Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing.

Zoey: My father sees danger, like, behind the curtains.

Hey, Zoey, do me favor-- walk on the other side of me, would you?

You know something, Josh?

Sometimes I wonder

if I'd listened to you two years ago

would I be President right now?

You ever wonder that?

No, sir. I know it for sure.

Gun!

( gunfire )

Get down!

( gunfire continues )

( tires squealing )

Man ( over radio ): We have no idea on the sweep of the perimeter at this time.

No idea.

( sirens wailing )

( garbled radio transmission)

Ron: Zoey's secure.

President: Get her again.

She wasn't hit, sir. She's...

Why can't she talk? She's vomiting t her on in the car. the radio, ple

Why the hell...?

It happens, sir. We'll...

Why is she vomiting?

It happens. It could be shock.

Ron... Is Gina with her? She might've gotten an elbow in the stomach.

Gina put her in the car.

She's not with her?

She's got two other agents in the car.

She's got Mike and Fred, sir.

They're going to have her back in the White House...

Why isn't Gina in the car?

Gina put Zoey in the car, then stayed behind for the ID Agent.

Mr. President, please.

( gasping )

Is anybody dead back there?

We don't know. We don't think so.

What happened to your hand?

I got hit.

Oh, God! Coop, turn around!

We've got to go to the hospital.

We've got to get you to the White...

We're going to the hospital. Let's go!

I have to put you inside the White House, Mr. President.

This isn't something we discuss.

This is... My daughter is throwing up

on the floor in the car behind us

you're losing blood by the liter, not to mention

God knows how many broken bones you've got in your hand

but let's make sure that I'm tucked in bed

before we do anything... Mr. President?

G.W.! Blue! Blue! Blue!

Left thigh, neurovasc intact.

She's stable. Give me some 4 x 4s.

I'm really fine.

Scalp laceration secondary to fall.

I hit my head on the ground.

No LOC?

Somebody pulled me down.

Are you C.J. Cregg?

Yeah.

Can you tell me what day it is?

It's still Monday.

Okay, C.J., you're more shaken up than anything else.

I don't think you're going to need stitches

but you should find someplace to lie down.

Is The President dead?

I wouldn't know anything about that.

You all right?

What?

Are you all right? Yeah. Where's the President?

He's on his way back to the White House.

So is Zoey. They just put Leo in a car.

You all right?

Somebody pulled me down.

Gina!

I can't talk right now.

Gina Toscano. Tommy Cho.

Are you the ID Agent? Yeah.

Two shooters in that window.

We got them both from the roof, but there was a signal.

There was somebody on the ground?

White male, 20, 25, maybe five-ten.

What else?

He was wearing a baseball cap.

What kind of cap?

Maybe it got knocked off in the crowd.

What kind of cap?

I don't know.

Fix a perimeter.

Close the airports, shut them down.

I want the Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard.

Man: You got it.

Stevie! Paul!

Toby: Josh?!

Hey, Charlie.

Are you okay? Yeah. Have you seen Josh?

He got in the car with Leo.

No, he didn't. Shanahan got in with Leo.

Josh didn't get in the car.

Woman: Can I get some help?

Yeah, stay right there.

Josh!

Didn't you hear me shouting for you?

I didn't know where the hell you...

I need a... I need a doctor!

I need help!

Hey.

Hey. Your best friend's back.

Thank you for that.

Cynthia. Hi.

You can follow me.

She's been in twice a week

for the last three weeks

'cause she can't feel the baby kick.

I should just tell her

"Ma'am, wait till eight months.

"The kid'll be doing the Macarena.

In the meantime, this is an emergency room."

Did you really say that?

No. I'm saying I should've said that.

( phone ringing )

Emergency Room.

( phone continues ringing )

Station One.

We're coming in!

I copy that. Is this a drill?

No!

The thing is, I have a few patients, not many

but I do have a couple of kids with alcohol poisoning.

We're expecting more in a bit, so if this is a drill

I'd just as soon...

( beeping ) Trauma One.

Trauma One! Blue! Blue!

Trauma One! Blue!

Let's go!

You got priorities?

No priorities.

Put them in a van. They're going to Memorial.

Okay, people.

Right here.

I need you to follow this gentleman

to the van that's waiting.

Get the south side clear.

There are two back doors and a loading dock.

Put two units on the scaffolding

and get some light out there.

Give me ultrasound and a crash cart.

Eagle's two minutes away.

Man: Mr. Vice President, can you hold the shirt up a little bit?

Now, one of my roommates at SMU was Drew Harper.

Anybody know that name?

'72? '72 Olympics in Munich.

Well, I played against him in a pick-up game on the quad

and I thought I'd stuff him with an overhead slam.

He sent that ball back at my face

like I talked about his sister.

Coach, I want to congratulate you and your team

and the NCAA on a great season last year.

I know you've got four starters returning

so I'm confident...

Excuse me!

Everyone stay where you are.

Mr. Vice President, would you come with us, please.

Mrs. Bartlet! Is he conscious?

He's conscious and they're moving him to pre-op.

He was hit in the side. Entry and exit.

What about Zoey?

They got her in the car. She's clear.

She's on her way to G.W.

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

He's been shot in the abdomen.

Visible entry and exit wound.

BP 134/78, pulse 108.

What's his pulse ox?

98. Mr. President, I'm Dr. Keller.

I'm the trauma surgeon on duty.

The exit wound is a good indication

and we like your vitals.

Swear to God, if I don't speak to my daughter

in the next five minutes, I'm going to attack someone.

She's on her way.

This guy's got about seven broken bones in his hand

if somebody wants to give him an aspirin or something.

We're there.

Okay, sir, we're just going to get you stabilized.

Listen, I want you to wait as long as you can

before you give me the anesthesia.

I need to speak to Leo McGarry

before you give me the anesthesia.

He's on his way as well.

I need to ask you some questions, sir.

Do you have any medical conditions?

Well... I've been shot.

Good evening, Mrs. Landingham.

Good evening, Margaret.

The President's not back yet?

I imagine he's schmoozing the rope line.

You know, he says he's coming straight back

but he can't resist a rope line.

Never has. Oh, he'll complain, but he just can't resist it.

I remember a time in the Governor's Mansion

this was about ten years ago...

Mrs. Landingham.

More. Maybe 12.

Mrs. Landingham.

Good evening.

We are getting reports that multiple gunshots were fired

at President Bartlet as he was leaving a public event

in Rosslyn, Virginia.

The shots were fired approximately seven minutes ago

from an office building across the...

Dad?

I'm okay.

Daddy? It didn't hit anything.

They're just going to look around and make sure.

Are you in a lot of pain? No.

Are you lying?

Yeah, 'cause I want these guys

to tell reporters that I was brave and joking around.

You are brave. You were so good tonight, Dad.

Honey, I'm fine.

I'm just so happy to see you.

Mom's on her way.

Mom's going to be pretty pissed.

Yeah.

How you doing, kid?

I'm Fine.

She booted all over

the back of her car.

You know they're going to bill me for that.

Yeah.

Honey, do me a favor, will you?

Yeah, I'll step outside.

I'll go wait for Mom.

Tell her not to frighten the doctors.

I'll see you in a couple of hours.

I love you.

I love you, too, hon.

Anybody killed back there?

The two shooters.

They got them through the window.

Anybody in the crowd?

There were some injuries.

They're coming right now.

What about our people?

C.J. hit her head on the ground

but other than that...

Get the Cabinet together, and the Security Council.

Tell Jerome to suspend trading on the stock exchange.

Yeah.

Do we know who

the shooters were?

No.

I'm going to be under anesthesia for a couple hours.

It'll be fine.

You know what I'm talking about, right?

I'll talk to Abbey

Sir, it's time.

Hey, come here.

It's okay.

I'll see you in a few hours, Mr. President.

Okay, Zoey, I'll find out.

You all right?

Yeah. And Dad's making jokes.

Good ones, or...?

No. Okay.

Abbey?

Hi. This is Dr. Keller.

Oh, yes. We spoke from the car.

Hello. What's his PaO2?

It's good. It's a hundred.

You going to do a laparoscopy?

Yeah. We want to make sure

the peritoneum's intact.

Mm-hmm. Who's the anesthesiologist?

Dr. Lee.

Right. Will you be okay for a minute?

Yeah.

Excuse me.

Dr. Lee?

Dr. Bartlet.

I hope they told you that it's looking very good.

There are 14 people in the world who know this

including the Vice President, the Chief of Staff

and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

You're going to be the 15th.

Seven years ago, my husband was diagnosed

with a relapsing/remitting course of MS.

When all this is over

tell the press, don't tell the press--

it's entirely up to you.

You all right?

Yeah.

Was there someone on the ground?

There was a signal.

I couldn't give a description.

Did they close the airports?

And Union Station.

We've got troopers on the bridges

and 300 field agents working Rosslyn

but I can't tell 'em what they're looking for.

You got the girl in the car, Gina.

It's right in front of my face.

Look...

Woman: Gunshot wound! No exit!

He's got decreased breath sounds on the left.

Pulse ox is 92 on 15 liters.

It's Josh.

I've got the hemocue!

Trauma panel, serial crits...

What happened?

He was behind us.

Single gunshot wound, entry left fifth intercostal space.

Sam: Josh, I'm here!

I shouldn't be at this meeting.

Trauma one's ready.

I need a chest tube tray, 32 French.

Leo: Tell me what's happening.

I don't have time.

I shouldn't be at this meeting.

Pulse ox 88.

I need to get to New Hampshire.

You went to New Hampshire.

We both did.

You came and got me.

On my count: One, two, three!

Josh, a bullet collapsed your lung.

I'm putting in a tube to re-expand it.

We've got blood in the thoraseal.

He's bradying down.

8.0 ET tube. Tube him now.

Cricoid pressure.

All right cut him.

Hoynes: Social security is the black hole.

Josh: Senator, Senator

Social Security...

Social Security is the black hole of national politics.

Josh, was cutting me off

because he knew I was going to say that

and he knew I was going to say that

because I have said it what?

A few hundred times, Senator.

It is the black hole of national politics

and I would just as soon not get lost in it

13 weeks before the New Hampshire primary.

It is the third rail.

You step on it and you die.

Of the 537 federal elected officials

there are 30 who've put their names

on Social Security reform legislation and you're one of them.

Why not say so?

He will say so. Just not now.

Mark, at $400 billion

Social Security represents one-fourth

of the federal budget, and it will be bankrupt in exactly 17 years

right around the time

you're going to check your mailbox.

Half of the elderly population

will be living in poverty.

This now qualifies as a priority

and running for President of the United States

without putting Social Security front and center

is like running for president of the Walt Disney corporation

by saying you're going to fix the rides at EPCOT.

We're going to get to Social Security, Josh.

It's a long campaign.

For now, we focus on the tax cuts.

It's what magicians call "misdirection."

Really? Because it's what the rest of us call bull...

Knock it off.

I have a vote.

The rest of you should stay here

and work on the ethanol tax credit.

Josh, come with me, would you?

You don't seem to be having a very good time lately.

I don't think the point of this is for me to have...

No, I'm saying you've been pissed off

at every meeting for a month.

Senator, you're the prohibitive favorite

to be the Democratic Party's nominee for President.

You have $58 million in a war chest

with no end in sight and I don't know what we're for.

Josh... I don't know what we're for.

I don't know what we're against

except we seem to be for winning

and against somebody else winning.

It's a start. Senator...

Josh, we're going to run a good campaign.

You're going to be very proud of it

and when we get to the White House

you're going to play a big role.

In the meantime, cheer up

and get off my ass about Social Security.

I've got a vote.

Josh. Mr. Secretary.

I hope you don't mind I didn't make an appointment.

I'm trying to fly under the radar a little.

No, of course I don't mind, but the Senator

just went down to the floor for a vote.

That's probably the annual vote to override the veto

on the resolution to ship nuclear waste to Nevada.

Yeah.

It won't pass.

No kidding.

Actually, I came to see you.

Really? Yeah.

What can I do for you?

You mind if we take a walk?

Sure.

I heard your dad was in the hospital again.

Yeah, they think they got it all this time.

Is he taking it easy?

No. He goes to the office at 7:00 every morning

comes home at 8:00 every night.

On the weekends he cleans the gutters

and yells at the squirrels.

Why does he yell at the squirrels?

Because they eat the seeds

out of the bird feeder.

They make a thing now...

He knows, but he prefers to admonish them.

Listen, I need to get back to this meeting.

Josh, I'd like you to come to Nashua, New Hampshire

Thursday night and hear Jed Bartlet speak.

I work for Senator Hoynes.

Yeah.

Mr. Secretary...

I'm not in the Cabinet anymore. Call me Leo.

Look, Hoynes has the nomination sewn up.

Yeah.

If Bartlet's looking to be

Treasury Secretary

or a slot at the convention, this really isn't...

Come to Nashua Thursday night.

Why?

Because that's what

sons do for old friends of their father's.

I'll see you then.

Mr. Secretary... Leo.

Leo, the Democrats aren't going to nominate

another liberal academic former governor

from New England.

I mean, we're dumb, but we're not that dumb.

Nah, I think we're exactly that dumb.

Yeah, Janet, I need you

to set up some train tickets for me.

Uh, make it tomorrow to New York

and then on up to Boston.

$18 million is a cheap price, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

What you're happy about isn't the price.

It's the structure of the deal.

Well, how do you figure that?

Sam's going to tell you about it. Sam.

Hmm?

Structure versus cost.

Uh, yeah. What Jack means is that

if you were getting the tankers

for a buck 85 and trading stamps

it'd still be a bad deal

if we didn't limit your liability.

And did you do that?

We did. How?

The same way we do with any other asset acquisition--

create a separate corporation for each one of them

then mortgage the boats top to bottom.

Ships.

I'm sorry?

Oil tankers aren't boats, they're ships.

Mr. Cameron, you want me to buy the boats.

You're not asking me to be the first mate, right?

No.

You want to finance the tankers 100%

so that if litigation does penetrate the liability shield we set up for you

there are no real assets at the end of the line, just debt.

You're judgment-proof.

Let me run back to my office and get the tax figures

while David and Rita talk about IMO regulations.

Sam, there's a guy waiting in your office

who said he's a friend of yours.

What's his name?

Josh Lyman.

Seriously? Yeah.

Hey, how you doing?

Hey, you look fit.

You made partner?

Next month. Listen, I'm hungry.

You want to go get a hot dog or something?

It's 9:30 in the morning.

Yeah, they'll be fresh. Come on.

Okay.

Josh: I was going to call

before I came here

but then the strangest thing happened.

What?

I forgot the name of your firm.

Gage Whitney. Yeah.

You couldn't remember Gage Whitney?

The second biggest law firm in New York?

I know.

We did the Shearson deal.

Yeah.

I really do know Gage Whitney.

I'm saying I'm having a brain problem.

What are you doing in town?

I'm on my way to Nashua.

What's in Nashua?

A waste of time.

Listen, you know why I'm here?

You want me to quit my job

and come work for Hoynes.

He's going to win, Sam.

So, what does he need me for?

A better campaign.

Come do some speech writing.

Lisa and I are getting married in September.

Ah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Listen, I got to go.

I should let you...

I got to get back to this thing.

It's good seeing you again.

It's good seeing you, too. I miss you.

Hey, congratulations on the partnership.

Josh.

Hoynes.

He's not the real thing, is he?

See, the thing you got to know about Hoynes is...

It's okay.

No, I'm saying...

Josh...

What are you doing?

I don't know.

What are you doing?

Protecting oil companies from litigation.

Okay.

They're our client.

They don't lose legal protection because they make a lot of money.

I can't believe no one ever wrote a folk song about that.

If I see the real thing in Nashua

should I tell you about it?

You won't have to.

Why?

You've got a pretty bad poker face.

Okay.

Take it easy.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

That's okay.

I'm sorry. I was just...

George Washington Emergency.

We're not giving any information.

Dr. Bartlet? Yes.

The President's going to be fine.

Oh.

You can see him in the recovery room

in about two hours.

Thank you.

No organ damage?

No, ma'am, and the blood loss was minimal.

Dr. Keller was able to visualize the entire abdomen

and he's secure

with the diagnostic sensitivity of the laparoscopy.

What about Josh?

The bullet lacerated his pulmonary artery.

Can they try a Gortex graft?

No. They're going to have to stay in

and try to repair the artery primarily.

Thank you.

The President's going to be fine.

The bullet seems to have gone out of its way

not to hit anything.

Now, here's what's happening with Josh.

Thank you.

What do you know?

He'll be out of surgery in about two hours.

Fitzwallace is on a plane?

He was on his way to Manila.

They turned around and he'll be back in about four hours.

We've got him by phone? Yeah.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mr. McGarry.

Where's the National Security Advisor?

She's on her way, sir.

So is the Vice President.

Good evening, everybody.

Mike, could you have somebody

send over some clothes from my office, please.

I look like an idiot.

Nancy, you've seen the KH-10 pictures?

Yeah.

You know what they mean?

Well, I wouldn't go that far.

Good evening, Mr. Vice President.

Good evening, Nancy. Leo.

Jack.

Ten-Hut.

No, as you were.

It's, it's okay.

Bobby, can you report on domestic activity?

Yes, Sir. There's not much.

Air traffic control was down for 22 minutes at Logan.

CitiBank computers were offline

for a little more than an hour

and the lights went out

for seven minutes at the Delta Center.

Now, somebody tell me, these shooters--

they didn't have a wallet on them?

They didn't have a driver's license?

They didn't have anything on them, Mr. Vice President.

They knew we were going to get them through the window.

If this signal guy isn't in custody in one hour

I'm going to federalize

the Virginia and Maryland National Guard.

It's worth mentioning that at this moment

we do not know the whereabouts of about a half-dozen

cell leaders, including bin Laden

but that's not my concern right now.

And what is your concern?

Can we look at the KH-10s?

Leo: I've seen them.

I'm not worried about it.

Leo, these images show a sudden buildup

of frontline Republican Guard units

along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The buildup isn't sudden.

They do it every couple of months.

And they're moving south.

Not 13 hours ago, they shot down an F-117 in the no-fly.

The rescue mission invaded their airspace

with armed M-50 Pave Hawks, and my recommendation would be

that the President order Fitzwallace

to put the 32nd Tactical on Ready-Alert

and take us to DefCon-4.

The President is under general anesthesia right now.

If he weren't, I'm sure he'd be comforted by knowing

that RDF can put Marines on the ground in 36 hours.

We may not have 36 hours.

The Iraqi Republican Guard

can't find their car keys in 36 hours.

Look at the pictures, Mr. Vice President.

I think they found 'em.

Nancy...

we're going to follow Leo for the moment.

Jack, what's the best way to get a message to Iraq?

King of Jordan.

Okay.

Leo...

What do you want the message to be?

Don't mess with us tonight.

Uh... excuse me.

We can't make you very comfortable here

and Josh's procedure's likely to take 12 to 14 hours, so...

( door opens )

I'm sorry-- they told me

I should come back here.

I'm sorry.

Is there word on the President?

The President's going to be fine.

Oh, thank God.

Oh, thank God-- that's the best news I've ever heard.

I got here as fast as I could.

I had a hard time getting in.

I had to, I had to find an agent who knew me

and I was shaking... I didn't know...

Donna.

Josh was hit.

Hit with what?

He was shot-- in the chest.

C.J.: He's in surgery

right now.

I don't understand.

I don't understand. Is...

Is it serious?

Yes, it's critical.

The bullet collapsed his lung and damaged

a major artery.

I was just saying, we can't

make you very comfortable here

and the procedure's likely to take 12 to 14 hours.

We won't know anything until morning.

I'm sure there are things

you're supposed to be attending to right now

so, if you like, we can stay in touch with you

at your homes and offices throughout the night.

Leo's going to meet with the leadership

in ten minutes.

When he's done, I'll talk to the press.

I'm going to go back to the residence

and pick up some things for the President.

When can we talk to the medical team?

Benjamin Keller, the Chief Surgeon

and Admiral Jarvis, the President's personal physician

will be made available for a debriefing in a few hours.

( clamoring )

Danny: Has there been any discussion

of the 25th Amendment?

No.

All: C.J.!

Danny: Why not? I'm sorry?

Why hasn't there been a discussion?

Danny, as I've said before, the President's wounds

are relatively superficial.

He'll be out of surgery before morning

and he's expected to make a full and speedy recovery.

Anything on the identity

of the shooters?

I'm sorry?

Anything on the shooters? Not yet.

A.P. is reporting that two bodies were brought out

of the office building.

I don't have anything for you on that.

They're also reporting that there is now

a massive manhunt underway

for a possible third accomplice on the ground.

I don't have anything for you on that either.

All: C.J.! C.J.! C.J.!

Can-can you tell us why the A.P. knows more than you do you?

I don't believe they do know more than I do.

I just believe they're willing to tell you more than I am.

All: C.J.! C.J.!

One more question. Arthur?

In previous administrations

the President entered and exited public buildings

under a tent or a canopy, the Secret Service wanting

to limit his visibility in open air.

Can you talk at all

about why this precaution isn't taken

for President Bartlet

or at least why it wasn't tonight?

Arthur, it's policy not to comment

on protection procedures.

If you won't answer straightforward questions...

Arthur... Is there anything

you can tell us?

I'm sorry?

Is there anything you know?

Is there anything you can tell us?

I'll be back for a briefing

in an hour and a half.

Hopefully, we'll know more then.

( reporters clamoring )

The Cabinet's meeting in five minutes.

What the hell was that supposed to mean--

"Since you can't seem to give us answers"?

You scratched your neck.

What? The side of your neck.

I lost my necklace.

It must have come off when...

When what?

Somebody pushed me down.

It must have come off when somebody pushed me down.

C.J.? Yeah.

I'm sorry, I'd like to not be a reporter

for a few minutes and just...

but you got to answer my question.

What was the question?

The President's been under anesthesia

for more than an hour.

He'll probably be on a morphine drip in post-op.

Without the 25th, who's in charge?

The Vice President, the Secretary of State

the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense

the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

the White House Chief of Staff...

You just named six people. Who's in charge?

The Canadians. C.J....

You understand I'm talking about the hockey team.

Look...

Just... give me a little time.

Leo: Fitzwallace agrees with me, Nancy.

Any upgrade in our DefCon posture

and the whole world's going to wake up

in the middle of the night.

The world's awake, Leo.

Look at the TV. Look out the window.

Now there was more than one shooter.

We think they had a guy on the ground.

If we think they had one

we have no reason to believe they didn't have more than one.

Somebody had to get him into that office.

This wasn't a lonely guy

who lived with his cats.

There was a plan, and one of the things we have to assume

is that we are under attack right now.

Man: In which case the Vice President

should order the 32nd tactical

on a Ready-Alert, and take us to DefCon-4.

Counsel's office isn't sure he can.

Why not?

He never signed a letter.

What letter? Nancy: Customarily

if the President's going to be

under a general anesthetic...

He's got to sign a letter

giving the Vice President power?

Absent the 25th

the Constitution doesn't give it to him

unless the President's dead.

He's hemorrhaging, and he's supposed to draft a memo?

Yeah. C.J.: I'm getting questions

from Danny Concanon on it.

It gets more complicated if you'd read

Section 202 of the National Security Act of 1947.

Let's assume I haven't.

It says that the Secretary

of Defense will be the principal assistant to the President

on all matters relating to the national security.

What does "principal assistant" mean?

It doesn't specify.

Toby: No, it wouldn't

because this is an area of Federal law

where'd you want as much ambiguity as possible.

Yeah. Toby: Excuse me.

I'm going to go back to the hospital.

I'll be there in a little bit.

( sighs )

Try and hold Danny off for a few hours

till the Counsel's office tells us where we are.

Yeah, listen...

You scratched your neck. What?

Your neck.

Yeah, it's where my necklace...

Listen, Toby, they're asking me about the canopy

the Secret Service used to use for outdoor entrances and exits.

Who asked you?

It was Arthur Leeds

and then a couple of others stopped me.

Okay.

We don't comment on protection procedure so...

Yeah.

...I don't think I'll have to answer the question.

Yeah.

Okay.

See you at the hospital.

Yeah.

Toby: I need Section 202

of the National Securities Act of 1947.

Hey, Ginger.

I didn't know you were here.

I just got here.

I just...

I turned on the TV.

It's okay.

Come here.

It's all right.

It's okay.

I'm sorry.

You all right?

Yeah.

Ready to go to work?

Yeah.

Man: You want another one of those?

What?

I didn't say anything.

You want another one of those?

Toby: Yeah.

I got to tell you.

Yeah?

I didn't even know Bartlet was running.

Yeah. We keep that secret pretty good.

You know, he's speaking at the VFW hall tonight.

You should come.

I'm not very political.

There'll be free chicken.

You've been, uh, um, what you call it?

Professional political operative.

You've been one your whole life?

Well, there was a while there I was in elementary school...

Right.

You any good at it?

I'm very good at it.

What's your record?

My record?

Yeah, how many elections have you won?

Altogether?

Including City Council, two Congressional races

a Senate race, a Gubernatorial campaign

and a national campaign...

...none.

None of them?

( clears throat )

You got to be impressed with my consistency.

So let me ask you something.

Sure.

How come you're drinking so much so early in the day?

I'm about to get fired.

It was good meeting you.

with overall consumer spending

than it does with the consumer price index.

The markets tend to be late in responding to those trends

and, as a result

you can get what doctors would call a "false positive."

The science of economics is a lot less an exact science

than we pretend.

We build complex models

with thousands of interdependent and independent variables

to predict exactly how the economy will work.

What's he going to say?

About what?

If he's asked the question.

What question?

The New England D.F.C.

I don't know.

You talked to him, didn't you? Yeah.

So what's he going to say? I don't know.

You talked to him

about the New England D.F.C. if he's asked? Yes.

You wrote him a memo? Yes.

And I'm asking, "What's he going to say?"

I have no new information

since the last time you asked me that question.

...in an effort to raise the minimum wage.

Let me put it another way:

You and your husband are paying $600 more

every year than you would if you were unmarried

living together, and filing individually.

And couples who live together

outside the covenant of marriage do so...

You told him to go ahead

and piss off the dairy farmers, didn't you?

If he's asked about the New England D.F.C.

you told him to piss off the dairy farmers.

I asked him about his vote.

He told me.

I said that if asked about it tonight

he should-- if only because it's the easiest thing to remember--

tell the truth.

Do you enjoy losing?

Not that much, no.

But then again, I really don't have a lot

to compare it to, so...

...the bulk of other previous losses

which in effect is a much larger tax

on overstated real profits.

Yes.

You really didn't understand any of that, right?

A little.

Me, too. Yeah?

Governor Bartlet, when you were a member of Congress

you voted against the New England

Dairy Farming Compact.

That vote hurt me, sir.

I'm a businessman and that vote hurt me

to the tune of maybe 10 cents a gallon.

And I voted for you three times for Congressman.

I voted for you twice for Governor

and I'm here, sir

and I'd like to ask you for an explanation.

Yeah. I screwed you on that one.

I'm sorry?

I screwed you. You got hosed.

Sir... And not just you

a lot of my constituents.

I put the hammer to farms in Concord

Salem, Laconia, Pelham, Hampton, Hudson...

You guys got Rogered but good.

Today, for the first time in history

the largest group of Americans living in poverty are children.

One in five children live in the most abject

dangerous, hopeless

back-breaking, gut-wrenching poverty

any of us could imagine.

One in five. And they're children.

If fidelity to freedom and democracy

is the code of our civic religion

then surely the code of our humanity is faithful service

to the unwritten Commandment that says

"We shall give our children better

than we ourselves received."

Let me put it this way:

I voted against the bill

'cause I didn't want to make it harder

for people to buy milk.

I stopped some money from flowing into your pocket.

If that angers you, if you resent me

I completely respect that.

But if you expect anything different

from the President of the United States

you should vote for someone else.

Thanks very much, everybody.

Hope you enjoyed the chicken.

( applause )

( siren wailing )

Jed, please.

I want you to lie still for a few hours.

Mr. President...

I want to see him.

Is he okay?

I told him about Josh.

Please help me to the door.

You should stay in bed.

Charlie brought me some clothes. Please...

let me see him.

Okay.

Just for a minute. Great.

What's next?

The thing about saying the name...

I understand.

If I could just reframe the point

that Cal was making...

I understood the point that Cal was making.

I was sitting next to him when he made it.

My ears are connected to my brain just like everybody else

and I'm saying, "What's next?"

Sir, not to put my head in the lion's mouth

but by repeating the name of your opponent in public

you're essentially giving him free advertising.

Cal thinks you should start referring to him

as "my opponent"

or "the other guy," "the other side."

I don't know, maybe there are

other suggestions.

You want me to refer to Senator John Hoynes of Texas

who at the moment has a 48 point lead

for the Democratic nomination as "the other guy"?

Sir... You're not afraid it's going to make me

look like I can't remember his name?

No. I am.

I think it's going to make me look like

I can't remember his name.

I think it's going to make me look addled.

I think it's going to make me look dotty.

And even if it didn't make me look like those things

it would remain a stupid idea.

What's next?

Nothing? Excellent.

Okay, what's next?

Leo, we have to talk about what happened tonight.

I thought he did well.

I'd like to have seen more of those seats filled.

That's not what I'm talking about.

What are you talking about?

He's talking about

the Governor's answer tonight.

I'm just guessing.

I'm pretty drunk.

I am talking about the Governor's answer tonight.

But I'm also talking about

every day there's some...

Look, Toby, we can talk about this

with you in the room

or if you're more comfortable we can...

Listen, I don't have time to make people comfortable.

If a change has to be made

it has to be made.

Jerry, Cal, Mack, Steve, you're fired.

What?

What?

No kidding, it's moving day.

I want Toby

the rest of you, thanks very much.

Fellas, look at my face.

You're done.

Don't screw up.

It's freezing cold in October.

I don't know how you people live here.

Did you just fire Cal Mathis?

Yeah. You fired him?

Yeah. And, uh, Jerry

and Mack and Steve and the other guy.

Is there anyone you kept?

I kept Toby Ziegler.

You kept Toby Ziegler and you fired everybody else? Yeah.

Toby Ziegler's the only person working for us I don't know

and he's the one you kept?

Take him home, would you?

Those were the only people I knew.

Those people were worthless.

It's time we bring in what we need.

So you made that decision on your own?

Yeah. You know why?

'Cause you're a crappy politician.

I think you'll find I'll be making a lot of decisions on my own

so start getting used to it.

You know I got elected to Congress by this state.

This state sent me to Congress three times

and then elected me Governor.

All without your help.

Don't start.

No, seriously, that's a real political accomplishment

considering your family founded this state. Hey...

Were you even opposed in any of those elections?

You got rid of all the people I know.

Yeah.

Have a good night.

Why are you doing this?

You're a player.

You're bigger in the party than I am.

Hoynes'd make you National Chairman.

Leo, is this one of the 12 steps?

Yeah, that's what it is.

Right after admitting that we're powerless over alcohol

and that a higher power can restore us to sanity

that's where you come in.

Leo...

Because I'm tired of it year after year after year

after year, having to choose between

the lesser of who cares.

Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate

who can speak in complete sentences.

Of setting the bar so low I can hardly look at it.

They say a good man can't get elected President.

I don't believe that, do you?

And you think I'm that man.

Yes.

Doesn't it matter that I'm not as sure?

Nah.

"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you."

Put another way, fake it till you make it.

You did good tonight.

Yeah.

This is the time of Jed Bartlet, old friend.

You're gonna open your mouth and lift houses off the ground.

Whole houses clear off the ground.

( reporters overlapping )

And it's unknown at this time

whether or not the President, before going under anesthesia

signed a letter that would give temporary custody...

...staffers shuttling back and forth

between the White House and George Washington Hospital

where several thousand people have begun to...

...gather behind the police barricades

an impromptu vigil, with prayers being made

their collective breath being held...

...clearly, and, I think, understandably

are rocked on their heels at this hour, to put it mildly.

Press Secretary C.J. Cregg has appeared at her briefings

to be shaken and withdrawn...

...officials at George Washington University Hospital.

And in the fourth hour of a massive manhunt for a third suspect

airports up and down the Atlantic coast are closed.

National Guard units in Maryland...

...in Washington and Baltimore report massive delays

cancellations and closures at major airports, rail stations...

...bus stations and harbors.

Travelers are strongly advised

to either wait or take alternate...

...two Navy carrier groups

as well as the 32nd Marine Tactical Division, have been put

on a state of heightened alert, and AWACs...

...Special Agent Juan Butterfield

head of the President's Secret Service detail

who was shot in the hand during the attack on the President.

Look what happened.