Original subtitles

MAN: Friends, for eight long years,

our country has suffered under the most

radical anti-environment administration of the century.

For eight long years, polluters have run wild.

We need a president who will appoint

law makers, not law breakers.

Today, I'm proud to appear before you on behalf of friends

of the Earth everywhere to introduce to you

a great champion of environmental protection,

and the next President of the United States, Jack Tanner.

JACK: What's happened in the last eight years is tragic.

There was no need to declare war on the environment

or on environmentalists.

The most recent Gallup and Harris

polls show strong public opinion on this issue.

People want the environment protected--

no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

It means clean air.

It means clean water.

And it means a government which makes

it its business to see that the public interests are protected.

If the American people choose me as their leader,

I will recommit this nation to a course

of bipartisan, progressive environmentalism.

And I intend to leave a legacy of which

our children can be proud.

As president, I will swear faithfully to uphold

the laws of the United States.

And I will see to it that the people who

pollute with impunity are prosecuted

to the full extent of the law.

As Adlai Stevenson said in 1965, we are all travelers

on Spaceship Earth.

ANDREA: I need to help this guy a second.

I'm sorry.

[chatter]

WAITER: Fresh Driscoll strawberries

with [inaudible] melon.

ANDREA: It looks beautiful.

Just sort of scoot around [inaudible]

Is this the [inaudible]

WAITER: I'm sorry?

[chatter]

JACK: Well, stick around.

I'm just going go through these right now.

You can-- so I should know just about everybody.

ANDREA: Actually, I need to help this guy a second.

I'm sorry. JACK: I don't know Charles Wolf.

STEVIE: OK, he's a new money player from Chicago.

JACK: Yeah.

STEVIE: For the last few years, he's

been the key democratic fundraiser for the Midwest.

JACK: Oh, OK. Good.

STEVIE: He's flying in just for this.

He's scouting. So give him some time.

JACK: OK.

OK.

Kirk O'Donnell I know. Peter--

STEVIE: OK.

JACK: Peter Edelman-- Peter-- well, he's Ted Kennedy's guy.

STEVIE: Right. [inaudible] director.

Uh huh.

Mary McGrory, Washington Post.

She's coming only for drinks.

So check in with her [inaudible]

OK, Sid Blumenthal I know.

Washington Post.

Good on themes.

Mike Kinsley, editor of The New Republic.

All right.

Bob Squier.

Oh, wait a minute.

The New Republic.

Well, they've come out for Gore.

Only in the first round.

Talk to him anyway.

See what happens.

[phone ringing]

Hello?

ALEX (ON PHONE): Hi, it's Alex Tanner.

Is my dad there? - Yes, he is.

Just a moment, please.

Andrea?

For Congressman Tanner.

Oh, great, I'll take it.

Oh, OK.

Hello?

ALEX (ON PHONE): Andrea, hi, it's Alex.

Hi, Alex. ALEX (ON PHONE): How are you?

Fine.

ALEX (ON PHONE): Is my dad there?

Yeah, he's here. But you should see this house.

It's incredible. ALEX (ON PHONE): Yeah?

We missed by a day, ladies.

Right?

George McGovern.

I know, Jack.

Could have been here.

Should have been here.

He's sitting on an island.

He's on a vacation.

Try to relax.

Relax.

If I were any more relaxed I'd be on the floor.

Telephone call.

Oh, thanks.

Why don't you come this way and I'll

show you where the phone is. - Would've been great.

Would've been great.

No, it'll be great.

Oh, hold on. Here's your dad.

ALEX (ON PHONE): OK, I'll talk to you later.

Take care, bye.

Hi, sweetie. How are you?

ALEX (ON PHONE): Hi, Dad, how are you?

Where are you? I've been trying to reach you.

ALEX (ON PHONE): I'm at home. - Yeah, now, look.

Deke's going to come by, pick up some photographs.

I've got them in a box in the den.

ALEX (ON PHONE): What-- phot--photographs,

what photographs?

Uh, they're for the new spots for Indiana.

I've been through all the stuff. It's OK.

You can let him have it.

ALEX (ON PHONE): He's such a jerk, Dad.

He really makes me uncomfortable.

I know he's a jerk, hon.

But let him in.

It's time to shine, Jack.

I've got to go.

Make that flight in the morning.

ALEX (ON PHONE): OK. I love you.

OK. Bye bye.

[chatter]

Excuse me, Jack, [inaudible] Kirk O'Donnell, Peter Edelman.

Hi.

Jack, glad you could be here tonight with us.

I'm delighted to be here.

It's beautiful.

TJ: What is Gary Hart doing right now?

Should we write him?

Should we send him packages?

Is there anything he needs?

Looks like you're making a charge

or a negative thrust that reflects

hypocrisy on your part.

At the same time, you really need

to define yourself in relation to the other candidates now.

That's really a key part of-- of running a campaign.

What are the differences?

And I said, [inaudible] defend one Afrikaner guy.

And I said-- I said this white guy's OK

because he's an Afrikaner [inaudible] 300 years.

You're not going to get elected

just because you're a good guy.

There's got to be a clear sense of-- of a defined difference

with your opponents.

I defended the board.

I said, the guy's been [inaudible] for years.

And Michael says, that sounds like Vietnam.

Nixon said that when you get sick of saying it,

that's when they've heard it the first time.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

[inaudible] be taking lessons from him.

Tell me something about Tanner [inaudible]

Well, basically, he's the only candidate

that's really worthwhile.

I just don't think this is going to work.

I tell you, Reagan, you can take him so far,

and that's going to be it.

He's going to get nailed for this civil rights thing,

I think. MAN: Four years of Bush.

I don't know how we're going to do this.

I don't know.

To-- to look at the meanness that's going on here.

Yeah, the book thing should have told him when--

one-- every politician one thing--

nobody wants to go back.

JACK: You know, people are-- [inaudible]

chances with [inaudible]

But when you do it-- when you do it--

half the technicians out there are saying don't-- hey, hey,

hey, keep it--keep it easy.

Keep it very, very, very specific.

Don't get too big up there.

You'll leave yourself open.

And they're crazy.

They are crazy.

That's what's the matter with the rest of the candidates.

They're all being operated.

Actually, there are a lot of people with lots of good ideas.

But you don't get to see those.

My guess is that the process will begin to happen before we

get to the convention.

We're going to have a brokered process before we

have a brokered convention.

I think the people pick the brokers this time.

I think what's fascinating about this process

is that you've got candidates out there as brokers.

I mean, Jesse Jackson's a broker.

He's a broker, whether he knows it or not.

No, I'm not opposed to any kind of impassioned plea

that's really heartfelt. I think that's imperative to success

in a campaign.

But I think the problem is that that quite often

you're victims of the media.

And that you can be passionate about something

and it can be edited out.

Someone was saying tonight, you have

to say-- you have to say the same thing

every time, over and over and over and over again.

And when you get tired of saying it,

that's probably when the public hears it for the first time.

But in the meantime, though, the part of the public

that's listening has also tuned you out

because they're tired of you saying that same thing over

and over again.

If you had a situation that was set up the way Hart had

his situation set up four years ago, where he maneuvered

himself around quickly to the point

where he was the alternative to Mondale,

then that's a debate that's manageable for the press

to cover.

I mean, it's-- it's the insider and the outsider.

You've got to be the outsider.

And you've got to make Dukakis, you know, the insider.

And once you can set that up, then--

then you've got a debate operating

that can work for you.

Part of the reason that Dukakis is ahead, in my view,

is not only because he is a candidate with a lot of money,

it's because that his message that he brings is similar

to what the theme of his campaign could be if it were

to win-- which is, he is somebody who's going

to help America compete.

It's a great couch potato race.

And you're going to have to make it into a real race.

[inaudible] said that so much so far has been abstract.

We're talking about all kinds of controls--

this and that, Gephardt.

I mean, I think people-- I mean, we've got to just

start addressing people.

We're talking about this whole thing about issues, themes,

and talking to people.

What are the technicians telling their candidates except Tanner?

And Jackson, maybe.

What are they saying?

[inaudible]

I think-- I think-- we were talking about this.

I mean, the problem right now is that you've

got this-- this sort of mess.

I mean, you have nobody that can challenge a frontrunner.

I mean, Dukakis is a very smart frontrunner,

because he's sitting out there with a very low profile.

And no one is developed to be the logical challenger.

I mean, think--think back-- but not yet.

Because look, I mean, he's having

to share it with Jackson.

You know, Jackson's still way out there in front.

And-- and you've got a situation in which

there are just too many-- they can't winnow themselves out.

Just challenge Dukakis to a-- to a debate.

One on one. - One on one?

The two of us.

Exactly.

And then if Dukakis doesn't want to debate Jack--

then what?

Then get his schedule.

Get his schedule and then what?

Show up.

Show up.

I don't know.

Is he so far behind?

Exactly.

I don't know that I want to chase the guy.

You know?

I mean, he's-- he puts me to sleep.

But when we saw you in that famous coffee table shot,

it was very clear that you felt very strongly about what

you were talking about.

You were mad at yourself.

You were mad at her.

You were mad at everybody.

JACK: I also allowed them to exploit me with that shot.

And you didn't know you were on camera.

JACK: Exactly.

You weren't exploited with that shot.

JACK: I don't know.

I've never been very comfortable with that whole--

TJ: Oh, but Jack, you were [inaudible]

It allowed you people to-- to exploit me there.

BOB SQUIER: You should have promoted her for that.

There's something about it that I

find very difficult to look at.

I really do. I mean--

Can I tell you something?

There's only one rule.

And that is, they're not going to give this thing to you.

They're not going to take a cloak

and drape it around your damn shoulders.

You gotta go out and grab it.

[inaudible] I react to the spontaneous.

Which is a problem because that's the very thing

you see as exploitation.

I would much rather see something real happen,

not a make-believe real thing.

But, you know, yawning and scratching your belly.

JACK: Muskie crying in front of a newspaper?

Well, not too real.

The biggest idiocy is the guy who says we don't

need another actor like Reagan.

You should be so lucky as we will put you

forward as another actor, so long as you're

an actor like Roosevelt.

JACK: So the answer to his question

is, money, money, and money. Right?

Well, we need it.

I mean, [inaudible] get out on television,

[inaudible] little help, right?

One of the people who is the least boring

is already gone by the boards because of lack of money,

and that's Babbitt, you know?

He was-- he's a terribly interesting guy.

And he's gone.

And uh--

And drink to that.

[inaudible] drink to that.

And, you know, I have mixed feelings about that.

Because, I mean, I like him enormously.

And, uh, at the same time, he's another--

he's another guy out of my way.

[inaudible]

See, the interesting thing this year is that--

You got him going [inaudible]

There's a lot of issues like, uh-- like drugs,

which only Jesse, thus far, in the Democratic

Party is speaking to.

And here's an issue where all these yuppies who grew up,

they were Democrats, and liberal Democrats.

And now they're kind of wavering.

And if a candidate, a white candidate,

could begin to talk about the concerns which suburban,

BMW-driving, could-be Democratic primary voters,

are concerned about-- their kids, their family.

There's another side to all this money, which

is, you know, what it means in terms of access

to a whole bunch of things that undermine the family,

like Susan was saying.

That comes from here to there.

I think that one thing that Jack's real concerned about

and that we have to address is that he can't be put

into a context that is necessarily what

we call "the right context."

He has to be in a place where he feels

passionate about something.

If he's talking about drugs, he's

going to address that issue.

If he's talking about education, he's

going to address that issue.

And-- and we have to create contexts in which

he feels strong, you know?

And-- and-- and comfortable.

And-- - I tell you, though.

If you're going to do this, one of the things you first

got to do is you have to avoid little events like I

saw on TV the other night.

When you came down the stairs with your friend

Reverend Cryer, and this spontaneous-- spontaneous press

conference was there.

I mean, that's a loser.

What happened?

We had an overenthusiastic advance man

who decided to create an agenda that nobody

knew anything about.

And it was a big surprise.

How about a former advance man?

He's not here tonight.

What did that guy do the next day?

JACK: (CLEARS THROAT) Well, he came out for Jackson.

Yeah.

Right.

And was he a possible?

Was he a possible for you?

JACK: Oh, sure.

He's a good friend of mine.

Sure.

I mean, I think he felt betrayed by us.

I think, to this day, he thinks I set him up.

Of course he did.

The only thing that saved you on TV

was, one station had a close up of your face.

And you looked more surprised than he did.

[interposing voices]

[inaudible] Can you say goodnight to everybody?

[inaudible]

Goodnight!

[inaudible] back to bed.

Deke.

Hi, come in.

- Hey, how are you, Alex? - Good.

- Is this a bad time? - No, no, no, no.

I just got somebody on the phone.

But come on in. - Is the old man around?

Uh, no, no.

He's out working.

How you doing?

Oh, you know, OK.

[inaudible] - Charlotte?

DEKE: [inaudible] New York.

CHARLOTTE (ON PHONE): Nick's going to be there too.

Yeah, it sounds great.

CHARLOTTE (ON PHONE): Great, come early and we'll talk.

Yeah, OK. Good.

Bye bye.

I'll see you tonight, then. CHARLOTTE (ON PHONE): OK.

CHARLOTTE (ON PHONE): Bye.

Who's that?

This is my best friend from high school.

I haven't been home in so long, they're throwing

a party for me tonight.

- No kidding, really? - Yeah.

Yeah.

You need someone to take you?

- Oh, you're sweet. - Oh, great.

No problem.

What time?

No, I mean, you're sweet, but no thanks.

Oh.

You got that covered, I guess.

Yeah.

Uh, these are the photos I went through last night.

Most of them are Washington.

Some of them are Michigan.

Dad approved them all, so you can just

borrow whichever ones you want.

OK.

Well, you know, I'll probably just videotape

them here if that's all right. - Oh, perfect.

Perfect. OK.

If you need anything, give a holler.

- OK. - OK, good.

Will do.

Probably talk about sororities, anyway.

This is Slicker.

Moonwalker on his way up.

Handing off.

Got him, Slicker.

Charlie, he's coming up to you, accompanied by a staffer.

Moonwalker and staffer on elevator.

Sanitize the hallway.

STRINGER: I need to talk to you.

Do you mind if I ask you a question?

In a minute, Stringer. [inaudible]

That's a roger.

Hallway is sterilized.

What do you want me to do, Stringer?

I just don't think it's fair, Congressman.

What isn't fair?

Come on, no one tells me jack anymore.

I've been frozen out.

The schedules are routed around me.

I have to make appointments to see TJ.

Ah, hell, Stringer, I have to make appointments to see TJ.

Thanks, Billy.

Thanks Billy.

Come on, Jack.

I've been cut out ever since Nashville.

OK, Stringer.

Here it is.

Nashville was a problem for me.

A serious problem.

I was in a private meeting with an old and valued friend.

And when you showed up with the press--

I showed too much initiative.

I know it.

I know I was out of line.

But you can't just assume I'm going to make

that mistake every time. - No.

You embarrassed me.

You embarrassed Billy.

And when he came out the next day for Jackson,

you embarrassed the whole campaign.

Speaking of embarrassed.

Hello.

What have we here?

"Wake up call at 5:45.

Sweet god, I'm tired.

[inaudible] shows up with [inaudible]

What a blessing this child is."

JACK: OK, Stevie, who else is scheduled for the hearing

tomorrow?

Let's see.

Bradshaw Langley from AID.

Carl Taylor, you remember, from UNICEF.

Mm hm.

And, of course, Governor Babbitt.

Oh, right.

Um, call Bruce's office.

We were both on the same commission.

I want to make sure there's no overlapping going on here.

No, we've already taken care of that, Jack.

He's covering mostly the immunization data.

By the way, the commission's numbers were outdated.

I had to have Emile get the revised

1987 figures from UNICEF's office in Dar es Salaam.

JACK: Thank you very much, Teresa Jean.

Stevie, can you get the changes from Emile.

Mm hm.

TJ: No, we've already done that, Jack.

Revised text will be out tonight.

Before you send the revised text out,

I'd like to make the revisions, if you don't mind.

Don't you speak to me in that tone of voice, young man.

JACK: Look, TJ, Stevie and I can handle this.

You've got a campaign to run, right?

If you say so.

JACK: All right, anything else?

ANDREA: You know, I've been reading

this book on Ronald Reagan.

It's called "Smile, Style, and Guile."

I think you should be pointing out that--

Did you read it?

--by slashing aid 33%, the Reagan administration has

caused a lot of damage with our relations

with the African [inaudible] - Yeah.

DEKE: Hey, Team Tanner.

ANDREA: Hi.

Welcome, Deke.

DEKE: [inaudible]

Hiya, Deke.

Hey.

Where's my darling daughter?

Uh, she went right to the hotel.

She was beat, man.

How did her party go?

Yeah, I bet.

Uh, don't know.

Wasn't invited.

Uh, it's cool, though.

I had to work on that Indiana spot.

Yes, you did.

Tell me it's finished.

I still have to do the audio.

But I'll screen the rough cut for you tomorrow.

Yeah.

Right after the hearing I want to see it.

No surprises this time, right?

Right, big guy.

Like, no bad surprises, right?

MICKEY LELAND: Let me begin my formal line of questioning.

Congress has made clear its intent

that child survival programs expand and clearly, equally so.

That, and addressing of the development crises in Africa

is a top priority.

It is also clear that the means exist

for an effective expansion of child survival activities.

Your agency has made very encouraging statements to make

on child survival programs.

Your own statement today says that AID remains committed

to a focus on child survival.

Now, despite all of this, and despite increased

congressional funding for child survival programs--

and, particularly, for African development programs--

AID is spending less money in 1988 than in 1987

on child survival in Africa.

This is Acrobat, Red Stone.

Moonwalker and Book Bag are on their way up.

Moonwalker and Book Bag on the stairway, Charlie.

Have the driver stand by.

I'm not sure how I feel about Book Bag [inaudible].

Hey, Congressman.

Time. Time.

Hold it, hold it.

Time.

This is not a basketball game, Frank.

This is serious business.

I didn't want to miss you, Congressman.

Miss me?

How are you going to miss me with the hearings on CNN?

Not the hearing, the demonstration.

Frank.

I'm going through security, here, Molly.

You'll have to wait your turn.

JACK: Billy, let him out of there.

What, uh, what demonstration, Frank?

Thank you. That was very exciting.

Thank you.

At the South African Embassy.

Trans-Africa said you're a participant.

ALEX: I didn't know that. - Oh, god.

I committed to them last fall before I was even running.

I forgot all about it.

Congressman, are you going to the embassy?

I have to get my crew. - I can't, Molly.

I can't.

I'm testifying on the Hill at 3:00.

Dad, you're not due down there until 2:00.

You got plenty of time.

Let's go.

Dad!

You can't renege.

You're a presidential candidate.

It is important that you be there.

How far is it from here?

It's not that far. It's right down Massachusetts.

OK, great. Let's go.

Sir, I have to recommend against such a departure.

Security would be completely fully compromised.

So would his reputation if he doesn't go.

Dad, this is great.

This is not great.

[inaudible]

Charlie, this is Acrobat.

We have a change of destination.

Acrobat.

Fred Acrobat.

Cincinnati, Ohio.

MICKEY LELAND: [inaudible] primary promoters

of [inaudible] spending money is [inaudible]

You know where it comes from?

Right here.

Our defense department advocates that we've

got to help our friends to build this

incredible military machine.

In Haiti, [inaudible] we're more willing to give--

Excuse me, sir.

You wouldn't by any chance be General Tanner, would you?

MICKEY LELAND: --Haitian government--

Hayes Taggerty, Boston Globe.

It's a pleasure to meet you, sir.

I'm a, uh, friend of your son's.

My son?

You mean Edward?

I doubt that, sir.

Edward died when he was 18.

In Korea.

No, I meant Jack.

Jack was too young for Korea.

I didn't know Jack had a brother.

You were a friend, you said.

If you're not, you shouldn't go around saying you are.

Jack keeps a lot to himself.

That's one of the things that fascinates

me about him, how such a public man

can be such a private person.

So, you see, I'm writing a book about Jack.

A book?

Too bad, the honorable thing to do, knowing what you must know

about him, is not write a book.

You are an honorable man, aren't you, Mr. Haggerty?

Taggerty.

I'd like to think so, sir.

Then you must know shit.

Something contradictory about all of that.

I'm sorry about the editorial comment.

When do we want it?

Now!

What do we want?

Free South Africa!

When do we want it?

Now!

What do we want?

Free South Africa!

When do we want it?

Now!

What do we want?

Free South Africa!

When do we want it?

Now!

Namibia must be free.

South Africa must be free.

Namibia must be free.

South Africa must be free.

We would like to introduce to you

our chairperson of the Free South Africa

movement, Randall Robinson.

Last week in South Africa, the government issued an edict

that forbids an protest whatsoever--

any opposition to repression.

Time is short.

And we must move as a nation now.

WOMAN: We welcome Senator Lowell Weicker.

Thank you.

Thank you.

When I came to the Congress in 1969,

there were those that said that everything

will work itself out.

Let South Africa be.

Well, it's 1988, and things haven't worked themselves out.

At what point did you leave Germany?

I wish they'd stop clearing their throats

and get on with it.

Well, I don't think Jack's up for while yet, General.

We could probably go for lunch.

Hell, no.

I don't like taking chances.

It's the only time I get to see him.

What, at hearings.

Yeah, when he was in Congress I went to all of them.

Boring as hell, but the only time we could get together.

Why do you suppose that was?

Why, sir?

I don't know why, that's why I'm asking you.

Goddamn it, you're writing the book.

Well, I-- I don't know.

It-- from what I know, it sounds like you

and Jack have always had trouble relating to each other?

Relating?

What the hell does that mean?

Well, you were this war hero, and Jack

was this frail, sensitive kid.

Maybe he grew up with a lot of anger.

Anger?

Over what?

Well, possibly over his belief that he would always disappoint

you-- that he could never live up the memory

of his dead brother, Eddie.

How did you know we called him Eddie?

I--I didn't sir.

You said his name was Edward, so I assumed--

Christ, it was like you were there.

If you know so much, tell me.

Why didn't he come to me to settle it?

Man to man?

General, I think your choice of words there says it all.

I wish I could still talk to him.

I wish it were still possible.

What would you say, sir, if you could still talk to him.

I would-- I would tell him-- I would

tell him I voted for Al Haig.

Freedom yes.

Apartheid, no.

Freedom, yes.

Apartheid, no.

Freedom, yes.

And the man I'd like to introduce now-- Congressman

Jack Tanner from Michigan.

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.

Let there be no mistake about it.

As a people of conscience, we cannot, we must not,

settle for anything less than a comprehensive

global boycott of South Africa.

For the past seven years, the Reagan administration

has resisted all efforts to impose

standardized, worldwide sanctions.

And as a result, we have participated in seven

more years of official terror.

Let's make some changes.

Freedom, yes!

Apartheid, no!

Freedom, yes!

What is the matter with this man?

He will not stand still.

He will not face camera. [inaudible]

Freedom, yes! Apartheid, no!

Freedom, yes!

Thank you for joining us, Congressman.

My pleasure.

Come on, [inaudible]

[inaudible] this man it's like [inaudible] Come on.

Get over here.

I'd like to thank Dr. Gerber and Dr. Rosenfield

for their testimony.

The committee will now hear from our next witness,

Congressman Jack Tanner.

Is Congressman Tanner here?

I understand that Congressman Tanner is not here.

I will now proceed to our next witness,

Governor Bruce Babbitt.

All the way from Alexandria, he doesn't show.

That's my boy.

Sir, he's got a chaotic schedule.

I'm sure there's a good explanation.

Oh, sure.

Jack always has a good explanation.

That's my coat.

But the one thing you can count on

is that you can't count on him.

Not like-- - Like his brother.

I hear you.

Edward always showed.

Showed up for a war, didn't he?

Not like Jack.

His goddamn grad school deferment.

He didn't even show up for his own country.

The Vietnam War is over, General.

It's been over for a long time.

Some things are never over.

Look, sir, he probably just got held up someplace.

I'm sure he'll be there.

I mean, he is running for president.

President.

Can you believe it?

Three months ago, he couldn't get himself arrested.

Can I have your attention please?

Can I have your attention please?

I want to advise you [inaudible]

Dad!

We're going [inaudible] arrested.

Get psyched!

Apartheid, no!

Freedom, yes!

Apartheid, no!

Freedom, yes!

Apartheid, no!