All language subtitles for The Newsroom - 1x01 - We Just Decided To.HDTV.ASAP.en

Sharon is a very funny woman,

but she has less faith in
American individualism than I do.

Hang on, I have plenty of--

When did I ever express
any lack of faith?

I didn't say and never said that
Barack Obama was a socialist.

- Seriously?
- What I said and I have always said--

Lewis, you are begging me
to run a sound package

Monday morning that
shows you hundreds of times

calling the president
a socialist.

I'll read your columns
on the air.

The policies are-- look up the definition,
my friend-- they're socialist.

By your definition,
so were Ronald Reagan's.

What do you think taxes are?

That was the last
great president.

American individualism
can't build roads.

- An individual--
- Go on, get it all out.

Thank you, since the question
was addressed to me.

An individual can't build a school

or assemble an army--

No one's talking
about disbanding the army.

So we can agree that
the government is good for that?

- Yes. Fine.
- Yes.

A fire department: Good idea or bad idea?

You are getting
so worked up, Sharon.

I'm afraid you're gonna start
shooting light out of your ass.

Good idea or bad idea
on the fire department?

Or should it be
a private fire department

that only comes
to your burning house

if you paid your
monthly fire bill?

I am more than happy
to pay for a fire department.

I am not happy to pay
for a painting

that I don't wanna look at,
poetry I don't wanna read.

You can't skip
right to the NEA!

And you cannot
skip right to the army.

...00004%

of the federal budget

and is code for New York,

Jewish, perverted, and gay.

- Will.
- Yes, sir.

Anything to add?

I think we'd need a more
precise definition of "perverted."

Okay.

We'll go on
to the next question.

- You, sir.
- My name's Steven.

I'm a junior and my question
is for Will McAvoy.

Do you consider yourself a Democrat,
a Republican, or Independent?

I consider myself
a New York Jets fan, Steven.

Since it's been brought up,

you've almost religiously
avoided stating

or even implying
a political allegiance.

Is that because
as a news anchor

you feel the integrity of your broadcast
would be compromised?

That sounds like a good answer.

I'll take it.

There was a short piece
on Vanity Fair's website

by Marshall Westbrook--
you probably saw it--

where he calls you
the "Jay Leno of news anchors."

- You're popular because you don't bother anyone.
- Yeah.

How do you feel about that?

Jealous of the size of Jay's audience.

Are you willing
to say here tonight

whether you lean right or left?

I've voted for candidates
run by both major parties.

Let's move on
to the next question.

- Go ahead.
- Hi. My name is Jenny.

I'm a sophomore,
and this is for all three of you.

Can you say in one sentence or less...

Um, you know what I mean.

Can you say why America is
the greatest country in the world?

Diversity and opportunity.

Lewis.

Freedom and freedom.
So let's keep it that way.

Will.

The New York Jets.

No, I'm gonna hold you
to an answer on that.

What makes America
the greatest country in the world?

Well, Lewis
and Sharon said it--

diversity and opportunity
and freedom and freedom.

I'm not letting you
go back to the airport

without answering the question.

Well, our Constitution
is a masterpiece.

James Madison was a genius.

The Declaration
of Independence is, for me,

the single greatest piece
of American writing.

You don't look satisfied.

One's a set of laws and
the other's a declaration of war.

I want a human moment from you.

What about the people?
Why is America--

It's not the greatest country
in the world, Professor.

That's my answer.

- You're saying--
- Yes.

- Let's talk about--
- Fine. Sharon, the NEA is a loser.

Yeah, it accounts for a penny
out of our paycheck,

but he gets to hit you
with it any time he wants.

It doesn't cost money,
it costs votes.

It costs airtime
and column inches.

You know why people
don't like liberals?

Because they lose.

If liberals
are so fuckin' smart,

how come they lose
so goddamn always?

- Hey--
- And with a straight face you're gonna tell students

that America is
so star-spangled awesome

that we're the only ones
in the world who have freedom?

Canada has freedom.
Japan has freedom.

The U.K., France, Italy,
Germany, Spain, Australia.

Belgium has freedom!

207 sovereign states in the world,
like 180 of them have freedom.

- All right--
- And, yeah, you, sorority girl.

Just in case you accidentally wander
into a voting booth one day,

there are some things
you should know,

and one of them is there is
absolutely no evidence

to support the statement that we're
the greatest country in the world.

We're seventh in literacy,
27th in math,

22nd in science,
49th in life expectancy,

178th in infant mortality,

third in median
household income,

number four in labor force,
and number four in exports.

We lead the world
in only three categories:

Number of incarcerated
citizens per capita,

number of adults who believe
angels are real,

and defense spending
where we spend

more than the next
26 countries combined,

25 of whom are allies.

Now, none of this is the fault of
a 20-year-old college student,

but you nonetheless
are without a doubt

a member of the worst period
generation period ever period.

So when you ask what makes us

the greatest country
in the world,

I don't know what the fuck
you're talking about.

Yosemite?

We sure used to be.

We stood up for what was right.

We fought for moral reasons.

We passed laws,
struck down laws for moral reasons.

We waged wars on poverty,
not poor people.

We sacrificed.
We cared about our neighbors.

We put our money
where our mouths were

and we never beat our chest.

We built great big things,

made ungodly
technological advances,

explored the universe,
cured diseases,

and we cultivated
the world's greatest artists

and the world's
greatest economy.

We reached for the stars,

acted like men.

We aspired to intelligence.
We didn't belittle it.

It didn't make us
feel inferior.

We didn't identify ourselves
by who we voted for in the last election

and we didn't--
we didn't scare so easy.

Huh.

Ahem, we were able to be
all these things

and do all these things
because we were informed.

By great men,
men who were revered.

The first step
in solving any problem

is recognizing there is one.

America is not the greatest
country in the world anymore.

Enough?

- What the fuck was that?
- Are you out of your mind? That was a kid.

I'm sorry!
I'm taking medicine for vertigo

and I think it works
because I've got it.

You're in trouble, man.
You can't talk to me like that.

- Do you need a doctor?
- Jesus Christ.

Listen, listen!

What did I say out there?

Sync, corrected by icephoenix
www.addic7ed.com

I'm excited to meet them,
too, but--

I'm excited to meet them,
too, but not tonight.

- It's just too soon.
- When did you decide that?

I really can't
pinpoint the time.

I have to get back
into my meeting.

It's not a meeting,
it's a party.

- There's pizza.
- We've been dating for four months

and I think that's too soon
to meet her parents.

That's like level three stuff.

We're at level two.
Can I get a ruling?

When your conversation
started in front of my desk,

I was concerned
that I'd been caught

in the middle
of something personal,

but I can see now that
I was worried for nothing.

I think it's too soon
to meet your parents.

I'm not comfortable with it.
Can you respect that?

I've been telling them about you for months.

- What am I supposed to say?
- That I had to work late.

- Why?
- Why does anybody ever have to work late?

They don't.
They're usually lying.

That's true, but I know
that you can sell it.

Now why would you make
a dumb decision when I'm offering--

Loyalty-- I'm making
a dumb decision out of loyalty.

You're making a smart one
out of ambition.

Yeah.

He can't remember your name,
Maggie, and I'm the asshole.

I was an intern and he
promoted me to his assistant.

He didn't promote you, honey.

He thought you were
his assistant.

You have to go back
to your pizza meeting,

but could you do me a favor

and not talk about us
in front of--

Everybody here knows.
Nobody here cares.

They will once we start fighting
in the middle of the newsroom

and one of us
is gonna get fired.

Do you think it's gonna be the
hotshot EP out of Columbia J-school

or you think it's gonna
be the intern

who got accidentally
promoted to assistant?

You're making a mistake.

I'm used to them by now.

- Loyalty?
- Yep.

He just walked into his office

without noticing
that his staff isn't here.

Text me when you're done
with your parents tonight.

Where's--
where is everybody?

Welcome back, man.

Thanks.
Where is everybody?

You gotta go up to see Charlie.

Okay.
Where is everybody?

I have strict orders
from Charlie

not to say anything until
he's talked to you first.

I've got a meeting.

What's going on?

Okay.

- Ooh!
- Couldn't say the answer from over there?

- Welcome back.
- Thank you.

- Charlie Skinner needs to see you in his office.
- Now?

- He said as soon as you come in.
- What's-- You're Ellen?

- Maggie-- Margaret.
- What's going on?

We know as little as you do.

- Really?
- Almost as little as you do.

What's the part that
you know that I don't?

- You should talk to Charlie Skinner.
- Where's Karen?

- There's no one who works here named Karen.
- My assistant.

- I'm your assistant.
- You're Ellen.

- Margaret.
- Okay.

Uh, I'll let his secretary know
you're on your way.

- Her name is Karen.
- No one's named Karen. No one.

- All right.
- I'll call up for you.

Angela, hi.
It's Maggie from downstairs.

- You can go on in. He's waiting for you.
- Thank you.

You own this now, my friend.
You have bought it.

You have paid for it
and you have the receipt.

I wanna be crystal clear:
This is yours.

You're wearing it.

- Henry wants me to make sure you know that.
- Wait.

Mr. Will McAvoy has just
stepped into my office,

so I need to walk him
through this.

- Shit, how much does he know?
- You're on speaker.

I don't know anything.
Who is this?

Heh-hey, Will!
How was the vaca--

Welcome back.
You look great.

I don't know what
just happened there.

Two weeks in St. Lucia was
just what the doctor ordered, literally.

- You've got pictures?
- No.

Don't worry about it.
TMZ does.

- You were down there with Erin Andrews.
- There's a picture?

No, that was a trap,
but I knew you were seeing her.

- All right, seriously, what the hell's going on?
- Something exciting.

Hardly anybody who works for me
is where they usually are.

- I was in a bar in Da Nang.
- Just now?

1969.

I was embedded with
the 144th Artillery for UPI,

and I was sitting there
with a warm Coke,

watching a beautiful
Vietnamese woman

doing an exotic dance
right in the middle of everybody.

A beautiful, beautiful woman.

And I thought to myself,
"I will never know

what it is to be
with a woman like that."

And at that exact moment,
the woman spun twice,

teetered over,
and fell right into my lap.

That was a story
about how sometimes

things fall
right into your lap.

Where's my staff?

The answer to that question
has several parts.

First, we're gonna try
Elliot out at 10:00.

He's starting in two weeks.

Good. Thank you.
With the right EP, he'll do great at 10:00.

I think so, too,
and I know how much

he appreciates your
lobbying hard for him.

He really looks up to you.

What's this got to do
with my staff?

- He's taking your staff.
- What are you talking about?

Well, strictly speaking,
he's taking your EP

and your EP's
taking your staff.

- Wait, Don's going with Elliot?
- Listen--

- Where is he?
- There's no need--

- Where is he?
- They're both-- Don got everyone pizza.

They're in one
of the conference rooms.

Will!

I gave him his first job on the air,
his first job on a panel,

his first job
as a substitute anchor.

I make it known to anyone who matters
I'd like to see him at 10:00.

- He poaches Don.
- Elliot didn't poach him. Don asked to go.

- He asked to go? He asked to go?
- Yeah. Yeah.

- Because of what happened?
- Absolutely not. That's over.

It's not over.
The story won't end.

Did anybody hear
the second half of what I said?

- I made a rousing call--
- It's not why Don's leaving.

- Why is he leaving?
- Oh!

Yeah, I get that
there are moments,

small moments,
infrequent moments,

where I'm not the easiest
guy to work with,

- but who the hell is?
- I am.

Well, it helps that you're drunk
most of the time.

It certainly does.
Do me a favor--

This is more than unprofessional,
it's uncivilized.

But more than that,
it's unprofessional.

- Just do me a favor, okay?
- Sure.

- Try not to make a scene--
- Hey, dickless!

Not you.

You're in a minute.
You.

- Hey, Will.
- Congratulations on the show. You're gonna do great.

I'd have called you,
but I didn't know where you were staying.

I kept getting
an out-of-the-office reply--

You're taking
my executive producer?

- Before you go any further, I strongly objected.
- Did you?

- For all the reasons--
- I think this conversation's about me.

Catlike instincts.

- I tried to get in touch with you, but Charlie said--
- You asked to leave?

- I did, but we have two weeks before--
- Because of what happened?

- No.
- Because the second half was a rousing call to--

- It has nothing to do with what happened.
- The timing is curious.

Didn't you tell him it doesn't have
anything to do with what happened?

Yes, and talk to him
when you're talking to him.

After all the time we spent
working side by side?

I've been your EP for 13 weeks.

That's the longest I've ever
worked with anybody!

I mean, you were the one.
You were my guy.

We were like
the Everly Brothers.

You'll interview
some good candidates.

Don, please,
I'll replace you in 15 minutes.

You know, it wasn't
the anti-American thing, Will,

or even that you aimed a profanity-laced
tirade at a college sophomore--

She's talking about suing the university
for mental anguish.

- Talking about it to who?
- Mostly Kathie Lee and Hoda.

- Guess who her lawyer is.
- If you say Gloria Allred--

- It's your personality.
- What?

The reason I'm leaving
and the reason the others are.

I'm affable!

To strangers, to people
who watch you on TV.

You yelled at me
in front of the crew.

- That's what this is about.
- Yes, that's what this is about.

Yeah, you know, I thought
you were talking into my ear.

That's what I'm supposed to do.

I had Stanley McChrystal
on satellite from Kandahar.

He's being shot at
by the fucking Taliban

and you were yakking in my ear.

I wasn't yakking. I was telling you
not to let him off the hook.

Was that something that really
needed to be said four times?

Yeah, because you
let him off the hook,

as was pointed out by everyone
with Internet access.

You blew that interview
and you took it out on me.

It was two days after the thing
with the student.

I thought it would be a good idea to
show deference to a three-star--

You took it out on me,
you did it in front of the staff,

then you took it out on the staff
the way you're doing right now.

The staff isn't here!

You're taking
the department heads.

Who the hell knows
who they're taking?

Maggie's standing right there.

Her name happens to be Ellen!

It's Margaret.

And simply put,
you are a smart,

talented guy
who isn't very nice

and the countdown to your retirement
from relevance...

- All right.
- ..started the moment

you called conservatives idiots
and liberals losers.

- That's enough.
- A bad reaction to vertigo medicine?

- Don.
- Did you just send that gift-wrapped

to every comedian in the world?

I didn't have a lot
of time to think.

- Do you think maybe if you'd let me prep you--
- Don.

- You had a brand!
- I'm a Marine, Don!

I will beat the shit
out of you!

I don't care how many
protein bars you eat.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.
All right.

All right, look,
I'm sorry I said all that.

No, it's easier to say
than the truth.

- What?
- You're jumping a sinking ship.

You've always been
the smartest guy around here.

I appreciate you promoting me up
as fast as you did.

And I will work
with whoever you hire

to make it a smooth transition
over the next two weeks.

- Is that the afternoon brief?
- Yeah.

I'm--
I'm sorry about all this.

No, no, no.
Good luck with the show, man.

I'm here for whatever you need.

You did let McChrystal
off the hook

because you were gun-shy
after Northwestern.

- He was right about that.
- I didn't let him off the hook.

He's a general.
He's a professional strategist, Charlie.

He's schooled
in evasive tactics.

Against armies,
not journalists.

Chief Brody, Hooper,
and Captain Quint

- didn't let Jaws off the hook is what I'm saying.
- All right.

- I didn't know.
- What?

I didn't know that people
didn't like working for me.

- Do you care?
- No.

Of course I care.
Anybody would care.

But honestly, I don't.

I do.
I am a perfectly nice guy

and I have the focus group
data to prove it,

so maybe the problem
lies not with me--

- I hired a new EP for you.
- What do you mean?

- I hired you a new EP.
- You hi-- you--

I'm never going
on vacation again.

You hired a new EP
without my meeting him?

- Her.
- Without my meeting her?

- No, you've met her.
- Who?

Charlie, have you hired
to run my show,

without consulting me--

You were unreachable.

Only one person knew
how to get in touch with you.

- It was you!
- I had to right the ship.

You know that for this particular job,
there's no one better.

You're not talking
about Mackenzie.

I had to right the ship.

You're too big an asset
to screw around with

and your focus group data isn't saying
what it said three weeks ago.

- Charlie--
- She was in Peshawar...

- Oh, my God.
- ..for four months.

The Green Zone
for a year before that.

Her guys were filing
stories from caves.

She comes home,

she wants to be an EP again,
have a normal life,

and there's nothing for her at CNN,
nothing for her at ABC.

- I knew that.
- She's exhausted.

Not like at the end
of a long day.

She's mentally
and physically exhausted.

She hasn't had four hours' sleep
in two years.

She's been shot at
in three different countries.

And she's been to way
too many funerals for a girl her age.

- She wants to come home.
- Yeah, look, I don't blame her.

They don't have a job for her in Atlanta,
DC, or New York.

Mackenzie-- line up
any 10 people,

eight of them will tell you
she's the best EP in the business

and the other two
will be stupid!

I'm one of the eight,
but it's not gonna happen.

- It's happened.
- No.

She's coming up from DC today
with one of her people.

No, listen to what I'm telling you--
I can't give my approval.

The deal's a day away from
being signed-- three years.

I have approval over
my executive producer.

- You would think so, wouldn't you?
- I would, yeah.

Business Affairs went
through your whole deal.

I don't have
contractual approval?

- No. But you know what?
- I don't have contractual approval?

You're up for renegotiation
in 18 months.

I'd have your agent
put that clause--

No, I'm walking down the street
to William Morris.

- I'm gonna renegotiate my contract right now.
- It's not gonna go your way.

I generate an annual profit
of $210 million on my own.

That's not counting the lead-in freight
I push to 9:00 and 10:00.

That may be tipping money for
this company, but it's not nothing.

- Will.
- What?

When was the last time
you saw her?

I don't know.
About three years ago.

Coincidentally, that's the last time
you were a nice guy!

Would you like another,
Mr. Skinner?

Yes, please.

Most notably Lehman's
former CEO Richard Fuld,

seen here testifying to the House
Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill.

The 2,200 pages report a serious
lapse by top executives

and details the accounting
gimmick used by Lehman

including the use of something
they call the repo 105

to move about $50 billion
in debt off of the books.

They say the company
withheld information.

They further outlined
an auditor failure, saying that

Ernst & Young basically
was performing...

- Excuse me.
- Yes?

- I'm Mackenzie McHale.
- How can I help you?

I'm supposed to be
meeting with Will.

Oh, my God!
I'm sorry.

- You're Mackenzie.
- I am. And you are?

- I'm Mag--
- Mac.

Hey, Don.

Mackenzie gave me
my first summer internship.

Don't tell me you're here
to interview for my job.

No, I'm here to do your job.

- Are you serious?
- Yeah.

- I don't understand.
- I don't understand.

When were you hired?

- Is Will in his office?
- He's not, but his agent's office

is just down the street and
he should be back any minute.

- He's at his agent's office?
- Yes...

- I'm sorry. I gave too much information.
- Yep.

Now I understand.

What's your name?

- Maggie.
- Maggie.

Let me try to guess
at something

and you tell me how close
I am to being right.

This whole move was done behind
Will's back and he just found out now,

and he stormed off
to his agent's office

to see why he doesn't
have approval.

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay.

Okay.

All right, you're going
to see some things.

I'm just gonna sit here
till he gets back.

I'm going to sit here.

Good luck.

This still looking good to you?

You said your name was Maggie?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Ma'am? How old do I look?

No! No, no, no.

I heard you were
embedded for a while.

26 months.
Anything happen while I was gone?

- That's why I called you ma'am.
- So did the Marines.

You sure don't look like
you've been in a war.

The first thing I did when I got back
was buy women's clothes.

I maxed out three credit cards.

But I figured, "Hey, the economy's booming,
so what the heck?"

- Oh, God.
- I'm kidding.

Oh, excuse me.

It's all right.

Hi, Dad.
I'm fine.

I left a message for you
and Mom at the hotel

because I wanted
to let you know

it'll just be the three of us
for dinner tonight.

Don can't make it.

He has to work late.

He just does.

You know, with him running
10:00 now, he's so--

And he feels terrible about it.

He was really looking forward
to meeting you.

I know,
but in this case it's true.

So, great. So I'll meet you guys
in the lobby at 9:15.

Okay. Bye, Dad.

You okay?

- Oh, I've just got an allergy.
- To what?

Oysters.

- I hate lying to my father.
- I wasn't lying.

Yeah. Why won't
Don go to dinner?

He thinks it's too early?

- Don's not my boyfriend.
- He's in a picture on your desk.

It's with a couple of your friends
so it's not obvious,

but it's a picture
of your boyfriend.

I don't care.

- I'm not reporting you to HR.
- Thank you.

Does he want you to do things in the bedroom
you're uncomfortable with?

- No.
- Damn it.

These are just
routine questions.

You put that all together
really fast.

It's not an original story.

My dad knew I was lying.

Now he's gonna hate Don,
and that's not what I wanted to happen.

- Oh, I'm fine.
- Your eyes are red.

Turn and face me.

When he calls you tonight
at 11:00 and wants to come by,

don't lay on
a tone of voice--

Just tell him real nice that you're
hanging with your roommates

and you'll see him at work.

Do that three times.
He'll get the idea.

Are you going
with Don to 10:00?

- No.
- Why not?

It's just that I was...

Loyalty.

I'm Will's assistant.

No, associate producer.

You're an associate
producer now.

I'm crazy about loyalty.

- You'll report to...
- Mac!

- ..him.
- Mac!

Did you know--
Did you know--

- Are you all right?
- Jim, that's Louis Vuitton luggage.

I'm fine, thank you.
Can I talk to you a second?

Sure. James Harper,
this is Maggie--

- Margaret.
- This is Maggie Margaret.

Margaret Jordan.
Maggie's fine.

Nice to meet you.
Now, please.

- Did you hurt anything?
- Mm-hmm, everything, I think, but please...

Did you know that Will McAvoy

didn't know that
you were hired as EP

and that he's at his
agent's office right now?

I didn't know that when the day began,
but I know it now.

I quit my job for this, Mac,

and so did the three other people
you told me to bring.

Our show was canceled,
so we were out of work anyway.

I was offered any other show
I wanted at CNN.

- I know, but I wasn't.
- That's not the point.

- Excuse me.
- It's aggravating when you rise to a position of--

You know,
a certain position of--

I put down first
and last month's rent.

- Do I have a job in New York?
- Yes, of course you do.

- You're sure?
- No.

I'm calling Tom Walton
and begging for a job.

- I'll cover hurricanes.
- Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim.

What? And why
didn't you tell me

there's some kind of problem
with you and Will?

Because that's personal.
Do you see me asking personal questions?

- When's the last time you were in love with a woman?
- What?

When was the last time you had a passionate
relationship with a woman?

Like Hollywood love,
high school love?

You know the only reason
I'm still standing here

is that I have
nowhere else to go, right?

I do know that.
When was the last time?

- Never. That's never happened.
- Right.

And you know how you've always
had a crush on me?

- I have never had a crush on you.
- Yeah, it's been cute.

Never had a crush on you,
but go ahead.

The girl you just met,
Maggie--

she's me before I grew into myself
and got hotter with age.

I don't understand why you chose
this moment to lose it!

- Just--
- Why are you afraid to see Will McAvoy?

- You have to tell me.
- Hey, jughead, I ain't afraid of nothing

except jellyfish,
which is completely normal.

- Now look at the girl. Not a big look, stupid.
- I didn't look at all.

You're right.
Okay, just glance over.

Cupid, bam!

Can we cut to the chase?
What's in this for you?

Now why does it
have to be like that?

It doesn't, but it is.

I need Don Keefer to help me
through this transition.

It turns out
Don's dating Maggie

and I'm not sure
he's right for her.

Really? After knowing them
as a couple for this long, you're not sure?

He's going to be
threatened by you,

so he'll try to impress Maggie,
who's staying with Will.

- You understand?
- Yeah, I'm calling Walton.

- Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim.
- What?

You're right.

You've done enough.

You've done everything
I've ever asked you to do

and a ton of stuff
I'd never ask anyone to do.

Tell me where you want to work
and I'll make the call.

- Look--
- Fly away, little bird.

- Jesus. You know what--
- Something great is about to happen here

and you're gonna want
to be a part of it.

- Tell me what the problem is with you and Will.
- I can't.

Put the phone away.

This is a solid promise:

We're going to do
the best news on TV.

- Either that or...?
- We'll all be filling out job applications

at Dave & Buster's,
but we'll be doing it together.

- Now you just sit here a minute, all right?
- Sure.

- Do you know how to flirt?
- Yes.

- Show me.
- Hi.

Okay, just sit here.

We're gonna be great!

- Where's the rest of the staff?
- They left.

Hi, Will.
It's good to see you.

This is Jim Harper,
my senior producer.

- The others are coming up--
- Let's go in my office.

- Sure.
- Somebody wanna tell Don the lunch party's over

and I need someone
on the assignment desk

in case there happens to be--
what do you call it-- news?

Can I get you
some coffee or anything?

- Water or maybe--
- We're fine.

I tried to get in touch with you
while you were on vacation.

Nobody seemed to know
how to do that.

Or at least they weren't
willing to say.

Actually, I've tried
to get in touch with you

a lot of times
in the last three years.

Did you get
all those e-mails?

- Yeah.
- What did you think?

- I didn't read them.
- I understand.

There's no need to apologize.

Thank you.

You look good
after your vacation.

You look rested.

I've never been
to St. Lucia.

- Is it great?
- Yeah.

You were down there
with Erin Andrews?

It's not my business.

You can go anywhere
with anyone.

Thank you again.

Hey, this can work.

In fact, it's gonna work great.

I asked my agent to negotiate
a three-year contract.

You know me-- I think
that's the longest contract--

It's not a three-year
contract anymore.

- I'm sorry?
- Not a three-year contract anymore.

It's a 156-week contract
that gives me the opportunity

to fire you 155 times
at the end of each week.

We'll wait a few months
to make sure it's not a story

Bill Carter can shove up my ass.
We'll do it, then.

How did you get
my contract changed?

I gave the network back
some money off my salary.

- How much money?
- A million dollars a year.

- You gave back a million dollars a year?
- Yeah.

You paid a million dollars to be
able to fire me any time you want?

$3 million. And not any time I want,
just the end of each week.

How the hell much money
do you get paid?

- Don?
- Speaking.

You should meet James Harper,
Mackenzie's senior producer.

- Jim.
- Were you with Mackenzie in Afghanistan?

Yeah.
And Iraq.

And sometimes
when you're in Afghanistan,

it turns out you're
really in Pakistan.

- 26 months.
- You ever produce from the studio?

For about a year in Atlanta
before Mackenzie took me out.

- She's crazy, you know.
- I know.

I've never seen anyone love
being an American so much.

And when you factor in she isn't
an American, it's all very--

Yeah, she is American,
actually.

Her dad was Margaret Thatcher's
Ambassador to the UN and she was born here.

Yeah, and immediately
locked in her room

and shown Frank Capra movies
until she was 21.

She's like a sophomore poli-sci major
at Sarah Lawrence.

Exactly like that.
Yeah.

I guess the only real differences
are her two Peabodys

and the scar on her stomach
from the knife wound she got

covering a Shiite protest
in Islamabad.

Welcome.

I'm just taking
your temperature.

On a scale of 1-10,
how much trouble am I in with you?

Oh, I'm over it.

Hey, do this to me.

Do this to me all you want,
but you can't do it to them.

- Who?
- People followed me here--

Jim Harper, my senior producer,

bookers, H&A producer,
desk editors, field producers--

- They can't possibly be my problem.
- Will, come on now.

What do you want from me,
Mackenzie?

They're in the process
of moving.

They've put down
security deposits.

They found roommates.
They're looking at preschools--

Yeah, they fucked up, Mac!
They trusted you!

You've got a news alert.

Pardon me, Don.

You've got a news alert.

It's yellow.

There's been an explosion
off the coast of Louisiana.

How can there be an explosion
in the middle of the water?

- An oil rig.
- An oil rig.

"Well explosion
in the Gulf of Mexico."

All right, Tess,
get on the assignment desk

- and see if this goes anywhere.
- Okay.

"Flames reach 150 feet
in the air."

If you had read any of my e-mails
or answered my calls,

you'd know that I take responsibility
for everything and...

I already did know that
and I already didn't care.

That I'm sorry.

- Are you?
- Yes.

Mackenzie, I--

I just-- You have no idea how
I've longed to hear those words.

I--

I forgive you.
Can you forgive--

- You're being sarcastic.
- Oh, how you know me.

"Emergency rescue crews
arrive on location

at burning well
located 50 miles offshore.

12 to 15 people
believed missing."

- It's still yellow.
- Still yellow.

Don, they just haven't
changed the color yet.

Somebody should
tell Will or at least--

I'm not knocking
on Will's door right now,

and you don't work here yet.

- So, dude, relax. Anything new?
- No.

- There might be.
- There won't be.

An oil rig
in the Gulf exploded.

- Persian Gulf?
- No, the Gulf of Mexico.

- Kendra.
- BP Deepwater Horizon.

It's about 50 miles southeast
of Venice, Louisiana.

The Coast Guard
evacuated seven people,

all of them critically injured,

and they're searching
for 11 confirmed missing.

- Still yellow.
- Isn't it possible that AP's busy right now

and they've got
an intern on the updates?

They may have bigger problems
than the missing crew.

What do you mean? What do you mean
bigger problems than the missing crew?

Hang on! Hang on!
Listen to what he said.

- What did you say?
- I said they may have

bigger problems
than the missing crew.

- Why?
- I checked out BP Deepwater Horizon.

That rig is drilling at 18,000 feet
below sea level.

There are only a couple of things
that could have failed.

- And if it was the wrong one--
- Pressure.

It would be like trying
to toss a hat on a fire hose.

What the hell are you two
talking about?

It's more than 11 missing guys.

There might be
a massive oil spill

50 miles off the coast
of Louisiana.

- I'm sorry, man. Tell me who you are again.
- I'm Jim Harper.

And I may or may not be, but almost
definitely won't be a senior producer here

under Mackenzie
if she still has a job,

which sounds like she
probably absolutely doesn't.

Okay, well, whatever it is
doesn't start for two weeks,

so you're still in my newsroom

and you're behaving in a way
that is bothering me.

- Gotta be blunt.
- Got it.

The truck in Pasadena,
they're five blocks from the courthouse.

Are they covering the Rose Bowl?

And I cannot look
at the same loop of people...

This is Jim Harper.

All right.

For the moment,
your people can have their jobs.

Like I said, I have to wait to make the move
because there was a press release.

But when I hire the new EP,

who I will hire
by hiring them myself--

whoever it is is going to get to
interview the new people.

All right.

Well, I appreciate that.

They're really good, Will.
You're gonna want to keep them.

- Don't just dump them because of--
- They'll get a fair chance.

- Okay.
- I haven't started my script.

I'll get out of your way.

There's nothing that's more important
in a democracy

than a well-informed
electorate.

You know you're still
on this side of the door.

When there's no information or,
much worse, wrong information,

it can lead
to calamitous decisions

and clobber any attempts
at vigorous debate.

- That's why I produce the news.
- We're all grateful to you.

- You're spinning out of control.
- No, I'm not.

You're terrified you're going to
lose your audience

and you'd do anything
to get them back.

You're one pitch meeting away
from doing the news in 3-D.

This isn't nonprofit theater.

It's advertiser-supported
television.

- You know that, right?
- I'd rather do a good show for 100 people

than a bad one for a million,
if that's what you're saying.

What is it you're talking
to me about right now?

I've come here to produce
a news broadcast

that more closely
resembles the one we did

before you got popular
by not bothering anyone, Leno.

I think Jay and I would rather be employed,
if it's all the same to you.

It's not all the same to me,
you punk.

I've come here to take
your IQ and your talent

and put it to some
patriotic fucking use.

And where does it say that a good
news show can't be popular?

- Nielsen ratings.
- We're going to do a good news show

and make it popular
at the same time.

- That is impossible.
- Between your brains,

- charm, looks, and affability and my...
- Refusal to live in reality.

- ..expertise in producing you--
- It's impossible, Mac!

- Ugh!
- Social scientists have concluded

that the country
is more polarized

than at any time
since the Civil War.

- The Civil War.
- Yes, people choose the news they want now, but--

People choose the facts
they want now.

So what you've just described
is impossible.

Only if you think an overwhelming
majority of Americans

are preternaturally stupid.

- I do.
- I don't.

And if you let me,
I can prove it.

You know what you left out
of your sermon?

That America is the only country
on the planet that, since its birth,

has said over and over and over
that we can do better.

It's part of our DNA.

People will want the news
if you give it to them with integrity.

Not everybody,
not even a lot of people-- 5%.

And 5% more of anything is what
makes the difference in this country.

So we can do better.

What?

I'm thinking.

Yeah, that whole speech
did nothing for me.

- I'd like to talk to Don.
- Are you sure?

Right there.

Excuse me.

I don't mind if you sit
somewhere and observe,

but I mind you doing
anything else.

You got it, but I just got
a call from a source.

What kind of source?

I can't tell you much except that
he's an engineer with BP in London.

He says he's sitting in meetings where
they don't know how to cap the well.

- Who's the source?
- Can't tell you.

- Ahem, anything else?
- A lot.

I got two pages of notes
from my conversation with--

- Oh, great.
- Okay. Yeah.

Thanks for calling back.

Yeah.

Now I'd like you
to listen to these words

which were written
500 years ago

by Don Miguel de Cervantes:

"Hear me now, O thou bleak
and unbearable world.

Thou art base
and debauched as can be.

But a knight with his banners
all bravely unfurled

now hurls down
his gauntlet to thee!"

That was Don Quixote.

Those words were written
45 years ago

by the lyricist
for "Man of La Mancha."

Didn't think you'd know that,

but the point's still the same--
it's time for Don Quixote!

- You think I'm him?
- No, I think I'm him. You're his horse.

- He rode a donkey.
- Well, I can't help you there.

- I have to write my script.
- I'll write it for you.

"The volcanic eruption in Iceland
is believed to have started on March 20th

and has led to a worldwide
transportation disaster.

The suspension of air traffic

was in no way caused
by America, which I love.

You have to believe me."

You want me in the same
shouting match as everybody else?

- I want you to not apologize for saying something--
- All right!

You got yourself
in the shouting match

when you took vertigo meds
and I'd have you winning it.

And what does winning
look like to you?

Reclaiming the Fourth Estate.

Reclaiming journalism
as an honorable profession.

A nightly newscast
that informs a debate

worthy of a great nation.

Civility, respect, and a return
to what's important.

The death of bitchiness,
the death of gossip and voyeurism.

Speaking truth to stupid.

No demographic sweet spot.

A place where we all
come together.

We're coming
to a tipping point.

I know you know that.

There's gonna be
a huge conversation.

Is government
an instrument of good

or is it every man for himself?

Is there something bigger
we want to reach for

or is self-interest
our basic resting pulse?

You and I have a chance
to be among the few people

who can frame that debate.

- That's-- It's...
- Quixotic?

- Don.
- Jesus Christ, we're on it, okay, Jimmy Olsen?

We've got 55 seconds for a phoner with
the Coast Guard liaison.

That's not nearly enough
and you're chasing the wrong story.

- Oh, brother.
- Listen, Halliburton was the contractor

on this special type
of concrete--

Seriously,
you're being disruptive now.

Hey, how happy
is Charlie Skinner gonna be

when I phone this over to CBS

and he finds out
you had it first?

All right, that's it.
Get the fuck out.

Okay.
You're right.

Elevator's this way?

God damn it.

- What?
- I'm sorry to interrupt.

Can I talk to Mac
for just a second?

Your guy here
is a pain in the ass.

An oil well exploded
in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Coast Guard's searching
for missing crew members.

- I'll fill you in at the 6:00 rundown.
- There's more.

- He doesn't need to hear this right now.
- Let's go outside.

No, if Don doesn't want me to hear it,
I'd like to hear it.

- Oh, blow me.
- I want you to not use that language in front of women

and to forever not suggest
that image to me.

What's on your mind?
Who are you?

- Jim Harper, my senior producer.
- Senior?

- Is he old enough to drive at night?
- What happened?

Two calls within five minutes
of each other.

The first one was from a friend of mine
at BP in London saying

he's sitting in meetings where
they don't know how to cap the well.

- Jesus.
- The oil is still spilling?

Yeah, at a pretty
alarming rate.

The first estimate was
about 10,000 gallons an hour.

My guy says
it's closer to 100,000

and could get as high
as a quarter of a million.

Why is this well different
from other wells?

The depth.

I need one of your staffers.

He's-- I don't
know his name.

He sits in the back.
He's-- he's the one with--

Are you trying to say
the Indian stereotype of an IT guy?

- Yes.
- Punjab!

- I don't think that's his name.
- Why not?

Punjab's a character
from "Little Orphan Annie."

Tell him about the pressure.

Uh, Deepwater Horizon
is aptly named.

They're drilling at 18,000 feet
below sea level.

- Is that dangerous?
- Take the Grand Canyon, make it three times deeper,

fill it with water,
and poke a hole in the bottom.

You can't just yank the pin out of the planet,
and that's what's happened.

How do you know all this?
You're the IT guy.

- I'm not the IT guy. I write your blog.
- Are you kidding?

I think we're in the first hours
of a serious story.

- No. I have a blog?
- Not the time.

How do you know this stuff?

I made a volcano
in primary school.

So did I. I didn't know I was
supposed to learn something from it.

- What was the second call?
- My guy at Halliburton.

- What the hell is going on?
- Nothing, Charlie.

- Can we please get back to work?
- A rig exploded in the Gulf?

- It's yellow.
- Not anymore. It just got bumped up to orange.

- It's orange.
- Okay, the rig was due to be moved to its next role

as a semipermanent production
platform at a new location,

and Halliburton was hired
to seal the well with cement.

- Who are you?
- Jack something.

It's Jim something,
and both of my guys are identifying

the failure of the cement's mix
as the cause of the explosion.

But here's the thing-- Halliburton
performed tests on the cement mix,

and the tests showed
it was gonna fail.

- Holy Mother.
- Yeah, hang on, Holy Mother.

I need to know
who your sources are.

Hey, I don't know you, Scooter.

Look, you don't
have to trust me.

She trusts me.
You just have to trust her.

Ha, try another strategy.
How high up is the guy at BP?

High enough to be in on the meetings,
and I never said it was a guy.

Actually, you did.
Does he have an axe to grind?

- No.
- What about the guy at Halliburton?

I didn't say he was a guy,
but we'll call him that.

And he is solid.

You guys have to follow up on this,
all right?

You're gonna wanna open
with the Coast Guard search

and then pivot
to this because...

- Neal.
- Neal says...

It's gonna be the biggest
environmental disaster in history.

- Oh, my God.
- Jesus Christ.

Can we please get back to work and
send the Hardy Boys to their room?

- Neal, tell them.
- After an explosion like that,

the first thing
that's supposed to happen

is the underwater blowout preventer
should automatically close.

The flames are still
150 feet high,

so that obviously
didn't happen.

Now when they get the fire out,

they're gonna send
a submersible ROV

down there to turn
the preventer on manually,

but my source says
"at that depth with that much pressure,

it has to be the mechanics
that failed and not the electronics."

In other words, trying it manually
isn't gonna work either.

So they're gonna have to build relief wells
and that's gonna take months.

Months of oil spilling
into the Gulf

at a rate of 4.2 million
gallons a day.

And just for the record,
the Gulf of Mexico

contains 643 quadrillion
gallons of water.

I think you may be
overreacting.

You are dramatically
underreacting.

I'm the only one who's not
dramatically doing anything.

In four days,
it'll have spilled as much oil

as the Exxon Valdez.

It's a week before the oil
reaches Louisiana shores,

three days if the wind shifts.

- Is the wind gonna shift?
- Only if Louisiana's luck stays exactly the same.

You've gotta tell him
your sources.

I can't.

He can't trust you
unless you trust him.

All right, the necessary people

go into my office,
close the door.

- I want Mac as a witness.
- Fine.

The BP engineer
is my college roommate.

He's a junior VP.
He's been there a year.

And how do I know you're not being
fed misinformation by James O'Keefe

in the hope that I run
with it and make his day?

Who's your Halliburton guy?

My big sister.

She's got a PhD
in mechanical engineering

and she voted for McCain.

You're telling me you got
not one but two people

to roll over on their employers
within five minutes?

I know, it's just lucky.

- How often do you get this lucky?
- This is my first time.

Um, it's a search
and rescue operation

in which no one
is going to be rescued

because Michael Phelps with
an outboard motor on his ass

couldn't outswim that fire,
and you're letting a guy who you just met

and a woman who--
I don't know what the hell--

spin this into the end
of the world.

But forget that.

If you're wrong
about Halliburton,

that's the first line
of your bio forever.

"Isn't this the same guy who said
that Halliburton caused that spill?"

And, by the way, you publically
accuse them of negligent homicide

and you're wrong,
they will take you to court.

They will win and they
will end up owning AWM.

They will have
their own record label.

They will have theme parks.

Let's throw out the rundown.

- Attaboy.
- This is out of control.

We're throwing out the rundown.

Gary, see if you can get me
a spokesman from BP on the phone.

- Get me anything--
- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where are you going?

I was told to put
together a new show.

Guys, can I have
your attention?

I'm sorry if I've been
a little inaccessible

or terse lately
or for several years,

but if I could just see
a show of hands--

who's going
with Don to 10:00?

All right, I appreciate
all the hard work.

And as a token of that appreciation,
I'm giving you guys

two weeks' paid vacation
starting right now.

- Hold on. You're gonna have her run the show?
- Yeah.

Don't do this, Will.

I just offered her
the most humiliating contract

since Antonio got
a loan from Shylock.

She took it.
I don't know what that is, but I like it.

You're gonna do a full hour
on an environmental story

and you don't wanna at least wait until there's
film of an oil-covered pelican?

It's not just
an environmental story.

Everywhere I look,
people are dressed up in costume,

screaming about
how bad government is.

- What's your position?
- That people should know what they're screaming about.

Are you ready to go
on television and say

that this well wouldn't have blown up
if there had been more government oversight?

I'll give you my next paycheck
if it doesn't turn out

that some department was defunded
or some industry was deregulated.

He'll do it, too.

I didn't buy any of that bullshit
you said in my office,

but can you start
two weeks early?

You plainly bought it a lot,
and yes.

- I didn't buy it at all, and go.
- Okay.

But it's obvious now that you
ate it up with a soup ladle.

- Just go.
- Who's my booker?

- Right here.
- Jim's gonna tell you who to line up.

Everybody out who doesn't
need to be here.

Wait!

Seriously, though,
I have a blog?

- Now!
- Yeah. It's Gary Cooper from News Night.

I'm good. I need to speak to someone
about recent legislation.

You go out around 8:20.

We could send a crew and do that
right from the Coast Guard station.

Hello, this is Jim Harper. I'm the senior
producer with News Night on Atlantis,

and we're looking into a story about
the BP Deepwater Horizon rig

that just exploded in the Gulf.

This is Margaret Jordan
from News Night.

We're looking for someone
from the EPA to comment

on the explosion
at Deepwater Horizon.

Take him to our studio
in New Orleans.

I'm so sorry.
Can I put you on hold? Okay.

Hi, Mike. It's Tess Westin
from News Night.

We're doing a whole hour
on the explosion.

I really need
your input on this.

You're on speaker with me,
Mackenzie McHale and...

- Jim Harper.
- Jim Harper.

Margaret.

- Yeah.
- Can you do me a favor?

There's a government agency
called the MMA,

the Minerals Management Agency.

They have some kind of oversight
over offshore drilling.

I don't know
anything about them.

- Can you write me a short memo?
- Sure.

- I'll do it.
- I can do it.

You're not the only one
with loyalty.

I'm here.
I'm not going anywhere.

- I can do this.
- Can you do this?

- You can't just look it up on Wikipedia, Maggie.
- He's right.

- I wasn't going to.
- She's Will's assistant.

- I'm an associate producer.
- Since when?

- About two hours ago.
- That's great.

And you're wasting my time.

You guys duke it out
over who my boss is,

but I'd like to get
this one thing right.

Knock it out of the park.

I need a geologist.
Don, who's our go-to geologist?

Our go-to geologist?

There's not a lot
of breaking news in geology.

Dr. James Morris at MIT

and Dr. Marvin Hasbrook
at Stanford.

Whoever answers
the phone first.

Is the EPA ready to comment?

We're waiting
for a comment from BP.

Are you able to get
the White House on the phone?

- Yeah.
- Then do it.

Halliburton is in it, Sean.
That ship has sailed.

Studio 1-A,
this is Broadcast Center.

- You're up on router 3.
- Copy that, Center. Router 3.

No, throw out all the remotes.
It's a whole new rundown.

Thank you.

Joey, these three
are confirmed,

but you should build all five.

Got it.

Will, we've confirmed
these three guests.

We're waiting on two others.

Two minutes.

Who's our wardrobe supervisor?

- We don't have one.
- Get one.

Charcoal gray,
navy blue, and black.

Zegna, Armani, Hugo Boss.

- He's not gonna look like an elite Northeastern prick?
- He is.

- Let's make that sexy again.
- Was it ever sexy?

Ask the Kennedy brothers.
Oh, Will.

Don't talk to me unless
you absolutely have to, all right?

I absolutely have to.
I thought this would be a good time

to get a couple
of things straight.

I'm on TV in 90 seconds.

I don't think this is a good time to
get a couple of things straight.

That's funny,
because I think it's the best time

to get a couple
of things straight.

Can people hear me in there?

Not yet.
Now they can.

Take me off.

So I did a terrible thing

and I don't expect you
to forgive me.

- Take me off.
- You've got my contract, but the thing you have to know

is that between 8:00 and 9:00,
you are completely mine.

For an hour,
five times a week I own you.

But in my case, it's for your own good
and for the good of all.

Say "I understand" so I can
get these guys a sound level.

I don't see it
working that way.

- You don't?
- No.

Okay.

- Where's my graphics producer?
- Right here.

I'm Mackenzie.
What's your name?

- 60 seconds.
- Jo-- Joey.

- Can I get some quiet?
- Joey, could I have your seat for just a second?

Yes, ma'am.

There you go.
Show that to Will, please.

- Are you serious?
- Yeah.

Will, check out
your preview screen.

Get it off there!

- Say you understand.
- 30 seconds.

Someone's gonna spill coffee on a button
and broadcast that thing.

- Get it off.
- I've got a one-week contract. I don't have a lot to lose.

I'm just glad nobody's invented
a way to digitally store images

and upload them onto a free website
where anyone can see them.

Has someone invented a way
to digitally store images?

YouTube!
YouTube!

Oh, now you're just the crazy guy
shouting "YouTube!"

- Oh, God--
- Just say you understand.

- I understand!
- Good!

You warmed up?
You wanna screw around some more?

- I'm good!
- 10.

There's no script.

There's nothing
on the prompter.

Nothing on the prompter
is where this man eats.

And rolling.

Stand by, Joe.

Stand by, Camera 1.

Good evening.
I'm Will McAvoy.

Breaking news tonight

in what could be
the biggest disaster

to hit the Gulf of Mexico
since Hurricane Katrina

and the biggest environmental
catastrophe to stain our shores

since the crash
of the Exxon Valdez.

An oil rig in the Gulf,
British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon

50 miles off Venice, Louisiana,

exploded into flames
shortly after 2:00 PM Eastern time.

Seven crew members have been
evacuated to an area hospital

where they remain
in critical condition,

and the Coast Guard
is in the fifth hour

- of a search and rescue mission...
- Tape 2 up.

In the hope of finding 11 crew members
still unaccounted for.

Our coverage begins
with Sherrie Stone

at the US Coast Guard Station
in Baton Rouge.

- Sherrie?
- Yes, Will, the Coast Guard got...

All right, you'll be coming back

to Rear Admiral Loretta Hill
of the Coast Guard.

Just right after
3:00 PM Eastern time...

The missing men may be
only the tip of this tragedy.

ACN has learned exclusively
that senior level officials inside BP

are scrambling to figure out
a way to cap the well,

which, three and a half miles
below the surface of the Gulf,

is pouring oil into the sea
at a rate of 125,000...

I'm sure you'd like to see some kind of
statement on the screen.

"Our thoughts and prayers

are with the families
of the missing crew members."

I can help you out with that,
but I'll also need a statement

that says at this hour you don't
know how to cap the well.

You have about 25 minutes.

Dr. Morris, this is New York.

Can you hear me?
Good.

We'll be coming to you
in about two minutes.

You've got to ask her
why there's no contingency.

Why is there no contingency?

Nancy, why are we drilling
three miles underwater

when we don't have
the technology

to fix the world's
most predictable emergency?

Jim.

Jim!

Jim. Jim.

Jim? You have
a hold button.

- Hold, please.
- Jim!

- You got it?
- I, uh...

- Oh, shit.
- I got it and I think a little bit more.

- Come with me.
- Okay.

- Take the pad.
- Thank you.

Dr. James Morris
of the US Geological Survey

and Professor of Petroleum
Geology at MIT.

BP Deepwater Horizon
is engulfed in flames

and the search continues
for 11 missing crew members.

We'll be right back.

When we come back,
it'll be Halliburton. Are you ready?

- No statement from BP?
- Don't worry about BP.

You're going to Halliburton's
spokesperson Dick Warren.

This is beautiful.

Just sitting here, Charlie.
I'm watching the news.

Young lady, get on
your Twitter account.

We're doing this
whole broadcast on the fly.

Will doesn't have a rundown,
it's the EP's first show,

and she's got the whole thing
in her head.

She's the only one who knows
where we're going next.

It's a feat that requires incredible trust
between the anchor and the EP.

Say all that.

I can only use 140 characters.

Figure it out.

- We are trying to gather information...
- Sir, please. Please!

As quickly as possibly.
It isn't easy while we're being hounded.

- Let's just take a breath.
- I'm breathing fine.

Zoneseal 2000.

Your company was hired to provide
Zoneseal 2000 and SCR-100,

a synthetic, cement-like substance
meant to seal off the well-- Yes or no?

- Yes, we were, but now you're saying--
- That's all I was saying.

Now I'm asking if your company
did tests on the substance

before installing it at the base
of Deepwater Horizon.

We do exhaustive tests
on everything we manufacture.

Do you have the results of these
exhaustive tests done on Zoneseal 2000?

Now you're being
unnecessarily flippant.

Look, I am not some college
student you can shout at.

We're not going to commercial
till he answers your question.

No, you're the spokesperson
for Halliburton.

And I came on this program
voluntarily.

I don't have subpoena power.

Everyone comes on this program
voluntarily.

Understand that this is
all happening fast

and that this is information
that isn't at our fingertips.

- You don't have the test results at your fingertips?
- For the moment,

Halliburton's thoughts
and prayers are with...

All of our thoughts and prayers
are with the missing crew--

Nobody's thoughts and prayers
are with the fire.

Good to see you again, Will.

Sir, aren't the test results
on a computer?

Are they buried in the middle
of a wheat field?

- We will make the test results...
- It's about time.

What's the Minerals
Management Agency?

It's the Minerals Management Service,
the MMS,

and they have 56 inspectors
overseeing 3,500 production facilities

that operate 35,591 wells
in the Gulf region.

That's according to the Interior Department,
not Wikipedia.

56 inspectors for 35,000 wells?

- It gets better.
- We're out. Back in 90 seconds.

- BP statement?
- Hang on.

Inspections for drilling rigs
are required monthly,

but Deepwater Horizon
was only inspected

nine times in 2009
and six times in 2008.

- What's coming?
- Hang on.

The last inspection was done
20 days ago by Eric Neal,

who was sent by himself even though
he had only just started his training

as a government inspector
of drilling rigs.

- Are you kidding me?
- No.

- Is it the BP statement?
- Oh, my God, would somebody hit him with a stun gun?

30 seconds.

What I wouldn't give to have
a phone hook up with this guy.

- You do.
- What?

He's on hold.
It's this blinking light.

Maggie...
I am taking you shopping!

- Will, listen up.
- Phone graphic: Eric Neal.

- Minerals Management is wildly understaffed.
- N-E-A-L.

- Jesus.
- We've got the guy--

Give me all the numbers.

- M-me?
- Give him the numbers.

- Let's go!
- Okay. Uh, 56 inspectors.

- 10 seconds.
- 3,500...

Take it easy with him.
He's gonna be scared to death.

In three, two...

Welcome back to breaking news.

The oil rig BP Deepwater Horizon
has exploded into flames

50 miles off the coast
of Louisiana,

leaving 11 crew members missing
and feared dead.

We're on the phone with Eric Neal
of the Minerals Management Service.

Thank you for joining us,
Mr. Neal.

It's good to-- Thank you.

Can you confirm
that the MMS employs

56 inspectors
in the Gulf region?

I believe that's correct.

And the 56 of you
oversee 35,591 wells?

- I believe that's correct.
- That's 635 wells for each inspector.

The wells are required
to be inspected once a month.

- Is that correct?
- The drilling wells, yes.

Is it possible with
so few inspectors and so many wells

to properly inspect
each platform as scheduled?

Our--
Our budget's very limited.

A single inspector would
have to thoroughly review

two wells a day,
six days a week for a year.

I know.

Would an easy solution be to
have the oil companies themselves

pay for the cost
of a proper inspection?

Isn't that what
car owners have to do?

Well, that isn't my field of expertise.

- Statement from BP.
- Right here.

Mr. Neal, you were sent

to inspect Deepwater Horizon
19 days ago--

April 1st, is that right?

I was, yes.

Were you aware that dating
back to September 2001,

Deepwater Horizon
had shown five red flags

or incidents of noncompliance?

Um, I'm not sure
I'm authorized to speak about that.

I understand.
I only have two more questions.

Prior to your inspection
of the rig on April 1st,

how many inspections had you
done of offshore oil drilling rigs?

- None.
- None?

- Except in training.
- And how long have you been in training?

- Four months.
- Thank you very much.

That was Eric Neal with the
Minerals Management Service.

- We have the statement.
- We now have a statement from BP.

We'll put it up
on the screen for you.

"The thoughts and prayers--"

"The thoughts and prayers
of Tony Hayward

and everyone at BP are with
the missing crew members

of the BP Deepwater Horizon
and their families.

We are looking at
every possible solution

to the problem
of capping the well

and will, of course,
offer our complete assistance

to the various US agencies
involved in repairing

and cleaning up the damage done
by this terrible accident."

So, glass half-full.

They're offering
to help clean up.

This is obviously
just beginning.

We'll be bringing you more
as this story develops.

Terry Smith
is coming up right now

with the Capitol Report
from Washington.

I'm Will McAvoy.
Good night.

Did the White House call?

Gibbs wants to know what we know
and how we know it.

We're not giving up
the new guy.

Hey, the news alert's at red.

- We got it right.
- We got the spill right.

We don't know what we're doing
with Halliburton.

- We don't know what's gonna happen--
- God, you're a pussy.

- You know, I'm just being--
- And it's not like you said the sorority girl

is responsible for setting
the hemisphere on fire.

Give the Internet an hour.

That's exactly
what it'll say we said.

- I'm too old to be governed by fear of dumb people.
- I'm not.

You're older than you think.

Don't learn that the hard way.

You didn't bring her in
to right the ship.

You brought her in
to build a new one.

You knew Don
would go with Elliot.

- You orchestrated the whole thing.
- Yeah.

For a long time now,
I badly wanted to watch

the news on my TV at night.

Then it occurred to me--
I run a news division.

She's indifferent to ratings,
competition,

corporate concerns, and,
generally speaking, consequences.

Good, 'cause you just
described my job.

I'm Don Quixote,
you can be Sancho,

she'll be Dulcinea,
and everyone out there is the horse.

Donkey. How did you know
about that conversation?

I know everything.

Anchors having an opinion
isn't a new phenomenon.

Murrow had one and that
was the end of McCarthy.

Cronkite had one and that
was the end of Vietnam.

- I'm not those guys.
- I'm betting all my money on you're wrong.

You know what, kiddo?

In the old days
of about 10 minutes ago,

we did the news well.

You know how?
We just decided to.

Will...

I fucking loved what
you said at Northwestern,

and that's why
I brought her here.

Neal.

- Welcome to the show, mate.
- Thanks for everything. Take care.

- Hey, good show.
- Good show.

- Welcome.
- Thanks.

- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

- Excuse me. Hey.
- Oh, hi.

I didn't have time before
to say great job.

Are you kidding?
You were like Batman.

I am, actually.

I felt like the cape
was a little campy,

but I still have the car
and the utility belt.

- Right.
- Yeah.

I shouldn't... say things.

Well, that was huge.

- I just answered my phone.
- Well--

Don, we got off
on the wrong foot.

- Can I buy you a drink?
- I appreciate that.

Another night when I haven't spent the day
getting my ass kicked, okay?

You got it.

- Are your folks down in the lobby?
- Yeah.

How about I come down
and say hi?

We get to meet.
I'll apologize in person.

I'll come back upstairs
for a couple of minutes

so it looks like I'm working.

You call me when
you're done with dinner.

It's a compromise.

You!

Your name is Margaret Jordan.

Yes, it is.

That was a good show, Will.

Mackenzie, I was wrong,
you were right.

What did everybody else run?

What did they run, Don?

Flights resumed in Europe and the
iPhone prototype that was left at a bar.

They all closed with the oil rig,
though.

- Spill?
- Search and rescue.

We should go.

Good night, guys.

Night.

I don't know
what you're miming.

Just...

You're fine.

Can I talk to you a second?

8:00 to 9:00 is over.

I understand.
I just wanted to mention something.

Hang on. Enough of this shit
about being disengaged.

Guys, great job tonight.

These things are done by teams,
and I've got the best team in television.

I'm gonna make sure
each and every one of you

knows how important
you are to me.

- This isn't our control room.
- No.

Then screw it.

Will.

You won't remember this,
but the first time

you met my parents,
you had flowers for my mother.

You took my father
to an Orioles game

and then you met us for dinner.

And I wanted to tell you...

that you were perfect.

Like I said, you wouldn't remember,
but I wanted to thank you--

The Orioles won 4-3 on a walk-off double
from Miguel Tejada

with runners
on first and third.

Your father ordered a beer
and I ordered a Diet Coke.

And he said, "McAvoy,
you're a Republican nitwit

and every word you've ever said
or written about China

is incomprehensible bollocks.

But for reasons
passing understanding,

my Mackenzie seems to be
in love with you.

So you can have a pint
on a hot summer's day

without earning
my disapproval."

We ended up having three.

You two idiots were drunk
when you met us for dinner?

Yeah.

Your dad's feeling all right?

Charlie says you're physically
and mentally exhausted.

I've been exhausted
since I was 30.

Everybody's exhausted.

I just wanted to come back
and be in a newsroom.

Well, this one's
yours for a week.

- Good show tonight.
- You, too.

It wasn't vertigo medicine.

I thought I saw you
in the audience.

That's how I got flustered.

I thought I saw you,
but it turned out to be someone else.

No, wait.

Sync, corrected by icephoenix
www.addic7ed.com