opens up a huge binder on her desk and starts in on the top folder.

DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
* * *

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The West Wing Transcript
Episode 6x4 – Liftoff
Original Airdate: November 10, 2004