All language subtitles for The West Wing (1999) - S01E19 - Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (1080p AMZN WEB-DL x265 ImE)_track3_[eng]

Previously on the west win
You guys look like you
Could use a client.

What do you say?
You want to work for

We've been doing this
For a year and all we'veer of
Gotten is a year older.E world?

Our job approval is 48%,
And I think that number's soft

And I'm tired of being
A field captain

For the gang
That couldn't shoot straight.

You ran great guns
In the campaign

And then you drove to
The middle of the road

The moment after
You took the oath.

I wanted a democrat

And instead
I got you.

Leo, there are times
When we are absolutely nowhere.

Toby:
Is it going to rain?

Sam:
No.

It looks like
It's going to rain.

It's overcast.

Isn't that usually
What it is before it rains?

But in this case?Ye

It's not going to rain
Till later today.

If it rains,
Please remember

To change
The opening line.

It's not going to rain
Till 1:00, maybe 2:00.

Yeah, but if
You're wrong

You got to change
The opening line.

I'm not getting this from
Morning drive-time radio, toby.

I'm getting this from first
Lieutenant emily lowenbrau

Of the u.S. Coast guard,
Who would not let me down.

She has a very, really, a
Very... Comforting voice.

Okay, here's my thing.

If you're wrong...

If the coast guard
Is wrong...

The remarks open with
"As I look out

Over this
Magnificent vista."

If the event gets
Moved indoors

He will no longer be looking
Out over a vista of any kind.

Do you honestly
Think he can't

Doesn't know where he is
When he's giving a speech?

This isn't a major policy
Address, sam.

This is five minutes in front

Of the united organization
Of trout fishermen

I'm saying,
If it gets moved inside.

I got this
From the u.S. Coast guard...

From the national
Weather service.

They use satellites.

They use technology.

( thunder crashing )

This is the same

Satellite technology
We use to detect

Intercontinental
Ballistic missiles, right?

Yeah.

All right, then.

We should move
The thing inside.

Sam says it's
Probably not

Going to rain
Till later.

Have either of you
Heard anything

About a piece of paper
That's going around?

What piece of paper?

I don't know.

At the gaggle, dave trillin
Asked what I knew

About a piece of paper
That's going around.

Maybe it's from
The campaign.

I haven't heard anything.

You should find out.Me eit

That's good advice, toby.

We're in the second floor
Auditorium in the o.E.O.B.

Are they moving
People inside?

They moved them
20 minutes ago.

Sam:the weather report said
It was going to rain.

It did?
Yeah.

Think it's possible

First lieutenant
Emily lowenbrau

Was yanking me around?

Where's the president?

He's already
Over there.

How's his
Mood today?

He seemed very upbeat,
Very energetic

Veryhow long do you suppose
Aboutthat's going to last?

President:
Can we get
This godforsaken event over with

So I can get back
To presiding over a civilization

Mrs. Landingham:
Nice talk
For a president.N a handcart?

Leave me alone.

You know
What this is?

What what is?
Your mood, sir.

There's nothing
Wrong with my mood.

You're not getting
Enough roughage.

You know I'm right.

I know I'd like to
Beat you senseless

With a head of cabbage,
That's for damn sure.

Once again,
You display

An immaturity
About vegetables

That I think is
Not at all presidential.

Charlie, does somebody
Have my remarks?

Sam's bringing them.

Is toby
On his way?
Yes, sir.

Why they didn't know it
Herewas raining, sir.

With the best
And the brightest, charlie.

Good morning,
Goodmr. President.

Hello.
How are
You, sir?

You didn't know
It was raining?

To our credit, sir,
We knew it was raining

Once it started to rain.

Okay.

Here are your
Remarks, sir.

Who am I going to be
Talking to now?N

The national
Organization of
Trout fishermen.

No, seriously.

Sir.

Give me the damn speech.

There's some very nice
Anecdotes in there

About trout fishing.

Have I ever
Been trout fishing?

Good morning,ly not.
Okay.Mr. President.

What's going
On, josh?

The c.B.O. Is going to revise
Its outyear projections

Two commissioners resigned
From the f.E.C. This morning

And the n.G.A.
Endorsed trigger locks.

How much?

The projectiyeah.

Uh... Maybe
$200 billion.

Hang on.

Two f.E.C.
Commissioners resigned?

Yes, sir.

There are two seats open
On the f.E.C.?

Yeah.

Sir, this is not
Ththe world's best time

To go off on a flight
Of idealistic...

Leo, two seats just opened up on
The federal election commission.

And the senate
Leadership
Will fill them.

What if this time
We say we want our guys?

We won't win.

In the water.
Not a
We can dangle ogood idea.

Josh...

You're thinking
About changing

The nature
Of democracy.

I'm talking about dangling
Our feet in the water.

Josh, get leo two candidates
Who back aggressive

Campaign finance reform.

Sir, I got to stand
With leo on this.

I'm not saying
Jump off the boat, josh....

I'm saying dangle our feet.

Yes, sir.

Mr. President?

Yes. Somebody.

United organization

Of trthank you.Men.

You going to concentrate
On this now?

Or on changing
The nature of democracy?

I'm thinking about
Trout fishermen

'cause that's where
My focus should be.

You were in a better
Mood an hour ago.

I was in a better
Mood a year ago.

About a piece of paperdy
That's been going around?

What piece oi don't know.

C.J., are you taller
Than usual?

No, I'm my usual height.

Couldn't pick a trout out
Of a police lineup.

Focus.

Two federal election seats open
In the same day?

You can dream all you want josh,
But it's never going to happen.

But after your little
Pep talk just now...

President:
Thank you. Thank you very much.

It's good to see you. Thank you.

Sam.

Damn it.What?

I forgot
To do something.

President:
As I look out
Over this magnificent vista...

Donna:
How does the f.E.C. Work?

Josh:
Six commissioners

Are appointed
For a six-year term.

Two seats come up
Every two years.

Two commissioners
Resigned?

At the same time.

How many times
Has that happened?

Including this time?

Yeah.
Once.

So the president
Has the opportunity

To stack the f.E.C.
With our people

And make an impact
On campaign finance reform?

Yes.

Well, do it, baby.

There's a couple
Of roadblocks.

What?

Wheneverthe party leadership
On both sides...

Did you just call me
"Baby" back there?

Yeah.Okay. Uh... When
A vacancy comes up

It's up to the
President to fill it

But the party leadership on both
Sides always, always, always

Dictates to the president
Who he's going to appoint.

One republican,
One democrat

Whoever the
Leadership says.

That's how you keep
The peace in dodge.

You're going to change
All that, right?

No, but I'm going to spend
Most of the week trying.

That's not
The right spirit.

You're trying to change
The nature of democracy.

You're right. I'm
Going to need a bagel.

C.J.:
The easter egg hunt

Are two different things.

The theme
Of this year's event

Is "Learning is
Delightful and delicious"

As, by the way, am I.

The collection,
Which is going to be on display

In the east colonnade
Of the of the white house

Features real chicken eggs
Decorated by artists

From each of the 50
States and the district

And the activities
Are coordinated

By the american egg board

And I've hung
With some of the cats

From the american egg board,
And they are party people.

( chuckling )

Thank you. That's it
Till this afternoon.

Steve.

Yeyou got a second?

Sure.

About a piece of
Paper that's out there?

Same thing
You've heard.

What's that?

There's a piece
Of paper out there.

That's it?
Yeah.

If you hear anything more,
You'll tell me first?

If I find
Anything more

I'll tell my
Editor first.

I keep forgetting
You don't work for me.

Yes, you do.

C.J.

See ya.

Mandy, there's a buzz
About a piece of paper.

Yeah.

You know anything
About it?

I know everything about it.

What do you mean?

I wrote it.

What is it we're...?

I wrote a memo

When I was working for russell,
Outlining strategies...

Katie, they're in
The, uh, blue room.

Thanks.

When I was working for russell,
I wrote a memo

Outlining the weaknesses
And vulnerabilities

Of the bartlet administration

And mapping out
A strategy to defeat him

For renomination.

C.J., this is embarrassing
And a little mortifying

But you got to remember how
Pissed off I was at you guys.

Working for us again now
And in between you wrote

A playbook on
How to beat us?

I was working for russell

And the whole idea...

I need to see a copy
Of it right now.

C.J....

Margaret!

Yes.

They're working
I can't e-maon the problem.

What's the problem?

Lynette from the
President's council

On physical fitness.
Remember her?
No.

She's the one
Where you say

"Who's that?" and I
Say, "My friend lynette

From the president's council
On physical fitness."

Hey.
Hey, josh.

Anyway, she sent
Me an e-mail

About the actual
Calorie count

They're serving in the mess.

I forwarded the e-mail

To several hundred secretaries

And assistants at o.E.O.B.

And in the west wing,
And that was fine

But jolene millman

Who works
In political liaison

Then hit "Reply,"
Whoh, margaret, margaret

I'm sorry, I'm
Going to have...

I hung in there
As long as I could

But you long since
Passed the point

When I stopped caring.

If you're curious, it was
Around "Raisin muffin."

I'll leave you two alone.

And fix the e-mail.

Yes.

So who did you
Come up with?

John bacon and
Patricia calhoun.

Director of the roe institute
For economic policy studies

At the heritage foundation.

She worked
In the white house o.M.B.

And she favors
Undcampaign finance overhaul?Ts.

Then the leadership
Will hate them both.

What do you want me to do?

Meet with the top guys
In the leadership offices.

Absolutely not.
You want me to mi want you to
With the leadersmeet their guys

And I want you to do it
Outside the building
Over a meal.

We're going to get
Anywhere with this, can he?Ink

Hmm?

The president doesn't think
We're going to get

Anywhere
With this, right?

No.

Okay.

What happened with e-mail?

Oh, I don't know. It
Has something to do

With the president's council
On physical fitness.

Okay.

Hey.

Who'd you
Come up with?

John bacon
And patty calhoun.

Tell me something else
I should know. Years.

It's our turnwhat are
With the boys.You doing?

Hey, listen.

Yeah.

You want me to do
The talking

When we get in there?

No. Why?

I'm just asking.

Good morning.

We all know each other.

Why don't we sit down

We've been conducting meetings
With various senior staff

From the d.O.D., n.S.C., and
House and senate armed services.

We feel a
Little hamstrung.

Because of the policy
Inherited

Regarding gays and lesbians
In the military

And we'd
Like as much

Informed input
As possible

Before making recommendations
To the president.

Toby, can I interrupt
You for a moment?

What do you imagine
Would be the consequence

Of your
Recommendation?

Well, actually
It'll be sam's

Recommendation
To the president.

This is on his desk and
I'm just helping out.

Sam, what do you imagine
Will be the consequence?

Major, bearing in mind that
The president seldom, if ever

Listens to my recommendations

I would imagine
The consequences to be little.

I would imagine it
To be very little, sam.

Congressman,
If the commander-in-chief

Orders that gays can serve
Openly in the military

That's the way it's going to be,
And anybody who chooses

To disobey that order
Can stand court-martial

Under the uniform code
Of military justice.

The president can order
The joint chiefs

It takes an act of congress
To amend the uniform code

And the uniform code
Makes sodomy a crime.

That's the end
Of the story.

I guess it's going to be
A pretty short meeting.

Yeah.

Donna:
C.J.

Yeah.
There will be
25,000 wooden eggs

In addition to the
7,500 other eggs.

And what are
The other eggs made of?

Uh... The other eggs are...

Actually eggs.

Yeah.
What is josh doing?Ice.

When he has a free moment
I'd like to see him?Mners.

Yeah.

Carol,
25,000 wooden eggs.

In addition
To the 7,500 that are...?

They're just
Regular eggs.

Right.

Is that it?

Yeah.

Who has it?

I don't know.

But somebody does.

Yeah.

Okay. I'm going to read it now.

Should I...?

Go back to
And don't answer any questions.

You'll...

Call me when you're done
Reading?

I'd count on it.

Render the 1974
Campaign reform act toothless.

Soft money contributions
Which were ostensibly designed

For party-building,
Whatever that might mean

Do nothing but eviscerate

Any meaningful
Election controls.

We are, by definition,
Corrupt.

Now, ii know you wouldn't,
Say that.Steve

But this money
Isn't coming in

In fives and
Tens and 20s.

It's coming in
In denominations

Of $100,000, $200,000,
$500,000.

It's coming from
Special interests--

Special interests
Whose interests
Aren't the same

As those who
Don't have

A half a million
Bucks lying around

And it's not going
To party-building.

It's going
To issue ads.

It's going to
Candidates.

Yeah, it's called,
Free speech, josh.

If the insurance industry
Wants to buy ad time

In 64 major markets,
They are free to do so.

If the airplane
Manufacturing industry
Wants to back a candidate

They are free to shout
From the rooftops.

If big tobacco wants
To wave a sign

Or put a bumper sticker
On their car

They are free to do so.

That's free speech.

Money isn't speech.

I like it
When josh comes up here

And teaches us a lesson
We so richly deserve.Le

I came here
As a courtesy, jerry.

I came at the request
Of leo mcgarry.

The president is
Strongly considering...

John branford bacon
And patty calhoun

To fill the two seats.

I'm pretty sure
We've already got

Our two guys, don't we?

It's grant kalen.

Grant kalen and joe barkley.

Two people who oppose any
Campaign finance reform.

Graham:
Well... I thought
You liked kalen, josh.

He's gotten a lot
Of democrats elected
Out of indiana.

He's raised a lot of money
In indiana

And joe barkley says that people
Should be allowed to spend

Whatever they want
On politics.

So does the supreme court.

Uh, josh, look

Every time the president
Wwakes up in the morning

And decides
To make the world better.

The party leadership's going
To choose a republican.

The party leadership's going
To choose a democrat.

That's the way it's always been.

That's the way it's going to be.

That's the way it is.

Really?

Yes.

Josh:
The president
Appoints

The federal
Election commission.

And the senate confirms them.

I'm speaking
For the majority leader.

Embarrass us
Like this

And we will give the same
Back to you tenfold.

Every piece of legislation

The white house wants

Off the table
Will make a sudden appearance.

Steve's talking our
Greatest hits, josh--

5-4-1

School prayer,
Family support act

The entertainment
Decency act...

English
As the national language.

English as the national language
Is first up.

That'll be our leadoff hitter.

To just not confirm
Woulour nominees?Sie

Oh, we're going to do that, too.

You're saying that in addition
To voting down our nominee

There's going
To be political retribution

For having nominated them
In the first place?

Yes.

Because you know if you do this,
You're going to lose

And we're going
To look bad winning.

I also reject the suggestion
That the best way

To maintain free speech is
Having government regulate it.

You reject
Whatever you want.

I said,
"Reject whatever you want."

You know, four hours ago,
This was a fool's errand for me

And the president
Knew it.

This was a
Test balloon.

This was a...
"Just out of curiosity

Let's see what would happen if"
Meeting

But you've managed
To get me on board.

Steve, we got
A caucus.

We got to go.

Mrs. Landingham...

I'm going to
Lunch, charlie.

Speaking of lunch...
The president's not too wild
About his.Yes?

What's the nature of
His dissatisfaction?

He says it's made
Almost entirely of vegetables.

Yes, it's a
Salad, charlie.

The president would prefer
A sandwich.

He says roast beef will be fine,
Pastrami, sliced steak...

Charlie, tell the
President he will
Eat his salad

And if he
Doesn't like it

He knows where
To put his salad.

Well, I don't think
I will tell the president that

Mrs. Landingham,
But I appreciate your help.

Man:
If it ain't broke,
You betdon't fix it, sam.

Sam:
Congressmen...

"Don't ask,
Don't tell" works.

Yes, it does.T doesn't.

Sam:
Would you like to know
How much it doesn't?

1,145 discharged
For being gay in 1998.

That's a record.

It's a 92% increase

Since "Don't ask,
Don't tell."

414 air force discharges--
The highest of two decades--

271 of them
During basic training

At lackland
Air force base...

271 during
Basic training.

Toby:
Major...

What the hell is going on

At lackland air force base?

I don't like your humor.

I get that a lot.

Excuse me. Sorry.
I need toby.

Yeah.

Come here a sec.

You're doing good.

What?

I know what the
Piece of paper is.
What is it?

A recon-and-strategy memo
That mandy wrote

When she was working
For russell.

A strategy
To do what?

Beat us
In three years.

Did you read it?
Yeah.

Is it bad?
Yeah.

Let's go to
My office.

How'd it go?

How do you know to
Be standing here?

I see you
Out the window.

You don't have
A window.

What are you doing
In my office?N

Looking for you
Out the window.

Okay.

How'd it go?

Went fine.

Just "Fine"?

Yeah.
You don't want to say
Anything more than that?

I don't, donna

And the way that you
Know that I don't
Is that I'm not.

But this is
Our special time together.

I'm really not in the
Mood to mess around.

Okay.
I need you to get me
Prepped on something.

What?

English as the
National language.

Why?

Might come up.

Why?

Because... Doesn't matter.

Because if we do a thing
With the f.E.C.

Opponents will put
English as the national
Language on the table.

Are we for it
Or against it?

Donna...
Of making another language
The official language, are we?

Donna...
Like dutch
Or something.

Donna, didn't I
Just tell you

That I can't
Mess around?

Yes.

Okay.

Bullet points?

Yeah.

Give me 30 minutes?

Thank you.

Oh, and toby
Said to come by

As soon as
You got back.

Josh:
Toby?

Yeah.

( knocking )

I'm not taking any
Toby...Calls right now, ginger.

It's...

I'll call him back.

"The reality
Of the bartlet white house

"Is a flood of mistakes

"An agenda hopelessly stalled

"And lacking
A coherent strategy...

An administration
Plagued by indecision."

( knocking at door )

Ginger...

What's going on?

Mandy wrote an instruction
Manual for russell

And it's out there somewhere.

Josh:
Where?
I don't know yet.

How bad is it?

Well, she takes the three of us
To town.

We don't look like
Rocket scientists

But, then again,
We're not rocket scientists.

Who is it bad for?

The president... Leo.

The president and leo.

I'm talking
To everybody.Ow who has this?

Do it quietly.
Toby:
And quickly.

Whose paper is
It in tomorrow?

We have to know
Right away.
Yep.

Sorry.

( clearing throat )

Our second year doesn't seem
To be going

A whole lot better
Than our first, does it?

No.

Margaret, does he have
A minute?

He's finishing up
With the chairman.

They almost done?

Yeah.

I'll wait.

You having problems
With your e-mail?

Technical support says
The pipeline's
Yeah.

Been flooded.

Apparently, it happened
When I forwarded an e-mail

To several people
And one of them
Tried to reply.

Everyone's e-mail box is
Clogged with replies

Which are now automatically

And constantly
Bouncing back
And forth

At subatomic speed.

I passed the point where you're
Interested, haven't I?A

Yeah.

Leo:
Thank you, fitz.

Fitzwallace:
Thank you.

Hey, toby.

Toby, you here
Good afternoon,to see me?
Yeah.Al.

Fitz, the president's
Going to want to know

Is the philippines
Redundant, that's all.

It is redundant,
That's the beauty of it.

You'll have to convince
The president of its beauty.

I will.

If you say so.

Say, who are those guys
Across the hall?

They're meeting with sam
On gays in the military.

Why?

Sam's trying to
Put together a
Coherent position.

When he comes up with one,
Let me know, will ya?

Yes, sir. By the way

I think there may be
A major security breach

With the white
House computers.

White house computers
Aren't secure.

Well, that explains that.

He wants to put
A1/m1s in manila.

The president's going
To say it's redundant.

How much
Yedoes it cost?

Not much-- $20 billion.

So, there's going
To be a thing.

Mandy wrote an opposition
Research memo for russell

And somebody's got it.

Who?

C.J.'s finding out.

Well, it's politics, toby.

She was playing
For the other guys.

Yeah.

There's some observations

The president's
Not going to be
Wild about.

I move him
To the middle?

The sense is that
His instinct is to be aggressive

And you take him

To safe ground.

Okay.

Leo...
Don't worry about it.

Hey, look...

Don't worry about it.

Want to see a copy?

No.

Okay.

Josh?

Six pages on english as
Yethe national language.

I gave you some
Good stuff on
Is it gojames madison...

James madison?

I didn't ask for a damn
Social studies paper.

Don't snap
At me, josh.

Donna...

Look at the memo--
I gave you what
You asked for.

Don't snap at me.

What's wrong
With everyone today?

It's been all day.

Is it mandy's memo?

No.

( exasperated sigh )

Like they know
Why they've already lost?Round

I wasn't snapping at you.

I just... I-I, I didn't realize

That you also gave me
The stuff I asked for.

I thought
It was just...

I thought you just gave me
James madison.

Well, look at the james madison.

It's going to help you.

Thanks.

Hi.

How's james madison

Going to help you?

I really don't know.

I meant that...
The president
Wants to put

Two reformers on the f.E.C.

Onorato says they'll retaliate

By opening up english
As the national language.

The president's not going
To look good

I've worked here 14 months;
Tell me what else I should know.

That the president is
Not going to look good

Fighting against that one.

Mandy...
You take an
Opposition

To a flag burning
Amendment

School prayer,
And gays in
The military

You pile on "No" to english
As the national language

And they will
Paint a picture...

I understand, mandy.

Fine.

I'm just saying
It's my job to tell you that.

Today isn't really the best day
For you to tell me

What your job is.

I wrote an op memo, josh.

You and I have written
20 of them.

You never heard of a burn bag?

They got it off my hard disk.

Do you know
Who has it?

Then there's not much you can do
For us today.

You shouldn't let
The president get
Into a debate

On english
As the national...

Mandy, it's not
Going to happen.

Don't worry about it.

It's not
Going to happen.

The president's not going
To nominate who he wants

To the f.E.C.

Why not?

'cause that's not what we do.

All right.

I'll leave
You alone.

Thanks.

It's everyone that's feeling
This way today?

Yeah.

Oh, okay.

Thanks.

I'm saying...
Man:
A lot of those cases...

This report,
By the way...

We can read;
We know the report.

A lot of those cases
You're talking about

Came from voluntary
Statements.Ischarged

And a lot of these are not
Voluntary statements

Not by any definition
Given by any civilian court

It is not
A voluntary statement

When it's given to
A psychotherapist

As in the case of former
Marine corporal david blessing.

It is not a voluntary statement

When it's made
In a personal diary

As in the case
Of former west point
Cadet nicole garrison.

It is not when it's made
After being asked

As in the case of master
Chief petty officer diane kelli.

And it is not when it is
Coerced out of as service member

Through death threats, and
Threats of criminal prosecution

As in the case of former
Air force major bob kiddis

Former marine gunnery sergeant
Kevin keys

And four sailors aboard
The u.S.S. Essex.

You take care of
Your guys; we'll
Take care of ours.

You're not taking care of them.

Your guys are out
Looking for jobs.

Those weren't our guys.

Oh, my god...

Attention.

Fitzwallace:
Good afternoon, sam.

Mr. Chairman.
Congressman.

How do you do,
Adgood to see you again, ken.

We haven't met.

Mike satchel.

From oregon.
Yes, sir.

Percy fitzwallace.

It's an honor to
Meet you, admiral.

I imagine it would it be, yes.

Major tate,
Major thompson

This is chairman
Fitzwallace.

They're not going
To speak

Until I speak
To them, sam.

They're
Pretty well trained.

Stand easy, fellas.

Is this danish
For anybody?

Oh, yes, sir.
Thank you.

We're discussing gays
In the military, huh?

Yes, sir.

Hmm.
What do you think?

I said,
What do you think?

I know. I'm asking you
What you think. Help...

Sir, we're not prejudiced
Toward homosexuals.

You just don't want to see them
Serving in the armed forces.

'cause they pose a threat
To unit discipline
And cohesion?N't.

Yes, sir.

That's what I think, too.

I also think
The military

Wasn't designed to be
An instrument

Of social change.
Yes, sir.

That's what they were saying
About me 50 years ago--s

Blacks shouldn't serve
With whites.

It would disrupt the unit.

You know what?
It did disrupt the unit.

The unit got over it.

The unit changed.

I'm an admiral
In the u.S. Navy

And chairman
Of the joint chiefs of staff.

Beat that with a stick.

We'll see you,
Ken.

Excuse me.

Mr. Chairman.

Just...
Thanks for stopping in.

You're not going
To get anywhere.

The president just wanted
Some exploratory meetings.

Yeah.

Danny...

Hey.

I was hoping
To find you here.

I wanted to ask you...
Hang on.

I wanted to ask...

Hang on.

Danny, is it
The magna carta...?

I'm trying to finish
A thought here.

Go ahead.

I'm finished.

Okay.

You've heard there's
A piece of paper out
There, right?

Yeah.
You know
What it is?

It's a strategy memo
For russell?

That's right.

You got to know...

I don't like exploiting
Our friendship in any way

And I certainly
Don't like taking
Advantage

Of any feelings
Beyond friendship

You might have for me...

Right, you have them
For me, too.

I don't.

Okay.

I need to be ready for this.

Do you know who has it?

Yes.

Who has it?

I do.

You have it?

And you're going
Yeah.To write about it?

Suwhy?

Look...
Why?

'cause it's news,
C.J...
It's not news...

It's not news
Just because it's
Entertaining, danny.

It's news
'cause the media director

Of a successful presidential
Campaign wrote a memo

To a leader
Of the president's party

Describing
His weaknesses.

There are other people
In the president's party--

A lot of them
Buy my newspaper--

And they'd like to know
What mandy thinks.

Mandy was working
For the president
That's noat the time...

I don't care if she was
Working for baskin-robbins

When shshe's a key player
Thisin the democratic party

And she says the president is
Staggeringly vulnerable.

And that may not be
Good news for you, c.J.

But it's news.

At this morning's briefing

You asked us to write
About easter eggs

So I wouldn't be...
Fine.

We'll have a comment
For you by the end
Of the day.

None of this is our fault, c.J.!

A pretty accurate analysis
And you know it.Tter's

You knew why she was
Working for russell.

You knew she wrote a memo.

Why didn't you ask her
For it when you hired her?

"Mandy, tell us everything you
Think we're doing wrong."

'cause you knew
What she was going to say.

You knew she was right.

You knew there was nothing
You could do about it.

You guys are stuck in the mud
Around here

And none of it is
The fault of the press.

I know you're frustrated.

But it ain't nothing compared
To the frustration

So don't come in here
Of the and question my...Or you

"We'll have a comment for you
By the end of the day"?

When I want the white house
To comment on a story of mine

I'll ask for it, c.J.

I got to do this,
I have to do this work.

Okay.

Man:
I'd like to go on record
As saying...

Sam:
Congressman...

There is no record.To go
We're just talking..

I'd like to go
On record saying

That I have no objection
To what somebody does

In the privacy
Of their own home.

But when we're
Talking about
Schoolrooms

Or we're talking
About the boy scouts

And when we're talking
About an army barracks...

Ken, there's something
I've always wanted to ask you.

Mean you can't keep your
Hands to yourself?Ing gay

What kind of pride are the armed
Forces willing to lay claim

To restraint
In that area?

You want me to get the file
On sexual harassment

In the d.O.D.?
Want to ask these guys
About tailhook?

I've had enough.

I've had more than enough.

Sam, don't ask, don't tell,
Don't pursue is the law.

It's federal law, and it takes
An act of congress

To change it.

If the president

Was serious about
Changing it,
He'd be serious.

He would not send you
In here with me.

He would not send you in here

With two relatively
Junior d.O.D. Staffers.

He'd call his staff together

He'd say, "I want a resolution
In the house.

"I want 50 high-profile
Cosponsors

I want a deal
And I want it now."

Has the president
Done that?

The president's veracity
On this...

Has the president
Done that, sam?

No.

Okay, then.

Is this meeting
Anything more than
A waste of time?

No.

Okay then.

I.T. Support is now accusing me
Of being a hacker.

They're accusing me
Of spamming or smurfing.

They asked me if I was
Running a trojan horse.

I said, "No, I..."

I was simply informing
The others

That the calorie count in
The raisin muffin was wrong.

And it is, toby.

You don't believe me.

You should take one
Of those muffins

And take it down
To the lab.

I'll do that.

Will you?

Get me a muffin.

Be careful not
To handle it yourself.

You want to use gloves.

Slip it to me in a plastic bag.

I'll send it off to the lab.

You're mocking me now,
Aren't you?

Yes.

Leo:
Come in.

Margaret thinks
The fbi's

Going to bust in
Here any minute.

I've got my second bit
Of bad news for you today, leo.

You've got new numbers?

Yeah.

How bad is it?

Cnn/usa today
Puts our job approval at 42%.

We dropped five points?

In a week?

Yeah.

His unfavorables are higher
Than his favorables

54% of the country
Fis likely to vote

For a republican congressional
Candidate in november.

We dropped five points
In the week?

Yeah.

We didn't do anything

Last week.

I'll say.

Toby, when you start thinking
About jumping ship

You'll let me know, right?

One victory in a year, leo.

Toby...

This president was elected
With 48% of the vote.

Yes, but he was elected.

Without
A mandate.

The majority of people

Voted for somebody else.

I don't care, leo.

He was elected, he was sworn in.

I was standing ten feet
From the chief justice.

It's not the easiest
Circumstance...

One victory in a year
Who saisn't so bad.E easy?

One victory in a year stinks

In the life of an
Administration.

But it's not the ones
We lose that bother me, leo.

We don't
It's the onsuit up for.

And I'm not too crazy about

You questioning
My loyalty just then.

( knocking )

Yeah?

Hey.

Hey, c.J.

The president's reading
Mandy's memo.

I just gave it to him.

I wish you hadn't done that.

It's just going
To piss him off.

It'll be in
The newspapers tomorrow.

Who has it? You find out

Danny.

And he's writing it?

Yeah. It should run right next
To the new polling numbers.

How'd we drop five points
In a week?

Leo:
It happened.

Let's move on.

What I think is

The senate will confirm
Bacon and calhoun.

They'll have to

Because tand the voters want
Arcampaign reform.

As a punishment

They'll roll out
A legislative agenda

Designed to force
The president to come down

On the unpopular side
Of everything.

They'll bring out english
As the national language.

We won't let it on the table.

We shouldn't be afraid...

Josh...

We shouldn't be afraid

To get into it on english...

He won't let it on the table.

Then we'll live with their
Candidates for the f.E.C.

As we always have.

Yes.

Leo:
What about you?

My meeting?

Yeah.

It was the same meeting

We've been having for...

It was fine.

Yeah?

I'm sorry
To interrupt.

Who's got this?

Danny concanon.

Why am I just finding out
About this now?

We spent most
Of the day

Learning about
It ourselves.

I really did wake up
Energized this morning.

I know.

I never go to bed that way.

I know.

Just once, in this job,
I'd like to end a day

Feeling as good as I did
When the day started.

Are you bothered by this?

The memo?

Yeah.

Yes.

We've heard it all before,
Leo.

You drive me
To the political safe ground.

It's not true.

I know it's not true.

Good.

You drive me there.

What the hell did you say?

And you know it, too.

Leo...

We're stuck in neutral
Because that's where

You tell me
To stay.
You're wrong.

No, I'm not, sir.

You want to do this now?

Sir?

You came to my house...
Mr. President...

You came to my house, leo,
And you said

"Jed, let's run for president,"
And I said, "Why?"

And you said, "So that you
Can open your mouth
And say what you think."

Sir...

Where'd that part go, leo?

You tell me, mr. President.

I don't see a shortage
Of cameras

Or microphones
Around here.

What the hell were
You waiting for?

Look...
Everything you do...

This morning...

Everything you do says:

"For god sakes, leo,
I don't want to be

A one-term president."

Did I not say put our guys
On the f.E.C.?

No, sir, you did not.

You said-- no--

You said, "Let's dangle our feet

"In the water of
Whatever hell
It is we dangle

Our feet in when we want to make
It look like we're trying

Without pissing
Too many people off.

You're writing a fascinating
Version of history, my friend.

Oh, takeand you'll ready's memo,
A fascinating version of it.

You brought me in on teachers

You brought me in
On capital gains

You brought me in
On china

And you brought me in
On guns.

You've never been out there
Brought yon guns.Om where?

You've never been out
There on teachers.

And I'm the hall monitor
You around here.Feet

It's my job to make sure
Nobody runs too fast

Or goes off too far.

I tell josh to go the hill
On campaign finance.

He knows nothing's
Going to come of it.

That's crap.

Sam can't real
On don't ask,
Don't tell

And every guy sitting across
The table from him knows that.

Leo, if I ever told you to get
Aggressive on campaign finance

You would tell me,
Or"Don't run too fastry

Or go too far."

If you ever told me to get
Aggressive about anything

I'd say I serve at the pleasure
Of the president.

But we'll never
Know, sir

Because I don't think
You're ever going to say--

I have said it
And nothing's ever happened!

You want to see
Me orchestrate
This right now?

You want to see me
Mobilize these people?

These people who
Would walk into fire

If you told them to.

These people who
Showed up to lead.

These people
Who showed up to fight.

That guy gets death threats
'cause he's black

And he dates
Your daughter.

He was warned:
Do not show up

To this place,
Your life will
Be in danger.

He said, "To hell with that;
I'm going, anyway."

You said, "No."

Prudent or not prudent

This 21-year-old,
At $600 a week

Said, "I'm going where I want to
Because a man stands up."

Everyone's waiting for you.

I don't know how much longer.

I don't want to feel like this
Anymore.

You don't have to.

I don't want to go to sleep
Like this.

You don't have to.

I want to speak.

Say it out loud.
Say it to me.

This is more important
Than reelection.

I want to speak now.

Say it again.

This is more important

Than reelection.

I want to speak now.

Now we're
In business.

We got our asses kicked
What'sin the first quarter

But it's time
To get up off the mat.

Yes!
Say it.

This is more important
Than reelection.

I want to speak now.

I'm going to talk
To the staff.

I'll take them
Off the leash.

You have a strategy
For all this?

The beginnings
Of one.

What is it?

I'm going to try that
For a little while.

Listen up--

Our ground game
Isn't working.

We're going to put
The ball in the air.

If we're going to walk
Into walls

I want us running into them

Full speed.

Well, you can start
By telling the hill

The president's named
His nominees to the f.E.C.

And we're going to lose
Some of these battles

And we might even
Lose the white house

But we're not going to be
Threatened by issues.

We're going to put them
Front and center.

We're going to raise the level

Of public debate
In this country.

And let that be our legacy.

That sound
All right to you, josh?

Of the president
Iof the united states.

Yeah?

I serve at the pleasure
Of the president.

I serve at the pleasure
Of president bartlet.

Toby?

I serve at the pleasure
Of the president.

Good.

Then let's get in the game.