All language subtitles for The West Wing (1999) - S05E09 - Abu el Banat (1080p AMZN WEB-DL x265 ImE)_track3_[eng]

Previously on The West Wing:

Desperate times call for
desperate measures.

I made a call.
To whom?

What the hell have you all

been doing down here
while I've been gone?

PRESIDENT:
Staying through the holidays?

Depends on how long it takes
your damn government

to get back up and running.

LEO:
Will's going to work

for the Vice President.

I'm asking the President
not to let him.

We told Russell he could
have him-- it's done.

WILL:
Bartlet's never going
to finish the job he started.

Someone has to be ready
to take the hand-off.

TOBY:
This isn't a line
on a resume.

You don't walk away.

* Sleigh bells ringing
and jing-jing-jingling *

* Ding-ding-ding ding...

What are you doing?

I'm holding up my tree.

Isn't it nice?

What are you doing to it?
I'm holding it up.

The stand isn't...

They didn't have
anything smaller?

Smaller than me is a shrub.

I wanted
a real tree this year.

This is fine--

I just cut some
of the naked gloating.

We restarted
the government, Toby.

There was a showdown
at the OK Corral

and we gunned down the
Clantons-- we're heroes.

And yet self-effacing.

CAROL:
Excuse me, C.J.--

Can we get a bigger stand?
Yeah.

Waterville Crier on two,
wants a comment.

No comments
for anything called

the Crier, the Intelligencer

or the Breeze.

The DEA just suspended

a Waterville doctor's
drug license

for giving a terminal patient
enough narcotics to kill her.

That's against the law.

It's what the DEA
does with their time.

C.J., Waterville's
in Oregon.

PRESIDENT:
All three of our daughters
in one place for Christmas.

You've never seen
that, have you?

FIDERER:
No, sir I haven't.

She's never seen it.

Maybe next year.

What if she quits
before then?

She's flighty.

They'll all be
here tonight.

We'll be grateful
for that.

I'm grateful.

But Debbie thinks one
night isn't a visit,

so much as a pit stop.

Mr. President,

Liz is pulling up.
Thank you.

Let's not dwell
on it with the kids.

I'm not dwelling.

I think it's fine.

I think we should all spend
Christmas at Liz's in-laws.

We're invited.

Never again.
I still have flashbacks.

You didn't sit up
all night with Jean,

sewing ducklings
on stockings.

Good morning, sir;
Mrs. Bartlet.

Good to see you, Jim.

We're not doing photos
now, are we?

A couple candids.

Nothing serious till
the Tree Lighting.

You should get a few
before dinner

of the whole
family together.

I'll be there.

I know you will.
I will.

I just don't think
you should crucify Ellie

for telling you she
might be late...

How hard could
it possibly be?

...when there's a fair
to middling chance

you may not
make it yourself.

I'm not asking her to stay
a week; it's one meal.

MARGARET:
...British Embassy
on the 15th,

DNC Chair on the 22nd,

the Uphoffs' on Christmas Eve.

The DNC's a maybe.
Uphoffs are a maybe.

I think we shouldn't
go with maybes

on the Christmas
parties this year

because "maybe" means I RSVP
yes and you cancel ten minutes

before it starts and I have
to call and say the honored
guest isn't coming

and you remain lovable
Leo McGarry

and I'm the dope who
couldn't accurately assess

the constraints
of your schedule.

MAN ( on TV ):
...the hostage situation...

Hostages?

Did he just say "hostage"?

And by New Year's
I'm a pariah...

I've got people
hexing my muffins,

in the mess...

Leo McGarry for the Sudan desk,
please.

Get Josh on this call. Now.

I don't want to sit
next to Doug tonight.

I don't want to hear
about his kayak.

Show up on time, you can sit
wherever you like.

Tell Ellie if she's late,
she has to sit next to Doug.

Lizzie.

There's my guy.

How are you, kid?

Hi, Doug.
Hi.

Doug.
How was the flight?

PRESIDENT:
Was there
a stowaway in the car?

A monster? I got him!
I got him! Come with me.

Leo, we have a...

I saw it. Hostages.

No, the DEA.

What's their problem?

We have
a hostage situation?

You and I have a very
serious job to do tonight.

Mr. President.

Do you want
to see something?

Oh, great.

12 relief workers in Sudan
got thrown in jail.

Congressman's on CNN
calling them hostages.

I have a quarter
with New Hampshire on it.

You sure do.

You talk to State?

I just heard myself.

I was...
there's a problem at the DEA.

Hang on.

Five minutes ago,
we were having a quiet morning.

I got to take a look,
but I'll catch up with
you in a few minutes.

We've got all sorts
of good stuff planned.

It's okay.
We'll see him later.

were trying to convert
the locals to Christianity,

and it's Islamic law
in Northern Sudan...

So they threw the whole
lot of them in jail.

Sudan desk got a call from
Congressman Richter,

two are his
constituents.

C.J.:
Sir, did you talk
to the DEA yesterday?

No. Did State tell you about
this Richter thing?

This blew up
good and fast,
didn't it.

JOSH:
State's treating this like any
other foreign arrest.

There'll be
a consular visit and a trial.

Richter isn't
satisfied with that.

C.J.:
A Sudanese jail,
you got to hope

someone back home's
making noise.

Were they proselytizing?

JOSH:
We don't know.
Richter says no.

He spoke to
a junior officer
at the Sudan desk,

thinks they're
blowing it off.

So he's trying to
bump it up the ladder.

"Hostage" is a big word.
Particularly at Christmas.

All right,
let's get him in here.

PRESIDENT:
What about the DEA?

The DEA's coming down
on a doctor in Oregon

for assisting with a suicide.

There's no federal jurisdiction,

I don't know what they
think they're doing.

PRESIDENT:
What do they say?

They're calling it
a violation

of the Controlled
Substances Act.

The narcotic he used is
federally controlled.
So's a handgun.

Yeah.

Doesn't turn a shooting
into a federal case.

He makes a point.

We're sure this wasn't
an accident?

Pain management gone awry?

C.J.:
The doctor's not
hiding his intentions.

The State of Oregon
says it's legal.

He was assisting
a terminal patient

to hasten the end
of her suffering.
It's a living.

Well, yes, in Oregon it is.

When's your next briefing?

An hour. I was
going to go...

I don't think
we comment.

It's DOJ's mess,
we don't want it.

We don't want a lot of things.

For four years, it's been:
"The President does not

"personally support physician
assisted suicide,

"but believes it's not
a federal issue

and should be resolved
by the voters."

State by state.

And not by the Drug Enforcement
Administration.

TOBY:
We don't jump into the middle
of a bar fight

and declare our intention
not to act.

Let the Attorney General
handle it.

I'll sit down with the AG.

Thanks, everybody.
ALL:
Thank you, sir.

Thank you,
Mr. President.

Debbie, where are they?

FIDERER:
Blue Room, sir.

DONNA:
Oh, good.

Talk to Debbie--
we need a sit-down

for Congressman
Donald Richter today.

And get him on the phone.

Doug Westin's
in your office.
Liz's Doug?

How come he's not
with his in-laws?

The President's introducing
Gus to the Three Tenors.

"Hallelujah Chorus"
in the Blue Room.

Why's a five-year-old want
to meet the Three Tenors?

I'm pretty sure he doesn't.

Doug's your friend.

He's a perfectly nice guy.

Speak slowly, you don't
want to lose him.

Check it out.

They're decking
the halls.

Five minutes
and I'll spring you.

Douglas!
Josh.

It's good to see you.

Good to see you.
I swiped your paper.

That's government
property.

I'm going to have
to call the Feds.

Then I better dash.
See ya.

Come on in.

You guys here
for a couple days?

No, just tonight and tomorrow.

We're going to my folks
for Christmas this year.

The tree lighting
seemed like the
least we could do.

No Annie?
Swim meet.

That and she
pierced her eyebrow.

Thought we'd keep her

off camera
till it healed.

She... on purpose?

Every day is

a new set of challenges.

Hey, you tracking
congressional recruitment?

That still your area?

Yeah.
I mean-- Yeah.

What's...

New Hampshire.
First District.

Ken Campbell.

He's stepping out,
end of this term.

He's got
a valve thing.

If he doesn't slow down,
his heart is just gonna--

pow-- like a balloon.

Huh. That's great.
I mean, not the...

but we'll have a good shot
at the seat.

I think so.

And I think I'm the man
to do it.

To... what.

I think with
a little help

from you fine people,
I'm going to be elected

to the United States
House of Representatives.

( knocking and opening door )

The Attorney General.

Alan.

How come I don't hear
your daughter's performing

at the Kennedy Center
till two days after?

Between us, she was under
a wig, behind Aida's
second elephant.

( chuckling )

This cowboy over at the
DEA-- you fire him yet?

No.

Sooner is better.

I think I've got to back up
the DEA on this one.

The CSA...

The Controlled
Substances Act

is about drug trafficking.

It was never intended to

supplant the states
as regulators of
medical practice.

He had a license
to dispense narcotics

for legitimate
medical purposes only.

The voters of Oregon

have declared
the termination of a life

of pain and suffering to be
a legitimate medical purpose.

And frankly, whether they
are right or wrong

is none of the DEA's business.

Assisted suicide should...

It's not "assisted" anything.
It's murder.

Okay.

We're done.

You'll be hearing
from the President.

The White House interfering
with a federal prosecution?

You really want
to walk that road?

You're not
a legislative body, Alan.

There's only so many times
you can pull this

before the President...

What, fires me?

I don't want to
have this fight.

But if we do, I win.

Jed Bartlet's not going to fire
me for standing on principle.

Leo.

ATTORNEY GENERAL:
Have a good day, Margaret.

MARGARET:
Thank you, Mr. Fisk.

You, too.

Fire him.

The Attorney General?

Fire him.
We hired him.

We fire him over
assisted suicide,

it's 16 verses

of "Grandma Got Run Over
by the Bartlets,"

now till Easter.

"No comment"
is not gonna play.

How about we let
the VP be front man?

Seriously?

We're staring a State
of the Union in the face.

This is what hijacks the agenda
for weeks at a time.

This is what we talked about.

What, do you need me
to leave the room?

Toby's taking first chair
on State of the Union,

not just writing it.

The agenda? That's great.

And if I'm doing it,
I'm doing it.

This is not on the agenda.

Talk to Will.

Thank you.

C.J.

Lizzie B.

Listen, you're gonna
get a call

from an organization
called The Hunger Plan.

They should be fund-raising
for the World Food Program

and instead they're
developing

freeze-dried peanut butter
and jelly or something.

I got lassoed
onto the board
for two years.

I just retired,
and I recommended you.

You didn't.

They get a
small C-22 grant.

It'd be a conflict.

Just tell them you wish,
you wish, but you can't.

It'll make 'em feel good

just to know you
were interested.

Thanks for the heads up.

We're gonna talk
about UNESCO.

You going?
Yeah.

And we're gonna talk
about a guy

named Chris Beck
I want you to meet.

He from UNESCO?

Nope.

Did she tell you about
the walk-through at 11:00?

No. Can you maybe
handle that?

She asked for you.

I've got a meeting.
Could you tell her?

You can't say no to her,
can you?

Not really.

I'll see you at 11:00.

Any word from Ellie?

She's running
an experiment

on viral load
reproduction

and she hopes it'll wrap up
in time for the thing tonight.

No. It's a special dinner,
it isn't optional.

She's a Bartlet.

It's been special
every day since '62.

I spoke to a gal in Khartoum

and then I got a call

from some flunky
at the Sudan desk.

Didn't inspire a great
deal of confidence.

Congressman, you start saying
"hostages,"

things get
a little out of hand.

Mr. President.
Sit. Hiya, Ted.

Mr. President.
Please.

Proselytizing's punishable
by death over there.

They're not
gonna do that.

Ted spoke
with the families,

let them know
we're waiting on a report

from the consular officer.

You gotta let it go
through channels.

We barely have an
embassy in Sudan.

A consular officer
from Cairo flies in

whenever we have a problem.

He's on the plane.

There should be a call
to the Prime Minister.

State deals with thousands
of these every year.

Like it or not,
Americans are subject

to the laws of the country
that they are in.

These aren't crack dealers.

We don't arbitrate.

We can't. Not in 193 countries,

with as many legal systems.

They didn't break a law.

They were stocking
the food warehouse.

It was looted as soon
as they were arrested.

Mr. President, these are
young people who've taken

a couple of years
out of their lives

to bring food
to a drought-stricken,

civil-war-riddled nation.

Of course they're religious.

Someone asks them
what it means to be a Christian,

they're going to give an answer.

That is not proselytizing.

The Secretary
of State needs

to pick up the phone.

Sir, as soon
as they know

it's a Presidential priority,

they will hold us up
for millions.

I've got 22 days of
Christmas events
ahead of me.

I'm not sure how I explain
to my district

that Christians doing charitable
works are in a Sudanese jail

because we're too cheap
to bail them out.

We're expecting

about 6,000 people.

We're going to switch
on the lights,

then there'll be performances
by the United States Marine Band

and the Louisiana Bayou
Gospel Choir.

And there's going to be a troupe
of dancing snowmen.

Men, really, dressed as snowmen.

Not as scary as it sounds.

Though probably deeply
humiliating for the men.

No? Snowmen?

Your mom's gonna be
right back.

And your grandpa'll be
rolling in here any second now.

So what did you think
of the Three Tenors?

Is Dr. McNally
in her office?

I believe so.

How about I send her
in right after the
tree rehearsal?

Come again?

Liz is concerned
that Gus may
be overwhelmed,

with the cameras,
and the crowd and all.

We're going
to practice.

Flipping a switch?

We're going to show
him the platform

and the tree and
the switch, certainly.

He'll be fine.
Ellie can show him.

She did it one year
in New Hampshire.

Ellie's not here yet?

A topic
for another time.

All right,
push the rehearsal.

I need to stop
at Nancy McNally's.

Is Ellie even coming?

She's working on it.

One would never know

that the leaders
of powerful nations

respond to my call
on a moment's notice.

Not at first glance,
sir, no.

Russell's speaking
to the American Nursing
Association this week?

Yeah.

We'd like him
to do a speech insert.

In his first big
health care speech?

It's going to come up
in Q&A, anyway;

might as well nip it
in the bud.

By making his first speech
to the medical community

about assisted suicide?
Are you kidding?

Are you people trying
to kill me?

We're trying
to make sure

you can move to Oregon
and kill yourself.

He needs to be talking
about the insurance gap
and prescription drugs.

We need to place
some distance

between the President
and...

You know how
this thing polls?

48% of Americans
consider it a right.

46% of Americans consider it
morally reprehensible.

It is the definition
of a lose-lose issue.

The AG's back-dooring this
on a technicality.

We're going to wait till
the courts knock it down,

which they will.

Meanwhile, he's usurping
the policy prerogative
of the President.

We need somebody
to remind the public

it wasn't our decision.

You guys are asking me to groom
a backwater Congressman.

I can't do that...

We didn't ask you to groom
Russell for a presidential run.

He asked you.

He was chosen
by the President.

He was chosen
by the Republicans!

Look, I've got
a budget to finalize.

I'm sorry.
I'm sure you're gonna

pull a great Eliza Doolittle
here.

Your confidence
is touching.

Meanwhile,
if the Vice President

would be so kind,
in between campaign stops,

could he do the President
this favor?

I'll run it by him.

DONNA:
It's important that you look
at the catalogues

before the end
of the day.

That's three weeks away.

Hanukkah's two.

That's plenty of time.

Who's in charge
of shopping?

You are.

There are pages turned down
with Post-its

to tell you which
of your relatives
the gifts are for.

If you're happy
with the choice,

you should initial
at the X.

If you're not happy
with the choice,

you should remember
how this goes

when you try
to do it yourself.

I like the polar
fleece stuff.

Who's in charge
of shopping?
You are.

Hey.
Hey.
Hi!

You look fantastic!

Thanks.

Gosh, it's great
to see you back.

It's good to be back.

Wow. She looks great.

Leo?
Yeah.

You got a second?
Yeah.

Am I still on
congressional recruitment

or is Angela gonna
take that over?

How about you two sit
like grownups,

figure it out
for yourselves?

I don't care.
It's just starting, so...

You getting calls
already?

Yeah. A nice young guy
from New Hampshire

wants to run for
Campbell's seat.

Married to the
boss's daughter.

PRESIDENT:
From New Hampshire?

The U.S. Congress?
Not the state legislature.

No.
And he wants
an endorsement?

I spoke
to the county chair,

and the D triple C.
They have some doubts.

Did you know about
this thing with
Lanthorp Biotech?

They were in a nose-dive; I know
he tried to pull them out.

He didn't.

LEO:
DNC wants to run Mitch Clark.

He's been in the state
legislature three terms.

He's got ideas,
he's a deal maker.

This has been a Republican
seat for a couple of terms.

The party doesn't
want to risk it

with anybody untried.

Even with our endorsement,

he may not make it
through the primary.

Then everybody looks
like an idiot.

I'll talk to him.

I can talk to him,
sir.

No, I'll do it.

Mr. President, he went to
Josh, asked his opinion.

You got to respect that.

Let Josh take care of it.

I, uh... I spoke
to the Vice President

about the assisted suicide
thing.

He's not comfortable
getting into it.

I asked you, what,
ten minutes ago?

I'm a bigwig
over there.

I don't have
to make an appointment.

You found him,

brought it up,
carefully considered,

and then decided
I can go stuff it?

He agreed with my analysis

that death plays poorly
at Christmas.

Did you even take it
to him

or just walk around the block
and come back with your "no"?

I made your case.

I should have sent a card.

I'm not your man
in the VP's office, Toby.

It can't work like that.

I know who you are.

You're the guy we pulled out
of Botox Babylon

out there,
brought to work

for the President.

I work
for somebody else now.

I don't want this
to be acrimonious.

No, you certainly don't.

The President will take it
to the Vice President.

Okay.

Did you see the clips
Carol dropped off?

The Jackson Clarion-Ledgersays:

"Attorney General Cracks Down
on Doc Peddling Death."

Catchy.

Nobody but the locals
in Oregon have
picked it up yet,

except the Jackson
Clarion-Ledger.

Jackson, Mississippi?

Home of the steamboat,
the mud pie,

and Attorney General Alan Fisk.

He's talked about
running for governor.

The AG?

Is the Vice President
going to...?

I'm working on it.

'Cause I've been thinking,

maybe it's time we
get back into this.

We thought it through
the first time.

Five years ago.

And Oregon hasn't worked out
all the kinks.

The number of suicides
among the terminally ill

has gone down since
they passed it.

A policy
of non-intervention...

Is a little lame
when there's

a 14th Amendment violation
in the offing.

We have no
constitutional
right to die.

Refuse treatment,
yeah, but...

The framers never
considered the notion

of degenerative death--

an event which is entirely

the creation of
modern medicine.

We have a right not
to reach the end of life

in unendurable
suffering and agony.

We're not stopping anyone

from squirreling away
50 Seconal in a night stand

and washing it down
with a bottle of vodka.

In order to down
the 50 Seconal,

you have to have control
of both the muscles

in the hand and the muscles
of the esophagus.

This is an opportunity
and we're dodging it.

C.J., how's your dad?

He's in the hospital.

I don't know.

I don't know...
if he knows the difference.

Hey, there.

Gus has a glove
in here somewhere.

I know I packed it.

He's hitting already?

Oh, like a pro.

He can't catch to
save his life, but
he can swing, boy.

That's great.

So, New Hampshire
First District.

Yeah. What you got?

You know a guy
named Mitchell Clark?

Sure. Voted for him a couple,
three times.

The DNC seems to think
he's got a chance

for Campbell's seat.

Anyone's got a chance.

It's a moderate district,
it's poachable.

No question, we have a shot,

but the party,
they're reticent...

It's a nepotism thing,
isn't it.

That could be
part of it.

Look, it's going to come up,
and it's going to pass.

If the worst thing
they can say about me

is that I'm Jed Bartlet's
son-in-law...

Once the public gets to
know me as an individual,

it's an entirely
different race.

What about
state legislature?

It's the place to learn.

The President
started there...

Come on.

I run while Jed's in office,

I've got a leg up like
no two terms-- six terms

as a state legislator's
ever going to give me.

What kind of fool is going to
let a moment like that sail by?

I don't know.

Here we go.

Is that the greatest thing
you ever saw?

Can't even get
my thumb in there.

Yeah.

Look, I really appreciate
your concern, I do.

But it's going to be fine.

I'm a winner, buddy.
I'm going to win this.

Hi, Toby.

Hi. You back to stay?

Nah. I'm liking New Hampshire.

CHARLIE:
You can go in.

You look, uh... great.

Thanks.

Good to see you, Toby.

People making a fuss?

Yeah.

You don't look that good.

TOBY:
I was hoping you could speak
to the Vice President,

ask him to do
some talking for us

on the right-to-die
situation.

Yeah, he said Will
brought it up.

You already discussed it?

That's not gonna work.

Leo's hoping the
Attorney General
will back down.

If not, C.J. puts it in
a Christmas Eve briefing,

restates our position,
it's gone by Boxing Day.

We just had a huge victory,

and we're looking at a month
of Christmas carols

and the official ornament from
the State of South Dakota.

The press is itching
for a story with blood in it.

The court'll stop him.

There's no way...

One in five patients
requesting aid in dying has MS.

One in five.

Do you know what
the questions sound like?

I've got a pretty
good idea.

"How long does the President
think he has before

his MS becomes
debilitating?"

"Do his doctors anticipate
a speedy decline?"

"Does he have a plan?"

"Does the First Lady have
four glass vials and a syringe

in a lock box
in the night stand?"

She may chicken out.
Maybe I'll call you.

That's the conversation, sir.

It won't be Controlled
Substances Act

or federal overreaching,
or anything else.

I don't think
we're ready

to have that conversation
with the American public.

Hey, did you get a
chance to talk...?

Doug? Yeah.

He take it okay?

He did, you know,
he really did.

Good.

You want to carry my
books or something?

I'm not sure
he got it.

Got what?
The rejection.

If he didn't take it
personal, all the better.

I think he thinks
he's still running.

You didn't tell him?!

He took it more like
a cautionary tale
than an actual...

Oh, for the love
of God!

He's resilient.

Which isn't such
a bad thing in
a candidate.

He's gonna show up
at dinner,

popping champagne corks

and the President's gonna be
stuck delivering the news

in front of the guy's wife
and his mother-in-law.

You have to go back
and tell him no.

Yeah.
In no uncertain terms.

I'm sorry.
Draw a picture
if you need it:

A ballot in a circle
with a line through it.

C.J.:
Liz and Gus are running
a little behind schedule.

Can we push this
to four?

or shall I?

Go on in.

Everything okay?

I'm waiting for my daughter
and her son to arrive

so we can practice the
ceremonial flipping
of a switch.

Right.

He had a Fisher-Price
gizmo hooked

to the side of his crib
with more cranks and
levers than a DC-10,

but we're gonna practice
with the switch.

C.J. says the
assisted suicide story's

showing up in some
Mississippi papers.

You think Fisk
is feeding it to them?

I want him in here
first thing tomorrow.

Consular report
from Sudan.

Holly Gilweit and
Katherine Melo,

ages 20 and 23
respectively,

had a grand total
of 18 Bibles

and a video on the lives
of the Apostles.

The NGO know about this?

They never identified
themselves as evangelists.

Never mentioned religion.

So they're
undercover agents?

Spies for Christ, yeah.

18 Bibles.

They couldn't have
just talked about
loving-kindness

and good will towards men?

I just had Berryhill call
the Prime Minister of Sudan

and issue a stern
reprimand for behavior

that I likened to street
gangs and petty thieves.

We need to issue
an apology.

We can't.
Ten other relief workers

who weren't distributing

anything other than wheat
and sorghum are in jail.

We've got to stick
with our denial.

But they know
what was going on.

And we know.

That's where
the money comes in.

Nancy's waiting downstairs.

Debbie!

20 and 23?

Girls.

Toby asked me today

if I have a plan
for my death.

Liz has never asked; Zoey.

I understand Ellie asked
her mother once,

but I'm not supposed
to know about it.

I get Toby.

( knocking )

Are we expecting
Liz and Gus?

They're running late.

There's a disagreement
about a bath.

Nancy McNally is waiting
and she's already had her bath.

I'll tell Liz.

Josh talk to Doug yet?

They spoke.

He didn't seem
to follow.

Josh is gonna try again.

He didn't follow?

Josh wasn't clear.

What's not to follow?

It's hard to say.
Thank you, Mr. President.

3.2 billion men
in the world.

She picks him.

I hear he had
a great pitching arm.

When he was 19, sure.

She dumped a
Rhodes scholar
for this guy.

Zoey left Charlie
for the Frog.

Ellie and the guitar player
with the purple van.

My children choose morons,
every one.

They say daughters look
for their fathers.

You know, 15 years ago,

we took a trip to Egypt,
all five of us.

Saw the pyramids and Luxor,

and then headed up
into the Sinai.

We had a guide,
a Bedouin man,

who called me
"Abu el Banat."

And whenever we'd meet
another Bedouin,

he'd introduce me
as Abu el Banat

and the Bedouin would laugh
and laugh

and then offer me
a cup of tea.

And I'd go to pay them
for the tea

and they wouldn't let me.

Abu el Banat means
"Father of daughters."

They thought the tea
was the least they could do.

Thanks.

( "The 12 Days of Christmas"
performed over TV )

Does he know
we've heard

"The 12 Days
of Christmas" twice?

What did Liz say?

She says we should have
rehearsed.

I should go up there.

7,000 people standing
in the cold, sir.

You have to go
turn on the lights.

Any movement?

There was a lot of noise.
Somebody's in a time-out.

Gus or Doug?

I'll go. You and me.

Len, this gonna be okay?

It's cold out there.
You got a coat?

Zoe.

ZOEY:
You're a prince.

Here we go.

LEN:
We're moving Eagle
and Bookbag.

Replacing Eagle
and Tonka

with Eagle and Bookbag.

Units six and nine
assist exit.

Uniforms to the front
for a possible surge.

C.J.:
She's good.

( applause on TV )

PRESIDENT:
Good to see you.

Boxes for all this...
and that.

A dolly for the desk.

Hi. What are
you doing?

This you?
Yeah.

We're moving you
to your new place
across the street.

I don't have
a new place.

Will Bailey, OEOB.

Donna said you
were looking for me.

Yeah.

How'd it go
with the tree?

The lights are on.

Let's, let's
leave it at that.

Okay, um...

The conversation
we had earlier--

I think I wasn't clear.

This is awkward
for all of you,
I know that,

but I don't want you
to feel like you...

We're asking you
not to run.

Who's we?

The DNC. The White House.

The President?

If you want to go forward
on your own,

the White House can't
endorse you.

Wow.

( chuckles )

Wow.

The New Hampshire House
is a great place

to get some experience,

build a network...

I have a network.

I've been working R&D

in the New England tech
corridor for 15 years.

I got the CEO of
Diginet and the CFO

of Gansey-McGrath
ready to join my
finance committee.

I've got the guy

who ran your boss's
New Hampshire primary

finding me a campaign manager,

and I just spent five hours
last Sunday in a duck blind

with the editor of the
Manchester Union Leader.

I'm running for Congress.

Hal Collins is...
You met with Hal?

There's a lot of fun

to be had with all
the "nobody's good enough

for the President's
daughter" stuff,

but I'm not actually an idiot.

That's...

I'm gonna
have to dash.

I'll be late for dinner.

But I appreciate your time,
Josh; I really do.

Any time.
Yeah.

PRESIDENT:
He shouldn't be upset.

He'll light the tree
next year.

He's just wound up.

He's not eating?

It's 8:00.

He goes to sleep at 8:00.
He eats at 5:00.

Why didn't we
eat earlier?

You're a bright guy

and that's a
stupid question.

ZOEY:
Where's Doug?

LIZ:
I think he's making
sure Gus is down.

Isn't there some kind
of person...?

A nanny is not
a substitute for a parent.

I thought that's exactly
what a nanny was.

ZOEY:
She has a strange chin.

No, she doesn't.

Well, she kind
of has no chin.

She's Swedish.

Yeah, most Swedes
have chins.

PRESIDENT:
Would you like to call up

and tell him
we're waiting

and he can leave
the child

in the competent care
of the chinless Swede?

We can give it ten more minutes.

LIZ:
Is Ellie...?

PRESIDENT:
Apparently not.

ABBEY:
Can we give it
ten more minutes?

There he is.

I'm sorry.
Are we eating already?

We're waiting.
Is he...?

He's fine.
He's watching a video.

I should...
He's fine.

So, what's on the menu?

The menu
is absolutely...

Where's Ellie?

PRESIDENT:
We have yet
to determine

if medical science can spare
Ellie Bartlet for an evening.

We're giving her
a few more minutes.

Did you...?

Mm-hmm.

I think I'm going
to grab a drink,
if that works.

ABBEY:
Let me call
the steward.

No, I'll get it.
They put ice in the scotch

and I don't really want
ice in my scotch today.

Which one
is the sitting room?

Great.

What was that?

Good evening, everybody.

I apologize.

They said they hadn't
started serving.

That's all right.
Did you want

to sit?
We have room.

Thank you, no.
We, um...

Excuse me.

Two more physicians' licenses
were just suspended.

The AG's downstairs.

I asked him to
come in tomorrow,

but he's getting
on a plane.

When's his flight?

Two hours.

Five minutes.

Ellie's still not here.
I'll beat her back.

John?

Yes, ma'am.

We seem to have
lost our quorum.

Two more doctors?

You couldn't wait a year
to start campaigning?

Mr. President...

You don't run for
governor from my Cabinet.

You really think
a run to the right

on a couple
of pro-life standards

is gonna win me
Mississippi?

"The powers not delegated

"to the United States
by the constitution,

"are reserved
to the states

respectively."

How long before
there's a lawyer

arguing, "We can't limit this
to terminal patients."

We ought to include
the chronically ill?"

When is it allowing children

to make the decision
for the parents?

Yes, when is it
allowing the state

to decide,
not families?

We'll just start
knocking off the weak
and the indigent

along with the sick
and dying.

When does
my administration

completely deteriorate
into the Third Reich?

I'm not suggesting...

The federal government
has no place here.

The question
is a moral one,

an individual one,

a grappling with
the nature of life

and the purview of God,
in which the federal
government has no...

Forget it.
You do what you want.

The courts are
gonna nail you.
You were counting

on my silence
and you've just lost it.

Sir, a public debate...

Yeah, I didn't want
to get on TV with Oprah

and talk about who's gonna
cut my meat

when the coordination goes,
but c'est la vie.

The lid's off.

You pull this crap
one more time,

you're fired.

Tell Janet
Merry Christmas.

Good evening,
Ms. Bartlet.

Good evening, John.

Is my...

They'll be right back.

Okay.

Can I fix you
something to drink?

Um, no.

I'm fine.
Thank you.

There's a guy
named Mitch Clark.

DNC's been...

Mitchell Clark
single-handedly
disemboweled

managed care reform.

He put together
the committee,

took credit for creating
rate stabilization,

and then sold the whole
thing down the river.

How do you think
he's financing a run?

He's got board members
from Barnstead Mutual

writing check
after check.

The district's splitting right,
much more than in my day.

Josh mentioned
something about that.

Apparently he was very helpful.

Elizabeth...
You couldn't
give him

the courtesy
of five minutes?

It's one thing to
delegate my car loan

or Ellie's MCATs to your staff,
but my husband?

He went to Josh.

He didn't come to me.

If he wanted my advice,

or if you did,
for that matter...

Doug didn't call Hal Collins,
you did.

You recruited
the finance committee.

Mom made a useful suggestion
or two in the early years.

"The Speaker
can convince

most people of most things
and himself of almost anything."

Doug came up with that?

We're a good team.

We have different
strengths, skills.

He has skills
you've never even bothered...

He's a great guy

and a fantastic father.

You're the politician.

Why the hell don't you run?

Because Annie
pierced her face.

And this one can't
catch, or bathe.

You can
handle it.
You can't.

Forgive me, Ms. Steinem
and Ms. Friedan--

you cannot do it all.

Your mother did.

No, Daddy, she didn't.

There's no question,
we missed things.

We all made sacrifices,
but Elizabeth,

when Annie and Gus

watch you walk onto
the floor

of the U.S. House
of Representatives...

I don't want my son to be
a part of my entourage.

A photo op is
not his idea...

I don't want it.

Then why would you let Doug?

Because he's my husband
and he asked me to.

You gonna come watch?

There's people singing
in the lobby.

Spontaneously?

The choir
from the Tree Lighting.

Who's that for?

You picked your own gift?

I'm in charge
of shopping.

I got your gift.

No, you didn't.

Three weeks in advance?

I saw it Thanksgiving.
I got it.

No, you didn't.
What is it?

I'm not telling you.

I want to know.

Really?

It's a gift certificate.

Tower Records.

Cause you're a fan

of the music-- you get
to go on a spree.

That'll be fun.

So that's why
I need to sit with Approps

and find some
foreign aid money

we can reprogram.

What shall I tell them
it's for?

Bribing a dictator

to get illegal
missionaries
out of Sudan.

Something I can put
on a memo.

Reassigning funds from
extant authorizations,

based on new priorities
in East Africa.

Do you mind if I go
watch the carolers?

Donna.

It's not a gift certificate.

What is it?

I'm not telling you.

I want to know.

Socks.
Stop.

I'm not telling you.

Live with
the pain.

ABBEY:
You didn't want
to wait for dinner?

I'm waiting.

There's a fruit bowl.

Turns out the fruit's real.

Ellie and Zoey went down
to watch the carolers.

We didn't know
how long you'd be.

Ellie's here?

That's nice.

She enjoying her stay?

Did you talk to Liz?

I'm not sure

we're gonna see her
for dinner.

That's okay.
I've got a picture in my wallet

of the three girls together
from Acadia in '96.

It's Doug's fight.

Why does she have
to get in the middle?

It's bigger than Doug.

What, is it about
those ice skates

we never bought her?

That and the cauliflower
incident.

We didn't beat them.

There's still time.

Shame about Gus
and the tree.

You didn't think
he was going...

I did.
He would have had fun.

He thought he was going
alone, with you.

He didn't know

what all those other
people were doing there.

Oh, yeah.

Last Christmas,
Ellie wasn't around,

and the year before
was Tennessee

and the calls to Belarus.

I can't remember when
it was just the five of us

and weather and everybody

in their slippers.
We don't do that.

We did.

I was on call

three straight Christmas Eves

when Ellie was little.

We've never been
Currier and Ives.

I'm putting together a panel
on assisted suicide.

If you've got any names--

medical ethicists.

Your position
has changed?

Uh-uh.

No syringe in the night stand.

It'll get ugly and that's that.

You gonna be there?

Yeah.

Abbey?

Gus is still up.

Go say good night.

CHOIR:
* What child is this,
who, laid to rest *

* On Mary's lap, is sleeping *

* Whom angels greet
with anthems sweet *

* While shepherds watch
are keeping *

* This, this
is Christ the King *

* Whom shepherds guard
and angels sing *

* Haste, haste,
to bring him laud *

* The Babe, the Son of Mary...

C.J.:
He's not a fan of turkey.

I was told he didn't eat
any of it.

Yes, Talmidge Cregg.

The other night nurse...

Right. We spoke the day
after Thanksgiving.

It's fine, I just thought
maybe I could send a ham.

No, I'm not asking the kitchen
to do it.

I'm saying it's three weeks
away.

They vacuum pack it.

If I could just send it to you,
and you could see

that they give it to him
instead of the...

No. No, this is... I'm...

This is C.J.
I'm-I'm his daughter.

* ...the Virgin
sings a lullaby *

* Joy, joy,
for Christ is born *

* The Babe, the Son of Mary...

PRESIDENT:
Ready?

GUS:
Yeah.

PRESIDENT:
Go ahead.

* What child is this,
who, laid to rest *

* On Mary's lap, is sleeping? *

* Whom angels greet
with anthems sweet *

* While shepherds watch
are keeping... *