Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing:

Can you brief me on this Kazakhstan situation?

Has a deal been struck to keep Chinese troops

on their side of the border? It's classified.

So if there was a deal, the details would be...

Also classified, if there were details.

New Hampshire, first district.

We'll have a good shot at the seat.

I think so. And I think I'm the man to do it.

I think with a little help

from you fine people, I'm gonna be elected

to the United States House of Representatives.

If the worst thing they can say about me

is that I'm Jeb Bartlet's son-in-law?

Once the public gets to know me as an individual,

it's an entirely different race.

You're the politician.

Why the hell don't you run?

I don't want it.

Then why would you let Doug?

Because he's my husband, and he asked me to.

For three years, I've been thinking about

what might have been if it weren't for the conflict. Yeah. Yeah?

And I'm almost over it.

I mean, I'm right there,

and you come back.

Forgive me.

For what?

You should be drinking.

You look incredible.

Stop. No, you do.

That's unnecessary.

You okay?

I'm just great.

Have a seat. Thanks.

So how's the President?

We off the record?

Please, yes.

He's doing great.

I wouldn't want that to get around.

I'm surprised you called.

I vaguely remember shunning you.

Dignity's not my forte.

So...

They kept the kitchen open.

Oh, then we should order. Hi.

Thank you. Mm-hmm.

Would you like to hear the specials? Please.

Well, tonight, we're featuring New Zealand lamb...

Is this from a list? I'm sorry?

The specials, are they written down somewhere? Yeah, they're right here.

Just give us that. We'll read them. We're readers.

Whatever you want.

Just easier that way.

Then you don't have to perform.

Fine with me.

Thanks.

A night out.

This is like a week in Aruba.

Except it's cold and dark. What?

I was making a joke.

Oh, you don't have to do that.

Relaxing makes me nervous.

It feels like I'm missing something.

You want a drink?

No.

So what's up?

What's up? Why am I here?

You really want me to just...

Cut to the chase, I do.

All right, well...

I'm having a bit of performance anxiety here.

Get yourself together.

I'll look at the menu.

I wanted to see you.

That's it?

How am I supposed to...

I know you've always had a thing about reporters. A thing?

When you were press secretary, you had a thing.

I wouldn't call it a thing. No?

They tick me off is all.

You want to know why? No, that's okay.

Because they care more about coming up with a good story

than they do about telling the truth. I see.

So now, I have to live in a culture where what's important

doesn't matter, because we're too preoccupied with people

who are more attractive than we are

playing musical genitalia in Hollywood.

Wow. It's disgusting.

I cover politicians.

Most of them are homely, so no one cares. That's true.

Maybe if they made up for it

with guts, we'd write better stories.

Maybe if we had the support of a well-informed constituency...

As opposed to what, leading?

You want to know why politicians tick me off? Can't wait.

They're attracted to arenas of false heroics.

I don't know what that means.

There's two places where you can see a pumped-up

egomaniac slathered with man-tan talking about how great he is

and how he's gonna kick his opponent's ass.

One is a professional wrestling match;

the other is a national political convention.

Can't do anything if you don't get elected.

Your boss never has to get elected, ever again.

But you guys are content running out the clock with the same game

of well-intentioned defense you've always played.

That's not true. You could do more

in a day than most people can do in a lifetime. You think

I'm not aware that I'm living

the first line of my obituary right now?

So don't get hypnotized by complexity.

Make it count.

What are you working on?

Right now, I'm trying to keep China and Russia

from annihilating the northern hemisphere

over oil in Kazakhstan.

What are you working on?

Couple of house races.

No good comes from that.

No.

Have you heard anything about Doug Westin?

Yeah, looks like the President's son-in-law might be the next

freshman congressman from New Hampshire.

He's only down three points.

Yeah, and I guess he doesn't care about

being his own man anymore.

He's asking the President to fly up

and stump for him in Manchester.

Really? Yeah.

Why?

He's getting a lot of heat,

bunch of profiles, rising star crap.

And I was surprised because the one time I met him,

he seemed kind of...

Unimpressive? Yeah.

Are you implying that success in politics

isn't a question of inherent value?

No, I would never do that. Good.

Okay, let's get a move on here.

Fish is a stupid thing to get in a restaurant.

I think he may be banging the nanny.

I want a big slab of...

What?

I think the President's son-in-law

may be banging the nanny.

Is that a euphemism?

No.

Well, banging is, I guess.

It's just a rumor,

no official corroboration,

but it's flying around pretty heavy up there.

And it could break any minute.

The President still has

a lot of political enemies in New Hampshire

who might want to create a circus

or just hurt him for spite.

Got you. Great.

Thank you. I'm gonna go.

You're what? I got to go.

Ah, shoot, I ruined the...

Tomorrow's a big day that just got bigger.

You got to eat.

Get the steak, tell me how it was.

Can I see you again? Sure, it was swell.

When? Soon as we're out of office.

How do we expect the people of Kazakhstan to come out and vote

if we can't guarantee the safety of our own election monitors?

It's gonna diminish turnout, no question.

You think?

Ethnic Chinese want revenge.

They're not looking for a referendum.

Is there some kind of legitimacy threshold?

You mean participation? Yeah.

No.

Chinese troops are holding on the border?

Yeah, but any further loss of life, they'll have no choice.

They'll have to go in.

Kazakhs understand that one hungover riot cop goes nutso,

and everyone gets to live in a sarcophagus?

Tarimov understands the stakes.

He's rattled, but he gets it.

I mean, these people love their vodka.

Don't drink and play thermonuclear war.

That's what I'm saying.

Whatever communication we have with the Russians,

we emphasize that everybody needs to bury their dead

and vote in peace. Right.

What do we know about these attacks in the Sudan?

The refugee camp in Darfur?

Yeah.

Janjaweed warriors on camel and horseback attacked the camp

along with government troops out of Khartoum.

This is new, right?

Attacking the camps is new.

And it's directed by the government in Khartoum?

African Union Peacekeepers say the Janjaweed

and the Sudanese government are the same thing.

Government helicopters were part of the assault.

There's rape trauma in the camps.

There's amputations. All the men are dead.

We've seen it before.

The big question is:

Will there be another member

of the Bartlet family in the Capitol come next January?

Mr. Westin, who has insisted...

They look good.

On running as his own man, nevertheless trails...

So the Peacekeepers are overwhelmed.

Yeah.

The minute it gets too dangerous,

the humanitarian groups pull out and we have genocide on smack.

Let's move on this.

Really? I want to see if we can

get a resolution through the U.N.

There's a Security Council meeting

on the books, isn't there?

Yeah, next week.

Let's chop the financial balls off

these genocidal bastards in Khartoum. How?

We sanction their oil revenues.

I thought we agreed... To sit on our butts?

That China would veto. That's why we've never tried it before.

China needs us now.

They need an honest broker with the Russians

to make sure this election in Kazakhstan is legitimate.

Is this coming from the President?

It's coming from me.

I'm gonna see what I can get and then take it to him.

If we can assure them their flow of oil in Kazakhstan is secure,

they may be willing to sacrifice something in the Sudan.

We trade pots of oil.

They give up what they're getting from the Sudan,

we make sure they're getting it from Kazakhstan.

You don't want to jeopardize our neutrality in Kazakhstan.

No, they can't know it's coming from us.

We find a proxy.

Yeah.

France and Germany want us

to let them sell arms to China again.

Margaret?

I need the French ambassador.

He's over at State.

Will's here.

Will? Yeah.

Send him in.

I'm gonna take off.

Great, thanks.

Campaign Coordination in the Roosevelt.

Josh is waiting.

That's a conference call.

Actually, he's in town, so he

wanted to do it in person.

And Steve Laussen called again

from Refugees' Rights Alliance.

He wants five minutes this afternoon.

Actually, it's more like he demanded five minutes.

I told him no.

Squeeze him in. Really?

Why not?

You I need. Come here.

What's wrong?

Close the door. I didn't do it.

Close the door. Toby did it.

Shut up.

You gonna talk now?

Seriously.

I don't react well to this.

It's like staring at a dog.

I think Doug Westin is having an affair with his nanny.

Jeez, I don't want to know that.

Why did you tell me that?

Because you deal with the press,

and I don't want you to get blindsided.

Exactly. I work with the press.

I do my best work

when I'm the least informed person in the room.

You taught me that.

Suck it up. I can't act.

I'm a terrible actor.

You were in New Hampshire... I don't like to pretend.

During the primary. So what?

So find out if there's any truth to said rumor.

How? You'll figure it out.

Wow. You think?

I've got the President flying up there next week

to lend his credibility to the alleged fornicator.

Really bad.

We've already lost a vice president in a sex scandal.

I feel like I'm handing out towels at the Playboy mansion.

It's not your fault.

Oh, really now?

Open the door. What?

Open the door.

Did you take an awkward pill?

What? I'm always like this.

Thank you.

Briefer Boy, I caught you on C-Span.

You look real cute in makeup.

Withering sarcasm, I love it.

Those are some brutal briefings.

Looks like some sort of medieval wonk-baiting.

Support me in public, that's all I ask.

On Tuesday's call, we were talking

about how many more Cabinet members

you want out on the trail.

Yeah, since I'm in town, I thought I'd nail down

the President's availability for the rest of the campaign.

I'm back at 4:00 to sit with

Cabinet Affairs and work out a calendar.

We're gonna need some people left

in the building to run the country.

I don't care about that. But we're going to do everything we can

to support you in your targeted media markets.

And I talked to the President;

he's fine doing the radio address

on deficit reduction, and I'm assuming

you're going to keep slamming Vinick

on the impact of his tax cut,

right? Yeah.

What else? We're all looking at the same polling:

Santos does better where people think

the country's moving in the right direction. Sure.

I don't want you to do anything you wouldn't be doing anyway. Of course not.

But, whatever you have, in terms of research grants,

infrastructure initiatives,

it's a waste to piddle it out

in some Department of Commerce

press release, let's highlight it,

have the secretary show up, create some sizzle.

We've got some small business loans

and light rail stuff coming down the pipe.

We'll keep you posted.

Thanks, whatever you got. That's easy.

I want it all.

You will have it.

I also want something big.

Like?

The Molecular Transport Lab.

The biotech chemical genome thing.

What about it?

Be nice to make the announcement

in Texas next week.

You just said you didn't want us doing anything

we weren't doing anyway.

I don't. I just want you

to move the announcement up.

It'd be huge for us in Texas.

Could make the difference down there.

The location hasn't been decided yet.

It's still working its way

though the agency review process.

That's not what I hear. No?

No. It's going to Austin. All $2 billion worth.

I gotta go.

I'll be back at 4:00 for Cabinet Affairs.

You should check that out.

How does he know we already made a decision?

Maybe he doesn't, maybe it's just a rumor.

Maybe it's wishful thinking,

and he's trying to jam it home on us.

If we announce that

a $2 billion federal research investment

is going to Texas before the election,

the Senior Senator from Kentucky

is going to blow a gasket.

Yeah, it's a good way to make an elder statesman

look like a doddering, ineffectual fool.

The French ambassador is in the Mural. Yeah.

He's fine. I gave him a beverage. Thanks.

Where did you leave it with the senator?

Well, Bowles knows it's going to Texas.

He's fighting for his life.

His constituents don't like his politics anymore,

"schwing" with the federal purse is all he's got.

He didn't promise them anything.

All he's asking is that we hold off

on the announcement until after the election.

What'd you tell him?

I told him we'd hold off until after the election.

We're not risking a senate seat.

You're doing it again. Doing what?

Just standing there in front of me.

I thought we were talking.

That's over now.

Go see what you can find out about the nanny.

I still don't understand how...

Walk away from me now.

So proud to serve in these hallowed halls.

We are very concerned about the reports out of the Sudan.

The attacks on the Internally Displaced Peoples' Camps

in Darfur... yes, it's awful.

We would like to turn off the financial spigot

that is supporting the government in Khartoum.

There's no reason not to expect

more mass killings and more displacement.

Well, as you know, the European Community

has formally condemned this activity. Yes,

and as you know, the perpetrators do not care.

Our students have launched a very effective

divestiture campaign.

Which we admire.

We believe you have the domestic constituency

to support bold action.

Yes, that's true.

We may be willing to support

reopening your arms sales to China.

In exchange for what?

A U.N. resolution sanctioning all oil revenues

to Khartoum. The Chinese will veto it.

They might. C.J., they will.

Look, if it was up to me, NATO troops would have been

on the ground in the Sudan years ago.

Are you offering French troops to a NATO

peacekeeping effort?

The African Union troops are

clearly doing their best to protect the camps.

There's been improvement there.

People are still dying.

No, I know it's not the solution.

But I believe an African problem

will require an African solution.

We would all prefer an African solution,

but it's not working.

But you have to ask yourself, C.J.,

how did we get here?

We saw it coming.

We did. Perhaps

a murderous government with intelligence on international

Islamic terrorist organizations...

Could provide the United States with crucial information?

Absolutely.

Perfectly understandable.

But when we push things to the side,

often they come back to haunt us.

We all make calculation, Jacques.

And your investors

who continue to trade shares of the multinationals

who do business with these killers

on the New York Stock Exchange,

that's another "calculation," yes?

And there's plenty of hypocrisy to go around.

True. True.

Unfortunately, C.J.,

we cannot afford to introduce a resolution

so obviously aimed at the Chinese.

You are so fond of calling yourselves

"The Leaders of the Free World."

So... lead.

What do you got? I have nothing.

He didn't do it? No, I mean I didn't get...

I told you to... To what?

Casually call people in New Hampshire

and ask them if they think the President's son-in-law

is committing adultery with the nanny?

You have to be a little more artful than that.

There is no art in trying to find out

if somebody slept with someone else:

You ask it straight out, or you don't... "art"?!

Didn't say it would be easy.

A segue hasn't been invented

that takes us from "How's the weather?"

to "Is Doug Westin hammering the nanny?"

So you have nothing?

No, I found out

it's really cold in New Hampshire.

You're useless. And...

that the Westin's 26-year-old nanny of three years

was let go in August and is now

traveling in Europe. Okay...

And there do seem to be

a lot of reporters focusing on Doug, digging around.

That doesn't mean... Sheila Jacobs, Tom Weller, Danny Concanon.

Danny Concanon, yeah. They're all talking to people

off the record about Doug.

Non-politicos.

And I pulled this picture of the whole family,

at a butter festival, off the Internet.

That's the nanny right there.

Which makes me think he... did it.

I mean, just look at her.

What's that supposed to mean?

I'm just saying... Yeah, I can see your mouth moving,

you're just saying what? That she's really cute

and he probably did it. They have children.

Sure. It'd be stupid to have a nanny

if you didn't have kids.

Especially one that looks like that. Okay...

No, I'm just saying if you're interested

in the male perspective. Always.

I find it raises the level of the discussion.

Can I give you one piece of advice

before you ask me to leave my own office?

What?

I don't know where you're going with this...

I'm protecting the President. Right. Whatever.

This much I do know:

There's only one thing worse than telling

the President of the United States

his son-in-law's having an affair.

What's that? Telling the President of the United States

his son-in-law's having an affair,

then finding out you were wrong.

This is Danny.

I know you're working on this story,

and I'll get to that later, but right now,

I'm concerned with the President,

and I don't want to have to walk your dumb-ass gauntlet

of journalistic ethics, so I'll make this easy for you.

I'm going to say a sentence, and if it's true,

you just don't say anything. Clear?

I don't say anything.

If you don't say anything,

it means that what I said was true.

Uh... okay.

Got it?

Isn't that kind of risky? What do you mean?

Well, what if you say something that's not true

and my cell phone cuts out?

Well, that's not going to happen.

I just got in an elevator.

Well, get off now, mister!

Whoa, whoa! Hang on. Whoa. Sorry.

You okay? I'm fine, I'm fine.

Oh!

Uh, C.J.?

What the...

I'm holding the fish now.

You... want your privacy, don't you?

Hello? I really do.

Steve Lawson from Refugee Rights Alliance is out here.

Give me a minute.

I'll do that.

C.J., you okay?

You there?

Yeah. You okay?

I almost killed my fish.

On purpose?

Why would I do that?

Well, you been under a lot of pressure.

Okay, listen up.

I'll tell you anything you want

to know if you have dinner with me tomorrow night.

I just want to see What?

If we can get through an appetizer together.

Okay.

Same place?

Sure. Great. Shoot.

If I went to the President with the information

you brought to my attention, would I be making a mistake?

Nope. See you tomorrow night.

Steve. Come in.

It's good to see you. Thank you.

I'm glad we could make this happen. Me, too.

Have a seat.

You're aware of the situation in the Sudan? Yeah.

The attacks on the displacement camps.

Janjaweed warriors backed by government helicopters?

Right. Has there been

any official response from this administration?

We condemned it.

What do you want to hear, C.J.?

You want to hear the numbers first,

or you want to hear the horror stories?

Neither. Well, I'll just run down

the talking points real quick, then.

Three million displaced, 400,000 dead.

Children forced to watch their mothers raped

and their fathers killed.

Current death toll per month: 6,000.

If the humanitarian organizations

are forced to withdraw: 100,000 per month.

Steve?

I have some photographs.

I don't need to see photographs.

When the babies die,

the mothers don't know how to put them down,

so they carry them around.

On this planet.

On your watch.

Yeah.

You remember the picture of the Vietnamese monk

who lit himself on fire to protest the war?

I used to think that guy was nuts, now...

it seems like the only logical response.

Won't help.

We need strong preemptive action

led by the Bartlet administration.

Overwhelming American military might?

Followed by a decade of nation building

in a part of the world

where many consider us

infidels, so that we might bring forth

a new and benevolent democracy? Of course not.

Come on, C.J.!

When did it become naive to try to put an end to genocide?

We are monitoring the situation carefully.

Of, for the love of... Steve, you don't need to...

I need my government... The President is fully aware...

to assert what is left of its moral authority!

Okay.

I want five minutes with the President.

This was your five minutes with the President.

I'm sorry, Steve, I'm late for a meeting.

You've got the German ambassador in the Mural

when you come back. Great.

Doug Westin's in town, I need to see him tonight.

I'll track him down. Alone.

Alone? Alone.

I smell bacon.

Hello, Josh.

A heapin' helpin'

of sizzling federal pork butt.

I can't talk right now.

Just perfect for a Texas barbecue.

I have a meeting.

I just finished up with Cabinet Affairs,

I thought you might have some news. I don't.

'Cause it would be really helpful

to make the announcement in Texas next week.

We can't announce something we haven't decided yet.

See, this is weird, because when the EPA

did the environmental impact study in Kentucky,

they concluded it had to go to Texas.

Oh, really now?

Yeah, I have the data.

Plus the University of Texas has everything they need

in terms of research coordination.

You know all this.

You're playing with me, right?

I'm not.

We haven't made a decision.

You have bad information.

I feel pretty confident about my information,

since I actually work here, and you actually don't.

And now I have a meeting.

The President needs to fly down to Texas,

stand next to the congressman,

and make the announcement next week.

It's not gonna happen.

It's gonna come out before the election, anyway, C.J.,

you can't keep this kind of information quiet.

The only question is: You want the President to be

a part of the story or not?

Think about it. I'm around.

Please, have a seat.

What can I do for you, C.J.?

We've been monitoring these developments in the Sudan.

Disturbing. Tragic.

As long as the oil revenues flow into Khartoum,

the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate.

Germany has completed a large deal,

and one of our companies is building a...

The diesel electric plant. Yes, we are aware.

Good.

I want to be honest with you. Good.

We are looking for a U.N. resolution.

From who? From you.

The Chinese will veto.

They might. 100%, they will.

One hundred percent.

This is something that the President needs.

Yes. You already made the same request of the French.

We talk often.

We have a union now.

If you want this resolution so much,

why don't you make it yourselves? Because right now,

we are doing everything we can

to avoid World War III in Kazakhstan,

and at the same time, we would like to do whatever we can

to prevent an unnecessary and massive loss of human life.

Then focus on humanitarian needs.

If we start mixing human rights with oil exports,

we'll all be riding bicycles.

The parliament of the European Union declared

what was happening in Darfur to be tantamount to genocide.

Tantamount, yes. Overwhelmingly.

In exchange for your introduction

of a new resolution, we will drop our opposition

to your resumption of arms sales to China.

And, of course, we can assure you of a sympathetic hearing

at the next round of trade negotiations.

There may be another construction project

in conjunction with the diesel electric plant in Khartoum.

It will be grandfathered into the sanctions.

Well, then, how can I refuse you?

You're very persuasive.

Thank you, Mr. Ambassador.

The President will be thrilled.

How will you avoid a veto from China?

You just said it yourself, Franz. Yeah.

I can be very persuasive.

You see, we are now at the point

where the research disciplines

can no longer afford to function separately.

Our understanding of our natural world

is beginning to inform our technological future,

and our understanding of technology stands on the verge

of revolutionizing our ability

to detect and treat countless number of illnesses.

That's why federal investments,

like the proposed molecular transport lab, are so important.

There's about to be another biotech explosion, my friends,

and let me tell you this: I've looked closely at this project,

and I believe that, in the next couple of days,

we're going to be hearing some good news

for the great city of Austin and the great state of Texas.

Son of a bitch!

Dial Josh now.

Son of a bitch.

You got him?

On two.

Hello.

Hey, what's up?

I hate it when I make myself clear...

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

And I'm not received.

It's a done deal, C.J.

This is not your call.

He didn't announce it.

He said that Austin was the most viable site... he didn't make...

Don't make distinctions with me, Josh.

I've known you too long.

You're right. Way too long.

I understand that Calvin Bowles' Senate seat is a priority.

Calvin Bowles... Yeah, you know,

pious old pork hog, who votes like a schizophrenic.

You done? Yeah, go ahead.

Calvin Bowles is a breathing Democrat.

That's debatable. And we cannot afford

to lose any more of those right now.

Where does holding onto the White House

fit into your priorities?

I'm sorry... Doug Westin is here.

Tell him I'll be right there.

Listen up, Josh, I work for Jed Bartlet.

I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't trying

to preserve his legacy under all eventualities.

The transporter announcement's off the table

until after the election.

Is that clear?

Now, if you'll excuse me...

C.J., C.J., listen to me.

You want to cover all eventualities?

Have the President join us in Texas for the announcement,

then he and Santos will fly to Kentucky

to stump for Senator Bowles together.

All your problems are solved.

I have to go now.

Come in, Doug.

C.J., how are you doing?

I'm just great. Good.

You know the first thing I'm going to do

when they declare me the winner?

What are you going to do, Doug?

I'm going to ask for a recount.

That's not my line, but I love it.

It's great, isn't it?

Yeah, great.

I am so jazzed about this event with the President next week.

We are going to win this thing.

I've never felt so strongly about anything in my life.

But until that last vote is counted, I'm going to operate

under the assumption that I'm going to lose.

Nothing for granted.

I mean, look who I'm talking to.

You know exactly what I'm going through.

Don't say it.

Do not tell me the President needs to go to Zurich

or something next week to work on this Kazakhstan thing.

Don't tell me that.

No, he doesn't.

Good.

I don't care what you do privately.

Okay.

I really don't.

I'm a little... But when you do something

that affects my boss' ability to do his job,

that could embarrass him

on a political trip to New Hampshire,

and will take attention away from urgent national...

And at the moment, international... issues,

I begin to care very deeply,

Right now, I'm trying to get

the Chinese ambassador here to put an end

to some unimaginable human suffering,

so if you have a problem with your zipper,

get it out of my face right now.

Do you understand me?

I think I do.

I think you do, too.

Yeah.

Chinese ambassador in the Mural.

Thanks.

Here's what's going to happen now.

You're going to walk up the hall

to the Office of Political Affairs.

You will tell the people in that room that,

on second thought, you don't want

to be overshadowed by your father-in-law.

You want to win this thing yourself,

on your own merits, and thanks but no thanks,

you are withdrawing your request to have the President

appear with you in Manchester next week.

Do that for me, will you?

That'd be great.

It is an irresponsible moment for the Germans

to propose sanctions on the Sudan.

Two nuclear powers are mobilized.

We have troops massed on both borders of Kazakhstan.

We're standing on the edge of the abyss here.

I agree, the timing is odd.

It is not appreciated.

Yeah.

And stupid.

These Europeans, they're always pretending

to have a significance they no longer possess.

I have spoken to them, and I would like to make a proposal.

What is it?

You are interested

in purchasing arms from the French and the Germans.

We're interested in all markets.

There have been no sales

since Tiananmen, correct?

Israel. Other countries have done business with us.

Six months ago,

the French and the Germans told us

they would like to sell to you again.

They should... It's a meaningless restriction.

They're simply losing money.

We objected strongly.

I was there.

There may be some latitude now.

With the arms sales?

Yes.

It would be difficult to justify

closing off such a significant source of oil.

We're thirsty.

We're trying to grow an economy.

We want to make sure your oil supply

is preserved in Kazakhstan.

You can show yourselves to be responsible members

of the world community with a simple abstention

on the German resolution.

It will allow us to put American election monitors on the ground

to ensure a fair vote there.

That's it?

That's a lot.

I will disappear into my massive bureaucracy

and see what I can do.

You're funny.

Thank you, Ambassador.

You know what I think about a lot,

when I'm having these kind of discussions?

What, sir?

Capitalism vanquished Communism,

obliterated it.

And here we are, having a discussion where you

are trying to restrict our markets.

We're trying to address a humanitarian situation

in the Sudan.

Exactly.

But you have always taught us

that liberty is the same thing as capitalism,

as if life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

cannot be crushed by greed.

Your American Dream is financial... not ethical.

This is a good deal for the Chinese.

I hope you will consider it carefully.

Of course.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

You have taught us well.

The President needs you in the Oval,

and I have a yogurt here.

What for?

To eat.

He's in there? Yeah.

And... he's grumpy.

Come in.

How you doing, kid?

Very good, sir.

Glad to hear it.

Teddy Barrow just called from State... what the hell

is going on with the Sudan thing?

I'm working on a Security Council resolution.

Sanctioning oil revenue?

Yes, sir, to be introduced by the Germans.

And then vetoed by the Chinese.

Not necessarily. Probably.

Could be. I am trying to defuse a nuclear standoff.

Why on earth would we want

to antagonize the Chinese right now?

We're not.

This is coming from the Germans.

You don't think the Chinese are going to figure it out?

We owe these people $350 billion

for God's sake... They're not stupid.

We're out of time.

We've all been hypnotized by the complexity

of this thing in the Sudan... The E.U... the U.N., State.

This isn't a solution, but it's a start.

I can't have anything

compromising our neutrality in Kazakhstan.

This won't.

As far as China knows,

this is Europe holding their feet to the fire, not us.

We're the ones brokering the face-saving deal.

China would owe us.

This could even help us in Kazakhstan.

Is this about the Sudan or the fact

that we're all about to get kicked out of this building?

When the babies die, the mothers carry them around for days.

They can't put them down.

Yeah.

Keep working the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Why is Matt Santos stomping on what's left

of my goodwill up on the Hill?

The transport lab.

I got an irate phone call

from the senior senator from Kentucky. Right.

At least I think he was irate.

He didn't have his teeth in, so I'm not sure

what the hell he was talking about.

The Santos campaign got some polling

telling them a huge federal investment in Austin

could help them win Texas.

Yeah. Which is why I think

we should send you to Austin

to announce the transport lab with Santos,

then we send you both to Kentucky

to help stump for Bowles.

When is that going to happen?

Thursday.

Doug Westin withdrew his request

for you to campaign with him in New Hampshire.

Why did he do that?

I think he wants to prove he's his own man.

By losing?

If that's what it takes.

Liz is going to kill him.

Doug just changed his mind?

Was there anything else?

No, sir.

Thank you, Mr. President.

When do you get an answer from the Chinese?

I should know something over the weekend.

It's worth a shot.

Yeah.

Hey. Come here a sec.

What's up?

I need to tell you something.

You all right?

Doug Westin...

Yes?

Doug Westin had an affair with his nanny.

Get... out.

It might break, it might not.

Is she cute? Who cares if she's...

I've spent my life surrounded by men in uniform.

I don't... Biology kicks virtue's ass in my experience.

She's 26.

Yeesh.

Okay.

So she doesn't have to be cute.

I'm... That's disgusting.

Yeah. He should die.

The bastard should just be dead.

Did Liz leave him?

I don't think she knows.

I should sic Special-Ops on him,

make him a tragedy she can cry over.

I made him withdraw his request

for the President to appear with him in Manchester next week.

You're telling me this, because...

I don't know if I should...

Tell her? No.

No, no, no, no.

Now's the time everybody just looks at her funny

till she figures it out.

I know.

I just don't know if I owe the President...

Sorry. Liz Westin's in your office.

She needs to talk to you.

Good luck.

Okay.

Hi, Liz.

C.J., hi.

I'm sorry to barge in on you.

Are you busy?

Well, you know, thermonuclear war, genocide...

I don't mean to bother you.

It's fine. It's good to see you.

Have you seen Doug?

He was here yesterday, right?

Yeah.

He marched into Political Affairs and told them

he didn't want my father to come up

and do the event with us next week.

I heard that. I can't believe it.

Do you have any idea how long it took me

to convince him to let my father help?

I know from the start,

it was important for him to be his own man, to win

or lose this thing on his own.

His father-in-law's the President; it's a fact.

He can't run away from that.

It's got to be hard to try and live up to the President.

You can't.

No.

But he is the father of my children.

And I want them to be able

to look up to him. Sure.

No matter what he's done.

Do you understand what I'm saying, C.J.?

I think I do.

I think you do, too.

Talk to him.

Tell him it's political suicide

to run away from Dad.

I know you're trying to do what's best for Doug...

Marriage is complicated, C.J.

This isn't ideal.

But it's the best thing for my children.

I understand. Good.

But my job is to protect your father.

My father would want to protect my children, too.

I'm sorry, Liz, we've given the date away.

Already? You can't have.

It's gone.

So... on his own merits,

we let the voters decide?

I think it's best.

Yeah.

I need some Schedule C's who might be willing

to take unpaid leave and hit the road with a candidate.

I'll put together a list.

The least humiliating public speakers possible.

Hey.

I've cleared the President to fly to Austin on Thursday

to announce that it will be the new home

of the nation's first Molecular Transport Lab.

He will then fly to Kentucky to campaign for Senator Bowles.

Would Congressman Santos like to join him?

I'll have to get back to you on that.

Go to hell.

I'm embarrassed, Tom.

I'm embarrassed that my country is content to stand by

and let other countries take the lead

when it comes to the key moral question of our time.

Half a million dead.

At what number do we say, "Enough"?

We've called it what it is.

It is genocide.

This is an unprecedented moment in American history,

where we have acknowledged that system...

U.N. delegation just notified State.

There's a Security Council negotiation

on language for a Sudan resolution.

Where are the Chinese?

They're in the room.

Threatening to veto?

Not out of hand, no.

They're talking?

They are.

Huh.

It's a start.

Yeah.

Do you want to get some food?

I can't. I have a date.

You do not.

What?!

I have a date.

With whom?

With a guy I used to go out with.

I'll walk out with you.

You go ahead.

I need to talk to the President.

The Doug story's going to break,

and it's going to be terrible for him

and I want him to hear it from me.

He's ready.

Okay. See you tomorrow.

Yep.

Men are like salmon

swimming upstream, hosing down the riverbed

with their indiscriminate seed, until they die...

Indiscriminate seed? Did you just say indiscriminate seed?

Bloated and spent, belly up in the sun.

Oh, quit sweet-talking me, baby.

Unless they get taken out

by a bear paw in the waterfall

as they deserve to be.

So you're struggling with trust issues.

I'm struggling with reality.

What's your dessert policy? What?

You want me to spare you the monologue?

Oh, I really do.

I figured.

I'll get you some more water.

Oh, gee, I'm sorry. I'll shut up and leave now.

She hates my guts.

She does a little bit.

I'm sorry about the other night.

Why?

Because I was behaving like the kind of Type-A

career woman freak automaton that I so very much

do not want to become.

Please.

I wanted to see you.

And I haven't felt that in a long time

and I just got all awkward and antagonistic.

That's okay.

As long as you didn't kill our fish.

But don't get me wrong.

I don't want to see you again

until after the inauguration.

You don't have to.

I want to do my job.

I want to suck every morsel of meat

off this experience before it's over.

Just get something done, will ya?

That'll come down to what it always comes down to. What's that?

How dirty do my feet have to get

without disappearing into the mud

in order to get an inch of what I really want done.

Doesn't sound very heroic.

It's not.

So what's the deal?

You still creeped out by reporters or what?

Why, you got another unholy bomb to drop on me?

Is that what these dates are about?

No, that was an attempt at a real date the other night.

And this? Another attempt.

Hey, if I'd wanted to publish that story

I wouldn't have given you the heads up.

I can't write that kind of crap anymore.

I don't, I don't even know

if I want to be a reporter anymore.

Really?

Doug Westin's libido broke the camel's back.

What do you want to do?

I don't know.

Can I ask you something?

Yeah.

Why'd you come here tonight?

'Cause you made me promise to.

Why'd you come?

I wanted to see you.

Thank you.

You going to do a magic trick?

Uh, I'm flying a little blind here.

I'm halfway through my life

and I'm never quite sure if I'm doing anything right

until I'm completely done doing it wrong.

Work with it.

So this may not come out right.

I forgive you.

Then incrementalism is not an option.

I'm forced into a heroic posture.

Heroic can be good.

Feels funny.

You can do it.

Okay. Uh,

we're both about to fall off a cliff.

And I don't know what I'm going to do with the rest of my life,

except I know what I don't want to do.

And on Inauguration Day,

you're going to be released from that glorious prison

on Pennsylvania Avenue with...

no human skills.

Seems to me...

I should punch you in the face, but yeah, okay.

That's what I'm talkin' about.

Keep going.

So, if I'm going to jump off the cliff,

and you're going to get pushed off the cliff,

why don't we hold hands on the way down?

Oh, shoot.

Oh, turn it off.

I can't.

Just for a couple of seconds.

Oh, my God.

You okay? Oh, my God.

I have to go. I have to go.

Okay. No, no. Go, go.

I'll see you later.

I'll see you later.

What's happening? Did the Chinese invade?

No, Kazakhstan is stable.

What is it?

Some kind of nuclear accident.

Lord. A weapon?

Power plant.

Is it Russia?

San Andreo, California.

They think it might blow up.