Original subtitles

Previously, on The West Wing:

Most troubling is

personnel carriers with Haitian troops

parked in front of virtually every police station in Port-au-Prince.

Nancy, if they take the embassy, how are we going to know?

They're taking the embassy.

Mrs. Landingham was driving her car back here.

Charlie, is she all right?

No.

She's dead.

Eight years ago, the President was diagnosed with MS.

He concealed it during the election

but we're going public Wednesday night

with a live network interview and a press conference.

MAN: Is the President going to run for re-election?

There's going to be a press conference tonight.

I'd watch.

C.J. Please, I can only answer 14 or 15 questions at once!

Steve, then Michael.

STEVE: Has there been any discussion of a Special Prosecutor?

Tomorrow morning, the President will direct the Attorney General

to appoint a Special Prosecutor, yes.

I can't see. Joan?

Can you tell us how that'll work?

A list of three prosecutors is given to a three-judge panel.

The prosecutors, as well as the judges

were all appointed by Republican Presidents.

How soon do you anticipate witnesses being called?

I don't know.

Do you have any idea who will be

on the witness list?

I can't comment

on a witness list that doesn't exist.

I imagine subpoenas will be issued

to most senior White House staff, including myself.

C.J. C.J. C.J.

What about Congress?

I'm sorry?

Will Congress be holding hearings?

I would imagine.

Do you know which committee

would have jurisdiction over...

Again, I can't comment

on what kind of hearings Congress has in mind.

I'm sure there'll be one

but you'd have to talk to Congress.

Okay, here now, the President of the United States.

Front row on your right.

( sighs )

Yes. Sandy.

Mr. President, can you tell us right now

if you'll be seeking

a second term?

PRESIDENT: I'm sorry, Sandy

there was a little bit of noise, there.

Can you repeat the question?

SANDY: Yes, sir.

Can you tell us right now

if you'll be seeking

a second term?

Yeah...

and I'm going to win.

C.J.?

C.J.?

C.J.?

We're here.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you. Thanks.

Mr. President.

Bruno.

I've got a new section...

Give it to Leo.

MAN: C.J....

C.J.: The speech is written.

They're just ironing a few things out.

Look... It's written.

I'm not talking about the speech. What?

I've got a source that says

the FDA's going to pull the trigger on mifepristone.

Mifepristone's...? RU-486.

The FDA's an independent agency.

I could get in trouble

for even knowing what you just told me.

No, it's nonproprietary information

delivered by a nongovernmental person.

You're fine.

Well, I'll be asking

one of my 14 lawyers about that

but when are they going to announce?

That's the thing.

They're doing it on Monday.

Monday?

Right before his speech.

Okay, thanks.

JOSH: C.J.... there are now

seven different drafts of the speech.

Yeah. The President likes none of them.

Toby and Doug can't get together.

Sam and Doug can't get together.

Leo and Bruno can't get together.

Listen, I got to talk to you for a second.

If anyone asks, the speech is done.

That's what I've been saying. We're just ironing out...

Listen. Yeah?

Come here.

Paulson got it from a source

the FDA's signing off on RU-486.

When are they going to announce?

On Monday. Come on!

Right before his speech. You didn't take care of this?

Josh... Damn it, C.J.

I told all departments no news on Monday--

we get the cycle to ourselves.

Then, how...? The FDA's an independent agency.

So, we're kicking off our campaign

on the same day...? Yeah.

Perfect.

Look, I'm sorry, but there's no...

Yeah, I'm also not wild about pictures

of the President getting on the plane without his wife.

I can't computer-generate images of the First Lady.

She's getting in in the morning?

We'll do some pictures.

I'm going to call Gail Trent and confirm this other thing.

Maybe we want to postpone.

Why? I don't know

he's got laryngitis or something.

C.J....

Listen, anybody asks, the speech is done.

We're just putting on... Yeah, listen.

What's Toby's problem with me?

What do you mean? He's got a problem with me

and I'd like to understand the nature of it.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I do worry about it, 'cause I have a job to do this weekend

and he's making it harder.

I don't... Connie?

The place has a communications center

a conference room, an operating room

offices and an apartment.

This is a nice ride.

They're just putting the finishing touches on.

Yeah. Thank you.

M&M's with the Seal of the President.

C.J., when do we see an advance?

Very soon.

The speech is done?

It's done. They're just ironing a few things out.

Toby and Sam don't have any problem with Bruno's people?

Everybody's getting along great.

They're dotting the Is and crossing the Ts.

This thing reads like an Andy Williams special!

We're starting all over again with a white piece of paper!

I'm going to take my seat now.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

From the flight deck, this is Lieutenant Colonel Gantry.

We're closing our cabin doors

and we ask that you be seated in preparation for takeoff.

We'll be flying at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet

and our flight path will take us over Hartford, Connecticut,

Greenfield, Massachusetts,

and our flight time to Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire

will be approximately one hour and ten minutes

and we anticipate a smooth flight.

( chuckles )

if you'll be seeking a second term?

Yeah...

and I'm going to win.

That announcement, coming about 15 minutes ago

was made on the heels of the President's stunning disclosure

that he'd been diagnosed...

( thunder crashing )

...remitting course of multiple sclerosis...

Abbey?

Jed.

Listen...

You missed it. It was incredible.

Look... It's all over the news.

Abbey... This crazy man got in front of millions of people

and totally screwed his wife.

That's funny, 'cause that's sort of what I did.

You can't think this is funny.

I don't. You can't think this is a joke.

I don't, I swear.

( thunder rolling )

There are ways of getting out of this.

Yeah.

You buried Delores Landingham this afternoon.

You couldn't possibly be expected to make...

Are you going... Let some time go by, a few weeks

you say you've consulted with your doctors

you've consulted with your family...

Abbey... ...which, amazingly, people would believe

and, then, you say you've decided...

I'm running again, Abbey.

Yeah?

Look, I have a lot to say.

You and me both.

Go ahead.

What?

Say what you have to say.

No, I have to go down.

They're going to brief me on an evacuation plan

for Haiti. All right.

( thunder rolls )

You going to be up later?

When?

I don't know, probably 3:00 or 4:00.

Am I usually up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning?

Not usually.

Then, let's assume I won't be tonight.

( phone ringing )

Donna!

Where have you been?

The motorcade left without me.

I had to drive back with Ed and Larry.

They couldn't drive faster?

Not faster than a presidential motorcade, no.

Uh, set up a conference call

so Cabinet Affairs can brief.

You want the sub-cabinet, too?

Yeah, and I need Congressional leaders.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

No. I'm pumped.

Me, too. I'm monumentally pumped.

Set up the calls, would you?

( thunder rolling )

Toby.

Leo's got to cancel everything

on the public schedule tomorrow. It's done.

You're talking to Cabinet Affairs?

Donna's setting up the call.

Why aren't you smiling?

'Cause I'm wet.

I'm wet and I'm smiling.

I'm smiling on the inside. Ginger? Yeah?

Public Liaison wrote up talking points two hours ago.

Pull them. They're no good anymore.

When are they going to have new ones?

Public Liaison?

TOBY: Yeah. Half an hour.

15 minutes. Sam, we got to... You better...

BOTH: ...call the networks and make sure we've got

one of our people on every single broadcast tonight.

Okay, let's try not to do that a lot.

Why isn't he smiling?

On the inside.

We got to round up the medical experts for the morning shows

and we need to divvy up the columnists. Nancy?

Yeah? I need to see C.J. as soon as she's free.

She's going to be down there for another couple of hours. She's surrounded.

Well, get her on the phone. Yeah.

And I need Oliver Babish.

You want to put him in the briefing room tomorrow?

Send a message we're not worried

about the legal side.

( thunder rolling )

( door opening )

What are you all looking at?

Good evening, Mr. President.

What do you guys think the news is going to lead with tomorrow?

Sir?

( chuckling )

Yeah.

Haiti?

Yeah.

All right, don't worry about Haiti.

Let's do what we have to.

Mike, is that four AV-8s?

Yeah, and four AH-1s.

Good evening.

ALL: Good evening, Mr. President.

NANCY: Mr. President

this is Operation Swift Fury. Yeah.

On your command, we deploy a Landingship Helicopter Assault

to evacuate both the Americans and Dessaline from the embassy.

What's in the LHA?

Four CH53Es with 35 troops for combat assault support

and eight CH46 helicopters.

That's for cargo and ammunition?

Yeah. We also have four Cobras

two Hueys for command and control, and four Harriers.

Where do you launch?

There's a soccer stadium there.

The Stade Alain Toussaint.

MIKE: It's about a quarter mile from the embassy.

So, these helicopters land on the roof

and then... NANCY: And then take the Americans

and Dessaline to the Enterprise.

Code word "Paris" for this operation.

What are the possibilities

there'll be Haitian civilian casualties?

A curfew's been imposed and the Signal Intelligence flights

say there aren't any civilians within a two-block radius.

How long do I have? MIKE: Paris will be

in place in two hours, sir.

Okay.

Thanks.

Mr. President?

Yeah?

Hey, red-headed girl.

Margaret.

Okay. Uh, I need to see him.

He's in his cabin.

You can go back.

( knocking )

Yeah?

Listen...

Bruno... In four weeks...

Look... Hang on.

In four weeks... No, I don't think I will hang on.

Who told Doug to write a draft? This was simply in order to...

Who told him to...? I told him to do it.

It's got an apology. Also, it stinks.

Yeah, okay, it lacks a certain...

What, quality? Yeah, but...

Look... Doug isn't here to write poetry.

The purpose of his draft is

to demonstrate that an apology can work.

He's not going to apologize. Why not?

'Cause it's his official campaign announcement

and not Oprah Winfrey.

Doing Oprah wouldn't kill him.

I honestly believe it might.

In four weeks...

In four weeks, he has made a full disclosure of his health.

He has educated the public about MS.

He has done this every day.

He has done everything... Except apologize.

In four weeks, he has saved Haiti for democracy

funded the Justice Department's tobacco lawsuit

watched the market rebound...

He has done everything but apologize.

You think he apologizes and his numbers go up?

I think you brought me in two weeks ago

because they haven't yet.

They have.

Two points in a month?

If he runs for re-election 27 years from now

he's got a fighting chance.

I've got to make calls.

Talk to me about this in town.

We're making our final approach to Pease Air Force Base.

If you'd all take your seats and fasten your seat belts.

Listen... You should sit down; we're landing.

I talked to Gail Trent.

And? She confirmed it.

The FDA's going to announce.

On Monday? Yeah.

What are they talking about back there?

Leo and Bruno? Yeah.

The lack of yeast in our numbers.

Yeast is a fun word to say.

I'm sorry I got in your face before.

Our numbers are less than yeasty.

They are.

TOBY: We need a new poll in the field right now.

JOSH: Yes. SAM: I'll tell you why.

JOSH: Because the first one was bogus.

SAM: Totally bogus, and I'll tell you why.

C.J.: 1,170 voters in one industrial state

isn't representative of the whole country.

JOSH: Plus, people respond differently

to voting out a governor versus a President.

ED: Governors are expendable...

LARRY: While if they feel the country's on the right track

they want to keep the President in charge.

SAM: In charge if at all possible, and I'll tell you what else.

LARRY: Bartlet's always scored...

SAM: Always scored high in the trustworthy meter.

C.J.: So, he has a bit of a shield

to protect him from character attacks.

during the interview informed the public

that MS isn't a fatal disease.

We need to put another poll in the field right now.

Thank you all for coming around to the self-evident point

I made five minutes ago.

We got to put another poll in the field.

What happened? My ride left without me.

Mine, too. I got a ride with Larry and Ed.

Yes. Didn't you see me jumping up and down

waving my arms in the air?

I just thought you were happy. Me, too.

You're an idiot!

Which one of us are you talking to?

Listen to me, he did

incredibly well on TV tonight.

We got to put another poll in the field.

We know.

There's a difference

between a governor and a President.

SAM: Yes. JOEY: 1,170 people

in Michigan won't give you a good sample.

This is a lot like DuPont Circle.

We're there already, Jo.

I was stuck out in the rain.

Put the poll in the field.

JOSH: The hotel's up on the right.

DONNA: What's mifepristone?

JOSH: A pill that'll abort a pregnancy up to 49 days.

Mifepristone is RU-486? Yes.

And the FDA's approving it? Yes.

* Hallelujah. *

See, I think you're thinking

that somehow this pill means "more sex for you."

No. I'm thinking it's a terrific medical advancement for women.

You didn't think I'd be for it?

Of course you're for it.

I'm for it, the President's for it, everybody's for it--

just not on Monday.

Why not?

A) It'll get folded into our news cycle

when we want it to ourselves

B) it will gives pro-lifers something to scream about

and C) it'll look like the campaign screwed up

so the press will write a process story

instead of writing about our issues.

Isn't this one of our issues?

Not on Monday.

I'm checking in.

Sure. I'll get the bags.

( loud rock music playing )

What do you need?

Absolut martini on the rocks.

Olives? Thank you.

Is it always this crowded in here?

Only when the circus is in town.

Toby Ziegler, what'd you bring me?

M&Ms from Air Force One, Lois.

Thank you.

Jack Daniels?

Yes, please.

Did you, uh...

I read it, yes.

It was just to demonstrate that an apology can work.

He's not going to apologize.

What about the rest of the speech?

We're starting over.

Toby, if he doesn't apologize on Monday

we're going to spend the next 15 months being asked why.

Then when he does, it's going to be because he had to.

There are moments, and when they're missed...

I've done this before.

Like Haiti.

Don't talk about military strategy

in a conversation like this.

I'm just saying if the table had been set right

and he'd been able to invade...

You want to speak up; I'm not sure

the entire White House Press Corps heard you.

Toby, Jack Daniels.

Thank you.

LOIS: You guys friends?

Yeah.

Is he in?

MARGARET: He's waiting for you.

Hey. Joey's putting a poll in the field

first thing in the morning.

Good. That first poll was bogus, and I'll tell you why.

1,170 people in Michigan can't poss...

Leo, Leo, we-we've been through this.

All right, well, good.

Where's the President?

In the residence.

How's the First Lady?

You know, I think with everything

on our plates, we don't need

to be marriage counselors right now.

No, we should

'cause you and I would be really good at it.

Excuse me.

They're ready? Yeah.

Here we go.

PILOT #1 ( over radio ): Cobra 2, copy.

PILOT #2: Cobra 2. What's your position?

PILOT #1 ( over radio ): Raven, Cobra 1 is Charlie.

PILOT #2: Raven, Cobra 2 is Charlie.

COMMAND: Copy. Cobra 1, Cobra 2, you are go for mission status.

Leo, we'll hear Rattner from Port-au-Prince

completing each phase of the operation.

Where are we?

Both Cobras are in position.

PILOT #3: Raven, Dragon is Delta.

Copy. Dragon, you are go for Operation Swift Fury.

How long does it take?

They'll start taking personnel in 40 seconds.

They ready the two pairs of Cobras over Bazan's troops

to secure the landing.

Then we pick up the 53 Americans and Dessaline...

And haul ass to Paris?

Yeah.

How you doing?

Not bad.

How about you?

Not bad. Wish I could've been at the funeral.

You had your hands full.

I was proud of our boy.

Yeah.

How's the First Lady doing?

Let's not do that right now, hmm?

Yeah.

This silence makes me crazy.

Come on.

PILOT #3: Raven, Dragon has all personnel secured.

Dragon is lifting to Paris.

COMMAND: Copy. Dragon is lifting to Paris; Dragon is away.

( cheering ) ( popping sound )

PILOT #1: Raven, Cobra 1's taking fire from...

It's from across...

It's from inside the building across the embassy.

Engaging. I'm hit.

Raven, Cobra 2. Cobra 1's taken some fire.

Smoke's coming from the tail.

He's hit in the cockpit.

COMMAND: Cobra 1, what is your status?

Raven, Cobra 1. I've got some injuries.

Copy that. Cobra 1, can you make it back to Paris?

Yeah, we're going to try.

Raven, Cobra 2.

I'm engaged with a squad of HNP troops

with several light machine guns.

Engaging with 20-millimeter and 2.75 rockets.

Raven, Cobra 2.

Target neutralized.

Returning to Paris.

Copy that.

All right.

Well, we're in it now.

* Oh, I'd like to know where *

( over stereo ): * You got the notion

* Well, I'd like to know where

* You got the notion

* Rock the boat

* Don't rock the boat, baby *

* Rock the boat

* Don't tip the boat over *

* Rock the boat

* Don't rock the boat, baby *

* Rock the boat...

Our hotel is located just a few miles

from the site of John Goffe's mill.

"Hunter John, as he was called, was granted the land

"as a reward for his services

to the colony in the French and Indian Wars."

Let me tell you something.

We don't do that enough anymore.

"I seek reelection to the presidency

"not because of its glories

but because of its difficulties."

"Challenges," right?

"Challenge" is better than "difficulties."

Yes. "Later in life, he built the water-powered grist mill

"with his son, Colonel John Goffe

and his grandson, Major John Goffe."

The Goffes.

Is "challenges" going to make us think

one of the difficulties is that he's got MS?

It makes us think he's up for a challenge.

I agree.

C.J. Yeah.

You want to play some pool?

I don't know how to play pool.

Then you want to play for money?

Sure.

What are you doing?

I'm drawing inspiration

from the strength of the Goffe family.

The descendants of Hunter John have been owners and operators

of the Goffe family mill for more than two centuries now.

"In 1845, when Theodore 'Ody' Goffe was the proprietor

the mill burned to the ground."

Well, that totally blows.

REPORTERS: C.J....

Again, I can tell you that the operation was launched

from the deck of the USS Enterprise

about 60 miles off the coast of Haiti.

If you need more details about troops and equipment

I'm going to have to refer you to the Pentagon.

REPORTERS: C.J....

CARL: Getting back to last night for a second

the President was briefed on the evacuation

after the press conference? That's right.

Can you talk about his state of mind?

His state of mind was he's Commander in Chief.

MARK: I think the question was

was he physically and emotionally prepared

to make a life- and-death decision

after what he'd just been through?

He'd been through a TV interview and a press conference.

The President finds you all annoying

but not prohibitively debilitating.

REPORTERS: C.J... Chris.

The President had just announced

a life-threatening illness from the American people...

The President's MS isn't life-threatening...

So, it had no effect...

...and there was no plot. Steve?

C.J., when did the President tell you about his condition?

I'm sorry? When did...

He told me a week ago.

CHRIS: Did the President tell you himself?

No. Leo McGarry told me.

Why didn't the President tell you?

Because Leo McGarry told me.

KATIE: C.J., could you describe

your relationship with the President?

Just good friends, Katie.

How's she's doing?

It's getting away from her a little.

They're making her the story.

Yeah. Listen, I wanted to ask you about something.

Yes?

The Justice Department needs another $30 million

to fund its suit against the tobacco companies

and we want them to have it.

The Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, State and Justice

handles that money and they won't bring it to a vote.

Kalmbach's the chairman?

Yeah. Now I wanted to turn the heat up

and issue a release.

Incendiary?

Yeah. It calls them well-fed members

lining their campaign war chests

and being complicit in hundreds of thousands

of negligent homicides.

Nice.

We didn't send the release out yesterday

because of the MS announcement

and Mrs. Landingham

but in a day or two, I want to leak it.

What do you think?

Yeah, that's really stupid.

Why?

Because offense makes people play defense.

I'm raising the profile to bring public opinion

down on him, play defense with that.

Congress appropriates the money.

You're not going to get it by pissing off

the appropriators.

Watch me.

Thanks for asking for my opinion.

No sweat.

I'm not answering that.

CARL: That's because you don't know or because...

Because I don't believe that has anything to do...

Let's get away from it all.

...with the President sharing that health information

with the general public.

Hang on. You need to be able to distinguish

between the things we're supposed to know

and the things we're supposed to know and you don't.

The Pentagon briefing's scheduled

for 3:00 this afternoon.

I'll keep you posted on the changes.

Leo talked to me, you know.

Hmm?

I said Leo talked to me.

Yeah?

Yeah.

About what?

Your shot.

Strategically, I felt that was the wise thing to do.

Leo talked to me.

I... I know what you're thinking about doing.

Good morning, Mr. President.

Good morning, Mr. President.

We're talking about a display of force?

Yes, sir. Bazan sees what he's up against.

And what is he up against?

We can buzz Port-au-Prince

with an Alpha-strike formation.

Five F-18 fighters.

It'll get his attention.

Isn't it possible

they could shoot at us again?

We'll fly an E-2 Hawkeye

with a radar dome.

It picks up weapons signals?

Yes, sir. We'd know before the formation

reached Port-au-Prince if they were in danger.

Peter...

State's exploring the effectiveness

of immediate sanctions?

Yeah, we're exploring it

but we've been down that road

with Haiti before.

JOSH: With terrible results

that hurt the wrong people.

NANCY: And not to pile it on, Mr. President, but we have reports

of 12 separate incidents of cutters

intercepting Haitians off the Florida Keys.

If we stretch out the resolution...

We'll have a refugee crisis.

Guantanamo Bay.

All right, let's start here.

Nancy, Peter, get a message

to the Canadian Prime Minister.

We intend to restore Dessaline.

The Canadians should tell Bazan

if he doesn't move out

we're willing to move forward

with military options.

In the meantime

I'm willing to consider the fly-by.

If the fly-by doesn't work?

( sighs )

Now you're just bugging me.

That's all.

ALL: Thank you, Mr. President.

Sir?

Yeah?

We should bear in mind

that if we end up invading Haiti

there'll be a belief...

That it was politically motivated.

Yeah, that at the very least

we welcomed an opportunity

both to distract attention from the MS story

and to show strength as Commander in Chief.

You think it's a sign of strength to invade Haiti?

I meant... Missouri could invade Haiti.

Yes.

Sanctions aren't going to work--

you said it yourself.

The Haitian National Police

will get rich off the contraband.

Dessaline was democratically elected

and instead of sitting in his office

he's sitting on the USS Enterprise

to say nothing of the fact

that they shot at us and you don't get to do that.

Sir. I'm late.

Everybody's tired.

You know, at some point

we're going to have to check the First Lady's temperature.

Okay, you first.

Yeah.

On Haiti, tell your people

to be careful with public posture

not to say or do anything that could taint any of the options.

Nobody wants to invade.

Nobody wants to contemplate invading

till we've exhausted diplomatic options.

Yeah.

TOBY: Charlie...

Yeah.

You want to play?

Aren't you supposed to be writing?

I am writing.

I don't see paper.

"We can sit back and admit with grave sensitivity

"that life isn't fair and the less-advantaged

"are destined to their lot in life

"and the problems of those

"on the other side of the world should stay there

"and our leaders are cynical

"and can never be an instrument of change

"but that, my friends, is not worthy of you.

"It's not worthy of a president.

"It's not worthy of a great nation.

It's not worthy of America."

Paper's for wimps.

Want to play?

No.

I understand if it's 'cause you're scared.

I'm not.

I'm saying, if you're scared chicken, I understand.

You got 20 bucks?

Yep.

Put it on the table.

I'll give you the break.

You give me the break

you're not going to need that stick.

Charlie. Yeah.

Can I see you for a second?

Today the President

is going to direct the Attorney General

to appoint a special prosecutor.

Yes, sir.

You know what that means, right? Yeah.

Okay, so you're going to need a lawyer.

Actually, Mr. Babish, I don't think I need one.

You do.

I think I'll be fine.

Really? Yeah.

He's going to ask you about everything you have seen

and heard since you started working at the White House.

I can answer those questions truthfully.

Then he's going to call you back a month later

and ask you the exact same questions.

If your answers change even a little

they can prosecute you for perjury.

Mr. Babish...

Oliver's fine.

Are you prepared to describe every conversation

you ever had with the President?

Whether he asked you for an aspirin?

Whether his hands quivered?

Are you prepared to answer questions

about your relationship

with his youngest daughter?

This is NFL football.

When is this all going to happen?

I don't know.

How can you not know?

Because grand jury

investigations are secret.

So they can just knock on my door one morning?

They will knock on your door one morning.

How much?

You know, how much do you think?

Assuming you did nothing wrong, saw nothing wrong

and heard nothing wrong

about $100,000.

Nice game.

It was fun to watch.

I'll see you later.

Charlie...

Yeah?

The President and the First Lady...

Toby...

Sorry. Man.

No... I can't do the job if he thinks

he's got to send me out of the room every time...

No, you're right. You know what?

Look, it's a typical marriage.

I've been there.

Well, I haven't, but he's the President

of the United States, so my guess is, no

it's probably not a typical marriage.

I'll see you later.

( edgy alternative rock playing over stereo )

* This revolution

* Has just begun...

( papers rustling )

I said to you, I said this--

I said, "Do you want food?" Yes.

And you said, "No, I don't want any food." Yeah.

And now, you're eating my food.

You'd kind of think you'd have learned it by now.

Are you eating the rest of the sandwich?

Are you?

Where is he? How you doing?

I don't care. Where is he?

Leo's on the phone.

What's the problem?

"Our economy may be stronger.

"Yet there are Americans who work longer

"for less pay and less dignity.

"Our crops may feed the world.

"Yet there are children

whose stomachs ache with the pain of hunger."

Yes, it's midnight in America.

I'm not sure you can say

"stomachs ache with the pain."

CONNIE: You can, but it's bad.

Bruno, I ran into Sam before.

And?

We'll talk tomorrow.

Does anybody know if the kitchen is still open?

I'm not eating this potato salad. I'm eating it.

Bruno...

I know, I know.

"Let us shine a light on dark places in America

"places where all hope has been banished

places where our Founders' dreams are yet to be redeemed."

And then let us kill ourselves and move to Pakistan.

Why are people here?

Leo...

I came to the bar to have some privacy.

Leo, I'm reading things that would make the cast of Up With People

sit down on the floor and cry.

We'll work tomorrow.

What are you two doing here?

We were...

Tomorrow.

JOSH: I need to talk to you.

The FDA's going to approve RU-486.

How do you know?

C.J. had a source.

We're not supposed to have that information.

The source was nongovernmental.

Leo, they're doing it on Monday.

You've confirmed it?

As well as I can.

I've been at it most of the night.

I'd like to go through back channels

see if I can hold them off.

No.

Then I think we have to consider

postponing the speech.

I'm going out to see the President first thing in the morning.

Let me talk to him.

All right.

All right.

JOEY: These are hot off the presses.

JOSH: Early numbers?

JOEY: Yeah, these are just preliminary

after the first 16 hours.

"How much faith and confidence

do you have in President Bartlet?"

Great Deal: 21%.

Somewhat: 24%.

Only a Little: 15%.

Not at All: 38%.

We got 45% in the top two boxes.

That's better than we thought.

"Do you feel he's physically able

to perform his duties as President?"

Probably Not and Definitely Not at 39%.

That number will go down as we educate

the public to MS. Yeah, with 25% saying

they don't know.

What's the bottom line?

For an incumbent to have any chance at all

at this point in the calendar

he needs 40%.

And if the election were held today?

41.

41% would reelect him, 37 would elect a new person.

22% don't know.

He's in the ball game.

I'm going to set up meetings for tomorrow.

We'll have the final numbers for this set

and we'll figure out where to go from here.

Thanks, everybody.

Josh. Yeah.

Listen, I was talking to Toby earlier.

Hey, Ginger.

Hey. Hey.

And I was saying that actually he hasn't apologized.

What do you mean?

I looked over the transcript

and he hasn't apologized.

Yeah, well, I don't know what to say.

Yeah.

Let me ask you something.

Yeah.

The release I wrote about the tobacco appropriation...

Yeah.

What would you think about my leaking it

to the subcommittee?

I wouldn't do it.

I'm doing it.

Okay.

So you don't think we're going to get hung

with the apology? Hang on.

MAN: Can you talk about the level of military force

you're going to show Bazan?

It'll be what's called

an Alpha-strike formation fly-over.

It's five F-18 fighters and an E-2 Hawkeye.

Steve. The injured marines--

has the President spoken to their families or them yet?

The President has expressed his gratitude and concern

to the Marines and their families.

Did they express any concern for the President's health?

No, the President's health isn't a matter of concern.

The conversation was focused on the Marines

and their contribution to our national security.

REPORTERS: C.J. C.J.: Mark.

There are reports of Coast Guard cutters

intercepting Haitians

off the Florida Keys.

Yeah, they're being considered economic refugees

and diverted to Guantanamo Bay.

( reporters shouting )

Carl.

Does this mean that the President

can't afford to spend

his own political capital right now

by accepting mass numbers

of refugees?

That's not a factor.

CARL: Do you think

that the President's political problems

make it more or less likely that he will order an invasion?

Again, that's not a factor.

Joan?

I'm sorry, Joan.

C.J., would you say

that the President's situation makes it harder

for him to focus on the situation in Haiti?

To be honest with you, Carl, I think the President's relieved

to be focusing on something that matters.

Obviously, what I meant to say was...

Excuse me, did you just say he was relieved?

Obviously, what I...

( clamoring )

( clamoring continuing )

Toby...

I don't believe it.

You saw it?

I was standing right there.

He's relieved he might have

to send troops into battle?

He's relieved he might have to put American lives

at risk and kill Haitian civilians

because it takes his mind off of having lied to the electorate?

( reporters shouting )

C.J...

Just don't say anything for...!

Just don't say anything for...

Damn it!

JOEY: Tobacco.

What about it?

Josh wants to send the release.

The press release?

Yes. It's incendiary.

Josh is feeling burned

and he's letting his emotions, and dare I say ego

drive what I think is a very delicate situation...

Hang on.

Holy hell.

"Relieved"?

The President's relieved to be focusing on Haiti?

I was there. Isn't this exactly

what we said we had to be careful of?

What happened? She was asked if the President's situation

makes it harder for him to focus on Haiti.

There was a ramp up. There was a ramp up but she was asked...

What did she say?

She said the President's relieved

to be focusing on something that matters.

"Relieved"?!

We can argue that, uh, she just misspoke.

She meant to say the President realizes

he's focusing on something that matters.

TOBY: Or the President is reiterating

that his focus is on something...

SAM: I don't like "something that matters"

like finding out the President lied doesn't matter.

She misspoke is all we need.

We go back, we say that she misspoke.

What if he has to invade?

If he invades Haiti after what...

It's going to look like he ordered

a military operation to cover up...

She goes back. She was tired.

C.J. doesn't misspeak.

She just did.

If she misspoke, then why didn't she clean it up

in the briefing room?

I mean, come to think of it

why didn't she clean it up in the briefing room?

She actually is tired, Leo. We all are.

Well, why don't we go with that, Sam?

Let's go out and say

we're all tired.

The President's tired.

Complications due to MS.

We haven't had much time...

You had a week. How much time do you need?

Some of us have had more time than others.

Margaret... Yes, sir.

Is he alone?

Yes.

Come up with something.

Good morning, Mr. McGarry.

You can go on up.

He's out by the pasture.

You live in the middle of nowhere

you know that?

Awasiwi Odanack.

It's an Abenaki phrase that means...

BOTH: Beyond the village.

Yeah.

Good morning, Mr. President.

You want coffee?

No.

What's happening?

C.J.'s got it from a nongovernmental source

the FDA's going to announce their approval of RU-486.

When?

Monday.

Yeah, all right.

Why don't we consider postponing the speech?

Why?

You've got laryngitis.

Yeah, no, I mean why?

It'll get wrapped up in the news.

It'll get wrapped up in one news cycle. I don't give a...

Plus, it gives meat to the right.

Let's the press write a process story.

Right out of the gate, the Bartlet campaign

is pandering and bumbling

and performing abortions in the Rose Garden.

Screw it, and screw anybody who writes that story.

Plus, I have a hunch the first round of subpoenas

will be handed down this week.

You have a hunch?

Look... Of course the first round of subpoenas

will be handed down this week.

If we announce in two weeks

that's when the first round of subpoenas

will be handed down.

Screw it.

It's game time. Let's go.

This is a nice piece of land.

It'd be better without the floodlights

and the metal detectors, but...

Yeah.

Abbey and the girls are getting in this morning?

Yeah.

How's everybody doing?

Fine.

What about C.J.?

All right.

Laryngitis?

I don't know.

We could just say I have MS.

Yeah.

Leo...

Yes, sir.

I'm running for reelection

and I'm going to win.