All language subtitles for The.West.Wing.S02E09.WEBRip.x264-FGT

Previously on The West Wing:

Um, can I ask
you something?
Am I a hooker?

Which one of those kids
is Leo McGarry's daughter?
That would be me.

You told our boss' daughter
that you slept with a call girl?

She was putting herself
through law school

under circumstances
that were less than good.

Way to go, Laurie.

C.J.:
It took me

three hours to confirm
there was a picture.

You've got an itch
for Sam Seaborn.

I do not have an itch.
A little itch.

You're asking me out on a date.

There will be,
under no circumstances

sex for you
at the end of the evening.

There's a concern...
Don't ask C.J.

She doesn't know anything.

Excuse me. I need
to go look like an idiot.

President:
Galileo 5.

C.J.:
Yes, sir.

Galileo 5.
Just the name.

Yes, indeed.
You can feel
the adventure.

They are.
NASA's great
at naming things.

Mercury, Apollo, Atlantis

The Sea of Tranquillity,
The Ocean of Storms.

Good names.

The first time
I heard Galileo 5?

The way the imagination
immediately...

It reminded me of the way
folks in my generation felt

Okay.
when we heard
"Yellow Submarine."

We really did all want
to live in a yellow submarine.

It can't believe they gave
you people driver's licenses.

Tell me where
we're going again.

Mars briefing rehearsal.

To rehearse.
Why?

I said the name.
Say the name.

Say it again.

Your imagination,
like a child, will explode

with unrestrained
possibilities for adventure.

Galileo 5.

You didn't say it right.

I said it fine.
Say it again.

Who wrote this intro?

I did.

You're from NASA
Public Affairs?
Yeah.

You mind if I
give it a polish?
Is there a problem?

No, it's great.
You mind if I change it?

Just the same...
I'd prefer
if you didn't.

Public Affairs has
cleared the text.

If it's going to be
changed, I'd prefer if
the President changed it.

See, that's kind of what
he pays me to do, so...

Look, I don't want
to step on your toes.

You don't want to step on
mine. We're both writers.

Yes, I suppose,
if we broaden

the definition to
those who can spell.

Excuse me?

Good morning.

All:
Good morning, Mr. President.

This is the crew
from NASA Public Affairs.

How you doing?
Sir, we're going
to run you through

the drill for
tomorrow morning.

First of all, you'll be
flanked on either side

by the Flight Operations Manager
David Narakawa

and NASA Chief Administrator
Dr. Peter Jobson.

On either side of them
will be Dr. Samuel Thurman

of the Meteorite Analysis Team
from the Johnson Space Center

and Dr. Joyce Grey-Sutton

Planetary Geologist from
Cal State Northridge.

On these monitors

you'll be seeing the images
beamed back from the surface

and on this computer screen,
you'll be able to read

the questions being
sent in by the kids.

Yes.
I strongly urge you...

I strongly
urge you...
I know.

I strongly urge you,
Mr. President

to act as moderator,
and pass the questions off

to one of the experts
on the panel

rather than answer it yourself.

Yes.
Would you like to see
some of the questions?

We have questions in advance?

Some of them. Would
you put them up?

Katie, a sixth grader

at Green Oaks Junior High
School, Austin, Texas, asks

"How old is
the planet Mars?"

That's a great
question, Katie.

The planet Mars
is 4.6 billion years old.

What did I just say?
I knew that one.

Nobody likes a know-it-all.

Yes, God forbid

that while talking
to 60,000 public school students

the President
should appear smart.

That's fine.
Just don't show off.

I don't show off.

Stevie, fourth grader,
P.S. 31, Manhattan, asks

"What is the temperature
on Mars?"

Well, Stevie

if one of our expert
panelists were here

they would tell you
the average temperature

ranges from 15 degrees
to minus-140.

That happens to be wrong.

It ranges from 60 to minus-225.

I converted it
to Celsius in my head.

Thank you.

Can I see the intro?

It's up on the prompter.

Ah. "Good morning,
I'm speaking to you live

"from the West Wing
of the White House.

"Today, we have
a very unique opportunity

to take part, live, in an
extremely historic event whi..."

Whoa, boy...

How you doing, Mr. President?

Who wrote this intro?

I did, sir.

I'm Scott Tate
from NASA Public Affairs.

Scott, unique means

one of a kind.

Something can't
be very unique

nor can it be
extremely historic.

While we're at it,
do we have to use

the word "live" twice
in the first two sentences

like we just
cracked the technology?

Look...
We're also broadcasting
in living color, right?

Sam?

Yeah.

He's going to
make some changes.

You're going to
clear them with me?

Sam:
I doubt it.

Write this:

"Good morning. Eleven months
ago, a 1,200-pound spacecraft

"blasted off from
Cape Canaveral, Florida.

18 hours ago..."

Is it 18 hours ago?

We're on the air
at noon eastern.
Yeah.

"18 hours ago,
it landed on the planet Mars.

"You, me...

"and 60,000 of your fellow
students across the country

"along with astro-scientists
and engineers

"from the Jet Propulsion Lab
in Southern California

"NASA Houston, and right
here at the White House

"are going to be the first
to see what it sees

"and to chronicle
the extraordinary voyage

of an unmanned ship
called Galileo 5."

He said it right.

Josh:
I don't understand

how if it's noon in the East
and 9:00 Pacific

how it's 2:37 on Mars.

Toby:
Well, Mars is
a different time zone.

Yeah, it's the 37 minutes
I was...

Mars rotates on its own axis

once every 24 hours
and 37 minutes.

Ah.
Have you seen

this morning's
News Report?

Yes.
About the green beans?

I didn't see anything
about the green beans.

The Milwaukee Journal
is quoting an unnamed
White House source

as saying the President
doesn't like green beans.

That's a pretty slow news day
in Milwaukee.

Josh.

It's not going to be a thing.

You guys done?
Yeah.

Walk me out.

Leo, ask me how long
a Martian day is.

No, I don't
think I will.

Toby, do you know
how a stamp is chosen?
A stamp?

Yeah.
No.

You're going to learn.
Why?

The Postmaster
General needs
your help.

Why?

The Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee has...

There's a Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee?

Yes.

Made up of members of the

"There but for the Grace
of God Go I" Club.

You want to mock
people or you want
to let me talk to Toby?

I want to mock people.

The Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee

has recommended
to the Postmaster General

that Marcus Aquino
be put on the next issue.

You know who he is?
No.

He's a former Resident
Commissioner of Puerto Rico

and a Korean War hero.

What's the problem?

He advocated
statehood, right?

Strongly advocated it.

Give it to
somebody else.
No.

Please?

This is a public face thing

and the Postmaster General
wants your help.

Well, he can wait in
a line around the block

while two of my
20 teller windows are open.

Make a recommendation
by the end of the day.

Yeah.

What are you
smiling at?

Nothing, I just...

Toby got
the stamp assignment.

Leo, I might need
some help.

Take Josh.

Thanks. Congratulations.

You're choosing
the next stamp.

Wow, that happened fast.

687 days?
Yeah.

Hey, Carol.
Hey, Toby.

A Martian year
is 687 days.

Yes. Did you see this
morning's News Report?

I'm boning up my Mars.
C.J....

He thinks he's so smart
just because, you know,
he's so smart...

Did you see
this morning's...?

Of course I saw the News Report.
I highlighted your copy.

You didn't highlight
the green bean story.

No, I thought it was best

just to alert
Justice Department officials.

"An unnamed White
House source..."
I read the story.

I just didn't highlight it.

This won't be picked up?

Why not?
No.

It's absolutely not a story.

See me in three hours.

See me in
three hours.
It's not a story.

How many moons does Mars have?

Two-- Phobos and Deimos

the horses that
pulled his chariot.

Get out.

Three hours.

Yeah.
Carol?

She wants
information
on green beans.

You have work to do?
I'm picking a stamp.

Nobody likes people
who know everything.

So I've discovered in my life.

Get me information
on green beans.

Charlie:
Most of the afternoon's

blocked off for
budget meetings.

3:00 is HUD, 3:30 Health
and Human Services

4:00 Interior and
4:30 Agriculture.

Good afternoon,
Mr. President.

Yeah. What else?

5:00 is a reception
for the UAW

and then you've got phone calls
from 5:30 to 6:30.

Okay, but then,
let's bring the curtain down.

I got a great night planned.

I got two books on Mars
and a book on Galileo himself.

I'm going to go to
the residence and read.

Sir...
Mrs. Landingham?

Yes, sir?
Nothing after 6:30.

I'm going to go to the residence
and read about Mars

which, while colder and drier,
has four Earthlike seasons.

No, sir.

It does.

Oh, I'm sure
you're right

but I'm saying no,
you won't be reading tonight.

You're attending a concert
at the Kennedy Center.

Since when?
Mr. McGarry's office
put it on your schedule.

Get me Leo.

I was about to tell you.

Apparently,
it's important
that you go.

Yes, sir.
To a concert?

Did Buddy Holly come back?

It's the Reykjavik
Symphony Orchestra.

The Reykjavik
Symphony Orchestra?

Yes, sir.
Leo!

It's in Iceland.

I know where
Reykjavik is, Charlie.

I wish I was there right now.

Yes, Mr. President.

The Reykjavik
Symphony Orchestra?

I hear they're pretty good.

Why do I...?

Because you canceled
yesterday's meeting

with the Icelandic
Ambassador.

And I'm being punished.
No, sir.

Iceland is considering

defying the ban
on whale hunting

imposed by the
International
Whaling Commission.

They're in danger of
joining Norway and Japan.

There's a lucrative
international demand

for fresh Icelandic
mink whale meat.

Is this is joke?
No, sir.

Needless to say,
both the State Department

and the Fisheries' subdivision
of the Department of Agriculture

feel that
we shouldn't do anything

to offend Iceland right now.

Which we did by canceling
the meeting yesterday.

Apparently.

So to make up for it, I'm going
to see the Reykjavik Symphony.

Yes, sir.

With Ambassador, uh...

Vigdis Olafsdottir.

Okay.

He's very excited to meet you.

I'll give you
a thousand dollars

if you don't make me go.

Think of the whales.

Do they vote?

Mr. President.
Yeah?

Intelligence briefing.

Send them in.
This might be something.

Why?

There was an explosion

in a Russian
oil refinery.

Good afternoon,
Mr. President.
Hey, Jack.

Yes, sir.
Charlie?

Gentlemen, please.

There was an explosion?

Well, INTARTASS
is reporting

that there's a fire
burning in an oil
refinery in Kozelsk.

Yeah.
That's in
the Oblast region?

What's the problem, Jack?

There is no oil refinery
in Kozelsk.

Oh, man.

The closest oil refinery

is about 20
kilometers southeast.

It's not a refinery fire?

It's a missile silo.

There was an explosion
in a missile silo?

We can't confirm
that at this point

but the Russians
have 20 SS-19s
in the quadrant

and Keyhole has
pictures of a
column of smoke

emergency personnel
on the ground

but no burning structure

and certainly
no oil refinery.

If a missile exploded,
is it possible it was armed?

Was there a warhead?

We can put together a briefing
for you in an hour.

Half hour, Jack.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Aides:
Thank you, Mr. President.

Did they think we weren't
going to see it, Leo?

It's a Cold War mentality.

If they ask, we could help them.

I wouldn't wait for
the phone to ring.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Galileo Galilei...

He sat in a cathedral in Pisa.

He watched a lamp
suspended from the ceiling

as it oscillated back and forth.

He used his pulse
to keep time

and discovered that
the period of oscillation

was independent of
the size of the arc.

Then a few years later,
he contradicted the theory

that a heavier body falls faster
than a lighter one

which took some guts
back in 1609

when you consider that
the theory he was contradicting

was Aristotle's.

You want a broader theme
for the classroom?

Charlie?

I really do.

Have Sam and C.J. come tonight.

I'll be in my office.

Thanks.
Yes, sir.

He contradicted Aristotle,
Charlie.

He saw the rings on Saturn.

Yes, he did.

Did you need
something, sir?

Yes.

What's next?

Deputy Secretary Hallis
and the Trap Commission.

They're meeting
in the Map Room...

Donna:
The process by which a postage
stamp enters into circulation

begins with
the American public.

What?

Are you even
listening?
No.

Do you want to
do this or not?

I don't.
I did index cards.

How many?
87.

Reduce it to three.

Philately's fun, Josh.

I'm sorry. What's fun?

Philately--
stamp collecting.

Okay, be careful how you
say that word, 'cause...

Can we work?

Tell me what you know.

The process
by which a stamp

enters into
circulation

begins with the American public.

Well, that's always
our first mistake.

About 50,000 proposals
a year are submitted

to the Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee

the acronym for which is...

C-SAC.
Dork Squad.

The committee then
makes a recommendation

to the Postmaster General--
in this case, Marcus Aquino.

He won the Silver Star
for service in Korea.

There are numerous instances
listed here of lifesaving valor

and actions
well above and beyond the call.

As Puerto Rico's
Resident Commissioner

he served Congress
faithfully and well.

Let's put him on a stamp.

Let's put you on a stamp.

Okay.

Let's talk about the problem.

Toby...

Two hours and 20 minutes.

Yes. Let me say first that
you were right and I was wrong.

And the oddsmakers
take a beating.

Yes?
When I said before
that nobody would pick it up?

Yes.
Everybody's picked it up.

And when I said
that even if they did

Yes?
it wouldn't be
a big deal?

It's a bit of a deal.
You know where?

In Oregon?

In Oregon. You know why?

'Cause they're a major producer
of green beans?

They're a huge producer, Toby.

Green beans--

or snap beans--

represent
a significant percentage

of Oregon's annual revenue,
but here's the thing.

There's an electoral problem?
There's an
electoral problem.

We won Oregon
by less than 10,000 votes

and we're going to need them.

Yeah.

Good.
Okay, well, I'm on it now.

So, you know what?

So, it took me
two hours and 20 minutes longer

to figure it out
than it took you.

Doesn't make you
smarter than I am.

Of course not.

Thank you.

My SAT scores,
on the other hand...

I've got to go start spinning

the green bean problem.

Knock 'em dead.

Oh, C.J....
I had fine
SAT scores.

The President wants you
to go with him tonight
to the Kennedy Center.

Why?

He wants to
discuss a theme

for the closed-circuit
classroom tomorrow morning.

A theme?
Yeah.

We're landing a probe
on Mars.

Yeah.
That's the theme.

He wants to discuss
a broader theme

Who else?
and he wants Sam, too.

That's it.
Oh, Mallory's going.

You, Sam, Mallory,
the President

and an Icelandic
delegation.

Hang on.

What?

Why not?
I can't go.

Yeah?
There'll be
State Department
people there.

I just added
a new Deputy.

Most of the people
I interviewed
were from State.

The Kennedy Center's going
to be packed to the Potomac

with people
I just rejected.

So is the bar at
the Four Seasons.

Leo...
Be there. Tell Sam.

Yeah?
Carol?

Would you have someone
go to my apartment

and pick up my blue Armani

Yeah.
and a pair
of shoes?

Sam?
Yeah?

The President wants us to
go to the concert tonight

so we can discuss
broader themes for the
televised classroom.

Great.
Great?

It should be about
more than rocks
and average rainfall.

Oh, God, does it
rain on Mars?

No, but I'm saying...

The White House should
develop a broader theme.

That's right,
and I think it's incredible

the President's asked
the two of us.

It's a privilege,
and we should attack

with energy due the moment.

Mallory's going
to be there.

I can't go.

God, Sam, I would
think that faced
with the privilege

of attacking with
energy due the moment...

Screw the moment.
I can't go.

Well, I'm afraid,
as we used to say
in my hometown

that's just hard cheese.

That's a real
Algonquin Round Table
you grew up with, C.J.

Hey, that is, like,
the fourth time I've
been called dumb today.

I never called her
after the picture--

of me and Laurie
in the newspaper--

I never called her
and she never called me.

No.
You haven't spoken
since the picture?

What about the shooting?
You didn't see her
at the hospital?

No. I mean, I did, but... no.

She started seeing somebody.

Sam, did I tell you
not to get a crush
on the boss's daughter?

Yeah. Don't you have
a vegetable crisis to
fix or something?

Yes.

Okay.

The warhead didn't detonate.

The SS-19s
had just been downloaded.

But you're ready
to confirm...

An SS-19 Stiletto

intercontinental
ballistic missile

blew up in its silo, yes.

What do you think
happened?

Mr. President

every morning
at your intelligence briefing

seven days a week,
you're told about

the troubling state
of the Russian military.

I think
you just saw evidence of it.

You think somebody screwed up?

I think either somebody
screwed up or a computer did.

You want to know the truth?

I think
an early warning

ballistic missile system
and the troops who run it

mistakenly detected a bogey

from a flock
of Norwegian geese.

Where are we
with the Russian Ambassador?

Woman:
She's still
claiming

it's an oil refinery fire.

Leo, I want you to see her
as soon as she can get here.

Thank you,
everybody.

All:
Thank you, Mr. President.

Leo.

Yeah?
Mike.

Would you have
the President's

NASA advisor come over?

Yes, sir. Can I tell him why?

We lost the signal from Galileo.

Josh:
Yes, but we have
to remain neutral.

It's a stamp.

I understand that it's a stamp,
but I'm saying

that when it comes
to statehood for Puerto Rico

the United States
has to remain neutral.

Puerto Rico's in
the United States.

Once again,
thank you for that review

of fifth grade social studies

but I meant the Federal
Government must remain...

Puerto Rico's in the
Federal Government.

No, it's not.

They send a Resident
Commissioner to Congress.

Who can't vote,
but that's beside the point.

What is the point?

Aquino was strongly
in favor of statehood.

To put his face
on a stamp

would be promoting
his beliefs, which
we can't do.

Because we have
to remain neutral.

Yes.

Well, that's idiotic.

Oh, like it's
the first time.

He voiced an opinion,
so he can't be on a stamp?

( sighing ):
Donna...

Sides have
been taken:

Former Presidents,
the Speaker

the Minority Leader,
they all say

that statehood is in
the long-term interest
of Puerto Rico

and that as it stands
now, 3.8 million
American citizens

have been relegated
to second-class status.

That's... that's more
people than Mississippi.

Mississippi's never minded
being relegated

to second-class status.

Oh, you're going to make

your little bigoted
Mississippi jokes?

Yes, I am.

Isn't anyone worried

that if they're
not given statehood

they'll want
independence?

Exactly no one is worried
about that. You know why?

Because Puerto Rico
is absolutely dependent
on U.S. manufacturing

which contributes
40% to the GDP

and accounts for 24%
of their workforce.

I don't care. People don't
sit still for tyranny.

How is it tyranny?

Puerto Ricans
have to register

to be drafted
into the armed forces

yet they're not allowed
to vote for President.

They're expected to die
for a Commander in Chief

they had no voice
in electing?

Donna...

We have colonized them.
They will rise up against us.

I think we can take 'em.

That's what we said
about the British.

We took the British.

You know what I'm saying.

Hardly ever.

Josh.

What's going on?

The know it entered
the Martian atmosphere

at 3:01 p.m. Eastern,
which it was supposed to.

They know it was on course

traveling at a rate
of 15,400 miles per hour

which it was supposed to.

Somewhere during its descent

it was also supposed
to release two probes

each about the size
of a basketball

firing them
deep into the ground

as part of the mission's search

for evidence of water
under the surface.

We think if we hit
the ground hard enough

we can make it to the
center of the planet
and find water?

Yeah.

That's not a theory
of physics

pretty much disproved
by Wile E. Coyote?

The probes were supposed to send
a signal back to Earth

through the
Global Surveyor Orbiter.

And we haven't
gotten the signal.

The last the
flight controllers
heard from Galileo

was 11 minutes
before landing

when all systems
were operating normally.

Then it entered what they call
a communications blackout period

and hasn't been
heard from since.

I know how it feels.

They're trying
What are they trying?

the things they try.

I'll give it an hour
and then tell Leo

we've got to cancel
the classroom.

Donna:
Josh!

The stamp.
Yeah?

You were supposed to do this,
you know.

I delegated.

Yeah.

Donna:
I've got more
index cards.

C.J.?

I'm late.

Where are you going?

I have to go
to the Kennedy Center

and be with people
who don't like me.

You can do that
right here.

Sorry.
We're late.

You're going,
too?

The President
wants to discuss

broader themes
for the classroom.

I don't think there
will be a classroom.

The President's
holding out hope.

In the meantime,
Mallory's going to be there

with her boyfriend,
and it's going to be weird

because we haven't
spoken to one another
since the picture

which was wrong, I know,
but I'm not even sure

there was an implied
obligation to do that.

Please, let's remember,
it's not like we were dating.

It was a flirtation--
we had one date--

and the rest were all
with groups of people
and, I don't know

I don't even know
what dating is anymore.

Well, that's 20
seconds of my life

I'm never going
to get back.

Let's go.

Mr. McGarry will
be here in a moment.

Yes.

Are you sure I can't
get you anything?

No, thank you.

I'll be waiting
outside, then.

If you need anything

please don't hesitate
to shout my name

which is Margaret.

Yes.

The Russian
Ambassador's here.

Thanks.

I left her alone

'cause I think
I was freaking her out.

It wouldn't
surprise me.

Madame Ambassador.

Leo.

Thank you for coming.

You look handsome, Leo.

Thank you.

You look very nice yourself.

You get more handsome every year

and you're having your suits
handmade now.

Nadia, are you hitting on me?

I was sorry to hear
about your divorce.

You have a fire
in a missile silo.

It is an oil refinery.

These are
Keyhole Satellite photographs.

Would you point, please,
to the oil refinery
in these pictures?

I'm not in a position to comment
on matters of national security.

Okay, can you tell me

how an oil refinery explosion
would affect national security?

This is really a matter
to be taken up

with the Foreign Minister.

I'm taking it up

with the Russian
Ambassador to
the United States.

Is your country ready to deny

there was an explosion
at Sego Silo 14-D?

We know how to deal
with these kinds
of emergencies.

We have guys who train for it
all the time.

Ask us for help.

Do we know
what they're playing?

I'm sorry, sir?

The Reykjavik Symphony--

do we know
what they're playing

and for how long
they're playing it?

It says here "An Evening
of Modern Music."

Turn the car around.

The orchestra
features 90 pieces

including anvils
and castanets.

Turn the car around.

Modern music is cool.

Modern music sucks.

Anything written
after 1860 sucks.

"Samuel Barber,
Symphony Number 2."
Sucks.

"Stravinsky,
Variations on a Theme."
Sucks.

"Schoenberg, Enlightened Night
for String Orchestra."
Totally blows.

"After intermission,
they'll be performing

the world premiere
of a piece..."

Played on teapots
and gefilte fish...

...by a new Icelandic composer."

They told me he
got so nervous

when he heard you
were coming tonight

that he was rewriting the piece
until 6:00.

If he wants more time,
I'm happy to take a rain check.

I thought you liked
classical music.

I do, but this
is not classical music.

It is not classical music

if the guy finished writing it
this afternoon.

C.J.!

Yes, sir.

A broader theme.

Sam and I'll be talking
about it.

I don't get that
many opportunities
to talk to kids.

Sir, at some point, I'm going
to have to pull the plug

to give everyone
enough notice.

Yeah, but let's let
them work for a while.

Yes, sir.

Where's Sam?

He's inside,
hiding from Mallory.

Why is he hiding
from Mallory?

Do you really
want to know?

Not at all.

I didn't think so.

Man:
Hey, Sam.

Man 2:
How you doing, Sam?

Pretty good.

Man 3:
Hey, Sam.

Hi, Benny.

Hey, Sam.

How you doing?

I'm good.

Good.

And you?

Good.

Excellent.

Can I just say that I was
the one who was in trouble.

I was the one under siege.

It was my picture in the paper,
and I don't know why

I needed to call you
and explain myself.

It was a picture of you
and a call girl.

Like there aren't any pictures
of you and a call girl.

No, there aren't any pictures
of me and a call girl.

Well, that's a crime.

You know, if you'd
just picked up the phone...

Yeah, yeah.
Who's your boyfriend?

I don't think...
What's his name?

His name is Richard Andrewchuk.

There's a hockey
player named
Richard Andrewchuk.

Well, unless there
are two of them...

You're dating
Richard Andrewchuk?

Yes, and we're having
quite a lot of sex.

What does
that mean?
I'd think you'd
almost have to.

What do you and Richard
Andrewchuk talk about?

He happens to be
a terribly bright guy.

Well, good, because he's
a really bad hockey player.

He's had injury problems
this season.

From falling down.

Look, I came over here...

Excuse me.

( whispering )

Thank you.

Excuse me.

I took trombone lessons
when I was a kid.

Not much solo music
written for trombone

but I wanted to play
in the marching band.

The thing was,
my arms were too short

to reach seventh position.

One afternoon,
during a game

I gave it all I had,
and ended up

throwing the slide
into the end zone

which was more
than I could say
for our quarterback.

Would you excuse me
just one moment?

Galileo?

No sir, the oil refinery.

Yeah, what?

You're going to need
a briefing from
the Pentagon.

The explosion occurred
while liquid hydrogen
was being drained.

( sighing ):
Okay.

What about Galileo?

They're working on it.

Okay.

I'll get a
statement ready.

Yeah.

Someone was draining hydrogen?

Yeah.

Mr. President?
Yeah.

Your box is ready.

Thanks.

President:
Please...

Toby Ziegler.
Thanks.

You'll need to
take it outside.

Yeah.

Charlie:
C.J.?

C.J.:
They said modern music.

I thought, you know,
that meant Jackson Browne.

Jackson Browne
is modern?

He used to be.

Yeah.
Yeah, look...

Twice a year
the White House
kitchen staff

has writers come in
from the food magazines.

Yeah.
They were
in last week

Charlie...
and I mentioned
to one of them...

I said the
President doesn't
like green beans.

Why?
Because he doesn't.

How did you say it?

What do you mean?

What question did they ask?

Is there any food he
particularly likes
or dislikes?

I said the President
likes steaks, lobster,
spaghetti, ice cream.

And?
He doesn't like
green beans.

"Wiggle room"?
Did you leave
any wiggle room?

What the hell, C.J.--
he doesn't like
green beans.

We won Oregon by 10,000 votes.

I don't know how many green bean
farmers they have out there

but if there are 10,001,
then we're screwed.

This is a serious
thing now.
C.J....

I'm sorry
I mouthed off
to the reporter

No, I'm...
but you're out
of your mind.

Education's a serious thing.

Crime, jobs, national security.

In 18 months, I've been
to Oregon four times

and not a single person
I've met there has been stupid.

Everybody's stupid
in an election year, Charlie.

No, everybody
gets treated stupid

in an election
year, C.J.

All right, look,
just... from now on

there's no food the President
doesn't like, okay?

Yeah.
I have to take this outside.

Yeah.

C.J.( over phone ):
Can you hear me?

Where are you right now?

I'm out in back.
I'm on the terrace.

I passed Gary Saunders
on the way out. He booed me.

I swear to God, I passed by,
he went, "Boo!"

Toby:
Who's Gary Saunders?

He's the Deputy Spokesperson
at the Department of Energy.

You didn't hire him?

I promoted Simon Glazer.

I promoted from within, Toby.

Anyway, they're hypothesizing

that the thing came down
at an odd angle

and that its position might
be preventing the antennae

from establishing a downlink.

They say it'll take a few days

to try everything
they want to try.

Yeah.
Days?

Oh, God.

Look, if this is the worst thing
that happens...

No. Tad Whitney is coming over
to me.

You interviewed Tad?

Oh, God, he's got me
in his tractor beams.

He's walking right over.

Good-bye.

I'm not very good
at confrontation.

You have no problem with me.

This time of year

is the water in the Potomac
very, very cold?

Yeah, but if you rub chicken fat
all over yourself

Don't hang up.
it'll insulate.

If it seems like

I'm talking...
( hangs up )

Hey, C.J.

Yeah, okay.

Well, we're going
to put those figures

out at the morning
briefing and... yeah.

Yeah.

Thank you.

What was that about?

I... you know, I honestly
couldn't tell you.

I saw you come out.

Yeah, there's
some stuff going on.

I didn't get the gig, huh?

I gave it to Simon Glazer.

I heard.

I promoted from within.

Yeah.

Promoting from
within is very
big in my family.

Yeah, I'm surprised
'cause I'm pretty qualified.

In fact, there are a lot
of people at State

who thought I was a lock.

You're very qualified.

Yeah, and it wasn't
because I'm a man.

Well, no,
Simon Glazer's a man.

I suppose.

Hey.
And it wasn't because
I stopped seeing you?

Tad, it honestly was
a matter of Simon...

No, of course, it didn't
have anything to do with...

That was... six weeks,
five years ago.

Because I thought you might want
an explanation as to why I did.

Why you did what?

Why I stopped calling you.

I don't need an explanation.

Believe me,
it wasn't because

you were bad in bed
or anything like that.

No, I didn't think
it was, Tad.

I mentioned it
because I know

a lot of women
who worry about that.

I don't.

You're good in bed.

I'm great in bed.

How you doing?

C.J....

Tad, you know, I'm sorry
you didn't get the job

but there's really
no reason to...

You really are going
to stand here and tell me

I really am.
this isn't personal?

I think it is.

I think it's personal
and I think it's unprofessional

and I think people
are going to know about this

and I think
you've got a problem now.

I have a number
of problems today

and you're not close
to being any of them.

Well, I was hoping
we could be adult about this.

I have to go. You're
going to get a briefing

in about an hour.
On what?

A Russian missile silo.

Listen, um...

Yeah?

Playing along with this
for a moment...

Is there anything I should do

to improve my chances
next time around?

Well, when we run for reelection

I'd vote for somebody else.

Can you read the last part
back to me?

Josh ( over phone )
"The flight manager at JPL
will be working around the clock

until all hope is exhausted."
Okay.

I'll give it to Carol.

Yeah.

Is she there?

Yeah.
Mallory?

Yeah, she's here.
She snuck up on me from behind.

You'd think
women would make more noise

with those big high heels,
but they don't.

They've got this
stealth thing going

which I really ought
to be clever enough to...

( tapping )

What was that?
Nothing.

She's there, right?

Yeah.

How's she look?

She looks pretty good.

Can you describe
what she's wearing?

Yeah, 'cause she's standing
right in front of me now.

So you want to get
off the phone?

Yeah.
Okay.

You know what I think?

What?

I think you're caught
between wanting to be mad

and wanting good seats
for home games.

I get pretty good seats
as it is, Mallory.

I don't know if you've noticed
the motorcade I rode over in.

I spoke to my dad.

I'm sorry about Galileo.

They've got a lot of tests
they can still try.

How much money is it going
to cost to try them?

Don't start with me.

I'm asking
as a taxpayer.

It cost $165 million
to lose the thing.

How much more money
is it going to cost

to make sure you're
never going to find it?

I don't know, Mallory

but we certainly won't divert
any municipal tax dollars

which are always best spent
on new hockey arenas.

No, it's best spent
feeding and housing
and educating people.

There are a lot of hungry people
in the world, Mal

and none of them are hungry
'cause we went to the moon.

None of them are colder
and certainly none

of them are dumber
'cause we went to the moon.

And we went to the moon.

Yes.
Did we really have
to go to Mars?

'Cause it's next.
Why?

'Cause we came out of the cave

and we looked over the hill
and we saw fire

and we crossed the ocean

and we pioneered the West
and we took to the sky.

The history of Man is hung
on a time line of exploration

and this is what's next.

I know.

People like you who say that...
what?

I said I know.

We're supposed
to be explorers.

Then what the hell...?

I just like hearing
you talk about it.

You know
something...

You get all puffed up.

You're a pain
in the ass.
Yes.

Anyway... look,
about the picture...

Don't worry
about it tonight.

You're not pissed?

I'm totally pissed,
but I'm saying

don't worry
about it tonight.

Sam?

Yeah.

I appreciate that.
Thank you.

Yeah.

Hey, Mal.

Hey, C.J.

Let me see
what you've got.

This will be
for tonight's briefing

but it doesn't include
the notes from JPL.

Can I talk
to Jason Stark?

Yeah.

Aha!

What you got there?

Precedent?
Precedent, baby!

Precedent-- the
mother's milk of

you know, making your
point and being right.

Okay.
The Jewish War Veterans
lobbied to get a stamp

even though the criteria
prohibits people or groups

whose principal
undertakings
are religious.

Right, and what happened?

The JWV argued that their
principal achievements

have been fighting wars
for their country

just like Aquino.

Right, and what happened?

They were denied.

Yes.
Okay, that
doesn't help me.

No. Look...
Hang on!

The Luna Moth
has its own stamp.

What's a Luna Moth?

It's a moth,
and you don't see

the National Organization
of Entomologists freaking out.

No, but I'd pay good
money to see that.

Hang on, hang on.
Donna...

Aha!
Here we go.

The following groups
have been issued stamps:

Disabled Veterans of America,
United Confederate Veterans

( phone rings )
the American Legion
and the black soldiers

who served as
buffalo scouts
in the West.

Are you going
to get that?

I meant, in the 19th century

the black soldiers in the West.

I didn't think we still had
buffalo scouts. Josh Lyman.

The guy should be able
to be a on a stamp.
Okay.

What was that?

The President's back.

Any inspection team will have to
include neutral representatives.

Who do you want?
The Finns.

I'll take it to
the State Department

but they're not
going to want

to accept limits on
the inspection team.

No one enters our country
without our approval.

They'll agree
to notification,
but not approval.

And I'm going to insist on
notification and approval.

In addition,
results from the inspection

will remain in the country.

Nadia...
Leo, soil samples

carbon residue, photographs
and photographic negatives...

Listen...
all that must remain

under Russian control.

( door slams )

Your paranoia was a lot sexier

back when you guys
were Communists, Nadia.

Mr. President,
how good to see you.

From where do you get the nerve

to try and dictate terms
on this?

Are you insane?

Your missile regiment

is in a horrifying
state of disrepair.

Your best-trained operators
have left or died.

The ones you've got
aren't paid very much

when they're paid at all.

They don't have enough
to train with.

Your ICBMs are well beyond
their warranty life.

Not seven weeks ago, you mistook
a Norwegian weather rocket

for a submarine-launched
Trident missile

'cause the CrossTac information
never made it

to the Russian C&C System.

Leo, at the time
the SS-19 exploded

it was being drained
of its liquid hydrogen

in an attempt by deserting
soldiers to-- wait for it--

Steal the warhead?

steal the warhead.

When were you going
to tell us about that?

Do you realize
how dangerous that...?

Mr. President,
you shouldn't
be concerned

with the welfare of
the Russian people.

Well, I am concerned with the
welfare of the Russian people

but that's not
what they pay me for.

You guys fall asleep at the
switch in Minsk, and I've got

a whole hemisphere
hiding under the bed.

How do you not tell us
this is going on?

How do you not ask us for help?

We'll not need
help finding

the leaders of the black
market network that...

Yeah, thanks.

We're sending in
NATO inspectors.

The terms are
Leo and I were just
discussing the terms.

we're sending in NATO inspectors

or he's taking a walk
to the press room.

Get your Foreign Minister
on the phone.

I really don't know from where
you guys get the nerve.

From a long, hard winter,
Mr. President.

( murmuring in background )

This is still my office, right?

We have some press things
for discussion.

Nothing new from NASA?

They're testing
the idea

that it may have
turned into what's
called a "safe mode."

If it sensed trouble,
it's programmed

to turn its systems off
to avoid further damage

and wait for
instructions
from Earth.

Earth's giving it instructions.

It's not responding.

Like my kids. All right.

So that leaves us
with the televised classroom

the green beans...

The stamp.
...the stamp

and depending on
who those people were

that were standing near me

the possibility of a story
about me being good in bed.

Good in bed?

Yes.
Why?

Because I am.

Okay.

Green beans.

Let's do a photo-op
with the President...

eating green beans.

We can drop in a quote

he's always looking
for new green bean recipes.

Josh:
Next time we're
in California

we'll schedule
a pop in Oregon

to make sure
nothing burned down.

Yeah, okay. What
about the stamp?

Here's the thing:
The Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee...

The President
doesn't like green beans.

What?

I'm sorry, sir.
Nothing.

The Citizen's Stamp
Advisory Committee...

C.J.:
No, I'm sorry.

I said
you don't like green beans, sir.

Toby:
C.J....

He doesn't enjoy them.

He doesn't think
they're bad for you

and he doesn't think the people
who make them are evil.

They're simply not
his cup of tea.

He doesn't care for them.

Why don't we think
the adults of Oregon

will be okay with that
if put to them just that way?

And Josh, why do you think
that people, adult Americans

why do you think
they can't understand

that we can honor
a man's contribution

without necessarily subscribing
to his politics?

They can understand
a lot of things.

People stopped trusting
government during Vietnam

and it was because government
stopped trusting them.

It's a cautionary tale, Josh.

Okay, I-I was
going to say

I think we should
put him on the stamp.

Oh.

Okay, good.

Yeah.
All right,
everybody go away.

We'll call you back
when there's a NASA update.

Thank you.
Thank you,
Mr. President.

Thank you, sir.

What...?

Nothing, I just had...

C.J.?

Did you hear the
end of the concert?

I didn't hear much of the
concert at all. How was it?

Well, first of all,
let's not kid ourselves.

The Reykjavik Symphony can play.

These guys have
some serious game.

In this particular case

their talents were
tragically misapplied

to an atonal nightmare
of pretension

but after intermission...

After intermission?

( exhaling )

They played a piece
by a new composer.

At first I wasn't hearing--

I had 19 different things
on my mind--

but then I did, and C.J.,
it was magnificent.

It was genius.

He built these themes,
and at the beginning

it was just
an intellectual exercise

which is fun enough, I guess

but then in the fourth movement,
he just let it go.

I really didn't think I could
be surprised by music anymore.

I-I thought
about all the times

this guy must've heard
that his music was no good.

I've got to write
this guy a letter.

Mr. President,
about that televised
classroom tomorrow...

I'm going to wait up for a while
and see if we hear anything.

It's out there somewhere.

It's so close.

I think you should do
the classroom either way.

Yeah?

We have at our disposal

a captive audience
of school children.

Some of them don't go
to the blackboard

or raise their hand

'cause they think
they're going to be wrong.

I think you should
say to these kids

"You think you get
it wrong sometimes

"you should come down here

and see how the
big boys do it."

I think you should tell them
you haven't given up hope

and that it may turn up,
but in the meantime

you want NASA to put
its best people in a room

and you want them
to start building Galileo 6.

Some of them will laugh
and most of them won't care

but for some,
they might honestly see

that's about going
to the blackboard

and raising your hand.

And that's the broader theme.

I'll say.

I'll be in my office,
Mr. President.

C.J....

Yes, sir.

You said it right that time.

I'll be in my office.

Talk to us.