Original subtitles

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Good evening. I'm Bradley Whitford.

And in 1999,

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

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."

♪♪

Emily: "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. [ Plane engine whirring ]

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.

[ Beep ] Yeah.

Leo: 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.

[ Guitar music playing ]

♪♪

Let's go.

♪♪

[ Chamber orchestra playing ]

♪♪

[ "The West Wing" theme music playing ]

♪♪

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.

♪♪

Emily: "Act One. Interior situation room -- night.

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

Bartlet: 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.

Leo: 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?

Officer: 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.!

Man: Is the President going to ask the Taiwanese

to hold off testing the Patriots?

C.J.: No, and it's important to remember

the Patriot Missiles are defensive equipment

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

Phil: 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. [ Laughter ]

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.

[ Reporter chuckles ] 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?

[ Sighs ] Yes.

Cell phone, LaFayette Park, and a warm coat.

I'm taking your coat.

It's a good coat.

I'm taking it. Alright.

♪♪

Emily: "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."

♪♪

Bartlet: 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.

Emily: "Act Two.

Interior mural room -- night.

Nancy and Leo sit with the Chinese Ambassador

and a member of his staff."

Nancy: Mr. Ambassador -- 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.

[ Charlie sighs ]

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 --

Bartlet: 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.

Leo: 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.

Charlie: 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.

Interpreter: 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?

Miranda: 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." [ Chuckling ]

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."

Emily: "Act Three.

Sam's office -- night."

♪♪

Bartlet: 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.

Josh: 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. Donna: 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.

Josh: 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?!

C.J.: Calm down.

What are you doing? Um, just trying to get

a little pizza in an uncivilized world.

[ Chuckles ] 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.

♪♪

[ Door opens ]

[ Door shuts ]

♪♪

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.

[ Clock ticking ]

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. [ Chuckles ]

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.

[ Sighs ] 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.

Leo: 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.

Nancy: 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'?

[ Sighs ]

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.

Emily: "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.

[ Sighs ]

Donna: 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.

♪♪

Toby: 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 --

[ Both speaking indistinctly ]

...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.

[ Scoffs ] 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.

♪♪

Reporter: ...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...

[ Indistinct conversations ]

-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.

♪ Well, early in the morning, about the break of day ♪

♪ I ask the Lord, "Help me find a way" ♪

♪ Help me find a way ♪ ♪ Help me find a way ♪

♪ To the promised land ♪ ♪ To the promised land ♪

♪ This lonely body ♪ ♪ This lonely body ♪

♪ Needs a helping hand ♪ ♪ Needs a helping hand ♪

♪ I ask the Lord ♪ ♪ I ask the Lord ♪

♪ To help me please find a way ♪

♪ When the new day's a dawning, I bow my head in prayer ♪

♪ I pray to the Lord, "Won't you lead me there?" ♪

♪ Won't you guide me safely to the Golden Stair? ♪

♪ Won't you let this body your burden share? ♪

♪ I pray to the Lord, "Won't you lead me please ♪

♪ Lead me there?" ♪

♪♪

♪ When the judgment comes to find the world in shame ♪

♪ When the trumpet blows won't you call my name? ♪

♪ Won't you call my name? ♪

♪ When the thunder rolls and the heavens rain ♪

♪ When the sun turns black, never shine again ♪

♪ Never shine again ♪

♪ When the trumpet blows, won't you call me please ♪

♪ Call my name ♪

♪♪