All language subtitles for A.West.Wing.Special.to.Benefit.When.We.All.Vote.2020

Good evening.
I'm Bradley Whitford.

And in 1999,

I walked onto Stage 17
on the Warner Bros. lot

to shoot the first episode
of "The West Wing."

21 years later, we've gotten
the band back together

here at the Orpheum Theater
in downtown Los Angeles...

And under the strictest
COVID protocol...

To benefit a non-profit,
non-partisan organization

called When We All Vote.

We went to When We All Vote
and said,

"You guys are
a great organization.

You're helping
to get out the vote

and combat voter suppression.

What can we, the People's Choice
Award-nominated

cast of 'The West Wing, '
do to help?"

They thought about it a moment
and said, "Nothing.

You have no skills or experience
that can help us in any way.

Why don't you go put on
one of your little shows

where everything works out
in the end?"

And so, forgetting to factor
for sarcasm, we said, "Sure!"

We're going to do
a staged reading

of an episode called
"Hartsfield's Landing,"

and in the act breaks,
you'll hear from cast members,

friends, and special guests.

We understand that some people
don't fully appreciate

the benefit of unsolicited
advice from actors.

We do know that.

And if HBO was willing
to point a camera

at the 10 smartest people
in America,

we'd gladly clear
the stage for them.

But the camera's pointed at us,

and we feel,
at a time like this,

that the risk
of appearing obnoxious

is too small a reason
to stay quiet

if we can get even
one new voter to vote.

Finally, as many of you know,

during the final season
of our show, John Spencer died.

John was a revered and
beloved member of the company

who can't be replaced.

Tonight, to read the role

of White House Chief of Staff
Leo McGarry,

we borrowed an actor
we know John would have admired.

For the last few years,
he's been starring

in a little TV show
called The Emmy Awards.

We welcome Sterling K. Brown,
and we have no intention

of sabotaging his performance
every chance we get.

I'm a little scared
to stop talking,

because I don't know what's
going to happen once I do.

I guess we'll all
find out together.

Here is "Hartsfield's Landing."

"Teaser.
Exterior tarmac... night.

The lights from
the waiting motorcade flash

as Air Force One
glows in the background.

A small press corps
waits behind a rope line,

and the plane's
main cabin door opens.

Bartlet emerges.

Andrews Air Force Base,

8:40 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time."

- Welcome home, Mr. President.
- Welcome back, Mr. President.

- How was your trip to India?
- Question, please.

Welcome home,
Mr. President, sir.
Thank you, what'd I miss?

Any further follow-up
after New Delhi?

I'm sorry?
Any follow-up after New Delhi?

We spoke several times
about Kashmir. She assured me

they're seeking
a peaceful resolution.

We also had a very spirited
conversation about chess.

The Prime Minister plays chess?

Chess was invented in India.
Somewhere around 600 A.D.

A gigantic chessboard was
constructed at Fatephur Sikri,

which was the capital
a long time ago,

and human figures
were used as chess pieces

and moved at the Emperor's will.

It's what I like to call
the good old days.

The Prime Minister presented me
with four different chess sets,

a minaret set...

C.J.? Hey, Leo.

What's he doing?
The History of Chess

by Dr. Josiah Bartlet.

Get him in the car.
What's goin' on?

And get the press pool
back here, too.

What's goin' on? China.

Okay.

...and a lacquered classic
Staunton in boxwood.

Thank you, everybody.

Hey, don't forget,
Hartsfield votes

in 3 hours, 21 minutes,

we're gonna find out
who the next President is.

- Yes, sir.
- Thank you, sir.

I'm gonna give some
of the chess sets out as gifts,

did you see them?
Leo needs you in the car.

Did he say... China.

Yeah.

Good evening, Mr. President.

What's goin' on?

Intel says
that Taiwan's getting ready

to test fire three Patriots.
Where?

A base on an island
in the Pingdong region.

What's China's reaction?

An acceleration of integrated
military exercises.

Big. Yeah.

How big?

Unprecedented.

Should we tell Taiwan
not to test the missiles?

Sir?

No. I mean, we could try,
but they're not gonna go for it.

They might.

What kind of area?

A 6,600-mile rectangle.

What are they asking for?

They want us to put some
hardware in the Taiwan Strait.

Tonight. Yes, sir.

I'm assuming Nancy and
Fitzwallace and the Chiefs...

Everyone concurs, Mr. President.

You? Yes, sir.

We have a pretty good sense
of the worst-case scenario?

We end up sending
he largest U.S. Naval armada

to Southeast Asia
since the end of Vietnam.

That sounds right.

Sir?

I was just thinking how much
things change in 60 seconds.

We're gonna assemble
in the Sit Room.

She gave me these
beautiful chess sets.

The Prime Minister?

Yeah.

I'm on my way.

Let Fitzwallace know
I'm gonna order the 7th Fleet

into the Taiwan Strait.

Yes, sir.

Let's go.

I'm Michelle Obama, and I want
to thank the cast and crew

of "The West Wing"
for supporting When We All Vote.

And I want to urge
every single one of you

to vote as early as you can,

in person or by mail.

Just vote. And don't stop there.

Reach out to everyone you know
to make sure they're registered

and they've made a plan
to cast their ballots,

because every vote will make
a difference in this election.

Thanks again, everyone.

Enjoy the rest of the show.

I'm Rob Lowe.
And I'm Allison Janney,

and we'll get back
to "Hartsfield's Landing"

in just a second. So, tonight,

the cast members and some guests
are gonna talk about voting.

We're going to try to clear up
some confusion,

provide some information,

and who knows,
maybe possibly some inspiration.

But we'll happily
take the first two.

But we should definitely
go for inspiration.

Okay, but information
and clearing up confusion

are the priorities.

And inspiration. Fine.

For instance,
we're going to tell you

that if you're not
registered to vote,

don't know where
your polling place is,

or need a mail-in ballot,
you should go to vote.org.

The whole process
takes 30 seconds.

Yeah, just half the time
it takes to make a TikTok video.

How would you know that?
I don't want to talk about it.

Alright, so we'll go back
to "Hartsfield's Landing" now,

with a reminder
that we're stronger,

we're freer, we're fairer and
we're better when we all vote.

What was that? Inspiration.

Thank you.

"Act One. Interior
situation room... night.

Bartlet and Leo walk in
as we hear a quiet, 'Ten-hut.'"

Good evening.

- Good evening, Mr. President.
- Evening, sir.

Listen, they start voting
in Hartsfield's Landing

in about 2 1/2 hours,

so this may end up being
somebody else's problem.

The scale of the war games
are unprecedented?

It's a simulation of an invasion
of the Penghu Islands,

and it includes battles
against intervention

from foreign aircraft carriers.

What's the Taiwanese
reaction so far?

All armed forces
are on heightened alert.

The war minister has called for
an emergency cabinet meeting.

What about equipment movement?

Keyhole shows
10 AH-1W helicopters...

Supercobras? Yeah, on the tarmac

at Ching Chuang Kang.
The Nimitz?

About two hours away.

The Independence?
Also two hours away.

What other assets
can be moved in?

There's a battle carrier group,

the Carl Vinson,
that's on its way

to relieve the Constellation
in the Arabian Gulf.

Alright, lemme
backtrack a second.

What's C.J. facing
in the press room right now?

Well, Xinhua's reporting
the live-fire exercises.

Is the Carl Vinson close enough
to make a detour

into the South China Sea?

We think that's our next move.

Sir?

That's our next move.

And after that?

After our next move
comes their next move.

- C.J.!
- C.J.!

Is the President
going to ask the Taiwanese

to hold off
testing the Patriots?

No, and it's important
to remember

the Patriot Missiles
are defensive equipment

which can only be used
in the event of an attack.

But it's the testing
of the Patriots

that's provoking
the Chinese war games.

I'm not in a position to say
what's provoking the war games.

- Chris?
- The Chinese attack Taiwan,

and we're obligated to defend
them under the '79 Act, correct?

Actually, under the '79 Act,
we agreed to provide Taiwan

with sufficient capability
to defend itself,

but we're getting
way ahead of ourselves.

There's a Pentagon briefing
at 10:00 a.m.

Will the President be monitoring

the situation
throughout the night?

The President will be monitoring
the situation in the China Sea,

as well as Hartsfield's Landing.

Any of the new people not know
about Hartsfield's Landing?

Hartsfield's Landing is a town
in New Hampshire, population 63.

While the rest of New Hampshire
goes to the polls

at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow,
all of the 42 registered voters

of Hartsfield vote
at one minute past midnight,

or a little over
two hours from now.

Hartsfield has accurately
predicted the winner

in every presidential election
since William Howard Taft,

who, by the way, was the founder
of the Seventh Inning Stretch,

wherein we sing
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame,"

music and lyrics by Jack
Norworth and Albert von Tilzer.

It's all part of the service

here at Claudia's House
of Useless Knowledge.

That's a full lid,
thank you very much.

- Thanks.
- Thank you, C.J.

Albert von Tilzer?

Ironically, neither of them
had ever been

to a major league baseball game
when they wrote the song.

The other song
they were famous for was...?

I didn't even know
they were famous for that one.

"Shine on Harvest Moon."
Charlie.

I need a copy of the President's
private schedule.

Didn't you get one?
I need another.

- You've gotta sign it out.
- I'm sorry?

You've gotta sign it out
and sign it back in.

It can't be photocopied, and
it can't leave the building.

What the hell is this?
For the third time in two months

a copy of the private schedule
wound up in the press room.

I've gotta crack down.
I gotta sign it out?

And sign it back in.
I'm the Press Secretary.

You do a nice job.
Gimme the damn schedule.

Sign it out and sign it back in.

The anal retentive side of you

is not gonna help you get girls.

I do okay.

Donna?!

Oh!

You know... I was coming.

You were taking your time.

I don't have warp speed.

Do you remember
Jennifer Flender?

The daughter of the mom and pop
who had the tackle shop?

Mackey and Roberta Flender.
Yeah.

The Flenders.

The daughter just e-mailed me.

She said her parents
are voting for Ritchie tonight.

Why's she e-mailing you?

She e-mails me. Why?

She's got a little crush on me.

You didn't sleep with
the Flender girl, did you?

She's 20 years old.
Mackey's got guns, Josh,

and he doesn't like Northerners.

He lives in New Hampshire.
Still.

It doesn't matter. Mom and Pop
are voting for Ritchie,

and they vote
in Hartsfield's Landing.

You gotta talk to them.

What are you talking about?

I'm not kidding.
Two votes could be the margin.

It's Hartsfield's Landing. Yeah.

I thought we were
kidding around with this.

No. It's 42 votes.

That are cast at 12:01
and counted at 12:07.

The rest of New Hampshire
doesn't come in until 9:00 p.m.

That is 21 hours of the news
having nothing to report

but the winner of Hartsfield's
Landing, and I want it to be us.

Now get on the phone
and talk to the Binders.

The Flenders. Why me?

They liked you.
They took you in. They fed you.

You make me sound pathetic.
You were pretty pathetic,

and the Fenders fed you.
Flenders.

See, you remember their name.
There's obviously a connection.

Josh...
Politics in New Hampshire

is what?

Retail. Thank you.

Now get on the phone,
find out what their problem

with the President is,
and solve it.

Alright, except for I can't
get on this phone.

Why? It's a government phone.

I can't use it
to intimidate voters.

Sad but true.

You know what I'm thinking?

Yes.

Cell phone, LaFayette Park,
and a warm coat.

I'm taking your coat.

It's a good coat.

I'm taking it. Alright.

"Interior,
Sam's office... night.

Sam walks in
and hangs up his coat."

"Then he sees
the beautiful chess set

that's been placed on his desk."

Excuse me.

Mr. President, welcome back.

Thank you. How are you?

Oh, I'm fine. I just...
Someone gave me a chess set.

Yeah, that's from me.
You're kidding.

No. Prime Minister
gave me a few different sets,

and I wanted
to give them out as gifts.

I'm just overwhelmed by this,
Mr. President.

The State of the Union
was really something else.

Oh, thank you again, sir.

This is a lotus set

with hand-carved camel bone.

She told me it came to her

from a direct descendant
of Tansen.

You know who that was? No.

Most famous musician
of his time.

What time was that?
16th century.

He would go
to the human chess matches

in the Moghul court
of Emperor Akbar,

and that began the family's
obsession with the game.

You wanna play? You?

Yeah. You'll kill me.

Why?
'Cause you're a Grand Wizard

or Grand Master or something.
I'm none of those things.

I'm just grand.

You're white,
but don't ever touch me again.

I'm sorry, sir.

I was kidding.

Ah, the Fibrinatchi Opening,
very interesting.

Just gonna screw with me
this whole time, aren't you?

Yeah.

Well, India went well. Yeah.

Standing ovation on the floor
of the stock exchange.

The billion dollars from the
Export-Import Bank didn't hurt.

I suppose. $3 billion

in foreign direct investment
to the $44 billion China gets.

You're an American, where would
you rather put your money?

India. Why?

They're democratic,

English-speaking,
there's the rule of law,

and they have a better
sense of humor.

That's right.

You mind if I ask you how bad
it's getting out there tonight?

It's bad.

If Kashmir is the most
dangerous place on Earth,

the second most dangerous
is the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan has 400,000 troops
on high alert.

The size of China's war games
are unprecedented...

Have you thought
about asking Taiwan

to stop the Patriot tests?

You think I should? No, sir.

Why not?

Taiwan's got 300 missiles
pointed at it.

Why shouldn't they be able
to defend themselves?

That's right, plus guess what?

What?

The Patriot tests aren't why
China's showing its teeth.

They're not? No.

Why are they?

You want to come inside?

Yes, sir.

By the end of the week,
Taiwan's gonna announce

that they're holding
their first free elections.

Defend your queen.

I'm Dule Hill.

And I'm Elisabeth Moss.

Dule and I played the two
youngest characters on the show,

which is how we were tasked with
speaking to the younger voters,

even though that was
20 years ago.

It's gonna be lit AF.

Don't think you know
what you're saying.

I do not.

If you're 18 to 24,
congratulations,

you're in the demographic
least likely to vote.

So your congratulations
was ironic.

Yes. You want to help out?

You ask a kid
why they didn't vote

and they'll tell you
they don't care about politics.

All politicians are the same,
and they're above it.

So let's run down
a quick list...

Do you hope to have
a job one day?

You care about politics.

Do you have a student loan?
Do you have a credit card?

You care about politics.

Are you impervious to illness
or injury or infection?

Do you have parents?
Do you think you'll have kids?

Do you care about what kind
of school they'll go to?

You care about politics.

Do you care about other people?

Kids born into
unimaginable poverty?

People being singled out
and brutalized

because of their race,
their religion,

their national origin,
whom they choose to love?

Free speech, a free press,
a woman's right to choose,

a Black man's right to breathe,

an 8th grader's right

to be free from fear that Social
Studies won't get interrupted

by automatic gunfire.

If you want politicians
to stop ignoring you,

then you have to stop
ignoring politics.

Because ignoring it
doesn't make you above it,

it makes you outside of it.

If you're 18, 19, 20 years old,
this is your first vote.

Whatever you think
about politics,

it's how we choose our future.

That future doesn't just happen,

it's something
we make ourselves.

And if you don't choose,

someone else
will choose for you.

So, young people...
You know, people our age...

We urge you
to care about politics.

Because chances are,
you already do.

My name is Samuel L. Jackson,

and I'm here tonight
with a single simple message...

All of us, every one of us,
has to vote in this election.

If you see brutality
and bigotry on our streets

and know that we're better
in our hearts,

you have to vote
in this election.

If you see science mocked and
politicized in a health crisis

and know we're
smarter than that,

you have to vote
in this election.

If you see
a nation of immigrants

being told to fear immigrants

and know we're all more decent
than that, more human than that,

more Godly
and more American than that,

you have to vote
in this election.

Our politics today are a far cry

from the romantic vision
of "The West Wing,"

but it's also a far cry

from the vision that's
in our heads and our hearts.

And to change that,
you have to vote.

When We All Vote was created by
Democrats and Republicans alike

to close the age gap in voting

so every young person can shape
the America we need to be,

to close the race gap in voting
so every person of color

has a chance to strike back
against injustice,

and to remind every American

that our democracy
doesn't run automatically.

If democracy isn't fought for
and protected

by every generation, it will
be replaced by something else.

Make a plan to vote.

Early and in-person
if you can...

By mail and right away
if you must.

If you're young and without
preexisting conditions,

go to WhenWeAllVote.com
to see how you can volunteer

to be a poll worker in your area
and speed up the lines.

And trust only official,
verified news

about the election.

Jed Bartlet's communications
director, Toby Ziegler,

once said, "Our government
should be a place

where we all come together
and no one gets left behind.

An instrument of good."

An unattainable TV fantasy?

Why?

Vote.

"Act Two.

Interior mural room... night.

Nancy and Leo
sit with the Chinese Ambassador

and a member of his staff."

- Mr. Ambassador...
- Excuse me, please...

There's a purpose
to this meeting.

You have discovered
that calling us reckless

is not working.

Taiwan is a geostrategic center
for commerce.

It sits on an oil lane for Asia

to the Middle East...
Excuse me...

And unnecessarily
militarizing...

Madam...
Unnecessarily militarizing

on such a large scale
is in fact reckless.

Taiwan is a part of China

and not a protectorate
of the United States,

and it is your actions
that are an encroachment

on Chinese sovereignty

and an interference
in internal affairs.

Our battle carrier groups
are in international waters.

Are you claiming jurisdiction?

No. Then let's settle down.

The Shanghai communique says...
Sir...

The Shanghai communique says...

Says that there is but one China

and that Taiwan
is part of China,

and the United States Government

does not challenge
that position.

The U.S. is only interested
in a peaceful settlement

of the Taiwan question
by the Chinese themselves.

A settlement which is not
best facilitated

by the U.S.
selling arms to Taiwan.

That's not on the table
in this meeting.

This year's arms sale package
was the biggest in a decade.

Four Kidd-Class Destroyers,
12 anti-submarine P-3 Orions,

you approved the AMRAAMs.

That's not on the table.

I have said what was to be said.

Taiwan's reunification
with the mainland

is the will
of all Chinese people.

And just so we understand
each other,

the moment we see them testing
their U.S.-built Patriots

is the moment you will see us
testing our CSS-6 missiles.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.

How'd it go?

They're not voting for us. Why?

'Cause the Old Perrin Pulp Mill
is still idle after five years.

If it's been five years,
then why's it our fault?

'Cause instead of protecting
American jobs,

we're letting
Canadian pulp importers

take over their market share.

It's called free trade.

It's also called why the
Flenders aren't voting for us.

Didn't you talk up
our accomplishments?

I couldn't think of them.
Donna...

They don't care
about our accomplishments,

they care about the market
for away-from-home paper towels

and tissue products.

Can I give them a commitment?

- A commitment?
- Yeah.

No!

We're not making a trade
commitment to the Flenders.

We are not for protectionism.
Neither are the Republicans.

Tell 'em the President is good
for the economy overall.

They say he's bad
for the economy.

Tell 'em we're for
affordable health care.

What's affordable if you've
lost your job at the pulp mill?

The Flenders don't work
at the pulp mill!

Nobody works at the pulp mill!

Alright.

If Canada's making cheaper pulp,

then New Hampshire
needs to diversify.

That's why the President
has allocated $500 million

for trade adjustment assistance.

That's why... Write this down...
That's why the President

has tripled small business
start-up loans.

That's why he's balancing
the budget. Go. Go.

It's so warm in here. Go.

Donna. Yeah.

You haven't by any chance
seen my copy

of the President's
private schedule, have you?

I don't think so.
It's stamped D-12.

I haven't seen it.

Thanks.

Hey, Charlie.
Listen, you haven't
by any chance seen my copy

of the President's
private schedule, have you?
No.

I'm trying to retrace where
I've been in the last hour.

I-I was here. I was in the mess.

I went back to my desk.

Excuse me.

Hello. Chaz.

You wouldn't happen to know
where my copy

of the private schedule is,
would you?

Did you lose it?
I don't believe I did, no.

Yet you don't have it.

Odd. He'd like you for a moment.

Thank you. Where is it?

How would I know? Where is it?

I just hope you didn't
leave the building with it.

Give it up, tiny.
No, I think you're gonna wanna

talk nicer to me than that,
'cause when a reporter finds it,

they're gonna come to me,
and that thing is stamped D-12,

'cause you signed it out D-12,
and rules are rules.

Funny. What?

I never told you it was D-12.

How 'bout that.

Look... You'll find it

in your filing cabinet
under "A" for "Anal."

I don't really want to know
what he's gonna find

in his filing cabinet, do you?
No.

The CVW-9 Carrier Air Wing
which has the FA-18C Hornets,

EA-6B Prowlers, S3-B Vikings...

I don't want
to force 'em into a crouch.

No, sir, but the first concern
is sufficient defense

against air, surface,
and sub-surface threats.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. President.

C.J. Yeah.

I want you to leak it
to two or three sources

the USS Carl Vinson's gonna do

what's called a passing exercise
with the Independence.

We want South China media
to pick it up right away.

Sure.

Mr. President? Yeah.

Can you see Toby a moment? Yeah.

Give us a minute, would you?

I'll let you know
when there's something new.

Thanks.

Good evening, Mr. President.
Welcome back.

Thank you.

I think this note was delivered
to me by mistake.

What's it say?
"Come play chess."

No, that's for you.

It says, "Sigmund,
come play chess."

That was a joke.

Not so funny?

That's a beautiful chess set.

It's a gift for you. Really?

Yeah, it's hand-carved,

and it belonged to the Prime
Minister's grandfather,

who used it to play
Lord Mountbatten.

I'm surprised she gave it away.

Nah, she didn't.
We just boosted it

on the way out of the palace.

I got some little bottles
of shampoo

and some conditioner, too.

Well, it's
a beautiful gift, sir.

Sit down.

I wouldn't want
to take your time tonight.

Come on, man.
You were outta line.

I was a jackass.
Let's call a truce.

Well, I certainly do
apologize, sir.

Let's play chess.
Aren't you in the middle

of a game with Sam?

Yeah, he's 1, 2, 4,

8, 12 moves away from checkmate.

12 moves? Yeah.

You're white.

Lord Mountbatten
used to play with this set?

With Jawaharlal Nehru
where they came to an agreement

over the necessity
of India's independence.

An appropriate topic
for the evening.

Nah, Taiwan's not
gonna be our topic.

Ah, the Evans Gambit.

There's no such thing
as the Evans Gambit.

A variation of
the Giuoco Piano opening,

named after British sea captain
W.D. Evans

who invented it in 1820.

Don't tell me chess moves.

I moved my pawn.

Well it's as popular today
as it was back then.

Okay. What is?

I'm sorry?

What's our topic?

Ah, re-election

and the Bartlet psychosis.

Seems to me we didn't do very
well the last time we were here.

So we get right back
on the horse.

I was outta line.
I really do apologize.

You apologized already,
so let's get back on the horse.

Well, neither one of us
ride horses.

That makes it more likely
we'll learn something.

Sir? Yeah.

Sam says, "Bishop
to queen's knight's three."

Ah.

Excuse me.

11 moves.

I'm Bradley Whitford,
and this is Marlee Matlin.

Do you want to hear
some behind-the-scenes trivia

about Brad?

On the set, in Josh's office,
he used to keep

a small stuffed animal
in his bottom right drawer.

He would look
at the stuffed animal

right before the director
would call action,

and somehow, the stuffed animal
would reassure Brad

that he was just as good
as everyone else in the cast.

Okay, well, none of that story
was true.

I think it was a bunny.
There was no bunny.

His name was Hoppity.

The imaginary rabbit's name
wasn't Hoppity.

Well, he wasn't imaginary
to you,

and that's all that matters.
Marlee and I are here

to clarify a few misconceptions
about mail-in voting.

And what better way
to clarify something

than with sign language.

I know a sign that's pretty
much universally understood.

One misconception
is that voter fraud is something

that... what's the word?

Exists. Right.

One misconception
is that voter fraud

is something that exists.

In the last 20 years,

over 250 million ballots
have been cast,

and there have been
143 instances of voter fraud.

143,000?

No, just 143.

That averages to one case
per state every six years,

for a fraud rate of 0.00006%.

Another worry seems to be

a ballot might be sent
to your dog.

I do worry about that.

Well, Marlee, you shouldn't.

Because if a ballot
were sent to your dog,

and your dog opened his own mail

and filled out the ballot,
his signature on the ballot

would have to match
the signature

your dog has on file
with the election commission.

Well, I think if my dog
could pull that off,

his vote should count.

Say, Brad? Yes?

I'm concerned
that a foreign country

could print millions
of counterfeit ballots.

Stop your worries,
because that can't happen.

Why not? For the same reason

a foreign country
can't print a trillion dollars

and buy the U.S. Navy.

Look, every state and locality

has it's own
security protections,

but they're considerable, so
let's take just one example...

Jefferson County, Colorado.

"Nil sine Numine,"
the Colorado state motto.

It means, "Nothing
without providence."

That seemed beside the point,

which is that someone
trying to forge a ballot

would need a unique
ballot number,

a barcode compatible
with that county's system,

a sophisticated security sleeve
that the ballot goes into,

and of course a signature match,

which we already went over
in the case of the voting dog.

So, what if my mailman
steals all the ballots

from everyone in my...
Wait a minute.

Why am I playing the idiot
in this little sketch?

Presumably, your mailman

doesn't want to go to federal
prison for a long time.

That's why he doesn't steal your
neighbor's Social Security check

or your Pottery Barn catalogue.

I've always wondered why.

Really?

No! I'm playing a moron!

If you're young and healthy,

you should wear a mask,
distance, and vote in person.

But if you need to vote by mail,
know that it's secure.

Just do it early.

We're America.
We're good at this.

Can you see the cards
from there?

Yeah, I'm good. Thanks.

We're rolling.

Anytime you're ready. Okay.

"Hi. I'm Lin-Manuel Miranda.

I was never in the cast
of 'The West Wing, '

and that failure is a pain
from which I'll never recover."

Did Aaron write this?
Just keep reading.

"Had I been in the cast
of 'The West Wing, '

it would have marked the peak
of my professional life,

no matter what I accomplished
after that."

I wrote "Hamilton."

Yeah. We know.

"Sometimes at night,
I close my eyes

and imagine
what it must have been like

to win the SAG Award

for Best Ensemble."

I have a Pulitzer Prize,

you guys. Yeah, big whoop.

It's a pretty big whoop.
You know,

I've never felt any sense
of competition with you guys

over who offers America
the greatest civics lesson.

Keep reading.

"I've always felt a sense
of competition with you guys

over who offers America..."
Okay, I'm just gonna wing it,

if that's okay. Fine.

Try not to rhyme.
It can get irritating.

Got it.

What I wanted to say was that
election night this year

probably isn't going
to look like

the election nights
we're familiar with.

We're used to the networks

projecting the winners
in each state

just minutes or even seconds
after the polls close.

But this year, because of COVID,

a record number of ballots
will be cast by mail,

and in many states, mail-in
ballots will be counted last.

That means there's a good chance

it could be days
before a winner is declared.

And what you're likely to see...

Whether it's the presidential
race or down-ballot races...

Is one candidate well ahead
on election night

and the other candidate
closing the gap

as all the ballots are counted.

That's not a sign something
sinister is happening.

It's a sign
that every one of our votes

are being carefully counted.

In fact, there's an interesting
story of James Madison

and his blacksmith in 17...
No. No, no.

Okay. My point is,

election night will probably
be different this year...

It could be days before a winner
is officially determined,

declared, and certified...

But it won't be because
anything fishy's going on.

And this is important
to remember.

In American elections,

candidates don't declare
themselves the winner.

State election officials
and nonpartisan news outlets

like the Associated Press
declare the winner.

So all of us,
no matter who we vote for,

have to wait for that full and
careful count to be completed

and not to be swayed by
speculation or misinformation.

Have confidence in the election.

We're America.
We're good at this.

Enjoy the rest
of "Hartsfield's Landing."

"Act Three.

Sam's office... night."

Take your time...

See the whole board...

Think happy thoughts...

Sir? Sure.

The Spanish brought chess
to the Court of Charlemagne

in 760 A.D.

Charlemagne is French
for Charles the Great.

The Charles is a river
in Boston.

The Hudson River is actually
not a river at all.

I'm taking your rook.

The Hudson isn't a river?

It is in the Catskills,

but when it gets to Manhattan,

it's an estuary.

Because it's deeper than
the body of water it flows into?

Yep.

Do you mind my asking
how the meeting

with the Chinese
Ambassador went?

Well, how do you think it went?

I think they said
if Taiwan tests the Patriots,

they'll begin their exercises.

That's right, except they didn't
call them Patriots.

What did they call 'em?

U.S.-made Patriots.

Right.

They want us to say
we're gonna roll back

our sale of arms to Taiwan.
Good.

But we're not gonna stop
arming Taiwan.

No. Particularly now,

when they're about to have
free elections.

Right. Plus, it's the law.

Yeah.
So we sell 'em the AMRAAMs,

the Orions... You gonna move?

Hang on. You're sending
two carrier groups

to the Taiwan Strait... Move.

You got the Carl Vinson
in the South China Sea.

Beijing wants you to scale
back the weapons.

You're not gonna do it.
How does it work?

See the whole board.

How does it work?

I've got to get back to Toby
in the other room.

He's trying the Balducci attack.

Look at the whole board.

I'm going out
for some pizza, you want any?

I'll go get it,
I want to get some air.

We need three, I think.

45 minutes till
Hartsfield's Landing.

We're workin' the room. Good.

It's absurd that 42 people
have this kind of power.

I think it's nice. Do you?

I think it's democracy
at its purest.

They all gather at once...
At a gas station.

It's not a gas station.
It's nice.

There's a registrar of voters.

The names are called
in alphabetical order,

and they put a folded
piece of paper in a box.

Yeah, this is the difference
between you and me.

You're a sap?

It's called poetry, me bucko.

Maybe, just maybe, just maybe,

those 42 people are teaching us
something about ourselves.

That freedom is the glory
of God, that democracy

is its birthright,
and that our vote matters.

You gettin' that pizza, or...
Yeah, I should call ahead.

He Crazy-Glued my phone.

Who?

Charlie.

Charlie Crazy-Glued my phone.

Okay. Okay.
Now we're playin' for keeps.

- Josh.
- Excuse me. How'd it go?

I told them about the trade
adjustment assistance.

They're not wild about
the Canadian pulp thing,

but their real problem
is tax policy.

They want to go from
an income tax to a sales tax.

Does this gonna end up with
Mackey Flender as Fed Chair?

I just...
Tell 'em a national sales tax
is regressive.

Poor people pay
a much higher percentage

of their income...
Tell 'em we'll study it.

Is the President
destroying the economy

to save salmon? No.

I'm having a hard time
convincing them of that, too.

There's no salmon
in New Hampshire.

Mackey's sister Fran
lives in Oregon.

Tell 'em we haven't made
a decision on the salmon runs.

Tell 'em salmon restoration
is important to the economy.

Do you even know
what they're talking about?

What am I,
the fish guy around here?

- Tell 'em we're lookin' into it.
- They think the President's

gonna privatize Social Security.

He's not gonna...
That's the other guys!

He's not gonna privatize
Social Security.

He'll privatize New Hampshire

before he privatizes
Social Security.

But we haven't ruled it out.

'Cause we told Congress
we'd keep an open mind.

I think they'd really prefer
we rule it out.

Here.

"Bartlet for New Hampshire."
It gives all the reasons

why Bartlet's for the people
of New Hampshire.

The Flenders, everyone.
All 17 of them

or whatever the hell
goes on up there. Go.

Why are you wearing my coat?

It's warmer than my coat.

Go.

Hey, are we getting the pizza?!

Calm down.

What are you doing?
Um, just trying to get

a little pizza
in an uncivilized world.

It's not easy being you, is it?

No.

Hey, Leo,
I don't need to sweat, right?

There's a predetermined time
for the carrier groups?

You know what?

Half of me wants to let 'em go.

Half of you always wants
to let 'em go.

Half of everybody
always wants to let 'em go.

They need 400,000 troops
on high alert

for thinking
about holding an election.

400,000 troops and a battery
of Patriot missiles

for thinking about
having an election.

Leo, you're gonna turn the
carrier groups around, right?

We'll see how the pizza
turns out.

Lemme tell you, you're really
showin' me something tonight.

Lot of spunk. Lot of pluck.

This game isn't all about size,
you know.

There's a little thing
called heart,

and you've got it, my friend.

You know what, old man?

The very minute
they swear in the next guy,

you and I are going
round and round.

Check.

How did you get good?

I had a friend in school
who taught me.

He was good. He was ranked
18 and under.

He was really a nice guy.
Everybody liked him.

What was his name?

David Wheadon.

Everybody had a crush
on his sister.

Do you still see him?
He went on to Princeton,

and Christmas vacation,

he'd saved up to go
to San Francisco.

And he was on the wharf, and he
saw a guy beating up a woman,

and he went in to stop it, and
the guy stabbed him to death.

He taught you well.

So you know I had this historic
stretch of sleeplessness

the last time we met.

I didn't know. It got so bad

that Leo called in
the guy from ATVA

who worked with Josh.

Isn't he a trauma specialist?

Yeah, but we know him,
and I figured

he had to go to school
for everything, so...

anyway, we brought him in
late at night.

What did he say?
He said it was your fault.

You shouldn't bother me so much.

I really am sorry about that.
I'm kidding.

Yeah, for a second, I forgot,
you're hilarious.

So... Yes, sir.

Let's go ahead and say the
Republicans nominate Ritchie.

They will. First of all,

let's take a moment
and say "Why?" You know,

they got some pretty
serious guys in that field.

Kalmbach?

Daniels? Weston?

Democrats had a lot
of serious guys in the field,

and they nominated you.

That's true.

Check.

So you think the strike
against me

is nobody likes
the smartest kid in the class.

I don't know, sir.

Being the smartest kid in the
class is a pretty good pitch.

It's not a strike unless
you watch it as it sails by.

I don't do that.

Check.

And I'm not a snob.
I don't believe you are.

If a guy's a good neighbor,
if he puts in a day,

if every once in a while,
he smiles,

if every once in a while,
he thinks of someone else,

and above all else,

if he can find his way
to tolerance and compassion,

then he's my brother,
and I don't care

if he didn't get past
finger painting.

What I cannot stomach are people
who are out to convince people

that the educated
are soft and privileged

and out to make them feel like
they're less than. You know.

"He may be educated, but I'm
plain-spoken, just like you."

Especially when we know

that education can be
the silver bullet.

It can be
the silver bullet, Toby.

For crime,
unemployment, poverty,

drugs, hatred...
Who you trying to convince?

I'm just saying
I don't watch the pitch go by.

Check.

And if I do,
it's not 'cause my father...

Was an idiot?

Can we please...

God.

Can we please talk about...

Can we please talk about
my father with some respect?

God.

He's gone now. Can we...

He's my father.

He wasn't a Dickens character.

Yes, sir.

Mr. President? Yeah.

Check.

I'll be back.

Don't cheat.

I know exactly where the pieces
on the board are.

I know exactly where
the pieces are on Sam's board.

I know exactly where the pieces
still are on David Wheadon's.

Sir, the carriers are
35 minutes from the Strait now.

Alright, you can bring
the Ambassador back now

and get Beijing.

I'm sorry, sir,
it's just a formality...

She needs the order.

The Aegis Destroyers.

Yes, sir.

Just out of curiosity,
what if that doesn't work?

I don't know, but for sure
we're gonna blame you.

Yes, sir.

What's goin' on? I don't know.

Toby keeps comin' back at me
with...

I don't know. He...

He says I let the pitch go by.

What pitch?

I soften my...
I smooth myself out publicly.

It's not a put-on, by the way.
I'm honestly folksy.

Yeah. Yeah what?

Yeah nothing.

You agree with him?

I don't think
you let the pitch go by.

I don't.
I think you foul it off.

Yeah, well, he keeps
comin' back at me.

You invited him back this time,
didn't you?

Alright.

So, what are you doin'?

Just playin' a little chess.

With the passage of the 13th,
14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments,

we knocked down
voting restrictions

based on race and sex.

Then some of the states
pushed back

and found new ways to keep
some people from voting...

Poll taxes, literacy tests,

naming all 54 county
commissioners,

guessing the number
of jellybeans in a jar.

We still had a long way to go.

In the '50s and '60s,
we marched, we protested,

and a lot of people had to
put their lives on the line,

and many gave their lives,

before we could pass
the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

That landmark law swept away
a century of shameful efforts

to suppress the vote

and mandated that states
and counties with a history

of voter suppression

couldn't make any changes
to their voting laws

without running them
by the Justice Department first.

Then in 1971,
we lower the voting age to 18.

In '75, we pass
new voting protections

for people with
limited English skills.

In '82, we make voting
more accessible

for the elderly
and people with disabilities,

and in '93, I sign
the Motor-Voter law,

which let people register

when they applied
for driver's licenses.

In its very first year,

that law accounted
for 30 million new voters.

But two centuries of progress

just came to a halt
seven years ago

when the Supreme Court
gutted the Voting Rights Act

and said that even states
and counties

with long histories
of voter suppression

no longer had to submit
changes in their election laws

to the Justice Department
for review.

In her strong dissent,
Justice Ginsburg said

that throwing out a system that
had worked so well for so long

was like, "throwing away
your umbrella in a rainstorm

because you're not getting wet."

Well, we're all getting wet now.

We've been rained on
in the last seven years,

by 26 states that have
made it harder to vote.

Voter I.D. laws, cuts in
voting hours and early voting,

purges of voter rolls,

and eliminating polling places
and voting machines

so that you're standing in line
for hours,

and now even crippling
the Postal Service

in the midst of a pandemic

so that your vote
might not be counted at all.

So ask yourself this...

If your vote really
doesn't matter,

why are people
working so very hard

to make sure you don't cast it?

Because it does matter.
There's real power in your vote,

the power to make
our Union more perfect.

And there's only one response

to people who are trying
to suppress your vote...

Make sure they fail.

It's our turn to push
the boulder up the hill,

our turn to use our power
to make a more perfect Union,

our turn, our sacred duty,
to vote.

I'm Sterling Brown,
and first, let me say

it's an honor
to be here tonight.

And you should know
we all think you're doing

a perfectly adequate job.

Appreciate it.

Only 40% of African-Americans
between 18 and 24 voted in 2016.

And today, even at the height
of Black Lives Matter,

too many young Black men think
elections just don't matter.

It's not surprising
that many of you feel that way

after decades of suppression,

disenfranchisement,
gerrymandering, and much worse.

In 2016, there were foreign
disinformation campaigns

aimed specifically at reducing
the Black male vote.

And they were successful.

So it's no wonder that so many
have tuned out, turned off,

and come to think that politics
doesn't speak for them.

Don't fall for it.
Don't listen to those

who are dying for you
to sit on your hands.

If you're sick, not just
of the coronavirus,

but the fact
that African-Americans

are twice as likely
to die from it...

This election matters to you,
and you need to vote.

If you're sick, not just
of the recession,

but the fact that
our community's hit first,

hardest, and longest,

this election matters to you,
and you need to vote.

If you're sick, not just
of police brutality,

but the fact that no amount
of marching or shouting

seems to change
a damn thing about it,

this election matters to you,
and you need to vote.

This election will decide
our health care,

our economy,
our criminal justice system,

our cities, our schools
our country...

Our country... a country
in which we are not guests.

This is no time to tune out,
it's time to turn out

in greater numbers
than ever before.

If you want politicians
to care about you,

to care about your family
and your future,

don't pass up the greatest tool
at your disposal.

We can't let anyone discourage
or deceive us into turning away.

"Act Four.
Interior lobby... night.

C.J. comes in the front door
carrying three pizzas.

She takes out her swipe card

and runs it through
the security detector.

Suddenly, alarms buzz.

Would you stay
right there, please?

Tommy, it's me. Stay there.

What happened?
She ran the card through.

It must be bent or something.

Would you stay
right there please?

I'm staying right here.
I haven't moved.

Look... Guys, it's me.

This card says
you're Charles Young.

Yes. Okay, well,
obviously I'm not.

Why do you have a card
that doesn't belong to you?

- Because...
- What's goin' on?

Mr. McGarry,
this woman has a card

that doesn't belong to her.
C.J., what the hell...

Charlie's getting me back for...
Stay where you are, please.

- Oh, my God.
- Tommy, sign her in

- with an appointment.
- An appointment?

Be in your office in 15 minutes.

Roberta,
those are all good points

and perfectly valid areas
of disagreement.

But what I don't understand...

I was saying what
I don't understand

is that you guys were such fans
of the President.

You loved him
when he was Governor,

and you worked so hard for him
when he was campaigning.

Yeah.

Yeah. Well, he didn't lie.

No, he didn't lie, Mackey.
And I'll tell you what else,

the man just accepted
a Congressional censure,

and I think it's time...

And he should be held
to a higher standard,

and believe me, he holds himself
to a higher standard,

but sometimes he doesn't meet it
because presidents aren't kings.

This one's an economist
from New Hampshire,

and I think it's time
you got off your horse.

Donna... I am standing out here

in the middle of the night...
Donna...

Hold on, please.

No, I've kinda had it now, too.

They're shocked and appalled
and disappointed.

But really, they're
none of those things,

they just wish they were.

Never missing an opportunity
to feel morally superior...

I don't know,
what do you want me to do now?

Let 'em vote.

What does that mean?

I came out here to tell you
to let 'em vote.

Hey, guys, it's Josh Lyman.

We just wanted to call
and thank you again

for all your work and remind you
that the polls

in Hartsfield's Landing open
in 14 minutes.

You got the chains
on the truck, Mackey?

Yeah, and tell your sister
in Oregon

I'm gonna try to learn
something about salmon.

Right now, all I know is
they're good on a bagel.

G'night.

Maybe they are morally superior.

Anyway, they get to vote.

It's freezing out here.

Abbey told me a story once.

She said you were
at a party once

where you were
bending a guy's ear.

You were telling him
that Ellie had mastered

her multiplication tables

and that she was in third grade
reading at a fifth grade level,

and she loved books,
and she'd scored two goals

for her soccer team
the week before,

and you were going on and on.

And what made Abbey's
story remarkable

was that the party you were at
was in Stockholm.

The man you were talking to
was King Gustav

who two hours earlier

had awarded you
the Nobel Prize in Economics.

I mean, my God.

You'd just won the Nobel Prize,

and all you wanted to talk about
to the King of Sweden

was Ellie's
multiplication tables.

What's your point?

You're a good father.
You don't have to act like it.

You're the President.
You don't have to act like it.

You're a good man.
You don't have to act like it.

You're not a regular guy.
You're not just folks.

You're not plain spoken.

Do not, do not,
do not act like it!

I don't want to be killed.

Then make this election
about smart and not.

Make it about engaged and not,

qualified and not.

Make it about a heavyweight.

You're a heavyweight.

And you've been holding me up
for too many rounds.

Pick up your king.
We're not done playing yet.

- Hello.
- How you doin'?

You really want to dance
with me?

Wouldn't it have been
a lot easier

to respect the rules
and regulations?

What are you doing in here?
Leo told me to be here.

- Leo...
- What the hell...

...and Crazy-Glued my phone.

Alright.

I think it's fine, people
blowing off a little steam,

but now it's done, and it's time
for one of you to be mature.

Well, God knows C.J.'s
a lot more mature than I am.

- Hey!
- Excuse me, Leo?

Yeah.
Nancy McNally's calling for you.

Okay. Well, that's that.

How long do you usually
make people your bitch?

Depends.

Okay.

I'm sorry, I got tied up.

No, that's fine.

Let's get back to it.

Sir, I looked something up
while you were gone.

Eisenhower, it seemed,
at all costs,

wanted to avoid sending ships
to resupply Quemoy and Matsu,

because they'd be less than
a mile from the Chinese Army.

A private could... Well,
everybody was a private

in Mao's army...
But a private could fire

on the ships, and that'd be it.

We'd be at war, we'd have to be.

Yeah.

Eisenhower wouldn't do it.

No.

Why are you?

Look at the whole board.

I am. You're not.

I'm trying. Sam...

Why send a carrier group
to the Taiwan Strait?

Are they in the Taiwan Strait?
They're on their way.

Is that the same thing?

How does this end?

Sir?

Like this.

Turn 'em around.

I'll make some calls
and thank people.

Yes, sir.
And thank you, by the way.

You, too.

I'd like to try it
without looking at the note.

Okay.

China agrees to stand down
the war games.

Yeah.
And they agree to let Taiwan

test the Patriots.

One Patriot. Yes.

And we...

Please, I hope that I'm right
about this...

We agree not to sell
the Aegis Destroyers to Taiwan

for a period of,
I don't know, say five years.

10 years, but you got it.

Sir, the Aegis...
The Aegis radar technology

is not something... I mean, what
if Taiwan were to fall to China?

These ships cost something like
$800 million a piece.

Buying four of them would eat up
half of Taiwan's defense budget.

And so?

You never were gonna sell 'em
the destroyers.

But everybody wakes up alive
in the morning

and saves a little face.

I don't know how you...

I don't know what the word...

I don't know how you do it.

You have a lot of help.

You listen to everybody.

And then you call the play.

Sam, stand up and come here,
would you?

You're gonna run for President
one day.

Don't be scared.

Checkmate.

...Town Hall's a filing cabinet

and a counter top
in the town clerk's basement.

But Hartsfield's Landing, New
Hampshire, is where democracy

begins for the world's
only superpower.

It's 12:01 a.m.,

and the registrar of voters
who's also the principle...

- Claude Abernathy.
- Here.

Please step up
and cast your vote.

- Diana Abernathy.
- Here.

Please step up
and cast your vote.

- Barney Braddock.
- Here.

Please step up
and cast your vote.

- Lillian Braddock.
- Here.

Lillian's 18, everyone.
This is her first vote.

Please step up
and cast your vote.

As we fade to black,
thank you so much. Good night.

And we're gonna leave you
with the Avett Brothers.