Original subtitles

Previously, on The West Wing...

Chairman Farad and President Bartlett

will hold a joint press conference

to describe a tentative accord

that's been reached between the parties.

Barracks Security found Leo in the woods at Camp David.

ABBEY: You've got to keep him a out of that job. r

He'll kill himself for you if you don't.

There's something I need you to do for me.

What's that?

Jump off a cliff.

( knocking )

Morning, ma'am. Staff Sergeant Keltie.

This is Sergeant Wolitzer.

Is everything all right?

Sure is. May we?

It's 5:30.

5:26 on mine.

I'm going to use this chair here.

We couldn't do this at my office?

According to our logs,

you usually exit the building here...

All right. You may find it's easier

to head out the West Gate now.

You're going tofor have to time that,

buwe'll need you ofto exit here.

I'm listening. What kind of situation? Cregg.

Are we expecting one? Well, any attack,

So, you'll exit hereing directly to Marine One.

You'll sit at S5,

behind the President, to the left of the NSA,

and they'll evacuate you to your secure location.

Okay. make your way with all due haste to this field off Denville Road.

A field? It's abA pasture, to themore like.

I'll be standout the way soon as with cows?the copter shows.ot

Won't be more than three minutes

from code call to liftoff.

( knocking )

C.J.: Excuse me.

Morning.

No. Agents DeCastro and Shay-- Sothey will be...

I do not need a Secret Service detail.

Could we please discuss this? They'll give you a wide Not really.

Have you got a spare room

or a basement or something?

They're going to need a place to sleep.

You're not waiting, right?

I just knocked. You okay?

In the event of emergency, I stand in a field

with a cow and wait to be airlifted.

Hey. Morning, sir.

There she is. Good morning, Mr. President.

You excited? Absolutely.

They're angling for a piece of theour Baltic shipping deal.

Look at that.We can't make Hit the ground running.appe

I won't be in the security briefing.

I've got paperwork with the CIA,

but NSC will get me up to speed.

Sky's falling; damage estimate to follow.

Yes, sir. You're going to be great at this.

C.J.: Thank you, Mr. President.

She's going to be great.

Is she nervous?

No, she lookWell, that's good. I'd be apoplectic.

Let's keep it light today.

Anything you can, hold till next week.

Already on it.

See if Leo's up Chto a phone call..

This is Ellroy.

He brings the briefing books.

You guys are going to be friends.

These are this week's?

These are today's.

C. J.: I told Josh to be there in case you need backup.

He probably forgot. We should... I don't need any backup.

Just try to keep tight rein.

I'm not the story, Leo's not the story...

I know.

Camp David's the story.

Stop worrying.

Give me that.

Good morning.

PRESS: Good morning.

This will be my last briefing as White House Press Secretary.

Toby Ziegler will be filling in

until the President names a replacement.

I'll ask you to please be kind to him,

and if you can't be kind, at least speak slowly.

working for this exceptional group Theof journalists...

I'm sorry, uh... thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

Thank you.

at Bethesda Naval Hospitalass 36 hours ago,rgery

I'm relieved to announce

that Leo McGarry is in stable condition

and headed for a full recovery.

a very valuable part of this administration,

he will not be returning to his post.

I am therefore pleased and terribly proud

to announce that, effective immediately,

the position of White House Chief of Staff

will be filled by Claudia Jean Cregg.

Congratulations.

C. J.: It's a virus?

Six cases so far.

A.P. heard it on the ground in Ecuador.

You're telling her this as Press Secretary

or Chief of Staff? I think both.

by the end of the day-- ask A.P. to wait.

That was Press Secretary.

Yes.

Call CDC, Immigration, DOH,

give themSet up a conference call for me.

Great. C.J.,

I'm not sure where to sit. Oh, God, right.

That's fine.Toby's going to n Just for the next couple of days.

Wow!

People shouldn't be sending me flowers.

They're for Leo.

I'm sorry about the stuff.

I'll... Don't worry about it.

You need coffee or anything?

I'm fine. Let's do it.

CIA briefer's on his way.

Security will be by for a palm print

and an eye scan.

President's got Treasury in 10 minutes.

YouEPA's waiting for feedback on the Clean Air mark-up.

Armed Forces is coming to talk about a budget boost

because they forgot to factor in foodur

for the troops.

And this gets us to...

8:45.

NATO's expressing reluctance to contribute troops

to the peacekeeping effort.

The Secretary General of NATO...

The President is speaking with him--

the Secretary General of, uh, NATO-- this afternoon.

There's verbal support, and there's boots on the ground.

I'm not commenting on a... on a negotiation before it happens.

Can I'm not commenting. If NATO's out,

would President reconsider U.N. peacekeepers?

I do not have an answer.

CHRIS: Can you point us toward a subject you're commenting on?

Can you find out where Counsel put the DOD analysis?

MARK: Will C.J. Cregg's role be the same as Leo McGarry's?

TOBY: Title, parking spot,

gym membership.

She's not coming into this

with national security experience.

The President has a flock

of-of national security professionals

prepared to address his questions

and tBut we're about to stage a military action...

Yeah, a military incursion

into-into the most entrenched conflict on the planet.

C.J. Cregg's not the only one working without a net.

Oh, no, no. Are you saying the President's got doubts?

He has every confidence... nobody has experience with this kind of military incursion.ai

The Pentagon has experience

as do the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the NSC,

but in the event they all lose their way,

the President can always send C.J. Cregg to Ramallah

to swat at suicide bombers with her purse.

That's her foreign policy portfolio?

Oh, good lord.

C.J.: My purse?!

Page Carol, get him the hell out of there!

MARK: Who haCHRIS: I got "The President can send C.J. Cregg to Ramallah

to swat at suicide bombers with her purse."

CAROL: You don't have to brief.

You're better with the written material.

We can flood 'em with press releases.

JOSH: How'd it go?

Fine. Missed it.

Well, there'll be others.

I'm thinking about the substance abuse initiative,

and what do you say we send C.J. to Compton,

have her swat at drug lords with her purse?

They love an opportunity It wlike this.

If they could dance around me

with a pig's head on a pike, they would.

How's it going? Well. Well.

Pif either of you is interested wants tin a conversation.

From the Policy Institute?

I've gotten five of these already today.ob offe

Job offers? It's gonna be that kind of day.

JOSH: She's fine. She's a pro.

Like a ninja with a Prada clutch.

Men of valor.

I say we move past it.an ambush.

I've never seen you sling

anything but a briefcase over your arm...

...loaded with 30 pounds of legislative detritus,

not your lipstick or your hankie...

Jump right over it. I'm just putting--

I'm gonna put it back... Shut up.

Okay.

Hey, how's he doing?

Leo? Awake and cranky.

Sounds about right.

You started Senior Staff?

I guess we did.

Why don't we...

Go ahead and sit.

( quietly ): The intel estimates, did you--

Leo likes to glance at the top sheets sure I didn'

before Senior Staff, circle anything

he's got questions about.

That way NSC can pull material

for the afternoon briefing.

We can wait. Go ahead.

We'll set aside some extra time.

Thank you.

We also try and cover the lunch order

before Senior Staff.

Leo likes a roast turkey sandwich.

That's fine.

Mayo?

Please tell me we can talk about this later.

Hi.

Press Secretaries.

No, but let's move Can I apolfinding my replacement

from priority three to priority one.

Yeah. Short list by the end of the day,

And D triple C's coming in to talk about the election.

Vulnerable seats?

I'll do it.and then sit down It's gonna be Merridy.n ove

Josh can... Merridy hates him.

Excuse me? gonna meet with D triple C and then sit with Will.sh

There's gonna be fund-raising trips in this for the VP.

WILL: Get to me sooner rather than later.

Our campaign office has him double booked already.

Toby, Marburg virus.

CDC's setting up a border Not thascreening plan.r.

Try and make sure we don't seem panicked.

Yeah. And let me say what would have been

best articulated an hour ago:

The peacekeeping plan is still vulnerable;

this place needs to reek of confidence.

Maybe we best avoid

that the President's any in over his head.

Working without a net.

C.J.: I think that's it.

We're all working without a net today, thanks.

C.J.?

( sighing ): Wow, this is hard.

But I think it's,pier it's just time for me to go.

Six years is, uh...

This is my letter of resignation to the President..

JOSH: I don't want to pile on...

but working for one of my closest friends is,

I think, not gonna bring out my best.

( knocking ) Wow.Josh

You can't...

Mr. President, can I have just I'ma minute? barge i

I don't know if I'm comfortable.

working this closely with a woman.

Maybe it's time for me to call it a day.

Give the VP a chance to steer the ship.

( chuckling )

Oh...

You're weak.

You have a weak will.

see if she pulled out the Continuity of Government plan.

He cracked up at the mere suggestion of the VP.

I had a whole thing on spending time with my kids, I went up.

You are bad, bad men.

In the service of a vengeful god.

On behalf of the Vice President,

and myself, and every man

who's ever had a Wonder Woman fantasy, it's a bright day.

Get out.

Margaret, we behind yet?

Very.

TOBY: We need a list of Press Secretary candidates.

This is the list. PulThese are the resumes.

C.J. keeps an "In Case I Get You alwaysHit By a Bus" file.

WOMAN: You've gotCa appointments today

Carol! Spokesmen fromious State, Interior...

I-I got to... This is gonna be a nightmare.

Here, I'll help. Let me see.

Haffley's in your office. Time. Time.

Ooh.

Here.

Donna'll help.

Nice briefing.

Thank you.

That was something--

everybody pretending to resign.

Bless their cotton socks.

But you know I'm actually leaving, right?

I mean, Leo's going to be doing something,

and it's a long time I've worked for him, and I just

can't imagine... Margaret.

Sure. Sorry.

Mr. Roman Mindeli from the Republic of Georgia

C.J.: in the Ro Good morning.

Thank you. Good morning

to you.

Oh. You okay there?

Would be better on left hand.

( laughs )

Important documents.

Of course. I wanted to speak

with Mr. McGarry.

This is gift

I bring for him.

Saperavi, from my own vines.

You're a-a wine maker?

Former Economic

Advisor to Georgia President Rustaveli.

You want taste?

Oh, no, it's a little early, I...

Did Josh Lyman put you up to this?

President Rustaveli send me

with important offer, but

I wish to speak it with Mr. McGarry.

so I'm afraid you're going to have to speak it with me.

Most top secret.

President Rustaveli

wants to offer

United States gift

of...

uranium.

Highly enriched.

To your government.

Uranium?

Like to make bombs?

We do not

We give to you, you make what you want.

Can you excuse me just one moment?

Yes.

I-I open this, show you maps.

That's great.

Is this a thing, like the two-weeks notice gang?

JOSH: Inspector Clouseau in there-- was that your idea?

What? with a comb-over to offer me...guy

Did he proposition you? No, you lummox.

He tried to give me his collection

of highly enriched...

What?

Oh, my God.

This is happening.

What?

get the National Security Advisor right away.

Is there a problem?

I've got an emissary from the Republic of Georgia

offering me a load of weapons-grade uranium.

I'm gonna go with yes.

300 kilograms of weapons-grade

uranium in a research reactor

the Soviets left behind

when they pulled out. That's... what?

Enough for ten, maybe 15 bombs.

Margaret, I need a meeting

with the Secretaries of State, Energy,

Defense, the JCS, and CIA, first thing tomorrow.

We tried to take this stuff off their hands brief ever

in '92; they didn't want to part with it.

Because? Figured if things got rough,

It's just sitting therenot they behind what he's describing

It's a miracle nobody's boosted it yet.

The Russians don't guard this stuff?

They gave 'em the padlock.

Yeah? Thank you.

Mindeli's been over at the Iranian Embassy

We are not the only ones twicewho got this offer.days.

That meeting's got to be today.

DONNA: Hi, come on in.

I'm Donna Moss.

This is Toby Ziegler.

You're Dan, right?

From State?

Thanks for coming in. Well, good to meet you.

You want me up here?

DONNA: That'd be great.

Toby's gonna ask you a few questions.

Just pretend he's 150 reporters.

The U.N. seems to have ruled out sending troops

What's the Administration with gonna do?the peacekeepi

the North Atlantic Council has made and will continue

to make determinations in regard to burden-sharing,

and a great many factors weigh upon those determinations.

It would be premature to prejudge

what the Council-- in its deliberative fashion

and fully appropriate to its role

as a deliberative body-- may or may not have

predetermined out of any zeal

to ascertain the precise nature of those deliberations.

( whispering ): Oh, this is gonna be a long day.

We need to do schedule.

You know you have a door in your office. I was just coming to see the PresidentLet me see.

Looks good.

The Chief of Staff clears every item

in every meeting, and gets mostStaff knows of the information schedule.

the President will get in the meeting

before the President gets it.

get me briefed on this one, and this.

( phone ringing )

Push the 1:45 to next week,

and this shouldn't even exist. Cancel it.

Secretary of Defense for the President, unscheduled. Better.

The Chief of Staff clears every unscheduled phone call.

Ask him what it's... may I askYou know what what it's in reference to?about?

but he should call my office, let me know what it's about.

Thanks for... Just today.

Tomorrow you're on your own.

Mr. Secretary, he's on a call right now.

Can I direct you to the Chief of Staff?

Mr. President?

That's what they tell me.

We've been approached

They're looking to unload some highly-enriched uranium.

We may need to stage an emergency extraction.

There's some concern it could wind up in Iran.

WI hope to have options for you the aby the end of the day.ding.

Okay.Yeah. They're ready for you in the Cabinet Room.

Thank you. You putting together a tiger team?

Uh, I'm not quite sure what that is.

Four, five agencies on one project,

particularly something this complicated.

They'll pass it around like a hot potato.

14 months from now, we'll wake up

having accomplished absolutely nothing.

You're gonna have to spearhead the project yourself.

Sure, I'll... Tiger team. Grrr.

What was thaMERRIDY: H Hell, he could replace with Chuck Horowitz.Noth

Guys... The D Triple C's

We could really use you. a great place to work, JI'm not looking.

You already got something lined up?

I'm staying at the White House.

Wow. Gosh. Working for C.J.

Okay, let's talk about the...

Really, anything else. Coffee?

Thanks and adulations for all the help

at the midterms last year.

You guys were fantastic.

Latest count was seven Members of Congress retiring.

And we've 12... Maybe 13...

...vulnerable incumbents.

the spotlight. So we want to make sure we'reial not neglecting these seats.oling

Republicans Why is Matthew Santosinly dropping out?on't be.

We just got him on Ways and Means, for God's sake.

He says that he's had enough.

I'll talk to him. Who else? No, he hasn'

in Connecticut's retiring. Wexler

Hey, you're from there.

You could run for his seat.

I have a job.

You know you have your own door... He's talking with the I'll be quiSecretary of Defense.

Hutchinson's in the Oval?

He walked the President back from the Cabinet meeting.

Weren't you in there? I got pulled out.

Hutchinson doesn'They walked in. a meeting.I thought about

taking him down, but it seemed excessive.

Margaret, did the Secretary of Defense call for me?

( half-whispers ): It's C.J.

He didn't?

Get him out of there. Pull the President,Really? take him to the Mural Room,

tell him he's late for his 1:15.

He doesn't have a 1:15.

Make one up.

( sighs )

( knocking on door )

Excuse me, Mr. President...?

Secretary Hutchinson?

Congratulations. Woman of the hour.

Thank you. I wanted to catch you in the Cabinet Room.

You're gonna do a fantastic job. Thank you.

I know the President had to run and you were speaking.

No. This Georgian project could be tricky,here anything but we'll cover ithelp you

in the meeting. See you in a few.

JOSH: How come Matt Santos

doesn't want to run again?

What makes a man seek public office, Josh?

What makes a man abjure the comforts of a private life?

The decadence, really, Here wof simple bread-winning

for the Athenian wrestling mat that is the forum politic?

Hey.

Why doesn't Matt Santos want to run again?

'Cause he's a tool.

We just got him onto Ways and Means.

You think? They love him iMayTerm or two to runas governor,r.

he could come back here and run for the big chair.

Are you high?

People like him-- ex-Marine...

He's not running for... no.

D triple C wants help on 19 races.to him.

Yours are the ones with the stars.

The VP's gonna be fund-raising for himself.

I'm just not sure we can double dip in all these places.

I think it falls under the category of

"people scratching other people's backs."

Indeed.

It's first priority. For the day?

For 1:45. 300 pages on snowmobiles?

Yellowstone's gonna come up. The President's got lAnd there's with Interior tomorrono one else

in the building that can position us?

Toby and the Policy shop are split.

We've now talked through give me the snowmobile window. o

You have to leave. Where am I going?

The Georgian thing. Where's the nonproliferation...?

I have it. And the uranium repatriation study?

You really have to start walking now.

It's downstairs? At DOD's request.

WHO faxed preliminary plans for the Marburg virus.

It's... this is... they're asking for

It doesn't say how theyh came up with that number.

Does HHS know they're calling it

a global health alert?

I'll call them.

( beeps )

Ten-hut.

DELOIT: Anybody run this by the Russians?

McNALLY: The Georgians don't want

HUTCHINSON: The Russianse damn uranium there can't secure it.ce.

Who's going to pay for it? Their facilities are aIt's goExcellent question.

McNALLY: Mr. Secretary,Energy's we're all tapped out.

It's probably not just enriched uranium.

I bet there's a load of spent fuel along with it.

DELOIT: And leaking, likely as not.Nuclear waste.

We may be looking

at a massive biohazard clean-up.

DELOIT: HUTCHINSON:Extraction may Which costs...?be $5 million.

Besides which, we take foreign-owned Clnuclear material

and dump it in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,

every environmental group...

DELOIT: It'll get out;We can't let you're going to haves go

a P.R. nightmare on your hands.

Isn't the larger P.R. crisis

one wherein al Qaeda steals the stuff

and we have to admit it wasn't under our control

because we were too cheap to go get it?

You got a congressional appropriation

I don't know about?

Who pays?

a gift, didn't he-- your friend?

Are we considering

leaving a stash of uranium unprotected

because we can't scrape up 25 million bucks?

I'm considering this the tip of a very large iceberg.

Maybe we can look into helping the Russians secure it.

The President isn't interested

in bringing this to the Russians.

I didn't get a copygure out of the site analysis.thing el

Have we run an independent test

on this material? Um, I'm not...

HUTCHINSON: Before we deployThis just walked a fleet of C-5sin the door.

with an extraction team, be nice to know

We'll test it. we're not buying Get the President

your repHang on;omestic I'm not sure we're ready to...

He asked me for it. We done?

What do we have on domestic nuclear Mr. storage facilities?

I'll get you Energy's quarterly.

Sir, we may be able to get the Russians to help...

Hutchinson wants to keep the Russians out of it.

He said we don't Can you get some documentation they aren't trying to sell us

the Brooklyn Bridge?

We're looking into that.

You know I asked for the breakdown

on domestic facilities this morning.

I've got it; I just wanted to look it over...

I didn't get a copy.

You sure Margaret and Charlie are keeping your papers flowing?

Yes, sir.

Sir, your conversation with the Secretary of Defense...

We didn't talk that much.

Charlie high-tailed me into a meeting with an empty chair.

I know it's going to be bumpy until you're settled in,

but I just want to make sure

things aren't getting lost in the shuffle.

Of course.

Thank you.

Sources say NATO's reluctant to contribute troops

to the peacekeeping mission in the Middle East.

How's the President going to address that?

The President was aware when he drafted

the peacekeeping agreement that the international community

wasn't going to jump in like a pack of eager lemmings.

You're saying it's a suicide mission?

Not necessarily.

The Lemmings die at the end of the story.

Sources say NATO's reluctant to contribute troops

to the peacekeeping mission in the Middle East.

How's the President going to address that?

Joanne, marry me. Make me the happiest man in the world!

( laughing )

( mumbling ): NATO has historically shown reluctance to commit troops

as a body-- individual member nations...

Sorry, um, we can't hear you back here.

( clears throat )

( mumbling ): NATO has already agreed to...

Thanks.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

NATO doesn't seem to want to pitch in troops

to the peacekeeping mission.

The President asked for NATO troops

What we really need from our allies is financial support, largely as a cou

logistical support, tactical aid,

all of which they've enthusiastically pledged.

The President doesn't wanteed to present the impression

that we're strong arming the region with an onslaught

of European forces marching into Jerusalem

This is a process that will be executed by the Palestinian

and Israeli governments.

It won't. The President knowsut exactly what he's getting into,

and he crafted a mission he knew could succeed. And it will.

The Governor of Tennessee called.

"Georgian Package-- absolutely not."

How did he...

Who the hell leaked it?

Get the Governor on the phone, please, quickly. Margaret!

Once I'm done with him, Nancy McNally needs to call

that he has to keep a lid on thisernor and reiterate

and so does State, and... have Charlie put it

on the President's schedule for tomorrow.

We got a guy. A Press Secretary. WhatHe's smart, he's articulate,

which is more of an issue than one might have thought.ar him,

I thought we were goingresident, to look at a short list.

Governor of Tennessee on one.

Mr. Governor.

Thank you, sir.

I understand you heard...

The Secretary of Energy?!

We're not done. I'd like a list. Three to five names. We're

Unfortunately, sir, his decision

to share that information was premature.

The President would appreciate it

if you did not go public with this.

No, I'm going to have to insist.

Josh Lyman for the Congressman.

SANTOS: We're not in the dream-making business.

Why not a cap that says punitive damages stop at $5 million?

Because in the most egregious You invest that money, it's a good life.

For a kid who is paralyzed when he was two?

It's giving insurers the kind of immunity that nobody gets--

not auto makers, chemical companies,

not me if I mow you down in my car.

A distinct possibility, I'm told.

We run the system into the ground, it's a societal disaster. It's a societal disince

Josh! Are we running the HMO system into the ground?

HMOs pulled down 8.8 billion in profit last year.

We're not running them into anything.

So that brings us back to the Republicans are greedy bastards.

Profit's a red herring.

And what if the Republicans on the committee aren't

What if they know the companies worwill do that on their own

by boosting premiums and letting costs soar through the roof

in an industry that was created

to curtail the price of health care?

Then I have to have lunch with Joel Haig again.

And watch him put ketchup on his mashed potatoes.

Bipartisan or bust, my friends.

Come on in, Josh.

Patients' Bill of Rights?

The final shudder and gasp

of a dying piece of legislation.

I'm not gonna getn bring it back like five minutest t

of small talk first, you're not gonna ask me about my kids?

One more time... How are your kids? "Who's that guy hugging Mommy?"e

We got committee chairmanships fopening up.

Congressman, you're a strong It'spresence on the floor,

your staff's on fire, how can you walk away from this?

Who champions the Patients' Bill of Rights if you're out of here?

I'm happy to help, but you're the one

who's got to put his name on the bill.

When I was Mayor of Houston, we opened up

eight neighborhood health clinics.

Each one sees 200 patients a day.

I'm going to go home and open 20 more.

That's not a health care agenda, Josh, that's health care.

As, I'm sure, is the Governor's mansion.

to run for another office? I'm getting out of the business.

What about your 20 clinics?

Privately funded. That's all we got left.

There's never going to be a Patients' Bill of Rights;

Or they'll spend five years wrangling over minutiae

and come up with a toothless plan.

A toothless national plan

is not an inconsiderable force.

And a little wrangling?

That's why you're here, and I'm going home to Texas.art.

I hear C.J. Cregg got Chief of Staff.

That's got to be a blow.

It's fine, really.

Everybody likes the look of the next rung up the ladder,

You couldn't do the kind of politicking you do

behind Leo McGarry's desk.

You'd be making sure the trains run on time.

They need you; you love that fight, and you're good at it.

I don't love it.

( quietly ): Yeah.

Go out there and doet out what you were born to do.

It's not like we got a lot of bench strength in Texas.

I know... and I'm sorry about that.

Ronna! Get Mr. Lyman a copy of the talking points.

RONNA: On?

Patients' Bill of Rights!

Gail!

I fed her this morning.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Gail.

an "Is the Administration in Over Its Head" story.

He's trying to get face time with General Alexander.missi

Where'd he...? Rumors. Speculation.

Toby's briefing.

First day's tough.

Is Toby in his office?

I think so, I'll check.

Traditionally we call people and they come to you.

No. Toby. That's the wrong file.

That's the "not enough You want aexperience" file.

Yes, indeed.

We've got a guy who's a We hasheet of bulletproof glass,

who is willing to throw himself in front of the Press Corps

like the lone man facing down the tanks in Tiananmen Square.

Bring in these four in tomorrow.

You don't think that's a waste of time?

Yes. It is a colossal waste of time.

These four.

Talk to Greg Brock, get him to hold the story.

Then he'll run nothing next week.He has nothing.

I misspoke, okay?

No one thinks you can't handle foreign policy.

We all think it. Had you thought any differently

in foreign policy decisions for five years,"lve

not "She'll bounce every question to somebody at NSC."

It never crossed your mind to reject the premise of the statement.

So I'm a lousy public speaker.

This thing runs tomorrow, Talkit's two graphs on page ten.

We make him wait a week, it's top left, page one.

It wasn't a suggestion.

It was what. An order?

( sighs )

It's almost 8:00, you should get out of here.

I'll be back.

Where are you going?

Leo.

I don't know think this is gonna work out.

Oh.

Lord. I never wanted a double vodka

at 9:00 a.m. until this week.

They say the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Margaret.

Sit.

I have a problem.

Wow.

I'm not sure I'm the right person...

Hutchinson's a son of a bitch.

Is that just me or...?

No.

How did Leo deal with him?

Leo always talked to Tim Crawford first.

He's Chief of Staff at DOD.

How about Secretary of Energy?

Leo's first calls were always sub-cabinet.

Secretaries have agendas, policy wonks have information.

Right.

How many policy wonks work for me?

A bunch.

C.J.: Secretary of State.

Secretary of Defense.

Secretary of Energy.

All fans of non-proliferation.

All doing everything they can

to keThey're the "no" team, off tyou're the "yes" team.

Where's Toby?

He had a... I don't know.

I need a viable plan for funding an emergency uranium extraction

Keep in mind we need to secure it, contain it, transport it,

and bury it in a manner that will shelter it

for upwards of 30,000 years.

Resist the temptation to rely

on the Emergency Nonproliferation Fund.

Apparently we've already spent it.

I'm just saying.

You knew these four were underqualified

when you called them in.

He mispronounced New York.

( knocking on door )

God help me.

Come on in.

Yup, right place. You're Annabeth Scott?s this...?

Schott.

What?

Schott. Bang bang.

Oh, there's an "H." I didn't see it.

Go ahead and stand behind the podium there. It's fun.e

Up there? Yeah.

Oh, I'm not going up there.

Why would I do that? Much of the job is,heaven

you know, briefing the press.

For a deputy?

Thank you so much for coming in, Depbut we're going to move on

to somebody who has a clearer understanding of the position.

You're hiring a Press Secretary?

Do something.

To be Press Secretary?

Yes. C.J. Cregg,

former White House Press Secretary,

has been promoted, big day, all over the news.

You should go home and watch.

to Ramallah to swat at suicide bombers with her purse."

That's gotta be some purse.

I never said "fixing."

Why on earth would you try and hire a new Press Secretary

with C.J. Cregg only ten minutes out of the job?

Didn't anybody tell you why you were coming in?

Deputy Press Secretary for Media Relations.

I sent in my resume six months ago.

They were looking for somebody to replace Tim Waters.

He used to prep for the morning shows.

He saved your tailYes. on more than one occasion.

Okay...

Because I'd be a fine choice.

I'm going to get a dress Marine to walk you out.i

You don't want a new Press Secretary, not yet.

Anyone who tries to stand in C.J. Cregg's shoes

And who exactly do you think is going to brief the press?ive.

inside the Administration to get you throughne f

the transition period.

Don't make a face, you were good.

I saw it. He really wasn't.

You need a little grooming, but I can take care of that.

And I'll help you find a new Press Secretary.

Do a real search, not some 24-hour

emergency rescue mission.

Who's this administration's most vocal and effective critic?

When I found him he was Taa bartender with half a novel.

He had what you have.

What's that?

A watchable quality.

Short list.

Alan Zwick, whoshorter list than you brought me before...ussed

Because he was good. He has no soul.

Of course he sounded good.

The man would front for the Gotti Family

if you asked him to.

And Annabeth Schott?

The little pixie from the Taylor Reid Show?

I don't think we should hire either one of them.

I think I should do it. Do what?

Brief the press.

I have a quality.

for a few weeks, until we find somebody,

but we do a real search, not in one day, and hopefully not

with me sitting in there and listening to them.

This is remarkably well thought out.

She came up with it-- Marybeth.

She said we were rushing Annathis and she's right.

We put a fresh face up there this week,

She's selling herselfground beef as your follow-up act?

No, she wanted some Media Relations gig. She's irrelevant.

She wants Tim Waters' job? And she wants to conduct

the search for your replacement,

again, not the point.

On you as spokesman, actually, for the Ship of Fools?ocus on...

It's a dream come true.

I'll just do can handle the high profile stuff.

Like this morning.

Yeah. No. Slightly better.

Did you talk to Greg Brock?

He's not holding the story.

This is... I don't know how this is gonna work, Toby,e fa

I really don't.

You're not his story.

We're unprepared is the story,

and it's not coming from here, it's coming from DOD.

What are you talking about?

Graham Bradley told him

they low-balled the troop estimates,

we can't do it with 18,000 men.

DOD's trying to bury the real numbers cause they know

they can't get that kind of money from Congress.

DOD's in over their heads.

I love you. Desperately.

the Georgia Projectw-balled IHutcbecause he can't afford it.

That's debatable. Bring I could her in to do the search.

Put her in Media Relations.

I don't think that part's a good idea.

She'll be helpful to you, and you...

if you want to brief, you should brief.

You know why? Because I trust you.

And you most certainly have a quality.

I need the Secretaries of State, Energy, Defense

Nancy, the JCS, and CIA in the Sit Room right away.

Not the Sit Room, my office.

This office. Here.

I need to speak with him.

Right.

PRESIDENT: Come in.

Good afternoon, Mr. President.

How ya doing?

Fandabtastic.

You got the Energy quarterly?

I got it right here. Thank you.

I'd like it back.

How 'bout you get your own copy?

domestic nuclear storage We'refacilities, sir.se

and I haven't presented youd with complete information.

You don't think this is a good start?

I think it's you doing my job for me.

You're looking at this based on DOD's call.

Their perspective is valid, but it's only one perspective,

and until we've gathered all the others,

if you need something to read, I recommend

the new Benjamin Franklin bio.

It's a real page-turner.

Thank you, Mr. President.

What was that?

I just got spanked.

Mmm. Sorry I missed it.

She still nervous?

I don't think so, no.

They're in there.

Great.

You're an odd woman and I've never quite understood you,

but you're extremely capable,

and you run this office like a Swiss watch,

and you're tall, which is reassuring.

Leo may need you, and if he does, that's okay,

but if he's willing to part with you, I hope you'll stay.

These are tentative figures for the extraction.

We need to re-jigger the numbers on flight support,

but it shouldn't change the bottom line all that much.

I'd like to sit with the President and...

Recommendations on the project will flow through this office

and I will keep the President up to speed.

I'm sure this is all Let's look awell thought out...

...but the only viable Thank option right now...

...is to secure the material where it is...

...because operationally and financially,

we don't have the resources...

Miles.

We will find the money.

You will not.

Though DOD will likely be saddled

with most of the operational responsibility,

you will not be saddled with the cost.

You're about to send 18,000 troops into the Middle East,

and we can safely assume that's just the beginning.

You're overextended,

we'll find the money elsewhere.

Let's look at the breakdown on page three.

C.J. wants us upstairs.

I had a great meeting

with Matt Santos.

What do you think about the Patients' Bill of Rights?

Lead balloon.

Maybe. I don't know.

I'm gonna take a look at it again.

So he's keeping his seat?

No, he's screwing us.

That's your idea of a good meeting?

Yeah.

JOSH: Look what the elves have done.

Hey. Hey.

C.J. wanted to be here but she just got pulled in.

Staff's on their way.

She wanted me to give this to you.

"J&T. Nothing without you."

Hey. Thanks.

Who did this?

The boss.

Good evening, Mr. President.

Hey. How'd it go with the tiger team?

We took a vote and elected not to call it a tiger team.

Beyond that, I think we've isolated the funding.

There's still some concern about the political fallout

if we bring foreign nuclear material

onto American soil.

An environmental impact study could take over a year.

We don't have that kind of time.

to the British, see We're if they'll help out.

We talked about non-proliferation

at the G-8 last year.

They said they were willing to get more involved.

Great. I'll schedule a call

for you and the Prime Minister tomorrow.

C.J.

You're Chief of Staff.

You can make the call.

Right. Thank you, sir.

Margaret?

Would you please set up a call first thing tomorrow morning

with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?

Sure. Who's going to be on the call?

Me.