Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing:

I'm not running for congress again, Josh.

Now, you came a long way.

I'm sorry about that, but it's just...

I'm not talking about congress.

So, I think I found my guy. That's good.

WILL: Well, we can use you.

And not as anybody's assistant.

SANTOS: The filing deadline's next Thursday.

I'm in, if you're in with me.

How's Donna working out?

She just headed up for New Hampshire.

She's gonna be there a couple weeks.

TOBY: You can't leave. We're not done here.

Someone's got to think

about the ninth year.

You're gonna walk into the Oval Office

and tell the President you just found a better horse?

MAN ( on radio ): ...the state, today's early morning mix

of sleet and freezing rain will ease up by early afternoon

when temperatures will...

SANTOS: I want this to be a campaign of ideas.

JOSH: I think you missed a turn.

SANTOS: Entitlements are collapsing, our school system's a joke.

You could sneak a fleet

of tanks across the Canadian border,

and these campaigns always wind up

being about a candidate's high school transcripts.

It was a left at Horseshoe Lake.

I thought it was a bend

at Horseshoe Lake.

A left, a bend.

I-I think you missed it.

You know, if we just took the money

the campaigns spent on personality contests

and partisan sideshows,

we could solve this country's problems

and shut down talk radio all at the same time.

First Amendment issues

aside, that...

See, this looks more like a curve, unless

this is just bad cartography.

You know, I almost wish

that we could have a campaign slogan

without my name in it.

Yeah. "For President."

It's catchy.

Probably cut both ways.

I'm not seeing a curve

here anyway. Uh...

Why's our headquarters so far out of the way?

Well, it's New Hampshire,

There's not a whole lot that's in the way.

Let me try.

Currently 18 degrees...

How about a kick-off speech on education?

The problem with education is it's stuck in the muck.

Here, isn't that the...?

Looks more like a slope than a curve. Huh?

( clears throat )

You got teachers' unions blocking any change

in hiring structure, you got local school districts

ready to burn coloring books

if Washington dictates what color crayon.

New Hampshire's about

retail politics, person-to-person.

People here won't vote for you

till you've had coffee in their house five times.

I hope they're serving decaf.

* Good day sunshine

* Good day sunshine

* Good day sunshine

* I need to laugh

* And when the sun is out

* I've got something...

Guess we're using my name after all.

MAN: We got room.

( laughter )

MAN: Welcome, Matt.

WOMAN: Hi, Matt.

Hey. Josh, you know Ronna and Ned from my

Congressional staff.

Yeah. We've been talking on the phone. Hi.

I've never picked out a campaign headquarters before.

Got a ceiling and everything.

Yeah. If you like that sort of thing.

Yeah. When our fundraising kicks in,

we're gonna need more phone lines, more desks,

maybe some industrial safety helmets, but,

uh, for now just make sure we meet the fire code.

NED: You were right-- Germany's at 240,

Japan's at 243.

SANTOS: Ah.

243?

NED: Days in the school year.

And we're counting because...?

SANTOS: I was asking Ned to look into, uh,

lengthening the school year from 180 days to 240.

There's a professor over at Boston College--

he's done a lot of work on this.

I thought we might have him come over here

with a few thinkers

and get us some ideas for an education speech.

And we will,

but let's not put the cart before the carcass here.

This trip is about introducing yourself,

honing a narrative.

That's it.

I'm here to hone.

You say this had been a sporting goods store?

Um, a kind of specialty sporting goods.

"Laraby's Life Savers:

Lose Your Boat, We'll Help You Float."

The first month's free.

When the press finds out

we're launching this thing

from the hull of the Titanic...

Yeah. I bet we get a break on flood insurance.

Okay. Lose the flotillas.

Anyone asks, we're working on a skylight.

Congressman, we better get going to our first event.

We got a full day ahead of us.

Ah, hang on a minute, hang on a minute.

You know, they say democracy is, uh,

how we choose the guy who gets the blame.

Well, I will take the blame,

but I will never forget those of you who deserve the credit.

Thank you for being with me

here at the, uh, start of this

crazy roller-coaster ride.

SANTOS: Okay.

Let's go make us some history.

Mm.

( Josh inhales )

( sniffles )

Oh, this is just a bit too metaphorical for me.

All the candidates do it.

It's an exercise in humility.

I could give a major address

on the importance of triple-ply.

How about shaking some hands,

helping the people with their recycling?

( sniffles )

Anything particular I should say?

Just tell 'em who you are, what you're doing.

Good morning. Hi. I'm Matt Santos.

I'm running for President.

Morning, ma'am. Matt Santos.

I'm running for President.

May I help you with that?

Tell me about this education stuff

he wants to do.

Uh, Ned's working on that.

He asked me to work on a national service program,

and some ideas for Medicare reform.

He's thinking about a series of speeches,

starting tomorrow night at Hawks House.

We're not gonna do that. We're not?

I'm just getting to know this guy. Uh...

I don't want to come on too strong with, uh...

You got to help me out here.

You want the memos?

I want to rein in the policy process.

You can't.

( laughs )

What part of campaign manager do you not understand?

Do you want me to draw you a flow-chart?

Where's Matt on this chart?

Let's call him The Congressman.

Well, he likes to be called Matt,

and he runs his own policy process.

Matt is a guy who hosts home improvement shows.

The Congressman is a guy who runs for President,

and you don't give policy speeches

in New Hampshire-- the world's capital

of grip-and-grin-- especially

before people can pick you out of a lineup.

In the House, when we were dragging our feet

on a policy he liked, he would just announce it

without telling us.

Great.

( sniffles )

I got to meet with some state legislators.

Keep him here till CNN arrives.

I pulled some strings to get us some b-roll.

And don't let him change

the official language

to Flemish while I'm gone.

Let's go.

SANTOS: Morning.

Hey.

Hey' aren't you that new candidate from Texas?

Yes, sir. Matt Santos.

Uh, great to meet you.

Do you know Phil Herlihy?

Lives right there in Sierra Vista.

Oh, no. That's Arizona.

Sierra Blanca-- that's in Texas.

Oh. Well.

He's a good guy.

JOSH: No, he's great.

He's got a million ideas.

He's really engaged.

TOBY: Hoynes is up by eight in the South Carolina poll.

That's all name I.D., mile wide and an inch deep.

How's your staff?

I got some political folks lined up,

but our fundraising's just getting going,

so we're using volunteers for now.

Lot of money in the Latino community.

What would you think about a big education speech?

In New Hampshire, on his first trip?

Yeah. It's just an idea we're kicking around.

Well, stop kicking.

Yeah.

Have you and Santos

had the conversation yet?

Not yet.

Have the conversation.

You think this whole campaign's

kind of goofy, don't you?

Yeah.

Uh, I'll call you later.

Yeah.

This is a dry cleaner's.

MAN: I'm sorry.

I... My mom asked me

to pick up the dry cleaning on our way.

I'll be honest, Josh.

I was surprised to see you split from Jed Bartlet like this.

It's no split,

Senator.

You telling me Jed Bartlet's not gonna be

for his own Vice President?

He's the leader of his own party.

He'll remain neutral till there's a nominee.

Is that a Bob Russell letter opener?

VP gave it to me at the lunch caucus.

I got the cup holders last month.

So, what's your boy Santez have to offer?

It's Santos,

and Russell may have the letter opener,

but what's in the envelope?

Might be some tie clips.

Who knows.

Senator, you're looking for the next Jed Bartlet,

I'm telling you it's Santos.

Top in his class at Annapolis,

coalition-building mayor.

He's written more legislation

than Bob Russell's read.

Why do you think I left the White House

to run this?

Well, you do give him credibility.

Then meet with him.

Pull some folks together for a coffee.

Hmm. John Hoynes gave a grand to my campaign.

Russell gave $1,500, Clarkson, too.

Our fundraising's just getting going.

Don't-Don't make this about money.

Money equals viability.

And from what I can tell, your boy has neither.

He's been inside for a while.

Good. Jardins are

top-tier activists in Nashua.

You got a message at headquarters

from Will Bailey.

He's Bob Russell's...

Yeah. I've heard of him. Thanks.

Wants to meet you this afternoon.

He's in New Hampshire?

Advancing Russell's next trip.

How were your meetings?

Met with three state legislators.

They all want to know why I'm running Santos

against Jed Bartlet's own Vice President.

Free country, isn't it?

Not if everyone thinks

the President's in Cowboy Bob's saddlebag.

The President's son-in-law, Doug Westin,

has a pretty tough race in the 1st District.

Yeah, the environmentalists think

he's too pro-snowmobile.

It's like a bad Grizzly Adams spin-off.

You must know him pretty well.

Maybe if he endorsed Matt...

Put a call into his office.

See if Lizzy Bartlet has a minute

to sit down with me.

You gonna talk to

the New York Times guy?

New York Times guy?

MAN: Yeah. Just tell him to fax me when he gets in.

Okay, got to go.

I didn't expect the Paper of Record

on our first trip.

All the news that fits.

You're covering Russell?

I'm covering this.

Morgan from the Post, too.

Really?

Really.

Well, for once, you're writing the real story.

Yeah. How's it going?

Great. He was

practically autographing deposit bottles

at the Litchfield Town Dump.

Well, those ought to be worth at least a nickel.

You want a sit-down with the Congressman?

Maybe later.

How long's the New Hampshire swing?

A couple days.

Well, I'm hearing some things out of Houston.

May want to shorten your trip.

What things? Well, he's your candidate.

I'm sure it's nothing you don't already know.

SANTOS: ...Especially

given what's happening around the world today,

but yes, I think it would make a huge difference.

Jamey, Janice, this is Josh Lyman,

my campaign manager.

You know, another three terms

in Congress, and I don't think

my brow would be as furrowed as his.

JAMEY: We've known Josh for years.

We ran this precinct for Bartlet both times.

Mr. Jardin, Mrs. Jardin.

We're talking about education.

Did you know the Congressman was first in his family

to go to college, top of his class at Annapolis,

and can do more chin-ups than the entire

Council on Foreign Relations?

( Santos laughs )

I don't know many people who'd be excited

by a longer school year.

Now, I'll be honest with you, neither do I.

We're talking about a longer...

SANTOS: I'm not trying to excite people.

I'm just trying to tell them what we need.

America is 49th in the world in literacy.

That's down 18 spots in the last 50 years.

Why?

Well, for starters, the 180-day school year--

that's based on the agrarian calendar.

So the kids can tend crops in the summer.

Right, but we're

in a global economy now.

Japan's at 243 days, Germany's at 240.

JOSH: Which is why we want a study,

one of those big,

thick reports you spend months just-just studying.

JAMEY: I got a pretty

good education in 180 days.

What does this have to do with what happens

in my son's classroom?

You know, not enough,

which is why we need

to end teacher tenure and get rid

of failing teachers.

Our cousin Phyllis is a school teacher.

SANTOS: And I bet she's a good one, which is why

she would keep her job.

JOSH: I need the Congressman

for one moment; a scheduling problem.

JAMEY: Absolutely.

JANICE: Of course.

I keep telling him to call me Matt.

( laughs )

SANTOS: Excuse me.

I'm road-testing ideas for the speech.

These are top- tier activists.

You just fired

their cousin Phyllis.

And next week we'll be training Phyllis

in computer programming.

You should be introducing yourself,

talking about your personal narrative.

They asked for my views on education.

Well, they didn't like what they heard.

You're right, so let's not make Jamey Jardin

our Secretary of Education, okay?

Un-furrow your brow, Josh,

I've run for office six times.

In Texas.

New Hampshire has an education funding crisis.

They have no income tax,

They can't afford to pay for 60 more days of school.

Which is why we need to nationalize the system.

That's a half-trillion-dollar joke you just made.

India and China

are all investing in education like crazy.

You want to leave it up to Nashua and Litchfield?

These are all great ideas.

You were the one that said

that this issue was stuck in the muck.

This is how we un-muck it.

The Jardins... don't want to be un-mucked.

They want to know who you are.

Once they get to like you...

We can move on to the swimsuit competition.

Can we talk to the professors?

Get a study, wait till we can afford some research on this?

How long would that take?

We've exhausted the donors

in your district.

One idea's a big fundraising drive

in the Latino community.

I don't feel comfortable with that right now.

It's a huge donor base you alone can tap.

Josh, I don't want to just be

the brown candidate.

I want to be the American candidate.

How do you want to go broke--

as the brown candidate or as the American candidate?

I looked at the daily spending reports.

We don't need to spend $4,000

on yard signs.

Y-You're reviewing daily spending reports?

Let's go back in with the Jardins.

We can talk about this later.

Congressman... Call me Matt.

These are all parts of a larger conversation.

The Times is already digging around.

Maybe other campaigns, too.

No.

We need to get proactive.

No opposition research, no dirt on our opponents.

I know how to make this work,

but you have to let me.

I don't want you two to catch cold.

Scheduling problem's solved.

Let's go back to that blackboard.

Folks love taking pictures with those.

Almost like the real thing.

Almost.

They talk a little less.

Don't say that too loud.

His wife is going to want one.

May I help you?

I'm Josh Lyman; I'm here to see Will Bailey.

He's expecting you; follow me.

BAILEY: The Vice President's not missing

the J-J dinner either.

If he has to break a tie on the Ag bill,

he'll do a quick round trip on Air Force Two. Yeah.

How's the Santos juggernaut?

Juggering great.

Just opened our New Hampshire offices.

I understand if there's a tidal wave,

you can paddle your way to safety.

Our money's going into the field.

Mind if one of my deputies

sits in? It's your meeting.

Would you step in here, please?

So, why'd you want to see me?

I've got that list

of free media events for New Hampshire

broken down by media market,

though some of the targets spill over the border into...

Vermont.

Hi.

Hi.

WILL: I don't know why people cling

to this antiquated notion of states.

For the purposes of presidential campaigning,

we really live in

the United Media Markets of America, don't we? Yeah.

I'm not going to waste your time.

I'm sure you have boats to sink.

The truth is we're all friends, we're all good Democrats.

None of us wants a bloodied nominee,

and I know you don't want

to attack the President's record--

also known as your record,

also known as the Vice President's record.

He did clap at some of those bill signings, didn't he?

Live on national television,

yes, he did.

I'm proposing a clean campaign.

No attacks, a preemptive truce.

I love what you've done with the place.

It's like the Mao Tse Tung School

of Interior Decorating.

If you're saying you're not willing

to rule out negative attacks on the administration...

I'll take it to the Congressman.

He decides what we rule in or out.

Good.

Great.

Can we not make this a thing?

It's not a thing.

SANTOS: Okay, so, who's next?

I'm setting up a dinner with the Jardins,

a coffee with Keefe.

This time, push your bio.

I understand this is retail politics, Josh,

but how much time do we spend trying to get votes one by one?

As much time as it takes to get some.

Well, what about giving some bigger speeches too--

you know, talking to people 1,000 at a time?

1,000 sounds better than one.

We'll get to the speeches.

These are top-flight activists.

If they sign on, they'll devote every waking hour,

get three dozen of their friends to do the same.

Matt...

I'm just wondering

if Jefferson and Madison spent time

having coffee in Litchfield.

Uh, Liz Bartlet's here

to see Josh.

We still have to have that conversation.

Hello.

JOSH: Thanks for coming all the way here, Liz.

We could've done this at the house.

This is for an event we're doing on aqua-marine...

Well, more maritime...

Lose your boat, they'll help you float.

Yeah.

Your husband's got a tough challenge

with Bledsoe on his left.

Doug's been supporting the snowmobiling clubs for years.

But to say he's anti-environment...

I know.

We're giving an environmental speech next week.

We can win back the greens.

You still mad at me

for having concerns about Doug's campaign?

Not at all. I'm glad.

I'm mad at you for sharing those concerns

with the D-triple-C and the White House Office

of Political Affairs. Right.

And if you think you're getting Doug's endorsement

for a single-digit spoiler like Matthew Santos...

We don't want Doug's endorsement.

You don't?

No. No?

No. Liz, you've been involved in New Hampshire primaries

your whole life.

You know why they matter-- 'cause anyone has a shot here.

'Cause the voters decide.

You only care about this primary 'cause you want to win it.

You're right, and maybe that's crazy,

'cause Russell's got all the money,

all the institutional support.

But I don't think he should have it locked up

before it starts, and the only reason he does

is everyone assumes that your dad is for him.

My dad's going to stay neutral.

If Doug did a photo-op with Santos--

no endorsement, just one lousy Kodak moment--

it'd be a psychic wink to your dad's supporters

that this primary is wide open,

that the establishment hacks have to earn it.

Isn't that how it should be?

Isn't that how your dad got the nomination

eight years ago?

I wouldn't be doing this for you.

The Fickle Pickle Diner in an hour and a half.

Hey.

RONNA: Hey.

He's shaking hands out front while we wait for Doug Westin.

The press corps seems to be growing.

NED: They're covering Doug Westin.

Right.

We're going to put out a press statement

when we get back to headquarters.

On what? Dwarf-tossing.

Dwarf-tossing?

I told the Litchfield town selectman we would.

There's some bar over on Route 3

where they put dwarves in harnesses

and toss them into hoops.

He's trying to ban it.

We'd have spent more ink on dwarf-tossing

than on Medicare reform.

Well, ask a dwarf in a harness

which matters more.

I want to make a deal on this Houston thing.

It's a bit late for that; everyone's got it.

Guess you guys are 0 for 2 this afternoon.

"0 for 2"?

This UNH professor-- Stoller, Strober...

What about him?

He leaked the details of your education plan

to the AP wire.

SANTOS: If you do reconsider

your support for the Vice President,

I hope you'll remember this conversation that we had.

Have a great day, folks.

Thank you, thank you.

Why did we put out an education plan?

We didn't.

This UNH guy--

Strobelight?

Strobner.

He leaked it to the AP.

You can't be spreading this stuff around.

I faxed a few ideas to a couple of people.

It shouldn't be on paper.

Well, we talked about getting input for my speech.

Look, we're not...

We can't do a speech.

It hasn't been scored, it hasn't been tested...

You mean killed by a bunch of consultants.

Someone is shopping

an eight-year-old quote out of Houston.

You said that the New Hampshire primary

shouldn't come first because, quote,

"The state's as diverse as a Mayflower reunion."

That's a funny line.

Yeah, we've got a state

full of Mayflower descendants laughing their heads off.

I don't remember saying it.

Can I deny it?

Yeah, it sounds like me though.

How fast can you take it back?

It's true, isn't it?

People here think this primary is their birthright.

I, uh, I think I got to stand by that.

Okay.

Take the photo.

Don't take any questions.

We'll figure it out later. Go.

SANTOS: Hi.

Congressman "Santis," how are you?

A pleasure to meet you.

I'm a big admirer of your family.

I really appreciate your doing this.

Can't say I agree with your assessment of our primary.

Excuse me? Your quote.

You think the state's diverse?

Well, no one writes it,

but New Hampshire is 30 percent Franco-American.

It's funny that no one writes it.

So, Josh, how does it feel

to be out of Washington? Nice?

Yeah.

Bledsoe says you'd shut down the national parks

if the snowmobilers wanted it.

I care very deeply about our party.

REPORTER 2: Deeply enough

to restrict snowmobiles,

as your opponent's challenged you to do?

We'll have a lot to say about our parks.

Congressman, you've had tough words

about this state's primary.

We're here to meet the voters.

But you don't value our votes, do you?

( shutters clicking )

Oh, I value everyone's vote.

Well, then why don't you apologize

for what you said about this state's primary?

Why don't you acknowledge, here and now,

our role as the presidential wine-tasters of America?

I could never support a candidate who doesn't.

Well, you know, I'm not much of a wine drinker.

And I'm sorry

if I won't have your support.

Hi. I'm Matt Santos.

I'm running for president.

From Maine to Michigan to Montana,

a high school diploma has to mean something--

the same thing-- or we're walking away

from our biggest responsibility.

JOSH: The congressman and I

need to talk about the schedule.

We got to get a little better code language than that.

I got to call my kids before they go to bed.

Ah, this won't take long.

I know this isn't what you thought it would be.

Yeah, I had a loose understanding

that running for president

had something to do with public policy.

Every first-time candidate makes mistakes.

The good ones fix them

and don't make the same ones twice.

Well, we're stuck with this one.

I got to give that speech at Hawks House tomorrow night.

You have to shelve the education plan.

You have to swallow the Mayflower quote.

You, uh, want me to introduce myself to the electorate

as a flip-flopper?

As opposed to a piece of political toast, yes, I do.

Do you think this state represents the country?

I think it's 30 percent Franco-American.

I think it decides our future.

If I wanted coffee klatches and recycled cans,

I would run for Congress again.

We need to sell you first,

then we'll get to the big issues.

Meaning not in New Hampshire.

Meaning once people get to know who you are.

Right. Let me finish what I'm doing.

Let me call my kids. Thanks.

Congressman, we're having this conversation...

Call me Matt.

I don't want to call you Matt!

You think this is any other campaign?

You think you've

been scrutinized and poked and prodded

like a prizewinning pig?

Well, you haven't.

You just walked into a great, big x-ray machine.

Everything shows up.

People with 30 years in public life

get blown out of these things after two weeks.

This is an eight-year-old quote.

I have given thousands of interviews.

Which is why we have to go over everything--

what you've said, what you've done,

who your enemies are,

what years you were late on your taxes,

whether, God forbid,

you've had problems in your marriage...

And if I did, it's between me and my wife.

Nothing is disqualifying if I know it now.

If I had known

about that quote,

we would have skipped New Hampshire

till we fixed it.

Do you agree with it?

Tell me if you agree with it.

I think whoever fed it to the press

has got to have more,

and that's our priority right now.

Whose campaign is this, Josh?

I don't know, who flew down to Houston

and talked you into it?

Instead of tinkering

with pie-in-the-sky education programs,

maybe you better figure out

why you're running, and if you are sure...

that you are really up to this.

The education plan is why I'm running.

I'm going to go call my kids

instead of standing here and being treated like one.

MAN: Of course.

We can't afford any polling just yet.

I know.

I don't suppose you've seen any with Santos in the mix.

Two private polls.

He's within the margin of error.

Of who?

Of having any support at all.

Oh.

Quite a press day you're having.

( chuckles ): Yeah.

The Union Leader says he'd create an income tax

to pay for his education plan.

The Monitor's saying he should take the Mayflower back

to Houston.

Worst of all, none of it made the front page.

When he reads the papers, he'll become more pliable.

I don't want him to be pliable.

I-I want him to...

Agree with you in the first place?

I know how to run these.

If he'd... just let me.

It's your job, Josh.

But it's his life.

And this guy's nothing but potential.

Why else would Brock and Morgan be covering our first trip?

But it's like... he doesn't get this.

He doesn't get what this is.

Give him time.

He's a long way from Houston.

The first of the opposition research you wanted.

Everyone does it now.

( quietly ): Yeah.

You can pay me in installments.

Small ones.

( no audio )

Josh?

You should have done this weeks ago.

( paper rustling )

( sighs )

We don't get any points for substance?

Uh, it's right there,

column three, next to penmanship.

What about the teachers' unions?

They ignored it.

They didn't want to make it a national story.

Look, I added this event yesterday

so you could take back the Mayflower crack.

This is a senior center.

It's a large and a captive audience.

We're going to pay a surprise visit

to the state's oldest voter.

Dell Tollerson?

He's, like, 197.

Granddaddy of the primary since it was Old Hampshire.

Take back what you said,

he forgives you, crisis over.

Hi. Morning.

Shouldn't there be a crowd here?

Don't tell me they're out playing jai alai.

One of our residents died.

Everyone's at the funeral.

I suppose Dell Tollerson's there, too.

Oh, I'd say so.

He's in the coffin.

Thanks.

I don't think I should defuse this with a joke.

Good staff work.

We're a scrappy insurgency, okay.

We're taking our licks early.

That's a lot of licks for someone

who's a nonfactor in the race.

If Santos was a nonfactor, I doubt you and the Post

would be sipping strained beets at the Nashua Senior Center.

You're serious.

What?

We're not writing about Santos.

We're writing about you.

Why you're running this quixotic campaign,

why you're splitting up the field.

We're running to win.

By thumbing your nose at the first primary,

proposing the largest-ever expansion of education

in a state that can't afford to pay for notebooks?

We're talking about the big issues.

I think you're siphoning off votes to help Hoynes.

Why else would Russell's folks be worried about you?

I want guns off the list, I want choice off the list.

Eastern Pennsylvania's overwhelmingly antigun

and pro-choice.

But the people who aren't vote on those issues alone.

Take them off the list.

Know what I'm realizing is hardest about a Presidential?

Delegating to people you barely know.

You fed that quote

to Brock; you're trying to force me out of the race.

Last time I checked, you're not in the race.

You talked to Brock.

He told me you were worried about us.

You turned down a job with Russell,

you recruit a nobody to run against us.

I'm worried 'cause it doesn't make any sense.

So you dig up damaging quotes?

I didn't have to.

It was probably Texas Republicans

trying to kill him off

so he can't run for State Treasurer.

If Santos isn't serious, why'd you trot Donna out to guilt me?

I'm not guilting anybody.

You should be guilting yourself.

After Leo, you're the best political mind in the party.

And you're going to be

working for us.

Everyone is-- it's inevitable.

When that day comes,

do you want to be on the record trashing us,

so we can't hire you?

Tell Roger and Ellen to come back in here.

Look, I'm not saying it's going to come without a cost.

Education is at the heart

of everything that we care about--

competitiveness, opportunity, equality.

Shouldn't we figure out what we need first,

and then get into the details?

WOMAN: So you're saying no tax increase?

Hi.

Hi.

Hi. Hi. Ronna.

Actually, it's Donna.

No, it's Ronna.

No, really, it's Donna.

Uh, I'm quite certain it's...

Ronna, it's Donna.

Donna, it's Ronna.

Give us a minute. Sure.

She should stick around.

Your whole campaign is like some Dr. Seuss nightmare.

One fish, two fish, dead fish,

we-fought-the-good-fight fish.

As opposed to The Cat in the Imitation Cowboy Hat Fell Flat.

Go ahead. Hop on Bob.

You should be with me.

You're on the wrong campaign.

You're right.

I let Russell seduce me with mindless perks

like a salary and actual political support.

What make-work job do they even have you doing over there?

Media targeting for the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

Fine. We're still the ones with the gutsy education plan,

the ones speaking the truth about the New Hampshire primary.

You know what Russell's been speaking about on his trips here?

I didn't know chipboard could talk.

White Mountains

preservation, M.T.B.E., textile conversion,

local issues. You mean pandering.

I mean what voters want.

Campaigns are about them, not us.

You taught me that.

You came here to deliver my old truisms?

Close.

Letters from Russell supporters to the DNC,

urging them to protect

the New Hampshire primary.

You oughta deliver some of those truisms yourself.

Least you could do is send me the one with the noose.

Maybe Will's right.

Maybe you are the man of destiny.

I just wish you'd

filled out a little sooner is all.

MAN: Mr. Lyman?

Yeah.

A call for you.

A Mr. Potus on the line?

This is Josh Lyman.

MAN: Please hold for the President.

PRESIDENT: Liz tells me you look like hell.

Yeah, well, hell's just another word

for far-from-home- without-your-mittens-on.

Sorry about what happened with Doug.

If you ever have daughters, Josh,

don't let them run off and marry pinheads.

He's in a tough race.

I deserved it.

No, you took a bullet for me.

I'm the one who didn't want Doug to run.

I was just doing my job.

I know it looks

like I'm for Russell, but I want a vigorous primary.

I know that, sir.

If I speak out, it send all kinds of wrong signals.

I know. Take down these numbers.

Numbers on...?

Just take them down.

Six to 24 over six.

And this is...?

New Hampshire's dropout rate.

It fell from six lowest in the nation

to 24th in the last six years.

They're highest in the region now.

I haven't done enough-- Santos should say that.

People have to know why he's talking about education,

why he's in this, what he's running against.

I haven't done enough.

"It might as well be me."

See you when you visit Washington sometime?

Yes, sir. Sometime.

( dial tone )

The Democratic Leader says

your education plan's poison for New Hampshire.

We respect his views, and we look forward

to discussing them in person.

He says after Mayflower-gate,

he won't meet with Santos. Come on.

That's a "gate" already?

No way does that qualify as a "gate".

So you're not consulting the teachers' unions,

you're not identifying revenue streams...

Let me tell you what we are doing:

we're trying to solve maybe the most serious

long-term problem in this country,

and of course it's going to be controversial,

of course the status quo is going to go nutty-bananas,

but where are the other candidates' education plans?

Tell me who's got an alternative.

Tell me that.

( clears throat )

( sighs ): You want to talk about the schedule?

I wanted to talk about today's spending report.

You, uh, hired Joey Lucas

to do opposition research after I told you not to?

Congressman...

After I told you that we weren't going

to smear other Democrats.

Research isn't on them. It's on you.

I don't know you.

I-I don't know what you've said, what you've done.

I have to know.

And if a teacher smacked me with a ruler

in the third grade, that's going to help

you sell my education plan?

If I changed positions

on the Lindbergh baby, that's worth

having me investigated?

Your brother hasn't worked in five years.

You're supporting him.

And I need to know if you've ever tried

to put him on a government payroll.

I need to know if you've ever made any phone calls...

Leave him out of this.

How the hell did she get that?

Same way everyone else

is going to get it. Well, we'd better stop doing this

like everyone else.

We'd better stop it right now.

You don't get to run this as a test-case

on family privacy any more than you get to pick

which states are ready for big podium speeches.

I'm not trying to make this a test case.

Come on.

We're lucky if we have two months with this.

I'm going to waste it shaking hands.

Two months?

I gave up everything

for this-- you're not even in it to win?

Maybe we have a different definition of winning, Josh.

Maybe that's what we should've talked about in Houston.

What's that?

It's called a clean campaign.

I'm not hip to all this

campaign jargon. These are...?

Statements from the other campaigns, promising

education plans by next week.

No one was talking about it-- now they all are.

Hoynes challenged the whole field to debate education.

We're moving the debate, Josh.

Don't take that to the Litchfield Town Dump.

It'll still win more votes than your guy.

I deserved...

what you did to us at the Fickle Pickle.

I didn't do anything.

That was Doug.

I practically poured a bucket of paint

on his head when we got home.

We said all along that we wouldn't endorse anyone.

Really? Tons of our supporters are leaning toward Russell,

tons are leaning toward Hoynes.

And at least a few have to be leaning toward us.

Not really.

But your guy has one hell of an education plan.

My dad thinks so, too.

Only campaign that's saying much of anything.

Does this mean you and I are... No.

I still think you're a jerk.

What's this? A personal check.

You're donat... you're...

giving Matt Santos $2,000? Yeah.

Sorry, that's the federal limit.

Liz, this goes on a publicly disclosed donor list.

This is a Bartlet family contribution

to Santos for President.

Funny thing about the FEC:

they really like it when you report this stuff.

Don't give the environmental speech.

What do you mean? Don't give it.

Doug's for snowmobiles.

Maybe it's bad politics, but it's where he is.

That's the dumbest thing I ever heard.

Wh-What do we do with this?

Cash it, fast as we can,

see how many Matt Santos letter openers it'll buy.

( laughs )

SANTOS: Speech insert on teachers?

NED: More training and higher salaries,

greater accountability.

Good. Thanks.

( Santos sighs, clears throat)

Whoa, whoa.

Where is, uh, Hawks House?

This is it. This is Phil Hawks' house.

I thought it was a venue, a...

a speech, not another three-person

grip-and-grin.

Phil's one of the premier activists in...

( loud sigh )

What I said about...

putting your brother on the government payroll,

that was out of line.

You were just doing your job.

I don't know what you want my job to be.

Days now I've...

been trying to get my head around this rationale.

I used to tell candidates,

"Make it about the voters, not about you."

But the difference is, you are them.

Working poor background, kids in public school,

brother with a high school diploma he can barely read.

And what does that all amount to

besides a lousy stereotype? It's why you're in this,

it's why you're talking about education.

What's wrong with telling people that?

Especially in New Hampshire, where people think their vote

is the most personal thing they have to give?

Have you taken one moment to think about whether you even like

my education plan-- pop psychology aside-- whether it's actually

right for the country? I didn't have

to hear it to know it'd be right.

I do want to win, you know?

But I can't do it by being just another cardboard cutout,

even if it is smart tactics.

You can't run a national campaign on your own.

No one can. ( sighs )

New Hampshire's over with, isn't it?

You're not making it easy.

( chuckles ): Well, you know...

if we're gonna do this, I'm not gonna make it easy.

I'm gonna give the big speeches

and I'm gonna push every limit,

and that's the campaign you get to run.

And what if I can't make that work?

Well, then no one can.

Uh, when you get the rest of that research...

we'll go over it together.

( doorbell rings )

Hello.

SANTOS: Good evening. Hi. How are you?

Hello, sir. Thank you for inviting us.

Good evening.

Hi. Good evening.

This is more people than we expected. Yeah, some of

the neighbors came. JOSH: Because...?

Mostly 'cause they think he's nuts-- but...

they're curious, and that ain't nothing.

SANTOS: Good evening, folks.

No, that ain't nothing.

Well, as you all know, I'm Matt Santos,

that kamikaze candidate from Texas.

Well, I didn't leave my home and my family

so that I could stand around town dumps

telling you all what you want to hear.

I've faced some things in my life, my own family,

that make me believe that we need to rethink

our whole education system, and if that's something

that's going to make it harder for me as a candidate,

well, then I'll just have to take it.