All language subtitles for The.West.Wing.S06E12.WEBRip.x264-FGT

Previously on The West Wing...

I can't do the job, Abbey.

Do you understand?
I can't do it.

He's going to need
a nap midday.

A nap? He's going
to love that.

It's you and I,
we're going to have
to run this thing.

Are we going to stand for
something or just hang around,

change the sheets for
the President's hospital bed?

When you coming back?

Been here an hour
and already

I need another 30 days
of Sierra Tucson.

Come with me, I think
this guy may be the real deal.

I already found my guy.

INTERVIEWER:
Well, the speech was
one of the President's best.

And thank you for not
making it too long.

TOBY:
We were aiming for pith.

And you succeeded.

We've been speaking
with Toby Ziegler,

author of
President Bartlet's

final State of the Union
address.

Thank you.
Pleasure.

Clear.
That was great.

That section on
prescription drugs,

I was wondering
if the coverage...

I'm sorry, I've gotta...

C.J.'s in her office.
Thanks.

And here.
It's okay. Sorry.

Congratulations.

Don't.

Dials soared.
Please don't.

Don't get me started
on the cross tabs.

Trying not to, in fact.

Is he here yet?

Any minute.

We sure he's ready
for this?

He says he is.

Still, 7:00 a.m.

It's the only time
we could fit it

into everyone's schedule.

Says he has some thoughts
he wants to share.

Some thoughts?

Fantastic speech, Toby.

Oh, thank you.

You really can't
take a compliment.
Oh, no.

Daily Read even said

it was the President's
finest State of the Union.

Yeah,
'cause it's his last.

Sir, we're here.

Yeah.

Good to have you back,
Mr. McGarry.

Thanks, Brian.

Good to have you back,
Mr. McGarry.

( applause )

Welcome back, boss.

Thought we were
keeping this low-key,

just a couple of us
kicking a few ideas around?

This is low-key.

Annabeth wanted to bring in
the Marine Marching Band.

Ah...

Word got out and
everybody wanted to come,

and hear what
you had to say.

Good to see you, Leo.

Welcome back, Leo.
Welcome back.

Thanks. Thanks.

Ah...

Man of the hour.

( applause )

Come now, no false modesty.

It's actually self-loathing.

It was a great speech.

Charlie, Toby.
Have you met?

Press response
has been terrific.

Stop being such a pill.

Well...

I really wasn't
expecting

to have to address
a convention but...
( cell phone ringing )

Before we get started,

we all got you
a little something.

Completely unnecessary.
Truly.

Just for the record,
I voted for the watch.

My very own defibrillator.

( chuckling )

Well, like I was saying, um...

I wasn't really expecting
to discuss this

with such a large group,

but I've been thinking

and this might be
an excellent time to...

( knocking on door)
Commander.

Sorry.
No problem.

I rather unexpectedly
found myself

with a bit of spare time
on my hands

these last few months.

We've been here seven trips
around the sun.

( pager ringing )
Done some things
we're proud of,

things we're less
pleased about...

The Vice President.

I should probably...
Sure.

Just be a minute.

I think it may be time for us
to take our own temperature.

An internal inventory.

( knocking on door )

Can I borrow C.J. for a moment?

Sorry.
Sure.

What's done,
what's undone...

what's done
that we'd like to undo...

or do over...

do away with...

Demonstration in Bolivia,
outside our embassy.

Big one.

Over the ambassador's
statement.

It's being seen
as interfering
in their election.

The guy is a Socialist.
Yeah.

Who says, if elected,
he'll immediately halt

their coca
eradication program.
Yep.

We should get into this.
( pager rings )

I'll call DOD, Intel,

the Undersecretary for
Low Grade Conflicts.

We have an Undersecretary
for Low Grade Conflicts?

Be glad he's who
I'm calling.

Fight the seduction of tumult
for tumult's sake.

I need Charlie.

Of course.

There's a situation
in Bolivia.

Serious?
Low grade evidently.

Get with Margaret,
see what meetings
you can cover,

what needs to be moved.
Okay.

What's Leo talking
about in there?

I'm really not sure.

Sir, one week
doesn't seem...

Can we discuss it?

Didn't we just kind of do this
"taking inventory"?

Little thing called
the State of the Union.

The State of the Union
was fine...

Excuse me, Leo.

Labor Secretary's panicked
about his press conference.

I'll be right back.

Man's an infant.

It's about time
he got a good spanking.

I'd better, uh...

Referee?

Sorry.

Welcome back.

Actually, just came
to get these guys.

Situation.
Juggling some things.

Are we done, Mr. McGarry?

No. Not yet.

Any numbness, pain?

Physical or existential?

Any chance of getting
the odd straight answer?

Good luck with that.
Nada.

Spiritual or otherwise.

You don't have to go.

They'll think we're
Northeast Yankee elitists.

And be correct.

We could make
the occasional effort.

500 laps around an oval.

An entire sport predicated
on the expectation

of the Grand Guinol.

Guignol. Guignol.

If you're going to brag about
your intellectual hauteur,

at least get your fancy
references right.

Grand Guignol connoting
the sanguinary.

Buckets of blood.
Like hockey.

Leave my Bruins out of this.

Martinsville Speedway.
You're in for a treat.

See? There are people
with most of their teeth

that are actual NASCAR fans.

Are you really a doctor?

I didn't get a close look
at your credentials.

First in my class.
University of Daytona.

Oh, now who's with
the not-so-straight answers.

He prefers to be
the amusing one.

Fun for the rest of us.

So, is he well enough
to join me?

Pressure,
vitals are fine.

But I'd rather he
didn't push himself
after last night.

Dang.
He put you
up to this.

Enjoy the Grand Guignol.

Horror and sensationalism,
not blood.

Look it up.

The President will see you now.

Sir, Zalaya's now polling
a close second in Bolivia.

Wasn't he fourth?

Maybe our ambassador
can say something

new and inflammatory,

help him bridge
that final gap.

There's concern
about rioting

We need you to make a statement.
affirming our impartiality.

You mean,
pretend to a disinterest

no one's gonna believe

because some diplomat
happened to have too much...

What do they
drink down there?

As what I recall,
the ambassador's
not a stickler, sir.

I'm not declaring
to an indifference

that'll provoke
international guffaws.

Sir, if Zalaya wins

he's pledged to re-nationalize
their industries,

stop payment on their
six billion dollar debt,

and remove all U.S.
"imperialist forces"
from Bolivia.

The imperialist forces their
government expressly invited in.

Up to now they've been one
of our most cooperative allies
in the war on drugs.

Since no one ever wins
and it never ends,

maybe we should stop
calling it a war.

Fine.
But we have 2,000 troops

and seven battle ships
in Latin America.

And our pilots engage
daily in hostile gunfire

as they spray coca fields.

But we don't have
to call it a war.

How about a
low-grade conflict?

State feels we can
tamp things down

if you could just walk the
ambassador's statement back.

TOBY:
"The United States
remains neutral

"in all free elections

and discourages any manner
of external interference."

I can probably keep
a straight face through that.

Is it enough?

You may want to specify
with regard to Bolivia.

"And this means you,
La Paz."

So it's reported
in the Latin press.

The Latin press'll just
have to figure it out.

What's next?

You wouldn't be more comfortable
waiting in your office?

LEO:
This is fine.

I'm sure you could
go in and join them.

I'll wait.

They should be done any minute.

Can I get you some water
or anything?

I'm good, Deb.
I'm sure you got

things to worry about
other than me.

You never called me Deb before.
No?

President does, sometimes.

Mm.

I actually kind of hate it.

I'm sorry.

It's okay, you didn't know.

Ever tell the President?

Hard to work it in.

"Sir, the North Koreans
just threatened

"to rain nuclear fire
on Japan again,

"the NASDAQ is tanking,

"there's a category four
hurricane

making landfall in the Keys
and, oh, don't call me Deb."

You should tell him.

Leo.

Sorry about this morning.

It happens.

I got this Bolivia thing.

I understand.

Love to get
your perspective on it.

Maybe after I've seen
the President.

Maybe later.
Whenever.

Uh, this afternoon?

Sure, if that's good.

Yeah, yeah... 3:30?

See you then.

Looking forward to it.

Was that Thomas Paine
always there?

I thought that
was Nathan Hale.

"I regret I only
have but one life,"
et cetera, et cetera.

Paine. "These are the times
that try men's souls."

Get over yourself, Tom.

Ways and Means
has some procedural issues

with the Earned Income
Tax Credit.

But I think there's movement.

Ten billion's the goal,
but it's an election year.

I'm realistic.

Overwhelming response
to last night.

36 interruptions
for applause.

I don't know what's
more embarrassing--

that we count them
or that I care.

Very impressive.

I blame him.

Wasn't me.

He's doing his annual
sackcloth and ashes bit.

I used to think
it was a way

of harvesting
even more compliments.

Now I understand
it's just self-abnegation

and clinical despair.

Man understands me.

( knocking on door )

Mr. President,
Leo McGarry is outside.

He's been waiting all this time?

Yes, and you're late

for your NSA briefing
on Chechnya.

Okay. Thanks, guys.
Thank you,
Mr. President.

Do the thing with the knocking
again in five minutes.

Yes, sir.
Thanks, Deb.

Leo, have I said how great it is
having you back?

A few times.

Oh. Sorry.

Everyone has.

Not quite sure
what you want me doing.

What you always did;
make me smarter.

By comparison,
absolutely.

Congratulations on last night.

I planned a morning
resting on my laurels,

but there's this
I-don't-know-what in Bolivia.

Courtland and his big yap.

Wonder why he said it.

He's an idiot.

He was always an idiot.

Why you think
we made him

ambassador to Bolivia?

What?
Why do you think he said it?

Have you given some thought to
how I might make myself useful?

I don't want
to undermine C.J.
( knocking )

Sorry to interrupt,
Mr. President,

but President Trenier
is holding for you.

That's something you can do.

Talk to the French.

Non, merci.

Sorry. I've gotta
take this.
Of course.

The day's getting
away from me.

How about dinner tonight?

Be great.

I don't care
how many times I've said it;

it's a great thing you're back.

See you tonight, Mr. President.

Bonjour,
Mr. President.

Yes, I'm really
looking forward

to the G-8 in Paris.

I know what it is,
it just has a dull name.

Earned Income Tax Credit.

It's the one government program

that actually sounds
like what it is.

Exactly-- d-u-l-l.

Oh. This goes to DNC

and this one's
a blast fax.

It was a highlight

of the President's address
last night.

By highlight

you mean a chance
for viewers to wonder

whether they're going
to have sex that night

or plan what they were gonna
wear in the morning.

Thank you.
And you have...
I know.

It's important.

36 million Americans live below
the poverty line,

which is a million more
than last year.

Let's shout that from
the rooftops, why don't we?

We blame
the Republicans.

Oh, there's a fresh angle.

Charlie, you see the HUD
Samaritan bill markup?

Secretary spoke to the
Budget Director this morning.

No government program will do
more to lift children

out of poverty
than the EITC.

Oh, God.
I thought the name was dull.

The acronym's worse.

You've been working
on this for two months

and you can't find
a catchier handle?

"Marriage Penalty".
"Death tax."

Now, that you remember.

Leo.
Margaret.

Who did this to you?

I got rid of everything.

I should've gone
with the mahogany.

I had a feeling...

I don't want
any clutter.

It's a look.

Are those the, um...?

I'm still looking
for the second inaugural.

Floor's good.

Really?
Mm-hmm.

Tower or pile?

Surprise me.

( knocking )

Hey.
Hey.

I just found out
eight U.S. contractors

are being held at gunpoint
in Bolivia.

Intel's sketchy,
but it looks like

it might be
by Zalaya supporters.

Hmm. Thanks for the tapes.

People are gathering down
in the Sit Room if you wanna...

Oh, I'm sure
you can all handle this.

Let me know if you find
that second inaugural.

Sure.

I should...

Yeah.

C.J.'s probably looking
for you.

Right.

BARTLET ( on tape ):
This truly is an age
of possibility,

of great trials, but
also tremendous opportunities.

We need to set our nation
on a new course,

create a new history...

MAN:
Ten hut!

At ease.
What's the story?

KATE:
Our contractors were ambushed

and captured
in the Chapare jungle.

How many?

Eight.
Alive?

As far as we know.

Captured by who?

They describe themselves
as Zalaya supporters.

I have some
enthusiastic supporters.

They don't go around
holding people at gunpoint...

much as I'd sometimes
wish they would.

These are paramilitaries, sir.

Run for president down there,

you get your own private army?

It's South America.

If Bolivia wasn't landlocked,
he'd have his own navy, too.

They're claiming the contractors
are CIA, sent down

to hijack
the election.
Are they?

No, sir.
What are they doing there?

They're private citizens.

Who happen to take camouflage
gear with them on vacation?

They're part of the coca
eradication effort, sir.

They work for the government.

The Bolivian government?

U.S. government.

Sorry.
State has
a $700 million

contract with Tarmacorp,
which employs them.

And they're armed?

Of course they're armed.

They're spraying coca fields
run by drug cartels.

I think what C.J.'s driving at
is the difference

between what they call them
and what we call them

is more like dolphins
and porpoises

rather than lions and bats.

What are the captors' demands?

That's just it.
They haven't made any.

HUTCHINSON:
We think this may be
an election stunt.

Zalaya got such a bounce
from our ambassador's statement,

could be he figures

a trumped-up U.S. tampering
charge puts him over the top.

Our guys were there
spraying coca fields,

we're certain of that?

Not necessarily themselves
directly...

I know they may not attach
the hose to the nozzle,

but they were doing
eradication work?

Yes, sir.

They're weren't freelancing?
Maybe doing

some electoral strong-arming
in their free time?

There's no evidence of that.

Make damn sure,
would you, please?

Our history down
there is such

that people are gonna
find it a lot easier

to believe Zalaya's charges
than our denials.

It may not make a hell
of a lot of difference,

but when we call him a liar
I'd prefer we be right.

Okay, next crisis: Korea.

A three-foot hole has appeared
in the DMZ fence.

Intergovernmental
Affairs needs

to announce the Indian
Healthcare reauthorization.

It's gonna get trumped
by this Bolivia thing.

Where are we on that?

Making certain
our guys weren't doing

what Zalaya says
they were.

Then?
Liar, liar,
pants on fire.

It won't rhyme
in Spanish.

I don't want you
to be disappointed.

The President took
another turn at
whack-a-DCI.

Guy's gotta quit,
doesn't he?

God, I hope not,
it's too much fun.

Besides, it's the only person
the President ever picks on.

The CIA Director goes,
it could be you
or me, bucko.

It's already been me.

Are we at all concerned
about our checkered
history down there:

Allende, the CIA
and Che Guevara?

Yeah. We don't have
much credibility.

You'll talk to
Intergovernmental
Affairs?

In my spare time.

Thank the V.P.

for pitching in on
State of the Union
follow through.

About that.
Will...

He's out there,
he's shilling.

Shilling? You mean showing
loyalty to the administration

he happens to be serving in?

It's the President's agenda.

I don't recall burning much
midnight oil discussing

what'd help us in the primaries.

He'll do his bit this week
because the President can't,

but after that,
the campaign comes first.

Yeah, on second thought,
maybe don't thank him so much.

Governor, everyone,
sorry to keep you waiting.

The First Lady's going to be
attending a stock car race.

Hell, yeah!

Excuse me?

Colorful regional colloquialism
betokening enthusiasm

of a visceral-if-not-rowdy
variety.

You're making this
too complicated.

I want you to prep her.

It's a bunch of cars going
real fast around an oval.

There, I'm done.

It's a food pyramid,
not the human genome.

There are fish-out-of-water
concerns.

This is your dream come true.

Eliza Doolittle gets
to tutor Henry Higgins.

I'll see if I can't find my
redneck-to-snob dictionary.

Here's the message:
eat less bread.

What, you're offended?

You're implying

I'm some kind
of hayseed-hillbilly-hick?

I'm sorry.
I didn't mean
to imply it.

It was more of
an emphatic assertion.

Watch it. We rubes know how
to throw down.

Just teach her some terms;
a vocabulary.

For starters, no one "attends"
a stock car race.

You're just goin'.
Like as not, goin' drunk.

Good, but I don't think
Dr. Bartlet'll

will be getting liquored up.

Too bad.
Otherwise, it gets kinda boring.

Teach her when to cheer.

Stuff like that.

Just make sure we avoid
a flyover values disaster.

Sorry?
The people
in the middle

of the country
who you fly over

when you're trying to get to...

Real cities?

Can't imagine why you're worried
about offending them.

The Labor Secretary.

Yeah. Thanks.

( chuckles )

BARTLET ( on tape):
Interdiction without

intervention, eradication
without education

leaves root causes
to linger and fester,

damning our most
vigorous efforts...

What are you watching?

State of The Union.

I don't remember hearing
that last night.

Second year.
Oh.

You need something?

Just felt bad about running
out on you this morning.

Wanted to see if there was
a time you could catch me up.

Whatever's good.

This afternoon?
Mm-hmm.

Who should I coordinate
the time with?

That'd be me.

Okay. How's 6:00?

That works.

I'll be here.
I don't mind
going over.

Could stand the exercise.

I'll come to you.

That's fine.

See you then.

...in both the cost
to our national treasury

as well as our citizenry,
trapped in a disease

as insidious as it is neglected.

TOBY:
You're bailing.

SWARTHOUT:
We're not bailing.

The Earned Income Tax Credit
is a Democratic issue!

We can probably push
it out of Committee
at $500 million.

Great. The President called
for $10 billion.

That would be more.

He got an applause break

from both sides of the aisle.

AUREN:
That was last night.

In the sober light of dawn,

the Republicans are going to
insist on added enforcements.

Why is their sobriety
giving me a hangover?

Fraud prevention,

accounting measures...

These are families
at the bottom rung of
the educational ladder.

Adding paperwork's
just going to confuse them.

Tell them I'll be there
in a few minutes.

It's all right.
We're done.

No, we're not done
and you're not bailing.

It's a Republican Congress.
We have to be flexible.

Why does no one ever come
in here and say,

"This is
a Democratic White House.

Maybe we should start
reflecting it"?

We don't have the votes.

Day after the State
of the Union,

Presidents customarily go
barnstorming to sell it.

Don't lecture us

on how to wield this
White House's clout.

She really said that?

If she wasn't a woman,
we might've had
to throw down.

Regional colloquialism.

So, what's the next step?

I'm not sure
there is one.

The EITC's just dead?

No, no, Timmy.

It's at a nice farm
in the country

where it can play
with other dogs.

How did last night
turn into this morning?

A Bolivian blowup,

bad employment numbers,
a hole in a fence...

And this.

The Majority Leader's
been in the Treaty Room since,

well, he says since Tuesday--

the NOA administrator called
about the flood area in Hawaii.

He's setting up a conference
call with FEMA

and the Governor.

And you have
a meeting with Leo.

If things are too wild,

I can always
find you later.

Carol's looking for you.

Something about the Labor
Secretary threatening to quit.

You saw the new furniture?

Leo, I'm sorry. I'm
afraid I'm going...

Sure, we'll get to it.

Majority Leader,
natural disaster.

( phone rings )

Busy day.

Yeah.

TOBY:
One week.

Can we not do this?

One week in support
of the man

who plucked him out
of obscurity.

He was a widely known
congressman.

As a joke. You and I
made fun of him together.

You guys picked him.
I wasn't in that room.

You think I was?

Then be mad at the President,
or Leo,

or whoever else was there.

( beeper sounds )

And pick a position.

You can't think
he's a complete joke
and embarrassment

and then be upset
he's not out there
helping you more.

Yes, I can.

Look, he's supportive.

He'll continue to be.

If it's in his interest.

Oh, I'm sorry.
Have the rules of politics
been suspended this year?

The rules of politics
should be suspended

any chance we get.
It's disloyalty!

The Vice President has been
nothing but steadfast.

I wasn't talking about him.

BARTLET:
...to widen the circle
of opportunity,

to deepen the meaning
of our freedom.

Hey, Leo.
Hey.

Whatcha watching?

Old State of The Unions.

What for?

Just curious.
How you doing?

A little whiplashed.

Last night was such a high.

There is a staffer
sitting at the adult table.

Watched it at home.

My sister threw me a party

'cause I got a line
in the speech.

"We must help those working
hardest to help themselves."e?

I see your fingerprints
all over it.

Only, EITC's
already in trouble.

The whiplash.
Yeah.

House Dems?

They're defeatist,

and Annabeth doesn't like
its name.

She's not wrong.

I don't get excited

when I hear EITC, do you?

Maybe if it had
a more memorable name,

it'd be easier to fight for?

I think if we could define it
more clearly as a tax cut

so a vote against it is seen
as raising taxes

on the working poor.

I don't see
how you easily oppose it.

WOMAN (on TV):
I had just dropped off
my kids at school.

Thank God, because I don't
know what to tell them.

Who is...

Contractor's wife.

...they said
call my congressman.

I called him, he said
call the State Department.

No one is taking responsibility.

ANNABETH:
Toby.

Yeah?

My husband is an engineer,
not a soldier.

Not in there.

Oh.
I don't have anything.

He's in the residence.

Oh, okay.

Napping.

Not to be disturbed
unless there's an emergency.

It wasn't on my schedule.

Or mine.

Will you
let me know when

he comes
back down?

My first call.

Oh...

are you the one who's going

to teach me
proper speedway decorum?

How to win friends and
influence yokels, yes, ma'am.

Ah, now, if I'd made
a crack like that

you'd think me a terrible snob.

What did you turn down
to make room for Martinsville?

NIH symposium on molecular
structures and bio-imaging.

Not a lot of NASCAR crossover.

Let's start with the dress code.

Jeans. T-shirt.

Oh, and can you borrow

the President's leather
flight jacket?

You don't find that
a tad inappropriate?

Well, there'll
be women there

in bikinis on lounge
chairs in the RV park.

Inappropriate's
still a ways off.

I've given this a lot
of thought and I know

something that we
can bond over so far as

stock cars
are concerned.

That would be?

We're both women.

Okay...

Women make up 55%

of the audience
for NASCAR events.

More than any other
major league sport.

Well, I wonder why.

Well, everyone has
their theories,

but I'm gonna
tell you plain.

It's the drivers.

They're a bunch of studs.

Mm-hmm.

Well-built hotties
running around

in tight-fitting
fire suits.

Hotties.

Hotsy-tot, Hottentot
hotties, ma'am.

Well, that's all very
well and good, but I don't...

Oh, my.
He'll be there.

And him...

Oh, and this one...

The one with the eyes?

One of the favorites.

I would imagine.

You see the wife?

Yeah.

You're going
to have to brief.

These guys...

absolutely, positively not CIA?

Definitely,
definitively not.

Don't lean
on that, Toby.
Why?

They're U.S. paid mercenaries.

Former military, most of them.

Special Ops, SEALS, Marines.

We're in distinction
without a difference land.

Little bit.
I don't see it
that way.

It's not your job to.

They weren't doing
what they've been accused of.

That's our statement.
And I'm late.

Anyone talk to Leo?

He's in his office watching
State of the Unions.

Unions?

Old ones.

Yeah?

We said 3:30?

We did.

So...

What's your day
been like?

It's quiet. Yours?

Not quiet.

Bolivia.
Yeah.

Korea.
Things down in Burundi.

What?
Oh, just...

These contractors operate

under such vague guidelines

just because that's the way
everyone wants it.

There's no congressional
oversight, no controls,

and a whole lot
of money changing hands.

You know these guys?

Not these, but...

Yeah, I know these guys.

And it's not just
that it's futile, you know.

I mean, as long as Americans
are willing to pay

$60 a gram for cocaine,
some peasant farmer

earning $60 a year
is going to grow it.

But it's just so geopolitically
counterproductive.

We turn their villages
into war zones,

we destroy their land, we poison
their families with herbicides

and then we're
all surprised

when they go vote
for the Socialist.

( sighs ):
Sorry.

It's a, um...
crappy day.

It's my annivorcery.

Anni-what?

( pager beeping )

Annivorce.

It's the anniversary
of my divorce.

Didn't know you'd been married.

Couple times.

Hopeless romantic.

Hopeless, anyway. You?

Yeah.

What did you want to talk about?

Sorry.

Ms. Harper, they need you
in the Situation Room.

Maybe later.

PRESIDENT:
Debbie!

That wasn't very long.

I couldn't sleep.

Couldn't or wouldn't?

I have three daughters
and a wife,

two of whom
are also doctors.

If you presume

I don't get enough
of that sort of comment,

you're not really using
your imagination.

Naps are restorative.
Churchill took them.

Churchill also maintained
a 24-hour buzz.

These days, people who drink
that much during the day

are encouraged
to attend meetings.

An individual perhaps more
for veneration than emulation.

And I don't know where all this
restorative nonsense comes from.

Every nap I've ever
taken in my life

has left me feeling
groggy and on edge.

I hadn't noticed.

The NSA called,
Secretary of State,

NSA again,
saying talk to her

before you talk
to the Secretary of State.

You're right.

About so much.

To which specific
or category of things

are you presently referring?

The Earned Income Tax
Credit needs a better name.

To brand it.

Not just something
zippier or catchier.

Something to help you
fight for it.

To make it harder
to fight against it.

Deputy Secretary
Morrison again.

( sighs )

Workfare's taken.
Work Aid?

Sounds like a handout.

Employment Incentive.

Oh, no.
That's terrible.

Work Tax.

It's all a work tax.

Poverty Tax.

Mm, that's closer.

Poor Tax.

It's simple, direct...

Poor Tax.

It's good.

Do you want me to say
you'll call her back?

No, I'll be right there.

Hard to argue

on the floor of Congress

to institute a Poor Tax.

Yeah.

Thanks.

This is Annabeth.

TOBY:
Hey.

Hey.

Sorry about this morning.

Oh, it happens.

Heard you were watching
old State of the Unions.

And Inaugurals.

Something wrong
with this year's speech?

What do you think?

I wrote it.

You seemed remarkably

uncomfortable accepting praise,
even for you.

What are you doing here, Leo?

Watching old speeches

and reading about
the founding fathers?

We don't have time for you to
sit around like a garden Buddha,

parsing out
fortune cookie wisdom.

We're getting buried alive here.

Get up and grab a shovel.

"While the assault weapons
ban may have ended,

"the debate has not,
and I will

fight this Congress as long..."

"As the senseless, needless
violence continues."

Second Inaugural.

"The promise
of stem cell research

"has again been delayed
by congressional ban.

Imagine a child paralyzed
by a spinal cord injury..."

"By a spinal cord injury,
watching, waiting,

knowing that politics
is the obstacle to a cure."

Third State of the Union.

I know what we said.
We all know what we said.

Last night's State of the Union,
you pulled your punches.

It was well received.

It's easy to applaud for
something that no one's

gonna make you
stand up and pass.

"By any measure,

"we're losing the war on drugs.

"Demand is exactly the same...

Supply is the same,
but prices..."
"Supply is the same, but prices

"have gone down.

"It's time for a
comprehensive new approach

to this nation's
dependence on drugs."

That was in your rough draft

of last
night's speech.

I cut it.

Who told you to?
Nobody.
Nobody had to.

You've had a heart attack
and he can't stand up.

Day after every other
State of the Union,

the President launches
a month-long road show

to stump for what was in it.

( pager beeping )

This year I get
Bingo Bob and a week.

MAN:
Ten-hut.

Let's see it.

My name is Jonathan Creasy.

I am a private American citizen
working for Tarmacorp,

under a contract
with the U.S. government.

I'm being held
with seven Americans.

We will be released
subject to completion

of a fair and free election

of the Bolivian Presidential
contest.

CJ:
"Fair and free"

translating
to a Zalaya victory.

"A private citizen

under contract with
the U.S. government."

Cognitive dissonance, anyone?

Where are we on this?

A P-3 off the Misawa.

PACCOM is coordinating
the search.

Anything?
No.

It's a jungle
out there.

And the Bolivian government?

Rock and a hard place.

They want to help their
good friend the U.S.,

but are terrified of looking
like they were helping

in case Zalaya wins.

They don't want to be up here

in two weeks time
seeking political asylum.

We find them,
who mounts a rescue

if not the Bolivians,
Tarmacorp, us?

Not us.

Tarmacorp's flying
Vietnam era Hueys.

They go down, we end up

with more contractors
to find and rescue.

They're not U.S. troops.

Why? Because we pay them
through a middleman?

Nobody forced them
to go down there.

Maybe you'll get to explain
that to their widows.

When's the election?

CJ:
Ten days.

Do we believe that

Zalaya will
release them?

If he wins.

If he doesn't?

C.J.:
Will we find them?

A jungle, they know
the best hiding places.

We'll need a tip.

These are tough guys.

They gonna hold out
till the election?

You saw the video.

When you're being held,
ten days is a long time.

Have you ever been held?

I've held other people.

24 hours is a long time.

Yeah?

Oh, is it 6:00 already?

I can come back.

No, no. Come in.
Come in.

How you doing?

Oh, you know.

Have to head back to New
Hampshire tomorrow afternoon.

We're up ten points
in the polls.

Getting tired
of people treating me

like I've sold
my soul to the devil.

You think you have?

Well, I don't think
the V.P.'s the devil.

And I don't think
I've sold my soul.

I may have rented it
out for a bit.

Why do you say that?

Well, I was
mostly joking.

I don't think
he's the devil.

I don't know what
I think of him, really.

Catalogue his qualities.

The negative ones
everyone knows,

and never ceases delighting
in reminding me about.

His other qualities?

He's...
plain-spoken.

He's clear and direct.

Doesn't have a multitrack mind

like the President,

but that's not
always a bad thing.

The truth is,

and I'm not sure I ever even
realized this before now,

I've spent the last year
and a half

looking for
what you saw in him,

you and the President,

when you gave him this job.

You picked Russell,

him, to serve as V.P.

to a President with a serious
health condition.

You were aware you were picking
a potential successor.

On some level, I've
just trusted that

and assumed I'd eventually
discover what you knew then.

Have you?

Tell me what it was,
we'll compare notes.

I know, doesn't
work like that.

He's my guy, I have to figure
him out on my own.

Sorry to interrupt, but you've
got to see the First Lady.

Let's see it.

( cheering on TV )

Such a good sport.

To take one like that
for the fly-over states.

Did you brief her
about the kiss?

They loved it.

The First Lady,
for both of you.

Who gets pissed about
kissing a NASCAR driver?

Another hour of
my life gone.

Of course we want to avert
disaster in South Dakota,

but I can't take this
to the President just yet.

No.

Thank you, Governor.

Trouble
in South Dakota?

In about a thousand years.

Mt. Rushmore's on the move.

How far has
it gone so far?

About an inch.

I hope you don't mind.

Looks great.

Nobody ever
thought to put

fresh cut flowers
on my desk,

despite 18 acres
of gardens outside.

Majority Leader.

Oh, you should
take that.

I'll call him back.

I could've used you
in the Sit Room today.

I heard you had it
under control.

Didn't
feel like it.
Never does.

You're doing great.

The President's
in the residence.

Does he want
me to...

No, I'm sorry,
that's for me.

Let him know I'm
coming right up.

We're having dinner.

Probably should have run that
by the Chief of Staff.

Oh, Chief of Staff
has enough on her plate.

I'm sorry we didn't
get to talk today,

We'll find
time tomorrow.

Sure.

It was easier for me.

You as my press
secretary,

Sam, Josh, Toby...

Toby?

Toby's always been Toby.

Still took me a year to figure
out what the hell I was doing,

and those were the easy years.

We had easy years?

Easier than this.

Margaret.

What's next?

How's yours?

This heart healthy stuff,

I have to keep reminding
myself it's good for me.

At least it resembles
actual food.

Abbey's got me on this
macrobiotic diet.

That does look a little grim.

What I wouldn't give
for a burger and fries.

A cream sauce.

I'd like to have the occasional
light cream sauce

without everyone reacting like
it's a suicide attempt.

So, tonight, Abbey's
out of town.

We can turn
the residence

into a fort
and sword fight

with empty paper
towel rolls.

( laughs )

So you feel pretty good about
last night's State of the Union?

According to at least
six op eds,

I set an ambitious
national agenda.

Is that what you think?

You have a chance to figure out

what you'd
like to do around here?

Have you?

Don't do this, Leo.

Not the day after
the State of the Union.

Everyone's walking around here
like we're finished.

We got 365 more days.

It's year eight,

it's a Republican Congress
and I'm hemorrhaging staff.

Four years ago we announced

a Blue Ribbon Commission
on entitlements.

Why wasn't
it mentioned?

Two years ago,
you announced

a commitment
to stem cell research.

The legislation
died in Congress.

Leo, you held the wake.

What happened to the drug
treatment policy last night?

We had to narrow our focus.

Now's the time to widen,
not narrow focus.

What are you saving your
political capital for?

I have a responsibility
to the party.

You have a responsibility
to the country, sir.

The American people
sent you here for two terms.

Eight years.

So the last one's
gonna be harder.

I've never known you
to shy away from a fight.

And I've never had
to make a speech

based on the maximum amount
of time I could stand up.

Those excuses I kept
hearing all day?

Nobody mentioned MS.

272 words.

That's all Lincoln said
at the Gettysburg Address.

It took four minutes,

and set the tone
for the next century.

You wanted to talk about
what I could do here.

It's this.

Said the man
with the double bypass.

The both of us, sir,
this is our last game.

Let's leave it all
out on the field.

TOBY:
You know why
we got called in?

No idea.

Well, I almost got
to eat dinner.

You want to hear
something depressing?

This disrupts my evening
not one bit.

ANNABETH:
Ten o'clock?

I had a date.

You had a date
tonight?

I always have a date.

Welcome back.

What's going on?

The President should
be down in a minute.

Everybody here?

Yes, sir.

Follow me.

ANNABETH:
What's this all about?

Stock market crash
in Guyana, perhaps.

And me with all my money
in sapodilla futures.

Hey.
Hey.

Welcome.

Thank you all for coming
back in on a school night.

I had dinner with
an old friend tonight.

I thought everyone should
hear what he had to say.

I want to read you something.

"The harder
the conflict,

"the more glorious the triumph.

"What we obtain too cheap,
we esteem too lightly;

'tis dearness only that gives
everything its value."

You?

Thomas Paine.

He said "'tis."
Might have been a clue?

Busy day around here today.

What'd you spend it on?

Uh, Bolivia.

Well, no,
you spent it on

a situation in Bolivia,
a crisis.

I understand that

gravitational pull.

North Korea pokes
a hole in the fence,

it gets your
attention.

As do whiny Cabinet members,

floods,

and new employment figures.

Pretty soon it's
the whole day.

Problem is,
we're running out of them.

That's how much time
we have left.

We have the ability to affect

more change in a day
at the White House

than we'll have in a lifetime
once we walk out these doors.

What do you
want to do with them?

We should finally get
serious about health care,

whether it calls
attention

to the President's
MS or not.

A new approach to Latin America.

A real commitment
to drug treatment.

What else?
The Vice
President and I

think it's time to talk
about race in this country.

He's right.
I've got some
ideas on how

to increase opportunity

for the working
poor.
We both do.

Talking about repackaging
the EITC.

Poor Tax.

( all making suggestions )