All language subtitles for The West Wing (1999) - S06E09 - Impact Winter (1080p AMZN WEB-DL x265 ImE)_track3_[eng]

Previously on The West Wing:

PRESIDENT:
This is my last
China Summit.

It's my last chance.

Progress isn't
good enough
for me now.

I want to get something done.

JOSH:
You used to love it

when I couldn't dress
myself without you.

I used to love peppermint
ice cream too,

but now those little pieces
of candy--

they get stuck in your teeth
in a way that I find irritating.

VINICK:
Help me bring the promise

and the opportunity
of America to all Americans.

The President can't give
me the job that I want.
Which one?

His.

You're running?

Starting tomorrow.

C.J.

Sir.

I can't move.

C.J.:
We just have to hope
the doctors will talk

some sense into him and get
this plane turned around.

TOBY:
We turn this plane around,

and that's the end
of his presidency.

We can't land in China
with you in...

This plane is going to China!

JOSH:
* Monday, Monday...

* La,la, la-la-la-la...

* So good to me...

* La la, la-la-la-la...

* Monday morning...

* La, la, la-la...

( phone rings )

Josh Lyman's office.

* ...it was all I hoped
it would be... *

He's got a lunch, but
the afternoon's wide open.

Who is it.
Didero's office.

3:00? Done.

Who's my lunch?

Me.

We're having breakfast.

We need to be able

to have a conversation.

What are we doing now?
We get interrupted.

Nothing going on here today.

This lunch has been
canceled six times.

It's going to kill you
to buy me a salad?

* Monday, Monday...

( phone ringing )

* La, la-la-la...

( knocking )

Josh Lyman's office.

Come on in.

Who was it?

Wrong number.

It's a quiet day.

Would you like
to do the briefing?

I really wouldn't.

You'd be quite good.

The press room's
a mausoleum.

Everybody's on the plane.

You got nothing to worry about.

I'd just be more comfortable
if...

I'm acting Chief
of Staff.

I don't want to be acting Press
Secretary on top of it.

They don't like him.

Just run through the schedule
then you can skip out

and do your Christmas shopping.

Let me see.

"President in China...

"six days of negotiation...

Day One, trade, WTO,
partridge, pear tree."

Stellar.
You think
I should tease

the North Korea stuff?

No. If the Chinese
won't deal,

we don't want it to be obvious

that everything else
on the agenda

was a lead up
to the North Korea stuff.

So I'm making this
put-out-the-garbage-week,

what with everybody gone.

Take-out-the-trash.
I'm sorry?

Announcements we
hope nobody hears?
Yeah.

Take-out-the-trash.

Not put-out-the-garbage.

Okay.

I'm just saying.
It has a name.

DONNA:
Josh Lyman's office.

You don't have anything
else for me?

Slow day.
Hang on.

C.J., you've got
Josh and Annabeth.

In about four minutes the wires
are going to report

that the President's
in the midst

of a pronounced
multiple sclerosis episode,

and for the moment does not have
the use of his legs.

We're ditching the sightseeing,
we're staying three days,

not six,
but the substantive portions

of the China summit will
continue as planned.

They will?

We're playing it by ear.
You got a pen?
Yeah.

State, Treasury, Hutchinson,
the VP.

Berryhill's office knows,

but I don't know if anybody
got the Ambassador...

We'll call.
Is he okay?

The President's condition
in no way affects

his ability to conduct...

We got it.
This is me asking.

I don't know.

His arms are working,
which is good,

they weren't an hour ago.

So maybe he's up doing
the polka five minutes from now.

Otherwise... I don't know.
I got to...

Go.

Your office, five minutes.

Josh Lyman for the Secretary,

please.

Right away.

Mr. Secretary.

Happy holidays to you too, sir.

I'm going to need you

to take me off
the speaker phone for a second,

if that's okay.

You're just reading
the statement

and introducing the guys
from the medical office.

They don't know anything.

Nobody's heard
from Dr. Strangelove?

Strenlowe.
I think he's busy up there.

They only got one doctor
on the plane?

The Surgeon General's
there too, she's also busy.

You didn't brief, right?

15 minutes.

The VP's on his way, he'd
like to make the statement.

She's got it.
No, not really.

People find it
reassuring to hear...

The President can't walk.

Resist the temptation to treat
this like an opportunity.

It's not a campaign stop.

He's the highest-ranking
man in the building,

which means, one,
getting his face out there

is the responsible thing to do,

and two, he doesn't need
anybody's permission to do it.

Good morning.
Sir.

Mr. Vice President.
Good morning, sir.

What a blow.

I was playing tennis
when I heard.

I couldn't believe my ears.

JOSH:
We were just discussing

your statement.

I'll just get the ball rolling,

and then you and the
physicians can jump in.
Sure.

We've canceled the military
greeting on the tarmac

and the welcome ceremony
tomorrow morning.

The First Lady's flight
from New Delhi

lands before ours does,

so we'll see her just
as soon as we touch down.

She's going to be cranky.

I think she should
ride with you.

Chinese have agreed
to clear their press
out of the airport.

Not much for

freedom of the press
anyhow.

We ought to think about
doing the same.

They've already
seen him.

TOBY:
Yes, but the no-photo
rule on the plane

does not apply to the tarmac.

We let them stay,

there's a shot
of the hydraulic
wheelchair lift

lowering the President
to the ground

on the cover of every
publication

on the planet.

C.J.:
Press clears the airport

before the President disembarks.

Pool spray first thing

in the morning.

We'll see how it goes,

but we should think about
skipping the banquet.

Oh, I don't know about that.

She likes the food.

KATE:
It's important they have

the opportunity to impress us.

The banquet in particular.

She does like the food.

C.J.:
Can we send
the First Lady?

I can sit through a meal.

I've been doing that in
a chair for years.

MILLY:
You have to pace yourself.
Fatigue is a real issue.

TOBY:
Maybe we let go of
the Tibet conversation,

cut straight to...
No.

They're not going
to budge on Tibet anyway.

We talk about Tibet
so that they can be implacable.

We talk about Taiwan
so that they can hold the line

against the capitalist
imperialist foe.

We do it all, so that when
we get to North Korea

and they agree to do
our dirty work,

they won't have lost face
at every other step

along the way.

Cancel the banquet,
cancel whatever
the hell you like,

but we do not skip one step,
not one moment,

of my negotiation
with President Lian.

All right, let's see if we can't
push North Korea

up on the calendar.

Maybe Thursday morning

instead of Friday.
I'll talk
to protocol.

MAN:
Ladies and gentlemen, we've
begun our initial descent.

Indeed.

You can use C.J.'s office.

I don't need an office.

The doctors say the paralysis
is temporary,

but I think they're lying.

They can't lie about the
President's condition,

that would be a crime.

And one we've committed
before, to boot.

Sight for sore eyes.

We could have put together
a lunch,

you needed to see me so bad.

She's about to brief.

Or the Vice President is.

( reporters clamoring )

Hang on, hang on.

I know... I know this is
a shock to everyone.

Um, I was playing tennis
when I heard.

I couldn't believe my ears.

But I spoke
to the President myself,

and he was perfectly clear:

This summit will proceed
as planned.

He is physically encumbered,

but, as far as we can tell
right now...

As far as we can tell?

...the condition in no way
affects his mental acuity.

Has there been
a cognitive evaluation?

Well, we're going to have
a detailed statement

from the President's
physicians in a moment,

I'm not a doctor--
I'm not going to talk to you
about those particulars.

What I can tell you
is that I plan to meet

with some of the members
of the Cabinet later today

to see if there's any way that
we can provide the President

with support as he continues
to do the work of this country.

Lord Almighty.
Pull Will out of there.

RUSSELL:
The President will have
a successful dialogue

With President Lian
in China.

And once he's back
in Washington,

we'll see what adjustments
need to be made...

Margaret I'm going to need
five minutes on the phone

with every member
of the Cabinet.

A Cabinet meeting?!

An informal conversation

with senior members
of the administration.

The President doesn't
need the Cabinet

swooping in on
their shining steeds.

Do you want to step into
your office or something?

The President is still
running the show,

on two continents.

Russell can stop

with the less-than-subtle

insinuations to the contrary.

There will be
no Cabinet meeting.

It's been announced.

You don't think it'll be
more awkward

if it doesn't happen?

Watch yourself,
you and your candidate.

You done?

No. Free advice

for the campaign trail:

Stop with the ceaseless mentions
of his tennis game.

It doesn't make him look young
and vigorous,

it makes him look
like a dilettante

who can't settle down
with a thick book.

Wheels down in Beijing
in a minute or so.

Cabinet meeting.

You really think all
the talk about tennis

makes him look flaky?

No, I think it makes
him look young and vigorous.

( speaking Chinese )

ABBEY:
Where is he?

Sorry. In the back, ma'am.

( speaking Chinese )

There's a problem with
the compressor starter

on the hydraulic lift.

It could be another half hour.

We've been sitting
here forever.

Do they have a...
a jet-way

or something?

( speaking Chinese )

( speaking Chinese )

Don't hold your breath.

Pretty snazzy with
the language there.

Not really.
Second grade vocabulary.

Compressor starter and
hydraulic lift is second grade?

It is in China.

ABBEY:
Did you run the SSEP?

Yes. It shows
severe conduction delay.

We're at 85% loss of nerve
function in the lower limbs.

ABBEY:
Spinal cord lesion?

That's our best guess.

TOBY:
Still working on it.

How long have
they kept you people
sitting here?

They've never used

their elevator
system before.

PRESIDENT:
A forklift will do.

MILLY:
You could lie down.
We're not going anywhere...

I don't want to lie down.

I want to get off
this damn plane.

ABBEY:
Where's Dr. Strenlowe?

C.J.:
He's on the phone
to the lab.

I called the hospital
here already

and we'll do
an MRI as soon

as we get settled.

ABBEY:
An MRI's not going
to tell us anything

we don't know already.

MILLY:
Maybe, maybe not.

Tell me your name
one more time.

Curtis, sir.

Okay, how much can
you bench press, Curtis?

Quite a bit, sir.

How about we stage
a prison break?

Absolutely.

ABBEY:
I'd cancel the whole
darn thing if I were you.

Lift with your legs,
son, not your back.

MILLY:
...side effects.

It could be vomiting.
Some people get seizures.

Mr. President.

Jed?
Sir?

Jed, what are you doing?

You okay?

Yes, sir.

Take your time.

No need to rush.

Am I going too fast?

No, no. I'm just saying,
you drop me,

that's a moment that follows
you the rest of your life.

Yes, sir.

You keep this up,
your arms are going to fall off.

I hope somebody brings
the damn chair.

I hope so too, sir.

We don't want to work you
into another bypass or anything.

I'm happy to help.
We gonna get a photo?

Soon.
JOSH:
Good, cause we got talking heads

claiming he's in a coma
and we flew him to China

so they could do a wax mockup
like they did of Chairman Mao.

TOBY ( over phone ):
How are the markets looking?

Uh, we took a hit.
Dow's down 470.

C.J.:
Ouch.
We should
probably get

the Treasury Secretary
on camera with an
"I'm okay, you're okay."

And you gotta dig up something

to announce
to the press.

Something with the
President at work.

Anything that
makes him look active

and not, you know...
Paralyzed?

Feliz Navidad.

Talk to the agencies
and the policy shops.

We need to drum up
some activity.

It was trash week.
Not anymore--
we need executive orders

and "The President just called
the Speaker of the House

from Beijing to talk about
big hairy weapon systems."

All right.

Think you could check in
at the Pentagon,

maybe keep an eye
on this Cabinet meeting?

No problem.

See Vinick announcing
his run for the presidency?

Just the sound bites.

I'll have Donna
get you a tape.

You can join me
in my despair.

( knocking )
I'll take a look.

There's someone here from NASA.

He needs to speak
to whoever's in charge,

and at this point,
I have no idea who that is.

Maybe keep the philosophical
questions to yourself.

I got it.

You missed us,
didn't you?

Like a hangnail.

Thanks for waiting.
Josh Lyman.

Walter Sprout.
The administrator
isn't here.

Apparently not.
We should wait.

Who's the administrator?
Edward Austin Kelwick.

And he administers what?
NASA.

NASA Administrator.

You're from NASA.

Program manager

for Near Earth
Object Observation.
Walter Sprout.

I'm sure he's coming.

Well, I'm going
in four minutes,

so we should plug on.

Could I get some water?
( clears throat )

Water?

Sure.

I'm sorry, I just...
I-I-I've been, uh...

sweating quite a lot,
and I think that

it's gotten me
dehydrated and, uh...

Okay, you need to...
take it easy.

Yeah, there's an object...

coming toward the Earth.

From the sky?

An asteroid.

A-S-0-0-2-6-7.

There are a lot of asteroids
in the sky,

from my...
limited understanding.

Thousands.
Well, I'm thinking
you should... write up

a memo, uh, drop it off...
The LINEAR Observatory
in New Mexico

recorded a series
of images yesterday

that were analyzed
overnight by the Minor
Planet Center in Cambridge,

and their data were posted
on the NEO Confirmation Page

to be verified by
astronomers across the
globe, myself included.

Now, our calculations

could be wrong, but, uh...

if they're not, they
indicate that an object
following that trajectory

would strike the Earth
in approximately 48 hours.

46.

And this asteroid is...
Big.

How...

Big.

Margaret, I need
the NASA Administrator

and Leo.

I loved a man once.

I never told him.

Okay.

KATE:
Don't forget to thank him

for allowing us to enjoy
his magnificent space.

You want to
remind me again?

It's a big deal--
he's supposed to be
sitting first,

we're supposed
to approach them.

On our knees.

Well, yes,
since you mention it.

The memory's
not gone.

It's next, maybe, but not yet.

"Allowing us to enjoy
his magnificent space."

I'm gonna hit her.

If you need to take a break
at any time,

I'm fine.
just, I don't know,
tug on your earlobe

or something--
we'll make something up.

I desperately hope
you're not serious.

It's a three-hour meeting--
I'm gonna want to take a break.

Then you should tug
on your earlobe,

and this one'll
make something up.

It's just better if
we avoid saying that

you're exhausted
and need some rest.

You should move away from me
as quickly as possible.

Yes, sir.

You ready?

Go ahead.

Lian.
( speaks Chinese )

TRANSLATOR:
It is a great
honor for myself

and for the People's
Republic of China

to welcome the President
of the United States.

( translator speaking Chinese)
Thank you. On behalf
of the American people,

let me say it is
an honor to be here.

I would like
to personally thank you

for allowing us to enjoy
your magnificent space.

LEO:
I thought we had technology

that detects large
hunks of rock hurtling
toward our planet.

The Spaceguard system.
Expensive, if
memory serves.

Well, Spaceguard
only detects objects

over one kilometer in diameter--
anything large enough

to take out human life
as we know it.

Now, this is
considerably smaller.

It's 400 meters.
That's considerably smaller.

Twice the size
of the Astrodome.

Gives new meaning to the phrase
"duck and cover."

A collision
is improbable,

but since we can't rule it out,
we felt we should alert you.

Where would it hit?
Somewhere in
the Northern Hemisphere.

You can't get any
more specific?
No.

What kind of damage
are we talking about?

You're gonna wish
you lived in Antarctica.

We're waiting
for another look at it.

It orbits close to the sun,

so it's in our daylight
80% of the time.

Now, Japan's tracking it,
and we may get a glimpse

at the observatory
in Maui next couple
of hours,

but they've had cloud cover.

So we may be hit with a hunk
of intergalactic rock,

we don't know when or where,

and there's no more
information coming

because in Maui
it's cloudy?

Welcome to my world.

TRANSLATOR:
As long as both China
and the United States

keep an eye on
the larger picture...

( President Lian continues
in Chinese )

TRANSLATOR:
...and maintain a
long-term perspective,

and abide by
the principles

in the three Sino-U.S.
joint communiqués,

our relationship

will continue to
grow and thrive...

Does he look
out of it to you?
What?

The President.

Ours?

TOBY:
He's squirming.

Well, he's probably bored.

Lian refuses to move past
affirming his commitment

to a fruitful partnership
between our two countries.

TOBY:
He's not listening.

Where's C.J.?

( President Lian
and translator continue )

I think he's having trouble.

He looks fine.

He's been flapping around
a lot with the arms.

Is he talking?

Yeah. But Lian's been
on a roll for a while.

That.

There, with the arm.
Did you see that?

That is a little...

Oh, my God.

He's tugging on his earlobe.

We got to get him
out of there.

What do you...
We got to
get him out.

We're gonna pull the plug.
What can I say?

Nothing that indicates...

Just go.

( President Lian
and translator continue )

This is not good.
Shh-shh-shh-shh.

TRANSLATOR:
Explain to President
Bartlet that...

Pardon me.

Please forgive me,

President Lian...
( translator
speaking Chinese )

President Bartlet has
an urgent call from Washington.

( translator speaking Chinese)

We need to take a break
for just a few moments.

( speaks Chinese )

Of course.
No trouble at all.

( speaks Chinese )

TRANSLATOR:
Clear the hall.

You okay?

Yeah, I just got
to take a minute.

The plan was flawed.
It was.

Ideally the recipient of the
secret sign stays in the room.

Yes.
I almost pulled
my ear off.

I had to step out
for a call from Leo.

I thought he didn't work
for us anymore.
These things change.

We should get back to him
if you're up to it.

Bound to be better news
than what's happening here.

Oh, you'd be amazed.

CHARLIE:
So, is this thing

gonna kill us like it
killed the dinosaurs?

It's not gonna hit us.
But if it does?

Then likelihood is,
it hits an ocean,

starts a tsunami,
and, you know, surf's up.

In Illinois.

Announce-able
achievements:

preliminary diplomatic
relations established
with Myanmar.

That's a violent
military dictatorship.

Yes, but we establish
relations, maybe we
talk them out of it.

Forward motion
on the ERISA reform.

We were supposed to pass it
two months ago.
We didn't,

but we're moving
in that direction.

We got a press room worried that
the President's no longer fit

to keep his job,
and you're giving me
forward motion?

There's always the
asteroid coming to
destroy the planet--

we could announce that.

Can we do this now?
What?

The conversation that was
supposed to happen over lunch

but that ship sailed,
so let's just have it now.

Can't. World ending.
I thought
it wasn't hitting.

Might.
I thought there's
nothing you can do.

There isn't. Doesn't
mean the situation's

not to be monitored closely.

Tomorrow. Lunch.

Definitely.

( grunts)

I just needed a break.

I thought I was
gonna fall out of
that damn chair.

That's the fatigue.

I feel like I've got a
noose around my waist.

Anything I can get you, sir?
No, go ahead,
thanks.

Doctor's on his way up.
I don't want
the doctor.

I don't care, frankly.
I just need to
close my eyes

for 15 minutes.

MILLY:
He has to take
a look...

He's just gonna tell me
to lie down.

Mission accomplished.
It's the jet lag.

Ha! Jet lag.
I have two
doctors here now.

Clearly you don't know
what to do with yourselves.

ABBEY:
It's not the jet lag--
Strenlowe told you,

Milly told you, and I told you,

that the fatigue
could be overwhelming

and you should take it easy.

You elected

not to do that.

Leo tells me
there's an asteroid

coming to hit the Earth.

Maybe we should sit quietly
for a few moments

and ponder that.

Anything?

Uh... NASA's got
a clear shot in Maui.

It should tell us more.

The President's having
trouble getting
through meetings.

They had to pull him out.

He sat on a plane
for 20 hours--
he'll bounce.

I just looked
at the tape.

Vinick's announcement?

Makes you want to cry like
a little girl, doesn't it?

It's a tough primary for him.

I wouldn't tear
my shirt yet.

Russell offered me
campaign manager.
Really.

Turned him down.

Hoynes asked, too.
Popular.

You change your
cologne or something?

You think Hoynes
could win?

With Baker out,

Russell's got a huge
financial advantage.

Sitting VP, he's gonna
raise a lot more money.

And he's in a position to
offer a lot more favors.

Hoynes is a guy
without a job.

That said, Hoynes has
much more experience

in the job Russell holds,
he was elected senator of a huge

and complicated
and usually
Republican state,

and Russell got elected
representative

of a district the
size of my thumb.

Hoynes is smarter than Russell.

I mean, he'll kick his ass
in the debates.

And he's got more
foreign policy
experience.

It could happen.

But you got to want
to work for him,

and you got to
want him to win.

You want that?

I want to get Jed Bartlet
a third term.

( sighs )

Yeah.
What happened
to the good old days

when... a couple
of hacks with cigars

chose the nominee

in a smoke-filled
back room?

They didn't do so bad, did they?

Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower...

We need a back room.

Well, we've just about
outlawed smoking,

and at this point,
I'm not allowed

to even look at a cigar.

But we're it.

You and me.

This is the back room.

C.J.:
Anything?

He's still asleep.

We asked for a 15-minute break.

He's been asleep
for four hours.

MILLY:
I'm aware of that.

Okay. We split up tomorrow
into shorter sessions

so he can take more breaks.

Maybe he's only
in the first hour
of each one.

I not sure
he'll make it

through an hour in a chair.

Lying down
is not as physically taxing.

He can't nap
through the whole summit.

I'm not saying
he sleeps

20 hours a day,

but he'll be much more
productive

if he's not using all his energy

to hold his
body upright.

He is the brains in
the operation, right?

So staff sits in
on the meetings,

he's the man behind the curtain.

TOBY:
They're gonna drag their heels
if he's not in the room.

We're going to be talking
about shrimp exports

for the next three days.

We make it clear

we're running all decisions
back to him.

He's got to show
his face sometime

or the Chinese, the entire
world's, gonna go ballistic.

They'll think he's worse
and we're hiding him.

They'll be right.

He could do
a 15-minute hello.

A photo op?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, he's gonna
love that.

He's up.

Why not the first even
half an hour of each meeting?

One meeting
in the morning,
certainly.

One?

We're the ones
with the hard agenda.

Any excuse we give them
to run out the clock...

The meetings can continue
after I leave.

You leave each meeting
after 30 minutes.

Lian will take a break
when you go

to make sure we know

he doesn't like negotiating
with subordinates,

we lose half the day.

Are you benching me?

Eight weeks ago you told me

the only way North Korea honors
a non-proliferation agreement

is if China agrees
to be the enforcer,

conducting inspections,
imposing sanctions

if need be.

You told me the single
most tangible threat

to the next three generations
of Americans

is a nuclear North Korea.

And then you told me
this was our shot.

Never quote me to me.

Call Kelwick at NASA,

see if they got
a read overnight.

How many spots are there
in the bunker?

What bunker?

The President's.

I mean, there's space
for a bunch of people, right?

You throwing a party?

If the asteroid hits
and the President,

the First Lady, and 80%
of senior staff are in China,

don't you think
we oughta sort out

who takes their spots?

When did you
get placed

on the National
Security Council?

Did I miss that?

I mean, clearly,
you should go.

That's one.

In the name
of all that is holy.

You might want me
there to help out

is all I'm,
all I'm saying.

Season's greetings.

Margaret's booking
hotel rooms for
the apocalypse.

I gotta get a flashlight.

You pick your dream
candidate yet?

I don't know how
all of this all works.

You pick the smartest,
most capable,

most honorable individual
you can think of

and you have
a conversation.

Ideally, before the
New Hampshire filing
deadline.

I can't pick up and leave
the White House

to go run a campaign
for some dark horse

I pulled out of a cornfield.

I did.

Come on. Who's on
the wish list?

I don't know. Uh...
There's this one guy...

No, it's, it's a stupid idea.

There are no stupid ideas.

Well, there are.
I don't know why
people say that,

but give it a whirl.

The President can't move
his legs.

NASA's wondering

if the next ice age
starts on Tuesday.

I gotta stay here,
finish what I started.

It doesn't finish, Josh.

It keeps going.

LIAN ( through translator):
Our currency policy is designed
to insure domestic stability

as we make
the challenging
transition

towards a capitalist
economic model.

Certainly....

but it's driving
our manufacturers
out of the market.

( translator speaks Chinese )

LIAN ( through translator ):
I will consult
with the Finance Minister.

We can talk more about this
in the afternoon.

No.
( being translated
into Chinese)

I'm sorry.

We need to move on
this afternoon.

We need to discuss other items
on the agenda this afternoon.

LIAN ( through translator):
The Finance Minister
has discussed this

with the International
Monetary Fund in Washington.

I cannot make a decision

before I speak with
the Finance Minister.

CHARLIE:
You briefing now?

I don't brief.

I read prepared
statements to the press.

Well, if that's what
you're up to,

the Press Room's...

I'm doing laps.
Not ready to go in yet.

The President just signed
this Executive Order

on the Protection of Federal
Infrastructure Investments.

He signed it in China?

While juggling
a rickshaw and a pagoda.

Great. Great.
This is good.

You okay?

Well, the press
just got wind

of the asteroid story.

It was bad enough

with just the
paralyzed President.

Now they're
a little overheated.

You're briefing
on the asteroid?

I don't brief,
but if I did,

NASA wouldn't
want us commenting.

So what are you gonna do?

I'm gonna go in there
and I'm going to read them

the President's
Executive Order

on the Protection of
Federal Infrastructure
Investments.

Hopefully,
they've calmed down.

Okay, you missed it again.

I'm just,
I'm gonna take
another lap.

BARTLET:
400 meters in diameter.

So if it hits here in the
Pacific, we've got a tsunami.

Takes out 70,
maybe 80% of California

and the Pacific Northwest.

( knocking )

Yeah, come on in.

Hitting dry land,
obliterating a city,

is frankly,
the optimal scenario;

at least the damage
is contained.

This is cheery.

They got a good
look at it from
Near Earth

Asteroid Tracking in Maui.

They've determined it's either
bigger than we were told

and farther away,
or smaller than we were told

and closer.

Helpful.

How's it going
with Lian?

He's dragging his heels.

On exchange rates?

Says they're not ready
to float the yuan,

but he'll talk it over
with the Finance Minister.

Did you bring up Shang?

The former President?

Yes, he and I talked
about this three
years ago.

He said it would take two years,
tops to make the transition.

They're gonna say it
took longer.

You bring up Shang

'cause he's a more powerful
figure than Lian,

probably still is.

Lian is threatened
by the very notion of Shang.

You get leverage

just by using his name.

We'll bring it up
when we go back...

You can't go back
on exchange rates.

You got to move on.

North Korea's gonna get

swept right off
the table.

There's a lot of American jobs
on the line, Mr. President.

Job loss is going
to seem

like cake in the face

of three-dimensional
nuclear chess.

You can't let 'em
walk all over you.

The real nightmare scenario
is here.

The Great Forest
of the North.

Russia?

4.3 million square miles

of dense forest.

The asteroid hits here,

a shower of burning rock

rains down on those woods
and starts a fire that burns

till it shrouds
the hemisphere in a blanket

of soot and ash that blocks
out the sun for weeks.

"Impact winter,"
they call it.

Merry Christmas, sir.

Leo, good to see you.

I heard you
were visiting.

Helping out for
a couple of days,
actually.

You on your way
to the Cabinet Room?

Yeah, just getting
a couple of folks together.

See if we can pitch in.

Mind if I join you?

Sure, that'd
be great.

Did you put in Kyle?

Who's Kyle?
From NIH.

With the blonde
and the cowlick.

Kyle's there,
Dan Rosten's there.

Hey, can I get your copy

of the Approps guidelines?

Sure.

Oh, my gosh.
The VP.

Whatcha got?

Nothing.

You seen Leo?

He'll be back in ten.

The Bunker?
Let me see that.

Hey!

You forgot
the Vice President?

Some guy named Dan's
in the bunker, but
not the VP?

I just put him in.

Spots in the President's bunker

in the event of total
annihilation after impact.

Somebody needs
to repopulate.

Who's Dan?

The UPS guy.

Wears the shorts.

You're going for beefcake?

That's how you want

to regenerate
the American people?

WILL:
Sure, he'll kill you
an elk for dinner.

Assuming we have elk.

You going to put an elk
in the bunker?

Somebody's got to be there
to invent the telephone.

A couple
of thinkers, maybe.

Think you could do that?

What?

Reinvent the telephone?

No. I don't
think so, no.

Me, neither.
I need you.

See? Tell them
to put me on the list.

We're having
our conversation now.

Don't you think it
would be irresponsible

for me to leave
this administration

before the end of
the second term?

It's a conversation
about me, not you.

I gotta get over
to the OEOB.

You have to sit down
and talk to me.

That's what you have to...

You're very demanding today.

You and Leo who thinks
I should be wandering
the American byways

in search of the
next President.

I quit.

What?

What?
No, you don't.
Walk with me.

Look at my face.
I'm not messing with you.

Donna...

There's gonna be a temp
here tomorrow.

Oh, for...
We're supposed to have lunch.

I canceled.
It was crappy of me.

This is what
we were gonna talk about.

Tomorrow?

We were going to talk
about where my job was going

because though working for you
is an honor and a privilege,

I'm ready for more

and it's not happening here
and I've started looking...

Slow down. Slow down.

We'll talk about it,
absolutely.

You're right.
Tomorrow. Lunch.

You and me.

She quits. Oy.

Ted Barrow said
they made some progress

in the Taiwan conversations
today.

Are you happy with where
they landed?

I talked to Liz.

She and Doug are gonna bring
the kids for Christmas.

They said they may even persuade
Zoey to make an appearance.

BARTLET:
They had other plans.

I'm not dying,

there's no need
to rush to the bedside.

Did you talk to Lian
about the AIDS clinics?

Jed?

Jed?!

What the hell
are you doing?

Brushing. Do you mind?

Oh, you're gonna crack
your head.

I'm fine.

Please,
you're not stable.

Leave it alone.
Abbey, leave it.

This chair
is not locked down.

For God's sake...

( gasps )
Jed!

Michael!

Michael!

Jed?

You okay? Help me.

Up, sir.

I am fine.

Get out. That's an order.

Jed, please...

Go!

It's okay. It's okay.
Okay.

So, now, will you let me...?

Don't touch me.

Okay.

What the hell
am I doing here?

Apparently,
you like the tile.

Abigail, I swear to God...

Wasted time!

No, it's not.

Maybe you're not gonna
skin the whole cat,

but you're gonna make
some headway.

Is that so?

You're gonna get
your North Korea talks.

Are you out of your mind?

Lian's walking
all over my staff.

I'm in one meeting
the whole day.

All they did was feed me tea
made from tien-chi ginseng

and deer horn glue.

You see, it's the thing
for the nerve damage.

But that meant I had
to piss every 12 minutes,

which is more of an ordeal
than it was

when I was able to stand
without assistance.

The new kid, Curtis, and I
are becoming very close.

Whatever it takes.

We didn't have time
to get

to the AIDS clinics, Abbey.

I was trying
to make some headway

on the exchange rates.

Lian just sits there smiles
and goes on and on

about the ginseng
and my circulation.

This is their dream
come true;

me stuck
in that damn wheelchair.

You tell your staff

to bring it up tomorrow.

I tried that.

Do you hear me? I tried that!
Decisions are made in the room!

I am not in the room!

I can't do the job, Abbey.

Do you understand?

I can't do it.

I cannot do the job!

Look at me!

Look at me!

C.J.:
A few shots of you
signing the agreement,

maybe a handshake with Lian.

It's the White House
photographer, not the pool,

so he can shoot chest up,

if you'd like
to stay in this chair.

You could get
a cardboard cutout.

They have those here,
don't they?

Mr. President,
it's not all we hoped for,

but we're laying
groundwork for the future.

The Secretary of State'll
come back next month,

take a stab at
the North Korea talks.

Mm-hmm.

We'll knock this off
as quick as we can,

then we're back
on the plane.

The asteroid has entered
our daylight.

No getting another look.

Now we just wait
for loud noises.

Let's go take
some pictures.

( camera clicking )

I'm sorry we weren't able
to arrange a one-on-one meeting.

( translating )

We had many fruitful
conversations

with your advisors.

Yes.

Yes.

Now just the two Presidents,
please.

If you all could step aside,
thank you.

I wonder if it would
be possible to say hello

to former President Shang
before we left the country.

( translating )

I met with him on a number
of occasions as you know,

and our talks were always
exceptionally fruitful.

It would be nice
to sit together again,

just two old men.

You speak pretty good English,
don't you?

You got enough
of the signing, right,

it's just a handshake
you need?

C.J., they're going.
Who?

What?

We got preliminary budgets from
everyone but Transportation.

They said you knew why.

You ever work on a campaign?

No.

You gonna work
on the next one?

The Presidential?
Maybe. I don't know.

Assuming we get something
from Transportation
Thanks.

by the end of the day,

C.J.'s gonna want
marked-up copies from
you next Wednesday

so she can look at them
before she talks to OMB.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
the asteroid has passed us.

The world is not
ending today.

( applause )

"Asteroid AS00267,

traveling at a speed
of 22,356 miles per hour,

"missed the Earth's atmosphere
by 73,400 miles

and is now receding
toward the sun."

( applause )

C.J.:
How long can he sit up?

Doctors said
maybe 30 minutes.

What are we at now?

72.

He wanted to know
the exact numbers

on how much uranium
the South Koreans enriched
on that test.

Because...

I don't know.

He asked for the numbers
and then kicked me back out.

Ms. Cregg,

the President would like
the translators back in there.

Gentlemen?

Would you go
back in, please?

Leo.

Leo, the President
is in a room with Lian,

they won't let anybody in there,

they're talking about
God only knows what,

and the Surgeon General
predicted he'd flop over dead

if he tried to keep at it
this long.

I was gonna tell you the world's
not ending, but maybe it is.

The asteroid passed?

It passed.

We live to fight another day.

Wasn't wheels up
a half hour ago?

That was the idea.

Hi.

Can I help you?

Where's Donna?

Who's Donna?

You're sitting in her chair.

The blonde girl?

Yeah.

I'm Marla Whorisky.

I'm covering this desk
for a few days.

You need something?

I'm Josh Lyman,
what are you...

You're a temp.

She'll be back in
a few days, you said?

She got a new job, I think.

I've got her cell,
if you want to give her a call.

You have to pull him.
This is not a good idea.

If he's having trouble
he'll say something.

It's been an hour
and 40 minutes.

I know.

I mean, there's a cost at
this stage in his disease.

The President's made
his choice, Milly.

He'll come out
when he wants to come out.

You'll have to check that
very carefully,

their translator's spelling
ain't what he thinks it is.

It's about time.

He's a talker.

What the hell is it?

It's a seating
arrangement.

It's the North Korea talks.

Donna quit.

Donna Moss?

She's gone.

You piss her off?

I don't know.

She has a new job.

Good for her.

See, I tried
to tell you this.

People move on.

Marla, I need you to make me
a plane reservation

as quickly as you can.

I need to go to Houston.

Texas?

Yes.

Hang on. Hang on.

Let me get a pen.

Janet, put me on the next flight
to Houston.

C.J.:
I could kiss you
on your married mouth.

ABBEY:
Watch yourself.

Did you have to give in
on satellite technology?

Yes, but on
a five-year plan.

TOBY:
Buys us some time
to get an agreement
on non-military uses.

You got potential, sir,

you ought to think about
running for office.

( laughs )

I want Leo on the phone.

Have you seen
my cell phone?

I had it, I gave it
to somebody.

I would like to be the one
to tell Leo McGarry

this son-of-a-gun lassoed
us a North Korea summit.

The man is a force of nature.

I want a tape.

Curtis, the only member
of the administration

to witness the negotiation
for what may be

the summit of the century,

did he not sneak on
a tape recorder?

I don't think he did.

Wasted opportunity.

MILLY:
They're planning a ticker
tape parade out there.

You sweat
right through your clothes.

Better get you
out of this chair.

Come on, Curtis,
give me a hand, will you?

I need...
I need a minute.

Milly.

C.J.:
April.

Two days of talks
in Beijing

with North Korea,
South Korea...
Japan.

Japan.

China's agreed to get aggressive
with North Korea

if the inspections fall apart.

( chuckles )

We had none of this.

We were bailing
on the whole idea.

Leo...

let me call you back.

That's your angel.

You broke the wings
off the angel.

( kids giggling )

( doorbell rings )

Put that angel down.
Put it down.

Put that angel down right now.

Put it down.

Wow. Hi.

How ya doing?

You lost?

Could be.

Come on in.

I'm sorry to bug you
at home...

but there wasn't
time to wait

for you to get back
to Washington.

I'm there next week.

I'm on a bit of
a deadline.

It's a filing deadline.

Oh, Josh, Josh, Josh.

WOMAN:
Matt?

It's a little crazy,
I know.

I'm not running for
Congress again, Josh.

Now, you came a long way,
I'm sorry about that,

but it's just...
I'm not talking
about Congress.

WOMAN:
Matt, where's the box
with the tinsel, honey?

Have you seen it anywhere?