Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing:

KATE: Something's gone wrong with the International

Space Station.

Rescue options?

Did David ever mention anything about

a non-civilian shuttle?

We have a decision to make.

Greg Brock just released a story

about a classified military space shuttle

that could be, but hasn't yet, been sent up to rescue

those astronauts.

You wanted to talk?

I have a proposition.

Hard to say no to the Vice Presidency.

You need to take the V.P. deal.

I'm sure there's things that I could learn

from you just as there are undoubtedly things

you could learn from me.

Mad at me?

Proud, I think.

LEO: You are gonna do this

for us, for the President,

for your party.

Matthew Santos has had a terrific

ride-- improbable, impressive,

and over.

MAN ( on TV ): First task was accomplished minus any melodrama.

Each of the three main candidates

turned in their official petitions for nominations

early this morning.

4,000 delegates swarming the convention center can expect

to be casting their votes between these three men

for the next few days

until a winner can be crowned

with the necessary...

WOMAN ( on TV ): News vans from all over

the United States began

setting up along Harbor Drive earlier this morning.

( overlapping voices )

LEO: Networks want the balloting

to happen in prime time. WILL: What are we

supposed to do all day, debate

the color of the confetti? JOSH: We do

issue segments that build up the party, no matter who's...

WILL: Wonder what issue Santos

to lead off with, health care maybe?

JOSH: Why don't we askthe 44 million Americans who don't have any...

The ones who made it the only issue

your guy polls higher...

We'll vote on the rules, platforms, recognize

the delegations. Be lucky to get it done by dinner.

What time is the President going to speak tomorrow night?

He's not.

WILL: Second-term presidents

always speak on the first night.

LEO: The President's

a unifying figure, we need the party

and the country to know

he supports our nominee,

and he can't do that until we have one.

Moving on.

Speaking order before the first ballot.

WILL: As the candidate with the most delegates,

the Vice President has earned the right...

Congressman Santos won almost all of the final primaries.

There are three viable candidates, and in the interest

of fairness...

Hoynes isn't in this thing.

We have almost 1,000 delegates.

JOSH: 956 isn't almost 1,000.

WILL: We have 1,677 delegates.

We won 25 states, which is why we must, "in the interest

of fairness," be allowed...

25 small states.

New York is small? Since when?

California, Texas, Florida,

Pennsylvania, Illinois.

All for Congressman Santos.

Enough! We'll flip a coin.

Well, there are three of us.

A coin only has two sides.

LEO: Draw straws, pick a number out of a hat.

I don't care.

Annabeth will be handling podium operations.

Please clear your speeches four hours before...

WILL: We have to clear our speeches?

She approves everything that goes on air

until we have a nominee.

What about our introductory videos-- you're gonna

censor those, too? No, because there aren't

gonna be any. ANNABETH: Networks hate them.

It's a free ad for your candidates.

And please limit those speeches to ten minutes.

Networks are threatening to cut us off

at the two hour mark,

and we've got to get into that second ballot

before they switch us to Seinfeld repeats.

Anything else?

Yeah, I'd like to talk about staff rooms.

Santos' is closer.

We have more delegates...

JOSH: You drew the low card, dude.

You lost fair and square.

The candidate with the most delegates ought

to have some sort of acknowledgment.

JOSH: How many ways do you think

he's gonna come up with

to work his delegate count into this?

Hey, hey, hey! Where are you on your

Vice Presidential vetting? Doing well.

We're almost there. I'm fine.

LEO: So, no dramatic, last-minute

announcements on the horizon?

All right.

We want a nominee by the end of tomorrow night, gentlemen.

We need the party united behind a single candidate.

No attacks from the floor or the podium.

No nasty squabbling on CNN.

This is the week when we pull this party together

and show we can lead

with integrity and maturity.

Okay, the speaking order.

Rock, paper, scissors, on three.

One, two,

three.

Hoynes is speaking last?

Paper covers rock.

You and Russell were both, you know, rocks.

Well, if it's going to be Baker for VP,

why hasn't Russell announced it?

Probably want to put more distance

between you turning him down and Baker accepting.

Till they announce Baker tomorrow?

Press conference off-site after the first ballot,

Baker and Russell holding hands.

JOSH: Hope it drums up enough Hoynes delegates

on the second ballot.

Will it?

At least I don't have to give a speech

in front of 25,000 people.

More like 25 million.

Got to figure in the television audience.

( loud mechanical whirring )

Wow.

Yeah.

I understand your frustration,

Mr. Secretary, but I've conveyed...

It's weird out there-- it's like we had a fire drill,

and everybody's still out on the lawn.

A convention-- fire drill without the fire.

Hutchinson upset? Livid, and Senator Weller's on his way

over here to discuss "the situation."

Weller's gonna want to hold hearings.

Well, he can't without tacitly acknowledging the thing exists.

Secret hearings then.

C.J.: Wouldn't stay secret for long.

Not around here, at least.

He's ready.

If you own knee pads, maybe an old hockey mask,

strap 'em on now.

...Astronauts with roughly three days

of oxygen remaining...

A national security leak

during the Democratic Convention?

Are we working for the Republicans now?

They're gonna whack us for the security leak,

then whack us again for dithering

over saving the lives of brave astronauts.

I've gotten calls from the French,

the Russians, the Chinese,

even the Lithuanians, irate,

demanding to know if we're weaponizing space.

Senator Weller is here.

Now I've got Weller in the lobby.

How much you want to bet he's going to demand

I appoint a special prosecutor?

Sir, as long as we continue

to deny its existence, it's just an unconfirmed story

in the New York Times.

Where's your friend Greg Brock?

Sir, I don't think it would be wise for you...

You better believe Weller is going to subpoena him,

and he's gonna ask him who his source was.

If we pull Brock's credentials, this will seem bigger

than an unfounded rumor, prematurely reported, that we...

It's a federal crime to divulge

classified information.

You think Weller's gonna pass up an opportunity

to put a high-ranking Democrat behind bars?

Greg Brock is gonna resist any attempt to compel him

to reveal his sources...

Damn it, C.J., I've got three men

up there trying to take very, very shallow breaths!

I want this leaker found by us.

What about somebody at NASA?

Kelwick maybe. No, sir, I can't imagine...

You don't have to imagine.

'Cause you're gonna find out-- you and Toby.

I want to know who it is in this administration

who thinks their opinion of how

I should handle this situation matters more than mine.

I want a name on this desk by Friday.

Thank you, Mr. President.

JOSH: All of Hoynes' delegates

are up for grabs on the second ballot.

Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia,

Louisiana.

We need another 563 delegates to put us over the top.

We gonna be able to hold onto our own delegates

on the second ballot?

Chris, I want floor whips with each delegation,

updates every 15 minutes--

who's wavering, who needs a carrot,

who needs a stick.

Nobody goes to the bathroom,

we don't know about it.

Andrew, Alex-- keep your people

with the Hoynes delegates.

Bram, how's Stanton, any progress?

Hoynes has been on the phone all night telling Georgia

to sit tight after the first ballot.

He's spinning a scenario where the convention deadlocks,

swings back to him as the voice of experience.

RONNA: We're getting a lot of requests

for a comment on this leak story.

The space station thing?

Congressional Republicans are trying to make some rain.

No comment. White House

can carry the rain water on that one.

NED: If Russell announces Baker as his VP,

how do we prevent a stampede to Russell on the second ballot?

By getting Hoynes to throw his support behind us.

Why would he do that?

Only thing Hoynes would hate more

than Matt Santos getting the nomination is Bob Russell

getting the nomination.

"Santos-- you hate him less."

Look, none of the talking heads thought

that we would get this far.

It ain't over till it's over.

That's it. Thank you very much.

Ronna, you get the delegate breakdown

for the Northeast? Yeah.

You're looking for stray Atkins delegates

ripe for the picking.

That is, if they're not too busy

stuffing canapés into their pockets.

Nice. Can I quote you

when we're trying to get 'em to vote for us?

They're only here to grunt and cheer

and stomp their feet at every cheap applause line.

They're completely out of step

with the voters we need in the fall.

Well, they're gonna pick our nominee.

Four years ago, two thirds of the delegates wanted

to cut defense spending.

Even Democratic voters don't want us to touch it.

Delegates were split on the death penalty.

Democrats favor it two to one.

You don't think

they're qualified to do the job?

The job as previously constituted was to clap

and wave noisemakers for five hours straight.

So, the delegates sole purpose is to pick our party's nominee?

Yeah, if you're leaving out the, uh, part

about the little foam hats

in the shape of the Hoover Dam, yes.

But we selected them with no regard

for their ability to perform that job?

Yeah. Did I mention that we have a hell

of a balloon drop planned for Thursday?

Thank you. I'll be back in an hour.

Wait. Convention's gonna start any minute.

Where are you going? To beg an old friend.

HOYNES: Hey, Josh, sorry to keep you waiting.

I got stuck on a call.

Nice to see you, sir.

Want some watered-down coffee or something?

I ordered breakfast,

but I didn't get a chance to eat anything.

No, thanks.

So, I heard your guy turned Russell down.

I would have loved to have been a fly on that wall.

( laughs )

Bet Bob had a heifer, huh?

I'm glad you did.

That kept me alive.

So, Russell's going to announce Baker

as his VP tonight, huh?

That's the rumor.

Guy's got a hell of a nerve, floating VPs

before he has the nomination.

Hubris.

Ask Odysseus how that worked out.

He offer it to you?

Why, are you here to make an offer?

No, sir, I'm not.

You know, Larry King's booker calls my delegates

ten times a day, asking who they're going to vote for.

And you know what they tell her?

That they're voting for you.

What do you want, sir?

What you got?

Bob Russell doesn't get the nod.

Spoiler?

Savior.

Save the party from ruin.

You think Matt Santos can beat Arnie Vinick?

I know Bob Russell can't.

But I can.

That's not going to happen, sir.

Couple of deadlocked ballots,

the party faithful are going to panic.

Your political life is over.

It was over the day you resigned the Vice Presidency.

I don't care what

they're saying to Larry King.

Your delegates are going to rush

to the nearest lifeboat after the first ballot.

Hey, don't sugarcoat it for me, Josh.

I can take it.

And there's not going to be a cabinet post

or an ambassadorship coming your way, either.

Your indiscretions saw to that.

But your years of governmental service,

your connections and experience

can be invaluable to the party and to the country.

As what, a lobbyist?

Party elder,

power broker.

It's a role I can guarantee you in a Santos administration,

and I doubt

that you can say the same about a Russell administration.

So Santos sent you here with nothing.

No, he doesn't know I'm here.

You've had a long and distinguished career, sir.

Wouldn't you like to see your name

just one more time in the history books

without the word "scandal" after it?

Yeah, I'm still here.

( sighs ): Is he in the hotel yet?

He was supposed to be here by now.

Yes, thanks.

Hey, Bill, how was the flight?

Great. You guys on your way over?

Baker here yet?

Will's talking to Hollofson now.

Yeah, sure.

I-I understand, but...

Right.

Call you back.

Baker wants to talk.

Again?

About what? Hollofson didn't say.

Said Governor Baker's been thinking.

Thinking?! The damn balloting starts in two hours!

I suspect he knows that, sir.

( sighs )

How long till I have to leave for the speech?

40 minutes.

All right, let's get Hamlet over here.

See what doth trouble his mind this time.

( knock at door )

How's your speech?

Short.

Well, people like pith.

Then they're gonna love it.

I went over the VP list again.

You should take another look.

Nothing on Russell and Baker?

Baker flew in this afternoon.

Yeah, they had it on CNN.

Looked like a Papal visit.

The fawning masses awaiting a humble blessing.

I went to see Hoynes.

You offer him anything?

No. I-I asked him

to throw his support to you.

He say no? No.

He said yes?

No. He's thinking about it.

( knock at door )

We need to leave for the Convention Center,

Congressman. Okay.

He's thinking about it, huh?

Yeah.

So, you coming?

Yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Mr. Secretary,

the great State of California

casts 440 votes for Congressman Matt Santos!

California Chair says they'll stick with us

through the second ballot.

What about Baker?

SECRETARY: Ms. Chairwoman,

I have 440 votes for Congressman...

They're nervous.

If the convention starts to move to Russell,

they don't want to be left behind.

CALIFORNIA CHAIRWOMAN: Yes, Mr. Secretary.

What? I didn't get that.

Tell Thurman they stick with us,

Matt Santos is going to make it his life's work

to bring the next generation

of fixed wing fighters to Long Beach.

You want me to promise him a defense contract?

I don't care if you promise him half the Pentagon budget,

just get him to stick with us through the third ballot!

Still nothing from Hoynes?

No. You want me to try him?

No.

COLORADO CHAIRWOMAN: The State of Colorado

casts 63 votes for our native son,

the pride of the Western Slope,

Colorado's own Vice President Bob Russell.

Get me Connecticut!

CHAIRMAN: I have 63 votes

for Vice President Robert Russell.

KATE: Any surprises?

Still on the first ballot.

Did you hear Russell's speech?

Yeah. It was pretty good.

Will still has a few teeth in his head.

I spoke to the AG.

He's sending over a team of agents in the morning.

FBI?

We have to interview

over 100 people.

You planning on doing it all by your lonesome?

They're going to start with NASA, DOD, some of my people.

I put together

a list of West Wing staff

who have code word or might have had access to the information.

We don't have to like it,

but the President was very clear.

They're going to need phone records, fax records,

email logs, notes, date books.

DNA swab? Polygraph?

It's a felony.

Someone's going to end up

spending ten years in a federal prison.

Russell announce Baker yet?

Not yet.

Russell-Baker-- it's not a bad ticket.

SECRETARY: Mr. Chairman,

I have 121 votes

for Vice President Robert Russell.

Is that correct?

Thank you.

Massachusetts?

How much longer?

Maybe 30 minutes.

Then what?

Then they start the second ballot,

and my hairline recedes about three inches.

DONNA: What are they doing in there?

WILL: No idea,

but I sure as hell hope they do it fast.

RUSSELL: I'm sorry, Eric, uh...

I thought we'd worked all of this out.

I've had a number of variables to weigh

over the last few days.

"Variables"?

You wouldn't believe

the calls I've been getting.

Suggestions, advice.

Suddenly, everyone has an opinion.

Want to hear my opinion?

Of course.

You and I will make

a hell of a team.

With my strength in the Midwest and West

and yours in the Northeast,

we're going to give Vinick and Sullivan a hell of a race.

That's not what the polls say.

Republicans always get

a bump from their convention.

The polling will come back to Earth

once the folks hear our message.

Let's put on our jackets

and go make an announcement that'll unite the party

and start us on the road to victory this fall, hmm?

That's a very attractive offer, Mr. Vice President.

It's very attractive.

Why don't we both sleep on it, see where we are in the morning?

WILL: What happened?

RUSSELL: He wants to sleep on it.

We'll be on the third or fourth ballot...

Yeah, and I think he's aiming to be on it.

The son of a bitch doesn't want to be VP.

He's going to try and get nominated from the floor.

It is 9:50 on the East coast.

Over an hour of just calling names?!

Democracy in action.

More like agriculture in action--

like watching grass grow.

Second ballot won't be.

When's that going to start?

Soon as we finish the first ballot.

We cut to regular programming,

come back after the local news--

you'll just be getting going.

You don't think you owe it to the American public...

These are public airwaves.

The public deserves to see...

It's called cable, and they can deserve it there.

Leo, we're getting reports from the floor.

Somebody's passing out hundreds of Baker placards.

Think you guys might want to stay on air

to hear Russell announce Baker as his Vice President?

They're "Draft Baker" signs.

They're going to try to put Baker

on the second ballot.

You want to cut to Law and Order now, Susan, be my guest.

Get me Pennsylvania!

What the hell is happening?

Baker's throwing his hat in the ring.

He can do that? He just did.

Where's Branigan?

His line's busy.

Keep trying.

RONNA: I have Clark on line six.

JOSH: Not now.

Someone get the Congressman a phone

and a list of delegates, please.

Pennsylvania swings to Baker, we lose what, 170 delegates?

178. Where in the name

of all that is holy is Pennsylvania?!

Branigan's line

is still busy.

Where you going?

To find the Pennsylvania chair and nail him to a Santos sign!

I'm not trying to be the savior of the Democratic Party.

Frankly, I don't think this is about the Democratic Party.

I think it's about the American citizens.

Santos loses Pennsylvania to Baker,

we probably lose Massachusetts,

Maryland, Rhode Island.

New York? Yeah,

maybe.

Santos lose Florida? No, not yet.

Hispanic delegates are going to want to stick by Santos

for at least another ballot.

That puts us down...

Believe me, I'm as surprised as everybody here.

It's quite flattering,

but frankly, I've always been a guy

who's served this party when asked, and if it's...

WILL: Sir.

...of the delegates that I should be

the presidential nominee...

Mr. Vice President, Baker's going to take

most of our delegates in the Northeast.

How many?

500, give or take.

Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington State.

The Hoynes people will be running for cover.

I need you on the phones now.

BAKER: All we need

is a united force,

and I think that's what I have to offer

as President of the United States.

ABBEY: Thought you were coming to bed.

The convention's still going on?

They haven't finished the second ballot yet.

What are they doing?

Eating their young.

Baker? Eric Baker.

When did he get into this?

About two hours ago.

It's a free-for-all.

I think Aaron Burr has got 20 votes.

Yeah, find me Leo McGarry, please.

Well, that's not going to happen.

No, absolutely not.

Baker is not going to do

what Matt Santos is going to do for New Jersey.

I have been to Illinois

ten times in the last two months.

Can Bob Russell say that?

Baker got Massachusetts!

JOSH: You can't promise that!

Ann. Ann. Ann, you are not going be left at the altar.

You're going to be wearing satin at the Elvis Chapel.

JOSH: Yes!

You won't regret it, Ann.

You won't regret it.

No, you won't, I promise.

We still have New Jersey!

New Mexico's okay for now.

SANTOS: Tennessee's leaning Baker,

but Russell's working them hard.

What about New York?

It's going Baker for sure. I can call Tandy.

Tandy isn't running it.

Ernie Gambelli is. Who's Gambelli?

He's with the teachers union.

Uh, North Carolina?

Somebody get me Pete Collins!

Mr. Secretary, New York casts 284 votes

for Governor Eric Baker.

With due respect sir,

John Hoynes is no longer in the race.

Bob Russell has always been

a friend to the mine workers.

Did you look at Eric Baker's record?

( all talking at once )

He absolutely supports retaliatory action

on foreign dumping.

RUSSELL: You don't know a damn thing

about what he'd do as President.

Tennessee? Maybe.

We got Mississippi.

Where are we?

Uh, we lost 536, picked up 285.

Santos lost 236, hasn't picked any up.

Baker got our 536.

178 from Santos.

Looks like he's going to get

another six or seven states from Hoynes.

So, we're still in first? Yeah, but not by much.

Hey, we're still breathing.

Leo McGarry wants to see us.

We're going to be deadlocked on the second ballot.

It's 3:00 A.M. on the East coast.

Networks want us to recess,

start the third ballot

tomorrow evening in prime time.

I think they're right.

We're not getting anywhere tonight.

Will we have a chance

to address the delegates tomorrow?

Some of us haven't done that yet.

Yes.

So, we're agreed then?

The President is flying out tomorrow,

hoping to address the convention

on Wednesday when we have our nominee.

And please, gentlemen, we need a nominee.

So, please, somebody talk to somebody

and figure this mess out

before the President gets here

and is forced to pick sides.

One night of this is entertaining.

Two nights, we look like idiots.

SECRETARY: ...363 votes.

Governor Eric Baker has

1,341 votes.

Vice President John Hoynes has 102 votes.

As 2,162 votes are required

to nominate, Mr. Chairman, we do not have a nominee.

They always come in twos,

like they just got off the ark.

They need two, so one can serve

as a witness for the other.

A witness?

Lying to an FBI agent's a federal crime.

To convict, you got to have a witness.

Special Agent Hansen. Kate Harper.

Toby Ziegler. This way please.

HUTCHINSON: NASA maintenance has been working around the clock,

but they're still at least two weeks away

from either of their civilian shuttles being ready to launch.

Commander Harper will be in as soon as she can.

Air Force Space Command can launch from Vandenberg

at 2100 hours tomorrow night.

They rendezvous with the station, make the repairs

and leave the astronauts there

until NASA can get a shuttle up to get them.

And what do we tell the press?

That they were able to make the repairs themselves.

And the Russian?

( door opens )

Uh, Marine One is waiting, sir.

Thank you.

When do I have to give the go?

If you don't launch tomorrow,

we can't get there in time.

DONNA: Where'd the Vice President go?

He went to the hotel to try and sleep.

What happened to your voice?

I think it was screaming at Dave Wilson

for about an hour.

Maybe it was yelling at Steve Kent.

Feel like I just rerecorded Rod Stewart's back catalogue.

Indiana? Yeah.

Michigan is wavering.

( grunts )

Told Roth we'd double

the State's Superfund clean-up sites,

stump like crazy for down-ticket races,

even hinted at a sub-cabinet appointment.

( sighs )

Baker's picking up momentum too fast.

I don't know if we can make it to the fourth ballot.

Maybe we should reapproach Josh about the VP spot.

Russell-Santos might be looking

pretty good about now.

Maybe Josh should approach us.

Santos-Russell's looking pretty good to me about now.

RONNA: Hey. I thought you were going

back to the hotel for a shower.

Uh, CNN called.

They want to set up a debate

with the Congressman, Russell and Baker

for this afternoon.

Live, on air.

Why would we do that?

Hey.

Hey.

We can't win without the teachers.

Pennsylvania's gone,

Baker's picking up steam down south.

Russell's got us boxed in out West.

We get the teachers,

we get New York, most of New England,

maybe even Ohio, too.

BRAM: Teachers unions hate us.

I got to get Gambelli.

Is that a clean shirt?

Gimme.

Start calling every one of our state delegations again.

They're probably still sleeping.

Well, wake them up. New Jersey first,

Ann Matlock was getting hinky.

And tell her what?

Tell her they stick with us,

this time next year there'll be a whole lot of people

at the Department of Interior humming "Thunder Road."

We're gonna start offering jobs

for delegate votes now?

What do you want? A handful of cranky delegates

on the Farm Service payroll,

or all of us doing primary research

on Delaware welfare reform?

Get dialing.

GAMBELLI: Teachers for Matt Santos? You kidding me?

Ernie. ! 11 percent of the delegates

are from teachers unions.

Yeah, look...

Teachers unions are to the Democratic Party

what Bibles and bunting are to the Republicans--

essential, non-negotiable.

Ernie, we've known each other

a long time. So what the hell makes you think

you can come in here

and ask for our help

when Matt Santos wants to end teacher tenure?

Our school system's in crisis.

We've got teachers

who aren't trained in the subjects they teach.

We've got teachers who are only showing up

to pick up a check. Raise salaries,

you can recruit better people.

I'm admitting their salaries can be better.

Santos wants higher salaries,

he wants more teacher training.

We're all for that.

With nothing in return?

You were using us as

a political punching bag.

Grab a few quick editorials

while you were trying to suck in enough oxygen

to make it through New Hampshire.

There is pressure for change, Ernie,

and not just from editorials.

We can work together.

We can raise pay and raise standards

at the same time,

and it'll stop something more drastic, more punitive...

Than ending teacher tenure?

Than doing it with nothing in return,

which'll be Vinick's tack when he whips Russell in the fall.

Santos can give Vinick a run for his money

in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois.

Bob Russell can't, Eric Baker can't.

Well, since we're talking about something in return,

you want a single one of our teacher delegates

to support Santos,

get him to drop this crazy assault on teacher tenure,

and get him to do it today.

TOBY: Thought you were

on Air Force One with the President.

Catching a flight this afternoon.

You finish his speech? Yeah.

Gave up trying to tailor it to a nominee.

One size fits all. Insert name here.

If they can find someone who isn't

"a bold fighter for America's families,"

I'll buy every delegate in the place a whiskey sour.

You need to start on a couple of POTUS speeches for Friday.

Space station?

NASA can't get the shuttle up in time for a rescue.

What about the Pentagon?

( knocking )

The FBI is ready for you in the Roosevelt Room.

I'll be right in.

You gonna take a lawyer?

I don't need a lawyer. You should take one.

Get one from counsel's office.

I'll be fine.

You said a couple of statements?

One if the President decides to save them,

one if he doesn't.

RONNA: You find Gambelli?

Yeah.

NED: Indiana and Michigan are going for Baker.

It's all over CNN.

RONNA: Is it over?

Josh.

You should take a look at this.

MATT: Thanks, Gil.

No, really.

I appreciate it, thanks.

Did you tell Ned

to offer New Jersey delegates federal jobs?

Did you hear the rumors about Baker's wife?

Do we know if these people

are even remotely qualified?

Do they even have high school diplomas?

We're not violating any laws.

Avoiding prosecution

isn't the standard that I was shooting for.

You think none of the young turks

working on our campaign staff

are doing it because they want jobs?

Think none of your donors

are gonna want a meeting on the lifting

of some trade embargo that'd make them millions of dollars?

What about Baker's wife?

The rumors, have you heard them?

The depression?

It's like the gay brother and the illegitimate child,

every politician gets these rumors.

They come with the orientation kit.

Not every politician gets

hospital admittance records to go with it.

Dotty Baker was admitted twice

for clinical depression.

Where'd you get this?

Came in over the fax.

Look, I don't think depression's anything to be ashamed of,

but there's a reason we make presidents

disclose the illegitimate kids--

And you want me to do the blackmailing?

You've been at 40 primaries.

You've been vetted by the public and the press,

maybe people ought to get a crack at Baker, too.

His wife isn't running for anything.

She gets to live in the building.

Be all kinds of classified information

sitting on her end table.

We're afraid that she's gonna sell them for some Zoloft

on the corner of 16th and D? You want this to come out

today or two days from now when he's our nominee?

I'm not doing it.

President Bartlet didn't reveal his MS

during the campaign,

another hidden illness plays right into the...

I am not doing it!

I went to see Ernie Gambelli.

Would you rather flip-flop on teacher tenure?

'Cause we are one nail in the coffin away from dead.

WILL: She's been on anti-depressants for seven years.

He never mentioned it

when we vetted him for VP. Was he supposed to mention

every Advil she took in the state house?

It's Bartlet's MS all over again.

We can't leak this.

It's clinging to 18th century stereotypes of mental illness.

Why not attack her for having consumption?

It's not the depression; it's his failure to disclose it.

Will, this isn't a quick hit

on some 15-year-old piece of telecom legislation.

It's a brutal character assault on a man's wife

for an eight-hour story that'll be over by tomorrow night.

We're not trying to be judge and jury--

we get it out there, let the delegates decide

how important it is.

Don't do this.

The Vice President will do it

if you tell him to.

Please.

Eight hours keeps us alive through another ballot.

REPORTER: So, after the third ballot,

the Democrats are still deadlocked.

How much impact do you think

today's revelations about Dorothy Baker's mental health

had on her husband's bid to capture the nomination?

REPORTER 2: It must have had some,

because six hours ago,

it seemed as if we were headed for a Baker coronation.

But this wasn't so much

about her mental health

as about his failure to disclose it.

Having avoided the rigorous vetting process

in the primary elections,

voters can't help but wonder: What else is Baker hiding?

Josh.

( firmer ): Josh.

When's the last time you slept in a bed?

Overnight ratings came in.

52 million last night.

Who knew if we set our hair on fire and jumped up and down

people would actually tune in to watch.

You done good, kid.

The President?

Yeah.

He's got to put a stop to this.

One more primary...

we would have had it.

Peaked a little late, I guess.

He's not going to do it just because I say so, Leo.

He's his own man.

And here I thought I found the last one.

It's incredible, isn't it?

You ever think you'd get this far?

Honestly?

No, I didn't.

You have to quit, Congressman.

We have to unite behind a candidate.

Four times as many people will be watching tonight

as watched Vinick at the Republican Convention.

We need these last days to put our message

before the American people.

You think either of them can beat Vinick in the fall?

Who knows?

But you step aside for the good of the party,

people won't forget.

The President and I won't let 'em.

Will I have a chance to address

the convention again?

Of course.

So, is he going to step aside?

LEO: I think so.

ABBEY: For Baker or Russell?

He's hard to read.

A sitting VP should've kicked ass in the primaries.

Vinick's going to mop up the floor with Russell in November.

VPs are famous but unknown.

He'll do better once he's outside my shadow.

Speaker forced you to nominate Russell

Baker's a strong candidate.

This thing with his wife will blow over.

Isn't it time you picked

the successor you want, Mr. President?

Should you really be leaving this up to Matt Santos?

Sure you don't want me to take a look at the speech?

I'm fine.

I'm pretty good at it...

Josh...

It's been a great ride.

What do you say we try it again sometime?

You just pick up the phone. I'll be there.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen,

from the great state of Texas...

( audience cheering) Congressman Matthew Santos!

CROWD ( chanting ): Santos! Santos! Santos!

( chanting continues )

Thank you.

Okay!

Thank you.

You know, I'd hoped to be standing here tonight

under very different circumstances,

and I have been asked

by people that I respect

to take this opportunity to support

one of the other fine candidates who have made

this race with me... CROWD: No!

...to help decide who our nominee will be...

but I can't do that. ( crowd cheering )

I can't do that because it's not my place

to decide who our nominee should be.

That decision is yours and yours alone.

( cheering )

You know, there's been a great deal made today

of Governor Baker's decision

not to disclose his wife's minor medical condition.

Many people believe that he should have,

but I don't believe Governor Baker failed

to disclose it because he was ashamed or embarrassed.

I think he didn't disclose it

because we're the hypocrites, not the Bakers.

Because we're all broken-- every single one of us--

and yet we pretend that we're not.

We all live

lives of imperfection, and yet we cling

to this fantasy that there's a perfect life

and that our leaders

should embody it, but if we expect our leaders to live

on some higher moral plane than the rest of us,

well, we're just asking to be deceived.

( crowd applauding and cheering )

Now, it's been suggested to me this week

that I should try to buy your support

with jobs and the promise of access.

It's been suggested to me

that party unity is more important

than your democratic rights as delegates.

( audience shouting )

That's right-- it's not,

and you have a decision to make.

Don't vote for us

because you think we're perfect.

Don't vote for us

because of what we might be able to do for you only.

Vote for the person who shares your ideals...

( audience cheering ) your hopes, your dreams.

Vote for the person who most embodies

what you believe we need to keep our nation strong and free.

And when you have done that,

you can go back to Seattle

and Boston, to Miami, to Omaha,

to Tulsa and Chicago

and Atlanta with your head held high,

and say, "I am a member of the Democratic Party."

( wild cheering and applause)

CROWD ( chanting ): Santos! Santos! Santos!

( chanting continues )

See if you can find Josh, huh?

This is a waste of time.

He's virtually anti-teacher.

Making me sit down with your guy isn't going

to change my mind... Who said you were sitting down

with my guy?

( knocking )

Mr. President.

You remember Ernie Gambelli

from the teachers union?

PRESIDENT: Please, come in.

How do you do, sir? Good. How you doing?

Mr. Secretary, New York casts 284 votes for Congressman

Matt Santos!

( cheering and applause )

Mr. Chairman, I have 284 votes for Congressman Matthew Santos.

Hey, what are you doing here?

You ought to be down on the floor,

celebrating with your guys.

We still got to line up a VP.

You ask Baker?

Yeah, he begged off.

Doesn't want to put his wife through it.

I'm guessing Russell isn't

on the short list.

That was a non-starter with the Congressman.

Want me to help you work up a list?

No. We've got it narrowed down to the guy we want.

I'm just not sure if he's going to accept.

You want the President

to pick up the phone, push your guy along?

I called the President.

He told me he'd kick the guy's ass

all over the schoolyard if it came to that.

So, who is it?

You.

SECRETARY: ...And Congressman Matthew Santos with 2,751 votes!

We now have a nominee!

You think Santos stands a chance

against Vinick in the fall?

He's going to get killed.

It wasn't Kelwick.

Who?

From NASA. He wasn't the leak.

Nobody over there was.

Too many of the technical details were off.

You didn't have to close the door to tell me that.

No. The FBI thinks it came from inside the West Wing.

They have a theory.

One you're not going to like.

ABBEY: You all right?

I'm okay today, really.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen,

the President of the United States!

( crowd cheering and whistling)

PRESIDENT: Thank you.

It's been an honor to serve you for the past eight years...

CROWD ( chanting ): Four more years! Four more years!

PRESIDENT: And now it gives me a great pleasure

to introduce to you, the leaders of our party,

and the next President and Vice President

of these United States, Matthew Vincente Santos

and Leo Thomas McGarry!

( cheering, whistling and applause )

Okay. Let's go win this thing.