Original subtitles

Previously on The West Wing:

I don't know these people.

You will.

Which one is Toby?

I am.

And which one are you?

I'm Josh.

My name's Charlie Young.

I'm Donna Moss. Who are you?

I'm just guessing. I'm pretty drunk.

Which one is Josh?

It's C.J. Cregg.

Toby Ziegler, C.J. Cregg, Sam Seaborn...

You got to be a little impressed

I got those names right just now.

Two minutes to air.

Hey, Sam.

Hey, Mark.

You done?

Yeah.

It's not going to be Wengland.

What happened?

He's stuck in Denver.

I wanted Wengland.

Did you get Stackhouse?

Couldn't get Stackhouse

couldn't get Santana, couldn't get Monroe.

Who'd you get?

A woman named Ainsley Hayes.

Aimsley?

Ainsley, with an "n."

I don't know her.

I got a new producer. He brought her in.

Tell me she's not one of his...

She is.

I thought that was over.

No, no, it's not.

She's got blonde hair, long legs

and she's a Republican.

She's in show business.

Yeah.

A young, blonde, leggy Republican.

Yeah.

I thought it turned out they didn't know anything.

They don't.

Sam. ! Yeah.

Ainsley? Yes.

Mark Godfried.

Ainsley Hayes.

So, we'll be starting here in about a minute

I understand you've never done TV before.

No, not as such, no.

Not as such-- what does that mean?

It means no, I haven't done TV before.

Okay, well, can I give you a little friendly advice?

Yes, I would appreciate it.

Don't overreach.

Don't overreach?

Don't try to do too much.

Don't try to know more than you do.

My show's not the place for you to become a star.

You'll be opposite Sam Seaborn.

He's done the show a couple dozen times.

The White House wouldn't keep sending him

if he didn't keep wiping the floor

with whoever's in your chair.

I've seen him.

Don't be scared.

I'll try.

I'll take some of the punches for you

if it gets out of hand

but if you don't get too far from the talking points

I'm sure somebody gave you that...

Yeah. You'll be fine.

Man: Thirty seconds.

Are we starting with the education package?

Yeah.

You owe me 20 bucks on the 'Skins.

Man: In the Green Room, man.

I'm Sam Seaborn.

Ainsley Hayes.

20 seconds.

You bet with George on the Skins?

Over, under. How's Josh?

He's good.

Ten seconds.

Here we go. Remember what I said.

Yeah.

In five, four, three...

Announcer: Capital Beat, with Mark Godfried.

Tonight from the right

Republican political analyst Ainsley Hayes.

And from the left, White House Senior Advisor Sam Seaborn

with Chris Isan at the Pentagon and Marjorie Clark in New York.

Good evening.

Before we get to Chris and Marjorie

tonight on the Capital Beat

the House is expected to vote next week

on President Bartlet's $1.5 billion education package.

Sam Seaborn, why is this bill

better than its Republican counterpart

that the President vetoed last year?

Because it buys things that teachers need, like textbooks.

In a fairly comprehensive study that was done

an alarmingly high number of teachers--

40% of the teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon, for instance--

and Kirkwood, Oregon being a fair model

for public school districts across the country--

40% of the teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon

report not having sufficient

textbooks for their students.

The package offered by the Republican-controlled Congress

offered a grand total

of zero dollars for new textbooks.

Ainsley Hayes, is that true?

No, it's not.

Is Sam Seaborn lying?

"Lying" is an awfully strong word.

Do you... Yes, he's lying.

And we should tell the truth

about education.

If you're... The bill contained

money for new textbooks--

also computer literacy, school safety, physical plant.

The difference is we wanted to give the money

directly to communities

and let them decide how best to spend it

on the off-chance that the needs of Lincoln High in Dayton

are different from the needs of Crenshaw High

in South Central L.A.

Sam, why did the President veto the bill?

Because it guaranteed by law

that 95% of the money go directly into the classroom

and bypass the pork barrel buffet

which is troubling to this president because

he doesn't work for the students

and he doesn't work for the parents of the students.

He works for the teachers' union.

Here comes the old...

The bill contained plenty of money for textbooks, Mark

and anyone who says otherwise is flat-out lying.

I mean, we should tell the truth about this.

Textbooks are important

if for no other reason

than they'd accurately place the town of Kirkwood

in California, and not Oregon.

Godfried: And we're in business.

We'll be back with more Capital Beat after this.

Man: We're out.

I'm sorry. Did I overreach?

( chuckles )

Hey, Sam. ! Yeah.

This one might know something.

Yeah.

Please, oh, please, let them not be watching.

Toby, come quick.

Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl.

Ginger, get the popcorn.

C.J.: There will be photo-op in the Mural Room

in a half hour with President Bartlet and President Nimbala

of the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu

who's representing the African nations.

Uh, C.J., is it the goal of the summit

to get the drug companies to lower their prices

or is the goal to get the African countries

to honor U.S. patents?

The goal of the summit is to get a step closer

to solving 26 million African AIDS victims.

We're counting on the drug companies

we're counting on the African nations

we're counting on the global health community

and they're counting on the White House

to help broker a solution.

Is the White House prepared

to declare war on the drug companies?

Well, it sounds like you already have

so if we need a button man, we'll call you.

Thank you, everybody. Half hour in the mural room.

We're going to need to be in three groups.

Yeah.

You know what you might have mentioned?

It was a 14-minute briefing.

I'm really going to get reviews?

You might have mentioned that the same drug

that cost $10.80 in Norway, where nobody needs it

costs $90.00 in Burundi, where everybody needs it.

There's nothing keeping these people here but goodwill, Toby.

They can charge what they want for their products.

Sounded to me like we intended to be soft on the drug companies.

Toby, I don't think anybody expects this White House

to be anything but tough

on American companies showing a profit.

Damn right.

Where was the '92 World Copyright Conference?

Geneva. Thank you.

C.J.: Sam, I've really got to admire

the way you came into work this morning, head held high.

And I appreciate your being the one person

who's managed to abstain from heckling me.

No problem. There's a whole bunch of women over there.

Why don't you ask them whether Geneva's

in Switzerland or Oregon?

Okay. Go to my office.

Me and you, 20 Questions

short answer, general knowledge test

right now-- I'll spot you two questions.

For how much money?

Go to my office.

I'm going to his office.

( imitates chicken clucking )

She's making the chicken sound now.

Go to my office.

A drug they've got to buy from us

for four dollars a unit

they can get generic from Pakistan for 40 cents.

That's not the only bargain in Pakistan, Toby.

My girlfriends and I

go for the spring fashions.

It shows.

C.J.

He just made a little dig about my clothes

and that's what's going to be with me the rest of the day.

C.J., I wanted to introduce myself.

I'm Bill Kelley from the Cleveland Courier. Hi.

They're breaking me in to cover for Tom Johnson.

I've been sitting in the back. Welcome.

Can I ask you something?

That's what I'm here for.

Do you know anything about

Bonamo Energy selling drilling equipment to Iraq?

I'm not going to wave you off the story

but I can't tell you anything about it.

If they were selling the Iraqis

drilling equipment, that would be in violation

of sanctions, wouldn't it?

Grand jury investigations are secret, Bill.

I can't tell you any more about it.

I understand. Nice meeting you.

Nice meeting you.

Bill.

Yeah?

Nothing, just...

nothing.

Okay.

President: Then you've got guys like Mbeki who turn around

and say that AIDS isn't linked to HIV

it's linked to poverty.

It is linked to poverty.

Would you to show you the list of dead millionaires?

He was saying that prostitutes, migrant laborers, the ill-educated

and victims of sexual abuse are more likely...

Leo, AIDS is caused by HIV.

You just named a group of people that have

a higher mortality rate across the board.

Morning, Charlie. Good morning, Mr. President.

Where are we?

We're all set, sir, whenever you're ready.

Thank you.

With the health minister

trying to clear up his comments.

They have a health minister

who doesn't think AIDS is connected to HIV.

He was clearing up the comments.

Hey, did you see Sam get pureed last night on Capital Beat?

I didn't see it, but I have heard tell.

He got diced and sliced by a woman named Ainsley Hayes.

She's been writing some columns.

I know, I had Charlie pull them for me.

Where's she been?

She was clerking for Dreifort.

We should hire her.

That'd be funny.

No, I mean it. Mean what?

We should hire her.

Well, you mean as a joke on Sam?

No, not as a joke, I mean we should hire her as a reality.

We should hire her.

She's a Republican.

So are half the people in this country.

Well, that half lost...

She's smart. She's not just carping.

She feels a sense of something.

Of what? Mr. President.

Yeah... of duty, of civic duty.

How many pieces by her did you read?

Three.

And you're certain of her sense of civic duty?

I can sense civic duty a mile away.

Good morning.

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning, Mr. President.

Good morning, sir.

You can tell your caption editors

that Bartlet's the third guy from the right.

Thank you, sir.

Presidents Bartlet and Nimbala will take

just a few questions.

President Bartlet. Katie.

This is a summit among leaders

of American pharmaceutical companies and the AIDS-ravaged

African nations that President Nimbala is representing here.

Is there a political upside

to only having President Nimbala at this photo-op and not

the pharmaceutical companies?

Yes, Katie, I'm trying to shore up the sub-Saharan vote.

Are you considering asking Congress

to forgive existing debt?

It's an international health crisis.

There's nothing I'm not considering.

Arthur.

President Nimbala, what's the best you could hope

to come away with from this summit? What's a home run?

( interpreter speaking foreign language )

A miracle.

( speaking foreign language )

( translating ): There are people who make miracles in the world.

One of them lives right here in the U.S.

He realized that vital elements could be harvested

from the stalk of the wheat.

In his hands, India, which at the time had been ravaged

by drought and overpopulation.

In his hands, the wheat crop increased from 11 million tons

to 60 million tons annually.

That's right; his name is Norman Borlaug, by the way

and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.

C.J.: Thank you, Mr. President

President Nimbala. Thank you, everyone.

I think you're absolutely right

about the kind of miracle we need.

I think we're going to make a lot of progress

in the next couple of days.

I hope so, Mr. President.

My country is dying.

It was called dwarf wheat, which produces heavy yields

without its stalk falling over from the weight of the grain.

Was it a hybrid?

What am I, Farmer Bob?

It was wheat and it was more than there used to be.

Okay.

And hire that girl.

What girl?

Ainsley Hayes.

No.

Why?

'Cause this is one of those things

you're excited about after breakfast

that you forget you told me to do by lunch.

It's not one of those.

It is one of those.

Leo, hard as you might try

the Republican Party isn't going anywhere.

We don't know that for sure, sir.

They could all end up moving to Vancouver.

I don't think so.

Me neither, but being in power

means everybody else can take a seat for four years.

Charlie, I want to hire a woman

whose voice I think would fit in nicely around here.

She's a conservative Republican.

You think I should do it?

Absolutely, Mr. President

'cause I'm told that theirs is the party of inclusion.

See, Charlie just made a joke to you

in the Oval Office.

That's how bad an idea it is.

Leo.

Seriously, Mr. President

if you want to do this, it's not an uninteresting notion.

Let's just do it in a more high-profile place:

put a Republican in the Cabinet.

We might do that, Leo.

A hundred million Republicans--

we might hire as many as two of them.

But for now, hire this girl.

To do what?

I don't know. She's a lawyer.

Put her in the Counsel's office.

You really want me to do this?

Yes.

What if she doesn't want to work here?

Appeal to her sense of duty.

Smooth it over with the staff.

Really, I don't want to hear from them.

She can always have my job, you know.

Yes, she can.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you.

And Charlie.

Yes, sir?

When they close the book on me and you

it will say that at this moment, you were not there for me

and for that, obviously

there'll be some kind of punishment.

Well, you could sing Puccini again for me, Mr. President

and we could call it even. ( sighs )

Ainsley ( on TV ): And anyone who says otherwise is flat-out lying.

Bruce: Here it comes.

Does anybody have...

Shh! Shh!

Ainsley ( on TV ): Textbooks are important

if for no other reason

than they'd accurately place the town of Kirkwood

in California, and not in Oregon.

Oh, I could watch that a hundred times.

Does anybody know how to work Caller I.D.?

Oh, how can you not know how to use a telephone?

I've been paying attention to other things.

Well, pay attention to that

because Bruce's friend is going to call you.

The agent? Yep.

I don't need an agent.

I need a Caller I.D. tutorial.

You need an agent. You're going to be a star.

Used to be you had to sing and dance.

You are going to get a lot of work

ripping these people to shreds and looking good doing it.

That's an actual job now?

( phone rings )

That's him.

Let's see. I push this button...

the phone number appears...

Harriet: Ainsley?

"202-456-1414."

Harriet: Is that the agent?

It's the White House.

Hey, Sam.

Excuse me?

What?

Did you say something to me?

I-I said, "Hey, Sam."

Really?

Yeah.

'Cause it sounded like maybe you might have made a wisecrack

about Oregon and California.

Sorry. Out of luck.

Hey, C.J.

Hi, Donna.

Just getting here?

Yeah.

It's late for you.

I got lost.

Where?

On the way to work.

When? Now! This morning.

You got lost on your way to work?

Good morning, Carol.

Morning, Carol.

It's 8:15.

We'll do messages in a minute.

You got lost on your way to work?

Don't make fun of me.

I wouldn't worry about that.

I didn't sleep much last night.

How much? None. Not at all.

You slept none? Not at all?

Sam... I am today particularly excited

about you being the spokesperson for the President.

Let me ask you something.

I was talking yesterday

to a reporter who's new in the room

and he asked me a question, and-and my answer...

Let me ask you something.

C.J.?

Yeah?

You know you haven't asked me anything yet, right?

Yeah.

Yeah, listen. Never mind.

C.J.?

Seriously, forget about it.

What was your question?

Leo: The two of you

come take a walk with me.

What's going on?

I wanted to tell you this out where there were people

so you wouldn't scream about it.

Scream about what?

The woman who was

on Capitol Beat with Sam Sunday night.

What about her?

I'm offering her a job.

Where?

Here.

Are you kidding? No.

Are you kidding? No.

Are you kidding?!

No.

What made you think

I wouldn't scream where they are people?!

I took a shot.

Leo! Leo!

Shh! Outside.

I don't feel that I've honed in on this.

Oh, a lot of people in Africa

with HIV.

Right.

American companies hold the patents

on the medicines they need.

Most people in most African countries

can't afford to buy the drugs at these prices

so they buy them on the black market.

In violation of U.S. patents

and international treaties.

Yes. How prohibitively priced are the drugs?

Costs about 150 bucks a week.

That's not totally off the charts.

A police officer in Kenya makes $43 a month.

Do good in there.

( sighs )

Man: This isn't about prof...

Man 2: Sir...

This isn't about profit...

Sir, you have

interrupted me again.

My apologies, Mr. President.

( speaking foreign language )

( translating ): How can you tell us

this isn't about profit maximization?

( speaking foreign language )

Why do you sell Emperex

for half the price in Norway

than you do in my country?

That's not the issue.

Let's make it the issue. Toby...

Let's make it the issue for the moment.

You can't compare prices worldwide, Toby.

Excuse me, sir?

Yes.

( speaking foreign language )

I was the one who asked you

the question, and I'd appreciate it

if you direct your answer to me.

President Nimbala...

when you sell to small pharmacies

as we do in Norway, a different price is set.

Norway...

( speaking foreign language )

Norway, $10 per unit U.S.; my country, $23 per unit U.S.

Retail markup, taxes, pharmacy discounts...

These things vary widely.

Not to mention we don't even know

if the drugs are getting to your citizens.

( speaking foreign language )

You're implying corruption and incompetence.

We do have reports of that, Mr. President.

( speaking foreign language )

You talk to me about corruption?

( speaking foreign language )

What are your annual sales of Fluconazole alone?

A billion dollars.

I don't understand your point, sir.

I think President Nimbala's saying

there's more money in giving a white guy

an erection than curing a black guy of AIDS.

Sir, my company

has given away over $120 million worth

of free drugs a year

including free doses of Xyclacinth

which is one of two drugs in your country

curing eye infections right now.

They're not dying from eye infections, Alan.

Well, they're not dying 'cause of me either, Toby

and I'd like not to be talked to this way.

Alan, if it was 26 million Europeans dying

we'd have had a solution yesterday.

( sighs )

( interpreter speaks softly )

How much would it cost for you to provide free drugs

to the Sahelese Republic, Kenya

and the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu?

I have no idea.

Why not? We're talking about 130,000 patients

200-milligram pills, three times a day, every day.

What's the "x" factor?

We don't know how long they'll live.

( speaks softly )

We're nowhere.

Let's take a break.

( speaks softly )

Leo, she's here. Yeah?

Should I send her in?

Yeah.

Do you want me to stay here?

Why?

In case something should happen.

What would that be, exactly?

I'll bring her in.

Thank you.

Ainsley.

Mr. McGarry.

Leo's fine.

Yes, sir.

Were you offered coffee

or something to drink?

Yes, the woman who works out there

who I imagine is your secretary

offered me coffee or a soft drink.

Okay, so...

She was also kind enough to ask for my coat.

Excellent, and...

She seems to be a very good secretary.

Well, she'll be happy to hear that.

She's standing right outside the door.

Margaret: Ow.

So, I have to tell you

I've never seen Sam Seaborn get beat

the way you beat him on Monday.

Yes, well, Mr. McGarry...

Leo.

Yes, sir, I've been thinking about that

ever since your office called me on Tuesday

and I have something to say on my own behalf

if you'll permit me a moment to say it

and I understand if you won't

but I would really appreciate it if you did.

I didn't really follow that, but whatever.

I think that it is wrong for a man in your position

to summon someone to the White House

to reprimand them for voicing opposition.

I think that that is wrong

and it is inappropriate.

It's inappropriate, and I'll tell you what else...

It's wrong? Yes.

Except you weren't summoned here to be reprimanded.

Then if you'll permit me, why was I summoned?

You have an interesting conversational style

you know that?

It's a nervous condition.

I used to have a nervous condition.

How did yours manifest itself?

I drank a lot of scotch.

I get sick when I drink too much.

I get drunk when I drink too much.

Well, Mr. McGarry... Leo.

Yes, sir, I'll ask again.

For what purpose was I brought here today?

So I could offer you a job.

I'm asking because I do not think that it is fair

that I be expected to play the role of the mouse

to the White House's cat in the game of...

you know the game.

Cat and mouse?

Yes, and it's not like I'm not...

The fact that I may not look

like some of the other Republicans

who have crossed your path

does not mean that I am any less inclined toward...

Here it comes.

Did you say offer me a job?

Yes. Associate White House Counsel.

You're to report to the Deputy White House Counsel

who reports to the White House Counsel, who reports to me.

I'm sorry. A job in this White House?

You want a glass of scotch?

Yes, please.

( groaning )

C.J.?

Yeah.

C.J., see a sleep doctor, take a pill, do something.

I rode the life-cycle this morning for an hour and a half.

If it was a real cycle, I'd have been in Belgium by now.

C.J., what did you want to ask me the other day?

Sam, if I talked to you about it

you could be subpoenaed.

Don't worry about it.

It could cost you, and...

Don't worry about it.

I do worry about it.

There's no problem.

I just need some sleep.

What can I bring into the room

about the conference?

The sessions are productive.

Progress is being made.

These kind of things take time.

All the parties are optimistic.

Are any of the parties optimistic?

No.

Carol: C.J.?

Yeah.

Did you say something to me?

No.

'Cause... I thought you might've said something to me.

I have always been a Republican.

My father

is a Republican.

His father was State Chairman

of the North Carolina Republican Party.

Yes.

When I was young, I was a Young Republican.

Ainsley, even if you hadn't already told me all of this--

you know, many, many times--

I would know it anyway because I have this FBI file.

You have my FBI file?

Yes.

You have my FBI file? Yes.

I have an FBI file?

Ainsley.

Mr. McGarry, I loathe

almost everything you believe in...

Where are you going?

I'm not going anywhere. I'm standing up

which is how one speaks in opposition

in a civilized world.

Well, you go, girl.

I find this administration

smug and patronizing, and under the impression

that those who disagree with them

are less than they are, and with colder hearts.

I don't think that's true.

How many people on your staff

assumed that I was ambitious, mean, and stupid?

None.

C.J. Cregg thinks you kill your pets.

You don't do that, do you?

No, I don't kill my pets.

I don't have any pets.

I was thinking about getting a pet...

but that doesn't matter.

The point is... Ainsley.

Don't you want to work in the White House?

Oh, only since I was two.

Okay.

It has to be this White House?

Ainsley... Mr. McGarry...

The President likes smart people who disagree with him.

He wants to hear from you.

The President's asking you to serve...

...and everything else is crap.

Think about it overnight.

Come back here

at 6:00 tomorrow and give me your answer.

Margaret!

How you doing?

Show Miss Hayes out, would you, please?

This way.

No, you're listening to me

but you're not understanding me.

No, I'm disagreeing with you.

That doesn't mean I'm not listening to you

or understanding what you're saying.

I'm doing all three at the same time.

You've got to get out of their face, Toby.

They can get up any time they want

and we don't have anything they need.

They need patent treaties to be enforced.

And they are going to be enforced.

The pharmaceutical companies

got half the House of Representatives elected.

Congress is going to get serious about this.

The pills cost them four cents a unit to make.

You know that's not true.

The second pill costs them four cents.

The first pill costs them $400 million.

They also enjoy unprecedented tax breaks

foreign tax credits

research and experimentation exemptions

and expensing of research expenditures

to say nothing of the fact that business is pretty good

so they're going to cover their bet.

Tell me about Nimbala.

They didn't have cheese.

What is it? It's boysenberry.

A boysenberry Danish?

It's new.

Tell me about Nimbala.

He's a good president, Josh.

He was a great soldier, a brilliant commander.

He led his people for 28 years.

He can't get ahead of the curve.

He's cursed by geography.

If the ground won't grow anything

you don't have an economy.

Still, he stands in a room

and he talks about Norman Borlaug.

He came here himself, Josh.

He didn't send delegates.

Maybe it's because he doesn't have any.

I think he's holding his country together with both hands.

Then let's make sure

we send him back with something, is my point.

Fellas.

They're ready. Yeah?

Yeah.

Carol: Folks, please take your seats.

C.J.: Good afternoon.

Guess what.

The audit figures released yesterday

by the Senate Finance Committee confirmed earlier reports

released by the Congressional Budget Office

regarding the increased

budget surplus projections.

The CBS projection actually increased the surplus amount

from two trillion over the next ten years to 2.2 trillion.

This exceeds even the most

optimistic estimates published last year

by the White House Budget Office, of 300 billion

and the CBS projection last quarter of 900 billion.

Needless to say, these figures...

Are you new, too? Excuse me?

Are you new, too?

It's my fourth day.

Uh, no.

Maybe you can help me, then.

I'm trying to get somewhere with drilling equipment

that might've been sold by Bonamo Energy to the Iraqis in violation of sanctions.

Now, I asked C.J. about it

and she said there's a grand jury investigation

and she's not allowed to talk.

If you ask me, she was acting

a little bit... I don't know

but I hear she hasn't been able to sleep

and maybe that's because...

She told you there was a grand jury investigation?

Yeah.

Miss Hayes.

Yeah. This way.

...responsible for a large portion

of the surplus- to-debt reduction.

With regards to the progress made here

at the White House summit for African AIDS relief

all parties are optimistic

that an agreement will be reached soon.

Damson: I think there's

a more fundamental problem than marginal cost.

We've been at this for four days

and I still think we haven't talked about

the fundamental misunderstanding in Africa

over the basic facts of AIDS.

( translated ): I don't think there's a misunderstanding.

A week ago you people stood up

and said that AIDS

has only a casual relationship to HIV.

( speaking foreign language )

( translated ): I'm not certain

to whom you refer when you say "you people"

but it was President Mbeki of South Africa who said that

and not anyone in this room.

I think Mr. Damson

has brought up a hard truth that should be faced.

What's that?

If tomorrow we made AIDS medication free

to every patient in your country

as much as they needed

for as long as they needed it

it would likely make very little difference

in the spread of the epidemic.

Why?

Anti-HIV drugs are a triple cocktail.

It's a complicated regimen that requires

ten pills to be taken every day at precise times.

Two protease inhibitors every eight hours

two combination RTI pills every 12 hours.

What's the problem?

They don't own wristwatches.

They can't tell time.

We agree something must be done

but we don't think we're culprits

and we don't think there is an easy or obvious solution.

And we think you should be aware of the dangers involved

in some of the proposals made here today.

Mr. President, may we speak with you alone, please?

Ainsley?

Could you give me just a moment, please?

Sure.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

I was going to see Leo McGarry.

He asked me come back and see him again at the end of the day.

I'm Ainsley Hayes.

It's good to meet you.

I'm not taking the job, C.J.

Well, okay.

I just wanted to...

Okay.

C.J., Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

says you can be prosecuted for even confirming

a grand jury's been in panel.

How'd you know?

A reporter in your press room who hasn't read

the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

Well, someone's going to tell him eventually.

Who told you?

One of the witnesses who was called.

What could happen?

18 months. Medium security.

C.J., I'm kidding.

You didn't break the law.

Attorneys and jurors are under a gag order.

Witnesses are free to say whatever they want.

And anyone is free

to repeat what they've said.

You know, I'm not sure that laying low

and hoping nobody noticed was the best strategy here.

Next time you should really run it by someone

in the Counsel's Office.

Anyway, I should go see Leo.

Yeah.

President Nimbala.

I'm going to put a deal together

and I want you to agree to it.

( speaking foreign language )

Translator: What am I agreeing to?

I can get them to lower their prices

but you have to commit your military

your Customs Bureau and your Ministry of Health.

You have to commit them to stopping

the influx of black market HIV drugs

from Korea and Pakistan

and from wherever else they're coming.

( speaking foreign language )

Translator: 35.8% of our adult population is infected.

60% of our hospital beds are occupied

by people who are HIV-positive.

( speaking foreign language )

Our Institute of Policy Analysis says in the coming decade

50% of all households in my country

will have at least one member infected with HIV.

To think I would care about international patent law

at a time like this is unrealistic.

Mr. President

the U.S. Department of Commerce

will put your country on a watch list.

That's the first step toward trade sanctions.

Our Congress could end all aid to your country.

If you can agree to what we're saying

in exchange for which, we believe

we can get Congress to forgive the debt

on all your past development loans

and we believe the Export-Import Bank

will offer a billion dollars in loans

to finance the purchase of American AIDS medication.

Congress won't approve the loan.

Congress won't have to, sir.

The Treasury and the State Department will review it.

But if we spread the loans out

over several countries in your region on a case-by-case basis

and if none of the loans exceed a hundred million dollars

we don't need Congressional approval.

That law might change soon.

It's a terrible thing to beg for your life, terrible.

My father...

( speaks foreign language )

Proud.

Proud.

My father was a proud man.

He built homes.

He wouldn't like

what I came here to do.

Yes, he would, Mr. President.

I swear to God he would.

Thank you, sir.

Go tell Leo.

Hi.

Hi.

You know, something you forgot to mention

about the 95% of the money

going straight into the classroom

past the pork barrel buffet

was that the school only got the money

if they agreed not to distribute condoms.

Well, that's a reason to veto it

because the thing our public schools need

more than anything else right now are free condoms.

I'd definitely make that priority one.

He's not here.

You look familiar to me.

You're Aimsley Hayes.

Ainsley, with an "n."

She works here now.

What?

Leo hired her.

What are you talking about?

Leo hired her. He told me and C.J.

He was waiting to tell you and Toby.

What was he waiting for?

How the hell do I know, Josh?

Waiting until he hired me

which he hasn't done 'cause I'm not taking the job.

You're not taking the job?

No, but thank you for talking to me instead of about me.

Hang on, I'm still back on "he offered you the job"

but you're not taking the job?

No, man, why participate in the process

when you can get a job commenting on it?

You think because I don't want to work here

it's because I can get a better gig on Geraldo?

I think...

Gosh, let's see if there could possibly be any other reason

why I wouldn't want to work

in this White House.

This White House that feels

that government is better for children than parents are.

That looks at 40 years

of degrading and humiliating free lunches handed out

in a spectacularly failed effort

to level the playing field

and says, "Let's try 40 more."

This White House that says

of anyone that points that out to them

that they are cold and mean and racist

and then accuses Republicans of using the politics of fear.

This White House that loves the Bill of Rights

all of them, except the second one.

This is the wrong place

to talk about guns right now.

I thought your column was idiotic.

Imagine my surprise.

But for a brilliant surgical team

and two centimeters of a miracle

this guy's dead right now...

from bullets fired from a gun bought legally.

They bought guns, they loaded them

they drove from Wheeling to Rosslyn

and until they pulled the trigger

they had yet to commit a crime.

I am so off the charts tired of the gun lobby

tossing around words like personal freedom

and nobody calling them on it.

It's not about personal freedom

and it certainly has nothing to do with public safety.

It's just that some people like guns.

Yes, they do.

But you know what's more insidious than that?

Your gun control position

doesn't have anything to do with public safety

and it's certainly not about personal freedom.

It's about you don't like people who do like guns.

You don't like the people.

Think about that the next time you make a joke about the South.

Where's Leo?

What?

Where's Leo?

We don't know.

Charlie, you seen Leo?

600?

Yes, sir.

Television and radio?

They've got 'em.

When do I see pictures

and who's going to tell me

what I'm looking for?

Ten minutes in the situation room.

I want Fitzwallace and Nancy.

Donna, tell C.J. it's an open lid.

She knows.

They're coming back.

Leo.

Excuse us.

Excuse me, everybody.

Could we have the room a moment, please?

Sam.

( closes door )

Mr. President, three hours ago

there was a coup in your country.

The AFRC has taken the capital.

( speaking foreign language )

Where are my children?

We're finding out.

The information's coming very quickly

from our people in Angola and Sudan.

Mr. President

I think you should sit.

No, thank you.

I'll go now.

No, no, sir, my State Department

is offering you asylum in the U.S.

Thank you, Mr. President, but I have to go home.

You can't go home. You can't go home.

I am the leader.

They have the capital.

They have the radio station.

They have the television station.

( speaking foreign language )

Are there Americans on the ground?

I'm evacuating the embassy.

( speaking foreign language )

Did they close the airport?

Yes.

( speaking foreign language )

They will want to arrest me.

They will want to put me on trial

to trade my return

for the safe departure of the Americans.

I don't need to trade you.

If they won't give me the Americans

we'll go and get them ourselves

and they know that

and they'll let them go.

I'd like to call my embassy.

Your embassy is in exile, Mr. President.

They will shoot you

the moment you step off the plane.

Thank you.

( speaking foreign language )

Please tell me what is in that message.

We think your brother and your two sons

are already dead.

We think your wife is being hidden in Kenya.

You understand, don't you

why I can't offer military assistance?

Yes.

President: Ned, sit with me for a moment.

Sit down, sir.

Harriet: ...and you know they just wanted

to hire her so they could say they did.

Ugh. "Look at us. We hired a Republican.

"Look at how bipartisan we are.

"We didn't even notice

that she looks like a Gap dancer."

( laughing ): That's right!

Harriet: Ainsley! ! Hey.

Bruce was just telling me.

I couldn't resist.

So they tried to hire you.

Tell me about the look on McGarry's face.

What?

When you said no.

I, um... couldn't see him.

He had to...

He was called into...

What's wrong?

Nothing.

He had to...

Something happened...

Oh, damn, I wanted you

to say it to his face.

I wanted to see...

I hate these people.

Did you meet anyone there

who isn't worthless?

Don't say that.

Did you meet anyone there

who has any...?

I said, don't say that.

Say they're smug and superior.

Say their approach to public policy

makes you want to tear your hair out.

Say they'd like high taxes and spending your money.

Say they want to take your guns and open your borders.

But don't call them worthless.

At least don't do it in front of me.

The people that I have met

have been extraordinarily qualified.

Their intent is good.

Their commitment is true.

They are righteous, and they are patriots.

And I'm their lawyer.

President: You ever read Paul Erlich's book?

Toby: The Population Bomb?

Yeah. He wrote it in 1968.

Erlich said that it was a fantasy

that India would ever feed itself.

Then Norman Borlaug comes along.

See, the problem was that wheat is top-heavy.

It was falling over on itself

and it took up too much space.

The dwarf wheat...

Guys, it was an agricultural revolution

that was credited with saving

one billion lives.

Thanks.

It happened.

They executed him in the airport parking lot.

( sighs )

Okay.

I'll see you Monday.