All language subtitles for Tanner.88.S01E01.The.Dark.Horse.1080p.WEB-DL.DD2.0.H.264-squalor_track3_[eng]

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR:
Standby open.

Opens up.

Standby Jack's mic.

ANNOUNCER: This is WMUR TV's
News 9 New Hampshire Close-Up.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: And
we go in five, four,

ANNOUNCER: A weekly
discussion of news--

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Three,

ANNOUNCER: --and
political events--

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Two,

ANNOUNCER: --that
affect New Hampshire.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: One.

Mic and queue him.

Play it.

I'm Jack Heath.

Welcome to Close-Up.

Well, the cold weather has
been big news this week

as we can testify.

And cold weather has
caught up to some of us,

including those of who chased
the would-be presidential

candidates around the state.

But despite the cold weather,
things are heating up

with the New Hampshire primary.

And our guest this
week is one more

candidate who wants to
be the next president

of the United States.

He is Jack Tanner.

And he wants you
to know that he's

a serious democratic
candidate for

the presidential nomination.

Well, who is Jack Tanner,
and where did he come from?

Good morning, Mr. Tanner.

Good morning, Jack.
Nice to meet you.

JACK HEATH: Where
did you come from?

East Lansing, Michigan.

[applause]

And Warm Springs, Georgia.

[applause]

San Antonio, Texas?

[applause]

And how about Walla
Walla, Washington?

[applause]

Riverside, California.

[applause]

And, uh--

JACK HEATH: Pearl Harbor?

Well, let's not forget
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

I was born in Pearl Harbor.

You know, I have
to say, Jack, you

sound like George Bush a
little bit, the vice president.

It's hard to know
what state he's from.

Well, that's true.

But I actually lived
in all these states.

I was an Air Force Dependent.

And, as you know, when you're
an Air Force Dependent,

you move around a lot.

JACK HEATH: I know you've
been out-- you resigned

from the House in 1976.

And some of your candidates--
I saw Gary Hart the other day,

and he said you've been
out of it too long.

What do you say to that?

Well, I guess
Mr. Hart has been

busier than I have, but, uh--

I think the national
impression of you

is that you had a unanimous
draft from your state

You were a popular congressman.

to run for Congress.

And, on a sadder note,
I know your daughter

had a serious illness.

Yes, she did.

JACK HEATH: But
you got out of it.

Now you're back.

And tell us what brought you
back into this crazy world

of running for president.

Well, I mean, it's
always presumptuous to say

that you want to be the
leader of this country.

But I felt that the way things
looked, the way this race is

wide open-- the sort
of lack of leadership

that's been demonstrated,
the way, to my thinking,

we've gone way, way off the
track in the last eight years--

um, the issues are there.

JACK HEATH: You also stand out
from some of the candidates

because you received a PhD.

JACK TANNER: Yes.

Tell me, do you feel-- and
I don't-- I want to put it

bluntly-- do you feel smarter
than some of the people

running for president?

Yes.

[MUSIC - "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO
VOTE"]

SONG: Exercise
your right to vote.

Choose the one
you like the most.

It's your individual
right to choose the one

you want to fight for you.

TJ: Mm hm.

I got the media buy
for the 14th, two days

before the primary.

Yeah, we got DC and Boston.

EMILE: [inaudible]

STRINGER: Yeah, at least he
bothered to write off Jack.

Broder did a follow up on Iowa.

He didn't even mention him.

TJ: [inaudible] Jack,
this is a great position.

I'm working on the
other two stations.

EMILE: Something to do here.

STRINGER: See, the
thing I told Jack--

EMILE: Eggs, eggs.
Gordon was right about Iowa.

STRINGER: Exactly.

And the thing I
told Jack about Iowa

is that there's no,
just-- hardly any point.

You've got to get there two
years ahead of the vote.

You gotta gain their confidence,
marry their daughters,

fix their plumbing. [inaudible]

EMILE: Iowa, we hardly knew ye.

Ye hardly knew us.

Fuck me.

STRINGER: Now,
listen--where is--where

is Deke with the film?
TJ: No, I haven't seen it yet.

Dick's supposed to be coming
here with a rough cut.

But I haven't seen it yet.

STRINGER: He is sticking
it to us, I can tell.

TJ: No.

He's not going to let
us make any changes.

No, Jack, Jack, Jack, you
can't change one thing.

I've got exactly
36 hours until I

have to deliver the cassettes.

ANDREA: Do you guys
save this half-and-half?

Because I could use it
for that homeless project.

STRINGER: Uh.
EMILE: Yeah.

That's-- that's fine, Andrea.

Thanks a lot.

Hey, listen where
are my hashbrowns?

Are those my
hashbrowns, Stringer?

STRINGER: Oh.

Yes, they are.

EMILE: Come on,
[inaudible] my breakfast.

TJ: Jack, you're in charge.

ANDREA: Do you want me
to go get you some more?

STRINGER: On second
thought, uh, you

can-- you can have these back.

Hey, we made [inaudible]
column today.

TJ: Now, I've got Alex coming
to the airport to pick you up.

EMILE: Is it a positive?

TJ: If you get any further
behind, please give me a buzz.

STRINGER: Oh.
Oh, yeah.

It's-- it's a positive.

Not.
Come on.

TJ: OK?
I can't wait to see you.

EMILE: Well, all right.

TJ: Yeah, we're
working real hard.

[interposing voices]
TJ: OK.

Get on that plane!

All right.
Goodbye.

Bye bye.

Damn it.

ANDREA: That's a
good slogan, though.

EMILE: What?

His plane was
grounded in Durham.

ANDREA: I was in Durham once.

EMILE: But he's going
to be here, right?

TJ: Yeah.

STRINGER: Oh, now
here's something

What?

you don't see every day.
TJ: Yeah, he'll be here.

STRINGER: The word debacle used
twice in the same sentence.

ANDREA: What does debacle mean?

Yeah, well, come on.

Nobody edits that paper.

It's computers in some room.

TJ: What's going on
with the focus group?

ANDREA: You want some ketchup?
TJ: Has Hughes arrived yet?

EMILE: Yeah, Hughes
is in the hotel.

He's getting all the stuff
set up and everything.

He was under the impression
that he was testing some spots

for Super Tuesday, but--

TJ: I don't know why Reznick's
being such [inaudible]

Go Tanner.

Jack Tanner [inaudible]

EMILE: Uh, they're
coming in about 10:00.

There should be about 30 people.
STRINGER: That's a good number.

TJ: We're not going to
have a thing to show 'em.

Stringer, go see if
you can find Deke.

We've really got to get moving.

STRINGER: All right,
all right, all right.

Should I start
setting up the chairs?

Oh, here he is.

Showtime.

Did you make all the changes?

[humming "hail to the chief"]

Ladies and
gentlemen, I give you

the next President of the
United States, Mr. Jack Tanner.

[beeping]

TJ: I thought-- I thought he
was going to be raking leaves.

People vote in
November, you know.

Hi, how are you?

Good to see you.

Come on up.

DEKE: I can't
control the weather.

[phone ringing]

Whoops, there's my phone.

[laughter]

TJ: Deke?

DEKE: What?

TJ: What's with the
(LAUGHING) Mr. Rogers opening?

DEKE: No, think "Pee
Wee's Playhouse."

Hello?

[music playing]

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Early last year

in a modest family home
in East Lansing, Michigan,

a phone began to ring.

At first there were
only a few calls a day.

Then several.

Then the phone began
to ring off the hook.

The callers-- community
leaders, public officials,

party officers from
all around the country.

The message-- we want
Jack Tanner for President.

I'm glad you called.

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Who's Jack Tanner?

He looks really handsome.

You notice that?

That transition?

I like--I like it, yeah.

Yeah?

Nice.

NARRATOR (ON TV): The son of a
career Army Air Force officer--

EMILE: What, that's not Jack.

NARRATOR (ON TV): John
Quinton Tanner was born--

Oh, his mother is beautiful.

STRINGER: Quinton,
should he use that?

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Three years later--

EMILE: Wait a minute, aren't
those American planes?

A plane's a plane.

EMILE: Not in Pearl Harbor.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
(ON TV): December 7,

1941-- a date which will live--

Is that Woodrow-- that
is Woodrow Wilson's voice.

TJ: Uh, Deke.

This footage looks
very, very familiar.

This looks very familiar.

What is this?

I lifted it from a
Dole film campaign.

TJ: You what?

EMILE: What?

Well, I mean, hell, he
lifted it from stock, right?

You-- you don't really
think that they--

they sent a crew out to film a
future wounded president, then,

do you?

STRINGER: Jack's
father was a pilot.

EMILE: Uh, yeah.

We'll have to use
Bush's footage.

Yeah, is-- is Bush a pilot?

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Young Jack learned

firsthand about the rigors of--

EMILE: Oh, this is dignified.

[laughter]

TJ: You really think maybe
they don't have to scoot

across the floor [inaudible]

ANDREA: Men in underwear.

STRINGER: Men in underwear
rate very highly with women.

You'd be surprised.

This is more stock footage.

See, no, he's a team player.

That's what we're getting at.

ANDREA: Do you have to
rate a film like this?

DEKE: He works with men well.
STRINGER: Yeah.

That's what the focus
group [inaudible]

ANDREA: G, PG, R?

Wait.

EMILE: Deke, is that your voice?

(LAUGHING) Yeah.

[inaudible]

DEKE (ON TV): The game
goes into overtime.

Wilt Chamberlain.

DEKE (ON TV): Tanner is down.

DEKE: I want to associate
him with the-- the big guys.

DEKE (ON TV): This could be
a real blow for the Jayhawks.

Tanner is out of the game.

TJ: Oh, I love that face.

Vote for that man.

NARRATOR (ON TV): Jack
became a tireless leader

in the civil rights
and antiwar movements.

[guitar solo]

ANDREA: What happened?

STRINGER: Can you fix that?

Is that just on
the monitor, or--

Well, you can play
off of that one.

TJ: Where did you get the
civil rights stuff, Deke?

Uh, off of "You Are There."

Old "You Are There."

EMILE: Yeah, the old
Walter Cronkite show.

ANDREA: I love this speech.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY
(ON TV): Ask what

you can do for your country.

EMILE: Whoa!

[inaudible]

I have a dream today.

ANDREA: Who's Walter Cronkite?

Who owns the rights?

EMILE: Michael Jackson.

I loved that video.

The Michael Jackson video.

NEIL ARMSTRONG (ON TV):
Small step for man--

TJ: Giant step--

EMILE: [inaudible] Michael
Jackson doing the moonwalk.

[laughter]

NARRATOR (ON TV): Turbulent
60s, Jack's effectiveness

as an activist and
community organizer

eventually led to a successful
run for Congress in 1970.

(SINGING) I read the
news today, oh boy.

(WITH BRITISH ACCENT)
I buried Paul Simon.

[laughter]

Oh, if you do the
record backwards?

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Once in office--

Yeah.

NARRATOR (ON TV):
Congressmen Tanner

proved himself an astute
and capable legislator.

Out front on such--

EMILE: What's that?

NARRATOR (ON TV): --critical
issues as the environment--

STRINGER: It's a balloon.

NARRATOR (ON TV):
--and consumer safety--

EMILE: What's this?
Eggs?

NARRATOR (ON TV): Jack
Tanner quickly emerged--

TJ: [inaudible] the eggs, Deke?
ANDREA: Why--why eggs?

There's a lot of chicken
farmers in New Hampshire.

TJ: Yeah, maybe we could
take a second look at that.

STRINGER: Yeah, that should go.

EMILE: That's nice light.

Is that real light?

NARRATOR (ON TV): Landslide
reelections followed,

and the future is bright.
DEKE: [inaudible]

STRINGER: Sound
Solution Muffler.

Oh, it's love American style.

NARRATOR (ON TV): But in
1976 Jack's young family--

TJ: Uh, Deke?

I'm not real wild about
his poster burning up.

ANDREA: What--

STRINGER: Deke, you
do a burn away--

TJ: I really want [inaudible]

STRINGER: --you do
a slow burn away.

[inaudible]

OK, guys, quiet.

Where did you get these
pictures of his daughter?

DEKE: His bedroom.

NARRATOR (ON TV): His
only child, eight-year-old

Alexandra, was stricken
with Hodgkin's disease,

and Jack abruptly resigned
from office in order

to spend more time with her.

The Tanners returned
to East Lansing, where

Alexandra gradually recovered--

[piano notes]

NARRATOR (ON TV): --while Jack
resumed part-time teaching

to support his family.

TJ: You got to cut it, Deke.

He's never going to go for that.

[laughter]

Don't worry about
the color balance.

I can bring that around.

ANDREA: Is that
really their house?

Well, there's no
question those years

in the political
wilderness were tough ones.

But they weren't wasted.

I discovered I'd been given
a valuable chance to learn,

to challenge my most cherished
assumptions about both

myself and my country.

It was a rare opportunity.

So I engaged.

I took stock.

I read, I traveled.

But most importantly,
I listened.

He's such an intellectual.

TJ: Wait a minute.

Where's the rest of that speech?

STRINGER: That's all he says?

Well, he says a little more.

But I thought it would be more
important to watch him listen.

You know?
He's a listener.

Listen.
Watch.

TJ: No, but he had a
lot more to say, Deke.

See?

TJ: He's got a
wonderful quality.

I think when we come in on him,
he's coming across very well.

He's steady.

He's concentrated.

You trust him.

ANDREA: He's handsome.

People around today like
to talk in terms of limits.

Not too many of them
live in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire's on the move.

New Hampshire's
accessed the future.

New Hampshire knows
the future is now.

[saxophone music]

TJ: All right.

OK, look.

[clapping]

We've got all the cuts,
all the changes loaded.

Yep.

So you go back
and do your work.

And it's on to New Hampshire!

[stirring patriotic music]

TJ.

We're in New Hampshire.

Oh.

(LAUGHS) Well, then
on with New Hampshire!

STRINGER: Yeah!

ANDREA: Yeah!

[MUSIC - "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO
VOTE"]

Daddy?

Hi!

Hi, Sweetie.

How are you?

How are you?
I just got here.

- Yeah?
- [inaudible]

[inaudible] Goddamn Bush
and the goddamn White House,

you know, they've blocked off
all the exits to the airport.

(LAUGHING) Is that right?

Can you believe the
nerve of that man?

Well, that's nothing new.

ANDREA: Welcome, welcome.

[inaudible] electrical shocks,
or something, if that happens.

- Cold enough out there for you?
- Hi, Anthony.

How's it going?
- Good.

- We're all set up?
- All set.

OK.

You won't believe this
group we've got here.

We've got a shepherd out there.

We've got barmaids,
we got tax collectors.

There's a black guy.

We've got everything.

It's going to be a great group.

I'm so excited.

All right, we're all ready?

- Mm hm.
- OK.

OK.
Here we go.

Here we go.

TJ: Take a seat.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Stringer, are we ready to start?

Andrea.

Andrea, are we ready to go now?

ANDREA: I think so.

OK.

OK.

OK.

Good morning.

Good morning.

FOCUS GROUP WOMAN: Good morning.

Hi, my name is TJ Cavanaugh.

And I am Jack Tanner's
campaign manager.

FOCUS GROUP MAN: It's
really cold in here.

Are we gonna--

EMILE: We're--
sir, we're working

on getting some heaters.

TJ: Yeah, well, it'll
get-- it'll get warmer.

And I'd like to
introduce Doctor--

ANDREA: Do you want
me to take that?

Yeah, just a second.

Dr. David Hughes,
who's going to help

describe some of these
gizmos that you're

holding in your hand.

You don't have to be
afraid of Dr. Hughes.

His doctorate is in philosophy.

All right, talk to you later.
Bye.

Thank you, TJ.
ANDREA: Here.

Here, TJ.
- Thank you, honey.

Thank you very much.

And thank you for coming.

And the kind of thing
you're going to do today

is part of a new technique--

STRINGER: We need
some space heaters

in here because it's freezing.

There's no heat.

No.

No, that's not
going to be enough.

TJ: Will you please
get off the phone?

Take them out of
the other rooms.

We need them here.

TJ: Get off the phone.

For Tanner.

Yes.

I'll be right there.

Thank you.

All right.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.
Get two, OK?

There's only one.
Heat's out everywhere.

- Then get two.
- I'll try.

I don't want people to
freeze to death in there.

Come on.

Come on.

Would anyone like a blanket?

[chatter]

EMILE: Sir, we're going
to be getting to that.

And as I said, we will have the
heaters as soon as possible.

Andrea, could we, uh--

FOCUS GROUP MAN: Can
we get on with this?

I got things to do.

In case, I uh-- in case
I haven't introduced myself

to you outside, my name is Emile
Berkoff, and I'm the pollster

for the Tanner campaign.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Cavanaugh, they're really
complaining about the cold.

I know.

Stringer just went
out for the heaters.

He's going to be back in a
minute with hopefully two

of them.

OK, because they're
complaining a lot.

Why don't you should
give them some coffee?

Uh, what-- from room
service or something?

No, we don't have
money for room service.

Get the coffee right in there.

There's a ton of it.

Oh, great.

Oh, it's already made.

Yeah.

Is Mr. Tanner going
to be here soon?

I really want them
all to meet him.

No, he's not going to be here.

He's having a television session
at a farmhouse this afternoon.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: Farmer Bob?

We're not sending
him to Farmer Bob?

ANDREA: You're kidding.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: He's
right across the street

from the airport.
Every politician [inaudible]

TJ: I know.
I know, I know.

But he is conveniently located.

And besides, he had an opening.

[knocking]

ALEX: Mr. Bob!

Are-- are you
coming in, or not?

ALEX: Yes, sir, we are.

Hi, Mr. Bob.

Are you my 10:30 people?

- Yes, we are.
- You're late!

Hi, I'm Jack Tanner.
How are you?

We're very sorry.
My dad's plane was late.

It's the weather.
It's the snow.

Now--now--now,
don't be tracking

snow all over the place.

Mrs. Bob's got plenty
to do without having

to mop up after people.

We're very sorry.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Forgive us.

Oh, those-- those mini
cam people are the worst.

I've seen holsteins
with better manners.

I--I-- I really--
I had to threaten

to-- to-- to sue NBC when one
of them trucks tore up my lawn.

Oh, dear.

- Is that right?
- Yes.

Oh, dear.

You're not expecting
anybody, I hope?

Yes, we are.

WMUR.

We're sending over
a TV crew to--

I sent them away.

You got to try to
be here on time.

Sent them away-- [inaudible]

We have to get them back.

We have to call them.

All right.

All right.

[inaudible] everybody--
everybody takes it black.

Except Gephardt.

He turned his coffee
into a damn milkshake.

Do you have Sweet'N Low?

My dad likes Sweet'N Low.

JACK: No, no, no
I don't, actually.

I--I drink it black.

This is tolerable.

It's not as fresh as
it was 40 minutes ago.

Thank you.

Mrs. Bob didn't really take to
that Gephardt fellow too much.

ALEX: Here you go, black.
- Uh, thank you.

She called-- no, no, no, no, no.

I don't drink coffee.

That's yours.

She called him a blow
dried, uh, blow hard.

JACK: Is that right?

OK.

So you all have the idea of
the importance of opinions.

And, of course, what
we're doing here today

is very important
to the candidate.

What is Deke doing
with that damn camera?

Why is he shooting these people?

What's the point?

PROFESSOR HUGHES: We're
going to use that scale,

which is on the box.

And you'll notice
it goes from "Very

Unfavorable," which is one to
"Very Favorable," which is 7.

I need a flight reservation
for a Dr. [inaudible]

Deke, what are you doing?

Why are you shooting
those people?

Little something of
my own I'm working on.

Don't worry, I'm not
paying for the tape.

TJ: Well, what are you doing?

It's a neo-realistic political
film documentary, actually.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Would you mind if I
took your picture, here?

All right.
- Oh.

All right.
There we go.

Oh, good.

[inaudible] Thank you so much.

That's good.

That flash, you know, it
doesn't work all the time

and then I have a terrible time.
- I know.

They're very funny,
those cameras.

I know it.

But she's not
really committed yet.

I'm-- I'm probably going
to vote for Dudakis.

Uh huh.

Well, now, you don't
want to vote for a guy

unless you know his name.

- Don't know his name?
- That is a good Dukakis.

Isn't that good?

That looks just like him.

And then I've got a
whole batch of Kemps here.

But I thought that
maybe my neighbor

down the road, Ellie
Duncan, that maybe she would

trade me some of her Doles.

And then I would have a complete
set up with this fellow.

Listen.

I want you to sign
in my guest book.

All right?
- Oh, sure.

Yeah, here we go.

I'd be glad to.
- Yeah.

All right.

You got them all, haven't you?

(LAUGHING) Yeah, sure.

Robertson, Kemp.

That's a pretty scary page.

FARMER BOB: It's a whole
rogues gallery. [laughs]

Let's see.

You want me here
under Smiling Al Haig?

Yeah.

Would you--would
you like a button?

Oh, well, no thanks.

I don't collect those.

Buttons, you know.

I collect the Polaroids instead.

ALEX: Oh.
- Sure.

Margaret Burke does those.

There you go.

Jack Tanner?

Who's that?

MRS. BOB: Never heard of him.

Now, please dial your
political philosophy, number

one if you're a conservative.

Number two if you're liberal.

And then, again, the same thing.

Press the button on top
of your box to enter.

But dial first, and
then press the button.

[laughter]

PROFESSOR HUGHES: OK.
[inaudible] this moves up

and down so that you can, uh--

(CHANTING) It's time
to work the phones.

It's time to work the phones.

Al Haig kicks ass, [inaudible]
It's time to work the--

TJ: Excuse me.

We're in the
middle of a meeting.

No, we got an Al Haig
Phone-A-Thon we gotta be at.

Excuse me.

[interposing voices]

You have the wrong room.

Jack Tanner, that bum?

Give me a break

[interposing voices]

ANDREA: The heater, the heater!

[inaudible]

[interposing voices]

OK, guys, just get
the fuck out of here!

Whoa. [inaudible]

[interposing voices]

[applause]

He's 1.2 in the polls.

They get nervous.

They get angry.

OK, you know, let's
have some pizza.

Pizza.

You want some pizza?
- Hooray!

Yeah!
[cheering]

Good.

FRANK: I read some of
your pieces occasionally.

HAYES: Oh.
FRANK: Pretty good stuff.

HAYES: Thanks.

FRANK: Yeah.

HAYES: How's Elizabeth?

Hey, did you ever marry that,
uh, that tall blonde that

wore the retainer?

FRANK: No, I didn't.

She was crazy.

She was a hop head.

She was a drunk.

Oh, gosh.

ALEX: Who's he?

FRANK: I don't know him.

[inaudible]

HAYES: Jack.

He's our entourage.

His name's Hayes Taggerty.

He's with the Boston Globe.

Hiya, Hayes.
- Jack.

How you doing?
ALEX: Guys.

Are you guys here to cover the
Tanner [inaudible] campaign?

Oh, hey, I've been trying
to catch up with you all day.

You were supposed to be
at Farmer Bob's at 10:00

Well, you're media, right?

I mean, you're not
just individuals?

That guy hasn't been
the same since Carter

posed with his chickens in '76.

Hey, this--

I'm Jack Tanner, how are you?

This is Frank
Gatlin from Time.

- Time Magazine.
- Time?

Oh, really?

ALEX: You know, if you've got
a few minutes, [inaudible]

I guess I'm coming
up in the world.

I gotta get going.

I've got a meeting [inaudible]
assignment in Concord.

JACK: Oh.

FRANK: Let's go.

JACK: Nice to meet you, anyway.

It would really only
take a couple minutes.

I think it'll be very
valuable time spent.

- He worked with my father.
- Yeah?

He's a good man.

Alex?

HAYES: He married
the craziest girl.

Yeah, I'm sorry.
What?

This is-- this is
a friend of mine.

Hayes Taggerty.
This is my daughter Alex.

Hi.

It's nice to meet
you, Mr. Taggerty.

Ah, yeah.
Let me see.

HAYES: Yes.

BU, right?

Second year.

ALEX: Yes.

Arrested in the shanty town
incident, suspension revoked.

Right?
- Why?

Do you support apartheid?

Where do you get
this stuff, Hayes?

The interest is there, Jack.

Listen, I'm writing
a series of columns

on the events and figures that
helped shape the characters

of the various candidates.
- Oh, great.

Which am I?

A figure or an event?

This is great.

(LAUGHING) She's charming.

Afternoon.

Can I get 10 of your
large pizzas, please?

Sure.

10 large pizzas?
- Yeah.

Would you like
something on them?

No, nothing.

How long's it going to take?

VINNIE: 20, 25 minutes.

Uh, 15, 20?

That'd be great.

I'm in a hurry.

VINNIE: Push 'em in for you.

STRINGER: [inaudible] a
milk while I'm waiting.

VINNIE: OK, the name?

STRINGER: Stringer.

VINNIE: Stringer.

All right.

There you go.

OK.
Here's your milk.

STRINGER: Thank you.

VINNIE: You're welcome.

Uh, Vinnie, you know,
better make that nine.

VINNIE: OK, no problem.

Thanks.

ROGAN: Hey, Stringer.

Hard to find a good massage
parlor when you're on the road,

isn't it?

You're the expert, Rogan.

ROGAN: Yeah, I used to be.

When your candidate's
hot, you gotta send out.

You know what I mean?

By the way, when
are you going to get

yourself a job, Stringer?

STRINGER: Enjoying your 15
minutes, are you, Rogan?

What can I say?

The Duke cuts at New Hampshire.

Hell, folks around
here, they like

tooling down I-95
just to see what

economic miracle looks like.

STRINGER: Yeah, and what it
looks like is an SDI pig out.

Reagan's build up
saved Dukakis' ass.

His own party'd won,
he'd now be selling

elevator shoes in South Boston.

That mouth of yours got a
real [inaudible] Stringer.

Look, you ever get over
your version of winning,

call me at campaign
headquarters.

I'd call yours, but I wouldn't
want to tie up the lines

at the Sleepy Bear Motor Lodge.

Oh, and Stringer.

Gore's got enough problems
without you, uh, canceling

his volunteer meetings.

LADIES AUXILIARY MEMBER: And, as
you can see, all of the squares

have been signed by celebrities.

JACK: Oh, yes.

There's Governor Sununu.

And Annette Funicello.

And Mildred is working
on Paul Mooney.

He comes to the [inaudible]

JACK: Oh, really.

No, I didn't know that.

[chatter]

Where's Congressman Tanner?

He's the, uh, male one.

If you would be willing to
unwrap one of our squares,

we'd be so honored.

Oh, I'd be more than happy to.

Mildred, would
you hand me that?

Thank you.
Thank you.

It's for a good cause.

Mm hm.

The quilt will
be auctioned off.

And the proceeds
will go to benefit

the library at Trinity School.

Now, just take this pen.

[inaudible]

Ladies.

Woo hoo!

Woo hoo!

Ladies.

In case some of you don't
know, this handsome gentleman

is Congressman Jack Tanner.

And he's graciously consented
to sign one of our squares.

[chatter]

He's also agreed--
he's also agreed

to-- to say a few words to us.

So let's give him a warm,
Ladies Auxiliary welcome.

[applause]

JACK: Thank you
very much, ladies.

It's a pleasure to be here.

I'd like to, first of all,
introduce my daughter, Alex.

She's, uh, up here helping me.

- Oh, hello, Alex.
- How are you?

And, uh--

Would you like
to make a quilt?

I wanted to say--

[chatter]

--first of all, I'm-- I'm
inspired to, uh, see that, um--

How come you're here?

Welcome to New Hampshire.

Thank you.
Thank you very much.

- --this beautiful work.
- Are you helping him?

Maybe you should
run for president.

Uh, it moves me to say
that I think there's a lot--

[chatter]

Uh, Boston University.

Uh--

[inaudible] about
volunteerism in this country.

Your first trip
to New Hampshire?

Very much.
Very much.

Volunteerism is, uh--

Yes, it is.

[excited chatter]

JACK: I just wanted to say--

ALEX: Uh, she's in California.

JACK: --a couple of things about
volunteerism in this country.

Where it's warm.

JACK: Volunteerism--

Uh, no, she's not, actually.

My parents are divorced.

JACK: --people like
yourselves are--are--are truly

the backbone of this country.
LADIES AUXILIARY: Awww.

JACK: There's no doubt about it.

ALEX: [inaudible] BU.
Boston University.

JACK: This country, without
women like yourselves, uh--

The second year.

Excuse me.

I told your people
were [inaudible]

LADIES AUXILIARY MEMBER: Would
you like to try [inaudible]

I think you should [inaudible]

I don't think I'm
very good at it.

Now, you just put your needle
in and then back up again.

[inaudible] OK?

Who's this now?

This is Bert Convy.

You know Bert Convy.

Oh.
Bert Convy.

I don't know.

HAYES: Tanner sews
up New Hampshire.

Leaves them in stitches.

JACK: "To Jesse Jackson,
New Hampshire's an anomaly.

So why does Jackson seek
validation in this icy

political no man's land?

One might as well ask why the
boy, born to Helen Jackson

and Noah Robinson Sr. that
October night in 1941,

spent his childhood in
pursuit of legitimacy,

shamed by the taunts of--"

Jesus H. You don't miss a
Freudian freckle, do you?

HAYES: Hey, it's the only way
to understand the man, Jack.

I mean, it's easy to
evaluate the manager.

But the leader--
that's something else.

You have to determine not just
what the candidate is, but why.

You have to ask
what drives them.

Listen, Jack,
don't get me wrong.

I haven't joined the
character cops yet.

Unless you start
twirling your trousers

around your head like Hart,
I'm really not interested.

Why are you driving?

ALEX: What?

You've never
driven me anywhere.

Why are you driving?

You're the candidate.

I'm the advance person.

That means I drive.

(SIGHS) She drives.

I didn't even know
you had a license.

This is good.

JACK: Get out of the car, Hayes.

OK.

Now this is the event
you've all been waiting for.

You've been wanting to
see this Tanner tape.

And we want you to
respond continuously.

We're all set.

Now, I'm going to go
back and turn on the VCR.

And you just start
responding immediately.

OK, I'll be back
in the back room.

Take care of things.

Remember to keep dialing
continuously, OK?

We need your reactions all
the time throughout the tape.

ANDREA: I think you're
going to like it, though.

I'm not supposed to say that.

FOCUS GROUP MAN: [inaudible]

CAMPAIGN WORKER: Any time.

Any feelings that you have,
you like what you see--

You see that little red dot?

That's the average
for the whole group.

And the bar each side is
the standard deviation.

That's how much they differ
among the [inaudible]

So you can see over here--

JACK (ON TV): There's my phone.

TJ, we're doing
fantastic so far.

Yeah, they seem to
like the snow scene.

I think they're [inaudible]

How's he doing with the women?

I'd just go right
through the bushes.

We don't have that yet.

We'll have that
in a few minutes.

JACK (ON TV): Hello?

[patriotic music]

[laughter]

[inaudible]

Is it going down, or
is it holding steady?

No, it's going down.

Look at that.

It just went way down.

It's down to three.

NARRATOR (ON TV): Then the phone
began to ring off the hook.

[laughter]

Where's this guy from?

Shh.

[MUSIC - "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO
VOTE"]

SONG: Pick the proper candidate.

You can change the
course of fate.

It's a decision
that you must make.

Select the one you
think is great for you.

Pat, how are you?

Nice to see you.
- Hey, nice to see you.

This is my daughter, Alex.

Hi, Alex, how are you?

Hi.

Good, how are you?

Sure tearing 'em
up in my home state.

Well, Michigan is
a strong one for me.

You know that, Jack.

I'll say.

I'll tell you, it made
me glad to be a Democrat.

I wouldn't want to
be up against you.

(LAUGHING) Well,
the Republicans are

going to be tough this year.

But we wish you the best.

I know.

Looking tougher all the time.

[laughter]
- Congratulations.

- Thank you, Jack.
- Pat--

Take care of yourself, Pat.

--what about this term,
"Christian hardball"

we keep hearing?

Well, I don't know
about Christian Hardball--

[inaudible] thrown
at their heads?

--this is plain
ol'-- I used to be

a boxer in the Golden Gloves
and a heavyweight wrestler.

And so I'm not afraid
of political hardball.

I just don't want
anybody to play dirty.

That's all.
- Playing for keeps.

Playing for keeps.

And we're playing serious.

But not dirty.

All right.

All right.

Hey, lose the mic cord.

Excuse me.

Thank you.

NARRATOR (ON TV): 1976,
Jack's young family was

struck by personal calamity.

FOCUS GROUP MEMBER: I
hate when that happens.

NARRATOR (ON TV):
His only child,

eight-year-old Alexandra--

Sob story.

It's not getting the women.

They're going down on it.

Not a handsome child.

TJ: Why do you think that is?

Well, it's the
sympathy phenomenon.

Voters really resent
using the family

to try to get a sympathy vote.

I've seen it go down
in a lot of situations.

TJ: They're feeling manipulated?

PROFESSOR HUGHES:
Oh, absolutely.

Bush, for example,
when he introduced

his family in that Houston,
little 90 second clip,

that was a disaster.

And he ended on a low
note because the way

he treated his family.

People are getting
really tired of that.

People even tuned
down for Mrs. Dole.

They're getting tired
of bringing family in.

But I haven't seen
anything this bad.

JACK: Bob.

Hey, Jack, how you doing?

You're killing 'em.

You're really
closing the gap, right?

Well, I'm hanging
on by my fingernails.

Nah, you're doing a great job.

Well, thanks very much.

But you're really something.

You're really doing it.

Well, we've got
'em on the run.

- Yes, we have.
- Beating the Bushes.

Well, I think
it's going to be you

and me in the final stretch,
if I--if I can hang in there.

It's good to see you.
Good Good luck.

And we'll see you in November.
- OK.

Take care.
Take care.

Pleasure to see you again.

Thank you.
Bye bye.

Nice to see you again.

Take care.

Come on, kiddo.

OK, let's go.

JACK (ON TV): They don't feel
pain that's not their own.

And yet this is central
to the way Americans

feel about themselves.

Wait a minute.

Look, it's going back up.

Again, the same shot.

What do you think
they're responding to here?

CAMPAIGN WORKER: The scenes of
New Hampshire, if you ask me.

No, they're
responding to his face.

He's got a great face.

JACK (ON TV): [inaudible]
to be stimulated

by the same disputes, even on
either side, is to be alike.

Now, in my generation, the
civil rights awakening compelled

people to choose sides.

For some of us,
not to go to Selma

was to be on the wrong side.

Don't get me wrong--

FOCUS GROUP MAN: Who's Selma?

[chatter]

What's Selma?

Alabama.

He wasn't there. [inaudible]

[inaudible]

Oh, yeah, I certainly did.

It was quite a time.

GIRL ON VIDEO: What's Selma?

(LAUGHING) What's Selma?

What's Selma.

FOCUS GROUP MAN: Hey,
that was my question.

- That's right.
- You were ahead of 'em.

That's right.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: How do
you want to approach this?

Do you want [inaudible]

Oh, hello, Congressman.

DEKE: I can't believe my
work [inaudible] subjected

to this-- this computer.

I mean--

Hi, how are you?

Joe.

TJ: Listen, your work is going
to be subjected to [inaudible].

Yeah, nice to hear from you.

Where's my cigarettes?

Somebody have a cigarette?

TJ.

TJ: [inaudible] context.

And I want to re-edit tonight.
- TJ.

TJ: What?

It's Joe again.

TJ: Oh, great.

She's coming, Joe.

- OK.
- OK.

Nice talking to you.
Right.

Bye bye.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: Who?

EMILE: Can I take-- Joe Kennedy.

Hi, Joe.

Yeah.

Listen, can I call you back?

I--

- Joe Kennedy's on the phone?
- Yes.

Excuse me, please.

TJ: Joe.

OK, um.

That's Robert Kennedy's son.

Hold on a second, will you?

Is he sliding
or holding steady?

Sliding.

[cursing under breath]
Joe, listen.

I've got kind of a situation.

OK?

So we've got to
talk in another--

Let's just pick out the lows.

Mm hm.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: All right,
then let's pick out the highs.

That's fine.

Yeah.

Oh yeah, I know.

But listen, I don't
know that committee.

I don't know any of the people.

I don't know the players.

I don't know how
the committee works.

I just can't help you.

I know.

I know.

It's getting to me, too.

I-- what?

What?

Where are you calling me from?

A basketball game.

Listen, Joe, why don't you
just go ask your uncle?

REPORTER: Congressman.

Is hurting your
campaign that you

can't travel the
state without running

into the other candidates?

Oh, not at all.

You expect to run into
the other candidates.

It's a small state
with small towns.

We just ran into Bob Dole, here.

A lovely guy.

I've known him for
years, you know.

I like seeing him, actually.

I don't agree with him
for a second politically.

But that's the game, you know?

We like each other.

There's a collegiality
about it all.

Yeah, people get
a very skewed view.

I mean, they--
they see candidates

for the presidency as enemies.

And they're not, I mean,
you know, we're all friends

and part of the same community.

There really is no antagonism
between personalities.

REPORTER: Are you
getting the impression

there might be a
political career

for yourself somewhere down
the road, 10 12 years from now?

Uh, I can't think
about that right now.

I'm just here to help my dad.

Do not pull that on me.

That was a victory party.

I was drunk, and it was
just a figure of speech.

OK.

I'm hanging up now, Joe.

You hear me?

I'm hanging up.

No, I'm not.

No.

I'm-- listen.

Bobby, I just don't
have time for this.

I'm-- Did I say that?

CAMPAIGN WORKER: Never
really recovered.

Well.

That's how tired I am.

It's true, I don't
have a highly structured

campaign organization.

I don't have an
army of [inaudible]

[laughter]

I certainly don't
have much money.

But what I do have is infinitely
more valuable-- the currency

and power of ideas.

[MUSIC - "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO
VOTE"]

[inaudible] how you doing?

Nice to see you.

How's it going?

This is my daughter, Alex.
- Hi.

How are you?

Gary Hart, very nice to see you.

So how's it going?
- Fine.

I'm tired.
How you feeling?

I gave you a plug in
there, so go get 'em.

Did you?
Take care.

- Good luck in there.
- I want to beat you.

But I'd rather have
you in there than Kemp.

Well, I understand.

Same is true of you.

Good luck to you.
I hope it goes well.

- It's good to see you.
- Thank you.

- Take care of yourself.
- OK, you too.

Nice to meet you.

Senator, if we, uh,
get some time before I

leave tomorrow night.
- Sure.

Yeah.

I'd be glad to.
- Great.

I don't know
whether [inaudible]

Right?

[inaudible] Warm.

OK, you too.

Thanks.

[MUSIC - "EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO
VOTE"]

New Hampshire is on the move.

New Hampshire--

It simply isn't working.

CAMPAIGN WORKER:
What's that, sir?

[inaudible]

Don't forget me on election day!

PROFESSOR HUGHES: This is
symptomatic of no faith

in his ability to
control the situation.

You know, he goes in.

He's supposedly going to
be running the country.

But here he is.

[interposing voices]

DEKE: No, it adds to
the realism of the man.

You don't understand neo-realism
and the predominant theme

of a man's struggle against
an indifferent society.

Yeah, yeah.

TJ: Deke, if I hear you use
the phrase "neo-realism"

one more time, you're going
to be using it outside.

PROFESSOR HUGHES: Conservatives
right now are a little

better than the liberals.

Age-- age group,
there's no real split.

When Jack come in--

EMILE: [inaudible] we're doing
much better with the women.

PROFESSOR HUGHES: Yeah.
Even--even [inaudible]

Conservatives are going up.

The women are going up.
PROFESSOR HUGHES: Yeah.

Maybe Phyllis Schlafly
will vote for him.

EMILE: Who's Phyllis--

ALEX: Hi, how are you?

Do you want a button?

[inaudible]

Maybe.

[inaudible] Keep your
mother off my case.

Mom is in California where
she can't catch you, remember?

Yeah, right.

[inaudible]
Hi.

Hi.
Hi, I'm Alex Tanner.

I'm Jack Tanner.

ALEX: Nice to meet you.

JACK: Thank you.

You too. [inaudible]

ALEX: Thank you very much.

[inaudible] talk
to the TV station.

Oh, OK.
All right.

- Hi.
- Hi, I'm Jack Tanner.

Hi.
I'm a Republican.

Uh oh.

But I thought I'd
come down and see what

you had to offer as a Democrat.

JACK: Well, I'm glad you came.

Joe?

Hi.

I just want to come over and
thank you for coming out.

I think we're going to make a
lot of noise out here today.

OK.

Well, keep an open mind.

Have you seen her
mother lately, Jack?

Who?

Alex's mother, Carol.

WOMAN: [inaudible]
very nice man.

WOMAN: He seemed nice.

Stop that, will you?

Stop what?

Hi, I'm Jack Tanner.

How are you?

Can you hear me?
[feedback]

JACK: Thanks very much.
Nice to meet you.

Can you hear me?

Your friends say
that she held you

at an incredible
high standard-- that

you could never measure up.

Same situation with your mother.

Similar.

Who says this?

Friends.

About my mother?

No, Carol.

And, uh, to Mrs.
Bohannan and Mrs. Melville

for all the really great food.

I haven't had any yet.

But I could smell it.

It smells wonderful.

Why do you think they
tell me things like that?

ALEX: My name is
Alexandra Tanner.

I don't know why anybody'd
ever tell you anything, Hayes.

Every time a candidate takes a
leak, you start taking notes.

Am I-- am I taking notes?

--this morning.

And I'm here to
introduce you to my dad.

A very special man, and the next
President of the United States.

Mr. Jack Tanner!

Oh, and by the way.

I learned to drink
to please my father--

ALEX: Dad?

--who I wanted to murder, so
I could then marry my mother.

- Dad?
- This is true.

Be sure you get it right.

Quote me correctly.

ALEX: Dad?

Mm.

ALEX: Told you to watch out for
that New Hampshire beer, Dad,

but you didn't listen, huh?

(LAUGHING) Yes, you did.

Jack Tanner,
ladies and gentlemen.

[cheering]

Thank you, Alex.

Thanks, ladies and gentlemen.

Sorry I missed my cue, Alex.

I was having such a
great time over there.

You know, a few minutes
ago, I looked out

over this indescribably
beautiful vista.

And I said to myself, New
Hampshire is a rich state.

JACK (ON TV): New
Hampshire's on the move.

New Hampshire's
accessed the future.

[chuckling]

JACK (ON TV): New Hampshire
knows the future is now.

TJ: It's amazing.
- All right.

We're coming into
the end here, now.

What-- what do you think
of the overall trend?

Is it still down?

PROFESSOR HUGHES:
I'm afraid it is.

Yeah!

This is truly our
natural heritage--

[engines whining]

--that we used to
take for granted.

But now we know that
these vast, fragile lands

are our most precious legacy.

They replenish the soul.

And they soothe-- they
replenish our spirit

and they soothe our--
they soothe-- whatever.

All right.

Sorry.

At this time we're
going to bring Professor

Hughes back into the room.

And he's going to help us
assess your, uh-- the data

that we've culled from
your reactions to the film.

And now here's, uh, (TRAILS OFF)

Fine, thanks, Emile.

This has been a very
useful session for us.

You've given us a
lot of good response,

a lot of material
to think about.

A lot of information.

But the most
important information

doesn't come from the numbers.

It comes from people.

ANDREA: OK.

Well, let me first help
you hand these out.

STRINGER: OK.

Pizza!

[cheering]

Here you go.

Take one, pass it back.

We're trying to-- we're
trying to explain [inaudible]

I know.

But they're-- they can
eat at the same time.

[chatter]

And pass that
back. [inaudible]

I think they're
plain, actually.

Be careful, the bottoms are hot.

[inaudible]

[chatter]

[inaudible] these ideas.

He had Kennedy, he had
Martin Luther King.

I mean, where's his ideas?

Forget the stuff of associating
himself with heroes.

It's almost like Biden.

Instead of just coming
out and plagiarizing,

he puts all the
faces around him.

It's the same thing.

He's not saying anything.

He's let other
people speak for him.

He's saying that
ideas are his currency.

Well, if that's his
currency, then let's

see the color of his money.

Yeah, well, just aside
from anything else,

I mean, just the thing that
spurred my gut reaction

is that someone
would allow himself

or encourage his
publicist to portray him

in such a sentimental manner.

I mean, these soulful
monologues by the fireside with

this soppy music underneath.

I just-- I don't
trust anyone who--

FOCUS GROUP MAN:
He's a lovely man.

That's all he is, as
far as I'm concerned.

He's a nice man.

CAMPAIGN WORKER: And you
don't particularly want

a lovely man to be president?

I--no, I think I--I have to
have a little more substance.

FOCUS GROUP MAN: He's the
perfect vice president.

[laughter]

Why does he want
to be president?

What's he running for, anyway?

CAMPAIGN WORKER: What--what
made you say he was

looking for a sympathy vote?

Well, [inaudible]
that old, uh, WWII

stuff about the [inaudible]

The sob story.

[interposing voices]

ANDREA: No, I--I
don't feel that way.

I'm that-- I disagree.

I'm from that exact--

FOCUS GROUP MAN: Selma?

I've been to Selma.

HAYES: Will you let me out?

[groans] You take
care of your dad.

See you in the funny papers.

Yeah, yeah.

REPORTER (ON RADIO):
Jesse Jackson

was in Concord for
a news conference

on the statehouse steps.

Jack Tanner and Richard Gephardt
are also in the state today.

Both Republicans
were at Dartmouth--

STRINGER: The thing
is, these people

have seen presidential
candidates come

through here all their lives.

It's a whole state
of Farmer Bobs.

They've been exposed to
too many candidates, too

many political ads.

Stringer, what are you saying?

Are you saying that the
people of New Hampshire

are too sophisticated for us?

Are you saying that they're
too jaded for some film collage

from an East Village
pitch artist?

What'd she say?

Uh, excuse me, Mrs. Cavanaugh?

Yeah, Andrea, what is it?

I was wondering if it would
be OK for me to come in and--and

sit with you guys for a while.

Because Dr. Hughes left with
all those demographickers.

I've been feeling
kind of depressed.

You're depressed?

Yeah, well, not really.

I mean, I've been thinking
that maybe it's because--

No, Andrea, it's OK, honey.

Come on in.

Sit down.

Thanks.

I know that Tanner's
going to win.

I mean, none of that's changed.

You can't blame the consumer.

Ask yourself, Stringer.

Is that guy on the tape the guy
you left Shearson Lehman for?

Is that guy running
through the snow

to answer his telephone the
next leader of the free world?

TJ, all I'm saying is it
could be the process itself.

For the voters, it's
long, it's tedious.

It's numbing.

What they may be resisting
is the whole idea

of another candidacy.

No, no.

I'm sorry, but I disagree.

That is not what the people
in the next room have told us.

Quite the reverse.

More than ever,
people want a leader

that they can believe in.

91% of Americans
believe that this is

the best place on the planet.

Sure, I do.

EMILE: And that gives people
a sense of entitlement.

The best demand the best.

God, more than ever people want
a leader who can lift them up,

someone who can cast a spell,
who can throw a bold message

into high relief
with peerless grace--

someone who can lead
without intimidation,

who can command without rancor.

They want a-- they want a--

A white Jesse Jackson.

EMILE: (LAUGHING) Yes.

Or a black Bruce Babbitt.

ALEX: Dad?

JACK: Mm hm?

ALEX: Do you like him?

JACK: Who?

[inaudible]

When do you have to be
back at school, honey?

I don't.

What do you mean you don't?

I don't have to
be back at school.

I'm taking the semester off.

Oh, that's great, Lexi.

You mean you dropped out so
you could hang around a hotel?

ALEX: I talked to the dean.

It's perfectly fine.

It's crazy, is what it is.

I mean, I may not even be
a candidate after 48 hours.

Then in 48 hours
I'll be back at school.

JACK: Oh, honey.

Dad, if you'll make it, and
I had nothing to do with it,

I'd never forgive myself.

And if you don't make it--
well, I have to be there.

ALEX: No, you don't.

That's the point.

You don't have to.

TJ said she can
use me advancing.

And if I could really
get my act together

I could stand in for
you sometimes, maybe.

Your mother's--

Mom will get over it.

No, she won't.

She'll find me.

She'll hunt me down.

She'll reopen the
custody battle.

She'll string me up.
- Daddy.

Hello.
- She'll cut me open.

I've been there before.

I'm 19.

Yeah.

And with a license.

And with a license.

REPORTER (ON RADIO):
Temperatures going

into the single digits tonight.

Sunny tomorrow.

I'm Robbie Honig reporting.

AL HAIG CAMPAIGNERS: (SINGING)
It's time to work the phones.

George Bush ain't got no stones.

Al Haig kicks ass,
his balls are grass.

It's time to work the phones.
ALEX: I have to tell you.

JACK: Mm hm.

ALEX: These are the
Haig volunteers.

They roam through the halls
all hours of the day and night,

screaming and singing.

JACK: Hi, guys.

See if you can stay
away from them.

Oh, I'll try real hard.

But they're just so
charming and drunken.

Haig supporters
have all the fun.

Life is very fun in the hotel.

OK.

You've got a reception in
the Versailles Room at 7:15.

JACK: OK, OK, OK.

Don't be late.

JACK: I'll be there.

OK.

I missed you.

I missed you too.

I've already seen
9 people I know.

Price of fame, my dear.

We're in 204.

Last one there pays
for the magic fingers.

[interposing voices]

Are you Tanner?

Yeah, hi.

Jack Tanner.

We just saw a movie
about you on TV.

Did you like it?

Oh, really, did you?

Yeah.

Yeah, you said something
about accessing the future.

Yeah, it's
important. [inaudible]

FOCUS GROUP WOMAN: Can
I have your autograph?

[interposing voices]

We've got a radio
interview to go to.

[interposing voices]

I know.

Bye.

Bye.

[interposing voices]

STRINGER: That was
the focus group.

We just finished.
JACK: Oh yeah?

How did we do?

STRINGER: I think we're going
to surprise a lot of people.

JACK: Yeah?

Well, surprise me first.

No, Joe, I'm sorry.

It's still not a
good time to talk.

Don't you have anybody else
you can discuss this with?

I'm not turning on you.

ANDREA: Hi, Mr. Delduka?

This is Andrea Spinelli.

I got your name from Mark Atrio.

He said that you might
be interested in doing

some volunteer work for
the Jack Tanner campaign?

Yeah.

Are you still interested?

That's great.

Because we need as many people
right now as we can get.

What is it with your family?

You Kennedys always
take it personality

whenever somebody
wants to get back

involved with their own life.

ANDREA: I think that
the best thing to do

would be if you could come
down sometime this afternoon.

It's not--

ANDREA: Or whenever
it's convenient to you.

No.

I'm s-- well, I'm-- what?

Oh.

Well, I'm sorry
you're disappointed

with Congress, Joe.

So quit.

Oh, well I don't-- I don't
know why he said that, then.

Heavy mantle, my ass.

Since I have you on the phone,
maybe you'd like to come down

to the campaign headquarters.

You're starting to
sound like Prince Charles.

And I'm sure once you
see all the information--

No, I don't know.

--that we have here
about Congressman Tanner--

OK.
OK, Joe.

--that once you meet him--

Vote yes.

Vote yes.

OK, then, vote no.

I don't know what to tell you.

I c-- I gotta go.

Uh, um.

Yeah, no, I've got
to go right now.

OK.
Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Trouble in Camelot?

It's the third time
he's called today.

Well, tell me you had
a better day than I did.

TJ: I can't.

The group didn't get it.

What?

Any of it.

Why you're running.

The point of your candidacy.

They didn't get it.

And neither did--

JACK: Yeah.

You're not so sure
anymore, either, right?

Eh, I'm tired.

Yeah, so am I. You know, TJ.

Just before you
called me last spring,

Lexi and I went down to
the Democratic leadership

conference in South Carolina.

The last night, we
were sitting around

with Kirk O'Donnell
and Hart, Biden,

couple of the candidates.

We were shooting the breeze
about how much the party

had changed since the 60s.

And suddenly, out of the
blue, Lexi turned to Hart,

and she asked him who
his favorite Beatle was.

And at first, Hart laughed.

And then he stumbled around
trying to remember a name.

Then she repeated her
question for Biden.

And Biden said, well, he--
he'd never been a Beatles fan.

He was into jazz.

And Dukakis answered
Paul, because he

liked his wife or something.

Now, I don't know if Lexi knows
the names of all the Beatles

herself, let alone the
answer to her own question.

But it suddenly dawned on
me that I sure as hell did.

And I knew for sure
that anybody who

didn't had absolutely no claim
to generational leadership.

Now, I must have, what,
10 years on Joe Biden.

But damn it, he wasn't
paying attention back then.

And I was.

And one of the things I
figured out very early on

was the singer mattered
as much as the song.

That ideas were only as
valuable as the people

who got behind them.

I mean, people that
wouldn't settle.

People unafraid
of honest inquiry.

People who didn't mind asking
the impertinent question.

God, the impertinent question.

Where the hell would
we be without it?

It's the glory and the engine
of all human experience.

Copernicus asked it.

Shook the foundations
of his world.

Darwin asked it.

He's repudiated to this day.

Thomas Jefferson asked it.

So invigorated by
it, he declared

it to be an inalienable right.

I'm not smart enough to
know all the answers.

But I do know we've got to
keep asking the questions.

That's what the American
experiment is all about.

It's at the very core of
our character as a people.

We owe our vigor to
its constant renewal.

You know, I don't
have much patience

for these guys who
go around saying

the pride is back in America.

For some of us, it never left.

Vietnam may have covered
some patriots in shame.

But not this one.

We got in there
for moral reasons

and, by God, we got out of
there for moral reasons.

Where else on this Earth does
such debate center on anything

other than expediency.

Only in America.

Watergate.

Triumph of the system.

How could anybody watch
Barbara Jordan thunder away

at those House hearings and
not feel a surge of pride

at the miracle of this country?

And there are those
people who will tell you

that our noisy dissent,
our raucous squabble,

weakened us as a country,
caused us to lose our supremacy.

Don't you believe it.

We are the envy of this world.

Why?

Because throughout our history,
we have always maintained

that we could do better.

We've insisted that
we can do better.

We've always been
willing to reinvent

ourselves for the common good.

And in our darkest hour,
leaders, real leaders,

have always stepped
forward to hold

the American people to the
responsibility of citizenship.

Well, it's time for that
kind of leadership now, TJ.

I'm not sure that it's me.

But I'd like the
chance to find out.

Oh, and if you young
people are still wondering,

the right answer's John Lennon.

Did you get it?

I got it.

Oh.

What?