All language subtitles for State.of.the.Union.1948.ENG

Gin.

Gin!

Gin.

Here's the doc.

What's the verdict, Doc?

Can't last
another 24 hours.

Any chance of us making the
early edition? He'd want to.

What about some pictures,
last-moment stuff?

No.

Good afternoon, Miss
Thorndyke. Your father...

I heard your verdict,
Dr. Crane.

That's the daughter. She's
tougher than the old man.

- Get out.
- But, Mr. Thorndyke, I...

Out! Out, I say.
Stupid nurses, doctors.

Oh.

How are you feeling, Sam?

Oh, this blasted thing's
eating my guts away.

Did you see that editorial
in the Albany paper?

That fella won't take orders.
Fire him.

I did.

That's my girl.

The White House called
to ask about you.

He should call.

If those Republicans hadn't
knifed me,

he wouldn't be
in the White House.

I'd be dying there.

Well, well, well. What else?

Longstreet called.

Longstreet? That buzzard.

Made me an offer
for the papers.

Willing to keep my name
on the masthead, he says.

I'll keep it there, Sam. You don't
need Longstreet or anyone else.

Kay, I used to hate you
for being a girl.

I always wanted
a son like me.

But you're bigger
than any son.

A woman's body with
a man's brains.

My brains. Use them.

You'll make the White House,
Kay, one way or another.

The Republican Party
owe us that. Don't forget it.

I won't forget it.

That's my girl.

Men are weak,

vain, idealistic.

Can't stand pain.

Can't stand pain any longer...

- Sam.
- Women are the only realists.

Until they get sentimental. Don't
you ever get sentimental, Kay.

- I never have.
- Yeah.

Er...

Goodbye, girl.

I guess I'll call it a day.

You're the chief
from herein.

- I'm gonna miss you, Sam.
- Yeah, yeah.

You'll be all right.
You'll be all right.

Make those heads roll.

Make those heads roll.

- Don't go in there.
- But, Miss...

Oh, good heavens!
Oh, Doctor!

Doctor!

Call the police!

- Congratulations.
- Congratulations.

- Fifty-one.
- Oh, Doctor.

Lose your stomach,
Mr. MacManus?

Mr. Hawkins' office, please.
First door to your right.

Thank you.

- Hi, Scylla.
- Hi, Charybdis.

Well, if it isn't the
poor man's Drew Pearson.

Hey, new talent.

You better go in before
we have a new columnist.

Wait a minute. Who's in
there with the lion-tamer?

Team secret. Came in
through the fire escape.

- Tailored?
- Mmm-hmm.

- Tailored politician?
- Hmm.

- Tailored Republican politician?
- What else?

Tailored worried
Republican politician?

All politicians are
worried today.

Jim Conover.
Announce me.

Spike MacManus.
Send him in.

If I had your number,
I'd call you and tell you

who's gonna be the next
President of the United States.

I know. Truman.

You want the walls to cave in
around here? I'll see you later.

Hello, boss.
Hello, Jim, what's cooking?

You'll be. If one word
of my being here gets out.

Hey, boss,
the freedom of the press.

If you must grace your column
with my name, it's Conover.

C- O-N-O-V-E-R.

You've spelt it "Canover", "Can
opener", everything but Conover.

Don't squawk, I haven't
spelt it "Conniver" yet.

Let's skip the jokes.

Jim, you know the Republican Convention
this year can end in a deadlock.

I don't know anything.

- My uncle with the two heads does.
- Spike.

He tells me they're following
the usual Republican policy:

The Tafts, Deweys, Stassens,
and Vandenbergs

may knock each other out of the
running even before the Convention.

Thus providing a perfect
track for a dark horse.

Which leaves you,
Mr. Conover,

a fight manager looking for a
good heavyweight who can punch.

Jim, I think
I have your man.

Yeah, you
and everybody else.

This is Kay Thorndyke,
not everybody else.

I'm sorry, Kay, it's just that you
have to show me. I'm from Missouri.

Ha!

If you were from Missouri,
you'd have a job in Washington.

Lay off, Spike.

All right, let's have it, Kay.
Who's your man?

ltem one: born in Nevada.

But there's never been
a western president.

There are Americans
out there, too.

Item two: self-made, sold newspapers,
worked his way through school.

Item three: good war record.
Partisaned Lafayette Escadrille WWI,

- decorated by three governments.
- Ancient history.

Item four: started the
two-by-four airplane factory

and ran it into the biggest
thing in aviation today.

Look at me
when I'm talking to you.

First industrialist to introduce
labor-management plant administration.

He's never even been
threatened with a strike.

He'd have labor in one pocket, big
business in the other. Are you interested?

No. What's Horatio Alger
look like?

Women have been crazy about him all
his life, if that's what you mean.

Well, that lets me out.

And men?

Part owner of a ball club.

Ever run for office?

Not even for dog catcher.

Hates politics.

Then what's given him
this presidential yen?

Oh, he hasn't got it yet.

You're going to
give him that.

On the newsstands tomorrow.

"Our planes have wings
but not our ideas."

You could make him
the next president, Jim.

Kay, I'm not terribly impressed.
I never am by amateurs.

But if you and Grant Matthews
happen to be in Washington,

and knock on my door
to get out of the rain...

But I have been trying to
make this clear all afternoon.

I don't want to be President
of the United States.

Guess the job isn't
big enough for him, boss.

President. Holy smoke.

Why, when I was a kid, my
dad took me on a two-day trip

just to look at
President Taft.

On a clear day you could see him
for a couple of hundred miles.

Yeah,
you sure could.

After he passed, my father
slapped me right across the face.

When I asked him
what that was for, he said,

"Just so you'll never forget the day you
saw the President of the United States."

Well, Mr. Conover, I've listened to
some pretty tall reasons around here

why I could
run for president.

Self-made man, friend of labor,
dark horse and all that stuff.

All very flattering,
I might add.

But, could I ask you, a professional
politician, to give me one good reason

why me, Grant Matthews, should run for
the biggest and the best job in the world

- when there are 10,000 other men...
- Wait a minute.

Let's understand each other. I'm not
telling you you should be President.

I was under the impression that
Kay Thorndyke brought you down here

to sell me on the idea,
not for me to sell you.

Now let's not get childish, nobody's
trying to sell anybody anything.

Kay, the man doesn't want the
job, and hundreds of others do.

- We're wasting our time.
- That's right, Kay.

He's right.
We're wasting his time.

I'm not interested
in politics or politicians.

And I don't
like airplanes.

That makes us even.

Although I could get
to like you, Mr. Conover.

Mr. Matthews, it's no skin off my
nose, but just for my private files,

you made a speech in Cleveland that hit
the front pages all over the country.

Even the New York Times
with that stuff about,

"Either we pull together
or get pulled apart."

Every Republican leader
wishes he'd made it.

So?

I'm trying to get it
through my lame brain,

if you have no interest in politics,
why did you make that speech?

Oh, now, wait a minute. I can
be interested in the country

without being interested
in politics.

That'll surprise Jim Conover.

I don't care
who it surprises.

Don't get the idea that I'm not
interested in what's going on.

I like this country,
Mr. Conover.

It's been darn good to me.

I started with a screwdriver
and a monkey wrench

and two years of high school,
and built the Matthews Aircraft.

Did you ever fly an airplane? Oh,
no, you don't like airplanes, do you?

You better not elect me President
then, because I'd make it a law

for every politician to spend
at least 100 hours in the air.

This year, most of us are
up in the air all the time.

Well, the next time you're up
there, Mr. Conover, look down.

Look down on Pittsburgh,
for example, what do you see?

Smoke.

That's right, smoke.
From the steel mills.

Miles and miles of
steel mills.

But you see something else, too, don't you?

Farms, factories, lumber, mines,
railroads, business, management, labor.

Not one able to exist alone,
but together, working together

with courage and imagination.
That makes America.

That's a great picture
from the air.

Yeah, but come down to earth and
walk into one of those meetings

like that one in Cleveland,
and what do you find?

Farmers, cattlemen, lumbermen,
business, labor, they were all there.

All working together?
In a pig's eye.

All scared to death,
all fighting each other.

Each out for the biggest bite
in the apple.

Well, there aren't
that many bites in the apple.

That's what I was
talking about in Cleveland

and that's why I'm surprised
that you asked me here.

Why surprised?

Because you politicians,

instead of pulling
the country together

are helping pull it apart,
just to get votes.

To labor, you promise
higher wages and lower prices.

To business,
higher prices and lower wages.

To the rich, you say, "Let's cut
taxes". To the poor, "Soak the rich".

To the veterans,
cheaper housing.

To the builders,
uncontrolled prices.

There's no halo
around my head, Mr. Conover,

but that's what keeps
men like me out of politics.

Hurray!

You didn't ask me to
make this speech, did you?

You just asked me what I said.
Let that be a lesson to you.

Mr. Matthews, you've just created
the ideal political platform.

Drown the politicians.

Very funny.

Mr. Matthews, now, if you
really believe those things

and weren't just spouting
to hear yourself talk,

you've just given yourself
several reasons to run.

That's my whole point.

The only way to correct those
evils is to get into politics.

Get into the White House where
you can do something about it.

But, Kay, you just don't
get into the White House,

millions of people
have to vote for you.

You're not afraid of the job,
are you?

What do you mean, I'm afraid?
Of course I'm not afraid

I'd make
a darn good president.

What am I saying?
You've got me doing it now.

I would like to
pause at this moment

and take a one-man
Gallup poll.

What chance do you think
Mr. Matthews here really might have, Jim?

I don't know. Any native-born
American over 35 has a chance.

Jim, on Tuesday Grant
starts a tour of his plants.

Everywhere he's going
he's been invited to speak.

Wait a minute. I'm going to be
pretty busy, you know.

I've got problems
in all those plants.

Grant, you've got to go along
with us that far. Try it out.

At least you get
a few things off your chest.

Spike, you're going
along with him.

You've been telling everyone
for years how to run a campaign.

Now we'll see
if you can really run one.

Fine, I'll go over to the White House
and tell the Trumans to start packing.

Yes, Norah, what is it?

Norah!

- Do you know a man named Mac?
- Mac who?

He's calling from New York.
He just said to say, "Mac."

Oh, Mac.

Hello? Yes, I've been
waiting to hear from you.

Oh? Oh, wait a minute. I'll
take this call in another room.

I'll hang up
as soon as you're on.

Do you mind?

Might get a little
Drew Pearson blood.

I thought it was agreed
we'd all trust each other.

Only when we're
in the same room.

Jim, I've been
waiting for you...

Just a minute, Congressman.
I've got a call to answer.

I don't get this. If he's
really serious about me

as a possible candidate,

the Republican Party
must be pretty desperate.

The party isn't desperate,
just Conover.

If he doesn't personally select
the Republican candidate this year,

he may as well turn, if you'll
pardon the expression, Democrat.

Are you on?
All right, I'll hang up.

- Kay, put that down.
- Wait a minute, what?

They've had someone
looking you up.

They picked up some gossip
about you and me.

- Uh-oh.
- No.

There's been some talk about
Mary. Mary and some major.

- Who's Mary?
- Mrs. Matthews.

Oh!

- A major? What's his name?
- I can't...

What does it sound like?

A major!

Did you see what that so
and so wrote about me today?

Well, isn't it true?

Hey, it's 5:00 already.

Spike, you may have trouble
finding a taxi at this hour.

If you want to talk privately,
why don't you say so?

I just did.

Mr. Matthews, you and I might
take time to finish our drinks.

Do you mind,
Miss Thorndyke?

Jim, I want you to know that
Grant and I trust you implicitly.

Thank you.

- I'm very happy about this, Grant.
- Miss Thorndyke.

You might as well wait, too. That's
what I was going to talk about.

Close the door, Spike.

Do you mind being seated?

Naturally, Mr. Matthews, when your name
first came up, I made some enquiries.

It seems there's been
some talk about you two.

There's been that kind of gossip about
every candidate except Herbert Hoover.

They didn't pull it on Hoover
'cause nobody would've believed it.

There are no grounds for talk. Mr. Matthews
and I are very good friends. Period.

You see, Mr. Matthews, while Miss
Thorndyke happens to be single,

you are a married man,
with two children.

If you consider that
a major... A vital factor.

I guess that ends it.

- What's the answer, Jim?
- It isn't my problem.

But if it were, you two wouldn't
be seen together from now on.

Now wait...

You can't get to first base
against a whispering campaign.

Could I get a word in here?

Perhaps Kay's friendship means more
to me than all this political...

That's all I wanted
to hear, Grant.

Jim's right. We don't see
each other from now on.

I knew she'd feel
that way about it,

and I'm sure she'll agree
with me on the next step.

I think Mrs. Matthews should
be down here with her husband.

And I'd like to see her make
this trip with him. Now, Jim.

Brother Conover,
that does it.

You have just ended the shortest
political campaign on record.

If my wife knew that
I was even thinking of myself

as President of these United
States, you just don't know my wife.

- She'd call me Nappy every other minute.
- "Nappy"?

Nappy. That's short
for Napoleon.

That's what she calls me when I get
a little too big for my britches,

- which is quite often.
- I know what Grant means.

The world is full of wives
who devote their time

to clipping
their husbands' wings.

Now Kay, that isn't
quite fair to Mary.

Mr. Conover, I don't want you to get
the wrong impression about my wife.

She's a very attractive woman
and a very bright one.

It's just, you know, a man can
just take so much criticism.

If you become a candidate, you'll
have to take a lot of criticism.

Yeah. Your wife might be good
training for you. Toughen you up.

We've got to kill
this gossip, Mr. Matthews.

The American people want to see a
candidate and his wife campaign together.

It's an American tradition. Otherwise
you can forget the whole thing.

I warned you I had
no talent for politics.

I wouldn't think of using
my wife as a smoke screen.

Would she have to know? In
answer to your question, yes.

That's what I said.

You know, I haven't quite
made up my mind about you.

Mr. Conover, I'm going to
tell you something.

As things now stand,
I'm not too sure

that my wife would go out
and have dinner with me,

much less
make a trip like this.

But I still say, I would've
made a darn good president.

Shall we dance?

- Now what?
- Senator Fosdick is here.

- Ex-Senator Fosdick.
- Blast, what does that lame-duck want now?

Lame? The last election
broke both his wings.

Put him somewhere. He may
get elected again sometime.

My room's the only one
that's not full up.

I can be out of mine
in 20 minutes.

No, no, no. Give him a drink,
we'll get him settled later.

Politicians seem to think

there's a law against
paying hotel bills.

Getting back to your wife,
Mr. Matthews, she's over 21.

Don't you think the fairest thing
would be to let her decide herself?

Grant knows what's fair
and what isn't.

Besides, he has a much more
important call to make. Remember?

My boy's birthday! I should've
phoned long ago. May I use that?

Please.
Thank you.

What's the number here? District
6530. Use the private phone.

This one?
That's right.

This is district 6530.

I'm calling Greatwood,
Long Island.

Yeah, the number is 247.
Please.

The little guy
is eight today.

You'll talk to Mary, Grant.

You want me to?

I want anything that will
get you where you belong.

Invite her to stay here,
of course.

No way for a fellow
to be elected president

without his wife
knowing about it, is there?

Hello? Hello, Swenson.
Hello, Buck, how are you?

Put Mrs. Matthews on.

What's all the noise?
Oh, the birthday party.

Hello? Hello, Joyce!
How are you, sweetheart?

It's my daughter, she's 10.

Hmm.

Hello, Butch, is that
you, son? How are you?

Happy birthday!

Well, uh,
I can't sing it now.

Yeah, Butch. Hello?
Hello, Mary.

Mary, could you get the kids
off the other phone?

Mary, I can't sing it here.
Yeah.

Now don't call me Nappy.

No...

Okay, okay. You'll love this.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Truman's gonna get
the musical vote.

Happy birthday, dear Grant

Happy birthday to you

Flat? I was not flat.

Look, Mary,
I'm here in Washington, D.C.,

and I'm going to make
a tour of the plants.

Hello, Butch...

Look, Mary, Mary, it's a
little too tough over the phone.

Could you come down here,
do you suppose? Yeah.

We'll stay with Jim Conover.

Conover!

He's a sort of a ham.

I'll send you the address,
Mary...

Mary, come please, will you?
All right, dear.

Yes, yes, Butch.
Yeah, yeah, I know.

Yes, Joyce. Goodbye, sweetheart. Goodbye.

She's coming?

Yes, yes, heaven help me.

And when she gets here, she's
to be told the whole story.

If she decides to change
her mind and go back home,

nobody is to
interfere with her.

- Is that understood?
- Funny world.

I want you to be President,
so I go back to New York

and you tour the country
with your wife.

Politics make
strange bedfellows.

Come in.

Hello, Grant.

How's the people's choice?

This fantastic notion had me
thinking about myself so much,

I forgot there were others.

Just talking home on the phone
did that to you?

Mary and the kids can't be dismissed
with a wave of the mind, Kay.

Still dragging around some of those
little chains, aren't you, Grant?

What chains?

Those little chains of
middle-class morality

that've kept big men down,
all through the ages.

Nothing's dragging me down. I just
want everything out in the open.

No more hiding in the dark. No more
playing both ends against the middle.

- And no White House.
- No, Kay, no White House.

Sounded like a pipe dream,
anyway.

No pipe dream to me, Grant.
I believe in you.

I know you do, Kay.

And I know just what
you've meant to me.

- But...
- But, sit down.

Look, Grant.
Don't you suppose I knew

what was going to happen to
me if you ran for president?

Don't you suppose I knew
there had to be a Mary

if there was going to be
any White House?

Your knowing it
doesn't make it easier.

Have I asked for it
any easier?

I'm the corner of this triangle
that'll take the beating.

I'm not going to let
you take that beating.

Yes, you are!

Go after the biggest
and the best there is.

You'll make
a great president.

And if somebody suffers,
if I suffer, so what?

As my father used to say, "Life is
war, don't count the casualties."

Look, Grant, I think I know
you. And I know I love you.

If you're in the White House,
I'll be in the White House,

whether I'm in New York
or on the Moon.

You're a great gal, Kay.

Come in.

- Oh? Conference? I'll be back.
- No, no, no, come on in, Jim.

I think I'll go down and inspect
the plumbing at the White House.

I'll see you later.

- There's a mighty big man, Jim.
- Yes.

Mighty big man,
with a mighty small chance.

Oh?

- Kay, do you mind if I let my hair down?
- It's your hair.

Look, with no Roosevelt
to run against,

it's green pastures again
for Republicans.

So I dig up enough money to
rent this house for two years

and think I'll angle myself
back into politics.

Do I get a bid from Dewey, Taft, Vandenberg,
and Stassen to manage their campaigns?

I do not.

Harding-gang stink
is still on me, they say.

So this house becomes a boarding
house for political has-beens

who can't get on
any bandwagon,

and you come along with
your airplane builder.

And me, the best political
brain in this country

outside of Jim Farley,

I'm now nursing a rank amateur
like Grant Matthews.

A mixed up guy who sees ideals out of
one eye and ambition out of the other.

A guy who hates politicians,
you heard him.

A guy with a busted-up home
that'll be poison at the polls.

Jim.

Wouldn't you like to become
Chairman in the Republican Party?

I'd give my right arm
up to here

to become Chairman of
the Republican...

Say, are you making
commitments for him?

Get that hair back up again.
What's the matter with you?

You getting old or something?
Keep that stomach in, chin up.

Why do you think
I brought Grant to you?

Because I know you're the
best politician in the country.

- Kay, a stubborn rank amateur.
- Wilke was a stubborn rank amateur.

Get that political brain
of yours working.

This is the year
of the dark horse.

The best we could go
into that convention

with would be a small
handful of delegates.

Communists have taken over
whole countries

with a small
handful of delegates.

This guy worries me. The
way he shoots his mouth off.

He'll make enemies.

I'm sending Spike along
for just that.

Spike? I need Spike like
I need a hole in the head.

Jim, The Thorndyke Press
needs a new vice president,

a sort of silent partner to
advise on political matters.

Good salary, expense account
that might include

a four-year lease
on this house.

- Win or lose?
- Win or lose.

Well, the dark horse is
getting whiter.

Kay, just so I don't stumble
over things in the dark,

- what's your stake in all this?
- I want nothing.

No. People who want nothing
worry me. The price isn't right.

You know, I know about your
father and the Republican Party.

You also know that
they've given me

the beautiful brush-off
ever since.

On occasions
they've even seen fit

to describe the support
of my newspapers

as the "kiss of death".

I thought if I could present the
country and the Republican Party

with the next President
of the United States,

it would give me more than a little
pleasure to see certain heads roll.

If they're the same heads
I'm thinking about...

They are.

Let's put this thing over,
Jim.

He's the ideal man.

He's the rare combination
of sincerity

and drive that the common herd
will go for.

They think he's one of them.
He thinks he's one of them.

But is he the kind of man we
can handle? Will he play ball?

He's in love with me, Jim.

You can lead a dark horse to water with that
love stuff, but can you make him drink?

A moment ago,
you very shrewdly observed

that Grant saw ideals
out of one eye

and ambition out of the
other. You were dead right.

But wait till that presidential
bug really bites him.

Wait till he sees the White
House out of both eyes.

Then he'll drink.

And so will I.

The White House.

My, my, hallowed ground.
Just think.

All of the presidents since Adams
have occupied that noble edifice.

Needs painting.

- I beg your pardon?
- I say, it needs painting.

Needs painting?

Sir, you're the kind
who'd whitewash the dawn.

What colors would you add
to a desert sunset

or to the cool green of the
sea, or the blue of the sky?

Does the goddess of
liberty need make-up?

Do you know who lives
in this historic mansion?

Yeah.

The spirit of all those who fought
for human dignity lives there.

Moses, Buddha, Confucius,

Christ, Paul, Saint Francis,

Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon,
Joan of Arc,

Martin Luther, Plato, Homer,

Dante, Shakespeare,
Michelangelo,

Pasteur, Newton, Galileo,

Edison, Franklin, Lincoln,
Washington, Jefferson,

Crispus Attucks,
Lafayette, Garibaldi,

Bolivar, Kosciusko.

The martyrs, the saints,
and the poets.

Civilizations past
and present.

Man's whole history.

His evolution from worm
to animal to Einstein,

his long search for God,

all those things live
in that noble dwelling,

but I still say
it needs painting.

Sir, may I buy you
a glass of beer?

With pleasure.

Could you bring my bags in
for me? Thank you.

Check with Leith before you
print that one. The rest of...

Jess, no more good stuff from
now on, just the cheap stuff.

If that's a long-distance call,
you'll pay for it yourself.

Mr. Conover, Mr. Conover,
Mrs. Matthews is here.

Mrs. Matthews? Already?

Jim, don't faint now, but what
if she won't make this trip?

She's got to make it.

Jess, the good stuff for
Mrs. Matthews

- and put a bottle of champagne on ice.
- Yes, sir.

- Where'll I put her?
- Put her in Mr. Matthews' bedroom.

Take care of her bag. Remember
that phone call's on your own.

- I'll mail everything in from now on.
- Right.

I hope it doesn't inconvenience
you, my flying down tonight.

I'm delighted, I'm only sorry
you didn't get here earlier.

Spike, this is Mrs. Matthews.
Mr. MacManus.

Oh, the writer?
How do you do, Mr. MacManus?

And you're very beautiful. How are
you, Mrs. Matthews? I'll take this.

Where's my husband got to?

A politician's smoke-filled
room's got too much for him.

- Oh, you're that Mr. Conover.
- I'm afraid I am.

Grant went for a walk. He
didn't expect you until tomorrow.

I sent him a wire.

The fact is, Mr. Conover, I
was so excited about this trip,

I couldn't bear to wait.

Oh, is this my room?

No, this is Grant's room.
I'm getting you another.

Leave the bags here a minute.
You're moving Senator Fosdick.

Again?

Put him in the south
bedroom with Mr. Godfrey.

But the Commissioner's
in there with Mr. Godfrey.

Commissioner?

- He can have the pool table.
- That's nonsense.

Don't move Senator Fosdick.
Grant and I can stay here.

Here?

It's all right.
We're really married.

Unless the rest of the Senate
is in here with Grant.

- No, no, he's in sole possession.
- Good, I'll stay here.

After all, Senator Fosdick was an
isolationist. I think he should be isolated.

- Shall I unpack for you, ma'am?
- Don't bother. I'll do it later.

This is very pleasant.

Now I can boast that
I've really been

behind the scenes
in Washington.

You certainly can.

The Republican Party has been
behind the scenes for 15 years.

But that's over now.

We've won Congress
and there'll be a change

in the White House
after the next election.

Has Mr. Truman
heard about this?

I'm gonna like you.

I'm a good Republican.

The voters do control the lease
on the White House, don't they?

Not just the Republican Party.

Your husband's been lecturing
me along the same lines.

Then I'd better
change the subject.

Grant can be very outspoken.
But not by anybody I know.

May I fix you a drink?

I'm a very inexpensive guest.
I don't drink.

You'll make history
in this house.

- Has she moved in there?
- She's established a beachhead.

Tell Jim it's all right
to convince the world

there's nothing between me
and Mr. Matthews,

but not to bother convincing
Mrs. Matthews.

I thought that was the idea.

Don't be naive, Spike. I want her
against me. I want her fighting for him.

That way she'll do everything
possible to get him elected.

Women.

Goodbye, Mr. MacManus.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Oh, thank you.

Mrs. Matthews, I have a great
admiration for your husband.

Look at that.
What did you say?

I say, I have a great
admiration for your husband.

I'm many years ahead of
you on that, Mr. Conover.

The whole country will feel as
we do after hearing the speeches

he's going to make
on this trip.

- Speeches? Is he gonna make speeches?
- Yes, in several places.

Oh, dear,
I should've packed my earmuffs.

I didn't mean that
the way it sounded.

Grant makes
a very good speech,

but public appearances
for me...

Would it be considered
bad form,

if I just stayed
quietly at the hotel

and listened to him
over the radio?

I'm afraid it would. It would
defeat the whole purpose.

Purpose? What purpose?

For a man who may become
a political figure,

people like to know his wife,
like to see what she looks like,

and most important of all, they
like to see the two of them together.

Oh.

I see.

That explains Grant's inviting
me to make this trip with him.

No, no, no,
Grant wants you to go along.

These public appearances,
they're my idea.

Just an old politician's habit
of cashing in on an opportunity.

It all fits a little
too neatly, Mr. Conover.

I don't know whether you know,
or perhaps you do,

that Grant and I haven't
been very close recently.

Wouldn't you prefer to
create a contrary impression?

Then you do know.

Let's be open about this,
Mr. Conover.

These public appearances that
Grant and I are going to make,

are they designed
to kill off any talk

about my husband
and Kay Thorndyke?

There's that kind of talk
about every important man.

If there are any rumors
about your husband,

this would be a good chance
to kill them. You see...

No, may I use your telephone?

- Certainly. On the night table.
- Thank you.

I want to get back to New
York tonight, if I can.

- Airport...
- Executive 2345.

Thank you.

Mrs. Matthews?

I think any man who has a chance to
become President of the United States

deserves that chance.

President of
the United States?

Yes. Don't you think
he'd make a good president?

Yes, I do.

A fine president.

Then you see how this goes
beyond personal considerations.

We can't think of this just
in terms of you and Grant.

And Kay Thorndyke.

And Kay Thorndyke. I'm sure
you'll go along with this.

You're a good citizen.

Right now, Mr. Conover, I'm
not feeling like a good citizen.

I'm feeling like a woman.

- All right, as a woman, then.
- As a woman, no, I resent being used.

This evening has been quite a kick
in the teeth to me, Mr. Conover.

I was hoping that

Grant's call meant
no more Miss Thorndyke.

It'd be fine
to kill these rumors.

It'd be even finer
to kill Kay Thorndyke.

Let's think of this in terms of the
country. That's what I've had to do.

Frankly, your husband is not the
answer to a politician's dream.

I've been wondering why any
political party should choose Grant,

knowing the things
he stands for.

I want the country
to make the choice,

and I know the choice
they'll make.

Take my word. Your husband
is a pretty big man.

There's no argument
about that.

I know he's a big man.
You know he's a big man.

My bad days are when
he knows he's a big man.

You don't suppose
there's any way

of Grant's being
elected president

and keeping it
a secret from him, do you?

It wasn't as funny
as all that.

Yes, it was. Your husband asked
me almost the same question.

He wondered if
he could be elected

without a wife
knowing about it.

Poor Grant.

- Is he speaking in Seattle?
- Yes. Why?

We were married in Seattle.

When I think of him
speaking there

as a candidate
for president...

He's not speaking now as a
candidate. That's a deep, dark secret.

The whole idea of this trip
is to create the demand.

Oh.

That clears up something
you just said.

He's to be your choice first,
then the people's choice.

Well, I'm a citizen.
I have the right to a choice.

Long distance calling,
Mr. Conover.

Thank you, Norah.
May I take it here?

- Am I in the way?
- Not at all. This will take just a minute.

Hello.

Yes. How are you?

Yes, I'm sorry, too, Joe. You
should have carried that district.

Advice? My advice is to change
your whole campaign this year.

How many Poles have you
got down there? That many?

Tell them not to believe
what they read in the papers.

Tell them we love Poland and we're
going to lend them a lot of money.

Oh, they don't feel
that way about it?

Well, tell them Poland won't
get one red cent out of us.

The Democrats have
beaten us to that?

Well, promise them
something else.

They must want something,
just promise them!

You swing that district and they'll
have to give you that Veterans' Hospital.

Otherwise, no dice.

Call any time. Thanks.

Sorry for the interruption.

I'm grateful for it. It gave
me a chance to change my mind.

I'll make this trip
with Grant.

Well, that's fine.

That pleases me very much.

That's our first big
campaign contribution.

To you, my dear, the loveliest
plank in your husband's platform.

That's a heck of a thing
to call a woman.

Still, you did say loveliest.

Think of any more words like
that, don't repress them.

Don't tell me you'd fall for
a politician's sweet syrup.

Mister, you're looking at
a mighty dry waffle.

I don't know.

This trip may kill
more than one rumor.

Is there someone
I don't know about?

There have been some rumors
about you.

About me?

Hmm. About you
and a certain major.

That's wonderful. That's the
best news I've heard in weeks.

- Does Grant know?
- Not as far as I know.

- You're going to tell him, aren't you?
- No.

I deserve something out of all
this. I was hoping he'd told you.

No, I have a little
intelligence service of my own.

I wish Grant had. The places I've
dragged that poor, nice major,

just in the hopes
that Grant would see us.

I'm beginning to feel
like a new woman.

I think I'll put a new face
on the new woman.

And I feel like a new man and I
think I'll give the new man a drink.

How about it?
We have even champagne here.

Don't ever tempt me that way.
The results can be disastrous.

No!

Has Grant told you
we haven't seen each other

in nearly four months?

No.

Our last encounter was
something to remember.

Kay has quite a technique
with husbands.

Other women's, that is.

She's a great builder-upper.

Grant was getting the
inflation treatment that night.

Which, by the way,
he doesn't mind at all.

So, I inflated myself a little,
too, starting with martinis.

And told her off.

Off and out of my house.

I played right into her hands.
I acted like a fishwife.

It's the olive in the
martinis. That's what does this.

No, things were simmering
before that.

Grant needs a lot of room
to stretch in.

He likes to get up on those mountain
tops and slap the hurricanes down.

He can do it, too.

He began to feel that
I was sort of small potatoes

and holding him back.

I was, I guess.

I'm a sort of a cozy
corner person, Mr. Conover.

I like those quiet valleys.

I'm afraid I even have a
weakness for small potatoes.

- I've got two wonderful ones at home.
- Yes, happy birthday.

There we were. Grant had
a bad case of the mountains

and I became stubborn
about small potatoes,

and she stepped into the picture
as the beautiful mountain guide.

Now I have no way of knowing
how far things have gone.

How do you mean?

There are three stages
in a man's,

whatever you want to call it,
to Kay Thorndyke.

First he follows her
with his eyes,

then with his feet,
then on his knees.

My trouble is, I don't know
whether Grant is still in stage two

or if the boat has sailed.

Jim.

Mary gets in tonight. I got
this telegram downstairs...

Hello, Grant.

Mary.

I didn't expect you
until tomorrow.

I couldn't bear to wait.
I'd have met you.

- How are you?
- Fine. You look fine.

I'm certainly glad you came. I've
got a lot of things to tell you.

- Have you got a room set up for her yet?
- I'm in here with you.

In here?

Mr. Conover, Governor
Dunn has just arrived.

Ex-Governor. That old windbag
didn't even carry his own county.

- Where am I going to put him?
- He snores, too.

That's an occupational
disease of governors.

Grant, I couldn't wait. I told
Mrs. Matthews all about it.

Well, I'm awfully glad
you came.

I said that, didn't I?

- How are the kids?
- Fine. Anxious to see you.

Same here.

- Why don't you laugh? You should.
- Why, Grant?

I've just been for a walk.

You know,
it's a funny thing, Mary,

I've been in Washington a thousand
times in the past few years,

but I never really saw it
until today.

It isn't a city.
It's an atmosphere.

It's alive with giants.

Washington, Jefferson,
Lincoln, Adams. Giants, Mary.

I'm not in their league.

I'm for you, Grant. I think
you'd make a wonderful president.

Do you really mean that? I've
never meant anything more.

That's the nicest thing
you could've said.

It isn't only that you've
got the brains for it.

The important thing
to me, Grant,

is that you've always
tried to be honest.

Tried to be?

You've cut some corners
here and there,

just to get where
you wanted to.

But I will say, you've always had
the decency to be unhappy about it.

Yeah, with a little help
from you.

- And don't call me Nappy.
- Yes, Nappy.

I want you to know, Mary, that
I felt a little bit of a heel,

asking you to make this trip
at all under the circumstances.

I told Conover that it was entirely
up to you, that I wouldn't...

It's all right, Grant.
I made the decision myself.

You know, Mary, you deserve
something better than me.

Well, I guess,
I'd better get out of these.

I'd better see Jim about
getting me another room.

Haven't you heard? Even
the pool table's booked.

I guess I can find a room
in a hotel, all right.

In Washington?

Grant? Grant!

Huh?

We should call
the kids tomorrow.

Yes, yes. Well, I'll call
them around dinnertime,

then I can talk
to both of them.

I had Buck pack some of
your fishing things.

Oh, wonderful.

- Thought maybe when we were in Seattle...
- Yeah, fine.

Might be able to run up to
Victoria for a couple of days.

We haven't been there
since our...

Not since our honeymoon.

No. That's right.

Which of the plants
are we going to first?

Minneapolis.

What are you
speaking about there?

I'm not going to speak there.
That's Stassen territory.

Conover thought I might
just stir up trouble.

Uh-huh.

Good politics, I suppose.

What other decisions
does Conover make for you?

Wait a minute, Mary. I made that
decision. I'm making all the decisions.

I've told Conover
exactly where I stand.

See, the American people today
face too many problems...

Grant.

Huh.

Take it easy.
I'm going to vote for you.

No, wait a minute. I want to
straighten you out on this thing, too.

Yes?

Could I turn the bed down
now? Yes, indeed. You may.

When you're ready for breakfast
just press that buzzer,

I'll have it right up.

Thank you.

I've got a pretty
tough day tomorrow.

I'm sorry to be
so late with this.

It's all right. I'll help
you with it. Thank you.

Just as I started up,
we got another guest.

Gracious!
Where did you put him?

He's on a cot
in Mr. Conover's room.

That makes me
feel very guilty.

Don't you worry,
Mrs. Matthews.

A cot's good enough
for most of them.

They just come down here to get
something out of Mr. Conover.

- Why, Norah!
- Not the people we put in this room.

This room is for
special guests.

We even had a Democrat
in this bed one night.

Oh, dear. I wish you hadn't
told me that.

He wasn't
a Roosevelt Democrat.

Did he leave these
as a souvenir?

How did those get in here? That Miss
Thorndyke hunted all over for those.

Miss Thorndyke?

Yes, she forgot them
when she left tonight.

I know what it is
to be without glasses.

I'll mail them
right back to her.

You wouldn't know her
address, would you, ma'am?

Are you sure these are
Miss Thorndyke's? Yes.

They're them
Chinese kind. See?

- What some women won't do, won't they?
- Yes, won't they?

Mr. Matthews
will know the address.

Grant, can you
come out here a minute?

Norah needs some information.

Yeah, sure.
I'll be right out.

Yeah, Norah,
what can I do for you?

Miss Thorndyke
left her glasses.

I just wanted to know where
to mail them back to her.

1276 Park Avenue. Would you
like me to write it down for you?

No, I can remember it.
1276.

76, that's the year
of the Revolution,

and 12, that's for
the 12 Commandments.

Well...

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

Now how do you suppose
those got in here?

Why did she leave?

We could all have had a
lovely weekend here together.

Mary, what do you think
you're doing?

Mary, stop that nonsense
and make up this bed again.

Now hang it all. Look here, I'm
not going to have you do this.

You wouldn't get one wink of
sleep down there on the floor,

and I wouldn't sleep, lying
up here worrying about you.

Goodnight, Mr. President.

You mean Mr. Vice President,
don't you?

Look. We put this bird across,
and you know what it means to us.

We got to work fast but we've
got to be smart about it.

Here's a list of guys
who might play ball.

Er, Bluckner.
You feel out Bluckner.

- He's committed to Dewey.
- Go on to the second ballot.

He'd back Stalin if it'd cut
the Governor's throat.

There's your
long-distance call.

You work on that angle,
will you?

Hello, J.L. Is your group
committed yet?

Now quit worrying, I've got
the man, but I'm not ready

to announce his name yet.

He's brand new.
Hates politicians. What?

For those few measly Arizona
delegates? I should say not.

Okay, you'll hear from me.

- How about Trenley?
- No, you can't trust Trenley.

- You can't trust Trenley?
- What do you think, Senator?

I don't trust Trenley and
I don't like the smell of this.

Why not?

I don't like anything that
starts with The Thorndyke Press.

Those three papers in your state
can ensure your re-election.

I'll have to take my chances
on that, Jim. Goodnight.

How did he get in here?
He's honest.

Let's forget about him. What
about Sylvester in Philadelphia?

- Fine.
- Good man.

What's so funny?

I was just wondering how the
floors are in the White House.

I'll take the floor there.
I know my place.

Grant?

Are you still in stage two

or have you made
stage three now?

What do you mean?

Never mind.

Do you want a divorce?

Do you?

That's not fair.
I asked you first.

The world thinks
I'm a very successful man.

Rich, influential, happy.

You know better,
don't you, Mary?

You know that I'm neither
happy nor successful,

not as a man, a husband,
or a father.

You want to know
something else?

I'm glad I'm down here on the
floor. It's where I belong.

I knew that tonight when
we started to talk about

going back to Victoria.

Mary, you won't believe this,

but I don't know how
those glasses got in here,

but I'm glad you found them.

I started to tell you, it was
Kay who brought me down here,

but I lost my nerve. I guess I
was afraid it would send you home.

"There are moments in the life of
every man when he glimpses the eternal."

You read that to me, remember?

I've had moments
like that, Mary.

A couple of them.

When I was up
in a plane alone.

Moments when the earth and
the sky and the plane and me

all seemed to fuse together into
something that would live forever.

And I had a moment
like that today, Mary,

when I was alone
with all those great men.

They were happy men, Mary.
Do you know why?

They had a cause.

They had a cause
they could die for.

Some of them did.

I have no cause, Mary.

Beating your competitors.

No cause to die for.

Really isn't very much
to live for.

Always me first
and everybody else second.

But, way down deep
in my gizzard, I...

Maybe this trip,

maybe this whole absurd idea
of Conover's...

Well, anyway,

I'm going to stay on the floor
through the whole trip.

And maybe when it's all over,

well,

one way or another,

everything should be clean
and honest between us, right?

Well, you've answered
one question.

What?

You're still not
in stage three.

There, mon cher
monsignor Matthews,

is something to gladden the heart
of every citizen west of the Rockies.

- What is it?
- The Seattle speech.

A masterpiece of rhetoric,
if I do say so.

- Who's going to make it?
- You are, of course.

Really? I thought maybe they set up
a change and you were the candidate.

No, I'm saving myself
for '52.

Well, you better
save the speech, too.

How do you like that?

What do I do? Just sit around
here with egg on my face?

I'm the expert that keeps you
from climbing out on limbs.

That's where
the big red apples are.

- Where?
- Out on the limbs.

- Mama.
- All right,

all right, if you don't want
to be President.

You just line up the babies for me
to kiss, son, and I'll be a cinch.

That reminds me, do I
know any babies in Seattle?

- Hey, boss, we got company.
- Huh?

- Who?
- Joe and Rusty!

Joe Crandall, manager
of our Cleveland plant.

He's a wonderful guy.
Just flew up to see us.

- He's hooked onto us!
- Rusty at the controls.

Joe and Rusty! Here's
where I make some money.

I'm going to take over. You're
not going to fly this thing.

You got to learn sometime, come
on, shove over there. Shove over.

- Aren't you going to stop him?
- I suggest you better strap yourself in.

- What for?
- Just do what Mama tells you.

If you have any loose teeth,
hang on to them,

Rusty's our chief test pilot.
He and Grant like to play.

I'm not going to
like this.

Look at those guys.

- Kind of close.
- They came up to play.

- What do we got up here?
- 3210.

Oh!

- I got it.
- Okay.

- How you doing, Rusty?
- Hi, boss.

I'm testing the new
plane-to-plane radio.

It's coming along fine.
What's the matter with you?

You getting scared?
Can't get any closer?

Hey, boss,
can you still fly?

I can pat your ears
down anytime.

You got any dough?

I'm loaded.

A buck I lose you.

Put your money
where your mouth is, brother.

Okay, you're on.

Hey, you're hooked up?
Yes.

Hang on!

Mary, what's he doing?

You better stay away from me,
I'll cut your tail off.

Hello? Where is he?

There he is.

If your husband
must have a hobby,

why can't he play the piano,
like any normal president?

Come on, Rusty,
do something!

Uh-oh, a loop.

What's the matter,
Spike, can't you take it?

Kid, you're in a rut. You're
running out of stunts, aren't you?

Boss, you're not going
to spin this thing?

Why not? I built it.

Hope the wings stay on.
So do I.

Did they stay on?

I'm afraid to look.

Not bad for an old man.

Never mind the
"old man" stuff.

That's a buck
you owe me.

We're over the airfield.

Five more says
I beat you down.

Make it 10
and you've got a deal.

Get your money ready.

I'll take half of it.

What's going...

Hey.

Why, the son of a gun
pulled a jump on me.

Take it over.

Get me right over it.

Grant! Boy, am I glad
to see you.

Sit down, pal.

What do you
think of that?

Say, that was swell fun.

Enjoyed every minute of it.

- Grant, don't you think it...
- What do you think of that, fella?

I got a
$10 bet with him.

- Yeah, but don't you think...
- Now, what?

Coming over.

Cut down that left engine.

Give my love to Conover.

Grant!

Mary, he fell out!

Did you happen to notice
was he wearing a parachute?

Parachute?

You mean he did that for $10?

Did it open?

Did it open?

Did it open?

Yeah, it opened.

We're a cinch to get
the screwball vote.

Well, well. The fourth
estate, what goes? Another war?

Hi, Jim, stuffed any
ballot boxes lately?

You're to go right in,
Mr. Conover.

Could it be we're in politics, gentlemen?

Looks that way.

What's the convention
out there?

My editors.
I had them fly in.

- But some of them recognized me.
- Don't worry, Jim,

we're in business.

"'Public response
to my line of guff astounding.

"'lf I throw my hat in rings, does
my head go with it?' Grant Matthews."

Well, the bug's beginning
to bite, huh?

You're so right. Now,
we can really go to work.

My reports on him
have been terrific.

- What've you heard?
- Nothing.

Goes over with the mob,
no doubt about that.

Who told you that? Made a
big hit in the Northwest.

Los Angeles was fine, too. Of
course, that's a push-over town.

- It's the Mid-West that...
- I know.

He's in Wichita this noon,
big labor rally.

Detroit tonight.
Big business banquet.

- That's it.
- Got my fingers crossed.

If he gets by those two,
we are in business.

How do your political friends
feel about him?

Well, now,

that's what I want to
talk to you about.

Ed Lauterback wants in.

Well?

Wanted to see if you'd
stand for Lauterback.

We'll stand for anyone
if they've got delegates.

Even Bill Hardy?

You're dragging them out from
under the rocks, aren't you?

Those are the ones who do
the work, the hungry ones.

- Okay, Jim, Bill Hardy, too.
- Good.

- Send them in, Helen.
- Yes, ma'am.

- Would you come over here, Jim?
- Hmm.

- Good morning, Miss Thorndyke.
- Good morning.

Sorry to have kept
you gentlemen waiting.

You know Mr. Conover,
our new political advisor?

Gentlemen.

First of all, I'd like to thank you
all for the very fine job you've done.

You haven't always followed
my advice in the past.

You've been very lenient, considering
your boss is a woman and still under 60.

I've asked you all
to come here today

because in this matter,
at least,

there can be no deviation
from my instructions.

I want the Republican
Convention deadlocked.

Who are we working for,
the Democrats?

You're working for
The Thorndyke Press

and The Thorndyke Press
will have its own candidate.

That's why that Convention
must be deadlocked.

And it won't be

unless the leading candidates
are so sore at each other

that they won't combine
forces. Is that clear?

I want Dewey sore at Taft, Taft sore at
Vandenberg, Vandenberg sore at Stassen

and all of them sore
at Eisenhower and MacArthur!

Use their wives, their kids, their
Aunt Marthas, but get them sore.

Dig up anything you can.

And if you can't dig it up...

Chief, I've got nothing
against your candidate.

We all know who it is.

And I'll work for him in any
way that I legitimately can.

But that's as far as I can go.

Mr. Bradbury,

would you feel happier working
for some other newspaper?

Yes, I think I would.

I think that can
be arranged.

Anyone else?

Now is the time.

On this issue, I'm quite
prepared to replace all of you.

Miss Thorndyke, you're mad.
You're as mad as your father.

You can accept
my resignation right now.

- That goes for me.
- That's exactly the way I feel.

All right, get out,
all of you.

Editors like you
are a dime a dozen.

- Yes?
- It's for Mr. Conover, Wichita calling.

That'll be Brander. I had
him fly out to hear Grant.

Hello J.B., how are you?

Wait a minute,
there must be some mistake.

Take my word for it,
everything'll be all right.

J.B., now, wait a minute.

- He hung up.
- What happened?

I don't know.
According to Brander,

Grant's blown his top
on labor.

- Yes?
- Mr. MacManus from Wichita.

- Spike, what happened?
- Grant just lost the labor vote.

I sent you along
to prevent just that.

I couldn't help it.
He's gotten away from me.

You're a great
campaign manager.

Didn't you look at
that speech before he made it?

No, and I'll tell you why.

I touted him off
that labor stuff in Denver.

She knew he'd change his mind, and
started throwing those harpoons into him.

You mean, his wife?

I don't mean his Aunt Tilly.

You sent the wrong dame
on this trip, that's all.

And I talked him
into taking her along.

What's he talking about
in Detroit tonight?

How would I know?
I lost my Ouija board.

I told you we couldn't trust
him. He's believing his own stuff.

If he blows his top
on business, like on labor,

- well, I'll blow mine.
- That woman's got to him.

She's been feeding him that "to
thine own self be true" diet.

Get out to Detroit
as fast as you can.

- Spike, Jim's flying out.
- Book Cadillac Hotel.

Got it?

I'm very sorry boys,
we're way behind schedule.

You can see Mr. Matthews
after his speech tonight.

You need a shave, don't you?
My feet.

My ears.
Those police sirens.

No more motorcycle escorts,
Spike. We might kill somebody.

I'll arrange that for you
on the way to the banquet.

Where do you want these?
Mary, pick your room.

Wonderful country.

You have to take the police
along to break the speed laws.

This is a nice room.
You can put those in there.

This is 2419.
Send up a barber right away.

Mary, look at these.

Those can wait.

In one hour, you're on
the air, coast to coast.

You have to eat, dress, shave, and
interview most of Detroit in the meantime.

Oh, these are wonderful,
Grant.

All about the Wichita speech.

Yeah. You never had
anything like this before.

- What do you want to eat?
- Anything but chicken.

Yeah, look, pinfeathers.

Hello, Room Service?

Hey, babe, what's with the service?
You'll get your box of candy.

Here's somebody who
didn't like it. Who's that?

Executive Secretary,
Local 301.

I turned on the radiator,
opened the window.

Oh, all right, thank you.

Hello? Room Service?
Thank you.

This is 2419, will you rush up
three hamburgers, please?

Wait a minute. Onions?

Onions? No!

One with onions.
Two without.

Grant, who's Madman Muntz?

- Don't you know?
- Uh-uh.

I'm expecting a lot of people
for Mr. Matthews.

Will you shoot them up to 24th floor,
Parlor B and tell them to wait? Right.

Want a barber?

- Not at the moment.
- Yes!

Oh, for Mr. Matthews.

Come in.
Good evening.

- Good evening. Good evening.
- Mary did you see this?

"Matthews is obvious presidential
timber", you read that?

Mr. Matthews.

I knew that Wichita speech
would ring the bell.

Yeah, the kid here
tried to talk me out of it.

Dream on, Macduff.

I told you not to be afraid
of shooting the works.

That's how they want
to hear you talk.

Wait 'til you hear me on industry
tonight, I'm really going to let loose.

Grant, let's not stop. Let's keep
going. Let's do it all over again.

You want to know something?

I think this trip's
agreed with you.

You have no right to look so
pretty, a woman of your age.

Oh, Grant.

When you were standing
at the airport in Denver,

I had the strangest sensation.

- What sensation?
- Mr. Matthews,

I represent 800 members

of the League for
the Abolition of Taxation.

The Government should earn its
own money. Like the rest of us.

Abolish taxation.

- Thank you...
- There is no justice in this great...

Looks a little like
your brother Dick.

- Go on, Grant.
- Hmm?

What sensation?

Oh, well, you were standing there
at the airport in the moonlight.

And the wind from the
propeller was blowing your hair.

And your dress... Will
I get your other bags now?

Yes, now, just go.

- Go on, Grant.
- Hmm?

Go on with
what you were saying.

- Where was I?
- Looking at her

with the wind blowing her
dress, mannaggia, l'America!

Well, that's the end of that.
I should have married a barber.

Mary.

Mary, what I was
going to say...

- Hey, you should be getting dressed.
- There are people coming...

I love you, Spike, but
sometimes I wish you'd drop dead.

Too late for apologies.

I could sleep for a week.

"Matthews
obvious presidential."

That's no solution.

- I beg your pardon?
- That's no solution.

- What's that?
- You, make a new presidente.

- You got a better solution?
- My wife, she got.

- Your wife?
- Sure.

Last night she say, "Pasqua,

"all of the men
and all of the governments

"in all of the world
should be put in jail".

I said, "Maria, what for
you talk like a Communist"?

She's, like, "Shut up!

"Do you know why
we got no peace?

"Because we got no woman
in the government".

She said, "Put two roosters
together. What happens?

"Roosters got no brains,
they fight.

"Put 15 roosters together,
what happens?

"15 fight,

"but put 15 hens together
what do you got?

"15 eggs".

"Fight in the Congress",
she say,

"fight in London,

"fight in France, fight here,
fight there. Why?

"No hens in the government"!

So you want to become a
president? That's no solution.

Your wife.

That's a solution.

Mannaggia!

Grant.

Yoo-hoo.

Mr. Candidate?

Mr. President?
Yes?

That got him.

I just had the darndest dream.

All candidates
have that dream.

On your toes, Matthews.
That man is here.

Jim! Hello, Jim!
What are you doing here?

Hello, Grant. I thought I'd come
and bring you up to date on things.

- Take my wife's solution.
- His wife's what?

He thinks Mary
should run for president.

Oh, that's silly. No woman
could ever run for president.

She'd have to admit
she was over 35.

Politics certainly agrees with
you, Grant. You're looking very fit.

- I'm feeling very fit.
- And I mean very fit.

Oh, dear, I wonder
if anything will fit.

You don't have much time
with Grant, Jim.

I've got people lined up
for him to see.

Due any minute.

Want to read some of these?

Grant, what are you
talking about here tonight?

This is the last speech, Jim, it's
got a little bit of everything.

- Anything controversial?
- Not for anyone who agrees with him.

- You've got to get dressed, Grant.
- Yeah, yeah.

While you're dressing, have you got a
copy of the speech I could glance at?

Well, it really isn't a speech.
I'm just going to talk from notes.

I turned off the radio. And you
put up the window, that's fine, son.

Good night and thank you. You'd make a
good secretary of the Treasury. Good night.

Say, if you really want to read
something, Jim, read this editorial.

And all those telegrams.

All of these?

They're just from people.

Just from people?

Yeah, you didn't find any of them
signed State Chairman, did you?

Grant, you're going
to be late.

You know after I'm President,
you're going to have to quit shoving.

See what I mean? I told you,
you sent the wrong dame along.

Yeah, it's a crime.

Boys in the Northwest, and
along the coast were behind him.

Then they had to stick out
his chin in Wichita.

- How much damage has he done?
- We may have lost labor.

I must've had 30 calls
after that last speech.

In New York,
Kay'll straighten him out.

She's got
the Indian sign on him.

- But that doesn't fix us up for tonight.
- What're you afraid of tonight?

I don't know.
Only she's too doggone happy.

I think it's a good sign,
Jim coming down here.

Afraid somebody else will get
his place on the bandwagon.

Yeah, don't tell him what
you're talking about tonight.

- Why not?
- I don't know,

I don't like Jim turning up
all of a sudden like this.

Don't underestimate
this guy, Jim.

People don't just come up
and shake hands with him.

They're up there
with a light in their eyes.

If he gets away from us, you may be
heading a "Stop Matthews" movement.

I don't want to stop him.

I know this Convention's gonna be a
rat race. I think we can nominate him.

If we can keep him in line.

Well, now I've got some
good news for you.

The guy's vulnerable, Jim.
He's got the bug.

How bad's he got it?

He's seeing himself
on statues already.

Then I think we'd better
tell him the facts of life.

Yeah, you do that, Jim.

Dinner!

Spike, you just
sang a symphony.

Grant, leave your
hall door open, will you?

I got a lot of people
coming in.

Okay.

Oh, you can eat mine, Jim.

Okay, here we go with the
first bunch of patriots.

Remind Grant
they've got votes.

Spike does take the nobility
out of a crusade, doesn't he?

Am I supposed to be noble?
On my salary?

Mary, I can't go to this banquet
tonight, it might start talk.

What is the boy orator
giving out with tonight?

I have a much better idea.

Hello. Hello,

would you have a radio sent
up to 2419 right away?

Thank you very much.

You better be good tonight,
Grant, Jim will be listening in.

- Say, are you Grant Matthews?
- Yeah.

Let me
shake your hand.

Your speech was swell.

- The best I ever read.
- What's your name?

Emil. Emil Breakesby.

- I'm glad you're with us.
- Been here long?

Yeah, long time, I inherited
the job from my father

at the old Cadillac.

- Married?
- Yeah, four kids.

- Kind of expensive these days.
- Yes, it is. Yes, it is.

You're right about that.

Give it to them tonight,
Mr. Matthews.

All right, Emil, I will.

Hey, Grant, if you want to
rehearse that, try it out on me.

Well, I'll give you
the start of it.

"Ladies and members of the
Industrial Council of Detroit.

"What is the biggest
single question

"facing the American public
today?"

Who's with onions?

I guess I'm with onions.

Grant, your public is waiting.

My hamburger is waiting.
Hamburgers don't vote.

These are dairy farmers.

Just a little talk, cows,
butter, American cheese.

What do I know
about American cheese?

Walk this way and meet
three perfect specimens.

And remember, Grant,
they've got votes.

Now I'll set them up
in the other alley.

Well, Jim,
what's the State of the Union?

What are your reports
on Grant?

First, let me give you
my reports on you.

You've done a great job.
I want to congratulate you.

I'd like to admit something. I've
enjoyed it, every minute of it.

Jim, Grant's got something.

Don't try to
take it away from him.

When he's just cockeyed drunk with
sincerity, people can't resist him.

Sounds as though
you couldn't either.

Oh, no. The state of our union
is strictly political.

I thought I saw Grant throw
you a look or two tonight

that wasn't
entirely political.

You're a bachelor,
aren't you, Jim?

Theoretically. Why?

Well, if you were married, you'd know that
there were little things that sort of...

Well, for instance,

when Grant found out once that the
girls at school used to call me Maizie.

He knew I hated it.

So sometimes, he used to call
me Maizie just to tease me.

Well, Maizie doesn't
live here anymore.

Another thing, he always
hated to hear me swear.

Whenever I let go with
something, he used to

smack me on my sitter, hard.

I've done a lot of swearing
on this trip. And no smacks?

It's a small request,

but I'd give anything for one
good smack on my south end.

I certainly wish that I could
do something about that.

Well, how's
the farmers' choice?

Say, after the beautiful things
I've just said about cows,

I certainly feel guilty
eating this hamburger.

It's like eating
one's dearest friend.

Back to the pasture. Wipe off your
feet and come in to meet the A.F. of L.

- You give me time to eat!
- Yeah, let him eat.

This is a crisis. I have to know
you're holding the A.F. of L. in there

while I sneak the C.I.O.
into the other bedroom.

Well, put them both in the same
room, and I'll talk to them.

Little boy blue,
haven't you heard?

They ain't keeping
steady company anymore.

I'm serious about that.

You tell those fellows in
there the C.I.O. are coming in,

then I'll come in and talk to
both of them at the same time.

You're just
asking for trouble.

I don't mind you having
your head in the clouds

but I wish you'd keep
your feet in the voting booth.

Those men are the kind who are
responsible for the wildcat strikes.

If I can make them see something
bigger than their own jobs

as head of their own locals

- and what power they get from that...
- There may be...

You shut up!
Keep out of this.

That's one of the things
I came to talk about.

Your Wichita speech killed off
most of the labor leaders.

- I know, 'cause I talked to them.
- Why?

What did I say to them?

I just said when the members
stop running the unions,

the unions start
running the members.

Good heavens, Jim,
I'm for labor!

Sure. Everybody's for labor. That's
like saying you're against sin.

The labor leaders don't
think you're for them.

Not after that crack that they're
responsible for the Taft-Hartley Law.

No dice. They're even mad they're
in the same hotel together.

That makes me mad.

Watch out for the little guy
they call "Mac".

Now for some
counter-espionage.

Jim, how can you
say that Grant offended labor?

That Wichita audience was
full of cheering union men.

Union members might cheer, but it's
the leaders that swing the delegates

and they're sore.

Don't you want Grant
to be a good president?

Mary, a good president
is one who gets elected.

The Eastern Front's ready.

- C.I.O. still in there?
- And in what I call an ugly mood.

- Jim, turn your back.
- This way, gentlemen.

You know, Grant might be able
to unite the United Nations.

Open up, in there!

Open up there! Where is
that Grant Matthews guy?

- Who're you?
- My name is...

My name is Sam Parrish,

Chairman of Banquet Committee,
bosom friend of Grant...

- Mary!
- Sam.

Bless your heart.
You're just as pretty as ever.

I could eat you with a spoon.

- Why, Jim Conover, you old son of a gun.
- Hi, Sam.

- What're you doing here?
- Take it easy.

You're the only man in
Detroit who knows I am here.

- Can't you wait outside?
- Excuse me.

What's going on
here, anyway?

Say, darn it,
I might've known.

Jim, you're psychic.

I was primed to come to
Washington to sell you the idea

we need a businessman like Grant in
the White House. You beat me to it.

- Where is Grant?
- That's a date, and bring cash.

- Sam.
- Grant!

When the walls started to
shake, I knew you were here.

- Still alive?
- Yeah, I'm still alive. So are they.

Matter of fact,
the A.F. of L. just invited

the C.I.O.
to have a glass of beer.

Under whose jurisdiction?

The Midtown Bar and Grill.

You got everything ready
for tonight, Sam?

Ready? Why, there'll be more money
per square inch at that banquet

than there is in the Mint.

Mary, you go right home
and start packing.

You're moving
into the White House.

I never was so happy
in my life.

Looks like our turn's
come again.

Wait till you hear my speech
tonight. You may not be so happy.

What do you mean
by that?

Last time
I was in New York,

Grant and I had a knock-down, drag-out
fight about tax reduction and inflation.

Is that what you're
talking about tonight?

Grant talks like a radical.

But any man who's made as much money
as he has is a good sound American.

Well, see you later, fella.

Tell you what. Take another
good sock at labor tonight,

you'll make a real hit.

Doggone it, Mary. I'll be
telling people I knew you when.

- Who're you?
- Well, my name...

Let me out of here.

- Hey, wait, going down?
- Mary.

Spike, don't you dare
do that.

All right, I can starve. But
that's the way to make communists.

I wonder what
a hot hamburger tastes like.

Grant, you expect me to
run your campaign for you?

- Have I any choice in that?
- You certainly have.

But if I'm to stay
in the picture,

I want to know what you're planning to
say here tonight. I have a right to know.

Why, Jim, you can know.

I'm going to tell them that they
do a lot of yapping about communism

but as long as they think about high
profits instead of high production,

they're playing
the communists' game.

High production is the way
to kill high prices.

They want high prices.
High prices mean inflation.

Inflation today
means depression tomorrow.

And a depression
in these United States

is exactly the ace card
Moscow is waiting to draw.

They don't want to hear these
things. They're gonna hear them.

They're gonna hear that capitalism
itself is being challenged.

If it doesn't survive, it's
because men like themselves

haven't the guts or
imagination to make it survive.

You can't talk to that crowd
this way. You'll antagonize them.

All right. So what?
So I'll antagonize them.

I yelled my head off about
labor and its responsibilities.

I'm going to lay it right on
the line for industry, too.

Now, look here, Jim,

you know just as well as I do

that there are men at that
banquet who'll be rooting

for a depression, just so they
can slap labor's ears back.

And I suppose you have a few well-chosen
words to say about tax reduction.

You better not worry so much
about tax reduction

until we accomplish some of the
things we have to accomplish.

I'm going to tell them that the
wealthiest nation in the world is a failure

unless it's also the
healthiest nation in the world.

That means the highest medical
care for the lowest income groups.

And that goes
for housing, too.

One thing this nation
is not rich enough to afford

is not having
a roof over our heads.

And I'm going to tell them that the
American Dream is not making money.

It is the well-being and
the freedom of the individual

throughout the world

from Patagonia to Detroit.

We can't be an island of
plenty in a world of starvation.

We have to send food,
clothing, machinery, and money

to the bitter, impoverished
people of the world.

Try to recreate
their self-respect.

Give them the desire again
for individual freedom.

And I'm gonna tell them that as long
as dictatorships remain in the world,

we better remain well-armed.

Because the next time, we're not
going to get two years to get ready.

They're gonna
jump us overnight.

And I'm gonna tell them that
there's only one government

which is capable of handling
the atomic control,

world disarmament, world employment,
world peace, and that's a world government.

The people of 13 states started
the United States of America.

I think the people
of that many nations

are now ready to start
a United States of the World.

With or without Russia.

And I mean a "United" States
of the World.

With one Bill of Rights.

One international law.

One international currency.
One international citizenship.

And, I'm going to tell them
that the brotherhood of man

is not just an idealist dream,

but a practical necessity
if man is going to survive.

- And I'm...
- Where're you going?

I'm going out to get pie-eyed,
then I'm going back to Washington.

You're walking out on me?

If you're going to climb out on a limb
like that and saw it off behind you.

Let me remind you.

Up to now, you haven't got one
pledged delegate to that Convention.

You know how many you need
to be nominated?

About 550.
Think that over.

You've already
scared off big labor

and if you scare off big
business, you're a dead duck.

They've got to know where I stand.
I told you that at the start.

I've got to be on record,
nomination or no nomination.

All right, but not here! Not tonight.
Not when you're on a radio hook-up.

Give it sometime when you're
out in Nebraska or Oklahoma.

It's for you, Jim.
I'll go air out Parlor B.

Hello. Oh.
Hello, how are you?

Where are you?

Fine, I'll come up
to your room.

Excuse me a minute.
Grant, I'll be right back.

I just wanted to tell you
the gang in the kitchen

are all listening in tonight,
Mr. Matthews.

Oh, oh, fine.
Fine, Emil, you do that.

Down there they say you're not just
another one of those politicians.

- You're not, are you, Mr. Matthews?
- No, I'm not.

I knew it. Give it to them tonight,
Mr. Matthews. Give it to them.

I'm sorry Jim got a line on what
you're going to say here tonight.

So am I. I was all pepped up
about that speech tonight.

You're not gonna change it?

I don't know.
Jim's only argument is

that this isn't the place
to say it. I've...

- Do you think he's right?
- It isn't whether Jim's right or not.

It's just that there is no
such thing as a little garlic.

You haven't
answered my question.

Grant, do you remember what made the biggest
impression on that audience in Wichita?

It was when you said
the real wealth of the world

is not in coal or iron
or bank accounts.

It's in principle,
integrity, honesty.

Plain, ordinary,
garden-variety honesty.

Do you remember that?

Well, should I change it,
or should I not?

No, the world needs honest men
today, more than it needs presidents.

Okay, let's go.
Come on, let's go...

Hold it a minute, Grant.
About your speech tonight.

Some of the smartest boys
in Washington got together

and prepared something for you to
say. They know what they're doing.

"The palsied hand
of bureaucratic control

"must be removed
from the throttle of..."

- What is this? A gag?
- No. Why?

"Industry is not a felon. It
can no longer be treated as one.

"The binding shackles
of government..."

- Why, this is double-talk.
- What you were planning was trouble-talk.

Confound it, man! Don't
you want to be president?

- Yes, I want to be president.
- Let me get you nominated!

How about letting the
people get him nominated?

The people have darn little
to say about the nominations.

You both lived in this
country all of your lives.

It's time you get that
through your heads.

You're not nominated
by the people,

you're nominated
by the politicians.

Why? Because the people are too
darn lazy to vote in the primaries.

Well, politicians
aren't lazy.

I'll put Grant
in the White House,

if you and he
give me half a chance.

Use your head, Grant.

We've got to bring you into that
Convention without any enemies.

That's the whole strategy.

Nomination
or no nomination, Jim,

they've got to know where I
stand before they vote for me.

Grant.

I hate to do this to you, Grant,
but there's one more delegation.

- Oh, no. Tell them I've left.
- You can't do that.

They'll see you on your way
out. These are important VIPs.

- We're the guests of honor.
- Yeah, I'll cut it short.

I'll go out and strew
the path with flowers.

Mary, I want
to tell you right now,

if Grant blasts
that group tonight,

he'll be blasting himself out of
any chance for the White House.

He's got to take
professional advice.

Jim, let him alone. He's just trying
to tell the truth as he sees it.

It doesn't matter whether
he becomes president or not.

Doesn't matter?
No, not that much.

I know that man
and I love that man.

And I tell you, if you get him
to compromise, you'll destroy him.

Compromise will eat into him like a
worm. He won't be Grant Matthews anymore.

I hate to be blunt,
but as a political advisor,

you are a wonderful
wife and mother.

And as a wife and mother,
I'd like to tell you

that Grant doesn't need
politicians like you.

You're trying to
make him believe that he does

so that you can ride in
on his coattails.

I know where you stand, Jim.

You and Kay Thorndyke

and Emil, the waiter here.

The man who elects the presidents.
He knows where you stand, too.

He can smell a compromise
a mile off. Come in.

Let him alone.
Just let him tell the truth.

You got an honest man. You
don't know how lucky you are.

I got your radio. Had to
steal it from another room.

Yes, plug it in please.

- Everybody wanted a radio tonight.
- So?

A big broadcast from Hollywood.
Bob Hope and Jack Benny.

All set.
The elevator's waiting.

Fix your tie, Grant.
Listen in, Jim.

My bag, my bag. My...
What's that in your hand?

Oh, that's my bag.

May as well sit in here and
be comfortable. I have a radio.

- Dare I listen?
- You can listen.

Are you sure? You were
only with him a few minutes.

And Mary's had weeks, I know.

It wasn't hard, Jim. All I did was to
tell him the things he wanted to hear.

But there is one question on his
mind you'd better have the answer for.

What's that?

He's beginning to wonder
if there's any difference

between the Democratic party
and the Republican party.

That's a fine question for a
presidential candidate to ask.

There's all the difference in the
world. They're in and we're out.

Well, this is more like it.

These telegrams
aren't just from people.

You see what that speech did?

Boy, happy days
are here again.

Hey, Brock from Missouri
and Tenebaum, Colorado.

Those birds don't send telegrams
unless they're fishing for bids.

- I thought they were Dewey men.
- Not now they're not. Hey, look at this.

Ed Lauterback wants
to talk turkey.

That puts the farm block on our team.
Thirty delegates, if it means one.

Look here, Mary. Two state
and seven county chairmen.

Not just from people.

I don't want to hear anymore
about that speech last night.

These telegrams prove that Jim is
right. He knows what he's doing.

He's a professional.

And I don't want to hear that
Henry Clay routine either.

He wound up being neither
right nor president.

Emil, the waiter,
was listening in.

I can imagine
the look on his face.

Mary. Mary, you should
have faith in me.

I want to be president.

I know this country.
I know it inside out.

I know all of
its simmering hates.

I know the petty warfare
undermining our unity.

And I think I know
what causes it.

It's fear.
It's nothing but fear.

Fear of the future.
Fear of the world.

Fear of communism.
Fear of going broke.

Why didn't you make
that speech last night?

Because I want the nomination.

If I have to soft soap a few
idiots like Sam Parrish to get it,

I'll soft soap them.

After I'm elected, if you think
I'm going off the deep end,

come and tell me.

I'll listen to you.
But until then, lay off.

There's not going
to be any then.

Up until last night,
you had something to say.

You had courage. You had a
chance. The people were for you.

But not anymore. You've
changed and they'll know it.

I haven't changed.

Hey, boss,
we got company again.

Uh-oh.

James, you are about to become
an older and wiser man.

Ask Grant
if he's too old to fly.

Hey, boss, Rusty wants to know
if you're too old to fly.

You tell Rusty I'm busy. And tell
him if he knows what's good for him,

he'll get down to that plant
and get busy himself.

Scram, fellas. The chill's on.

Uh-oh.

I amaze myself.
But I'm disappointed.

Okay, Jim, I've made my decision.
From now on, it's your show.

I'll talk turkey
with Lauterback.

I'll play ball with anybody

who'll help me get the
nomination. Is that clear?

And money's no object. I'll
spend $1 million if I have to.

Grant, watch us go
from here.

- Where's Lauterback, in Washington?
- Yeah.

Get him on that phone.

Ed, you know Grant will never fight
the farm block. It's too powerful.

I don't
beat about the bush, Jim.

I'm anti Cuban sugar,
anti Mexican cotton,

anti Argentine beef,
anti Canadian wheat,

anti free-trade of any kind.

Are you for anything?

Yes, I'm for Ed Lauterback,
same as you're for...

- Grant Matthews.
- Yes.

- How many delegates can you deliver?
- Deliver?

None. I only influence.

Well, how many can you
influence? Perhaps none.

Let's have it, Ed.
What do want to nick us for?

I name the Secretary
of Agriculture.

You have delusions
of grandeur.

You want my support?
And we'll pay for it.

You can approve the appointment,
but you can't make it.

Good enough.
Right of vetoes, good enough.

Have you talked to Bill Green,
Phil Murray, or John L. Lewis?

We're talking to you now.

Which isn't easy because I
don't like you, Bill Hardy.

That's mutual.

Who cares who likes who?
How many men in your union?

700,000 in my locals,
scattered over four states.

Pivotal states.

And they vote
in the primaries.

Can you work out a deal
with Jim?

- I can always make a deal with Jim.
- Well, work it out.

Can you deliver delegates from
the foreign-born sections?

Let me handle things
and I can.

These people
never vote for anything.

They vote against something.

They've carried hatreds around
for centuries.

The trick is to play
on these hatreds,

one nationality
against the other,

keep them voting as blocks.

We know how you do it. You're a
powerful woman. What's your price?

Patronage. Lots of patronage.

I dish it out to my friends.
That's my price.

To Republicans or Democrats.

I need a little air. You work
it out with her, will you?

Yeah, I could do
with a little ozone, too.

Those are the posters and these
are the ads for the broadcast.

They'll be in 30 newspapers.

It'll be the biggest send off
any candidate ever had.

Radio, television, newsreels,
the press, the works.

No use having dough
and not spending it.

Excellent idea, doing
it all from his own home.

A fireside chat
from the next president.

To say nothing of the next
president's wife and kids.

No one'll top us for corn.

Where does this Thorndyke
dame fit in the picture?

What do you mean by that?

Let's not start kidding each
other, there's a rumor around...

- Ridiculous, an old wives' tale.
- What rumor?

Kay Thorndyke and Matthews.
I've heard it twice.

Bill, I'm surprised at you
spreading a foul story like that.

I'm spreading nothing. But I want
to be sure there's nothing to spread.

Now, look, everything's
got to be kosher.

I thought he was a family man.

There's nothing to it.
Believe me. Would I lie to you?

Yeah, would he lie to you?

Don't make me
answer that question.

I tell you, Kay Thorndyke
is a friend of the family.

She and Mrs. Matthews
are just like that.

- Will she be at the broadcast?
- Why,

of course, she will. Mrs.
Matthews has already invited her.

Well, I'll be glad to see her
there. I've never met Miss Thorndyke.

Let's get back to this campaign.
I've got some work to do here.

Is Mrs. Matthews in?
Spike MacManus.

Oh, you're Spike.
Come on in.

Buck Swenson,
I'm the butler around here.

Excuse my appearance.

This happens every Saturday.

The kids and their packages
for Europe.

You're quite
a heavy contributor, I see.

Yeah. Sir, you'd better
hang on to this,

if you don't want some
Belgian farmer wearing it.

I'll call Mrs. Matthews.

I was just going upstairs
to get my swimming trunks on.

Let the kids
swipe my pants later on.

Hi. Hi, what's going on out there?

Operation Bread Basket,
they call it.

While you're busy
feeding the world,

would there be a loose
cup of coffee for me?

I've been up three nights
running working on that broadcast.

You look as if you could
stand something stronger.

Lady, you twisted my arm.

Say, who was that character
who let me in?

Buck? He's the world's worst
butler and the world's nicest guy.

He was Grant's
first grease monkey.

Grant used to try to fire him,
but he gave that up years ago.

Speaking of characters,

how's Mr. Conover and company?

Oh, just straight, please.

Oh, he's busy making friends
and influencing delegates.

And I might add,
delivering some.

I don't believe that. You can't
deliver the votes of a free people.

Mary, in Conover's eyes, the
lazy people, ignorant people,

and prejudiced people
are not free.

- Spike, are all politicians like Conover?
- No.

Thank heavens,
he almost makes me a Democrat.

That wouldn't help you any. The
Democrats have their Conovers, too.

In spades.

Here's to us wise guys
with all the answers.

All right, wise guy,
give me one answer.

What changed Grant in Detroit?

Detroit,
that's so many hotels...

Spike, please, what made Grant
change that speech at the last minute?

Oh, Mary, wouldn't you rather
hear how someday I'm going to buy

a country newspaper
and yell my head off?

95% of the newspapers are in
small towns. That's America, lady.

That's where the real
freedom of the press is.

Yeah.

All right, Spike. What really
made you leave the tobacco smoke,

this fine sunny day?

Mary, a crisis hath arisen.

A crisis, that's good.
What about?

- The big broadcast.
- Oh.

There's a story going around Republican
headquarters and Democratic headquarters

about you getting plastered
one night and throwing

Kay Thorndyke
out of your house.

Yeah.

If it isn't nipped in the bud, Grant's
political goose might be cooked.

Well, that's a true story. What
am I supposed to do about it?

It isn't true, and the
only way you can prove it

is to invite Kay here
to the broadcast.

Here to my house?

Be photographed with her. Make it
clear that she's a friend of the family.

- Not just of Grant's.
- Has Grant heard about this?

No, he doesn't know anything
about it. This is Conover's idea.

- And sounds like him, if you...
- Mom!

Yeah?
Mom, we need more bubblegum.

Bubblegum?
Goes in every package.

This is my daughter, Joyce.
Spike, Mr. MacManus.

- Hi.
- Hi, you don't have any bubblegum, do you?

Not on me, no.

Run and ask Buck.
I think he got some yesterday.

- Buck!
- Mom!

- Mom!
- Yeah.

We're stuck.

We haven't got any more
comic books.

- Comic books?
- They go in every package, too.

- This is Mr. MacManus, Grant.
- Hi.

You haven't got any comic books,
have you?

Of course, he hasn't. He is a
very distinguished newspaper man.

Oh, I don't know.
I have my hidden vices.

Oh boy,
I haven't read this one.

Okay, scram.

- They're pretty swell kids.
- Yeah, they're pretty swell kids.

You can tell Conover no.

This may be a stable to the dark
horse, but it's still home to me.

Besides, I think Kay would be
more comfortable in a kennel.

- Then you won't let her come.
- I certainly won't.

I agreed to let Conover have
this house for the broadcast.

I agreed to say
whatever he wanted me to say.

I even agreed to let him
use the kids.

Even though I don't believe that gang
of parasites could elect a rat catcher.

Even though I know
they're killing Grant.

Slicing him up sliver by
sliver until there's nothing.

And now they want me to invite that
woman to this house and pose with her?

Not me. They're not going
to slice me up, too.

Besides which, that particular day
happens to be my wedding anniversary.

Ouch.

You can tell Mr. Conover no.

Okay.
No is what I'll tell him.

And my apologies, lady.

I only do that to people
I like very much.

Spike!

Hello, boss. Come on in.

- Where's Mary?
- She's upstairs, dressing the kids.

- I've got my fingers crossed for tonight.
- I can handle her. And Grant?

He's making an appearance over at
the local Matthews For President Club.

The boys from Life
went along with him.

Come on in,
I want to show you something.

Well, how do you like it?

Radio, 200 stations
coast to coast.

Televisions, two cameras, complete
coverage for the whole Eastern Seaboard.

The Four Blue Notes Quartet. They
came out with Grant's campaign song.

The club band
and the local yokels,

all the trimmings
including the press.

Wonderful. Really wonderful.

I could've gotten a bigger turnout for
someone who didn't want to be president.

Blink, what about the Matthews speech?
I think there's been some changes.

Everybody in there has made
at least three changes already.

Hasn't this Matthews
any mind of his own?

Blink Moran, the Network
producer, Miss Thorndyke.

How do you do?
Is anything wrong?

Don't mind Blink,
he's got ulcers.

You listen to politicians night
after night. You'll have ulcers, too.

Mr. Matthews
is no politician.

I've read this lady,
he is for my dough.

In the library, I think
we can be among friends.

- Coca Cola.
- Well, speak of the devil.

Am I glad to see you, I was
afraid you were going to be late.

Not tonight, Jim. I've
waited too long for this.

- Bill Hardy's waiting to meet you.
- Bill Hardy, Miss Thorndyke.

- How do you do?
- Nobody told me not to dress.

Why, Mr. Hardy, you and I
are going to stand out.

It was sheer wizardry, the angle
you used on those Boston Irish.

Thanks.

Martini for her. Very dry.

- Does Mary know she's here?
- She invited her.

- Have you ever been in a hurricane?
- No.

You will be.

Double whammy on her.

And, Mr. Hardy,
with you on our team,

nobody can accuse us of
being Wall Street, can they?

No.

The Judge and Mrs. Alexandar
are coming here tonight.

Do you know
how to mix a Sazerac?

Sazerac?

Yeah,
it's a absinthe and...

It's a form of suicide
but don't sample one

because it will light up
your vest buttons.

That's all she drinks,
and drinks.

The Judge
takes straight bourbon.

Spike, don't think I'm
forgetting your contribution

to this great moment.

Secretary of the Treasury,
that's all I ask.

Nobody's gonna get sore
about this Matthew's speech.

He's for everything
except sin.

He must be bowlegged
from straddling.

Couple of months ago, he made some
good speeches. What happened to him?

- Spike!
- Here he is now.

Spike.

Spike.

- Later, boys. We'll get that later.
- Hello, boss.

- Everything all right?
- Fine, biggest news since V.J. Day.

Did you get the speech timed?

- Time's all right.
- What kind of a crack is that?

That's a joke. Come on.

What happened? Got that
before-the-big-game...

No, I'm all right. Just want
to be sure there's no slip-ups.

- How's the audience?
- They were cold. I couldn't warm them up.

You know a man's
never a hero...

- Yeah, in his own home town.
- Is everybody here?

Yeah, in the library.
Sam Parrish is on his way.

The Judge and Lulubelle
are due any minute.

They like to be sure
the bar's open.

Yeah, I'll be right down.

Hi, Dad. Want to hear
our radio speech?

Mom just helped.
What's the idea of this getup?

Our band. It's on the show.
Whose idea was that?

- Yours, Grant.
- Oh. Oh, Hello, Mary.

Keep out from underfoot, don't
be getting in people's hair.

Mary, I want you to know I realize this
is not going to be too easy for you.

And you're nice to do it
for me, and I appreciate it.

Nonsense, Grant, I hope it's
everything you want it to be.

Oh, I almost forgot.
These are for tonight.

I didn't think
he even remembered.

Remembered the what?
Oh, the anniversary.

My error.

Larranagas. It's the only kind
Jim Conover smokes.

- Is she here?
- Yeah.

Where is she?
In the library.

Well, here we go.

- You know something, Spike?
- What?

To quote your friend Conover, I'd give
my right arm up to here for a drink.

Oh, no, Mary, please.
Not tonight.

If there's one thing we don't
want, it's too much frankness.

All right, Spike.
I'll be good.

Hey, Mom, you look swell.

Thank you.

Oh, my carpet.

Now, I'd like
to propose a toast.

To the lovely lady who picked Grant
out of the pile in the first place.

Thank you, Jim.

Hello, Mary.
It was nice of you to ask me.

Hello, Kay. You're just
in time for a cocktail.

Thank you.

You're looking
very pretty tonight.

Mary is going to be the best-looking
first lady we've ever had.

Let's get a nice picture
there. Shall we?

I'm sorry I wasn't here
to welcome you.

Face this way. This is the
first broadcast my children...

Big smile, that's right.
Shoot it.

That's good.

...broadcast my children have
ever been on. They're very excited.

Mary, Bill Hardy.

Mr. Hardy the labor man.

- How do you do?
- Nobody told me not to dress.

I am glad you did dress. Men are
much too lazy today about dress.

Ed Lauterback.
The farm expert.

How do you do? Your husband
talks well but you're prettier.

- Thank you very much
- Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Matthews.

Mrs. Matthews, you should be seen
more in public with your children.

Foreigners like children.

Doesn't everybody?

Grace, let's not get started
on politics right away.

You're in for
a very bad evening.

No, politics is new to me,
but I'm very interested.

You've got the "very" in the wrong
place, Mary. Interested but very new.

Jim means I haven't...

Thank you. He means I haven't
lost my amateur standing.

- You're learning, I hope.
- That's a dangerous hope.

You politicians have
stayed professionals

only because the voters
have remained amateurs.

Anybody home?

Hello, Judge. I am Spike
MacManus, remember me?

Indeed I do. It's a great
pleasure seeing you again, sir.

- This is Mrs. Alexandar.
- How do you do?

Mrs. Matthews,
Judge and Mrs. Alexandar.

An honor to be here,
Mrs. Matthews.

It's my duty to sentence your husband
to four years in the White House.

And I think I can safely promise the
votes of at least five Southern states.

In the election? I said
"Southern states", ma'am.

In the Republican Party, we
count only in the convention,

which reminds me:
when I was a small boy...

Well, I'll see you later,
Judge.

It has been a pleasure
seeing you again.

Who is he?

He is a newspaper man,
a friend of my husband's.

- Bourbon for you, sir?
- You read my mind.

I bet he can't
read my mind.

Sazerac, I believe.

Lulubelle, your reputation
is getting too well-known.

- You know how to make a Sazerac?
- I think so.

If he only thinks so, Jeff,
you better make that Sazerac.

Yes, indeed, sugar pie.

That's my job.

I'm especially glad you were able
to come tonight, Mrs. Alexandar.

Won't everyone sit down?

I'm afraid we women
are going to be outnumbered.

When I go out with the
Judge's Republican friends,

I am always outnumbered.

I make it a point to
tell my hostess right off

that while Jeff's a
Republican, I am a Democrat.

But you can speak freely.

You Republicans can't say
anything about the Administration

mean enough for
us Democrats down South.

Would you like
a little martini?

Mmm-mmm.

Just an idea.

Hello, Grant.
Where've you been?

Hello, everybody.
I am sorry, I am late.

- You been rehearsing your speeches?
- Hello, Bill.

- Nobody told me not to dress.
- On you it looks good.

- Well, Judge.
- Grant?

You're not going
to drink that thing, are you?

You're in the program, you
know. Mary, you should know...

Grant, this is
Mrs. Alexandar.

- Hello, Mrs. Alexandar.
- Mr. Matthews.

Handsome, isn't he?

You're the first good reason I've
ever seen for voting Republican.

I told your wife
I was a Democrat.

I understand
they're a necessary evil.

Well, you know us Southerners,
we vote Democratic down home

but we've got an awfully good
Republican record in Congress.

One minute to go.

- Is Sam Parrish here yet?
- No.

Why isn't he? What's the
matter? Can't you do your job?

Something's got to be said
about the South tonight.

- You take Richmond...
- Do I have to take it again?

Jeff?
Yes.

This is the best Sazerac
I've ever had.

- Fix me another one, honey, right away.
- All right.

- Hello, Kay.
- Ready to go?

- Destination White House.
- Yeah, well, we can hope, can't we?

- How many people listening tonight?
- Between 15 and 20 million.

- Is that all?
- Well, it's enough.

Stand by, everybody.
Twenty seconds.

Tell them 20 seconds.

Twenty seconds.

All right, everybody. Now on
your toes. Nothing must go wrong.

- Good luck, Grant.
- Thank you.

Good luck, Grant.

Hold it. Five seconds.

Ladies and gentlemen,
we invite you to history.

Ladies and gentlemen, this
is a paid political broadcast.

Paid for, not by any political
group or organization,

but by thousands
of public spirited citizens

who have taken this method
of insuring that their voice,

the voice of the people
shall be heard.

Jeff, honey, if I've got to
listen to speeches,

you better fix me
another Sazerac right away.

Yes, honey.

...in factories, in schools.

Voicing his opinions of the
problems besetting our nation

and frankly outlining his
ideas of how they should be met.

No politician, this,
selling a bill of goods,

no candidate for any office,

instead a private citizen fulfilling
what he saw as the duty of a citizen.

The result: a stirring
demonstration of democracy in action.

All over the country
spontaneously, unsponsored,

hundreds of Matthews for President
Clubs sprang up overnight.

And tonight, in more than
400 American cities,

men and women are gathered together
in the American way in halls, tents,

town squares,
in their own homes...

Where's Grant Matthews?

Where's our next president?

Who are you?

They have contributed
their dimes and their dollars

to pay for this telecast.

This is their program. This
is, in truth, the voice...

- Where's your speech?
- Right here.

Relax, fella. All you gotta
worry about is a third term.

- Where's Mary?
- She's in the library.

- Hello, everybody!
- Sam.

Late as usual.

- Mary.
- Sam.

I could eat you
with a spoon.

- Nobody told me not to dress.
- Isn't that what you're after, Bill?

Put evening clothes on labor and
let the rest of us go without.

Gosh, no.
Don't give me anything.

I have been celebrating
all afternoon.

Great gosh Almighty. Do we
have to listen to Ed Lauterback?

- That's better.
- Hello, Miss Thorndyke.

Where did you get to
that night in Detroit?

I looked all over
the banquet hall for you.

I didn't go to the banquet.

I thought that's why you were in
Detroit, to hear Grant's speech.

Were you in Detroit
when we were there, Kay?

You must've seen her, Mary. She
was on her way up to your suite.

I'd just left you, remember?

No, I didn't
see Kay in Detroit.

You must've dropped in to talk to
Grant about his speech on big business.

Well, what Grant said about big
business that night was all right.

- Especially about high tariff, eh, Bill?
- Yeah.

So you changed Grant
in Detroit?

Sam, did you get that
finance report I sent you?

Yes, and it's a rotten job.

You let me handle
money matters from now on.

Hello, Judge. You drinking
with both hands now?

Hello, Sam.
These are for Lulubelle.

- Sam, you're on.
- How am I doing?

I am so hungry for some good
Republican talk I brought you two.

Jeff,
you're an angel.

I'll take one of those, Judge.

Mary, what are you
doing with that?

If we're going to have a high tariff, I
might as well get a little high myself.

For Pete's sake,
those are liquid dynamite.

Too bad I didn't
have some in Detroit.

Jim,
there's something I want...

Jeff, darling, make me
another one right away.

Yes, honey. Would you make
another one for me, too?

Yes, sugar.
I mean, ma'am.

My, my. They're very strong,
aren't they?

Surely.

- What's in them?
- I don't know.

You've been drinking these for years
and you've no idea what's in them?

Never bothered to ask, but it makes
you feel good. That's all I know.

I do hope Mr. Matthews
is including those paragraphs

I gave him about the Italians.

Their vote is so important.

If you favor Italy, won't that
loose you the Abyssinian vote?

There are about 17 Abyssinians
in the United States.

And only three of them vote.

Good. Then we don't need to worry
about justice for the Abyssinians.

Abyssinia?
That's up north, isn't it?

Where did those come from?

Mary, remember you have to
go on the air.

If this weren't my house, I could tell
her some place she has to go to, too.

Of course, in this election, the
Polish vote will be the most important.

I thought the Poles
voted in Poland.

We are talking
about Polish-Americans.

Can you be both?

More power to you, honey.

Thank you. They are
full of it, aren't they?

Surely.

For Grant Matthews
has long known and loved

the clean, rich smell
of fresh turned Earth.

His hands have labored
in the soil.

And helped it bear rich fruit.

Grant Matthews, like another
great Republican, Abraham Lincoln,

is of the earth
and of the people.

He has not forgotten either.

He knows that a prosperous and
protective and productive agriculture...

All right, Mrs. Draper,
here's your big moment.

We're ready.

Anyway, for president.

Mary, have a heart.
You've to be ready.

You're gonna miss Grant
on the air.

I am different from Grant. I'd
rather be tight than be president.

You're on a spot. You have to be
ready to do some quick thinking.

Don't worry about me.
I'm a very thick quinker.

Oh, brother.

Honey, you got twisted
up on that one. I did?

Sure.
I didn't.

What did I say?
You said "thick quinker".

I think I presented the
farmers' case if I do say so.

Indeed. Who can speak for the farmer
better than you, Mr. Lauterback.

- Thank you, Mrs. Matthews.
- Not at all.

Who else could make hay
in the Capitol lobby?

- I thought it was funny, too.
- Oh, my dear.

I haven't enjoyed myself so
much since Huey Long died.

What's the matter, honey?

Oh, Lulubelle, I don't know
what's the matter with me.

I don't want to do any more.

I just want him...

Kay,
you better get in this.

Bill's holding
a pistol at my head.

- What do you mean?
- He's welching.

I am not welching.

You want me to go on that
radio to support Matthews?

- Certainly.
- Then I name the labor members

of the National Labor Board.

Grant made no such deal.

- Jim and I did.
- We did not. You misunderstood me.

I said you could
veto the appointments.

You're next, Mr. Hardy.

Not till I get this settled.
Get Matthews.

Never mind Matthews.

You can't have that. Labor as a
whole must make those appointments.

If I support Matthews, I am labor
as a whole as far as he is concerned.

If Hardy gets what he wants,
then I name Agriculture.

Hold on,
I've got a stake here.

Butt out, Parrish. We
don't need kibbitzers.

Kibbitzers?

I am raising the money
here, and money still talks.

Hardy, one minute to go.

- You better get Matthews in here.
- Hold it, Spike.

You wouldn't be here if you could've
made a better deal anywhere else

and you're staying
until the end of the ride.

When the time comes,
I'll take care of the details.

I want to hear that from
Matthews. He's the candidate.

As far as you're concerned, I'm
the candidate. You'll do as I say.

So help me, I'll break
you in my newspapers.

Twenty seconds.

Make up your mind.

All right.

I'll go. I'll go.

As for the rest of you,
you'll stick to your bargains.

Grant's not to be bothered. If
you've any problems, come to me.

I'll say one thing for you,
Kay.

You have the courage
of your convictions.

You've had a wonderful evening,
wise-cracking, clowning,

but now, you've got to get
a grip on yourself.

Get some black coffee.

In a few minutes, you have to
introduce your husband to the country.

Mom!

Come on in. The man said
we make our speeches next.

He said not to be nervous.
I'm not nervous, Mom. Are you?

- Judge, your big moment.
- Okay.

Relatives listening.
Grandpappy staying up to hear.

Put the children to bed.
They're not making any speech.

- But Mommy?
- What are you talking about?

Wait a minute.

Great gosh Almighty, Mary.

They're not going on.

Mary, what's the matter?
What's happened here?

- And I am not going on either.
- What?

I am not tight, Kay.
Not anymore.

Not after watching you vultures
picking at Grant's dead body.

And if that wasn't enough to sober
me up, the sight of my children did.

- Mary...
- I am not going on. I can't.

To millions of people
I am suppose to say

I know my husband to be honest,
uncompromising, fearless.

I could've said that once
and meant it, but not anymore.

Not after he met up with you, Jim
Conover, and you, and you, and you,

and you, Kay Thorndyke.

You and your mad ambition.

Catering to his conceit,
dealing and double-dealing.

You were going to make
a big man of him, weren't you?

You couldn't see
that he was a big man.

You killed him.

That won't be Grant Matthews
those people hear tonight.

It'll be a shadow, a ghost, a stooge
mouthing words that aren't yours,

thoughts that aren't your own.

You've killed Grant Matthews, and
he's a party to his own murder.

Well, I won't be.

You wanted a cause,
you've got one.

A cause of lies, fear,
and corruption.

Hallelujah.

There goes the ball game.

She's gone crazy!

She called us a lot of crooks.

What did you expect her
to say? It's the truth.

- What do you mean...
- We don't have to kid ourselves, do we?

She has the right to say what she
thinks. That's how I want her to be.

I'm going after
the nomination.

That's what we've all
been working for.

Where's Mary?
The kids are on next.

The kids aren't going on.
Neither is Mary.

Tell that quartet to sing
again. Come on, sit down here.

You're going on in Mary's
place. One of the kids is sick.

You're a friend of the family.
Emergency.

You've stepped in
to read Mary's speech.

Change the word... here.

- Don't let Kay take your place now.
- Leave me alone, Spike.

You love Grant Matthews. That
big mug is your whole life.

You know you do.

If you don't get in there now,
you're going to lose him.

Spike? Spike?

Mary, take it from a guy
who knows his horseflesh.

Grant Matthews loves you.
Deep down, he loves you.

He's just run into
a blind spot, that's all.

Spike MacManus.

Kay's being stupid.

She's trying to put Grant
into the White House.

The one place
she can't follow him.

And you, you're trying
to keep him out of it.

Out where the hunting is open,
out where Kay can grab him.

Be smart, Mary.

If Grant is elected, you'll be the
first lady in more ways than one.

Are you going to throw that
out of the window?

It's too late, Spike.

Okay, Mary.

I had the idea you were still
in love with him.

Looks like the old MacManus
crystal ball finally cracked.

All right, read it.

"Like any mother, Mrs.
Matthews thinks a sick child

"more important
than any broadcast.

"She's remaining upstairs
with her daughter.

"Her speech will be read
by a friend and neighbor.

"This is what Mary Matthews
wanted to say."

Great, every woman in America
will be bawling.

Grant, you follow me.
Give it everything you've got.

Does anybody
listen to me?

Ladies and gentlemen,
Mrs. Grant Matthews.

This is Mary Matthews.

I am prejudiced in my
husband's favor naturally.

Though I know
he has his faults.

He likes the morning paper
all to himself at breakfast

and a toothache
becomes a world crisis.

I guess he's much
like all husbands in that.

She's marvelous, Grant.

But all in all, he's
quite a man, Grant Matthews.

A good father
and a good husband,

but I see in him
more than that.

I see a man who is honest,
uncompromising,

fearless, a man of great
vision and enormous courage.

- Mary?
- Above all, my Grant...

Mary, stop it!
Stop it! Stop it!

What happened to you?
What changed you?

I thought you were
going to stay honest.

we'll resume
from the Matthews' home...

Ladies and gentlemen,
this is Grant Matthews.

I am sorry to interrupt but
I can't take any more of this.

Don't you shut me off. I am
paying for these broadcasts.

Don't cut him off. Give him a
chance. It'll cost me my job.

Ladies and gentlemen,

that speech you just heard
Mrs. Matthews make,

she doesn't believe
a word of it.

When she told you
I was a good husband,

a man of courage
and the rest of that tripe,

the words were choking
in her throat.

A few minutes ago, she told me
what she really thought of me.

She called me a coward

and said that I had sold out my ideals
to a gang of corrupt politicians,

and she was right.

- Then she was telling me the truth.
- Stop him, somebody.

I have as much right to run
for president as a gutter rat.

Cut him off! Cut him off!

Let him talk!

That squealing you hear,
that's from the politicians.

Those fearless patriots you heard
supporting me on the air tonight.

Now, they are hurt.

They are hollering.
They are trying to shut me up.

And I don't blame them.

You can't call me corrupt
and get away with it.

Your dirty company union fake.

Give me that microphone!
There it is. Go on. Take it.

Tell them how you bragged you could deliver
those 700,000 union votes of your men

if I made you
the big shot of labor.

Go on, your men will be
interested to hear that.

Tell them I was sucker enough to
believe that you could deliver any votes.

Wait until I get through
with your plants.

You won't do a thing
to my plants.

Put him on the front page,
boys.

Are there any
of the rest of you characters

who'd like to use this microphone
to speak a little truth into it?

You any better than they are?

A man just
stepped up and asked me

if I was any better
than the rest of them.

No, I am not. As a matter of
fact, I am worse than they are.

They're after all they can
grab. They're one-way guys.

But not me.

I was going to play both ends
against the middle.

I sold out to them,
but get this straight,

I am no lamb
led to the slaughter.

I ran to it.

I had the right idea when I started
to talk to you people of America.

The idea that you voters, you farmers,
you businessmen, you working men,

you ordinary citizens
of whatever party

are not the selfish scum that venal
politicians make you out to be.

I thought I could speak my
piece straight out and forward.

I thought I could tell you that this
country of ours is young. It's not old.

That we've just begun to grow.

That all we need is courage.

And from out of that courage will come
a greatness greater than we ever dreamed.

I wanted to tell you that we
Americans are the hope of the world.

And the secret of our
great plenty is freedom.

And we've got to share
that secret and that plenty

with the other nations
of the world.

And I wanted to tell you
that we face a great problem.

Because when people are
cold and hungry and scared,

they gather together
in panicky herds,

ready to be led
by communists and fascists

who promise them
bread for freedom

and deliver neither.

Those are the things
I wanted to say you.

But I lost faith in you.

I lost faith in myself.

I was afraid
I wouldn't become president.

I forgot that the one thing you've got
to do is speak your piece no matter what.

So with the help
of this gang of parasites,

I convinced myself that the way
to be elected was to play down

to your lowest common denominator
instead of up to your highest.

To cater to the hatred
of every class and race.

To appeal to the worst in you,
not the best in you.

I used my wife,
my kids, my friends.

My whole campaign was a fraud.

This is no simple
fireside broadcast

paid for by your dollars
and dimes.

This is an elaborately staged
professional affair.

I have spent $200,000
in exploitation and publicity

on "Matthews for President"
campaigns.

I thought I could hijack
the Republican nomination.

I became an Al Capone of
politics, but I forgot one thing.

I forgot how quickly
the Americans

smell out the double dealers
and the crooks.

My wife knew,

and I knew tonight.

When I attended a meeting
right here in Greatwood.

They were all
my friends there.

People who had known me
for years and liked me.

But they didn't
like me anymore.

They were on to me.

They knew I was a phony.

Well, I guess that's the
story, ladies and gentlemen.

And it certainly isn't
one I am proud of.

I am the guy who screamed

for a warrior's courage

to face the simple private
battles of everyday life.

I am the guy they meant
when they said,

"Physician, heal thyself."

And so, here and now
I withdraw

as a candidate for any office,

not because I am honest,
but because I am dishonest.

I want to apologize

to all the good,
sincere people

who put their faith in me.

And

I want to

apologize to my wife.

Grant.

This is where I came in.

About that job, Kay,

still win or lose?

Then I lose, Jim.

I saw a man on the cover of
Newsweek that I think you and I...

Mr. Matthews, Republican
headquarters called.

They want to know if this
means you're out of politics.

No, I am just
getting into politics.

I am going
to the Republican Convention

and I am going
to the Democratic Convention.

I am going to open doors, break
down windows, let in fresh air.

I am going after every
candidate who compromises

and I am going after every
lazy voter who doesn't vote.

- Take that gosh darn microphone.
- Maizie!

- Fired?
- Fired.

- Hired?
- Hired.

Matthews is our man!