Original subtitles

Previously, on The West Wing:

This is my last week working for Ways and Means.

Really?

I've been traded.

To where?

House Government Oversight.

We need to be investigated by someone

who wants to kill us just to watch us die.

We need someone perceived by the American people to be

irresponsible, untrustworthy, partisan

ambitious and thirsty for the limelight.

Am I crazy or is this not a job

for the U.S. House of Representatives?

( clock ticking )

( knock on door )

Mike, come on in.

I was on the other side...

Yeah. Margaret, could you...?

Yeah.

Lot of people out there.

Yeah.

So, listen, there were more threats?

Seven churches in five Tennessee counties.

How many guys do you have on the ground?

We've got 25 and ATF is sending in a team.

Has the Governor been briefed?

Right now. All right, listen.

I got to be here; I'm stuck with this thing.

Will you stay with Josh today?

Yeah. Josh.

And can you do me a favor

and get me a secure phone hookup so I can monitor this thing?

All I've got is the cell. Good luck today.

Go. Josh.

New threats were made

in Tennessee this morning.

Mike Casper was just here.

He's going to be with you today. Good.

You'll be all right?

Yeah. 'Cause I got to be here all day.

It's going to take all day.

Yeah, keep your head there, would you?

Don't call during every break and check in.

Keep your head there.

I'll keep my head where I want.

Leo? Yeah.

There are ways.

Don't start again.

There are ways to get the guy out of the room.

Hey, I'll keep my head here.

You keep your head there, hmm?

I used to do this for a living, Leo.

The guy gets the floor for five minutes.

I can get him out of the room. Don't help me.

I'm going to help you, 'cause you know why?

'Cause you walk around

with so much guilt about everybody

you love dying that you're a compulsive fixer?

No, Leo, no.

It's 'cause a guy is walking down the street

and he falls into a hole, see.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's my day, Josh.

I got to take the hit.

Leo... I'll see you.

They're waiting for us.

You want to go and get breakfast or something?

No.

Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat out.

I love tomato juice.

They're waiting for us, Leo.

They can wait. No, they really can't.

Yeah, they really can.

Seven new threats on black churches

the Governor's coming up

we might have to federalize

the Tennessee National Guard

and that's just the stuff I know about

that's going to happen, and here I am today.

You shouldn't be nervous.

I swear to God, Jordon

the last thing I am right now is nervous.

Let's go.

Did I win a Grammy for something?

Were you nominated?

No. That's ridiculous.

Well, those things are so political.

Leo, is there something you haven't told me?

There's lots of things I haven't told you, Jordon.

About today.

Leo?

He can't take any calls right now.

It's the President.

LEO: Good morning, sir.

Listen, I don't care that much about your ass

but if you need to perjure yourself to protect me

you're going to damn well do it.

Sir, this isn't a secure call, so I'm going to say

to the 17 global intelligence agencies

that are listening in that he was kidding just then.

Whatever it is Josh does, you're going to let him do it.

I don't need Josh...

Yeah, yeah.

How does she look to you?

Who?

Her.

She looks good.

What's she wearing?

What are you wearing?

What does it matter?

Why don't you ask the President that?

A gray Armani suit.

Spandex.

I like you and her.

It's like a '50s screwball comedy.

You're like a '50s screwball...

What was that?

Nothing. We should do gifts

and charitable donations tomorrow night.

I'm not doing anything tomorrow night.

What's tomorrow night?

It's Christmas Eve.

I forgot, and you don't work then, right?

Yeah. Actually, nobody does.

All right, the Governor is going to be there at noon

but I'll be talking to you before then.

You got about a thousand people in this building

standing with you right now.

I'll be back when I'm done.

Okay.

( crowd murmuring )

JORDON: Leo.

What's going on?

Will the first witness rise

raise your right hand to God

and swear the oath that's written in front of you?

Leo.

( whispering ): It ain't nothing but a family thing.

I solemnly swear that the testimony today

will be the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

Leo Thomas McGarry.

CHAIRMAN: And would you identify counsel, please?

We've never met.

JORDON: Jordon Kendall, Mr. Chairman.

CHAIRMAN: Mr. McGarry, the Committee thanks you

for your appearance today.

Why are we here?

What are we after?

Many, if not most of us, were surprised

by the President's announcement

that he's been diagnosed

with relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis

for seven years and never mentioned it

while asking us to vote for him for President

but more surprising still, if not stunning

is that his medical condition could have been kept a secret

from those campaign aides closest to him.

In this age when the most minute details of a candidate's life

are brought into the light

in a business where secrets aren't kept secret very long

this Committee would like to know, quite candidly

how it was pulled off.

Did people lie?

Were people told to lie?

Are people lying now?

You'll be questioned by Majority Counsel

then Minority Counsel

then each member will have five minutes to question

alternating back and forth

between the majority and the minority.

Mr. Calley.

CALLEY: Mr. McGarry

I'm Clifford Calley.

I'm the Majority Counsel.

Good morning.

Good morning.

What is your current job title?

White House Chief of Staff.

And what's your previous job title?

General Chairman, Bartlet for America.

How long have you known the President?

We met for the first time about 32 years ago

but I would say

our friendship began 11 years ago.

You're the person in the White House

who's known him the longest?

No. The First Lady's known him the longest.

Fair enough.

Mr. McGarry, it was you

who first approached Jed Bartlet about

running for President, is that right?

Yes.

Where and when did that happen?

Four years ago, last month, at the statehouse in Concord.

ALLEN: "New Hampshire."

"It's what's new!"

Huh?

"New Hampshire. It's what's new."

Thomas Hilton started a fishing village here in 1623, Allen.

Th-That's the point, Governor.

People think of us as a crusty New England relic

and tourism's our second largest industry.

Yeah.

ALAN: The point is if we don't find

a way to be fresh and new...

ALLEN: While obviously

still retaining our charm...

ALAN: Yeah, we'll never be able

to stem the falloff in revenue.

And a slogan's going to do that?

ALAN: Well, that's just the beginning.

We've got an aggressive strategy.

Yeah? The Office of Travel and Tourism

is going to run print ads throughout New England

encouraging people to drive here and view the fall foliage.

BARTLET: Oh, oh, slow down, you're going too fast.

ALLEN: Oh, there's also our new toll-free number

with up-to-the-minute

reservation information.

This is separate from the campaign

we'll be doing for snowmobiling

which brings $367 million into the state.

$367 million in snowmobiling?

That includes the $1.1 million

in registration fees and $717,000 in gas taxes.

And the goggles...

That includes the goggles?

I don't know.

I'm not sure.

ALLEN: It must, if you...

Okay. Thanks, guys.

Mrs. Landingham!

Thanks.

Yes, sir.

Speaking of crusty New England relics.

Governor, does it frustrate you

to constantly aim for humor and yet miss so dramatically?

Nah. Abbey wants to eat at Patsy's tonight.

Would you let them know we're coming?

Yes, sir. What's next?

That's all for the schedule

but Leo McGarry is here and would like a minute.

Leo's here? Mm-hmm.

Leo!

I'm happy to get him myself as they do in a civilized world.

Yeah, yeah.

Hey.

Hey, Governor.

( chuckling )

"New Hampshire. It's what's new"?

Jenny and Mallory are okay?

Yeah. What are you doing here?

I don't know. What do you got?

You got leaves. I came to look at the leaves.

What are you doing...?

I came to talk to you.

Everything's okay? Yeah.

Why didn't you call?

'Cause you would've asked me what

I wanted to talk to you about.

Where are you staying?

At the Marriott.

What do you want to talk to me about?

I've been thinking about getting back into politics.

I think that's great, man.

I think it's about time.

You probably mean the House, but I think

you should consider the Senate seat in Illinois

in two years; I can help raise money.

No, I wasn't thinking about the Senate.

I was thinking about the White House.

Hey, Leo, I swear to God

there's no one I'd rather see in the Oval Office than you

but if you run

there's going to be a lot of discussion

about Valium and alcohol.

I mean, it's going to come out; this is the world.

Yeah. See, I wasn't thinking about me.

Who?

I've been walking around in a kind of daze for two weeks

and everywhere I go--

planes, trains restaurants, meetings--

I find myself scribbling something down.

What?

RATHBURN: He never mentioned his health?

LEO: No.

Not during the first meeting in his office? No.

Not during the second meeting at the Marriott? No.

Well, then, I'd like to ask you this:

If he had told you about his condition

would you still have thought it was a good idea that he run?

I don't know.

Well, think about it and try answering.

Listen, I'm going to talk a little

and you nod and talk a little bit back to me.

What are you doing?

That's good.

I'm really asking you.

I think Rathburn's being a little snotty

I think he's going to have to wait

and I think he's going to have to wait

with the camera on me.

Mr. McGarry.

One second, please.

Listen, what are you doing for lunch?

I don't know.

Because I thought maybe we could

have lunch or something.

Leo, you've got to answer the question.

Congressman, could you repeat the question, please?

If Jed Bartlet had told you about his health

either at the first meeting or the second meeting

would you still have thought it was a good idea for him to run?

Yeah, I don't know.

Yeah? Mike?

Come on back.

Thanks.

Listen, churches are burning down.

Otherwise, I'd be hitting on you.

I appreciate that.

Sure.

Maybe when it's a better time.

Let's go. Where are we going?

17-month investigation, 34 black churches.

How can there be no evidence of a conspiracy?

I don't know.

It's probably because we're stupid.

Mike...

The FBI could invent a pattern

but then that would be against the law.

Yeah.

Okay?

You met with Leo this morning?

Yeah. Listen, that was big for me.

I don't brief the White House Chief of Staff.

All right, well, let's listen in

on this meeting for a minute.

Hang on.

This wall is curved.

Yeah. Let's go.

I don't have to go in there.

I can wait out here.

Charlie. Yeah.

Let's go.

PRESIDENT: Well, the phone calls have been

coming all morning, Governor.

You should know that Algiss Skyler called.

GOVERNOR: Skyler wants you to call up the Guard?

Skyler wants to know why the hell you haven't.

Because local law enforcement is doing plenty.

Was Eisenhower wrong in '57?

Kennedy in '61?

This is a different situation.

We don't know what the situation is, do we, Josh?

No, sir. Mr. President, this is Special Agent Mike Casper

who's acting as the FBI's White House liaison

during this situation.

Do we know what's going on, Agent Casper?

No, sir.

Edward, so far the churches

have been empty.

There have been no fatalities.

But tomorrow night's Christmas Eve.

They're going to be packed.

So why shouldn't I send troops in?

Because, due respect, Mr. President

but you do it without my consent

and it's a clear violation of State's rights

and you would have said the same thing

when you were the Governor of New Hampshire.

This doesn't happen in New Hampshire.

You got a pretty big black population

in New Hampshire, do you?

We'll meet again this afternoon. Thank you, Governor.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Josh, stick around.

Yes, sir.

I'll be in the bullpen.

So, what have you got cooking?

I'm sorry?

I said, what have you got cooking?

I don't understand.

Yes, you do. I know what happened

at the third debate. He told me.

I know what's going to happen this afternoon.

What are you going to do?

Are you going to try and get Gibson

out of the room when it's his turn to question?

I don't think you and I should discuss it, sir.

CONGRESSWOMAN: The red light is on, so I will yield the floor...

Where are we?

CHARLIE: Dearborn will be next.

CHAIRMAN: Congressman Dearborn, you have five minutes.

Mr. McGarry, I would like to use my time

to talk about Edith Wilson.

Abbey's about to get spanked.

Guys, the things we do to women.

My wife's a world-class scientist.

DEARBORN: Do you know who Edith Wilson was?

LEO: Edith Wilson was Edith Galt

before she became the second wife of Woodrow Wilson.

DEARBORN: And with the help of her doctors

she ran this country for months

while her husband was incapacitated by a stroke.

Yes.

Do you believe that the President having a stroke

falls within the scope of the 25th Amendment?

JORDON: Excuse me, but with the Wilsons being dead for 80 years

I don't believe it falls

within the scope of this hearing.

Abbey Bartlet knew of her husband's condition.

Yes.

And she kept it to herself.

Well, I don't know who she kept it to, Congressman.

She didn't tell you.

No.

Or anyone else

in the high command of the Bartlet campaign.

You're smiling.

Yes, sir.

Why?

Because at this point

there wasn't much of a high command.

All we'd done is show a strong third in Iowa.

We were working out of storefront.

TOBY: You got to pop the ball.

You got to pop it.

C.J.: I'm popping it.

No, you're not.

So my feeling... Yeah?

...is that we're fine

playing this song in South Carolina.

I agree. Pop it.

SAM: As long as all he's doing is running against Wiley

it's fine that he doesn't seem like a real candidate.

It's when Wiley drops out and he's running against Hoynes.

Right.

They'll cover us all the way to South Dakota.

Suddenly, we don't want to be quaint anymore.

People want to know "Is this guy for real?"

We got to show them we're an honest-to-God alternative.

We got to show them we're big time.

( grunts )

( laughs )

Can we get an intern over here?

SAM: What about this:

a series of major, national policy addresses.

We work with Josh; we pick three issues.

Yeah, and we should start projecting the image

that he thinks he's for real.

We'll release his tax returns

put all his stocks in a blind trust.

You know what else? TOBY: Yeah.

He should take a physical.

Absolutely. He's got ten years on Hoynes.

We should release a medical report.

I'll take it to Leo.

Okay, guys, let's go.

Let's be working.

Somebody want to get the ball?

ABBEY: I like some of these new people.

I'm going to miss them.

PRESIDENT: Yeah.

Josh Lyman's special. Sam Seaborn's very funny.

Which one's he?

The young one.

They're all young.

Listen, they want me to do some things

before South Dakota.

South Carolina's next.

Yeah, we're looking past that.

What do they want you to do?

Full financial disclosure.

No problem with that.

They want me to take a physical.

What's a physical right now going to show?

It'll, uh... Nothing.

I'll... You're in remission.

I'm not lying to anybody, Abbey.

I'm taking a physical

a physical which I'm under no legal obligation to take.

I'm doing it voluntarily.

Yeah.

Now is when people are listening.

I'll make my speeches, get whupped on Super Tuesday

and we'll all go home.

DEARBORN ( on TV ): We're headed for South Carolina

we're planning for South Dakota

and Mrs. Bartlet-- excuse me-- Dr. Bartlet has yet to mention

to anyone that her husband has multiple sclerosis.

The things we do to women.

JOSH: Listen...

They're coming back from the break.

Yeah.

You know what I was thinking about?

I was thinking about when we threw that basketball

through the window of the first campaign headquarters in Manchester.

I wasn't there.

I heard about it.

You weren't throwing the ball around with us?

It was you, Toby and C.J.

What that must have looked like

from the point of view of somebody coming down the sidewalk.

I need somebody in the steel lobby

to speak to Darren Gibson right away--

sometime toward the end of this hour.

Jim Jericho.

Jim Jericho is who I had.

He had to leave town; his wife is sick.

Who else do we have?

One of our people?

Nick Grindell.

Well, I'll get to somebody.

What's this about?

Nothing.

It's not about nothing.

You want Gibson

out of the room.

I'd like them all out of the room.

Josh...

What's Gibson got?

You'll get a guy for me?

Yeah.

( gavel pounding )

I would like our ten-minute breaks

to be closer to 15 minutes than they are to a half hour.

And with that, the chair recognizes

the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

And I'd like to compliment you on your leadership

of this committee.

Now, Mr. McGarry, you're familiar, are you not

with Article II, Section 1, Clause 6

of the U.S. Constitution?

We're going to have to do this again.

He's being snotty?

Yeah.

So, I was thinking maybe, you know, dinner...

Listen to me.

I don't like this.

You pay me $650 an hour.

You tell me everything.

Well, what do I have to pay to only tell you some things?

I don't know

but you have to pay it to another lawyer.

So what are you saying about dinner?

I'm not kidding around.

Yes, I am.

It says if something happens to the President

then the Vice President will assume his duties.

No, it says the Vice President

assumes his duties if the President dies.

Short of that, impeachment

or the 25th Amendment being invoked

the Vice President stays the Vice President.

Who picked John Hoynes to be the running mate on the ticket?

The President did.

Did he have any help? Yes.

Do you think the people who weighed in on the decision

might have benefited from knowing

about the President's health condition?

I don't see how. No.

Well, with the possibility

that the President might die in office...

Hold it... A greater possibility

with this President...

No, sir. That isn't true.

MS isn't fatal.

And while on national television, it is criminal

to imply otherwise in an offer to score some cheap points.

You owe an apology to fathers

of children who are suffering from this disease.

Mr. McGarry...

LEO: Finally, the President chose his running mate

using the only yardstick that means anything--

ability to assume the duties of the presidency

and with John Hoynes, we got our man

and the Vice President was immediately told

of the President's condition.

NEWSCASTER: I can tell you that when Jed Bartlet takes this stage

72 hours from now

these delegates are going to go absolutely crazy.

They've scheduled 20 minutes for a demonstration

but I don't think that's going to be enough.

BARTLET: Toby?

Yeah.

Josh?

Yeah.

Sam?

Yeah, I think so.

C.J.?

Yeah.

All right, let's do it.

All right.

John.

Hi, Leo.

Hello, Abbey.

Hello, John.

Senator.

Good evening.

I'd like you to be the Vice President.

Why don't you sit with Abbey and me

for a few minutes.

Can I have the room, please?

You want anything?

Coffee or anything?

Uh, no.

You ran a good campaign.

You're a young man.

You'll be back.

Thank you.

( door closing )

There's something you need to know.

It's why I asked everyone to leave the room.

A few years ago

I was diagnosed

with a relapsing/remitting course of MS.

I'm sorry?

Multiple sclerosis.

Did you just tell me that you have MS?

Yeah.

Which you never mentioned during the campaign.

I told you because it's something you're going to need to know

but also because I wanted to show that I trust you.

Oh, you do?

Yeah.

That's supposed to be me

accepting the nomination Thursday night.

But I suppose your trusting me

is consolation prize enough.

Well, what do you say?

( sighs )

I'd like to think about it.

I'd like your answer now, John.

You'll have it when I give it, Jed.

I'm going to stretch my legs.

as soon as he gets in

or, you know, when he returns the page.

Cindy, if I could tell you what it was regarding,

I'd have told you.

Sorry.

Thank you.

They want you.

Where have you been?

You sent me to the Hill.

Has Sam called?

No.

He didn't maybe drop off a piece of paper

with a name on it?

No. They want you in the Mural Room.

Okay.

Josh?

Where have you been?

We got it.

President's going to make a decision right now.

We got to... What?

We got it.

What do you mean?

Gilbert Murdock, a 17-year-old high school dropout

was pulled over outside Chattanooga

When the officers approached his car

he sped off and led them in high pursuit.

Why? 'Cause he thought he was being

pulled over for planning to make a Molotov cocktail.

Why? 'Cause he was planning to make

a Molotov cocktail.

Did he name friends?

He was a tough nut to crack.

Took almost 20 minutes.

We got ourselves a conspiracy. Yeah.

Let's go. Where?

To brief the President.

No.

The Director will brief the President.

Mike, that's your task force out there.

The only reason you're not out there with them is 'cause--

I don't know-- 'cause you're a woman or something.

I am temporarily desk-assigned for health reasons

a decision I appealed vigorously.

Let's go.

We don't take curtain calls.

You'll take a handshake. Let's go.

SKYLER: Of course

there's a legal basis.

Religious freedom is a civil right.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

raises these threats to a federal level.

Credible threats, and no one in this room's

trying to take away your civil rights.

A sin of omission

by any other name.

JOSH: Mr. President? Yeah?

Your decision just got a lot easier.

Tell me. Sir, the FBI's ready

to call this a credible threat.

We have one of the conspirators in custody.

Conspirators?

Yes, sir. All right.

Here come the Tennessee Volunteers.

Reverend, have the pastors

encourage the women to bake those guys something nice.

They're all spending

Christmas Eve where they don't want to be.

Ed, you get to be a hero to the blacks in your state.

Anybody in your state doesn't like it

the FBI is calling the shots.

What could you do? Anything else?

SKYLER: Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, sir.

PRESIDENT: I'm sorry.

I've forgotten your name.

Michael Casper.

How'd you get him?

He was pulled over for a bad brake light

and he thought it was something else.

A two-year investigation gets

its first crack from a broken taillight.

CASPER: In 13 years with the Bureau

I've discovered that there's no amount

of money, manpower or knowledge

than can equal the person

you're looking for being stupid.

God, well, some of the stupidest criminals

in the world are working right here in America.

I've always been very proud of that. Yes, sir.

Thank you, Agent Casper.

Thank you, Mr. President.

So, what's going on?

I got to call him and tell him, you know...

It's not going to happen?

I don't think so.

It was a long shot, anyway.

Look, I wanted to see him spared this

but Leo's made out of leather.

His face has a map of the world on it.

Leo comes back.

Okay.

All right.

Damn it.

MAN ( over TV ): At no point did he lie?

LEO ( over TV ): No.

And at no point did you lie?

LEO: No.

At no point did he encourage others to lie?

No.

And at no point

has he been unable to discharge his duties?

No.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan

Mr. Gibson, for five minutes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Two years ago, January

the President collapsed in the Oval Office.

Is that correct?

I'm not sure what the medical term would be.

He involuntarily fell to the ground.

Yes.

Will Minority Counsel stipulate

that we can call that collapsing?

Let the record reflect that Minority Counsel

has nodded his head up and down

so as to indicate an affirmative response.

So ordered.

Is this the only time since the President took

the Oath of Office that he's collapsed?

So far as I know.

Is this the only time

since the beginning

of the campaign that he's collapsed?

No, it's not.

I'd like to take you back to 30 October

in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jed Bartlet is the Democratic nominee for President

and is about to participate in the third and final debate...

Mr. Chairman, I would like to request a short recess.

We just got back from a recess.

Sir, we have taken breaks at the request

of nearly every member of this Committee

while the witness has asked for a total of none.

One time, Mr. Chairman.

( sighs )

We'll take a five-minute break.

Please, let's keep it to ten minutes.

( pounds gavel )

Come with me.

Yeah, it will all come out.

Excuse me. What's going on?

I was just asking the same thing.

I don't know anything about testimony from October 30.

It's okay, I got it.

No, you don't got it.

We better go someplace and talk.

LEO: Yeah.

Leo, I couldn't make it happen.

Don't worry about it.

You have to tell me what's going on now

or I'm walking out the door.

Look... Tell me now.

On the day of the final debate

I was meeting with two potential donors.

It was nine days till the election.

We were too close to call

and I didn't want to be the guy who ran out of money first.

You look nervous, Leo.

Don't worry about it. I brought my wallet.

Anybody want to eat?

I got steak sandwiches on the way.

Yeah, and let's have some drinks.

Sure.

The President was at the debate site walking the stage.

A podium is a holy place for him.

He makes it his own like it's an extension of his body.

You ever see a pitcher work the mound

so the dirt does exactly what his feet want it to do?

That's the President.

He sees it as a genuine opportunity to change minds

also as his best way of contributing to the team.

He likes teams.

I love him so much.

What was going on in your room?

I like the little things.

I didn't hear you.

I said, I like the little things.

The way a glass feels in your hand--

a good glass; thick, with a heavy base.

I love the sound an ice cube makes

when you drop it from just the right height.

( clinking )

Too high and it'll chip when you drop it.

Chip the ice and it'll melt too fast in the scotch.

MAN: You ever try this, Leo?

It's Johnny Walker Blue.

Bartenders are selling it for 30 bucks a shot.

LEO: Good scotch sits in a charcoal barrel for 12 years.

Very good scotch gets smoked for 29 years.

Johnny Walker Blue is 60-year-old scotch.

I don't care.

What happened in the room, Leo?

I'm trying to tell you what happened.

( laughing )

Should we get to it?

You don't want to find out

what a $30 sip of scotch tastes like?

No. I got to stay sharp for tonight.

JORDON: Why didn't you just say, "I'm an alcoholic"?

They're two CEOs.

I'm trying to get them to give me

a half a million dollars apiece right now.

It's not really the best time to mention it.

The President's still at the debate site.

How do you feel about the temperature, sir?

It's good.

It's not too cold?

It won't be later.

This is a 550-seat theater

and they'll be seated a half hour before we start

so the temperature will be up four to six degrees.

The hotel room, Leo.

We already gave to the RNC

but we're worried

we may have backed the wrong horse.

You want to hedge your bet.

That's why we're here.

Good. Now, give me a sip of that.

That's what I remember.

( chuckling )

JORDON: You had a drink.

I'm an alcoholic.

I don't have one drink.

I don't understand people who have one drink.

I don't understand people

who leave half a glass of wine on the table.

I don't understand people who say they've had enough.

How can you have enough of feeling like this?

How can you not want to feel like this longer?

My brain works differently.

Who was the third person in the room?

Well, now we've arrived at our problem.

Count on it.

Whoa, you want to be careful there.

You're not the big money party. We are.

Did I mention that he's thinking about running for Congress?

I'm thinking about it.

JORDON: You were drunk in front of Gibson?

I don't get drunk in front of people.

I get drunk alone.

They were going over something at the debate site...

JORDON: I don't want to hear about the debate site.

LEO: The debate site is what happened.

The debate site is how he gets to bring this up here.

Where's Leo?

Still like to go over the Social Security answer.

We got to get it down to 90 seconds.

C.J.: It's down to 90 seconds.

JOSH: It's not, and they're going to cut him off.

SAM: I put a stopwatch on him, when he just speeds up...

When he speeds up, he speeds up.

When he doesn't, it's 90 seconds.

We need to cut some more.

Which words?

Governor, what do you think?

Governor...

Sir, we were just saying that the Social Security answer...

No.

It's a tight 90 seconds, and...

No, no, not now.

We got to do it now, sir.

Something's wrong.

Governor? Yeah.

Governor?

JOSH: Sir? Gabby.

You want to sit down? Let me get some water.

Gabby.

He's saying, "Get Abbey."

Get Abbey!

Whoa!

C.J.

JORDON: He had an attack?

LEO: I mean, the doctor said

it was an inner ear infection, but all Josh knew

when he called me was that he'd collapsed.

( phone ringing ) I was supposed to be down there already.

I was supposed to be down there an hour ago.

( grunts softly )

( phone continues ringing )

Yeah.

JOSH: Leo, the Governor's sick.

( buzzer )

Okay.

He collapsed. You got to get down here.

( buzzer )

Leo? Okay.

It's Gibson.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Hey.

I forgot my briefcase.

You having a party?

I, uh... I-I got to get to the, uh, debate site.

The Governor collapsed.

( sighs )

JORDON: I don't understand how you could have a drink.

I don't understand

how after everything you worked for

how on that day of all days you could be so stupid.

That's because you think it has something to do

with smart and stupid.

Do you have any idea

how many alcoholics are in Mensa?

You think it's a lack of willpower?

That's like thinking

somebody with anorexia nervosa has

an overdeveloped sense of vanity.

My father was an alcoholic.

His father was an alcoholic.

So in my case...

Ain't nothing but a family thing?

That's right.

Who knows?

Josh Lyman and the President.

Why nobody else?

Because.

That's a little boy's answer.

I went to rehab.

My friends embraced me when I got out.

You relapse, it's not like that.

Get away from me-- that's what it's like.

( knocking )

We're back in a minute.

Thank you.

Just out of curiosity

why have you been asking me to have a meal with you

every five minutes?

I like you.

I've been trying to get it in under the wire.

You'll answer the questions simply and directly.

I don't want to hear about Mensa.

That'll be my job.

Okay.

Yes, by the way.

Yes? What?

Yes, I'd like to have dinner with you tonight.

Okay.

CALLEY: That's where you're going with this?

GIBSON: Yeah. Just to embarrass the guy?

Just?

Leo McGarry's sobriety isn't the subject

of these hearings.

These hearings are to investigate

if any rules, ethical or otherwise

were broken by Jed Bartlet while he was running for President.

That's nice, but I live in the actual world

where the object of these hearings is to win.

No... it's not.

GIBSON: It's the object of the majority.

Not while I'm the Majority Counsel it's not.

This is bush league.

This is why good people hate us.

This, right here.

This thing.

This isn't what these hearings are about.

He cannot possibly have been properly prepared

by counsel for these questions

nor should he ever have to answer them publicly.

And if you proceed with this line of questioning

I will resign this committee

and wait in the tall grass for you, Congressman

because you are killing the Party.

Who the hell is this?

You don't have to make up your mind right now, Mr. Chairman.

Phil...

You don't have to make up your mind right now.

Declare a recess till after the holidays.

Buy yourself two weeks.

And give him two weeks to circle the wagons?

How do you think the Speaker's going to feel about this?

To say nothing of the RNC?

( sighs ): I need a minute.

I tried everybody.

It's all right.

I tried everybody.

It was just a tough fit.

And since I couldn't tell them what it was about...

They're back.

( sighs )

Let's come to order.

Mr. Gibson

you can proceed with your questioning.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. McGarry, 30 October

in St. Louis, Missouri

the day Jed Bartlet was...

No, I'm sorry.

Mr. McGarry, it's been a long day

and unless counsel has an objection

I'm going to resume this after the holidays.

What?

Mr. Chairman... Mr. Calley?

Mr. McGarry, that concludes

our questioning for today.

We'll pick it up here

when the Chairman gavels these hearings back to order.

I'm sorry... CHAIRMAN: You're done for the day, sir.

and Government Oversight Committee stands in recess

until January the 5th, and the Chair

wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.

What the hell...?

I don't know.

We have two weeks.

I really had to tell you the damn story.

Shut up. I'm going to dinner with you.

Yeah.

Well, listen.

What?

You want to do it tomorrow night instead?

What's tomorrow night?

It's Christmas Eve.

Okay.

Okay.

Well, well, well.

Dodged a bullet.

For the moment.

Which is more than I can say for me at Rosslyn.

Yeah.

Did you get a date with her?

It's none of your business.

I just came back to catch up on some work.

See how badly you screwed up this church thing in Tennessee.

I did the church thing in Tennessee okay.

I did it without you.

You mind if I make some calls

make sure Tennessee's still one of the states and stuff?

So anyway, I have a present for you.

Merry Christmas, Leo.

That was awfully nice of you.

( crying )