Original subtitles

STEVIE: OK, we're ready?

Yeah.

STEVIE: Reverend Jackson, it's your turn to pose a question

to Congressman Tanner.

Keep it to 30 seconds, please.

Thank you, Linda.

Jack, all of the candidates, including myself,

support the war on drugs.

You alone want to declare a unilateral truce.

Do you really think advocating the decriminalization

of heroin, crack and PCP represents

responsible leadership?

Well Jesse, with all due respect,

I think America is tired of being led

into wars that it cannot win.

If you'll recall, former President Nixon

was the first person to launch this war on drugs.

And now he wants us to use our soldiers

to seal off our borders.

This is the same former President

Nixon who couldn't seal off South

Vietnam from North Vietnam.

And he had over 500,000 troops to get the job done.

We've got to get real about drugs.

We've got to relearn the lessons of prohibition.

Any law that creates a criminal class of 25 million Americans

is a law that lacks the moral--

STEVIE: Force of consensus. - Force of consensus.

Yeah, better. Better.

But you've got to get off that mark faster, Jack.

I mean, you need velocity.

Velocity creates airstreams.

Leaves all the other schmucks gasping, all right?

So, what you're saying is, down with hope

and up with dope.

No, that's not what I'm saying at all.

You know Jack, with all due respect

to your message of defeatism, in Massachusetts,

we're winning the war on drugs.

I've created several model programs that

are the envy of this nation.

Well, I think your drug counsel's at variance

with that claim, Mike.

Wham, there you go.

There's your silver bullet, kemosabe.

Yeah!

Dukakis goes on the defensive.

Stevie, can we substantiate that?

No, we can't.

So, you still haven't answered my question.

Are you saying that you would sell PCP

at the local market like beer?

Jack, you can't use that about Dukakis.

His drug counsel supports him, OK?

Remember that.

I created a cost efficient seven-point policy initiative

that will end the war on drugs in the first year

of the third quarter of my second term as President

of the United States. - No, no.

Gore would never say that.

Come on.

I'm not Gore, Jack.

Concentrate, Jack, that's not-- that's Dukakis.

OK, what about crack?

Would you sell it at football games?

Jesse, that comment is not up to the level of--

I can do a pretty good Gore, though.

Would you forget Gore?

Forget Gore, Jesse, all right?

He's not Jesse, he's Mike.

What you're saying is that you just really wouldn't mind

if your daughter used heroin.

Oh, fuck you, Jesse!

That's the--

Jesus Christ.

You gonna say that, Jack?

Hmm?

Remember, this is-- this isn't your advocacy.

This is just a proposal, long term,

and you've got 30 seconds to do it, all right?

Very important, Jack.

All right, all right.

We cannot advocate legalization here.

OK, hey, good!

Let's do AIDS.

Governor?

- Are you looking at me? - Yes!

AIDS, AIDS.

Yes.

AIDS, AIDS.

As the son of Greek immigrants--

[laughing]

I'm-- well he says that every two seconds.

BARNEY: All right, all right.

I love the humor.

We are proud to--

BARNEY: Hold it.

Save it for San Francisco, which by the way

is where we're going next, boys and girls.

San Francisco!

[whistling]

Well, I think the Kennedy-Nixon

debate was a classic for its time, of course.

Solid gold trickster.

But my favorite-- I mean my all time

favorite-- was the George Smathers-Claude

Pepper senate debate.

I saw it when I was living in Florida.

TANNER: Uh-huh.

I mean, we are talking a triumph of innuendo.

First, Smathers declared that Pepper's sister was a thespian.

Then, he called Pepper's brother a practicing Homo sapien!

Then he accused the candidate himself of openly

matriculating while in college.

Well, I can tell you, the next morning the entire state

was in uproar.

And guess who won the election.

Who?

Well, Smathers, of course.

Pepper was destroyed.

I mean, after all, back in those days, the folks from Florida

did not cotton to know matriculators.

[laughing]

What a gorgeous tie.

Mind if I take a peek at the label?

I'd as soon you didn't.

Oh.

Well, I just wondered.

Looks like a Ralph Lauren.

It's just a neck tie my daughter gave me.

So, what are we going to debate tonight?

AIDS?

Well, I suppose it will probably come up, yeah.

That's too bad.

I am so tired of that subject.

That's all the local politicians talk about.

You'd think the gays owned San Francisco.

I don't know about that, but it's a pretty important topic,

don't you think?

Evening, congressman.

Linda, hi.

How are you?

Well, I'm fine.

And I want you fresh for the debate tonight, so don't

let Jennifer wear you down.

Jennifer.

Yes, it's a family name.

I was named after my father.

[applause]

A bit about the ground rules, now.

The panel will direct questions to specific candidates.

The candidate will then have 90 seconds to answer.

Following that, any other candidate who wishes to comment

will have 60 seconds to do so.

The order of questioning has been determined by lot.

When we return, in a moment, Governor Robb

will have the first question.

We'll be back.

[applause]

BARNEY: Why don't you hang out near the wires?

I'll keep Molly and David warm.

OK.

Stay up on those gorgeous toes, Stevie.

If Jack breaks out on that drug thing,

the conventional wisdom crowd is going

to need to know what to think.

I am stoked to stroke.

I hope so.

Ow!

Excuse me.

Pardon me.

It's in her carriage-- poise.

A real woman.

Joanna, do they have any room for me on the plane

with you going back?

They got me sitting next to Seidelman

on the Tanner charter.

Hayes, we always have room for you.

MAN: Stand by.

Three, two, one.

You're on.

We're back.

Governor Robb, the first question is yours.

Thank you, Linda.

Since all of us know each other, we're going to be a little

bit informal, if we may.

Jesse, I'd like to start with you, if I may.

If voters want to take with them one

or two thoughts about issues--

[snoring]

What is your message?

That's a tough one.

Keep in mind the guy's not a professional journalist.

[typing]

We must stop the flow of drugs in this country.

It's the number one threat on the streets

of our nation today.

While visiting border patrolmen in the valley of Texas

a few weeks ago-- we have 300 border patrolmen

covering 600 miles of land and water,

with one boat and one helicopter.

Patrolmen?

Where was this?

How should I know?

You're with the Jackson campaign, aren't you?

Oh, sorry, Stevie.

Where'd you get that idea?

(WHISPERING) Jesus.

JACKSON: The amount of money involved in drug trafficking--

our borders are militarily inferior in terms

of being protected from drug traffickers.

Jesse, as you may recall, it was former President Nixon

who started the war on drugs, and who

now advocates using the army to seal off our borders.

This is the same former President Nixon

who couldn't seal off South Vietnam from North

Vietnam with 500,000 troops.

America's tired of being dragged into wars it can't win.

And the war on drugs is a loser.

[applause]

And any law that makes 25 million Americans criminals

is a loser.

It's time to get real.

The only way to get drugs off our streets

is through legalization.

[laughing]

He said it.

He said it.

Did he say legalization?

There goes the street value of my stash.

It's not the Sandinistas.

It's this avalanche of drugs pouring into this country.

[applause]

And we've gotta take it seriously.

And we've gotta take enforcement seriously,

and interdiction seriously.

And work with our democratic neighbors and allies

in Central and Latin America to stop it.

This is how a party nominee behaves.

He doesn't have to be here.

I mean, the nomination is locked.

But that's Mike.

All class.

Bringing people together.

Come on, Joanna.

You're giving me diabetes.

A number of political commentators

argue that the media and the other candidates

have avoided criticizing your record

for fear of charges of racism.

In particular, contradictory accounts

of events occurring immediately after the death of Reverend

Martin Luther King, and reports of financial indiscretion

within Operation Push have received little attention.

Have you been subject to less scrutiny

than the other candidates because you're black?

I don't think so.

I've exposed myself to every major debate.

Jesse's gorgeous.

Really?

Go to him.

Break his cycle of pain.

Make little rainbows.

We sit here today-- black, white, brown, male, female.

Animal, vegetable, mineral.

'Cause I have opened the doors for everybody.

That's character.

We now have a public accommodations bill.

That's character.

And I have the right to vote--

Jesse, your implication here is

that if people don't support you,

they're against all these things.

They're racist.

And I just don't buy that.

I mean, I have more confidence in our countrymen than that.

I think people, with all due respect,

are more than ready to elect a black president.

I just don't think they're ready for you.

- Whoa! - Jesus!

What did they put in his oatmeal this morning?

Jesus, he's going ballistic.

[laughing]

What kind of spin do we put on that?

OK, that could be a real loser.

No question. Let's not panic.

Keep smiling. STEVIE: OK.

OK, he still respects Jesse and the work that he's done,

but he feels his campaign is becoming

a referendum on bigotry.

Something like that.

If you can live with that, I can.

Let's do it.

Gaffe of the month.

Jesse's clean on the race issue.

It's just everybody else.

I disagree.

I think it's right on the money.

Come on, Jackson has never discouraged the view

that people who don't vote for him

are rejecting him because of race.

I think you have to give Tanner credit

for raising the whole issue of moral blackmail.

Molly, who is this over here in the white dress?

Joanna Buckley.

Buckley?

Giving him credit for raising the issue.

As in Dukakis' deputy campaigner?

For the record, of course I'm not giving him credit.

All I was saying was, I just didn't

think we should overreact.

What the hell is she doing flacking for Jack?

Beats me.

HAYES: Stevie, am I going crazy, or are

they blindsiding Jackson here?

STEVIE: How the hell should I know?

Prick.

MAN: Countdown for commercial break.

Three, two, one.

Is she making a case for him?

Hey, Congressman, let me wipe that blood off your chin.

Hey, you guys rang a lot of bells.

You are the story, Jack.

You know, I always thought party unity was overrated anyway.

Oh, Barney.

All right, all right.

So it wasn't the game plan, but we're on it.

Stevie's already working the alligators.

Besides, we're in California.

People here could respond to the boldness of it.

There was something very Harry Truman about your directness.

You know, tough exchanges are what being president's

all about.

Oh, don't waste that on me, Barney.

Go back up, Stevie.

We'll do the post-mortem on the plane tomorrow.

You got it. Goodnight.

Come on, everybody.

See you back at the hotel, OK?

Jack, we gotta talk.

All right.

We'll talk.

ANDREA: To Vincent and Tovah Spinelli--

[sighs]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[laughing]

You want a beer?

No.

[laughing]

Well, well, well.

Geez.

Yeah, Jesse and me.

You and Jesse.

What did you do, go to the Ed Koch

school of political diplomacy?

Well, what do you think I did to myself out there?

I don't know, but I wouldn't run for mayor of New York.

He is a dominant force this guy, isn't he?

I got mad.

I lost it out there.

Well, first of all, he's a very strong personality.

Yeah.

And he's hard to interrupt.

You're telling me.

And he's also-- he's a preacher.

And I'm a good Methodist kid from Texas.

I was raised-- you don't interrupt the preacher.

Yeah, boy.

But, I think I may have upset my happy band of followers.

I'll be on the old charter tomorrow.

I'll hear the results.

Well, you may upset them, but it made good television.

It's like the Bush-Rather brouhaha.

People kept saying, was Bush right?

Was Rather right?

Well, Rather's capable of being a pompous ass.

Bush is certainly capable of being a wimp.

But it was great television.

Goddamn it.

It's about making great television, isn't it?

You know, somehow we've got to we've

got to crack through that.

I mean--

Yeah, I suppose.

And Lord knows we contribute to it.

I mean, we don't wanna-- Television can cover a war.

Television can cover a birth.

It can cover a highway accident.

What television can't cover very well is change.

And an election is change.

A campaign is change.

We don't do a very good job of that.

You you asked me, I think anybody-- any one of you--

after having gone through the process-- anyone who

goes through that whole process and gets to the White House

probably is somebody you don't want there.

[laughing]

I remember back in 1980, a group of us

wanted to save the American people and the press

a lot of time and money.

Cancel all the debates.

Cancel the campaign.

And just put Rosalynn Carter and Nancy Reagan into a pit.

And whichever one of them came out,

her husband could be president.

Oh, geez.

I know which one I would have bet on.

PILOT: : This is your pilot.

I'm going to turn off the seat belt sign so you

can move around in the cabin.

But I suggest you keep them buckled when you're

in your seats, just in case.

BARNEY: Let's not worry about it.

It's not going to help.

You all right, sweetie?

Now, look, honey, if you're gonna get sick,

use the air bag this time, huh?

Don't want to have any accidents like last--

Yeah, OK. OK.

Yeah, please.

It's not funny!

Sorry.

Oh, God.

I gotta go to the bathroom.

Five bucks says she blows lunch.

Oh, that's funny, Deke.

All right.

What's the damage report?

Well, it's not as bad as we thought, Jack.

Yeah, you were in every lead, but it was that drug

line that made all the news.

The Jackson attack landed with the reporters,

but it didn't stick.

My guess is, they're so used to Mr. Nice Guy,

they weren't sure it really happened.

I mean, The press is clearly dancing around trying

to find reasons to ignore it.

So why don't we help them?

My advice is to drop it while the dropping is good.

- Exactly. - Why?

I meant it.

I've known the guy for 20 years.

He's manipulative beyond belief.

Come on, Stevie.

Ask anybody who works for him.

It's force of will.

He makes you debate the way he wants to, and then when you do,

you're lost. You're sunk.

Yeah, but what have you lost?

I mean, it's too late to draw votes from Jesse.

Jack, face it.

We are out of the picture altogether if we

don't go into Atlanta with at least a working relationship

with him.

I mean, no matter what your personal opinion,

Jesse Jackson is important.

And not just to blacks.

He's made the whole party look ahead.

And how?

By using your famous impertinent question over and over again.

All right.

OK, Stevie, I'll lay off him.

Yeah, but you wanna back off the drug thing, Jack, right?

That's a killer.

That is cutting edge.

You're way out in front on that.

Stick with it.

All right, all right, all right.

That's true, Dad.

But I-- I think that's true, but I think you should be--

[sighs]

I think you should be more specific about what you do.

I mean, it's a really big issue out here.

OK, thanks Alex.

There are so many pot growers in this state,

you wouldn't believe it.

If you promised to appoint one of them

to the Department of Agriculture--

I said thank you, Alex.

Well, excuse me.

I thought I was a part of this campaign.

- Alex. - It's all right.

I'll go back.

I'll sit in the children's section.

It's fine.

SEIDELMAN: Ah!

Royal flush.

I haven't had one of those since college.

Against a full house.

I'll take that blouse now, Molly.

Molly, why do you still play this guy?

You haven't won a hand in two months.

I'm hustling him, Stringer.

I'm just waiting for my big moment.

Stringer.

Bathroom's mine.

Tell me something.

What do you know about Joanna Buckley?

Nothing.

Just that she's Dukakis' deputy campaign manager.

Does Jack know her?

Does Jack know her?

Yeah, does Jack know her?

I don't know.

I suppose it's possible that they've run into each other.

PILOT: Folks, this is your captain speaking.

I'm afraid that we've got a little problem with the fuel

line in our number two engine.

There's no reason for concern.

We've got the situation pretty well in hand.

But as an extra precaution prior to our landing,

we're going to stay up here another hour or so

and burn off some fuel.

We'll keep you posted.

In the meantime--

SEIDELMAN: This isn't my seat.

Well, just for now, take the seat.

All right.

Oh, God!

I can't-- - It's OK.

I can't stay on this plane another hour.

I swear to God, I have to get off this plane.

OK, it's probably not an hour.

It's probably just--

Oh, God, what do you think is wrong?

Nothing. Probably nothing.

Miss?

Cigarette.

I want a cigarette, I want a cigarette, I want a cigarette.

La, la, la bamba.

I think the worst one of all was on a Carter plane, um,

in Iowa during the blizzard.

Remember?

Yeah, that was pretty hairy.

Wasn't a dry pair of pants on the plane.

Oh my god, that was character building.

I was kind to people for weeks after that.

Alex, talk to me, please.

I don't want to talk

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to upset you.

I just thought that now was the best time for me to tell

you how I feel about you.

Emile, I don't mean to be cold,

but you have picked absolutely the worst time

in the world to tell me this.

How do you feel about her, dude?

Deke, I swear to God!

All right, all right.

Cool out.

Ooh, look what we have here.

Good morning.

- Deke, what are you doing? - Nothing, nothing.

Just talk. - You're crazy, you know that?

You're looking back on your life,

reflecting on what might have been.

What comes to mind?

[screams]

It's OK!

DEKE: It's OK!

It's only turbulence.

[laughing]

Oh.

Thank you anyway.

Whatever.

Get this.

Jack's plane ran into some mechanical trouble.

What?

They're already a half hour late.

I hate airports.

Here's the sports.

BARNEY: God, pray for us sinners now-- the hour--

What's going on up there?

[sighs]

A lot of yups and nopes and yes ma'ams-- twinkling

eyes and boyish grins.

The flight engineer's taking apart a computer,

but nobody seems particularly rattled.

I'm gonna go check on Lexi.

Does he know that we're not scheduled

to make any history today?

Why is it taking so long?

How much fuel could we have?

Oh, hey, any parting thoughts, big guy?

Get out of here.

TJ: Barney, stop praying out loud.

Dad.

It's almost over, sweetheart.

So how long you guys been waiting?

Oh hey, there's, uh, Hayes Taggerty.

Hayes, what do you got on Congressman Tanner?

Come on, leave.

Hey, don't be so concerned.

They're just burning fuel.

That's all.

You know about us, don't you?

It's none of my business, Joanna.

Unless, of course, you feel like talking about it.

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

What?

Molly, are you a Sinatra fan?

Sometimes, yeah.

Channel 9.

Oh, oh, oh, oh.

Yo, Molly, you still my main squeeze?

You know I am, Tony.

Then dance with me, baby.

[laughing]

[humming]

[laughing]

To look death in the face.

Deke, don't point that thing at me, whatever you do.

PILOT: Ladies and gentlemen, we seem

to have been able to close off that fuel line to engine two,

so everything's pretty much under control.

We should be on the ground in about five minutes.

[applause]

That's the best news I've ever heard.

[laughing]

He can hear it better when you talk louder.

I knew it.

Sit down.

We're gonna land now.

DEKE: The grim reaper.

Congressman, we're safe.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

Now this one-- this one is mine, all right?

You wanna tell us what happened on the plane?

Hayes!

Now, where were you?

You were missed.

I got a royal flush.

I'm feeling very sentimental about you.

Oh, come on.

Yeah, where were you?

Seidelman, how many drinks have you had?

Oh, only a few.

Only a few.

What is this?

What the hell happened?

STRINGER: Hi, folks.

How you doing?

HAYES: Cheap airline.

They wouldn't pass out the Globe here, would they?

[phone ringing]

Yeah?

Yeah, it's T.J. Turn on channel 4 now.

OK.

ANNOUNCER: : The forecast, plenty

of sunshine through today, with seasonal temperatures.

The Washington Post is reporting this morning

that Democratic presidential candidate Jack Tanner is

romantically linked with the deputy campaign

manager for his chief political rival,

governor Michael Dukakis.

The Post story says that sources have confirmed

that the woman, Joanna Buckley, has

been involved with Tanner since before he joined the race.

Party leaders reached this morning confirmed

that the liaison represents an untenable conflict

of interest for both parties.

The congressman could not be reached for comment.

This is Molly Hark, NBC, Hollywood.

I don't know what to do-- Stringer, look, just tell--

tell Governor Dukakis that Congressman

Tanner will call him back at his earliest possible moment.

Yes, he's-- tell him he's in the Jacuzzi.

Stringer, goddamn it.

This is your job.

Handle it.

[slams down phone]

[sighs]

Oh, God.

[laughing]

You gotta help me out on this one, Jack.

I'm trying to understand.

I never should have tried to hide it in the first place.

That was a mistake.

A mistake.

Boy, you're damn right it was a mistake.

You compromise not one but two presidential campaigns.

What in the hell were you thinking of?

I was thinking of someone I cared about, T.J.

That's it?

You cared about someone?

Jesus, that's lame, Jack.

What is it about guys like you and Hart?

Hey, I'm not Gary Hart.

And this is hardly the same situation.

Oh, yes it is.

And you know why?

Because you acted recklessly, and you never for a moment

considered the consequences for others.

A lot of good people turned their lives inside

out to work for you, Jack.

They left their jobs.

They left their families.

And Christ, it's like you didn't even notice.

Tell me Jack, do you think running

for president is important?

Of course I think it's important.

What kind of question is that?

Well then, why don't you start acting like it?

You act like it's a god damn lifestyle choice.

Like you were on sabbatical-- had a year to kill.

I am so tired of watching you disengage

whenever you feel like it.

I'll tell you, Jack.

You're right about one thing.

It is important.

It sure as hell is much more important

than this year's girlfriend.

This year's girlfriend?

Look, let's get married.

Why not?

There's no reason not to now.

Just let me go lose my job first, OK?

No, I don't think I'm being combative.

And I resent that.

We're just saying we don't have any statement--

What's the press situation?

Phones have been ringing all morning.

There must be 30-40 reporters crawling all over this place.

They're expecting a statement.

What's on the schedule?

You've got a speech in 30 minutes

out at Pepperdine University.

Now, dig this.

The storm last night washes out the highway,

so we got you a helicopter.

Helicopter?

I knew you'd want to fly again right away.

You know what they say, you got to get

right back up on that horse.

Is it here?

Yeah, it's out back on the lawn.

I always wanted to do this.

Go up and get my jacket.

Come on, let's go.

MOLLY: There he is!

I got it. Come on.

Deke, move it.

STRINGER: Give us some room, folks!

There he is!

What the hell is he doing?

What the hell is he doing?