Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing: You're going on a CODEL to the Middle East

with Fitzwallace and Andy.

No presidential hand-holding.

You're gonna see what's going on.

Brief me and Toby about it.

C.J.: Explosion in Gaza.

What about Donna? She was in the car that...

Andy saw people put in ambulances.

That's all she knows.

Three dead so far, sir.

Congressmen DeSantos and Korb.

And we just got word--

Admiral Fitzwallace.

I asked Fitz to go.

The people responsible

will be found and brought to justice.

Don't promise that.

I know the world.

He told me, when he was a kid his dad took him sailing

on the long Island Sound.

Scared the hell out of him, so he joined the Navy.

( phone rings )

Kate Harper.

It's Leo.

Hello.

How's Gail?

Not great.

Yeah. Sir, there's been

an Israeli missile strike in Gaza City.

I'm on my way.

NEWSMAN: But before we go to the President's address,

we want to show you some of the first footage from Gaza City.

Chairman Farad, I need you to do

all you can to prevent retribution.

No, Mr. Chairman, we had nothing to do with it.

No, sir, Israel did not discuss the missile strike with us.

60 seconds. Sir, you don't want

to make this more difficult for us.

We need access to the site in Gaza.

And I will urge the Israelis to hold off on further attacks.

Most strongly, sir.

And to you, Mr. Chairman.

Somebody get me the Israeli prime minister.

We're trying to reach him.

The ambassador's on her way.

We're their closest ally on the planet--

you'd think they could pick up the damn phone.

Is that the statement?

We get anything from the FBI yet?

I was just about to... Go.

Yes, sir. 30 seconds, please.

Sir.

Sir, Carol's circulating the draft already.

"Tyranny of terror"? "Death mongers"?

What is this, Tolkien?

The stronger your language now, the more leeway...

I'm not saying it. 15 seconds.

C.J.: I'm gonna try and put

a hold on the draft. LEO: Mr. President.

I'm fine. In five,

four, three, two...

PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans, good evening.

This morning we lost

three distinguished Americans

in a despicable act of terror in the Middle East.

I come before you shocked and saddened by our loss,

and angered, as we all are, by the tragedy thrust upon us.

The search is underway for those responsible.

I ask for your patience while we hunt for answers.

And as we pray with those who grieve,

let us resolve to search not only for justice,

but also for a just end

to this senseless cycle of violence.

Thank you, goodnight,

and God bless America.

From the Oval Office, Josiah Bartlet, President of...

He should be right here.

Ambassador Galit. I'm glad someone

from your government could spare a moment.

This is the first statement from the White House

since the explosion in the Gaza Strip,

which left four Americans dead.

I'm asking for restraint.

What the hell do you think you're doing?

This has nothing to do with you.

We have been tracking this man for six months. And you couldn't

take three minutes to think through the ramifications?

Ramifications?

A terrorist responsible for dozens of Israeli deaths is dead.

As are 11 innocent civilians.

This is inflammatory!

It endangers our investigation.

Israeli intelligence

is doing all they can. Damn it, Shira,

if I'm gonna find the people behind this,

I need access to the bomb site,

access to evidence, and the cooperation

of the Palestinian Authority-- three things I cannot get

if you keep firing missiles

into Gaza! Mr. President, we received information

on the whereabouts of a man responsible

for the repeated killing of our citizens.

We had the specific location and little time.

Would you have done any differently?

If you'll excuse me.

The FBI's received an anonymous tip

through Israeli intelligence.

They found bomb-making equipment in an apartment in Gaza.

And they think it's linked to the bombing of our CODEL?

Yes, sir, they believe they've located

one of the men responsible for murdering our people.

Captioning sponsored by NBC

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION

...brought to you by the stylish 2004 Toyota Camry.

Get the Feeling.

REPORTER: The President offered his condolences

to the families of those brutally murdered in Gaza.

It was a strong speech, but I'm surprised the President

didn't raise the possibility of greater military...

MAN: I'm all for white roses and black veils,

but the ending-- "a just end to this cycle of violence"--

what exactly was the President suggesting?

MAN 2: ...Palestinian population, but whatever he says,

he's got three or four possible targets that he's considering.

NEWSMAN: ...caskets carrying the remains of three fallen leaders,

including the body of Admiral Percy Fitzwallace,

who will be buried Wednesday...

REPORTER: And President Bartlet's departures

from the draft text, were those planned or...

C.J.: Part of the standard vetting process

for a speech of this importance.

The cuts aren't reflective of the President's attitude

on military response in Gaza?

The cuts are reflective of the fact that Toby Ziegler's

never written a five-minute speech in his life. John?

On the Hill, they're talking about a congressional resolution

in support of swift military action.

The President is meeting with

the leadership this morning.

I'm sure they'll have a productive discussion.

WOMAN: C.J., I've got a report the FBI's working

with Palestinian Authority security forces

at the site of the bombing.

The investigation's in Gaza--

the Palestinians speak the language.

I have an announcement.

James Holtman, a legal aide to Congressman DeSantos,

died earlier today of head and neck injuries

sustained in yesterday's bombing.

He was 26 years old.

His name is Khalil Nasan.

He's one of the founders of a splinter group

of the Khanjari Martyrs.

He recently fled Gaza City

and the equipment in his apartment

bore trace elements of RDX.

The same stuff used on our Suburban.

Where is he now?

The FBI has tracked Nasan

to his headquarters in Khan Younis in Southern Gaza.

HUTCHINSON: Sir, there are several

military options.

Any not mentioned on television this morning?

We're focusing on two.

A commando raid on Khan Younis gives us a chance

to bring Nasan in alive, but his organization is heavily armed,

so there's a substantial risk to our soldiers

and the mission could fail.

A missile strike from the USS Carney

carries a higher likelihood of success

and zero risk to U.S. military personnel.

And the risk to civilians? We launch the Tomahawks

in the next four hours, we can minimize

collateral damage. The next four hours.

KATE: In the middle of the day, the children

are still in school... Where exactly is this headquarters?

HUTCHINSON: It's located in an apartment complex, sir.

How many people are we talking about?

We're still evaluating. Ballpark it for me.

KATE: In a daytime strike,

we're liable to see 15 to 50 casualties,

depending on how the building collapses

and whether fire from the primary target

spreads to adjacent buildings. 15 to 50.

HUTCHINSON: Sir, if we strike in the next four hours...

Now, what are my other options?

Sir, I'm sorry... I'm not risking

50 innocent Palestinian lives

and the stability of our relationships

over there to take this guy out,

so I'm asking you again, what are my other options?

MAN: Sir?

What are my other options?

Leo?

You don't have any options, Governor.

The President's decided

to follow Admiral Fitzwallace's recommendation.

This is just a courtesy briefing.

So you're telling me, with less than three months

left in office, the President and Admiral Fitzwallace

are going to saddle me with a war

in the Philippines.

( chuckles )

I've been President-Elect for 72 hours--

the brass is already laughing at me.

It's a limited peacekeeping mission, sir.

Military training,

assisting the Filipinos with logistics,

intelligence.

No more than a thousand troops.

Which sounds like a lot to me,

but since I clearly haven't the vaguest idea

what the hell I'm talking about...

Woodrow Wilson didn't know a battalion from a battery

when he took office. And he did a heck of a job

with the Treaty of Versailles.

Admiral Fitzwallace thought

you might find it... reassuring.

He did, did he?

Alan,

thanks for coming up.

We'll start the full security briefings next week.

Sir, congratulations again, and, uh...

good luck with the press conference tonight.

Thank you.

( door opens and closes )

Admiral Fitzwallace. Remind to fire that guy.

HUTCHINSON: We could ask the Israelis

to go after the suspect.

We don't want them fighting our battles.

We don't want them fighting at all.

There's the Palestinian Authority.

Chairman Farad? He's offered his assistance.

HUTCHINSON: You got to be kidding.

He's asked for the opportunity

to arrest any suspects identified by the FBI.

Sir, we share our intel with him,

he's as likely as not

to tip off the suspect. The chairman has no love for

Nasan's organization, and we can provide incentives

for his cooperation.

HUTCHINSON: Guns and bombs

to fight the Israelis?

KATE: International legitimacy;

agreement to recognize him again

as the sole representative of the Palestinian people.

You really want to get back on the merry-go- round with this guy?

Let's see what he has to say.

Leo. Yeah.

LEO: You know, the Israelis have tried this.

Yeah? Two years ago.

They identified the men

behind the discotheque bombing,

gave the intel to the Palestinians.

The chairman sat them in the corner, made them write

"I will not kill innocent children" 20 times

and sent them home.

He won't treat us like the Israelis;

we have the power to bring him back to the table.

Sir...

the country wants action.

Bringing Farad back to the table...

I'm not saying it's camembert and wine, Leo.

I'm saying it's what we got.

Tell Hutchinson to find a way to get Nasan

without taking out a city block,

I'll launch the damn missile myself.

( groans softly )

Hi there.

You just wake up?

My mouth is dry.

Let me get you some water.

Hey.

What happened to you?

To me?

You need to shave.

I-I haven't... really had time.

Where am I?

You're in Germany.

It doesn't look like Germany.

You're actually in a military...

Here you go, honey.

Here.

She's not German.

( laughs ): This is true.

Just squeeze that clicker if it hurts-- it's a morphine drip.

It's gonna take some time to orient yourself.

He needs to shave.

NURSE: Wouldn't hurt.

I'm just gonna draw a little blood.

If you need to step outside...

I'm fine.

Uh, I'll be right back.

Did you find his notes on the speaker's...

I'll check Donna's files.

( phone rings )

Hey.

JOSH: Hey. How's she doing?

About the same,

but she's awake at least. Kind of.

What's going on there?

Well, other than the legion of congressmen

parading into the Oval demanding retribution,

it's been pretty quiet.

The end of his address...

It was an improv.

The Europeans loved it.

Yeah, so did the Times.

'Course, in about 15 minutes,

every other editorial page in the country

will be calling for Hamlet to get off the dime.

So what are we doing?

Hang on, I'll put the Joint Chiefs on the line.

Toby...

You really want state secrets

on a collect call from the Rheinland?

We could use code names.

Yeah.

Listen, we got to make a call on Camden Yards.

It's Memorial Day. Huh?

He's scheduled to toss out the first pitch at Camden Yards.

Cancel it. No.

Can't cancel. It sends the wrong message.

Ask for a moment of silence.

And, Toby, he's got... you need to take him out

with gloves and a ball.

It's a six-foot toss from the stands-- it's Little League.

FDR threw from the stands,

beaned one of his photographers in '37,

extended the Depression another four years.

Leo, I can't stress enough the importance

of an immediate and forceful response.

Uh, Mr. Speaker, we fully intend to... Really?

Because the President's speech was...

We're making every effort to identify those responsible.

Gentlemen, we shouldn't get caught up in politics.

Whether it's the religious right or the folks

funded by the AIPAC lobby on our side of the aisle.

Israel is a black-and-white issue.

Exactly. There was little sympathy

for the Palestinians before this incident.

But omilitary action, now, on that sounds like a winner.

These lunatics are willing to sacrifice

themselves, their children.

The only way to ensure the continued safety

of this country is to respond in kind.

In kind.

What I think the Speaker is trying to say...

LEO: I got it, Bob.

Do you? We lost two U.S. congressmen.

I got 200 members of my conference

screaming for Chairman Farad's head.

There's an obvious course of action here.

And on that, we stand firmly behind the President.

And Bob's right.

Politics aside, Leo...

he's got to do this.

to help you bring this man to justice.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

We will do our very best, Mr. President.

We need more than your best, sir.

If you want to apprehend Nasan

without escalating the conflict...

Of course, the Chairman has consistently chosen

violence over peace.

He doesn't really have the strength to take on Hamas.

He's walked away from offers

that would have given his people a Palestinian state,

and the Israelis aren't likely to ever sit down

to the negotiation table with him again.

He's not the answer to the greater problem.

He may be the answer to this one.

I wouldn't bet on that.

Things went well with the leadership?

What?

A bus in Jerusalem.

Another suicide bombing.

Ten to 20 dead, over a hundred wounded.

C.J.: We're getting creamed out there.

TOBY: Yeah.

CNN's running a piece tonight

on the last-minute edits to the President's address.

I take it they're not praising his sensible moderation.

Not so much.

What's happening on the Hill?

They're putting the military action resolution

to a vote tomorrow morning.

It's going to pass?

I'm hoping it's not unanimous.

What do you think?

The whole country's waiting

for the President to carpet-bomb Gaza.

I think it's a good sign he hasn't done it yet.

Hey, is that...?

It's for the game tonight.

Why does he need...?

He wants to throw from the mound.

Secret Service says he's got to wear the vest.

He wants to throw from the mound?

Have you ever seen him throw a baseball? Yeah.

I'm not sure he can throw 60 feet without the vest.

It's actually longer when you factor in the vertical...

We're going to have to; we're going to...

I'm thinking, pull out a couple of gloves

and throw him in the vest

sometime between his call with the Palestinian chairman

and his meeting with the Egyptian ambassador.

Yeah. Perfect.

MAN: Both of its passenger sections were full

and the blast was so powerful

that it blew out the windows

of a second bus passing nearby.

Paramedics immediately converged on the scene...

What are you watching?

...rescuers used blowtorches... Nothing.

...to pry other wounded from the...

How do you feel?

They left a lunch tray earlier.

I'm not hungry.

German chocolate cake.

Really, I'm kind of nauseous.

Okay.

Your mom's on the way to New York.

She's going to take the red-eye tonight.

How long are you staying?

I don't know. I figured I hang around

long enough, one of the nurses is bound

to give me a sponge bath.

Leo doesn't need you to...?

I'm here as long as I need to be here.

You want Jell-O?

( phone ringing )

I don't want to talk to anybody.

Okay.

Hey, C.J.

How is she?

She's fine.

I mean, she was singing tunes

from My Fair Lady earlier,

but I think it was just the morphine.

Can I talk to her?

We're actually at intermission right now.

But she really is all right?

I'm telling you,

she was doing this whole Julie Andrews thing.

Have you seen the news?

Donna Moss?

Uh-huh.

You think we need to...?

You need to come out fighting.

Leak a force depletion report,

and blueprints for the invasion.

Invasion?

Okay, that may be

a little bit...

Josh?

Josh?

Mr. Chairman, when we agreed to work with you

on our investigation...

FARAD: Yes, and I appreciate your trust.

...we assumed your people...

we trusted that you wouldn't do anything

to make that investigation more difficult.

Our security team has been cooperating.

The Jerusalem bombing, Mr. Chairman.

Five children slaughtered in the last Israeli missile strike.

How am I to stop my people from reacting?

Mr. Chairman, I agreed to work with you

despite the way my people are reacting.

You must control your people.

( speaking rapidly in Arabic)

What's going on?

Is he, is he still on the line?

KATE: The connection's been lost.

Well, can we get him back on the damn phone?

KATE: Sir...

Does he not understand I'm trying to help him here?

Ian, can you get him back

on the phone?

You may have some difficulty with that, sir.

The Israeli army has deployed 150 armored vehicles

and two armed squadrons

to the eastern sections of Ramallah.

Sir, they've surrounded the Chairman's compound.

Five minutes,

I can't get these guys to keep their hands off each other.

HUTCHINSON: The Israeli special forces

have created a perimeter around the compound,

They've cut off electricity, the phone service...

We noticed.

The Israelis have been eyeing a unilateral solution.

They probably figure now's a good time to neutralize the chairman.

Neutralize?

Cut him off, prevent him from possibly orchestrating

further bombings until they finish building the security fence.

BARROW: Or they've decided

to forcibly remove Farad from the territories.

PRESIDENT: Now, that would make it more difficult to work with him.

Actually, Mr. President--

the Palestinian security forces in Gaza are refusing

to proceed into Khan Younis.

They're not going to arrest Nasan?

They can't reach the Chairman, and without his approval

they won't go in.

Mr. Secretary, where are we?

We've been working on a third military option, sir.

two FA-18's dropping

air-to-surface guided missiles.

These are a third the size of the Tomahawks.

The damage would be substantially less.

How many?

30 casualties, maximum.

That's substantially less than 50?

Night is fallen in Gaza, sir.

You're looking at an evening raid.

BARTLET: If we wait until tomorrow morning, when school starts?

KATE: 15 to 20.

A thousand American kids.

Excuse me?

The soldiers, heading off to the Philippines.

He's sending them into a war zone.

It's a peacekeeping mission...

Yeah, training and logistics.

And handing out chewing gum.

You're entitled to comment if you feel that strongly about it.

Some of them aren't coming back.

You get the best information, you consider all your options,

you look at the potential good...

...and you do what you think is right.

Yeah.

KATE: Sir, U.S. action at this time

could be seen as an implicit sanction

Sir, Nasan's not likely to stay put. sraeli assault.

If we don't act now, we will lose him.

And if the U.S. engages in the same type of missile strikes

the Israels commonly resort to,

we may need to evacuate our embassies

throughout the region.

We could destabilize

moderate regimes in Jordan and Egypt...

Nasan's contributed to the murder

of three senior government officials.

We've reduced the collateral damage numbers substantially.

KATE: If we act now,

it's like taking out a Super Bowl spot

for every anti-American terrorist network in the Middle East.

HUTCHINSON: Failure to act, especially in the Middle East...

That's appeasement.

PRESIDENT: Leo, this is not 1938.

We aren't fighting fascists with armies and tanks.

It's terror cells.

An individual can take out a small city

with a briefcase of plutonium.

The FA-18s, they're in position?

HUTCHINSON: Yes, sir.

I want a full collateral damage assessment report

for a daylight assault

on my desk within the hour.

Thank you, sir.

What do you think you're doing?

Excuse me?

We don't push agendas here.

I don't believe I am.

He has a process.

He likes to reflect, consider his options,

but at the end of the day, when it's time to make a call,

he's got to stay focused.

I'm trying to give him the relevant information...

This isn't the UN.

He's not the secretary-general.

He's President of the United States,

and our job is to make sure his priorities are clear.

Today's priority is not world peace.

Haffley wants to schedule another meeting.

He doesn't think we got it the first time?

I've got the damage assessment report for the FA-18 strike.

Yeah.

There's a summary on the last page.

I've been on the phone for the past three hours,

I've barely moved the needle.

I got the Israelis to agree to hold off raiding the compound,

but they say the chairman is harboring terrorists,

and they refuse to pull back.

The Egyptians did me a nice Cassandra routine over tea and papyrus,

the Syrians were a ball of laughs,

and the Saudis, oh, the Saudis had

this neat idea about forking over

any terrorist suspects to the International Criminal Court,

but I don't know how I'm supposed to sell that one.

Sir...

the FA-18 strike

is a reasonable response.

Maybe in Yemen, Leo,

but this is Gaza.

The peace process,

the stability of the region-- we need to think

long-term. The peace process?

The Israelis handed the chairman

the deal of the century in Taba five years ago--

he started smuggling Katyusha rockets

into Gaza on fishing boats.

There is no long-term.

The Israelis are right-- there's only one way

to bring stability to this region,

and we should be out there with them, digging ditches

and putting up barbed wire. The fence?

It's a realistic solution.

It's a land grab. There's no alternative!

There's no partner for peace.

And you're gonna find a moderate Palestinian leader

after the Israelis have swiped half

the Jordan Valley?

After the United States has taken out

15 to 20 innocents in Gaza?

We're no longer a neutral arbitrator.

We've got skin in the game.

And when the sun comes up in Gaza

you're gonna have to launch those planes.

MUKARAT: But we condemn this aggression

and call upon the world to stop Israel

from putting our beloved Chairman Farad in jeopardy.

Bullets will breed bullets. Violence will breed violence.

They do get it, you know.

Despite the rhetoric.

Palestinians realize if they've got any chance

at real peace, it's with you guys as brokers.

Be a shame to see that blown.

So you two, uh, spend a lot of time together over there?

Uh... some.

...more moderate elements of our population. Mm.

Chairman Farad is the elected...

Pretty long flight from Gaza to Germany.

Not really.

It's nothing compared to the flight from DC.

Look, she didn't mention...

anything.

You know, if this is gonna be an issue, then...

No. No issue.

( Donna groans )

You all right?

Where's the... The what?

Morphine. Yep.

( clicking )

( groans softly )

( clicking continues ) I think it...

only works the first time.

You're leaving?

Yeah. Just... just for a little bit.

But I shall return before first light.

Don't go anywhere.

Josh. Yeah?

Nice to meet you.

And you.

( door closes )

Isn't he charming?

Sure, in a bodice-ripping,

Heathcliff-on-the-moor, I'm-too-sexy-for-my-camera

sort of way. Oh, Josh.

( door opens )

Mm. More admirers.

Really?

How many photographers did you meet over there?

Who are they from?

Uh...

Okay, this is sort of weird.

What?

"Wishes for a speedy recovery.

"Father of the Baker,

Father of the Light..."

"Son of the Sword."

The flowers sound like Pomegranate,

the national flower of Palestine,

and the names on the card

are English translations of Abu Ferran,

Abu Siraj and Ibn Husam.

And we've heard of Manny, Moe and Jack?

They're the Palestinian prime minister's three sons.

Mukarat? What's the Arabic?

A date, a time and a restaurant not far

from the hospital in Landstuhl. What the hell are we

supposed to do there? Somebody has a message

they couldn't phone in to State,

somebody who knew that a senior aide

with the ear of the President was in Germany.

A domestic policy aide who refers to Italy

as "the one that looks like a boot."

Who consequently doesn't draw much attention

on the international scene. Yeah? So what is this?

Could be information about the bombing,

a message from Prime Minister Mukarat related

to the current situation.

I got to call in the CIA director?

We'll put agents on it,

but they've already picked the guy they want to talk to.

JOSH: You want me to have

a secret meeting with the Son of the Sword?

I must be high from the morphine.

You know, stealth isn't exactly my strong suit.

He's very clumsy.

KATE: Josh, you're just sitting down with a guy

and seeing what he has to say.

Yeah, but technically, I'm gonna be a...

It's a diplomatic meeting.

Do I need to carry a piece? Josh...

Why aren't you sending, I don't know,

someone more like you?

Because they didn't send me the flowers.

They sent Donna the flowers.

Donna can't walk, and they were angling for you.

If I sent a professional,

it would probably just spook the guy.

Yeah, so to speak.

Is this dangerous?

No, it's a diplomatic meeting.

It's not dangerous.

Donna wants to know if it's dangerous.

You flew Lufthansa,

if someone wanted to kill you, it would have happened already.

Yeah, that's not so reassuring.

I'm sending someone from the embassy,

and we'll have someone in the restaurant,

if you run into any trouble.

Maybe try to keep a low profile.

Should I switch cabs?

You wouldn't rather wait in your office?

I enjoy your company.

I enjoy a good slug of gin at lunch,

but I've learned to do without.

( door opens )

What do you want?

Uh, nothing.

He's only been hovering here

like a jaybird for the last 40 minutes.

What's that?

It's the vest for the game.

Why is it here now? TOBY: Sir, when you...

wear the vest, your throwing motion...

I've worn the damn thing before. Mr. President,

you'll be on national TV.

The American people will be watching.

Given their current state of mind,

I'd rather not have you walk into a stadium

of 48,000 citizens and hang a curveball over the backstop.

He's right, sir. Everyone agrees.

Everyone? Leo,

Josh, C.J., your wife,

the Notre Dame Athletic Department.

You got 15 minutes. Give me the vest.

( Josh sighs )

( soft music playing )

( speaks German )

( speaking faltering German )

I speak English.

Okay. Good.

I'm... uh...

I'm meeting someone.

Mr. Lyman?

Yes.

I can walk you to your table.

Kate Harper.

Quickly.

Harrison. Nope.

McKinley.

McKinley did throw the first pitch

at a Senators game, but only as Governor.

Taft?

First one to throw out the first pitch,

William Howard Taft, in 1910.

Well, I hope they made Fatty practice.

Here?

We figured you'd rather not share this moment with history.

You don't think the China room would be better?

This has got to be one of the highlights.

Remember to follow through, sir.

( clears throat )

Not a word, Ziegler.

A guy was sitting at the table, I sat down, he left.

KATE: He's probably just checking to make sure you weren't followed.

This is a diplomatic meeting.

Yes. Cause it's feeling a little Nick Danger.

Try to relax.

You've got a guy here, right?

Yes, Josh.

Is it the guy with the toupee?

'Cause he looks pretty obvious.

Josh.

I got to go.

Hi.

( sighs ) Okay. That was better.

I hit the wall. Distance was good.

Now just try to aim for that guy with the mitt.

Why didn't we cancel?

I could write a I was jushundred speeches, the samand we'd never

come close to the sight of you up on that mound.

Yeah, that's me-- all-powerful,

bending the will of the world by my mere presence.

Wow.

Hamas grows stronger every day.

Because of frustration with Israel.

Yes, but even more because of what Hamas can offer the Palestinian people.

Education, food, health care.

But doesn't the Palestinian Authority...

The Palestinian Authority lines their own pockets.

Chairman Farad cannot,

will not change, and he's willing

to pull the temple down on his own head.

But there are others, reasonable men,

who, with help, could effect change,

challenge Hamas.

Moderates.

I tell you this in the strictest of confidence.

I bring word

from Prime Minister Mukarat of Palestine.

He is concerned about the ongoing situation,

and he feels the time has come

for opening a new line of dialogue

with Israel and with your country.

A line of dialogue

that does not include Chairman Farad.

Leo?

You all right?

Abbey.

What can I do for you?

I came to offer up my services.

Your services?!

I look pretty good in a bulletproof vest.

Okay.

Not to mention,

I was quite the intramural softball player in my day.

And let's face it, Jed's no Cy Young.

Toby and Josh think it's important

he goes out there tonight.

What does Ron Butterfield think?

We've had a dozen Secret Service guys

at Camden Yards for the past two weeks

disassembling the air conditioners.

They'll have men in every janitor's closet,

every bathroom, up on the roof.

Add in the other 240 security guys

the ballpark... Okay.

You look tired.

It's been a long day.

It's been a long year.

You want him to do something.

Yeah.

Seems to me he's trying to.

He's tilting at windmills.

Tilting at windmills in the Middle East.

Is there a better place for that?

You think historians will judge me

'cause I can't stand the national pastime?

We'll make sure it's a well-kept secret, sir.

Yeah, but in 50, 60 years,

some guy with a camcorder will track down some old codger

who used to work here on the kitchen staff

and they'll tell the story of how I thought Stan Musial

was a pediatrician from Abbey's medical school class.

It's a pretty common mistake.

I'd really like to bomb the whole damn place.

Gaza?

Gaza, the West Bank.

Take out the whole Arabian Peninsula while we're at it.

It's what the country wants.

Sure. Hell, it's practically the American way.

And who cares if it's exactly what those lunatics want.

They push, we push back,

and they've got the holy war they've been praying for

with a thousand and one recruits to take the fight

to the big kid on the other side of the Atlantic.

It's like bad Shakespeare.

They're just waiting for me to play my role

and chuck a big, fat one right down the middle.

Mr. President.

Let me get this straight.

Josh met with some guy over bratwurst...?

The information from his contact checks out.

This has all the hallmarks of a back-channel overture.

I thought Prime Minister Mukarat

was in the Chairman's pocket. So did we.

Seems he's realized unilateral Israeli action

will leave his people

with less territory than they'll get negotiating.

We're talking about king-making.

We're talking about separation from a leader

The Israelis won't even sit down with Farad...

How would this work?

We broker secret talks with the Israelis,

show them Mukarat's credible,

they pull back, take steps

to bolster Mukarat by releasing prisoners...

We're grasping at straws here.

This kind of intervention into Palestinian politics...

KATE: American intervention is responsible for propping up

nearly every Arab dictator in the Middle East.

LEO: And look where that's gotten us.

Sir...

it's time to focus on the terrorist elements

who've declared war on us.

We're at war with a plague of jealousy and hatred

and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the index patient.

Shouldn't that be our focus?

Do we have any files on Mukarat? Writings?

Personal history?

We can try to pull that together for you.

LEO: Only you would decide to hold a press conference outside

in zero-degree weather.

We'll all freeze to death.

One way to avoid too many questions.

I prefer to avoid hypothermia.

I'm going to get clobbered out there.

You're not going to get clobbered.

Maybe we should ask for a recount.

You got 303 electoral votes; I think you're stuck with them.

( crowd cheering ) Who are all those people?

The press conference wasn't a secret.

Apparently you have fans.

What do they want me to do, run the country?

It's a little surprising, isn't it?

( applause, cheering continue)

You heard me today.

The general could barely keep his lunch down.

You don't think he and Fitzwallace

are going to have a great laugh over that?

We have some things to learn.

I can't do this without you.

You think I'd let you?

There's a reason I've stayed sober.

PRESIDENT: Is there any way to gauge the reaction of the Arab world?

Of the Israelis?

We have a number of contacts

we could reach out to quietly.

Let's do so.

And... keep the FA-18s on ready alert.

( door closes )

Sir...

this is a waste of time.

We've tried elevating... Thank you, Leo.

You need to... Thank you.

( heavy sigh )

Where's Donna Moss?

Excuse me? Donna Moss.

She's not in her room. Are you a relative?

I work for the President of the United States;

I have the diplomatic rank of a three-star general.

Tell me where Donna Moss is.

You spoke with Ambassador Galit?

The Israelis are willing to sit down with Mukarat privately

as long as we can assure them Chairman Farad

won't be involved in any way. Okay.

Where are you on this?

Both options have risks.

Yeah.

Give us a moment, would you?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, you can't go in there.

What's... There's been a complication.

She developed a pulmonary embolism.

It's a blood clot. A blood clot.

We're trying to remove it now.

LEO: You know, on May 13,

the day before Israeli Independence Day,

the TV stations in Israel

screen the name of every soldier who has fallen for the country.

A name flashes on the screen for a second or two,

then the next name appears.

You go to bed, you get up, the names are still flashing.

It takes 24 hours.

That's how they observe Memorial Day.

Yeah. And they keep lobbing missiles into Gaza,

we start encouraging it,

how long until that broadcast lasts 48 hours? Or 72?

How many times have we tried negotiation?

We're not negotiating with the chairman.

Your priority should be the security of this country.

I think you're gun-shy, sir.

The most important moment of your Presidency

and you're gonna blow it

because you're human,

you're a father who almost lost...

You think this is about Zoey?

You're damn right it's about Zoey...

and Ellie and Elizabeth and Mallory.

It's about bombs in Macy's, in Penn Station,

in Starbucks.

Bombing Gaza could be the most dangerous move

this country has made in two centuries.

Or not. In 75 years,

we'll know if we're right or wrong,

but nobody standing here today

can tell me that with any certainty.

I'm the guy in the office, Leo.

( crowd cheering )

I'll be the one who's judged.

PRESIDENT: You hear me?

It should be you, Leo.

You, not me.

You got the ball?

( cell phone rings )

Yeah.

The Chairman's on TV.

He's accepted our invitation to the negotiations.

LEO: What?!

Chairman Farad-- he's on TV,

he's thanking us for inviting him

and Prime Minister Mukarat to a summit with the Israelis.

We didn't invite him!

We haven't even formally invited Mukarat!

He's publicly accepted our invitation to Camp David.

ANNOUNCER ( over P.A.): Ladies and gentlemen,

it's now time for our ceremonial first pitch.

Tonight, we are pleased to welcome the President

of the United States. Jed!

( crowd cheering )

( cheering continues )

Captioning sponsored by NBC

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION

...brought to you by the stylish 2004 Toyota Camry.

Get the Feeling.

CROWD ( chanting ): Bartlet! Bartlet!

( baseball thwacks into catcher's mitt )

( cheering and applause )