Original subtitles

Oh, what a handsome devil you are.

Oh, thank you, Mrs. Thomson.

Oh, Beth would rip my tongue out of my mouth

if she heard me say this, but in 2 years, she'll be 18,

and I want a Schlafly boy to be my son‐in‐law.

Relax. I've got two more right behind him.

Tommy met a girl while he was on leave in Honolulu.

Oh?

She was vacationing with her parents.

They're from Ladue. That's lucky.

When does Tom finish his tour?

Uh, by Christmas, God willing.

All right, everyone, let's get started.

We have a lot to do.

Alice? Yes. Um...

Okay, so I have booked

the conference room at the hotel.

If you don't have a room reserved yet,

see me after.

And I'm coordinating rides to St. Louis

if anybody wants to carpool.

And we've proved we can stop the ERA right here in Illinois,

and it's because of your hard work

that over a hundred of my subscribers

wanna come to St. Louis for the weekend

and learn from our strategy

and help launch our national campaign.

Our goal is to have chapters in 25 states

by this time next year.

What are we calling ourselves?

Well, I think the Schlafly Eagles.

That makes us sound like a group

of middle‐aged German Girl Scouts.

The name should tell people who we are,

like "League of Housewives."

That's good. It's too bad it's already taken.

Eagles mate for life,

and I think that tells people who we are.

But more importantly, I have a profile in D. C.,

and, uh, if we're going to catch up with the libbers,

we're gonna need to grow fast,

and my name gives us instant political recognition.

The problem is "Schlafly"

doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

I've known you 20 years, and I'm still not sure

where the L's go.

That's before the "A" and after the "F."

Why don't we vote on it?

Well, if we vote on every little thing,

we will never be ready.

But we are voting on state leaders

because I plan on running for head of the Illinois chapter.

Maybe I'll run, too.

Well, there's more to it

than baking bread for a few legislators.

Pamela?

Oh, no, that's my manuscript.

Oh, I ruined it. I'm so sorry.

Oh, no, it's all right. It's just the front page.

This is smart.

What is it?

What if we call ourselves "Stop ERA"?

It would be even better if we could turn it into an acronym.

Stop Telling‐‐ Stop Tormenting...

No, Stop Taking‐‐ Stop Taking Over‐‐

Stop Taking Our Providers. Protectors.

Privileges. Stop Taking Our Privileges.

That's great.

Shirley Chisholm!

Right now, women, don't forget to vote for the Chisholm slate!

Shirley Chisholm gets some of her best support

from college students.

The spirit of Chisholm is what we're here for.

We are the people. This is a people's campaign.

A recent poll will put her campus popularity

at second only to George McGovern's.

We need a change. All men do is get us into trouble.

We're in more trouble now than we ever were.

As far as we know,

all the polls across the state have closed.

Eugene McCarthy and Shirley Chisholm

got 1% each.

She bristles at the suggestion she step aside,

lest she draw liberal votes away

from other Democratic presidential contenders.

Senator McGovern is likely to get a good, strong boost

for the Democratic nomination tonight. 248 delegates...

You pushed me to run as the people's president,

and even if we didn't do as well as we hoped,

we can still shake things up at the convention.

That's right. That's right.

Politicians don't give their support

for a good cause out of the goodness of their hearts.

That's right.

You can go to the convention

and yell, "Black power, here I come,"

"women power," any kind of thing,

but the only thing that those hard‐nosed boys

are going to understand‐‐ how many delegates do you got?

That's right. Yes, that's right.

Oh. Senator McGovern.

Mm‐hmm. You want my delegates?

Yes, please!

Well, how about a black vice president?

Hey!

How about a woman to head Department of Health?

How about legalizing abortion?

Busing our children to better schools?

I'm glad you're staying in it.

Listen.

We got to let the establishment know

that we done just about had it.

I feel we're about to be invited

to a street protest in Miami.

Okay.

Why do we have to be in the middle of the street while

they are in an air‐conditioned convention center?

I'm tired of protesting outside. I want to work inside,

where there is coffee and carpet.

Okay?

How long these pigs gon' be sticking around?

Well, George Wallace got shot,

and the president sent me Secret Service.

We are living in upside down times.

To be fair, Nixon sent them to protect you.

To protect... or to surveil?

Does he even know the difference?

The Man's always listening.

Where's Chizzy?

I gotta catch that last train. We need your vote

on the education amendments this week.

Patsy Mink calls me every day to remind me.

You made history.

But if I could get

the endorsement of the Black Caucus,

there would be a lot of press going into Miami.

That is what I need more than anything right now.

And you know I'm with you all the way,

but I'm only one voice on the caucus.

Don't sell yourself short.

Hello?

Baby. It's Bella.

You kicked down that last door.

And you know you have when the Gridiron Club

invites you to their annual dinner.

But they didn't change their male‐only membership policy,

so I replied, "Guess who's not coming to dinner."

Aw, I'm proud of you. You ran a terrific campaign.

Well, I'm still running. Primaries are over.

Everyone's getting on the McGovern bandwagon.

Humphrey, Muskie, Jackson‐‐ they aren't getting on it.

You know how it goes.

Party unity. We can't look divided.

We are divided.

I admire what you're trying to do, Shirley.

I really do.

I'll see you in Miami.

She's not dropping out?

This is gonna be a problem.

First of all, we're all gonna have to check in, I believe.

Hello, Mary! So good you could come.

Why didn't anyone tell me we were meeting?

I'm staying at the Doral.

No, watch out, watch out! This place is a dump. Oh!

I'd like to give you this. Oh. Thank you.

I'm not telling you to drop out,

but the caucus has endorsed McGovern.

I would like to see a list of the specific commitments

to black needs McGovern made to them.

Walter don't want any chaos during your speech tomorrow.

Whoa. If I tell it like it is

and black delegates defect to me, that's chaos?

I call it a revolution.

Some of the brothers question whether you're really

the candidate for blacks or just for women.

I don't look black to you?

Does...

this make me black?

Do they know about this? And the others.

Why are you carrying this around?

To remind myself why I'm staying in.

You go up against McGovern,

you're gonna take a beating back in Washington.

I'm not going to roll over every time

the Man presses too hard.

If I do, it's just gonna keep up the pressure,

and I'm going to keep rolling over.

Uh, we sent letters to all the legislators

asking them to let us know if they didn't get bread,

and one representative from Chicago

actually wrote me back.

"Now I'm a bachelor, so I don't care one way or the other

"about the ERA, but I want my bread,

and furthermore, I want banana bread."

Luckily, banana bread happens to be one of my specialties.

You should have seen his face when we showed up in his office.

He will be ours forever.

Yes. So there's nothing more, uh, effective

than in‐person contact, so I suggest that you, uh,

go to your, uh, state capitol, preferably in pairs,

and tell your state‐‐

I find appointments are generally useless.

Just drop by their offices. Look them in the eye and say

"I don't want my daughter to be drafted."

Yes.

It helps if you, uh, bat your eyelashes.

Okay, yes, uh, Mary Frances.

Thank you.

I just wanna tell

each and every one of you

that if we did it in Louisiana, we can do it in Arizona.

We can do it in Florida and in Missouri.

We must stop these commie radical lesbians

from changing our way of life, or it will be chaos.

Yes!

If we don't put the brakes on the ERA,

the traditional family will be destroyed,

and once that's gone, it's goodbye, America.

The Lord made men and women different,

just like he did white people and the coloreds.

Yes. Uh‐huh.

Do we want the sexes fully integrated like the races?

No! No!

We must not let the same thing happen with uppity libbers

that's happened with those uppity Negroes.

If we don't put the brakes on‐‐ All right.

Thank you, Mary Frances.

Uh, thank you. Uh, we don't have a lot of time,

but I‐I know there's quite a few people who want to speak,

so keep everything ladylike.

Frisk her. She hasn't been felt up in a while.

Hot off the Chisholm Trail.

Right this way, Mrs. Chisholm.

Tomorrow at the rally,

I am going to announce that we should push McGovern

to choose you as a running mate.

She's already demoting you. No.

First female vice president‐‐ that's real political power.

If we're serious about shaking things up,

we have to keep McGovern from winning on the first ballot.

If it goes to a second ballot,

if I can control a hundred or 150 delegates,

I can be a kingmaker. Queenmaker.

Yes. If, if, if. You're dreaming.

You got a few dozen delegates.

It's time to drop out. You've made your point.

Until McGovern has the majority of the delegates,

it's still anybody's game.

Yes, why can't the caucus

throw its full support behind Shirley?

We've been over this a hundred times, Betty.

The caucus is bipartisan.

We can't endorse presidential candidates

in either party.

Well, we founded the caucus with Shirley.

We can change the rules, and it's not up to you, Bella.

Gloria is our spokeswoman, as everybody keeps reminding me.

I'm endorsing Shirley.

But you think McGovern is the best white male candidate.

Oh, I said it once to a reporter. I was joking.

Well, I support you unequivocally.

We're not here to take sides.

We're here to fight for the issues, not the candidate.

We already pissed off McGovern's campaign

by forcing a floor vote on abortion.

Now you want us to keep him from getting the nomination?

It won't work, and he'll remember.

He'll remember when he gets to the White House

that we were against him, and we need him

to get a woman into the Cabinet, get the ERA ratified quickly,

maternity benefits, daycare.

We can't afford to alienate our male allies.

We finally got our foot in the door,

and now you want us to kick it down?

Well, serves them right for making us wear heels.

If you understood power, you‐‐ I understand...

power.

I am trying to protect our interest,

put pressure in the places that makes real results,

not symbolic.

I am not gonna let your ego get in the way.

What, my ego? If you were running for president,

not only would this entire movement endorse you,

we would host fundraisers, knock on doors,

make phone calls‐‐

Because I would go about it in the right way!

Bella.

Do you want us to be taken seriously or not?

Just... She got 2% of the vote.

She took money from the Black Panthers

and their endorsement.

Her campaign's a joke!

Oh, come on.

God.

Shouldn't have said that.

You always said you would support me.

Why couldn't you go all the way?

I thought you'd talk to us first.

You just announced.

I didn't get anywhere in my life

waiting on somebody's permission.

If you can't support me, get out of my way.

No.

"collectively, we've come together

"not as a women's liberation group,

but as women... The only‐‐"

them people is inferior to us people.

Daddy, how can a man who believes in God

talk like that?

Because I'm using the common sense that God gave me.

Archie, that's out and out hate.

Hate?! What has any of this got to do with hate,

you dumb Pollock?

I asked them to make you macaroni pie special.

Did you ask them to put brandy in it?

Who knows what they did to this room before we checked in?

The caucus wants me to drop out,

release my delegates to McGovern.

- Which one? - Take your pick.

They both have been talking to high heaven

ever since way back.

A female president by '76, a black president,

but when push comes to shove, it's like Pops always said.

Both: One hand won't clap.

And they can't see it!

Bella thinks I'm ego‐tripping.

Gloria is just sitting on the fence! Why?!

Why am I the only one at this convention

who thinks a black woman being president is worth the run?!

Shh.

What did you do when

the older kids on the block ignored you?

I punched them.

Mm.

You punched them.

What's beginning to turn into a nightmare

for the Republicans all began on June 17th

when, according to police,

five men were caught with bugging equipment

inside the Democratic National Convention...

It's a shame Pamela couldn't come.

She needs a weekend away more than any of us.

I told her she could bring the baby. They have cribs.

I don't know Kevin well, but he sounds very strict.

What are the legislators

supposed to do with those?

Well...

think about... Jacquie!

Did you know Jacquie just became a grandmother?

Oh. She's not even 35.

Yeah, well, she's very proud of that fact.

Not as proud as she is of those pillows.

Oh, I should've brought another skirt to wear tonight.

This isn't appropriate.

Here. Try this.

Oh, Phyllis. No, it'll look great on you.

Well, what will you wear?

Oh, I've got to finish editing Chester's pages

on our book on Kissinger.

Oh, you don't want to come out with the girls?

Every day that man is in the White House

makes us more vulnerable to a surprise nuclear attack.

The Admiral lets you edit his chapters?

He's a brilliant military strategist,

but a wordsmith he is not.

I don't know how you even talk to men.

I have spoken with exactly four men

in my entire adult life.

Mm‐hmm, your father, husband, son, and...

Both: And priest.

Treasurer quit, telling people

it was because his wife was pregnant.

The committee chairman, John Mitchell, has...

Do you know who I can't even talk to?

I know.

It was really vulgar.

Yes, it was. It was... very inappropriate.

Oh, I am so relieved you feel the same way.

Can you imagine if Mary Frances

said something like that in public

to an elected official, wearing a STOP ERA pin?

How well do you really know her?

Most of our communication has been through letters.

Well, she could be a member of the White Citizens Council

for all we know. Oh.

And she is probably going to be elected

head of the Louisiana chapter.

What am I supposed to do?

Kick her out.

She's an effective organizer.

She's very well‐liked.

All the more reason to set an example.

They say Shirley Chisholm tells it like it is.

So I'm gonna tell it like it really is.

There are women within range of my voice right now

that support McGovern,

and there are women that support Humphrey and Wallace,

and this is your right. Mm‐hmm.

But if you're talking about women

becoming a political force to be reckoned with,

you have to decide whether or not

you're going to go with the candidate who cares

about women's rights and will go with you all the way

down the line.

Or whether you'll support one of the other candidates

because it has been the traditional thing to do.

Mnh‐mnh.

In this country, everybody is supposed to be able

to run for president, but that has never really been true.

Somebody had to do it first.

So I did it.

I did it because I was the only one who had the audacity

to shake this system up.

Go with me on the first ballot!

Don't play yourselves cheap. I beg you.

You did not come here to be delivered!

Yes!

Shirley! Shirley! Shirley! Shirley!

So now you're breaking the rules?

Whose rules? The rules.

There are rules to conventions. Have you lost your mind?

Oh, and who gets to make the rules? It's rigged‐‐

the whole damned system, and it's been

going on for so long, and you don't even feel the strings.

You need to stay on the dais for McGovern's speech.

It is an honor to introduce

Senator George McGovern.

We are here today because he fought for party reform.

Every woman in this room owes him a debt of gratitude.

George.

Bella, thank you so much.

Thank you, Bella,

but I can't take all the credit. Some of it has to go to Adam.

Eve! Eve!

I meant Adam and Eve.

Eve was framed!

Yes, yes, thank you for that. You know, my friends,

we're at a crossroads...

I know, the higher the hair, the closer to God,

but I think I need to give her the chance to make amends.

But of course, if I say something...

It'll sound like a lecture. Well, it, uh,

might put her nose out of joint.

Do you want me to say something?

You have a way with people.

Hello, ladies.

Oh, what's this for? Lunch.

Watch out for Jacquie. She'll put in a $5 and take out a $10.

Oh, did you all have a good time on the town last night?

Oh, too much fun, and the beds are so comfortable.

I slept like a baby. Good.

This hotel is tip‐top. Even the help is white.

We should have our next meeting here.

Uh, before our next get‐together,

maybe we could lay some ground rules.

Uh, for example,

I think using racially charged language

denigrates our organization and undermines our mission.

What do you mean?

I just think we should be careful not to be crude.

Who was being crude?

Did everyone get their ballots for the state leader elections?

You said someone was being crude. Who was it?

Uh, to be honest, some of the language you used

made me uncomfortable.

I'm sorry if the problems plaguing this country

make you uncomfortable.

I thought this was supposed to be a place

we could speak freely.

Well, I think what Alice meant‐‐

We know exactly what Alice meant.

I don't know about the rest of you ladies,

but I sure didn't come all this way to be insulted.

Well, you're not leaving.

We're doing just fine in Louisiana without you.

We don't need your fancy slogans or your big college words

to keep the ERA out of our state.

Well, th‐that may be so, but we‐‐we do need to be united,

if we're going to have a successful national campaign.

Please stay.

So your friends can get everyone else

to vote against me? No, thank you.

Uh, does anyone here object to making Mary Frances

the head of STOP ERA in Louisiana and Mississippi?

Uh, Ann, uh, you're doing great things.

I think you deserve to lead the charge in, uh, Oklahoma.

Jacquie, you'll head up the Texas and, uh,

Arizona, uh, chapters.

And, uh, yes, uh, Rosemary, you wanna head up, uh, Illinois?

Oh, yes.

Does that settle it?

Okay. Well, I will put together some talking points

that we can all refer to when talking to the media.

Just a little script we can follow.

But my communication style is folksier than yours, Phyllis,

so I might change a few words here and there.

Well, I'm sorry, Jacquie,

but now we are a national organization.

We do have to have rules of conduct.

'Cause it serves our cause, uh, better

if we all use identical language.

It's how we're really gonna make it stick.

It's, uh, one voice, one message.

But none of us can do it on our own,

I mean, especially me.

I didn't even know about this crisis

until my dear friend Alice, uh, alerted me to the cause,

and I think that's real sisterhood, girls.

We got a Humphrey delegate!

She said after my speech, they just couldn't vote

for a white man and asked to be released,

or they would release themselves.

We're close to 50 delegates.

If we can get to 100, we can start wheeling and dealing.

Thadde‐‐

I'm Shirley Chisholm,

and I am a candidate for President of the United States.

I feel like I've summoned to the principal's office.

Would you feel better if you took off that pin?

No. I would.

This room is where all the decisions are made,

and you're here. You.

Don't forget how crazy you were for George

when you first met him.

He inspired you. You wrote his speeches.

He's fighting for 90% of the same issues as Shirley.

The only difference between them is he can beat Nixon.

Come on in.

Oh. Nice to see you, Gary. Sit down.

All right. Come sit.

I apologize if I was out of line

at the platform committee meetings.

Oh, you mean...

It's all right.

I wouldn't last a day in Hollywood.

Please, you're getting to be a bigger ham than me.

You should see her Marlene Dietrich impression.

What can I offer you ladies to drink? Scotch?

Sure, I'll take a Scotch. I don't need the calories.

Okay.

What are the different colors for?

Oh, the white goes to the command wagon,

blue to McGovern's suite, and red to the convention floor.

This way.

You're not worried this ruins the grass roots image

of your campaign?

Not particularly.

So if I pick up the blue phone,

I can speak to George.

Well, I'm not so sure that he'd take your call.

He's still very hurt that you tell the press

he's the best white male candidate.

He considers you a friend.

Good friends are honest with each other.

Shirley is a better candidate.

I did not say he considers you a good friend.

Well, how can I make it up to him?

McGovern is a hundred votes short.

If we can get a hundred more women delegate votes

on the California challenge, we could clinch the nomination.

And why should we help you?

We will back you on all the credentials challenges

that matter to you.

Okay.

I could push him to choose a female running mate.

Shirley? Everything is on the table.

And what more can we give you?

You've already got national daycare,

affirmative action, ratification of the ERA.

You're not backing us on the abortion vote.

You can't expect to get everything that you want.

Don't you expect to get everything that you want?

We've done sampling. He cannot come out in favor

of legalizing abortion and win in November.

All we're asking for is a fair fight on the floor.

What if... we stay neutral?

We let our delegates vote their conscience?

And you don't let the right‐to‐lifers speak.

We don't want anyone saying that abortion is murder

right before the vote.

Yes, and we don't want anyone up there

saying that women are being butchered on kitchen tables.

But women are being butchered on kitchen tables.

Yes. We just don't wanna hear about it.

Okay. Okay.

You wanna shake on it?

Did you see the phones?

Did you see the blue phone and white phone?

Were you in McGovern's suite?

None of your business.

What do you mean, it's none of my business?

This is my hotel.

Huh. Did you make a deal with him?

Oh, now I'm really mad.

I'm gonna write an exposé.

Oh, sure, Betty, make it all about you.

Who cares if you're helping the movement?

I am the movement. You wrote a book 10 years ago.

Hey! Hey!

You really play both ends, don't you?

I don't know what you're talking about.

You make a big show of supporting Shirley,

but you're really just going to deliver women to McGovern.

You don't know anything about politics.

I'm not sure I know anything about politics.

Oh.

It's Gloria Steinem.

We're keeping a running tally to see how many states

have ratified the ERA versus how many women

Warren Beatty has slept with since he's come to Miami.

Isn't that hilarious? My money's on Warren Beatty.

Smart.

Representative Dellums of California

today switched to McGovern.

I cannot abide cynical efforts to stop Senator McGovern.

He is the only real hope for bringing humanity

peace, freedom, and justice to this country and the world.

The candidates began lobbying...

Muskie and Humphrey are withdrawing.

What do you wanna do?

Has Gloria called?

Baby... it's time.

Hanging on‐‐it doesn't make you look good.

I'm going to release my delegates.

Will present the minority report on abortion.

What's going on with that minority report?

It's really difficult to tell.

The senator has taken no stand in opposition to it.

He has also taken no stand in support of it.

Hey, we wanna give up our seats

to a couple of women alternates so they can vote on abortion.

Thank you. That's so kind of you. Thank you.

Bella. Bella!

Oh! Two more seats opened up for women alternates.

I've counted and recounted.

We're at 48 "yes" in North Carolina.

Wow. North Carolina.

I can't believe it. I have never been so happy

to see men giving up their seats for the ladies.

You know, I think we're gonna make it.

I think we might make it.

We're pulling it. I just wanted to ask...

will take some state legislation

on every state level.

Women's rights to abortion are decided in the political arena.

He stated it should not have a part in partisan politics.

They got North Carolina. They could win this.

We have to take a stand.

This is an issue of the day,

and it will continue to be an issue.

We must take a stand.

Yeah?

Now?

Yeah? Uh‐huh.

Uh‐huh.

Yeah. Okay.

Yep. You know what to do. Go back. Come on.

What the hell is going on?

Yeah, I need to take my seat back.

No, no, no. Stay down. Don't get up.

They told us to take our votes back.

Who told you that? McGovern's people?

The word is out. It's vote "no" on abortion.

No, you‐‐you must have some mistake. The...

Thanks. Okay. Vote "no" on abortion. Go back.

Go back to your seat. No, I don't care if you...

You promised us! You bastard!

We didn't mention women being butchered on kitchen tables!

I've had about enough of you women.

You're a liar! Liar!

They're never gonna take us seriously.

We're just walking wombs! Back off!

Bella and I wanna make one last push

to get a woman on the ticket for vice president.

You think McGovern's people are going to let

the convention floor pick his running mate?

Whoever controls the phones controls the floor.

You never had a chance.

Even if it is a sham, if our female pick

makes a strong showing, it sets the stage for '76 or '80.

You're our first choice.

I'm not interested in another run

that's viewed as symbolic.

McGovern will choose Thomas Eagleton,

as he has always wanted to do all along.

And he won't mention abortion on the campaign trail

or gay rights or the Equal Rights Amendment

or anything that matters to us.

He put on a good show,

but don't mistake that for real political power.

Power concedes nothing.

If we don't demand true equality,

we are always going to be begging the men

for a few crumbs from the pie,

trading women for an empty promise.

The Senator from South Dakota

and the next President of the United States‐‐

George McGovern!

McGovern! McGovern! McGovern! McGovern!

McGovern! McGovern! McGovern!

McGovern! McGovern!

Oh, cheer up. We're not going home empty‐handed.

Our choice for vice president got more votes

than Archie Bunker.

I can hold my head high.

We're gonna be fine. McGovern's a great candidate.

At least we won't suffer another four years of Nixon.

McGovern! McGovern! McGovern! McGovern!

McGovern! McGovern! McGovern! McGovern! McGovern!

Shirley! Shirley! Shirley!

Yes! My God.

Whoo! Yes!

Yes! Whoo!

Whoo!

Whoo! Shirley!

Shirley!

The next President of the United States...

All right, that is 28 cans need to be replaced.

I don't think these ever really turn.

The dates are just there to get you to buy more.

Well, if you want them, they're yours.

The Pentagon under congressional prodding...

Thank you. I'll bring these to the church.

Back U. S. nuclear bases...

Now I want you to try and put yourself to bed.

All right? I'll be up in a moment to check on you.

The earlier lower casualty estimates...

Good night, Willie. Good night, Anne.

Pentagon thought was the most likely method

of Soviet attack.

It was estimated up to 21,700,000 Americans

would die in such an attack, depending on the size...

of the bombs and prevailing winds.

But an attack on the Whiteman Air Force Base

in Missouri would kill up to 10 million

because fallout would be carried to densely populated areas

such as St. Louis.

Other attacks would produce fallout patterns

covering many states and millions of people.

The estimated nearly 22 million deaths pertains only

to an limited Russian attack on military targets only.

The Department of Defense said...