Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing...

Tell Toby to take over the campaign.

The White House is going to announce their answer

to the Republican tax plan on Monday.

Every speech the President gives on Tuesday

has to be about the Democratic tax plan.

The speech-writing staff-- you didn't fire them,

they quit, right? Yeah.

We're the interns for the speech-writing staff.

Kundu is in the midst of a civil war.

No, it's not-- it's in the midst

of a one-sided slaughtering of an entire people.

Two Marine lance corporals and a PFC have been taken.

What are we doing?

Special Ops wants to brief you on some rescue scenarios.

We're coming home.

NEWSMAN: ...with General Vahorean confirming,

or I should say, disclosing, for the first time

the names of the Marines taken hostage.

They are Lance Corporals John Halley and Raymond Rowe

and Private First Class Herman Hernandez.

On what was described as a routine patrol

of the perimeter of Bitanga Airport,

the three reported by radio

an attack by an estimated 50 members

of the Kundu National Army.

TOBY: Well, Sam's on his way over,

and I'll tell you something, if I was someone

who felt comfortable hugging other people,

I'd give one to Sam

'cause he absolutely impaled himself.

So I think the least I can do

is bring the Ziegler brand of wisdom to the campaign

for the last week, be a role model.

By the way, you know what they don't tell you?

You can post bond with a credit card.

Yo, man, that's totally whack!

Yeah. Charlie's trying to throw down with the street.

It's kind of a sad sight to see.

I've got American Express. I've got Visa.

I could've posted bond and gotten miles, damn it.

...with White House Press Secretary Hang on.

C.J. Cregg,

telling us that President Bartlet,

who was to spend the weekend

in Southern California campaigning

for Democratic congressional candidate Sam Seaborn,

has boarded Air Force One

and is on his way back to Washington

to more closely monitor the crisis--

I guess we'd have to call it-- with the three hostages.

Sir? Yeah. Uh, uh,

when do you land?

Sign here, here, here, here, here,

here, here, here, here.

Initial it here, here, here,

here, and sign again here.

Excuse me, I think they're making me buy somebody's house.

Uh, call me when you land.

I'm sorry, I can't remember who I borrowed this from.

It was me. Thanks.

Toby...

I'm sorry I missed your rally.

That was a hell of a thing you did with the tax plan.

Thank you. I meant it was really stupid.

Speaking of which, what happened?

With us? Yeah.

At the bar? Yes.

Couple of country club guys were a little lubed.

They got into it with Andy.

I wanted him to step back, and he slipped,

and his wingman thought I hit him,

so he came for me, and I took care of business.

You did what?

Charlie took care of business.

You're all right? Yeah, I'm all right.

You know, when you sit in a cage,

you have time to do a lot of thinking.

Hurricane, we were in the joint

for two hours and 20 minutes, 'kay?

SAM: Look, you probably haven't had

a chance to talk to anybody.

No, I just got off with Josh,

and I'm running the campaign for the last week. Yeah.

Technically, the President can't fire Scott Holcomb.

He was taking it in the wrong direction, Sam, and you know it.

And you guys are going to take it in the right direction?

We made a rough entrance here, but things are looking up now.

You trapped people at Disneyland,

told the French they could stick a loaf of bread up their ass,

had a meeting with a Communist, and things are looking up

'cause my new campaign director just made bail.

Look, a glass is half full or half...

You know, the other thing... How'd you call Josh?

What do you mean? Didn't they take your cell phone from you?

I borrowed theirs.

So on a call girl's phone bill,

there's going to be a call to Air Force One?

You're really going to be teaching the seminar

on call girl caution? Really?

Excuse me, but at this point,

we're in jail voluntarily-- can we go?

What are we doing about this story?

Nothing. It's a box on page 27.

Oh, I think it's going to be more than that.

They got the hostages, the President heading to Washington,

a flood in Colorado, and a chemical fire in Providence.

We got saved.

( reporters clamoring ): Mr. Ziegler! Mr. Seaborn! Mr. Young!

All right, I called that putt too early.

He's 24 years old.

He joined the Marine Corps two years ago,

and he did his basic training at Camp Pendleton.

He is married with a three-year-old daughter.

The three were deployed...

How come it's never people with six months to live

who are taken hostage?

I mean, there's so much of it,

you'd think once in a while we'd catch a break.

Hey. Trotsky. Yeah.

The First Lady's going to fly out to California tomorrow

and do the President's public events.

Would you let C.J. know that she should stay?

She was going to take a red-eye back. Yeah.

Also, Charlie should stay and staff the First Lady.

Okay, speaking of the First Lady,

you have a meeting with Max in the morning.

Yeah, Max is taken care of.

All right, the HHS chapter

of the submission is ready for you to proofread.

You want me to do it?

Well, I guess I'm really supposed to do it myself.

Yes, but you don't do it yourself,

so you want me to do it?

You took a meeting with a Communist, Donna.

Because you sent me there.

Yeah. Fair enough. My bad.

You want me to proofread this?

Yes, please.

NANCY: Mr. President.

Yeah?

Mr. McGarry.

Would you all excuse me?

Yeah?

LEO: Electronic eavesdropping and a couple of paid informants

lead us to believe they're being held

at a barracks about 37 miles east of Bitanga.

What happens if, screw the deadline,

we just go to full deployment right now?

Well, I don't know,

but the three Marines would certainly be executed.

All right, we got to go get them.

Fitz.

The Delta Force, First Special Forces.

That's 26 Special Ops.

They've been practicing

for the last three hours or so in Ghana.

They're going to use the RH-66,

the Comanche Attack-Recon.

When they've got it right in Ghana,

that's when we'll recommend

that you give the order, sir,

and if that happens, we believe there's a 70% chance of success.

All right, then, on my order.

Thank you, sir.

LEO: Thank you, Mr. President.

You can't say their plan

is the wrong way to stimulate the economy.

It is the wrong way.

No, it's not.

It won't stimulate the economy at all.

It'll stimulate yacht manufacturers.

And don't say, "We believe."

Make it declarative.

21 and 60.

They've been working since very early this morning.

( both gasping )

Right, yeah. Sure, yeah.

21, you wrote, "Even if it's true

"that capital gains rewards risk-taking,

the plan is bad for the deficit."

Why are you conceding their central point?

And Lauren Shelby writes,

"Rather than give the benefits to the rich,

everyone should get them in equal... "

Our plan isn't equal.

It raises taxes on the rich.

LAUREN: I meant...

metaphorically, I suppose.

Why don't I take this one?

Will, those are remarks

for the Deputy Small Business Administrator.

So anyone sub-cabinet or lower--

it's okay to be a quivering mass of indecision?

I'm saying you have

limited time and finite resources.

Maybe it'd be best to triage.

Do not fall asleep again.

I thought I saw food on the floor.

They haven't eaten in a while.

There's food in the Mess.

CASSIE: The Mess closes at 6:00.

Is it after 6:00?

Yes. What time is it?

11:30.

( sighs )

All right, you guys should go home.

You need anything?

No.

You didn't give them much encouragement.

What?

You didn't give them much encouragement.

I'm not their camp counselor.

I need these things done by Monday.

The staff quit.

I'm not going to pretend these guys are speechwriters,

and I'm going to figure out a way to do it myself.

By Monday morning? Yes.

Okay, but you've had an attitude

about the interns since yesterday.

I question their commitment.

Well, they're here on a Saturday night,

and they don't get paid.

You question their commitment?

"White House Intern" looks good on a resume.

( phone ringing ) Three months from now,

two of them will be working at Condé Nast and HBO.

And the other two?

Will marry Senior Vice Presidents

of Condé Nast and HBO.

Hello?

TOBY: Hey.

You guys all right?

Charlie and I got arrested.

Yeah, I saw it on the news.

It made the news out there?

A Jewish guy won a bar fight-- it's news everywhere.

The President's coming out

with his tax plan tomorrow, not Monday.

What are you talking about?

Sam found out we were holding back

'cause of his campaign, and made the President

flip the cards a couple of hours ago,

so the toothpaste's out of the tube, and we're going

to need to be ready with public remarks

by the end of the day tomorrow.

( quietly ): Get them back! Who?

The Ronettes. Get them back.

Are you there?

Yeah. Uh, end of the day tomorrow.

I'll call you in an hour.

Toby, I'm going to head to the airport

and catch the red-eye back.

No, actually, you're not.

The First Lady's flying in tomorrow

and taking over the President's events,

so she needs to be staffed.

All right, how do I get her schedule?

Advance is bringing it over to you.

Did Zoey stay?

Yeah, she's still here.

All right, Amy,

how much money does he have left?

$28,500 cash on hand.

That's including a loan for $15,000

for targeted radio spots.

Yet with regard to money you remain...?

Cautiously optimistic.

Because?

The reason the campaign's strapped is

that Scott Holcomb never tapped Democratic interest groups.

Will they write checks this late?

If they can be convinced

Sam's still sucking in some oxygen.

I'm enjoying this.

You're eight points down with ten points up for grabs,

and we need them all to break for you.

All of them?

Yes.

Well, look, it's been one of those days.

Who would've thought Charlie could bust us out

of the Newport Beach Correctional Facility

using nothing but his shoes.

Go ahead, tell them, Charlie.

These guys got beaten.

Is it possible that that happened in the struggle

when they were ambushed?

No.

No.

These guys got beaten.

AIDE 1: We're talking about PSSF grants?

Yeah, I think 80 million is pretty unrealistic from the House.

Didn't-- last year-- didn't the conferees split the difference,

like 68-something? AIDE 2: 68.2, I think.

All right, we'll tell them the budget submission's at 80,

and everyone's happy at 70. Do we have anything else?

Can I just ask: Mrs. Bartlet was promised $12 million

for immunization education funds at CDC,

you've got the full 139 million for vaccines in here.

Shouldn't they be earmarked separately?

There's no more 12 million.

Why? I traded it.

You're kidding me.

I am not. Josh, the First Lady wanted it.

No one notified me this was on the table.

You get a daily memo on Hill consultations.

I get 35 of them and you know it.

Yes. Thank you.

I have to go tell this to the First Lady now?

Well, I'd have someone else do it, but it's up to you.

Good morning.

Good morning. Did you get some sleep?

God, yeah. That was a... nice four hours.

I'm a whole new woman.

Are you the leader of the group?

I'm sorry? Are you the group leader?

I've been here the longest.

You guys got to hunker down.

Will, I promise you, we're doing our best.

I don't think you are.

Man, your sister was right.

Was she?

Yeah. About what?

Good morning.

Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Elsie.

Minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.

Times 40, times 52, that's $10,712 a year,

which is what you make unloading boxes in a right-to-work state,

say Kentucky.

He can't live on that,

so he puts in another 30 hours as a night watchman,

bringing his total to $18,746 a year.

He pays 15% in federal income tax

or $2811.90.

Public school teacher.

$41,724 is the national average.

He's paying 28% or $11,682.

And, finally, a doctor making 150,000 is paying 36%

or $54,000 in taxes.

15%, 28%, 36%.

It's called a progressive tax, it's been around since Lincoln.

Under the plan the Republicans announced on Friday,

the box unloader stays the same,

the schoolteacher stays the same,

the doctor gets $4,500 back.

Under our plan, which has sort of been announced already,

the box unloader gets $321 back,

the schoolteacher gets 1,251,

the doctor stays the same

and to finance the tax deductibility of college tuition

for the children of the box unloader and the schoolteacher,

we go to a fourth group, the uberwealthy,

and ask a CEO making $16,400,000 a year

to give us another one percent, taking him up to 41.

Bring me whatever you have done in an hour.

That's what I'm gonna work with. Thanks.

ROMANO: The doctor got into medical school.

Hmm?

I'm sorry, I said the doctor got into medical school.

He had to work hard to do that.

And, presumably the CEO has some skills,

the value of which the market has placed at $16,400,000.

Was there a spread on this in Republican Vogue?

Bring me whatever you've got in an hour.

( computer keyboard clacking)

You're very stealthy, ma'am.

I've always liked that about you. Yeah?

How are you this morning?

You outwitted my chancellor, you bested my swordsman.

I haven't mentioned this in a while, ma'am,

but I think you and the President are a perfect couple.

I wanted that 12 million.

Me, too, but at the end of a prize fight, you look

at the guy who's dancing around, and that's who won.

Why doesn't my agenda get anywhere in these negotiations?

Well, can I ask you, ma'am, why do you think?

Because you're a political snob

who doesn't think the First Lady belongs

in the starboard side of the building?

Wrong.

Wrong what? Wrong, ma'am.

Damn right. The President and Leo

make their decisions by listening to

and participating in vigorous debate.

This isn't school.

I work with people who can play.

You're comfortable being this condescending with me?

Yes, ma'am. Why?

Because I won-- I always do--

and you came here for my advice. Max...

Max is an idiot.

Max is my nephew. No kidding.

He doesn't understand the budget process,

he doesn't understand committee structure,

he thinks decisions are made in meetings,

This is an extremely... and he can't play at this level.

Mrs. Bartlet, you're the First Lady,

you need a Chief of Staff,

a real one.

If you want your agenda taken seriously,

put a professional face on it.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

TOBY: When they ask you why you're here today,

you say, "Orange County's beachfront is a national treasure."

SAM: What are you, Charlie McCarthy?

Charlie McCarthy was the dummy.

Edgar Bergen was the ventriloquist.

When they ask you about the rise in the Consumer Price Index,

you say, "Orange County's beachfront is a national treasure."

They're gonna ask me about the Democratic tax plan.

They might. They might?

They will. Yeah.

And when they do, here's what you say:

"Orange County's beachfront is a national treasure."

Assuming I did say that,

which there's no chance I'm going to,

you don't think I'd sound like an idiot?

I doubt you'll sound like anything.

They'll just use it as b-roll.

But on the off-chance there's audio,

you might as well be on message.

Sam will take some questions now.

REPORTER: Mr. Seaborn, what are we doing here today?

Well Orange County's beachfronts are a national treasure, Samantha.

That's why I support creating...

He looks youthful. Yes.

And energetic. Yes.

He looks youthful and energetic.

Do we have anything he can jump over?

What do you want?

What's going on at the White House?

I'm standing right here, I don't have special powers of...

When you brief the press, that's when I'll know.

You've never been on a beach in your life, have you?

No.

PRESIDENT: They're here?

Ye-Yes, sir. Um...

Who are they?

Diane Halley and her... and their three-year-old;

Esteban and Louisa Hernandez; and Martha Rowe.

There's a three-year-old in there?

Yeah. I-I'll take care of it.

This is my first time doing this particular one.

Good morning. I'm Jed Bartlet.

Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez?

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Rowe? Yes, sir.

Mrs. Halley, is it all right if I call you Diane?

Diane's fine.

Are you Betty?

Yeah.

Are you three years old? Yeah.

Are you scared now?

Don't be.

Diane, would you mind if Betty sat

in the next room with my secretary, Mrs. Fiderer?

We'll be just on the other side of that door.

Yeah, honey, wait for me in the next room with...

Debbie.

Come on, Betty. I know a lot about you.

Thank you.

Please. Mm-hmm.

No one can tell us anything.

The picture is real?

Yeah. It was taken off Kundunese TV.

Ah. They have TV?

Yeah, sure.

They, um... they've been beaten, hmm?

I'm afraid so, sir, yes.

We're currently negotiating for

Red Cross access so they can get medical attention.

Where are they being held?

What kind of place is it?

I'm sorry, I can't tell you that.

Do you know?

I mean, do you know where they're...

I'm sorry, I can't tell you that either.

But something is being done to get the boys back?

Mr. Hernandez, I can only imagine...

You can't tell us that either?

No, ma'am, I can't.

( knock at door )

Excuse me.

Excuse me, please.

( door shuts )

( whispering ): Delta just got it right in Ghana.

Let's go.

FITZWALLACE: They fly in on two Comanches and a Black Hawk.

20 men forcibly secure the perimeter of the barracks.

A snatch force of six men penetrate and take the captives.

LEO: What about resistance?

Well, they're gonna subdue sentries and visible guards;

they've got heavy sniper rifles and the CIA wet team.

What's the timetable?

47 minutes to get there from the President's go order.

That's radio silence.

Two hours to get it done.

Why a wet team?

FITZWALLACE: Excuse me, sir?

Why the CIA wet team? We're not near water.

FITZWALLACE: No, sir, it's called...

They call it a wet team because it's bloody.

I had to ask.

What's it called?

FITZWALLACE: Task Force Dawn Sky.

Go.

FITZWALLACE: Go.

OFFICER: It's a go.

Task Force is go...

Dawn Sky's in operation.

Stand by...

( officers speaking simultaneously )

Work at the end of hour seven.

Where's everyone else?

They asked me to bring it.

They're scared of me?

Yes.

Give me that.

What did Cassie mean when she said,

"Your sister is right about you"?

What do you mean?

She said, "Man, your sister was right about you."

I probably was. About what?

What do you mean?

Will you shut up and tell me what you said.

Clock's ticking.

"In our redistributive tax plan..."

I don't want them calling it that.

It sounds like redistributing wealth,

which, in human history, has usually been preceded

by heads on the pitchforks of peasants.

"In the Bartlet plan, Americans making less than $80,000 a year

"will see their marginal tax rate

"cut from 15% and 28%, respectively,

to 12% and 23%..."

I'm sleeping already.

Hard-ass. What?

Cassie said, "So what's the deal with your stepbrother?"

and I said, "He's a very sweet hard-ass."

You did. Yeah.

And she said, "Your sister was right about you."

Well, she probably meant that you were sweet.

No, I don't think she did.

How do you know? Because.

Willy...

Don't call me that!

Sputnik crashed down on your head overnight.

You were concentrating on one speech,

and suddenly, you're Deputy Director

and the Director's a continent away,

and the speechwriting staff quit.

Because of me.

Because they're idiots!

And the tax plan's out two days early,

and you weren't here for the nine months before, so you're cramming it,

and you're taking it all out on four defenseless interns

who, by the way, think Sputnik's

crashed down on their heads, too.

Leave these. I'll make notes.

Okay.

( shattering )

( applause )

"The DNC Honors the Bartlet Women."

Well, I assume you're talking about my daughters

and my mother-in-law, 'cause if the DNC's honoring

my husband's skanky ex-girlfriends, I...

( laughter )

No... No, you're honoring the great work

done by so many women during Jed's first term.

Sherry Klein and Jenn Hammond at the NWLA,

who got $28 billion into the Federal budget

for health care coverage for the uninsured

and children of low-income parents.

Ellen Meshejian and her team

at the National Education Initiative...

Rachel Warren and the child care tax incentive program...

( applause )

Elizabeth Lowell and the Women's Health Coalition...

( glass clattering )

I beg your pardon, ma'am.

And Amy Gardner, who's had seven jobs in three years.

( applause )

ABBEY: On behalf of the DNC,

on behalf of the White House,

on behalf of the President,

I thank you very much.

And let's send Sam Seaborn to Congress!

Thank you!

AMY: I'm so sorry, ma'am.

I was reaching for the water glass,

misjudged the angle on the candle

and, as you saw, one thing lead to another...

How did you live with Josh Lyman?

I'm sorry?

How do you live with him?

He beat Max out of $12 million earmarked for vaccine education

and when I said I wanted the $12 million,

he said, "So did I,

"and at the end of the prizefight,

"you look at the guy who's dancing around,

and that's who won"?!

So I want to know how you lived with him.

We never technically lived together,

which was the subject of many...

Don't you want to kill him when he says things like that?

My problem is I want to jump him

when he says things like that.

Where did you get your mouth?

Brown, and then Yale Law School.

Ah.

ABBEY: Oh, God.

Alana Waterman's about to zatz me on Fair Pay.

Save me, would you?

You want me to?

Please. Abbey...

you were charming.

Good to see you, Alana.

I'm not sure if you saw my Op-Ed this morning--

I did! Me, too.

Well, what I wanted to say...

I thought it was terrific, if that counts for anything.

Thank you. Obviously...

And courageous.

I'm sorry?

I say I thought it was courageous.

Because the leadership wanted Fair Pay

done quietly, so it didn't become necessary

for the moderate Republicans

to make it a symbol of left-wing overreaching--

as if the President doesn't have enough problems--

but you said, "Screw the leadership,"

and... I think that's courageous.

Ironically, I have a hunch

the First Lady could've been brought on board Fair Pay

if she'd been lobbied more-- what's the word--

more, you know, professionally,

rather than being embarrassed in this morning's newspaper...

Alana.

Lovely remarks today, ma'am.

That's what I came over to say.

You said, "Save me."

I meant walk me

to the other side of the room or something.

Oh.

Oh. Sorry.

So this is what it looks like from where you are, Mr. McGarry.

I'm sorry.

I say this is what it looks like from where you are.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Rowe, I don't follow...

The comfortable chairs and the bodyguards.

I'm sorry, I'm still not...

I can tell you if it's just a matter of...

When the U.S. is involved in a military conflict

anywhere in the world,

the Chief of Staff is given increased security,

it's just... is that what-- what you meant?

I meant that the Bartlet people aren't ones for joining the service.

Did you serve?

I did.

I flew F-105s for the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing.

During a war?

Yeah, the war in Vietnam.

I apologize, sir.

My mistake.

That's all right.

Mister, uh... McGarry.

You should call me Leo.

Esteban. Steve.

Does my son...?

Would these boys know anything, have any information...?

Steve, you want to ask me if your son's being tortured?

Would they know any information that...?

I can't tell you that.

( knocking )

Excuse me.

Coming up on 47 minutes plus two hours.

Well, let's get everybody in.

You got a fax from Amy.

What does she say?

It looks like it's just some campaign updates.

Read it to me.

"Low-dollar program capped at 37k.

"Three new national endorsements

"including Sierra Club and NARAL

"latter on promise of opposition

"to partial-birth ban.

Mrs. B. says..."

Hey, Josh. Yeah.

Did you sign off on 40 million from the immunization fund

to be earmarked for immunization education?

Yeah.

Really? Yeah.

Okay, I thought you settled that

with the First Lady's office.

Yeah. Wait. What?

Hi, how you doing? Maddy Tatum. We've worked together

for two years.

Did you say immunization education?

Yeah, vaccines and the HHS budget.

You moved 40 million from nutrition services

in the... I didn't move anything.

It's in the HHS final.

Let me see that.

This isn't what we had this morning.

Well, they said the change was made in the galleys.

Didn't you proofread it?

I don't know.

Did I proofread it?

Yeah, but you proofread it to make sure "capital"

was spelled with an "A" and not an "O."

You didn't proofread it...

To make sure it reflected what we agreed to?

I didn't do that?

Nnn... not as such, no.

Who moved the money?

I don't know.

Whoever moved the money knew

that I don't proofread these things.

Then it must have been Max.

Max doesn't know anything.

Then I give up.

Boy, really leaving

no stone unturned, aren't you?

Don't yell at her.

Read me the rest of the fax.

What?

How does...?

Re... read me the fax.

"...latter on promise of opposition of partial-birth ban.

"Mrs. B. says you're encouraging her

"to hire new chief-of-staff.

"Need Treasury breakdown of cap gains cut.

"First Lady took your advice-- She just hired me.

"Weather here is

74 degrees and partly cloudy."

Well.

A whole new chapter begins.

Yeah.

You know, I think I've got...

Yes, yes. I do.

I've still got sand in my shoes

from like six hours ago.

* Sand in my shoes...

* Sand from Havana... *

You know, I'm looking at this wire report.

Why is the First Lady commenting on falling soybean prices?

That's what they were asking her?

Why did you let her take the questions?

In retrospect, that's what a lot of us are wondering.

Mrs. Bartlet would like you to know that at the DCCC tonight,

she wants to change her remarks

and talk about House vote on the nutrition assistance program.

I don't think that's a good idea.

Why not?

'Cause it's a black-tie event

and when she talks about helping poor women

while wearing a $4,000 Krizia dress,

she looks like Marie Antoinette.

She's right.

I am.

So, you should tell her that, Charlie.

I'm sorry?

You should tell her not

to talk about the House vote.

You want me to tell Mrs. Bartlet

she's going to look like a dilettante.

I once had to tell the President

he was wearing two different shoes.

That's roughly the same.

You polished up my remarks.

Those are recommendations.

For the office park?

They're recommendations.

Saw what you want.

I'm asking, do you mean

for the office park now or the banquet tonight?

I meant for both.

"Charles Darwinomics" for the Chamber of Commerce.

"Trickle-down travesties."

That was mine.

She's ready to go.

Good luck. We'll catch up with you later.

Th... They're well-paid technology workers.

What happened to courting undecideds?

That's what we're doing.

Darwinomics at the Chamber of Commerce tonight?

That's flamethrower language.

You don't want to be a flamethrower?

I didn't say that.

Good. You feel all right?

Yeah.

Then...

let's go.

At what point do we start to worry?

I'm sorry?

Hack was two hours and 47 minutes.

That was an approximation.

Yeah but it's four hours and ten minutes now.

I've got three parents, a wife and a three-year-old up there.

At what point do I tell 'em what's going on?

Let's give them some time.

How much time before we send some guys in

to get the guys we sent in to get the guys...?

PILOT 1: Dakota-1-1, ODS--

is this channel secure?

SHUMAN: Affirm, Dakota-1-1.

Call in, over.

PILOT 2: Zeus-4-1.

PILOT 3: Black Widow-1-1, ODS.

That's all three choppers.

EUCOM, can you confirm the cargo?

EUCOM: Dakota-1-1, say if cargo's onboard.

PILOT 1: EUCOM, Dakota-1-1, that's affirm.

Ah! Yeah!

Ask him to confirm it again.

Affirm again, EUCOM.

EUCOM: Dakota-1-1

Affirm your cargo.

PILOT 1: Lance Corporals Halley

and Rowe and PFC Hernandez onboard Zeus-4-1.

EUCOM: Roger that.

That's affirmative, White House.

I gotta tell you something.

That was the longest radio silence since Mexico.

The governor of Chihuahua.

BARTLET: See, that's the way to go.

But we heard Spanish over the secure com.

What did that turn out to be?

McGARRY: Her bodyguards were on walkie-talkies, I think.

Leo.

What's that?

Red Haven's on fire.

What does that mean?

A bomb went off.

FITZWALLACE: EUCOM, are you reading

a condition on Red Haven?

Roger that. Red Haven's on fire.

Can you give me a situation assessment?

What's Red Haven?

It's the base in Ghana where the Deltas practiced.

Fitz, what's going on?

It's coming.

White House, EUCOM, best as we can tell

three SUVs breached the gate at Haven.

The first one was stopped and the second

two continued before driving

into a barracks and exploding their C-4s.

Casualties?

It was a suicide bombing.

They're reporting 14 dead and some 20 injured.

I want Threatcon Charlie for Africa and Europe.

FP-CON Delta at Red Haven.

Aye. Start Threatcon Charlie.

( all talking )

Why don't you go talk to the families?

Yes, sir. I'll be right back.

They've been gone a long time now.

As soon as they know anything at all

I'm sure they'll send someone here.

Well, that's not true, though.

I mean, they know a lot but they can't tell us?

That's for everyone's safety.

Can you tell us this?

Why were these boys sent to a place

I have never heard of, and to kill people I've never heard of?

That's a complicated question.

I'm a smart lady.

( knocking )

( door opening )

Leo.

They're safe.

They're in airspace over Morocco.

( relieved sighs )

What happened?

Our special ops unit staged a successful rescue.

They'll be brought to a hospital

at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany

and they'll be home tomorrow.

We'll have communications

set up in a few minutes.

You can speak with them.

The President wishes he could be here himself

to tell you, but I'm afraid he's engaged at the moment.

Leo...

What aren't you telling us?

The boys are fine, Mrs. Rowe.

But something has happened.

It appears there's been a terrorist retaliation

at the makeshift camp we set up in Ghana

to practice for the rescue.

17 staff and administrators were killed.

Someone will be in to take care of you.

Thank you.

Listen to this.

"Our taxes aren't a penalty, hard as that is to believe.

"They're the price we pay for our roads and bridges,

"and they're the way we look after the least among us

"the sign and signal of our obligations to each other

and to our own best selves."

That's nice.

Did you write that?

No, you did.

I didn't write that.

Yeah, you did.

I painted it, but it's yours.

You wrote...

"We must rise above parochial interests

"and speak to the national interest.

"Instead of

"a trickle-down economy, imagine one

"where the work and endeavor of ordinary Americans

is placed at the center of our national life."

I wrote that?

You did.

I'm very good.

Don't get carried away.

Which one of you is Shelby and which is Romano?

I'm Romano.

A spread in Republican Vogue?

What was that supposed to be, clever?

You're entitled.

A guy's entitled

to shout stupid things at a ballpark.

Doesn't make me want to follow his lead, you know?

The answer to your question about why the MD should accept

a greater tax burden in spite of the fact

that his success is well-earned, is called the veil of ignorance.

Imagine before you're born, you don't know anything

about who you'll be, your abilities

or your position.

Now design a tax system.

Veil of ignorance.

John Rawls.

We rescued the hostages

but suicide bombers killed 17 US soldiers in Ghana.

This'll be what we're talking about tomorrow

so I'm going to put the tax plan aside and work on this.

You all did well.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Lauren, why don't we get the profiles

and we'll start back there?

Profiles, and he's going to need the minute-by-minute.

Can you get him a Bible?

Corinthians?

Think so, but he'll know.

We should pull the material

from when we lost the Deltas in Bogota, just for a sense.

Lauren, I'm almost sure

there's a King James Bible on the shelf here.

Somebody should tell...

Elsie.

...the DNC not to bother

with the talking points and the tax plan.

I don't think they understood.

They can go home.

They understood.

...get profiles of the soldiers.

Okay.

Yeah, that's right.

Sam wrote it for the President.

Is there a copy I can run over and get?

We are preaching to the choir, and that is all we are doing,

yet you packed the whole damn office park with bodies from the...

Where the hell'd he go?

I'm sorry, are you talking to me?

No.

Are you open?

We have a private party in here in a little while.

Yeah, I'm supposed to be next door.

Hey. Sorry I didn't catch that last part.

You were walking a little fast.

You packed the office park

with bodies from Labor-- AFL, teamsters,

It was like the cast of a James Cagney movie.

The reason for the event was to talk to wired workers.

I didn't want a half-empty rally

and the wired workers are wired to Webb.

I spent a third of the day in one-on-ones

with Planned Parenthood, Families America, AARP.

You think those people are gonna vote

for Webb on election day?

My bigger concern is that those people

are gonna stay home and do laundry on election day.

And now I'm supposed to go into the Chamber of Commerce

and do a chorus and two verses

on titans of corporate greed? Problem?

It's the Chamber of Commerce.

The titans are the ones in the room.

Can we get a couple of shots and a glass of beer?

Yeah.

I'm preaching to the choir.

I'm sorry?

I'm saying you have me preaching to the choir.

Yeah. Why?

'Cause that's how you get them to sing.

I can't just cut any chance I have for victory.

The story'll be "It's over."

No.

The story's going to be that you had the guts

to stick up for what you believe in.

You didn't cut and run

and people are going to remember that.

I'm going to make sure of it.

I'm going to lose.

Yeah.

There's no chance of a miracle.

No.

Then why are you here?

You're going to lose and you're going to lose huge.

They're going to throw rocks at you next week

and I wanted to be standing next to you when they did.

( chuckling )

Really?

Yeah.

Really?

Yeah.

Really?

Really.

I'm just getting creamed.

I'm just getting worked.

I know.

You're not imagining it.

( chuckling ): Thanks.

Hey, I don't know if you guys heard,

it was just on the news.

There was a terrorist bombing in Africa

at an Army base.

Yeah, we heard.

We should get back to work.

God save the President of the United States

and Sam Seaborn.

Let's go.