All language subtitles for The West Wing (1999) - S07E02 - The Mommy Problem (1080p AMZN WEB-DL x265 ImE)_track3_[eng]

Previously, on The West Wing...

Okay, let's go win this thing.

BABISH:
So, why does Greg Brock
of The New York Times appear

on your call log an average
of five times a week

in the six months before
he published his leak story?

You think the leak came from me?

You need to stop

the internal investigation
of the security leak.

Excuse me?
The evidence thus far

suggests that the leak came
from inside the White House.

TOBY:
We're getting some movement
from Congress on education.

That's right out
of the Santos plan.

Probably doesn't have the votes
for it.

He definitely doesn't have
the votes.

But if he's expressing
an interest...

He's expressing an interest

because the Vinick camp
told him to.

Could be.
LEO:
Haffley's playing you.

No, actually,
he's screwing you and,

for the moment,
we are comfortable with that.

MARGARET:
You wanted the message plan
for Monday's bill signing.

Scheduling and Advance
is thinking little flags.

Little flags?!
American ones.

So, we've stopped using the
skull and crossbones, then.

They want to line the
President's signing table

with a great big row of...

Little flags.
Yes.

And the message is?
This is America.

Not to be unpatriotic,

but they do realize
this is a fisheries bill?

You'd like them
to come up with...

A sign, a slogan,
something

a little more specific
than a great big row of...

Little flags.
Thank you.

TV REPORTER:
NASA's claims don't square

with reports by Times
correspondent Greg Brock...

Little fish.

...that there's a secret
military shuttle,

that that's the only way

to have repaired the space
station's laboratory module.

But with Brock refusing
to answer grand jury questions

on his source for the top...

NASA just announced

that the astronauts
fixed the space shuttle

all by themselves.

Anybody buying it?

Not so much.

Well, we've got
a Congressional committee

investigating a national
security leak

out of this building;

Washington's devolving
into another gavel-splitting,

nose-thumbing standstill;
not to mention the fact

that a fisheries bill could be
the better part

of my legacy as White
House Chief of Staff.

What's this?

Uh, the President
and White House Counsel want

to put out a statement.

We worked out the language
while I was in the car.

"Respect for the paw"?

Law.
"Respect for the law."

It looks like
"respect for the paw."

You try writing longhand
at 50 miles an hour.

You think this is a good idea?
I think

the President and White House
Counsel want it out.

You don't think

Vinick'll stomp all over this,
not to mention Santos?

I think the President and White
House Counsel want it out.

( crowd cheering )

Now, if you don't think
I have a personal stake

in my economic plan--

if you don't think
it's personal for me--

hey, if the country
doesn't like it,

I'll be the first one
unemployed.

( Santos laughs,
applause and cheering )

We can't hang on to the jobs
of the past,

none of us can.

The entire store
of human knowledge now doubles

every five years.

A child that is born tonight
could live

to see the 22nd century.

If we nourish innovation,

if we tear down red tape
and regulation,

that child could lead
a brand-new industry,

can cure a dreaded disease,

can touch a far horizon

that we can't even glimpse yet.

So if it's personal for you,

if you want your child
to grow up

in a world fueled

by new prosperity
and path-breaking discovery,

then I need your vote!

'Cause you ain't
seen nothin' yet!

( applause and cheering )

( applause )

Start your speech
by five past noon,

and the Portland affiliates
will carry it live,

right after
their top stories.

Well, let's
start it by noon.

And Secret Service
would prefer it

if you didn't wade
into the crowd.

Well, you should tell
the Secret Service:

put 40 electoral votes
on the table,

I'll do whatever they want.

How you doing, there?

Thank you so much for coming.

Go, Portland!

Hi, how are you?
Good to see you.

Thanks so much for coming.
Hello, hello.

* I've been down before *

* Riding along
on this big old jet plane *

* I've been thinking
about my home *

( laughter )

Popular Mechanics, 1949.

I'm not making this up;
they predicted it.

In the future,

computers will weigh no more
than one and a half tons.

( laughter )

* Somebody's trying
to make me stay *

So, if you think my plan

for high-tech jobs
is a little light, then...

* Whoa, big old jet airliner

* Don't carry me too far away *

* Oh, oh, oh,
big old jet airliner *

* 'Cause it's here
that I've got to stay *

* Good-bye to all my friends
at home *

* Good-bye to people
I've trusted *

* I've got to go out
and make my way *

* I might get rich, you know,
I might get busted *

* But my heart keeps
calling me backwards *

* As I get on the 707

* Friday night,
I got tears in my eyes *

* You know you got
to go through hell *

* Before you get to heaven

* Big old jet airliner

* Don't carry me too far away *

* Whoa, big old jet airliner

* 'Cause it's here
that I've got to stay *

* Oh, oh, oh,
big old jet airliner *

Anybody got any questions?

* Carry me to my home...

( applause )

Hey, you here
all night again?

I thought you left
at 10:30.

JOSH:
I came back when I
saw the cable coverage

of yesterday's
West Coast swing.

Our economic message
is working,

so I'm revamping
the message plan.

We would've stayed
and helped.

Uh, tell Field, no
way am I spending
that much on Delaware.

Tell speechwriting to
try a version of this

that actually wins votes.

And, uh, tell Advance

I'm canceling the, uh,

foreign policy
reporter's meeting

and adding a town hall
on high-tech jobs

when he gets to Tampa.

What are those boxes?

JOSH:
People think campaigns are
about two competing answers

to the same question.

They're not.

They're a fight
over the question itself.

Now, Vinick is
opening up a big lead

on security issues--
that's box number one.

EDIE:
Okay, so we need to do
more military...

No! Because if the race
is about that, we lose.

But we're way ahead on
most domestic issues.

This new economic message
could be our ticket.

We keep the conversation in box
number two, we win this thing.

What's in box number three?

Trivia, ephemera,

stuff we can't control.

From today on, every speech,

every public event--
box number two.

Did you do this stuff
on Bartlet's campaigns?

JOSH:
Toby Ziegler.
Few more nights

like this, we could go
hairline for hairline.

CNN says the White House
is about

to make a big announcement about
the national security leak.

That can't be. They're trying
to damp that story down.

Tell it to CNN.

ANCHORMAN ( on TV ):
The termination

of the White House...

Operator, get me
Toby Ziegler, now.

REPORTER ( on TV ):
Attorney General Alan Fisk...

Yeah.

JOSH:
Whatever you're announcing,

tell me you're gonna damp down
this leak story and not...

We're stopping
our internal investigation

to cooperate with Congress
and the grand jury.

It'll look like Democrats

don't care if there are felons
in the sit room.

Santos is gonna get tarred
with this!

...a statement saying
the White House will halt

its own efforts
to find the leaker...

Bad news for Matt Santos,

who just got the spotlight off
Leo McGarry's health problems...

OTTO:
So, a national
security leak--

is that in box
number three?

ANCHORMAN:
...would rather talk
about the economy

than serious lapses
in national security.

Santos has been trailing
his opponent, Republican...

No talking to the press
till we hear what Vinick says.

He should have somebody
on the road with him.

Bram's on the road
with him.

A senior advisor
to handle things like this.

I'm flying out
this afternoon.

What about Edie?

I got a half a dozen
Democratic media consultants

coming in an hour.

I'm flying out
this afternoon.

REPORTER ( on TV ):
Senator!

Josh?

Senator, the President's
shutting his investigation

of the security leak!

Do you think there's a sound
legal basis for this?

If that were my White House,
I'd seal the doors and windows

until we found that leaker,

and then I'd throw him
in Federal prison.

( reporters clamoring )

Vinick's public schedule.

I need his schedule for the day.

Josh.

Is that the Congressman?

SANTOS:
Well, what are they smoking
in that White House

of yours, Josh?

First they bogart
my education plan

for some low-tar
Congressional compromise,

and then they serve
up a big fat pitch

for switch-hitter Vinick.

JOSH:
It's a legal strategy.

We got to avoid commenting,

or it'll swamp
our economic message.

SANTOS:
I have to make a statement
to get past this.

It's all the press is gonna want
to talk about.

Any comment on this drags us
into a bad story,

miles off our economic message.

Well, you know
I'm having lunch

with two dozen foreign
policy reporters today.

EDIE:
Josh canceled that
about an hour ago.

For what?

JOSH:
For a, uh,

town hall on high-tech jobs,

and I'm making it
a reverse town hall.

You ask people
their personal stories.

No one gets to ask you
unscripted questions.

He can handle
tough questions.

You should see
him out here.

He's on fire!

All this attention
on the leak story--

it's magnifying the
inevitable Mommy Problem.

RONNA:
Mommy Problem?

JOSH:
When voters want
a national daddy, someone to be

tough and strong
and defend the country,

they vote Republican.

When they want a mommy
to give them jobs, healthcare,

the policy equivalent
of matzoh ball soup,

they vote Democratic.

JOEY:
On domestic issues,
we're three points up.

We're better than Vinick
on military issues.

Plus, the Congressman
was a Marine pilot,

flying carriers in the Gulf.

Vinick never even served.

JOSH:
Democrats don't beat Republicans

on security issues.

I know it's phony,
I know it's frustrating,

but we have to stay in the box
that we can win.

JOEY:
That's why Vinick
attacked Bartlet.

To force us back on security.

So we avoid the press
and leave them no choice

but to cover
our economic message?

That's right.

One sentence, and he boxes me
into a corner,

doesn't even mention my name.

BRAM:
Look, we got to get to this
Jacksonville crowd event.

We'll see you guys in Tampa.

Thank you.
Thank you, sir.

ANCHORMAN:
And having made
the essential repairs

to the space station's
laboratory module,

NASA now expects the astronauts
to return home

within the next four
to five days.

MARGARET:
It's Josh, again.

I told him to call Toby.

He insisted
on talking to you.

Find Toby, will you?

...dangerous rate, will be flown
to Cape Canaveral to witness...

Joshua, for the love
of my sanity,

please talk to Toby.

He's my liaison
to the campaign...

How could you let
the President do this,

when I finally find a message
that works?

It was a legal decision.

And you work
in the most politicized

square footage in the country.

You turned this over
to the Republicans,

who are gonna kill me
with a thousand paper cuts,

leak every incriminating detail
when it pleases them,

and I never get back
to my issues,

the things I win on.

The President wants
a fair investigation.

He wants politics
out of this.

Then call
for a special prosecutor!

You're shutting down
your investigation,

go all the way!

Take it out
of the political arena for good!

And while you're at it,
find me a campaign liaison

who's not out to screw me
with my pants on!

A run-amok
special prosecutor,

rifling through
every can of trash

from the past seven years?

Oh, I'm glad we have
this chance to chat.

The last one
was so gratifying.

I am begging you,
get the politics out of this.

You're the one
putting politics in it!

You try
to deal away my education plan,

you don't give me a heads up

on the political tsunami
of the week.

Right now, I am the only thing

between Matt Santos
and the megaphone through which

he is going to trash
his own party's White House.

Skip the Kentucky leg.

We'll hit it
through Cincinnati media.

Move this photo above the fold

and every time
we talk about gun control,

we have to say we respect the
rights of hunters and sportsmen.

Hunters and sportsmen,
right up front.

NED:
The New York Post
wants to know

if we canceled
the foreign policy lunch

to keep Santos away
from the leak story.

Tell him no,
not everything's a conspiracy.

But you changed
the town hall

to a reverse town
hall because...

Certain things
are conspiracies.

I need sexier economic policy
for the reverse town hall.

Sexier?

The press wants to write
about the security leak.

We want them to write
about the economy.

Let's show a little leg.

And by leg,
you mean...?

Targeted tax credits,
preferably indexed to inflation.

When was the last time
you went on a date?

I don't want to talk about it.

The Democratic media
consultants are waiting.

Okay, um, I'm running
a national campaign here.

By yourself?

Joey, 12 days ago, we thought
we were going on unemployment.

We barely got
the nomination.

We spent the last four days
arguing with the press

over Leo's
cholesterol level.

I delegate plenty.

Name one thing
you've delegated.

I would never have
chosen this paint color.

You have to hire
some heavyweights.

Bruno Gianelli.

There goes half our budget,

on Italian loafers
and mini-bar tabs.

You don't have
a political director,

you don't have
a chief speech writer,

you don't even have
a communications director.

There's that huge empty
office next to yours.

YOUNG MAN:
Hi, I'm Bill.

They told me
to show up after 10:00.

Absolutely.
Welcome.

You can follow me.

There must be 300 people
on staff now.

Surely a few of them
are capable of...

Look.
These are kids.

Not a single one
of these non-shavers

would challenge
my assumptions,

stand up to me
in a meeting...

We thought we'd try it
with the Houston crime stats.

Just do it the way
I asked, okay?

I mean,
this isn't summer camp.

We're not making
tie racks out of plywood.

Not everyone has the savvy
to play the big game.

This is your desk.

Sit with payroll
and personnel.

Diane
will give you

some business cards, the policy
working group starts at 3:00.

And that's when I install
the new phone lines?

Front desk,
around the corner.

Thanks for the business cards.

You bet.

We're about
to sit down

with the top media
consultants in the party.

If you're not leaning
on your own staff,

at least lean on them.

This is a fake meeting.

These guys just want a slice
of the DNC media budget.

We bring them in,
slide 'em a contract,

so they won't snipe at us
on Meet the Press.

Here's a list
of attendees.

What's she doing on there?

You said be sure to invite
Louise Thornton.

I had to talk her
into coming.

I said be sure not
to invite her.

Oh.

Thank you all for coming to this
high-level strategy meeting.

This is probably the greatest
assemblage of Democratic talent

since the last time
Jed Bartlet dined alone.

( Joey laughs )

Uh, as you can see
from your handouts,

we're positioning
Santos very strongly

on domestic issues,

especially
the economy.

With a little
discipline,

we can ride out
today's press storm.

I want your input on
our message and strategy.

Your pals
in the White House

are creating the storm.

They're bungling
this leak investigation.

My Senate clients
are nervous.

Mine, too.
Very nervous.

Obviously, the President's
got his legal strategy,

while the, um,
uh, politics...

Why aren't you repackaging
Santos as a moderate?

No wonder half
the Democrats

in Congress
don't want to share

a stage with him.
You got
to repackage him.

Make him
a moderate.

We think when the voters see
his record on deficit reduction,

and middle-class tax cuts...
And I don't see why

Santos isn't
sticking it to Vinick,

knifing him
with strong contrasts.

He should knife him.
With strong contrasts.

We didn't have a full convention
to define ourselves.

We're trying to
run a positive...

campaign, especially while

the voters are... are
learning about us now.

If you will look
at the handout...

You don't really want
our input on message.

Everybody's here for a piece
of the DNC media budget.

So get to the point please.

It goes without saying
that you will each be part

of the DNC media buy,
as you can see on page two.

We've got a strong story
for the voters.

We're excited about
the media buy.

What if I did want

your advice on
the message?

That would be hard to give.

And why's that?

Because you don't have one.

What she means is
that we can test

some dynamic
new spots...

Yeah, ramp up
the positives;
that'd really

fill in the picture.
I'm not talking about
ten-point plans

or Leo McGarry's
love of egg whites.

I'm talking about
the iconic, the symbolic,

something you can put
on a bumper sticker

that tells people
who Matt Santos is.

'Cause eight days after
the nominating convention,

I still don't have a clue.

Where are you going?

I don't want a DNC contract.

I just came by to see
if this was

the Josh Lyman vanity exercise
everyone says it is.

Besides, if I take your money,

how can I snipe at you
on Meet The Press?

Obviously, she doesn't
speak for all of us...

( all talking at once )

You and I haven't always
been on the same side.

You mean those
four times

I beat your hand-picked
primary candidates?

It was three times.

I was counting
the two-to-one victory twice,

but okay...
You're right.

I don't have
this iconic symbolic thing.

I'm not a communications
director.

My strong suit
isn't...

Isn't connecting with
the electorate, I know.

Reducing human complexity
to a box of soap flakes, no.

All I know about Santos
is what the country knows.

He's smart and he's cute.

That is hardly the stuff
of global leadership.

Well, it's better
than fat and dumb.

That's such a good bumper
sticker-- you don't need me.

Yes, I think
what you do is superficial,

but I know it's important,

or I wouldn't be asking you,
of all people, for help.

'Cause I'm not
a cultist like you?

Because we have different
approaches to campaigns.

Right. I win them.

I'm trying to be friends.

You saw Vinick
on TV this morning.

Clearly,
it wasn't about content,

but he was tough
and he was authentic.

He was Neil Young
to your Neil Diamond.

I like Neil Diamond.
I'm sure you do.

We can't have a fight
about a security leak.

We'll get killed.

I'm trying to change
the conversation

back to the economy.
How 'bout moving
the conversation

to the fact that while Santos
was serving in the Gulf,

Vinick was serving himself
Chardonnay.

That Santos is still
serving in the Reserves
as a Congressman!

He's been in the Senate
for, like, 90 years.

He was practically born
in a committee hearing.

If you're not using
the phrase "Beltway Arnie"

in every press release...

We're not going negative.
Not now, not first.

Oh, really? You don't think

you're running
a negative campaign?

Why are you always talking
about high-tech jobs?

Because Vinick
uses a manual typewriter

and his future's
a set of plastic gums.

You're doing political smear
like the rest of us.

All I'm saying
is do it right.

We're getting
lots of press calls

on this security
leak business.

How many press calls?

113.
We're not commenting.

Plus, New York Post still thinks
today's lunch was canceled

'cause we're hiding
from the leak story.

It's not
connected to...

Tell them we cancel
lunches all the time.

We're fast and nimble and
move like the night, okay?

Hey, don't mind me,
you and Elmer Fudd Jr.

just keep changing
the conversation.

Hang on.

Manifest Lou for
the Florida-California trip.

Ten minutes ago you didn't
even want her in the...

Some of her ideas
are a little nutty,

she doesn't always
play well with others,

but she's got an IQ of 200,

she knows this image stuff
backwards and sideways,

and it's better
than having her on the outside

lobbing mortars
under my lap.

Okay, see if she wants
the vegetarian option.

She'll have
the raw meat.

I want you to come to California
and Florida with me.

You can pick up a bag
on the way to Dulles.

If the Congressman signs off,

I'm hiring you as Director
of Communications,

answering
directly to me.
I don't think so.

I'm talking about the future
of civilization here.

Yes, I don't have any desire

to play tambourine
in your one-man band.

I am asking you

to meet with the next
President of the United States.

State's about
to brief POTUS and VPOTUS

on the Norwegian working dinner.

Can you make sure
the NSC's in the Oval?

State's trying to do an end run.

The President's
ready, Ms. Cregg.

Thank you.

Plus, Brock still
wants a few minutes.

Tell him no.
In Norwegian if you have to.

That would be no-sk.

What is it?

Counsel's Office
says the first round

of Congressional subpoenas
are coming

and they always start
with junior staff.
Okay.

Obviously, the focus is on
the Chief of Staff's Office.

On... on our office.

If there's anything

you want me to...

I want you to tell the truth.

Josh, you have a comment about
this Bartlet situation?

I've got brand-new policy,
also known as hard news.

Don't all thank me at once.

The Congressman's
really not taking

questions
at the town hall?

He's proposing
a major new tax credit

for research
and experimentation.

It rewards innovation
in the economy.

When are you making him
available for questions?

After you write
about the tax credit.

Congressional Republicans
are saying Democrats

can't be trusted
with our national security.

REPORTER:
Santos has to be furious
at the President

for dumping
this on his head.

How does
Leo McGarry feel?
He's upset we're not doing more

to reward innovation
in the economy.

Do you have a comment
on the New York Post?

I'm against it.
That's off the record.

There's a story
on their Web site.

It says that Santos
has canceled four

lunch events in
the last two weeks.

Lunch events?
Yeah, why always
lunches?

Let me get this...

They got a story that we're
canceling lunch events?

Four in two weeks.
They're calling it

"Santos Siesta."
First of all,
that's ridiculous.

Second of all,
it's a cheap stereotype.

Why is it always
lunches, Josh?

You can't seriously
be interested in this.

As opposed to the same
economic speech

we've written about
two days in a row?

Okay, we'll see you after
the event; good to see you.

You heard about
the siesta story.

When I said tell the Post
we cancel lunches all the time,

the point wasn't
to emphasize...

That we cancel
lunches all the time.
Right.

Kind of a fine-line
situation.
Not really.

So how we gonna
deal with it?

We hold lunch events
every day this week.

I don't care if we're
stuffed to the gills,

we put out a sandwich tray
and we call it a lunch event.

LOU:
Doesn't this fall into your
famous box number three?

I use a message grid, so sue me.

That is what happens

when you fight scandal
with spreadsheets.

I'm running
a presidential campaign.

We talk policy.

You got a better idea,
I'll take it.

Yeah, Vinick's
slugging you in the gut.

How 'bout slugging back?

This lunch thing
was our goof.

You don't think somebody's

got the tabloids
out looking for 'em?

We can ride it out.

We don't give them anything
else by the end of the day,

they'll be filing stories
about the tax credit.

Josh...
I'm not commenting
on the leak story.

This isn't about
the leak story.

Oh, don't tell me,
there's another...

No, no, this one
you're gonna like.

SANTOS:
So, is this covered under
Josh's press memo or what?

BRAM:
No, it's in Josh's
scheduling memo.

It's a listen-only
conference call.

We do it right after
the reverse town hall.

We talk about the R&E tax credit
for regional reporters,

but you literally
can't hear them speak.

They can only listen.

If it goes well, I can open
it up to hand gestures?

Then you're meeting
with Lou Thornton,

a media strategist
Josh wants to hire.

Oh, she wins a lot of races.

She probably won't do it,
but she is what we need

in the communications shop--
aggressive, out-of-the-box.

Obviously, her ideas will be
heavily filtered through me,

but anything you can do
to get her on board.

SANTOS:
Uh-huh.

BRAM:
I'll grab you when
they start your intro.

Okay. So let me guess:
the press is, uh, going bananas

because I haven't been
commenting on the leak?

I think I have a way to close
the security gap overnight.
Thank you.

Strafing raids over
the National Press Club, huh?

Time magazine
has a copy of a letter

from the Marine
Reserve Command.

You've been called up
for Reserve training

in Fort Worth, Texas,
for two days.

Tuesday
after Labor Day.

How'd the press
get this before me?

You're a Presidential
candidate.

From now on, you're
gonna be the last person

to read a whole lot
of your mail.

Congressman,
it's Christmas in July.

Deck the halls
with guns and ammo.

This is everything we couldn't
do at the convention.

You in fatigues,
wind in your hair,

trench knife in your teeth.

This is an annual,
required thing, right?

Do a physical; some
flight hours, marksmanship...

With very big guns.
Guns are very big.

It won't look like a stunt?

You're just following orders.

They've started
your intro.

Okay.

Sir, give me your best bottle
of champagne.

Make it your tenth best.

Nothing with a screw-off top.

Why don't you go watch
the reverse town hall?

They're still
doing introductions.

Why don't you leave,
so I can talk about stuff

that you're not
allowed to hear?
Sure thing.

We're about to make
a big announcement.

Two days after Labor Day,

the Congressman's doing
Reserve duty in Texas.

He's just following orders.

We announce it without comment.

A picture is worth
a thousand bayonets.

That's fantastic.

Edie, coordinate
a small press pool

with the Marine Reserve Command,
nothing gaudy.

Make sure his uniform
fits like a glove.

Ned, work with the
Congressional Office,

get all the documentation...
Documentation?

We need to lay it
out for the press--
dates, details,

how he's done this every year
like clockwork.

Sometimes he
resets the clock.

When it needs rewinding,
just when it needs...

He's postponed
it a few times.

For critical national security
votes in the Congress.

Usually to campaign
for re-election.

I think once 'cause
his daughter was sick.
( cork pops )

ANNOUNCER ( over P.A.):
...Congressman Matthew Santos.

( applause )

CAROL:
We've been getting
some press inquiries.

TOBY:
Yeah, I'm sure.

A lot of them, actually,

on why we ended
this internal investigation

and how we plan
to deal with it...

Refer them all to
the Counsel's Office.
Which is good, except...

We're walling this off from
the rest of the White House,

so we can do some
governing around here.

Counsel's not taking
any press questions.

Some walls are
thicker than others.

Toby, you should see
your call sheet.

And there are three reporters

camped outside your
office, wondering...

Which is why
I'm nowhere near my office.

How's it playing
out there?

Aside from
Arnold Vinick's plan

to turn the Federal government
into an episode of Dragnet?

I know it's
bad politics,

at least it's for
the right reasons.

Good men with good reasons
shouldn't set precedents

for bad men with bad ones.

What's this?

Witness list
for the Congressional hearings--

what I could get anyway.

Greg Brock will
refuse to testify.
Yeah.

You think Congress
holds him in contempt?

First Amendment isn't
what it used to be.

I've been
avoiding him all day.

As you should.

REPORTER:
No reaction to the President's
decision on the leak...

REPORTER 2:
Do you agree with
Senator Vinick?

SANTOS:
So I moved it around a bit--
at least I did

real Reserve training with the
big guns, every year-- almost.

It'll look like a stunt,
won't it?

JOSH:
14 weeks before the election,
trailing on security--

you skipped it for politics
and Flintstones chewables--

we announce you're
putting on a uniform,

first day
of fall campaigning?

It'll look like
Ringling Brothers,

Barnum & Bailey Circus.

You've got five minutes,

then a clutch with the City
Council Chair before we take off

for Fort Lauderdale.
Okay.

Is it Lou or Louise?

Well, "Lou" started in college

when I signed up for men's
intramural softball.

They were a player short,
turned out I was the best hitter

on the team.
So, Lou?

Louise is fine.

What did you think of
the reverse town hall?

I didn't like your
joke about being the
first one unemployed.

That's just a funny line.

Shaving cream
and seltzer are funny.

Unemployment's
not particularly funny.

I got the Council Chair
after this.

we could go egg her house.

Is there anything

that you liked
about the town hall?

Oh, sure,
but I assume

you have plenty of people around
to tell you how great you are,

and if you don't, you should
hire some-- they're wonderful.
Yeah.

No, we pay a premium for that.

Say, are you familiar
with the Mommy Problem?
I am.

You think I have one?
That's something
you're gonna

have to answer yourself,
'cause right now,

Beltway Arnie's kicking you
all over the electoral map.

The White House is treating you
like a fly

on their governmental
windshield,

and I'm wondering
if it's just Josh,

or if you have what it takes
to come out

of the Candidate Protection
Program and start kicking back.

( knocking )
BRAM:
Councilwoman Stone,

the next President of the
United States of America...

Hello, pleasure
to meet you.

Hi, hello.

How are you?
Oh, we're gonna take

a little picture, huh?
Okay.

( camera clicking )

MAN:
Great.

MAN:
Mr. Lyman, have you
okayed banner copy for...

Not now.

AIDE:
Josh, we have three
print requests...

Later! Hey, we've gotta write up
some options.

This press marginalia can wait.

Great.

Ned said he's postponed

his Reserve drilling
about a third of the time.

41 percent, and whoever
gave that letter to Time

has to know that, too.

He stayed in the Reserve
all these years.
Yes.

Our problem
is Santos served

too much, whereas Vinick
never even served.
You're gonna be

good at this,
I can tell.

What was option one again?

Reporting for Reserve duty
right after Labor Day,

looking like a gun-toting,
flag-waving phony.

That would be a no,
wouldn't it?
No, on option one.

Soda shop's closed.

( sighs )

Uh, may I ask
what you're...

It's a law school
study trick.

I'm not getting up until
we figure this out.

Option two: postponement.

Highlights previous
postponements,

if they even grant
him one this time.

Congressman.
Hi, stay seated.

I've got the high-tech CEOs
waiting for me across the hall.

I just wanted you to know
I got Lou to come on board.

Director of Communications.

That's terrific.

You were right.

She's what we need, whole
different take on the campaign.

I didn't think
she'd do it.

Yeah, just one
small condition.

What's that?

Reporting directly to me.

( Josh grunts )
If you got a minute,

we've got a problem
with the Associated Press.
I don't have a minute.

Edie, will you tell him
why I don't have a minute?

Yeah. He doesn't
have a minute.
I'm trying to solve

a problem that's 50 times bigger

than some
sombrero-wearing nonsense.

I'll handle
it later.
You'll want

to handle it now.
What?

The AP's got
some kind of photograph,

something that took place
at our hotel

in Cleveland last week.
Photograph?

Of the Congressman's bed.

( camera clicks )
I need a moment.

Can you seal the elevator?

This about
Time magazine?

I'm working on that.

Hi.

Maybe Lou's right,
maybe there is a
coordinated effort

to throw us off our game.

Maybe it's Vinick,
maybe it's the RNC,

I don't know.
What are you talking about?

AP has a photograph...

of something that happened
in Cleveland in your hotel bed.

Is there anything

you'd like to tell me?

His name is Bruce.

He's a flight attendant
on Aer Lingus.

They've got a connecting hub
out of Hamburg.

At first, it was long walks

along the Reeperbahn...
( chuckles )

I'm sorry,

but I have to ask.
Geez.

It's my job, I'm sorry.

( elevator resumes )
Wait a minute.

( elevator stops )

Cleveland?
LOU:
I don't understand

what happened.
He wouldn't let me

in his room that morning;
I should've suspected something.

Box number three.
15 years I've been doing this.

I've never been stuck
in box number three.

Is anyone going
to tell me what happened?

He demolished
his bed.
Demolished it?

JOSH:
It was his wife's
only night on the road.

It was an old wooden bed, slats,
hand cranks, what have you.

Hand cranks?

And what have you.

Look, as much as I respect
good craftsmanship,

I'm still not clear

about what happened.

They broke it together, get it?

The wire photo's out.

Oh, my.

"Hurricane Santos."

You repeat that
outside this room

and I'll have you
knocking on doors in Alaska

and not the urban part.

Give me that.

This guy's the next leader
of the free world.

I won't have us ogling
his dirty, you know...

The hotel proprietor
claims the bed
was steel-reinforced.

We have a bigger problem
than Helen's Ohio surprise.

He's been called up
by the Marine Reserves

for right after Labor Day.

Two days of marksmanship
and flight training.

Well, bless his broken
headboard.

He's postponed it
41% of the time.

Postponed it?
41% of the time.

As in, "I'll see you
when I'm done

with my essential
government business"?

As in "See you when it's
politically convenient

and no one in my family
has a runny nose."

If I had had a full convention,

I would have had
the Marines

in the parking lot
digging foxholes.

You won't lift a finger
against Beltway Arnie Vinick,

who never served, and who
flipped and flopped his way

through four years
of subcommittee hearings.

I'm not going negative.

Not when people barely
know who Santos is.

And a vacuum gets filled.

That's why he's
the swing king of the siesta.

You won't even let him
admit the obvious,

which is that the President

screwed up on the security leak.

That's why
you're in this.
The President is trying

to take the politics
out of this.

Then why not call
a special prosecutor?

Why won't Santos
call for one?

You're my new
Communications Director.

You're supposed to help me
solve this problem.

You're the problem--
not some box on a grid,

not the Marine Reserves.

No negative campaigning.

No outside opinions within
five miles of the candidate,

no deviation from some
Jonestown-like obsession

with your pals
at the White House.
Okay.

When are you going to stop
drinking the Kool-Aid?

C.J.:
I need Hobson at Treasury.

They're worried about

another currency devaluation
in Argentina,

and while I like a nice
prime rib for 35 cents,

the OAS ain't buying.
C.J.--

The message for
Monday's bill signing...

Scheduling and Advance wants to
stick with the little flags...

...because
this is America.
Yes, but...

And I want
an actual message.

They have
till tomorrow morning

or I'm going to read them
the riot act

to the tune of "Battle Hymn of
the Republic."

Greg Brock is
in your office.

Why is Greg Brock in my office?

He walked in,
he wouldn't leave.

I didn't think you'd want me
to call the Secret Service.

Think again.

We're both professionals.

We're both under
investigation by
professionals.

It's bad enough
that you're plastered
all over my call sheet

and Congress has
every scrap of paper

aside from my half-finished
crossword puzzles.

Would you please leave before
I call in an armored division?

I've a question about day care.
Toby covered that
in last week's briefing.

We're deadlocked
at $300 million.

CBC is pushing for more
after-school care.

I don't think we can get
that out of committee.

That's great, but Della's
four and a half.

Now she can live with her mom
while I'm in prison,

but her mom travels
for her job.

So why isn't there
some Federal voucher

that you can give
to your kids to come with you

and get them into day care
wherever you go?

Prison?

I wouldn't talk

to the grand jury,
the judge held me
in contempt.

I report to Cumberland
Minimum Security Prison
tomorrow.

It should be on Fox by now.

You can appeal.

He refused to stay the contempt.

At least 18 months.

I, uh, have to appeal
from behind bars.

You don't have to worry about
your call sheet for awhile.

Name your source.

I always liked you
in that suit.

SANTOS:
No, no, Helen, I don't.

No, I mean, short of us crawling
under there with a screwdriver

and a roll of duct tape,
I don't see how we could...

Oh, yeah, 'cause I personally
love the fact

that it's in all
the papers and...

Honey, bring a sledgehammer

with you when we meet in
Michigan

and we can...

I've got to go.

Bye.

How many papers
is this going to be in?

It's all over the blogs
and cable shows.

Now the first-tier press

gets to cover
the coverage.

This is my fault.

I should've pushed
out more policy.

I knew it'd be hard
to hit back

against this phony,
superficial crap.

I don't think it's phony
or superficial.

These stories only stick
when it confirms what
people already think,

and let's face it, nobody
knows what to think.

So we deserve it?

LOU:
You haven't given anyone
an alternate formulation

on who he is, so he's taking
body blow after body blow.

I'm trying to position him
as the guy with a jobs program.

How about positioning him
as the guy with a spine?

You want to hit back
against Vinick,

get sucked back in
to the leak story?

I want him to beat back
at the White House

and get distance from
the leak story.

JOSH:
The President's
approval is at 66%.

The leak has barely
made a dent.

That's why he seems like

his little infant cousin.

I'm sure you've never even

presented him
with that argument.

Okay, you want me
to have a spine.

You want me to be nice
to my cousin.

Let's talk about
my Reserve drill.

You have to resign your
commission, Congressman.

JOSH:
Sir, she's right.

You can't show up
after Labor Day

when you've postponed your
service five times in 13 years.

It'll look like the mother
of all staged photo-ops,

and we'll get killed
in the press.

'Cause I moved it around
a few times?
'Cause you're a Democrat

who wears a uniform
when it fits his schedule.

Oh, and never mind my 25 years
of military service

compared to Vinick's none.

Never mind one of the most
pro-military voting records

of the Democratic Caucus.

Why'd you even leave
active duty?

You went to Annapolis for free.

What, the taxpayers weren't
supposed to support

your long, illustrious
military career?

You don't have a trench-mate
with a story to tell?

And by resigning
I'm saying, what?

That you are ready

to be President
of the United States,

that we have a civilian-led
military

and you are through
playing G.I. Joe.

BRAM:
He really has to get
to the state party reception.

Time Magazine'scalled twice.

We're going to have
to tell 'em something.

Tell them if the country doesn't
like my military record,

I'll be the first one
unemployed.

Excuse me.

Tough press day.

"Vinick's comments called into
question the Santos campaign's

"unflinching support of the
Bartlet White House,

"as Congressman Santos parried
tabloid charges,

and strained to articulate
an economic message."

"Strained to articulate."

It's like he was drooling
into a cup.

So Vinick won the day.

Yeah, by walking five feet
from his office,

while the Latin
Luther Vandross

napped his way across
the continent.

So now can we revisit
the Bartlet question?

Oh, hi, let me
introduce myself.

I'm the problem.

I interpret the facts,

I read the data.

Which is why you need me,
and also why you resent me.

I am not a Bartletista
and I'm not a Santos-ista.

I am completely untethered to
your crazy cults of personality.

Also known as ethics.

What is unethical
about saying

Jed Bartlet is
a great President.

Make way on Mount Rushmore.

But in this one instance, this
lapse in security, he goofed.

Someone in your
White House goofed.

Look, I read that data, too.

No one thinks the White
House goofed on this.

It's a press obsession--

a Vinick trick to get us onto
issues that we can't win on.

Do you think
Vinick participated

in last night's
tracking poll?

JOSH:
It took us a couple hours
to place Helen

on that Cleveland trip.

Remember, she came out
as a surprise for... you.

Anyway, that's why some
of the stories imply that...

What is this?

A polling question
from last night's track.

"Was the President right to end
his own investigation

"of a classified security leak?

Yes: 27, No: 54,
Don't Know: 19."

Are you suggesting that I
criticize the President?

I would never suggest that,

but you asked me to run
this campaign.

I don't want you thinking
I'm holding back the data.

Hi.

You know, you guys got a job
to do whether I like it or not,

so I'm not going to pretend
that the afternoon naps

and the bedside shrapnel don't
make for good newspaper copy.

So I'm going to address
this once.

Just this once, and that'll
be the end of it, okay?

No way was that bed
steel-reinforced.
( laughing )

MAN:
Still no comment
about the President

stopping
his investigation?

You know, if that were
my White House,

I'd call in the FBI.

I would do everything
in my power to cooperate

with both Congress
and the grand jury.

I'd play it by the law,
not by politics.

And, in case
you haven't noticed,

that's exactly what
this President is doing.

( reporters clamoring )

Is the New York Times
paying for this, Mr. Brock?

Is the New York Times
paying for the lawyers?

Back off.

Mr. Brock, what happens
to your family while
you're away?

Mr. Brock, could you give
us a statement of any kind?

What happens to your
family while you're
in jail, Mr. Brock?

( reporters clamoring )

Did you see?

Yeah.

I need Scheduling
and Advance.

Scheduling and Advance? Why?

The fisheries bill-signing.

They think our message should be
a row of American flags.

It was my idea.
A row of flags?!

'Cause he's the American
President

and he signed a bill into law,

and, as long as
we're being investigated

by two branches
of our own government,

I don't see why we should be
any more clever than that.

I've been thinking about
the reason I beat you

in those three primaries.

It's because you wouldn't pound
your candidates like I did.

This is too important
to make it personal.

It's different when you build
a candidate from nothing.

When you're the person
he looks to for more

than just shock therapy.

The Congressman wants you.

Just Josh.

( door opening )

JOSH:
I appreciate what you said
about the President today.

I've been thinking about
the Reserve drill.

I think you should do it.

Get the past postponements out
today, ahead of the letter.

If they slam us for it,
we'll deal with it.

Look out the window.

It's the Rocky Mountains.

You turn the
plane around?

We're going to Forth Worth.

The Marine Commandant
in Washington--

he was my CO in the Gulf.

He said I could get it out of
the way right now, if I want.

You know, I didn't have as much
as a high school diploma

in my gene pool.

That commission is the reason
why I'm on this plane.

I'm not giving it up.

Before anybody in the press gets
a chance to take a shot at us,

the whole country sees you
in uniform.

Better cancel our schedule
for the next few days.

I'm sorry about Lou, before.

She's got a lot to contribute,

but she should contribute it
through me.

Some of her ideas are
a little extreme.

That doesn't mean
I don't need to hear them.

So you feel like
you need her at the table?

I feel you do.
Her and a whole lot of others.

But there has to be
somebody in charge

to filter out
the knucklehead stuff.

In the Bartlet campaign...
Jed Bartlet was in charge.

You were right about
the President, Josh.

And Louise was right
about leaving a vacuum.

I need to hear it all.

( knocking )

Yep?

BRAM:
They're ready with that state
briefing in the staff cabin.

We're going to beat him
on security issues,

we're going to beat him
on domestic issues...

...we're going to beat him
on trivia, too.

REPORTER:
The Santos Campaign refused
to comment on the drill,

saying the candidate
was taking care

of a personal obligation...

MAN:
It's a flight suit and helmet
for the first time in two years.

Personally, I think it's a
charade, a made-for-TV movie.

Why do you think he stayed
in the Reserves for 13 years?

MAN 2:
...Vinick takes a shot
at the President.

Maybe he's sincere about it,
but Santos defends Jed Bartlet,

and then says, "Hey, I don't
just fund planes, I fly them."

We jumped four points on
security in last night's poll.

What about the gender gap?

You might want to use
"Congressman Casanova"
in a TV ad.

Half the press are
calling it a stunt.

Yeah, but all the press
is running the footage.

When he goes on offense,
he really goes on offense.

Yeah, welcome to the cult
of personality.

Otto, I need that brochure copy
on his military record.

Edie, get Helen's schedule.

We want her on the road
with the Congressman

at least three days when
he gets back from Texas.

Ron and Ned,
foreign policy events,

best idea gets
an extra fortune cookie.

So we're ordering Chinese?
I've got menus on my desk.

Ned, get the foreign
policy binders.

Plus economic announcements,
R&E, high-tech infrastructure...

Keep 'em coming, people.
We got a long night ahead of us.