THE WEST WING
6X12 - “365 DAYS”
WRITTEN BY MARK GOFFMAN
DIRECTED BY ANDREW BERNSTEIN
Transcribed by Walking, Talking, And Yelling At Clouds
(kegofglory.blogspot.com)
TEASER
365 DAYS
FADE IN: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM – DAY
TOBY is being interviewed for TV. We see several TV monitors showing TOBY and the INTERVIEWER as ANNABETH, CAROL, and others look on.
INTERVIEWER
Well, the speech was one of the President’s best, and thank you for not making it too long.
TOBY
We were aiming for pith.
INTERVIEWER
And you succeeded. We’ve been speaking with Toby Ziegler, author of President Bartlet’s final State of the Union address. Thank you.
TOBY
Pleasure.
A DIRECTOR calls out ‘Clear’ as the interview ends and TOBY and the INTERVIEWER stand. CAROL hands a folder to TOBY.
INTERVIEWER
That was great. That section on prescription drugs, I was wondering if the coverage was the same -
TOBY
I’m sorry, I’ve gotta … uh …
CAROL
CJ’s waiting for you.
TOBY
Thanks.
CAROL (handing TOBY some notes)
And here.
CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY – DAY
TOBY comes out of the Roosevelt Room, holding a cup of coffee, and meets CJ as she walks down the corridor.
CJ
Congratulations.
TOBY
Don’t.
CJ
Dials soared.
TOBY
Please don’t.
CJ
Don’t get me started on the crosstabs.
TOBY
Trying not to, in fact.
There is a slight pause.
TOBY
Is he here yet?
CJ
Any minute.
TOBY
We sure – we sure he’s ready for this?
CJ
He says he is.
TOBY
Still, 7 am …
CJ
It’s the only time we could fit it into everyone’s schedule. Says he has some thoughts he wants to share.
TOBY
Some thoughts?
CAROL crosses behind TOBY and CJ.
CAROL
Fantastic speech, Toby.
TOBY
Oh, thank you.
CJ
You really can’t take a compliment.
TOBY
Oh, no.
CJ
Taylor Reid even said it was the President’s finest State of the Union.
TOBY
Yeah, ‘cause it’s his last.
CUT TO: INT. - CAR – DAY
LEO is riding in the back of a car. We hear the news announcer on the radio as he sits, tapping his fingers on his thigh.
ANNOUNCER (VO)
In last night’s State of the Union address, the President called for the largest expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit in more than fifty -
The car pulls to a stop.
DRIVER
Here we are, sir.
LEO
Yeah.
ANNOUNCER (VO)
Turning to international news, President Bartlet announced a joint Sino-American task force -
The ANNOUNCER’s voice fades as LEO opens the door and gets out of the car. He looks around, takes a moment, then walks into the entrance of the West Wing.
CUT TO: INT. - WEST WING FOYER – DAY
GUARD
Good to have you back, Mr. McGarry.
LEO (signing in)
Thanks, Brian.
As LEO walks into the foyer, a WOMAN crosses in front of him.
WOMAN
Good to have you back, Mr. McGarry.
LEO continues down a hallway, eventually opening the door of CJ’s old Press Secretary office, which will become his. Inside he finds a group of the Presidential staff, including CJ, TOBY, ANNABETH, KATE, WILL, CHARLIE, ED, LARRY, and an INTERN. They all applaud, and LEO smiles broadly.
CJ
Welcome back, boss.
LEO
Thought we were keeping this low-key, just a couple of us kicking a few ideas around?
CJ (kissing LEO on the cheek)
This is low-key, Annabeth wanted to bring in the Marine marching band.
LEO (as everyone chuckles)
Ahh …
CJ
Word got out and everybody wanted to come, and hear what you had to say.
WILL
Good to see you, Leo.
OTHERS
Welcome back. Welcome back, Leo.
LEO
Thanks, thanks. (seeing TOBY) Ah – man of the hour.
WILL (as all applaud)
Hear, hear. Come now, no false modesty.
TOBY
It’s actually self-loathing.
CHARLIE
It was a great speech.
CJ
Charlie, Toby. Have you met?
ANNABETH
Press response has been terrific. (to TOBY) Stop being such a pill.
LEO
Well … I really wasn’t -
We hear KATE’s Blackberry beeping. She pulls it out to read it.
LEO
- expecting to have to address a convention but I can -
CJ
Before we get started, we all got you a little something.
ED hands LEO a package.
LEO
Completely unnecessary, truly.
CJ’s Blackberry now starts beeping, and she takes hers out as well.
TOBY
Just for the record, I voted for the watch.
LEO (opening the package)
My very own defibrillator.
Everyone chuckles.
LEO
Well, like I was saying, um … I wasn’t really expecting to discuss this with such a large group, but … I’ve been thinking, and this might be an excellent time to -
There is a knock at the door, and a military OFFICER appears.
OFFICER
Commander?
KATE (exiting)
Uh, sorry.
LEO
No problem. I rather unexpectedly found myself with a bit of spare time on my hands these last few months. We’ve been here, seven trips around the sun.
Now WILL’s pager goes off.
LEO
Done some things we’re proud of. Things we’re less pleased about -
WILL
Uh, the Vice President, I should probably …
LEO
Sure.
WILL (exiting)
Just be a minute.
LEO
It may be time for us to take our own temperature – an internal inventory.
KATE appears back in the doorway.
KATE
Can I borrow CJ for a moment?
CJ (exiting)
Sorry.
LEO
Sure. What’s done, what’s undone – what’s done that we’d like to undo – or, do over … do away with …
We now see CJ and KATE talking just outside LEO’s office.
KATE
Demonstration in Bolivia outside our embassy. Big one.
CJ
Over the ambassador’s statement.
KATE
It’s being seen as interfering in their election.
CJ
The guy is a Socialist.
KATE
Yeah.
CJ
Who says, if elected, he’ll immediately halt their coca eradication program.
KATE
Yep.
CJ (beat)
We should get into this.
KATE
I’ll call DOD, Intel, the Undersecretary for Low Grade Conflicts.
CJ
We have an Undersecretary for Low Grade Conflicts?
KATE
Be glad he’s who I’m calling.
KATE walks away as CJ goes back into LEO’s office, where he is still talking.
LEO
… fight the seduction of tumult for tumult’s sake.
CJ
I need Charlie.
LEO
Of course.
CJ leads CHARLIE out into the hallway.
CJ
There’s a situation in Bolivia.
CHARLIE
Serious?
CJ
Low grade, evidently. Get with Margaret, see what meetings you can cover, what needs to be moved.
CHARLIE
Okay.
CJ
What’s Leo talking about in there?
CHARLIE
I’m really not sure.
As CJ and CHARLIE continue on their ways, we see WILL talking on his cell phone in the policy bullpen.
WILL (into phone)
Sir, one week doesn’t seem … can we discuss it?
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – DAY
ED
Didn’t we just kind of do this? Taking inventory?
LARRY
Little thing called the State of the Union.
LEO
The State of the Union was fine -
CAROL steps into the office.
CAROL
Excuse me, Leo. (to ANNABETH) Labor Secretary’s panicked about his press conference.
ANNABETH
I’ll be right back. (exiting) Man’s an infant. It’s about time he got a good spanking.
TOBY
I’d better, uh …
LEO
Referee.
TOBY (exiting)
Sorry.
CHARLIE comes back to the doorway.
LEO
Welcome back.
CHARLIE (referring to ED and LARRY)
Actually, just came to get these guys. Situation. Juggling some things.
LEO
Go on.
CHARLIE takes ED and LARRY out of the office. Only LEO and the INTERN are left. LEO looks around uncomfortably.
INTERN
Are we done, Mr. McGarry?
LEO
No. Not yet.
LEO turns to a whiteboard set up next to the window. He picks up a marker and writes ‘365,’ then underlines it twice.
SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER.
***
ACT ONE
FADE IN: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – DAY
DR. MIKE GORDON is examining BARTLET. He is wearing a stethoscope as he removes a blood pressure cuff. ABBEY is seated nearby, reading.
GORDON
Balance is back. Any numbness? Pain?
BARTLET
Physical or existential?
GORDON (chuckling)
Any chance of getting the odd straight answer?
ABBEY
Good luck with that.
BARTLET
Nada. Spiritual or otherwise. (to ABBEY) You don’t have to go.
ABBEY
They’ll think we’re northeast Yankee elitists.
BARTLET
And be correct.
ABBEY
We could make the occasional effort.
BARTLET
Five hundred laps around an oval. An entire sport predicated on the expectation of the grand ginn-ol.
ABBEY
Guignol, Guignol. If you’re going to brag about your intellectual hauteur, at least get your fancy references right. Grand Guignol, connoting the sanguinary, buckets of blood, like – hockey.
BARTLET
Leave my Bruins out of this.
GORDON (handing a folder to ABBEY)
Martinsville Speedway. You’re in for a treat.
ABBEY
See, there are people with most of their teeth that are actual NASCAR fans.
BARTLET (to GORDON)
Are you really a doctor, I didn’t get a close look at your credentials.
GORDON
First in my class. University of Daytona.
BARTLET
Oooh, now who’s with the not-so-straight answers?
ABBEY (to GORDON)
He prefers to be the amusing one. Fun for the rest of us. So, is he well enough to join me?
GORDON
Uh, pressure, vitals are fine, but I’d rather he didn’t push himself after last night.
BARTLET
Dang.
ABBEY (to GORDON)
He put you up to this.
BARTLET (to ABBEY, kissing her on the cheek)
Enjoy the Grand Guignol. Horror and sensationalism, not blood. Look it up.
As ABBEY and GORDON leave, BARTLET knocks on the door of CJ’s office and leans inside.
BARTLET
The President will see you now.
As BARTLET returns to the Oval Office, TOBY, KATE and CJ file in behind him.
KATE
Sir, Zalaya’s now polling a close second in Bolivia.
BARTLET
Wasn’t he fourth? Maybe our ambassador can say something new and inflammatory, help him bridge that final gap.
CJ
There’s concern about rioting outside our embassy.
KATE
We need you to make a statement affirming our impartiality.
BARTLET
You mean, pretend to a disinterest no one’s gonna believe because some diplomat happened to have too much - what do they drink down there?
TOBY
As I recall the ambassador’s not a stickler, sir.
BARTLET
I’m not declaring to an indifference that’ll provoke international guffaws.
KATE
Sir, if Zalaya wins he’s pledged to renationalize their industries, stop payment on their six billion dollar debt, and remove all US imperialist forces from Bolivia.
BARTLET
The imperialist forces their government expressly invited in.
KATE
Well, up to now they’ve been one of our most cooperative allies in the war on drugs.
TOBY
Since no one ever wins and it never ends, maybe we should stop calling it a war.
KATE
Fine. But we have 2000 troops and seven battleships in Latin America, and our pilots engage daily in hostile gunfire as they spray coca fields, but we don’t have to call it a war.
CJ
How about a low-grade conflict?
KATE
State feels we could tamp things down if you could just walk the ambassador’s statement back.
TOBY (writing)
‘The United States remains neutral in all free elections … and discourages any manner of external interference.’
BARTLET
I can probably keep a straight face through that. Is it enough?
KATE
You may want to specify with regard to Bolivia.
BARTLET
‘This means you, La Paz.’
KATE
So it’s reported in the Latin press.
BARTLET
The Latin press will just have to figure it out. What’s next?
CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE – DAY
LEO is waiting outside the Oval Office. DEBBIE is bustling about doing administrative things. A news report can be faintly heard on a TV in the background.
DEBBIE
You wouldn’t be more comfortable waiting in your office?
LEO
This is fine.
There is a pause as DEBBIE walks to her desk.
DEBBIE
I’m sure you could go in and join them.
LEO
I’ll wait.
DEBBIE (sitting)
They should be done any minute. (pause) Can I get you some water or anything?
LEO
I’m good, Deb, I’m sure you’ve got things to worry about other than me.
DEBBIE
You never called me ‘Deb’ before.
LEO
No?
DEBBIE
President does, sometimes.
LEO
Mmm-ah.
DEBBIE
I actually – kind of hate it.
LEO
I’m sorry.
DEBBIE
It’s okay, you didn’t know.
LEO
Ever tell the President?
DEBBIE (standing and going across the room)
Hard to work it in. ‘Sir, the North Koreans just threatened to rain nuclear fire on Japan again, the NASDAQ is tanking, there’s a, a category four hurricane making landfall in the Keys and, oh, don’t call me Deb.’
LEO
You should tell him.
The door to the Oval Office opens and KATE steps out.
KATE
Oh, hey, Leo – uh, sorry about this morning.
LEO
It happens.
KATE
I got this Bolivia thing.
LEO
I understand.
KATE
Love to get your perspective on it.
LEO
Maybe after I’ve seen the President.
KATE
Maybe later.
LEO
Whenever.
KATE starts to leave, then stops and turns.
KATE
Uh, this afternoon?
LEO
Sure, if that’s good.
KATE
Yeah, yeah … (checking her Blackberry) 3:30?
LEO
See you then.
KATE
Looking forward to it.
KATE exits. LEO is left standing in the outer office. He notices a painting on the wall.
LEO
Was that Thomas Paine always there?
DEBBIE
I thought that was Nathan Hale, ‘I regret I only have but one life,’ et cetera, et cetera.
LEO
Paine. ‘These are the times that try men’s souls.’
DEBBIE
Get over yourself, Tom.
LEO continues to gaze at the portrait.
CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – DAY
CJ and TOBY continue their meeting with BARTLET.
CJ
Ways and Means has some procedural issues with the Earned Income Tax Credit.
TOBY
But I think there’s movement.
BARTLET
Ten billion’s the goal, but it’s an election year. I’m realistic.
CJ
Overwhelming response to the State of the Union. Thirty-six interruptions for applause.
BARTLET
Ah, I don’t know what’s more embarrassing – that we count them or that I care.
CJ
Very impressive.
BARTLET (referring to TOBY)
I blame him.
TOBY
Wasn’t me.
CJ
He’s doing his annual sackcloth and ashes bit.
BARTLET
And I used to think it was a way of harvesting even more compliments, now I understand it’s just self-abnegation and clinical despair.
TOBY
Man understands me.
There’s a knock at the door and DEBBIE leans inside.
DEBBIE
Mr. President, uh, Leo McGarry is outside.
BARTLET
He’s been waiting all this time?
DEBBIE
Yes, and you’re late for your NSA briefing on Chechnya.
BARTLET
Okay, thanks guys -
CJ
Thank you, Mr. President.
BARTLET
- do the thing with the knocking again in five minutes.
DEBBIE
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
Thanks, Deb.
LEO enters, squeezing past DEBBIE while giving her a meaningful look. TOBY and CJ are now gone.
BARTLET
Leo, have I said how great it is having you back?
LEO
A few times.
BARTLET
Oh. Sorry.
LEO
Everyone has. Not quite sure what you want me doing?
BARTLET
What you always did – make me smarter.
LEO
By comparison? Absolutely.
They both chuckle.
LEO
Oh, congratulations on last night.
BARTLET
I planned a morning resting on my laurels, but there’s this I-don’t-know-what in Bolivia. Courtland and his big yap.
LEO
Wonder why he said it.
BARTLET
He’s an idiot. He was always an idiot, why do you think we made him ambassador to Bolivia? What, why do you think he said it?
LEO
Have you given some thought to how I might make myself useful? I don’t want to undermine CJ -
There is a knock at the door and DEBBIE leans inside.
DEBBIE
Sorry to interrupt, Mr. President, but President Trenier is holding for you.
BARTLET (to LEO)
That’s something you can do, talk to the French.
LEO (standing to go)
No. Merci.
BARTLET
Sorry, I gotta take this.
LEO
Of course.
BARTLET
The day’s getting away from me, how about dinner tonight?
LEO
Be great.
BARTLET (picking up the phone)
I don’t care how many times I’ve said it; it’s a great thing you’re back.
LEO (turning to go)
See you tonight, Mr. President.
BARTLET (into phone)
Bonjour, Mr. President. Yes, I’m really looking forward to the G-8 in Paris.
CUT TO: INT. - COMMUNICATIONS BULLPEN – DAY
ANNABETH and CHARLIE are having a discussion.
ANNABETH
I know what it is, it just has a dull name.
CHARLIE (following ANNABETH into her office as CAROL also enters)
Earned Income Tax Credit. It’s the one government program that actually sounds like what it is.
ANNABETH
Exactly. D-U-L-L. (handing papers to CAROL) Oh, this goes to DNC and this one’s a blast fax.
CHARLIE
It was a highlight of the President’s address last night.
ANNABETH (making corrections on the second piece of paper)
By highlight you mean a chance for viewers to wonder whether they’re gonna have sex that night or, plan what they’re gonna wear in the morning -
CAROL (taking the second piece of paper)
Thank you, and you have -
ANNABETH
I know.
CAROL exits.
CHARLIE
It’s important. Thirty-six million Americans live below the poverty line, which is a million more than last year.
ANNABETH
Let’s shout that out from the rooftops, why don’t we?
CHARLIE
We blame the Republicans.
ANNABETH
Oh, there’s a fresh angle.
LARRY comes to the doorway holding a sheaf of papers.
LARRY
Charlie, you see the HUD Samaritan bill markup?
CHARLIE
Secretary spoke to the budget director this morning.
LARRY exits.
CHARLIE
No government program will do more to lift children out of poverty than the EITC.
ANNABETH
Oh, God, I thought the name was dull, the acronym’s worse. You’ve been working on this for two months and you can’t find a catchier handle? ‘Marriage penalty.’ ‘Death tax.’ Now, that you remember.
ANNABETH walks briskly out, joined by CAROL.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – DAY
The office is empty except for a chair, a small desk, a cart with a TV and VCR, and the whiteboard we saw earlier. LEO is reading as MARGARET comes in, carrying a large stack of VHS videotapes.
MARGARET
Leo!
LEO
Margaret.
MARGARET (looking around the room)
Who did this to you?
LEO
I got rid of everything.
MARGARET
Oh, I should have gone with the mahogany, I had a feeling -
LEO
I don’t want any clutter.
MARGARET (beat)
It’s a look.
LEO (referring to the videotapes)
Are those the, um -
MARGARET
I’m still looking for the second inaugural.
She looks for a place to put the tapes down.
LEO
Floor’s good.
MARGARET
Really?
LEO
Mm-hmm.
MARGARET
Tower or pile?
LEO
Surprise me.
There’s a knock at the door and KATE appears.
KATE
Hey.
LEO
Hey.
KATE
I just found out, uh, eight US contractors are being held at gunpoint in Bolivia. Intel’s sketchy but it looks like it might be by Zalaya supporters.
LEO
Hmm. (to MARGARET, as she puts the tapes on the floor) Thanks for the tapes.
KATE
People are gathering down in the Sit Room if you want -
LEO
Oh, I’m sure you can all handle this.
KATE stares at LEO.
LEO (to MARGARET)
Let me know if you find that second inaugural.
MARGARET
Sure.
MARGARET and KATE share a look.
KATE
I should -
LEO
Yeah.
KATE walks away.
LEO (to MARGARET)
CJ’s probably looking for you.
MARGARET
Right.
LEO walks to the door as MARGARET backs out, and he shuts it. He goes through the pile of videotapes, selects one, puts it in the VCR, and starts to play it. We hear the voice of BARTLET from the tape.
BARTLET (VO)
- is an age of possibility, of great trials, but also tremendous opportunities. We need to set our nation on a new course, create a new history …
The camera pulls back outside LEO’s office, showing him through the window, watching the tape of an old BARTLET speech as the work of the West Wing goes on around him.
FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *
ACT TWO
FADE IN: INT. - SITUATION ROOM – DAY
CJ, KATE, SECRETARY HUTCHINSON, CIA DIRECTOR ROLLIE, and other military officers around the table stand as BARTLET enters.
OFFICER
Ten-hut!
BARTLET
At ease. What’s the story?
KATE (as everyone takes their seats)
US contractors were ambushed and captured in the Chapare jungle.
BARTLET
How many?
KATE
Eight.
BARTLET
Alive?
CJ
As far as we know.
BARTLET
Captured by who?
KATE
They describe themselves as Zalaya supporters.
BARTLET
I have some enthusiastic supporters, they don’t go around holding people at gunpoint … much as I’d sometimes wish they would.
HUTCHINSON
These are paramilitaries, sir.
CJ
Run for President down there, you get your own private army?
HUTCHINSON
South America. If Bolivia wasn’t landlocked, he’d have his own navy, too.
KATE
They’re claiming the contractors are CIA, sent down to hijack the election.
BARTLET
Are they?
ROLLIE
No, sir.
CJ
What are they doing there?
HUTCHINSON
They’re private citizens.
BARTLET
Who happen to take camouflage gear with them on vacation?
KATE
They’re part of the coca eradication effort, sir.
ROLLIE
They work for the government.
CJ
The Bolivian government?
KATE
US government.
CJ
Sorry.
KATE
State has a $700 million contract with Tarmacorp, which employs them.
CJ
And they’re armed?
HUTCHINSON
Of course they’re armed, they’re spraying coca fields run by drug cartels.
BARTLET
I think what CJ’s driving at is the difference between what they call them and what we call them is more like dolphins and porpoises rather than lions and bats. What are the captors’ demands?
KATE
That’s just it. They haven’t made any.
HUTCHINSON
We think this may be an election stunt.
KATE
Zalaya got such a bounce from our ambassador’s statement, could be he figures a trumped-up US tampering charge puts him over the top.
BARTLET
Our guys were there spraying coca fields, we’re certain of that?
ROLLIE
Not necessarily themselves directly -
BARTLET
I know they may not attach the hose to the nozzle, but they were doing eradication work?
ROLLIE
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
They weren’t freelancing? Maybe doing some electoral strong-arming in their free time?
ROLLIE
There’s no evidence of that.
BARTLET
Make damn sure, would you, please? Our history down there is such that people are gonna find it a lot easier to believe Zalaya’s charges than our denials. It may not make a hell of a lot of difference, but when we call him a liar I’d prefer we be right.
KATE
Okay, next crisis – Korea. A three-foot hole has appeared in the DMZ fence.
CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY – DAY
CJ comes around a corner and down a set of stairs as TOBY joins her and they both walk down the corridor.
TOBY
Intergovernmental Affairs needs to announce the Indian healthcare reauthorization.
CJ
It’s gonna get trumped by this Bolivia thing.
TOBY
Where are we on that?
CJ
Making certain our guys weren’t doing what Zalaya says they were.
TOBY
Then?
CJ
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
TOBY
It won’t rhyme in Spanish, don’t want you to be disappointed.
CJ
The President took another turn at whack-a-DCI.
TOBY
Guy’s gotta quit, doesn’t he?
CJ
God, I hope not, it’s too much fun. Besides, it’s the only person the President ever picks on. The CIA director goes, could be you or me, bucko.
TOBY
It’s already been me. Are we at all concerned about our checkered history down there: Allende, the CIA, and Che Guevara?
CJ
Yeah. We don’t have much credibility.
TOBY
You’ll talk to Intergovernmental Affairs?
CJ
In my spare time.
TOBY heads off in another direction as CJ approaches WILL.
CJ
Thank the VP for pitching in on State of the Union followthrough.
WILL
About that …
CJ
Will …
WILL
He’s out there, he’s shilling.
CJ
Shilling? You mean showing loyalty to an administration he happens to be serving in?
WILL
It’s the President’s agenda. I don’t recall burning much midnight oil discussing what’d help us in the primaries. He’ll do his bit this week because the President can’t, but after that, the campaign comes first.
CJ
On second thought, maybe don’t thank him so much.
CJ continues on into the Mural Room.
VOICE
Hello, Ms. Cregg.
CJ
Governor, everyone, sorry to keep you waiting.
VOICE 2
Hello, CJ.
CUT TO: INT. - ANNABETH’S OFFICE – DAY
TOBY stands outside ANNABETH’s door to talk to her, sitting at her desk with a phone to her ear.
TOBY
First Lady’s gonna be attending a stock car race.
ANNABETH (giving a thumbs up)
Hell, yeah!
TOBY
Excuse me?
ANNABETH
Colorful regional colloquialism betokening enthusiasm of a visceral-if-not-rowdy variety. (into phone) You’re making this too complicated.
TOBY
I want you to prep her.
ANNABETH
It’s a bunch of cars going real fast around an oval. There, I’m done. (into phone) It’s a food pyramid, not the human genome.
TOBY
There are fish-out-of-water concerns. This is your dream come true, Eliza Doolittle gets to tutor Henry Higgins.
ANNABETH
I’ll see if I can’t find my redneck-to-snob dictionary. (into phone) Here’s the message – eat less bread.
ANNABETH hangs up the phone.
TOBY
What, you’re offended?
ANNABETH
You’re implying I’m some kind of hayseed hillbilly hick?
TOBY
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply it. It was more of an emphatic assertion.
ANNABETH
Watch it, we rubes know how to throw down.
TOBY
Just teach her some terms - a vocabulary.
ANNABETH
Well, for starters, no one ‘attends’ a stock car race, you’re just goin’. Like as not, goin’ drunk.
TOBY
Good – but I don’t think Dr. Bartlet will be getting liquored up.
ANNABETH
Too bad. Otherwise, it gets kinda boring.
TOBY (sighs)
Teach her when to cheer. Stuff like that. Just make sure we avoid a flyover values disaster.
ANNABETH
Sorry?
TOBY
People in the middle of the country who you fly over when you’re trying to get to -
ANNABETH
Real cities? Can’t imagine why you’re worried about offending them.
CAROL appears in the doorway.
CAROL
The Labor Secretary?
ANNABETH grins at TOBY, staring at her. He then begins to chuckle as he walks out of the office.
TOBY
Yeah, thanks.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – DAY
LEO continues to watch tapes of previous BARTLET speeches.
BARTLET (on tape)
Interdiction without intervention - eradication without education - leaves root causes to linger and fester, damning our most vigorous efforts -
As the camera moves around LEO, we see WILL standing in the doorway.
WILL
What are you watching?
LEO (turning off the tape)
State of the Union.
WILL
I don’t remember hearing that last night.
LEO
Second year.
WILL
Oh.
LEO
You need something?
WILL
Oh, just felt bad about running out on you this morning. Wanted to see if there was a time you could catch me up.
LEO
Whenever’s good.
WILL
This afternoon?
LEO
Mm-hmm.
WILL
Who should I coordinate the time with?
LEO
That’d be me.
WILL
Uh, okay. How’s 6:00?
LEO
That works.
WILL
I’ll be here.
LEO
I don’t mind going over, could stand the exercise.
WILL
Naw, I’ll come to you.
LEO
That’s fine.
WILL
See you then.
WILL walks away, then looks back through the windows as LEO restarts the tape of BARTLET’s speech.
BARTLET (on tape)
- cost to our national treasury, as well as our citizenry, trapped in a disease as insidious as it is neglected.
CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM – DAY
TOBY and CHARLIE and some other staffers are meeting with Congressional Representatives, including SWARTHOUT, AUREN, and GLEESON.
TOBY
You’re bailing.
SWARTHOUT
We’re not bailing.
TOBY
The Earned Income Tax Credit is a Democratic issue!
AUREN
We can probably push it out of committee at $500 million.
TOBY
Great. The President called for $10 billion.
SWARTHOUT
That would be more.
CHARLIE
He got an applause break. From both sides of the aisle.
AUREN
That was last night. In the sober light of dawn, the Republicans are going to insist on added enforcements.
TOBY (taking a note from a staffer who just entered the room)
Why does their sobriety give me a hangover?
GLEESON
Fraud prevention, accounting measures -
CHARLIE
These are families at the bottom rung of the educational ladder. Adding paperwork is just going to confuse them.
TOBY (giving the note back)
Tell them I’ll be there in a few minutes.
GLEESON
It’s all right. We’re done.
TOBY
No, we’re not done and you’re not bailing.
AUREN
It’s a Republican Congress, and we have to be flexible.
TOBY
Why does no one ever come in here and say, ‘This is a Democratic White House, maybe we should start reflecting it?’!
SWARTHOUT
We don’t have the votes.
GLEESON
Day after the State of the Union, Presidents customarily go barnstorming to sell it. Don’t lecture us on how to wield this White House’s clout.
TOBY slams his notebook shut as the Congresspeople leave.
CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY – DAY
CJ is walking down the corridor with TOBY and CHARLIE.
CJ
She really said that?
TOBY
If she wasn’t a woman, we might have had to throw down. (as CJ looks at him quizzically) Regional colloquialism.
CHARLIE
So what’s the next step?
TOBY
I’m not sure there is one.
CHARLIE
The EITC’s just dead?
CJ
No, no, Timmy, it’s at a nice farm out in the country where it can play with other dogs. How did last night turn into this morning?
TOBY
Bolivian blowup, bad employment numbers, a hole in the fence -
They enter CJ’s office to find everything rearranged, filing cabinets in the middle of the room, tables upended on other tables.
CJ
And now no furniture.
MARGARET enters. We then see LEO behind her, slowly making his way into CJ’s office.
MARGARET
The Majority Leader’s been in the Treaty Room since, well – he says since Tuesday, the NOAA Administrator called about the flood area in Hawaii. He’s setting up a conference call with FEMA and the Governor, and – you have a meeting with Leo.
LEO
If things are too wild, I can always find you later.
MARGARET (to TOBY)
Carol’s looking for you, something about the Labor Secretary threatening to quit.
TOBY exits.
MARGARET (to CJ)
You saw the new furniture?
CJ (to LEO)
Leo, I’m sorry, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to -
LEO
Sure. We’ll get to it.
CJ (to CHARLIE)
Majority Leader, natural disaster.
CJ and CHARLIE leave in different directions. MARGARET and LEO are left standing in the office.
MARGARET
Busy day.
LEO
Yeah.
MARGARET heads back to her desk. LEO looks around at the furniture pushed to the middle of the room.
CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE FOYER – DAY
WILL comes up to join TOBY as he walks through the foyer.
TOBY
One week.
WILL
Could we not do this?
TOBY
One week in support of the man who plucked him out of obscurity.
WILL
He was a widely known Congressman.
TOBY
As a joke. You and I made fun of him together.
WILL
You guys picked him. I wasn’t in that room.
TOBY
You think I was?
WILL
Then be mad at the President, or Leo, or whoever else was there! And pick a position – you can’t think he’s a complete joke and embarrassment and then be upset he’s not out there helping you more -
TOBY
Yes, I can.
WILL
Look – he’s supportive. He’ll continue to be.
TOBY
If it’s in his interest.
WILL
Oh, I’m sorry, have the rules of politics been suspended this year?
TOBY
The rules of politics should be suspended any chance we get. It’s disloyalty!
WILL
The Vice President has been nothing but steadfast.
TOBY
I wasn’t talking about him.
TOBY walks away.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – DAY
LEO continues to sort through the stack of videotapes. CHARLIE comes in the door.
CHARLIE
Hey, Leo.
LEO
Hey.
CHARLIE
Whatcha watching?
LEO
Old State of the Unions.
CHARLIE
What for?
LEO
Just curious. How you doing?
CHARLIE
A little whiplashed. Last night was such a high.
LEO
There as a staffer, sitting at the adult table -
CHARLIE
Watched it at home. My sister threw me a party ‘cause I got a line in the speech.
LEO
Which one?
CHARLIE
‘We must help those working hardest to help themselves.’
LEO
I see your fingerprints all over it.
CHARLIE
Only EITC’s already in trouble.
LEO
The whiplash.
CHARLIE
Yeah.
LEO
House Dems?
CHARLIE
They’re defeatist. And Annabeth doesn’t like its name.
LEO
She’s not wrong. I don’t get excited when I hear EITC, do you?
CHARLIE
Maybe if it had a more memorable name, it’d be easier to fight for? I think if we could define it more clearly as a tax cut – so a vote against it is seen as raising taxes on the working poor.
LEO looks at CHARLIE steadily as CHARLIE thinks.
CHARLIE
I don’t see how you easily oppose it.
LEO continues to look at CHARLIE.
CUT TO: INT. - COMMUNICATIONS BULLPEN – DAY
TOBY comes into the bullpen as CAROL and others are watching an interview on the TV. We hear the voice of a woman, MRS. CREASY, being interviewed.
MRS. CREASY (VO, on TV)
I had just dropped off my kids at school. Thank God, because I don’t know what to tell them …
TOBY (looking up at the TV)
Who’s - ?
CAROL
Contractor’s wife.
Now we see MRS. CREASY on the screen.
MRS. CREASY (on TV)
… they said, call my Congressman, I, I called him, he said call the State Department. No one is, taking responsibility.
ANNABETH (shouting from her office)
Toby!
TOBY (turning to go into ANNABETH’s office)
Yeah …
MRS. CREASY (on TV)
My husband is, is an engineer. Not a soldier.
FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *
ACT THREE
FADE IN: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE – DAY
CJ walks towards the Oval Office door, speaking to DEBBIE as she passes by her desk.
CJ
Hi. I need a few minutes with the President.
DEBBIE
Not in there.
CJ (stopping)
Oh. I don’t have anything.
DEBBIE
He’s in the residence.
CJ
Oh. Okay.
CJ starts for the door to the portico.
DEBBIE
Napping.
CJ stops again.
DEBBIE
Not to be disturbed unless there’s an emergency.
CJ
It wasn’t on my schedule.
DEBBIE
Or mine.
CJ
Will you let me know when he comes back down?
DEBBIE (looking up at CJ wryly)
My first call.
CJ exits.
CUT TO: INT. - MURAL ROOM – DAY
ABBEY is in the Mural Room with some of her staff. ANNABETH appears at the door.
ABBEY
Oh … are you the one who’s gonna teach me proper speedway decorum?
ANNABETH
How to win friends and influence yokels, yes, ma’am.
ABBEY
Ah – now, if I’d made a crack like that you’d think me a terrible snob.
ANNABETH
What did you turn down to make room for Martinsville?
ABBEY
NIH symposium on molecular structures and bioimaging. Not a lot of NASCAR crossover.
ANNABETH
Let’s start with the dress code. Jeans, T-shirt – oh, and can you borrow the President’s leather flight jacket?
ABBEY
You don’t find that a tad inappropriate?
ANNABETH
Well, there’ll be women there in bikinis on lounge chairs in the RV park, inappropriate’s still a ways off.
ABBEY
Ah.
ANNABETH
I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I know something that we can bond over so far as stock cars are concerned.
ABBEY
And that would be?
ANNABETH
We’re both women.
ABBEY
Okay.
ANNABETH
Women make up 45 percent of the audience for NASCAR events, more than any other major league sport.
ABBEY
Huh, I wonder why.
ANNABETH
Well, everyone has their theories, but I’m gonna tell you plain. It’s the drivers.
ABBEY
Huh.
ANNABETH
They’re a bunch of studs.
ABBEY
Mm-hmm.
ANNABETH
Well-built hotties running around in tight-fitting fire suits.
ABBEY
Hotties.
ANNABETH
Hotsy-tot Hottentot hotties – ma’am.
ABBEY (chuckling)
Well – that’s all very well and good, but I don’t -
ANNABETH slaps a photo of NASCAR driver Casey Mears on the table next to ABBEY.
ABBEY (admiring the photo)
Ooh, my.
ANNABETH
He’ll be there. (putting down a photo of Jeff Gordon) And him … oh, and this one …
ANNABETH adds a photo of Jamie McMurray to the pile.
ABBEY
The one with the eyes?
ANNABETH
One of the favorites.
ABBEY
I would imagine.
CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – DAY
CJ is trying to work with CHARLIE on the sofa of her office, still in disarray with furniture piled up everywhere. TOBY and KATE enter.
CJ
You see the contractor’s wife?
TOBY
Yeah.
CJ
You’re gonna have to brief.
TOBY
These guys … absolutely, positively not CIA?
KATE
Definitely, definitively not.
CJ
Don’t lean on that, Toby.
KATE
Why?
CJ
They’re US-paid mercenaries, former military, most of them, Special Ops, SEALs, Marines -
TOBY
We’re in distinction-without-a-difference land.
CJ
Little bit.
KATE
I don’t see it that way.
CJ
It’s not your job to. They weren’t doing what they’ve been accused of, that’s our statement. And I’m late.
CJ gets up to leave, with KATE also walking out. CHARLIE starts out the door when TOBY stops him.
TOBY
Anyone talk to Leo?
CHARLIE
He’s in his office watching State of the Unions.
TOBY
Unions?
CHARLIE
Old ones.
CHARLIE leaves.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – DAY
LEO is putting a light bulb into a lamp. KATE appears in the doorway, and knocks on the frame.
LEO
Yeah …
KATE
We said 3:30?
LEO
We did.
KATE (slowly entering)
So …
LEO continues making some notes on the desk.
KATE
What’s your day been like?
LEO
It’s quiet. Yours?
KATE
Not quiet.
LEO
Bolivia.
KATE
Yeah. Korea. Things down in Burundi …
LEO
What?
KATE
Oh, just … these contractors operate under such – vague guidelines just because that’s the way everyone wants it. And there’s no congressional oversight, no controls, and a whole lot of money changing hands.
LEO
You know these guys?
KATE
Not these, but … yeah, I know these guys. And it’s not just that it’s, futile, you know, I mean, as long as Americans are willing to pay $60 a gram for cocaine, some peasant farmer earning $60 a year is gonna grow it. But it’s just, so geopolitically counterproductive. We turn their villages into war zones, we destroy their land, we poison their families with herbicides and then we’re all surprised when they go vote for the Socialist.
KATE takes a big breath.
KATE
Uh, sorry … it’s a, um … crappy day.
LEO looks steadily at KATE.
KATE
It’s my annivorcery.
LEO
Um - anni–what?
KATE (as her pager goes off and she looks at it)
Annivorce. It’s the anniversary of my divorce.
LEO
Didn’t know you’d been married.
KATE
Couple times.
LEO
Hopeless romantic.
KATE
Hopeless, anyway. (chuckles uneasily) You?
LEO (holding up a finger)
Yeah.
KATE
Uh, what did you want to talk about?
The INTERN appears in the doorway.
INTERN
Sorry – Uh, Ms. Harper, they need you in the Situation Room.
KATE (sighing, to LEO)
Maybe later?
KATE walks away.
CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – DAY
BARTLET comes walking in from the portico.
BARTLET
Debbie!
DEBBIE (entering from the outer office)
That wasn’t very long.
BARTLET
I couldn’t sleep.
DEBBIE
Couldn’t or wouldn’t?
BARTLET
I have three daughters and a wife, two of whom are also doctors – if you presume I don’t get enough of that sort of comment, you’re really not using your imagination.
DEBBIE
Naps are restorative. Churchill took them.
BARTLET
Churchill also maintained a 24-hour buzz. These days, people who drink that much during the day are encouraged to attend meetings.
DEBBIE
An individual perhaps more for veneration than emulation.
BARTLET
And I don’t know where all this restorative nonsense comes from. Every nap I’ve ever taken in my life has left me feeling groggy and on edge.
DEBBIE
I hadn’t noticed. The NSA called, Secretary of State, NSA again, saying talk to her before talking to the Secretary of State -
CUT TO: INT. - ANNABETH’S OFFICE – DAY
CHARLIE comes in the door.
CHARLIE
You’re right.
ANNABETH
About so much. To which specific or category of things are you presently referring?
CHARLIE
The Earned Income Tax Credit needs a better name.
ANNABETH
To brand it.
CHARLIE
Not just something zippier or catchier.
ANNABETH
Something to help you fight for it.
CHARLIE
To make it harder to fight against it.
CAROL appears in the doorway.
CAROL
Deputy Secretary Morrison again.
As CAROL departs ANNABETH sighs deeply.
ANNABETH
Workfare’s taken. Work Aid?
CHARLIE
Sounds like a handout. Employment Incentive.
ANNABETH
Oh, no, no, that’s terrible. Work Tax.
CHARLIE
It’s all a work tax. Poverty Tax.
ANNABETH
Mmm, that’s closer.
CHARLIE
Poor Tax. It’s simple, direct …
ANNABETH
Poor Tax. It’s good.
CAROL shows up again in the doorway.
CAROL
You want me to say you’ll call her back?
ANNABETH
No, I’ll be right there.
CHARLIE
Hard to argue on the floor of Congress to institute a Poor Tax.
ANNABETH
Yeah.
CHARLIE (smiling, turning to go)
Thanks.
ANNABETH (punching a button on the phone and picking up the receiver)
This is Annabeth.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – EVENING
LEO closes some blinds, making the room darker. TOBY walks in.
TOBY
Hey.
LEO
Hey.
TOBY
Sorry about this morning.
LEO
Oh, it happens.
TOBY
Heard you were watching old State of the Unions.
LEO
Heh, and inaugurals.
TOBY
Something wrong with this year’s speech?
LEO
What do you think?
TOBY
I wrote it.
LEO
You seemed remarkably uncomfortable accepting praise, even for you.
TOBY
What are you doing here, Leo? Watching old speeches and – reading about the founding fathers? We don’t have time for you to sit around like a garden Buddha parsing out fortune cookie wisdom, we’re getting buried alive here. (chuckling) Get up and grab a shovel.
LEO (picking up some notes)
‘While the assault weapons ban may have ended, the debate has not, and I will fight this Congress as long as the -’
TOBY
‘- as long as the senseless, needless violence continues.’ Second Inaugural.
LEO (reading again)
‘The promise of stem cell research has again been delayed by congressional ban. Imagine a child paralyzed by a spinal cord injury -’
TOBY
‘ - spinal cord injury, watching, waiting, knowing that politics is the obstacle to a cure.’ Third State of the Union, I know what we said. We all know what we said.
LEO
Last night’s State of the Union, you pulled your punches.
There is a pause.
TOBY
It was well-received.
LEO
It’s easy to applaud for something that no one’s gonna make you stand up and pass. (reading again) ‘By any measure, we’re losing the war on drugs. Demand is exactly the same, supply is the -’
TOBY
‘ - supply is the same, but prices have gone down.’
LEO
‘It’s time for a comprehensive new approach to this nation’s dependence on drugs.’ That was in your rough draft of last night’s speech.
TOBY
I cut it.
LEO
Who told you to?
TOBY
Nobody, nobody had to. You’ve had a heart attack and he can’t stand up! Day after every other State of the Union the President launches a month-long road show to stump for what was in it! (TOBY’s pager goes off) This year I get Bingo Bob, and a week.
TOBY walks out as LEO watches him go.
FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *
ACT FOUR
FADE IN: INT. - SITUATION ROOM – DAY
The door opens and BARTLET enters.
OFFICER
Ten-hut!
BARTLET (walking to the front of the room)
Let’s see it.
A video of one of the captured contractors, JONATHAN CREASY, is seen on the screen.
CREASY (on TV)
My name is Jonathan Creasy. I’m a private American citizen working for Tarmacorp, under a contract with the US government. I’m being held with seven Americans. We will be released subject to completion of a fair and free election of the Bolivian Presidential contest.
CJ
Fair and free translating to a Zalaya victory.
BARTLET
‘A private citizen under contract with the US government.’ Cognitive dissonance, anyone? (to HUTCHINSON) Where are we on this?
HUTCHINSON
A P-3 off the Misawa. PACCOM is coordinating the search.
CJ
Anything?
HUTCHINSON
No.
BARTLET
It’s a jungle out there. And the Bolivian government?
KATE
Rock and a hard place. They want to help their good friend the US, but are terrified of looking like they were helping in case Zalaya wins.
BARTLET
They don’t want to be up here in two week’s time seeking political asylum.
CJ
We find them, who mounts a rescue if not the Bolivians? Tarmacorp, us?
HUTCHINSON
Not us.
KATE
Tarmacorp’s flying Vietnam-era Hueys, they go down we end up with more contractors to find and rescue.
HUTCHINSON
They’re not US troops.
KATE
Why, because we pay them through a middleman?
HUTCHINSON
Nobody forced them to go down there.
KATE
Well, maybe you’ll get to explain that to their widows.
BARTLET
When’s the election?
CJ
Ten days.
BARTLET (beat)
Do we believe that Zalaya will release them?
KATE
If he wins.
BARTLET
And if he doesn’t?
CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY – DAY
CJ and KATE have left the Situation Room and are walking in the corridor.
CJ
Will we find them?
KATE
A jungle, they know the best hiding places. We’ll need a tip.
CJ
These are tough guys. They gonna hold out to the election?
KATE
Well, you saw the video. When you’re being held, ten days is a long time.
CJ
Have you ever been held?
KATE
I’ve held other people. Twenty-four hours is a long time.
CUT TO: INT. - OUTSIDE LEO’S OFFICE – EVENING
WILL walks through the bullpen and up to LEO’s doorway. We see footage of MRS. CREASY’s interview playing on the TV news. LEO is sitting in his chair looking out the window. WILL knocks on the door.
LEO
Yeah? (turning to see it’s WILL) Oh, is it 6 o’clock already?
WILL
I can come back.
LEO
No, no, come in, come in. How you doing?
WILL
Oh, you know – have to head back to New Hampshire tomorrow afternoon. We’re up ten points in the polls. (beat) Getting tired of people treating me like I’ve sold my soul to the devil.
LEO
You think you have?
WILL
Well, I don’t think the VP’s the devil. And I don’t think I’ve sold my soul. I may have rented it out for a bit.
LEO
Why do you say that?
WILL
Well, I was mostly joking. I, I don’t think he’s the devil. I don’t know what I think of him, really.
LEO
Catalogue his qualities.
WILL
The negative ones everyone knows … and never ceases delighting in reminding me about.
LEO
His other qualities?
WILL
He’s … plain-spoken. He’s clear and direct. Doesn’t have a, multitrack mind like the President, but that’s not always a bad thing. The truth is, and I’m not sure I ever even realized this before now – I’ve spent the last year and a half looking for what you saw in him … you and the President, when you gave him this job. You picked Russell, him, to serve as VP to a President with a serious health condition. You were aware you were picking a potential successor. On some level, I’ve just trusted that, and assumed I’d eventually discover what you knew then.
LEO
Have you?
WILL
Tell me what it was, we’ll compare notes. (LEO turns away) I know, doesn’t work like that. He’s my guy, I have to figure him out on my own.
CAROL knocks at the door.
CAROL
Sorry to interrupt, but you’ve got to see the First Lady.
CAROL leads LEO and WILL out to the Communications bullpen, where they’re joined by TOBY and ANNABETH and other staffers, all watching ABBEY at the NASCAR race on TV (MSNBC, to be exact).
TOBY
Let’s see it.
REPORTER (on TV, amid cheering)
… make her way out Victory Lane to congratulate McMurray, who is ecstatic after dominating here at Martinsville Speedway. Not sure if she’s ready to join the pit crew just yet.
On the TV, we see driver Jamie McMurray give ABBEY a kiss on the cheek and then a bear hug.
REPORTER (on TV)
There’s the kiss, ceremonial victory kiss … oops, caught her a bit by surprise there -
ANNABETH (to TOBY)
Such a good sport – to take one like that for the flyover states.
TOBY
Did you brief her, about the kiss?
ANNABETH
They loved it.
CAROL appears in front of TOBY and ANNABETH.
CAROL
The First Lady, for both of you.
ANNABETH
Who gets pissed about kissing a NASCAR driver?
TOBY (turning to leave with ANNABETH)
Another hour of my life gone.
CUT TO: INT. - CJ’S OFFICE – EVENING
CJ is on the phone. LEO appears behind her. The office has finally been reorganized and CJ has her desk again.
CJ (on phone)
Of course we want to avert a disaster in South Dakota, but I can’t take this to the President just yet. (beat) No. (beat) Thank you, Governor.
CJ hangs up.
LEO
Trouble in South Dakota?
CJ
In about a thousand years. Mount Rushmore’s on the move.
LEO
How far has it gone so far?
CJ
About an inch.
LEO looks around the office.
CJ
I hope you don’t mind.
LEO
Looks great. Nobody ever thought to put fresh-cut flowers on my desk, despite 18 acres of gardens outside.
MARGARET (stepping in)
Majority Leader.
LEO
Oh, you should take that.
CJ (considering; to MARGARET)
I’ll call him back.
MARGARET nods and exits. CJ stands up and goes to LEO.
CJ
I could’ve used you in the Sit Room today.
LEO
I heard you had it under control.
CJ
Mmm, didn’t feel like it.
LEO
Never does.
They sit around the coffee table.
LEO
You’re doing great.
MARGARET (stepping in)
The President’s in the residence.
CJ
Does he want me to - ?
LEO
Oh, no, I’m sorry, that’s for me. (to MARGARET) Let him know I’m coming right up. (to CJ) We’re having dinner. Probably should have run that by the Chief of Staff.
CJ
Oh, Chief of Staff has enough on her plate. I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk today. We’ll find time tomorrow.
LEO (standing)
Sure.
LEO starts out, then stops by the door.
LEO
It was easier, for me. You as my Press Secretary, Sam, Josh, Toby -
CJ
Toby?
LEO
Toby’s always been Toby. Still took me a year to figure out what the hell I was doing, and those were the easy years.
CJ
We had easy years?
LEO
Easier than this.
LEO exits. CJ thinks a moment.
CJ
Margaret? What’s next?
CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE RESIDENCE – NIGHT
BARTLET and LEO are having dinner.
BARTLET (chewing)
How’s yours?
LEO (with disdain)
This heart-healthy stuff, I have to keep reminding myself it’s good for me.
BARTLET
At least it resembles actual food. Abbey’s got me on this macrobiotic diet.
LEO
That does look a little grim.
BARTLET
What I wouldn’t give for a burger and fries.
LEO
A cream sauce. I’d like to have the occasional light cream sauce without everyone reacting like it’s a suicide attempt.
BARTLET (checking the door)
So, tonight, Abbey’s out of town. We can turn the residence into a fort and sword fight with empty paper towel rolls.
They both laugh as BARTLET stands up and pours himself coffee.
LEO
So you feel pretty good about last night’s State of the Union?
BARTLET
According to at least six op-eds, I set an ambitious national agenda.
LEO
Is that what you think?
BARTLET (beat)
You have a chance to figure out what you’d like to do around here?
LEO
Have you?
BARTLET
Don’t do this, Leo, not the day after the State of the Union.
LEO (standing)
Everyone’s walking around here like we’re finished! We got 365 more days!
BARTLET
It’s year eight, it’s a Republican Congress, and I’m hemorrhaging staff.
LEO
Four years ago we announced a blue ribbon commission on entitlements. Why wasn’t it mentioned? Two years ago, you announced a commitment to stem cell research.
BARTLET
The legislation died in Congress, Leo, you held the wake!
LEO
What happened to the drug treatment policy last night?
BARTLET
We had to narrow our focus -
LEO
Now’s the time to widen, not narrow focus – what are you saving your political capital for?
BARTLET
I have a responsibility to the party -
LEO
You have a responsibility to the country, sir.
BARTLET sets down his coffee and stalks away.
LEO
The American people sent you here for two terms. (pause) Eight years. (beat) So the last one’s gonna be harder. I’ve never known you to shy away from a fight.
BARTLET
And I’ve never had to make a speech based on the maximum amount of time I could stand up.
BARTLET sits, moodily considering. LEO slowly walks to him.
LEO
Those excuses I kept hearing all day? Nobody mentioned MS. Two-hundred and seventy-two words. That’s all Lincoln said at the Gettysburg Address, it took four minutes – and set the tone for the next century. You wanted to talk about what I could do here … it’s this.
BARTLET
Said the man with the double bypass.
LEO sits.
LEO
The both of us, sir, this is our last game. Let’s leave it all out on the field.
CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE ENTRANCE – NIGHT
9:57 PM
TOBY and CHARLIE are signing in at the guard desk. They walk through the hallway.
TOBY
You know why we got called in?
CHARLIE
No idea.
TOBY
Well, I almost got to eat dinner.
KATE comes up behind them.
KATE
You want to hear something depressing? This disrupts my evening not one bit.
ANNABETH and WILL join the group as they continue toward the Oval Office.
ANNABETH
Ten o’clock? I had a date.
WILL
You had a date tonight?
ANNABETH
Oh, I always have a date.
CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE – NIGHT
The group steps into the Oval Office to find CJ waiting for them.
CJ
Welcome back. Sorry about the hour.
TOBY
What’s going on?
CJ
The President should be down in a minute.
The door to the portico opens and BARTLET steps in.
BARTLET
Everybody here?
CJ
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
Follow me.
BARTLET leads the group out of the Oval Office, through the outer office.
ANNABETH
What’s this all about?
KATE
Stock market crash in Guyana, perhaps.
WILL
And me with all my money in sapodilla futures.
The group continues past the Roosevelt Room, where a custodian is cleaning the table.
CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – NIGHT
LEO is arranging the videotapes onto the shelves, cleaning up the formerly cluttered office space. There are chairs arranged in a semicircle as LEO stands next to his whiteboard, with ‘365’ still written on it. The group, led by BARTLET, steps inside.
LEO
Hey.
Several respond with ‘Hey’ and ‘Hi, Leo.’
LEO
Welcome.
BARTLET
Thank you all for coming back in on a school night. I had dinner with an old friend tonight. I thought everyone should hear what he had to say.
LEO
I want to read you something.
He puts on his glasses and picks up some papers from his desk.
LEO
‘The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; ‘tis dearness only that gives everything its value.’
CHARLIE (to TOBY)
You?
WILL
Thomas Paine.
TOBY
He said ‘tis … might have been a clue.
LEO
Busy day around here today. (to KATE) What’d you spend it on?
KATE
Uh, Bolivia.
LEO
Well, no, you spent it on a situation in Bolivia, a crisis. I understand that gravitational pull. North Korea pokes a hole in the fence, it gets your attention. As do whiny Cabinet members, floods, and new employment figures. Pretty soon it’s the whole day. Problem is, we’re running out of them.
LEO turns to the whiteboard, erases the ‘5’ and then writes ‘364 days.’ He circles it.
LEO
That’s how much time we have left. We have the ability to effect more change in a day at the White House than we’ll have in a lifetime once we walk out these doors. What do you want to do with them?
There is a pause as everyone takes in what LEO has said.
CJ
We should finally get serious about health care – whether it calls attention to the President’s MS or not.
LEO begins writing notes on the whiteboard.
KATE
A new approach to Latin America.
TOBY
A real commitment to drug treatment.
LEO
What else?
WILL
The Vice President and I think it’s time to talk about race in this country.
LEO
He’s right.
CHARLIE
I’ve got some ideas on how to increase opportunity for the working poor.
ANNABETH
We both do.
CJ
Talking about repackaging the EITC.
ANNABETH
Poor Tax.
WILL
Catchy.
TOBY
Comprehensive planning -
CHARLIE
That includes training, education, urban development -
KATE
Assault weapons ban -
CJ
Affordable housing -
WILL
HR 190 is going to shift the debate back to segregation -
The screen fades to black as the conversation continues.
ANNABETH
Isn’t that what you wanted?
WILL
Yeah. A resurgence in civil rights activism couldn’t hurt anyone ...
DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
* * *
The West Wing and all its characters are properties of Aaron Sorkin, John Wells Productions, Warner Brothers Television, and NBC. No copyright infringement is intended.
The West Wing Transcript
Episode 6x12 – 365 Days
Original Airdate: January 19, 2005
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