All language subtitles for The.West.Wing.S04E19.WEBRip.x264-FGT

Bill, Steve, Betsy,

Julie, Julie, Julia...

There are some
120 news outlets

covering the hour-
to-hour movements

of the President.

Only the cream of the crop
ride here with me.

The rest are consigned
to the zoo plane...

Have you decided
on a press policy?

I don't get to
decide press policy

for the U.S. Armed Forces.

Yeah, we're gonna have
a dabba-doo time,

so unless there're any updates,
I'll see you on the plane.

C.J. ( quietly ):
Because it's 18 hours from
Manila, it's 9:25 p.m, Eastern.

MARK:
It should be 10:25.

C.J.:
We left Manila at 3:25 today.

MARK:
We left Manila at 3:25
yesterday.

C.J.:
In Manila, it was yesterday.

KATIE:
Was it?

C.J.:
Well, no, actually
it was tomorrow,

but it's 9:25 right now,
Eastern. Agreed?

I've agreed that
it's 9:25 from
the beginning.

I'm just saying
it should be 9:25
in the morning.

But it's not, Steve,
you can just look out the window

and check that one
off the list.

CAPTAIN ( over P.A. ):
Ladies and gentlemen,
from the flight deck,

this is
Lieutenant Colonel Caplan.

Colonel Weiskopf just told you

that we were beginning
our initial descent,

but Andrews approach has
asked us to make a left turn

at Valhalla Vector,
maintain our altitude

and proceed along Jet Route 5.

We assume there's a problem
on the ground

and just as soon as...

PRESIDENT:
He's telling me the deadline
for Colombia's recertification

is midnight tonight.

Yes, sir.

Didn't I sign
those papers already?

Yes, sir, but the statute

requires that you have
an in-person briefing

on the current drug situation.

So, we'll get you someone to do
it in the car on the way in.

Just to check,

they're gonna tell me

that the narco-trafficantes
are running the Parliament,

but that we should recertify
them as an ally in the drug war.

It's a pro forma thing.

It's better than having them
as an enemy in the drug war.

I did.
You mean calling them an enemy.

LARRY:
There's a statute
that says

you've got to
be briefed in...

Excuse me, sir.
Colonel Weiskopf to see you.

And the deadline for
that is today, right?

LEO:
Yes, sir.

Jessie, left turn
maintain altitude?

Would you excuse
us, please?

Leo, hang on
a second.

What's the problem
on the ground?

There's no problem
on the ground, sir.

When we deployed
Hydraulic System One,

our nose wheel indicator
light didn't illuminate.

Now, chances are, it's a problem
with the indicator light itself,

but at the moment,
we have no way of knowing

if our front wheel's locked.

An F-16's been scrambled
from Durbin Air Base,

they'll be here in 22 minutes.

Then what happens?

They pull up alongside,
try to get a visual read.

And then what happens?

If we don't have our wheels?
Yeah.

There are a number of options
at that point.

You'll keep me briefed?

Yes, sir.
Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Listen, we've got
a problem up here.

Listen to me, are you listening?

This is one of those things
that sounds worse than it is.

I can't tell you
how many times this happens,

It's a 30-cent piece of plastic.

Well, it should cost more,
don't you think?

A friend of mine landing
a Beechcraft at Teterboro,

puts down the gear, the wheels
fall right off the plane,

he ditched it
near the Throgs Neck Bridge.

You got a lot more
of these stories?

Oh, yeah, a thousand of them.

Seriously, man, if they'd
dug a grave for me

every time I lost
an indicator light.

I've got a plane full
of reporters up here.

C.J. will know what to do.

Sir?
Well, we're gonna
give it a try.

Good evening,
Mr. President.

Charlie, stay in here,
would you?

Here's what's going on.

The light that indicates that
the landing gear is locked

didn't go on,
which usually indicates

that there's something
wrong with the light.

But what they're gonna do is,
they've sent a fighter jet

to fly up alongside
and get visual confirmation

that it's down,
and then we land.

Here's the tricky part.

Here's the tricky part?

The press can't know
this is going on.

There are two issues.

One is that the Nikkei's
about to open,

the other is national security.

We can't broadcast that
Air Force One is up in the air

over West Virginia
and can't land.

The copilot told us
it was a problem

on the ground,
we'll stay with that.

What are we gonna tell them

when they see an Air Force
Strikefighter out their window?

That's gonna
take some thought.

Okay.

that the plane can't land?

We shouldn't give them
too many details.

Let's say, you know,
a runway incursion.

A maintenance truck
caused a fuel spill

on the runway they
want us to use.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Ed, Larry, can you talk
to Will for a second?

Has anyone else noticed
that Chris's been on the phone

for the last 20 minutes
but hasn't spoken?

Hang on.

Hey, who remembers Dial-a-Joke?

C.J., what the
hell's going on?

A maintenance truck caused
a fuel spill on our runway

a few minutes ago,
and they're cleaning it up.

C.J....
I don't know how long
it's gonna take.

That was a stringer
we use on the Ivory Coast.

He's got double confirmation

that there were
friendly fire deaths

in Kundu a few hours ago.

Thanks.

Signal, this is C.J. Cregg.

I need you to page Leo McGarry
with a call holding.

LANDIS:
Does it feel like there's
still too much regulation?

JOSH:
No.

No, I'm not saying,
"Is there?"

I'm saying, "Does it
feel like there is?"

Stop thinking
like a Republican.

I am a Republican.

And that's fine,
I have nothing with
that, I really don't.

I'm just saying stop
thinking like one.

It's thinking like one that's
gonna get this bill passed,

and I'm telling you,
if it feels like,

in the toxics provision,

that there's too
much regulation...

It's cleaning up Chesapeake Bay,
it's not regulation,

and regulation is what
Congressmen do.

Oh, not Republican Congressmen,
we look out for local business.

Well, when the Chesapeake starts
turning fluorescent colors,

local business is gonna
have a bigger concern.

Well, that's why I'm
supporting this bill.

And that's why
the President's signing it.

Good, but you skipped the part

where the majority of
Congress votes for it.

So, I'm asking you again:
Does it feel too...

No, it doesn't...
feel too regulated,

it doesn't have the texture
of how do you say,

the je ne sais quoi...

Shut up.

...of big government.
Shut up.

Let's get
back to work.

What does Chesapeake mean?

Big Shellfish Bay.

You never spend
any time there?

No.
Oh, it's incredibly
beautiful.

( gently ):
Josh?

You ever
been there?

Chesapeake Bay?
Uh-huh.

No.

There was a fuel spill
on the ground at Andrews.

They've to clean it up
before he can land.

Oh man, after
an 18-hour flight?

Yeah, I'm gonna head
back to my office.

Why don't you guys move on to
point/non-point source pollution

and the storm runoff,
I'll be back in a few minutes.

( softly ):
They're having a problem
with their landing gear.

I know,
I wrote the note.

No, you wrote
they're having

a problem with
their landing geak.

They've got to stay up there
awhile and check it out.

They're saying it's
nothing though, right?

They're saying, yeah,
they're saying it's a light.

All right, do me a favor,
I wanted the President

to look at the
Medicaid rules.

I'll fax them
up there.
SEGAL:
Josh.

Congressmen.
We just had
a meeting canceled.

Yeah, they spilled
something on the runway,

I just got part
of the story.

Runway incursion,
it's called.

Nothing like
flying 8,000 miles

and then circling
the parking lot.

You... you were
with Landis?

I'm sorry?

You were working
with Tom Landis?

Donna...
You want me to fax
those things?

Yeah, and you can try and
get me C.J. on the phone.

Yeah. It's an "r."

It's a "k."

Chesapeake
Bay cleanup.
We talked
about this.

It's nothing.
It's Chesapeake
Bay cleanup.

He's a vulnerable Republican.

You can't hand him victories,
you're giving him his seat back.

It's a bipartisan bill.
It's a victory for us.

It's an environmental bill,
the Republicans hate it.

It's incredibly regulatory.

I don't care,
it's got his name on it.

He's delivering
Chesapeake Bay to Maryland,

They are going
to reelect him.

Well, I appreciate
your thoughts.

Josh, you know what some
Hill Democrats call
the Bartlet reelect?

They call it the
lonely landslide.

There's a sentiment that
the President wanted
a Republican Congress...

And that's absurd.

Then why are you helping
one of the most vulnerable
Republicans rack up....

You're making an argument
for divided government.

Divided government's
what we got.

We should go
on a hunger strike?

No, but do you want
to take back the House or not?

Because if Hill Democrats
don't think your hearts

are really
in it...
Then what?

There's a reason they're
calling it a lonely landslide.

I mean, we've
talked about this.

Anyway, have
a good night.

Good night, Congressmen.

Toby.

They just told me.

Donna's getting C.J.
on the phone.

They sent Will to the
Philippines in my place.

It's not like they're
not gonna fix it.

You don't have
to feel guilty about it.

No, I mean, thank God,
I sent Will in my place.

How long
before they know?

They're about
five minutes away.

Well, that's about all
the time C.J.'s got
to work with up there

'cause, Leo, there's
a wire service guy

standing at Andrews
right now

whose job it is
to record the
wheels downtime

and pretty soon he's gonna
say, "Show me the fuel spill."

A wire guy on the ground?

Toby, 20 White House reporters
are about to see

a supersonic fighter jet
200 feet outside their window.

It's gonna be a story,
but he's gonna be down by then.

A couple hours ago,
we lost five guys

in friendly fire in Kundu.

What happened?

A platoon of infantrymen
called in an air-strike

during live fire training
off the western coast.

There was a GPS error

and they became
the target.

God.

I need you to talk to Mark
Richardson right away tonight.

He's speaking
at Brookings tomorrow,

and he's coming out against
U.S. involvement in Kundu.

Well, we knew
he felt that way.

We didn't know
he was saying so

and doing it
at the Brookings Institution,

so let's see what we can do.

TOBY:
Okay.

JOSH:
They called in an air raid

and the computer hit them
as a target.

How'd you like to have to be
the guy that explains that?

Were Simmel and Segal
giving you a hard time

about the
Chesapeake cleanup?

They're not
big fans of mine.

I meant 'cause
of the nuisance

of having to circle
around up there.

When I said, "Thank God,
I sent Will instead of me,"

not 'cause
of the other thing.

I knew what you meant.

It's gonna be
along the right
side of the plane

and we're gonna
be in the area
of Harper's Ferry.

Blue Ridge Mountains,
what can we look at?

At night?
Anything with lights
or fireworks?

It's Wildflower Week
at Shenandoah National Park.

Lilacs, ochre, crimson.

Do they light up?

We're nowhere near
Shenandoah National Park,

it's a whole different state.

ED:
I was looking at
Blue Ridge Mountains.

Any kind of Festival of Lights
or astronomy? Is there a comet?

C.J. and Will.

Yeah, it's confirmed.

Five infantrymen,
they're on their way back.

Have the families
been notified?

No. I'm gonna do that
when I get on the ground.

Will, I was supposed to get

a Colombia recertification
briefing in the car.

Are you in a position
to do it up here?

You wouldn't rather have
someone from State?

The statute says it's
got to be in person.

Yeah, I can do it.
What are you certifying?

That Colombia is an ally
in the drug war.

So, what's the plan?
Ed and Larry
are looking

for something
in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

At night?
Something
with lights.

Is that gonna work?

I don't see how
it possibly can fail.

All right,

let's get this over with
and land.

Okay, it's time.

It's a minute away.
Okay.

Good luck.
Good luck.

Did you say,
"good luck" to me?

Yeah.
You're doing it.

No, you have to.

I screw with them
all the time.

They're not going
to buy it from me.

They're not going
to buy it from anybody.

That plane's going to be
really close.

It's not
worth a try?

Look at me.
Look at my face.

It's not worth a try?

"Look at me,
look at my face..."?

Listen.
I'm going.

Hey, uh, listen, everybody.
The Colonel just told us

we're about to go by
something incredible.

And you hardly ever get
to see this.

It's going to be out
the left side of the plane.

What is it?

Got to come over
to the left side.

Everybody, over here.
It's coming up.

STEVE:
What are we over?

Well, we're, uh, over
the Blue Ridge Mountains,

but there's a
Festival of Lights

and Bonfires
in this region

that accompanies something
called the Wildflower--

you know, Renaissance,
with lilac and ochre.

That you can see
from 33,000 feet?

Yes, it's arranged
in a pattern

that befuddles astronomers
to this day.

We should be
coming up

on it any s...

KATIE:
Oh, my God!

Of course,
on the right side of the plane

is an F-16 Falcon.

Is that one of ours?

There's only one?

What's going on?

Is that
one of ours?

There's only one?
What's going on?

Signal,
this is C.J. Cregg.

Shut off the phones
in the press cabin.

( murmuring stops )

There's a problem
with the plane's landing gear.

C.J.?

C.J.?

PRESIDENT:
Is it down?

I'm sorry, sir.
We don't know yet.
Why not?

Well, there's no moon tonight.
It's tough for them to see

under the plane,
but they're still trying.

What's next?

We do a flyby at Andrews Tower
and take a look.

How close do we
fly to the tower?

We're going to have to fly
pretty close.

At what altitude?
Pretty low.

And we can't just stay
up here for a couple days

and wait till
there's a moon?

We'll let the boys
next door in the Falcon

poke around
a little bit first,

but I want
to tell you.
What else?

We're going to have to refuel
pretty soon.

Larry, would you go back
and mention that to C.J.?

Yes, sir.

No one up here's
in a position to
file right now.

Not in a position
to...?

Air Force One isn't landing,
and it has a military escort.

That's the story
you'd file.

You wouldn't mention
the landing gear.

We'd mention the landing
gear, right along with

the maintenance truck
and whatever you tell us next.

Come on. The
maintenance truck

was an honest effort
to avoid panic.

Of course, you were
going to know the truth

at the end of
the incident.

C.J.?
I'm not going
to broadcast

that the President's plane
is in distress.

It creates very real
security concerns,

and it also happens to be
a world market event.

It i a market event.
The story's
embargoed.

If a cell phone appears

in violation
of FAA regulations,

the cell phone will be
confiscated by a steward.

C.J.?
C.J.?

( mutters )

They want to refuel.

How do they do that?

Well, instead of an F-16
coming up next to us,

a KC-10 is going to,
well, land on top of us.

They know how
to do it.

Yeah, they're going to do
a midair refueling with a KC-10.

KATIE:
What does
that mean?

It means they think
we're going to be up here

for a little
while longer.

( press groaning )

Oh, you got
to be kidding!

MARGARET:
How much longer
can they stay up there?

Theoretically, they can keep
getting refueled for months.

I don't really see
that happening.

Me, neither. The Falcon's
going to give them

a thumb's up
or thumb's down.

And if it's thumb's down,
they lay down foam?

You guys shouldn't
be talking about it
out there, all right?

( knocking softly )

You want me?

You had a conversation

with Simmel and Segal
a little while ago?

About the Chesapeake cleanup.

They're just pissed as hell
that Tom Landis

is sitting out there working
in the Roosevelt Room.

He didn't storm the gate.

Well, they would
have preferred

he had, to your opening it
for them.

I get the House is angry we
didn't take back the House,

and setting aside the
fact it was their damn
fault and not ours--

stopping all bipartisan
legislation is like saying,

"Let's blow up the place.

Maybe voters will
hire us to rebuild it."

I'm with you,

but I need you guys to make
a small change to Chesapeake.

We're finishing it now.
What do you need?

The caucus chair
and the D-triple-C

want to add
revenue enhancements--

a dedicated levy
from local businesses--

and they want binding targets on
all the nonpoint source stuff.

Okay.

That's about three
different ways

of saying a brand-new
tax on local business.

Yes.

I'm fine with that.
Fact, I'm all for it,

but Tom's got to take
this back to Republicans.

And we have to take it
to Democrats,

and it's reasonable.

We put the same provisions
in Superfund.

Super.

What's going on up there?

Margaret, get me
the Sit Room.

The F-16's having trouble
seeing the gear,

'cause it's a moonless night.

They just took on another
four hours worth of fuel.

MARGARET ( over speaker phone):
On one.

Major, are we
comfortable any longer

with the plane up there
by itself?

I agree.

And there's going to be
a wire service reporter

on the ground at Andrews

who's going to start
seeing something.

You better have them spill
some fuel out there.

Please, on a runway
we're not going to need.

The President!

Well, at least all our friends

are going to have
some company now.

The 22nd Tactical Fighter Wing
with their missiles armed.

I'm Toby Ziegler.

He's waiting for you.
You can go in.

Thank you.

from Bedford
Stuyvesant.

It was a friendly
fire accident.

Five guys reported fire,

and a computer popped
their coordinates.

And their bodies are
being flown here now.

What did you want
to talk to me about?

Your speech at the Brookings
Institution tomorrow.

Congressman, are you opposing
intervention in Kundu

because so far, it's
the black kids who
are doing the dying?

Toby, I'm opposing
an intervention in Kundu

because I'm still waiting
for an intervention in
Brooklyn.

Yeah, but the fact
that this is immediate.

I mean to say, the
mass slaughter of tens

of thousands of Africans--
mostly young men--

which calls for...

I understand what it...

You ever been
to a maximum-security prison?

Maximum? No.

It's the black kids who are
doing the dying there, too.

The lives we're
saving in Kundu--
and I agree...

I wasn't elected by the lives
we're saving in Kundu.

I was elected by the lives
that are doing the saving.

But you agree there
are moral imperatives?

Well, if there are
moral imperatives,

then you've got to tell me
we're going to go get everybody.

Beginning with the Saudis.

Mark, obviously, we need votes
from the Black Caucus next week.

Are you telling me

it isn't in the
vested interests
of black America?

It is in the vested interests
of working-class America--

black, Latino,
and yes, even white--

to be able to choose
between more than

a McDonald's uniform
or a Marine uniform.

And how is opposing
the peacekeeping bill

at Brookings
going to achieve...?

I'm not opposing
the peacekeeping bill.

In fact, the whole Black Caucus
is going to stand behind it,

but with a proposed amendment.

Doing what?

Reinstating the draft.

I think the kids
in my district

are going to live longer
if their fortunes

are tied a little more closely
to the fortunes

of the kids
in Josh Lyman's district.

You want to draft a million
middle-class kids out of spite?

Well, I don't want to draft
anybody out of anything.

I'm just trying to promote
some patriotic unity.

Bill?

Yes, sir.

Can you find out
for me

when the President expects
to call the parents

of Gunnery Sergeant
Harold Dokes?

I'll be next in line.

Yes, sir.

Want a drink?

Thank you.

DONNA:
You know what gripes
my ass?

How you doing?

Good.

If anything
ever happened to me,

chances are
it's going to be

when I'm sitting
next to you,

and I'm going to be
an also-dead.

"Senior Bartlet advisor
Joshua Lyman

"killed by a pack
of wild dogs.

Also dead, Diane Moss."

Huh?

I'm not feeling useful
right now.

I think I should know
how to do more things here.

No one's feeling useful
right now.

No, you're doing things.

You're doing
something right now.

What are you doing
right now?

What are you doing
right now?

Nothing, this is my point.

How come
you go out

with so many Republicans?

I don't.

You do.

Cliff, Commander Wonderful,
Dr. Freeride.

I don't know. I got
a pretty good response

to the personal ad
I put in Roll Call--

"Seeking 30-something male
into motions to recommit."

I'm not kidding.

I can do more.

I want to learn how.

Do you know how to lock
the landing gear?

No.

Let's go.
You got the, uh...?

Yeah.
And the, uh...?

Here.
Thank you.

Can I ask?

What does the
foam do exactly?

On the runway?
Yeah.

It's flame retardant.

They're worried
about fire.

But it's not impact
retardant though, is it?

I mean, the plane
would still--

coming out of the sky
at some velocity--

have to land
on concrete.

You can take this
back to the office.

Any movement?
No.

He knows about
the kid from Bed-Stuy?

Yeah, he's got a
long list of kids
from Bed-Stuy.

The Black Caucus is
going to back the
peacekeeping bill,

if we back their amendment
to reinstate the draft.

He's really going through
with that stunt?

Yeah.

Well, the left's come
full circle, hasn't it?

By the way, not for nothing

but draftees aren't
nearly as well trained.

It's why there were
so many casualties in Vietnam.

Right, also the Vietcong.

Plus that.

What if we said
we'd allow debate?

It's a stunt and
Kundu is for real.

We can't get
involved in...

Talk to OMB, and find
out what we can give him.

Wake somebody up. I got
to go meet with Nancy.

PRESIDENT:
Is cocaine production
in Colombia up or down?

WILL:
It's up 200 percent.

And how many
of our extradition requests

have been honored?

Uh... none.

None.

No, there was...

uh, yes, none.

Any good news?

Anything we can hang
our hat on?

Their attorney
general reported

that their narcotics people
embezzled two million dollars

of their anti-drug money.

That's good news?

Usually, they
don't report it.

What'd they spend it on?

If you tell me cocaine...

No, sir.
Vacations.

So I recertify them

in recognition of the fact

that they took our anti-drug
money and went to Seaworld.

And reported it.

All right,
leave that stuff with me.

Thank you,
Mr. President.

You want one?

Hmm?

You want a beer?

No, thanks.

It's going to be fine.

What do you mean?

I know you're afraid
of flying.

I'm not.
I can tell.

C.J.:
Four hours of fuel
they took on.

Did you even know
it was up there?

Will's afraid
of flying.
I'm not.

It's okay.
You're afraid of flying.

I'm not.
I'm not afraid of flying.

I experience flying.

Why'd you sign up

for the Air Force Reserve?

Well, I did it for
a lot of reasons,

and one of them was the romance
of flight, but I got over that.

I never thought
that would happen.

But these guys practice
hard landings all the time.

This isn't a big deal.

Hey, everybody.
How's it going in here?

Good. How's it
going out there?

I don't know
why it's taking so long

to clean fuel up
off a runway.

It must be...
I don't know.

Can't use
another runway?

I guess not.

What about landing
at Dulles?

I'm sure that's what
they're going to do
if they, you know...

Listen, uh, I want to
read over what we got now.

But we're all done here,
except the Caucus Chair

wants to add something
we had on Superfund,

which is revenue
enhancements.

The Caucus Chair wants
revenue enhancements?

Yeah.

A tax
on local business.

A dedicated levy.

That's a tax.

Yeah.

Is this coming
from the Caucus Chair

or the D-triple-C?
Both.

The Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee wants

a dedicated levy?

We can find
more offsets.

There's a way
to do this.

( sighing ):
You guys want
to pass this or not?

Of course
we want to...

Whatever Republican
votes we may lose,

we're going to make
up on the other side.

It's not going
to get out of Committee.

I'm sorry.

Yes, it will.

Now you got
to stay here.

You got to find
more offsets

and more ways
to bury them.

It's 18 million
to clean up Chesapeake Bay.

It's nothing.

It's watershed management.

Yes.

Leo wants you to
call these members

of the Congressional
Black Caucus.

The Black Caucus
just walked off

the Kundu
Peacekeeping Bill.

And he'd like you to
work with Airlift Ops

on Angel
maintenance
procedures.

We're going to need
it when they land.

What are Angel
maintenance procedures?

I'm sorry. "Angel" is

the Airlift Operations
code word

for Air Force One.

I didn't know that.

Anyway, C.J.'s going
to be answering

questions about
maintenance procedures,

and she's going to
need to be briefed.

Why didn't I know

that Airlift Ops
calls the plane "Angel"?

I'm usually the one
who deals with them.

All right, well,
deal with them now.

No, not on this.

Yeah.

I talk to them about
people's luggage.

Well, we don't have a problem
with people's luggage tonight.

You call your guys
at Airlift Ops.

Tell them they got
to get you ready

to educate
the Press Secretary

on maintenance procedures

as soon as Angel's
on the ground.

Karen,
make these phone calls

for Josh, please.

How many times--
seriously, Leo--

how many times
has the Black Caucus,

on retreats, at dinners...

how many times have they...?

There was a dinner
two years ago

where the Vice Chairs literally
pulled out a map of Africa.

They wanted me to make
Africa a priority.

And now they're making me
look like an idiot.

Well, Mark's got
a tough district.

Well, now they want me to make
Brooklyn a priority.

And when did these guys
become Smoot and Hawley?

Hang on a second.

Jessie Weiskopf's coming down,
and he ain't smiling.

No, sir, they're
unable to get a
visual read.

We're going to go ahead
with the fly-by at Andrews.

Okay, and how
long do you think
this'll take?

Probably about an hour
and 15 minutes.

An hour and 15?
Where are we?

We're over
central Tennessee.

They took us off
the jet routes.

All right, pretty
soon, though,

we got to stop
just flying around.

Yes, sir.

This is starting to qualify
as space travel now.

What's going on?

The Falcon couldn't get
a visual read,

so we're going to buzz
the tower at Andrews

in a Boeing 747.

Weiskopf says it's going to be
an hour and 15 minutes.

I'm going to call the families
from up here of the five guys.

We'll send up
those phone numbers.

Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. President.

They're going to fly by
the tower at Andrews.

My question about the foam is

that the steel is still
landing on concrete.

They have their back wheels.

Will.

Yes, sir.

I'm going to call
the families now.

They're going to send up
some information.

Can you help me out?

Yes, sir.

Just give this to C.J.

You should read it
on the way.

Yes, sir.

Do me a favor.

Find out what happens
if I don't certify Colombia.

Find out what happens

if I decertify Colombia.

Really?

If I'm going to be up here,
I may as well do something.

Yes, sir.
The fly-by's going to take

about an hour and 15 minutes.

Would you tell C.J.?

Yes, sir.

KATIE:
C.J.?

Yeah.

If there is an issue
of national security...

There is.
Isn't it also
a national issue for everyone

down there?
In other words

turn on the damn phones.

Somebody ask Steve
what time it is.

It's going to
crack you up.
C.J.

How is it a threat
to anyone on the ground?

Air Force One doesn't
generally break
all by itself.

Steve...
Claudia,
in a room someplace

they're talking
about the possibility

the plane was sabotaged.

By screwing
with the front wheel?

MARK:
If the malfunction's
because of a leak

in the hydraulics and
they try to recycle
the gear, the front end

of the plane's
going to blow up.
No, you're right.

I should definitely
let you use the phones.

We're going to do
a fly-by at Andrews.

This thing's almost over.

What are you doing?

Hey.

What are you doing?

Did OMB have anything?

Budget doesn't have
anything Mark wants.

He can call OMB himself.

Leo, let's say we study...

Come on.

...study some version
of his amendment.

We'll look ridiculous.
It's not ridiculous.

It's a stunt.

It is, but it's
not ridiculous.

We say we're going to
study the draft and...

There's never going
to be a draft.

Mark knows that.
He wants the debate.

We want our peacekeeping
appropriation.

Everybody's happy.

Hardly anybody's happy.

The President's going
to study reinstating...

We're for peacekeeping
in Kundu.

And Mark's point is
who keeps the...

I know what Mark's point is.

People who got
nowhere else to go...

For advancement,
they go for advancement.

( sighs )

The five guys
on their way home right now...

didn't advance very far,
I think, is Mark's point.

It was a computer error, Toby.

Yeah, I know.

Find out what
"considering the amendment" has

to look like in order
for the Black Caucus

to stay onboard.

I will. Thank you.

WILL:
Decertifying Colombia

triggers automatic economic
or trade sanctions.

We lose some money.

Yes. Now,
the State Department feels

that the President's
credibility

with his own legislature is
based on his close ties

with the US,
and that would obviously

be significantly damaged.

Right, but at the moment,
I'm more concerned

with our credibility.

He told me at the Summit
of the Americas

that he'd work
toward crop diversification.

Did he mean opium and coca?

And they also asked
that I remind you

that his opponent
in the last election,

Garcia Larco, took campaign cash
from the cartels,

and if we weaken the President,

we could get a reactionary
in the next election.

Yeah, but he's not helping us,

so why should I give him
political cover?

Listen, I'm serious.

What would happen
if I don't recertify Colombia?

Well...

actually, you can't.

I can't what?

Can't not recertify them.

They're going
to be automatically recertified.

Why?

Because the deadline was
midnight...

BOTH:
And it has to be delivered...
Yes.

The actual signed paper?
That's what
the Counsel's Office...

This is really
how the world works?
It's how recertification works,

I'm afraid, sir, so...
( yelling ):
I want this plane to land!

Did it work?

( laughs )

All right, thanks.

Thank you,
Mr. President.

( door closes )

You wanted to see me?

The Chesapeake
cleanup isn't
going to happen.

At all?

It's not going
to come out of Committee.

'Cause of the revenue
enhancements?

I think a little
of everything.

What happened?

Well, look, they weren't wild
about it in the first place.

What happened?

Deaver didn't like

that Landis was working
so closely with you.

Did those two idiots let
the Republicans

on the Committee know?

They were already pissed at him.

He's vulnerable,
and they want his seat.

We take back
the House,

there's any number, um...

Mileage standards,
reauthorize CWA--

any number of things we can do
that help the environment more.

Is the President supposed
to open a pizzeria

while the Republicans
control Congress?

We got the peacekeeping
appropriation next week.

I don't want
to get into it

over $18 million
for Chesapeake Bay.

We're going to lose an ally
in Landis.

Well, one way or another,

I think we're going
to lose Landis.

And they say the two parties
can't get together on anything.

The pizzeria
thing was funny.

Thank you.

I was just coming
down to see you.

I just needed Leo
for a second.

Angel undergoes
maintenance every day,

whether the
plane's going to
be flying or not.

Every 154 days,

the plane's
completely
taken apart

and put back
together again.

24 hours before
wheels-up,

fuel is sealed
in a tank truck

and guarded by
sharpshooters.

One hour
before wheels-up,

Air Force specialists
drain off a gallon

and analyze
it for purity

and the right levels
of octane and water.

The wiring--
and this is going
to be an area--

is shielded to protect it
from a thermonuclear blast.

If you want
to sabotage it,

you have to get by
48 armed members

of the Airlift Security Unit
or join the maintenance crew,

which takes 12 years

after a two-year
background check.

The guys you're talking to--
what do they think happened?

They think
a light didn't work.

Why?
I asked them the same thing.

What'd they say?

That sometimes
lights don't work.

Okay.

( clears throat )

Hey, Air Force One
going to land?

Pretty soon.

Can I just ask,
out of curiosity,

at what point was
Hoynes alerted?

As soon as Andrews
waved off the plane.

Would you guys mind?

Could you give us the room
for a second?

What?

The Democrats want
a tax on clams?

It's not the Democrats
this time, it's the Republicans.

It's not going to happen.

What do you mean?

It's not going
to get out of Committee.

The White House is going
to have to pull its support,

but there's room
in the EPA budget,

room in the Interior budget.

Room for everything
but my name?

Yeah.

You guys are really going
to go after the seat

next time, huh?

So are the Republicans, Tom.

You're probably going to have
a primary challenge.

You know, if you keep squeezing
out the liberal Republicans

and the conservative
Democrats...

That's who's beatable.

If I'm running scared,

I run to the right.

That's where the money is.

This was something

that was never in my lap
the right way.

( laughs )

( sighs )

You know, a friend
of mine's a comedian,

and he was doing a standup
here in town.

A bunch of people

from the German consulate
came down to see him,

and they came backstage
afterwards,

and they said to him,

"How come we don't have anyone
as funny as you back home?"

And my friend said,

"Because you killed them all."

Well, that's a bit
of an overstatement... isn't it?

Maybe.

Thanks for the work.

You should really come
to Chesapeake Bay.

It's incredibly beautiful.

I will.

He said I should come in.

Yeah.

"The President does not think
we should reinstate the draft

"nor does he intend to do so,

"but he respects
Chairman Richardson

"as a leader in the Congress,

"and he's eager
to hear what
he has to say

and to engage in
thorough debate."

What's that?

What C.J. will say tomorrow
from the podium

in exchange for votes
of the Black Caucus

on peacekeeping in Kundu.

It's not going
to screw you too much?

No, it'll screw us
the regular amount.

( laughs )

This isn't new.

The Union Army had a draft

that you could buy yourself
out for, for $300.

Actually,

the money ended up
coming in handier

than the soldiers.

Yeah, but I don't think
that was my point.

If you have money,

you have a greater life
expectancy across the board.

You're going
to have better health care,

better shelter, better lawyers,

and if you've got whatever
today's equivalent of $300 is,

you get to be united
behind the war effort

without actually
fighting the war.

And you're one
of my constituents, too, Toby,

so I shouldn't have
to tell you that.

You don't, Congressman.

I was just on the job tonight.

Hmm.

What was your lottery number?

125. It was the last six months
of the draft.

It went up to 90 that year...

but I didn't have the 300 bucks.

Hmm.

I'm going to call
Sergeant Dokes' family now.

I'd like to stay,
if you don't mind.

No, but stay standing.

Yeah.

( sighs )

Are we near the tower?

Gear's down.
What?

They got the
indicator light.

They recycled the gear,
and the light went on this time.

We're landing.

I was the one
who said it first.

Signal, this is C.J. Cregg.

Please turn the phones back on
in the press cabin.

( applause and cheering )

We're landing.

We got an indicator light.

You should feel free to file.
Thank you all very much.

Thank you, C.J.

MARK:
Thank you, C.J.

KATIE:
C.J., thank you.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

( sighs ):
Oh.

You heard?
Yeah.

Sit down.

( sighs )

I was meaning
to ask you.

Why did you ask
about the front
wheel before?

You asked the
Colonel if it was
the front wheel.

Well, if you have
the rear wheels,

you can try a hard landing

where you come down hard
on the back wheels

in an effort
to whack the front into place.

To whack it into place?
Yes.

I'm so happy
I didn't have
that information.

If you hit it wrong,
the plane breaks in half.

It just suddenly worked?
The gear?

Yeah.
Yeah.

I'm not sure I'm good
at living in a world

where that kind of
thing is possible.

But you are.

I imagine myself destitute,

I imagine myself unlucky
in love.

But I never imagine
my life would be in danger

with really uncommon frequency.

It feels a little bit good,
doesn't it?

No.
Yes, it does.

I'll make jokes

when this whole bullfight
with gravity is over.

Well, ladies and gentlemen,
from the flight deck,

this is Colonel Weiskopf.

From the hooting and hollering

we can hear
through our cockpit door,

you've no doubt heard

that we have a clear
indicator light

on our landing gear,

and we are cleared for landing
at Andrews Air Force Base.

For those keeping score,

our total flight time will have
been 22 hours and 13 minutes

using three separate
flight crews along the way.

We will have traveled 10,700
air miles on our return trip,

a significant portion of that

over West Virginia
and Tennessee.

White House staff
on the ground informs us

that while airborne
on this flight,

three separate pieces

of legislation
have been negotiated

and initialed by the President.

We've had an engagement,
a birthday,

and the nation of Colombia
was recertified as an ally

in our war against drugs.

I hope you won't consider

this time
we've spent together a waste.

And now I'm being handed...

Hang on just one moment...

Yeah, ladies and gentlemen,

they're going to move us
to runway three-niner.

There's a strong wind shift
under 10,000 feet,

so Andrews approach has asked us
to abandon our descent,

make a 30-degree right turn

and maintain
our current altitude.

I'm sure we'll be down
in no time now.