THE WEST WING
“LET BARTLET BE BARTLET”
TELEPLAY BY: AARON SORKIN
STORY BY: PETER PARNELL & PATRICK CADDELL
DIRECTED BY: LAURA INNES
TEASER
FADE IN: INT. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE - DAY
MONDAY MORNING
We are shown the open doors to the two offices. Toby is in the left, and Sam is in the
right. They yell so they can hear each other.
TOBY
Is it gonna rain?
SAM
No.
TOBY
It looks like it’s gonna rain.
SAM
It’s overcast.
TOBY
Isn’t that usually what it is before it rains?
SAM
Yes.
TOBY
But in this case?
SAM
It’s not gonna rain till later today.
TOBY
If it rains, please remember to change the opening line.
SAM
It’s not gonna rain till one, maybe two o’clock.
TOBY
Yeah, but if you’re wrong, you gotta change the opening line!
Sam goes into TOBY’S OFFICE.
SAM
I’m not getting this from morning drive-time radio, Toby. I’m getting this from First
Lieutenant Emily Lowenbrau of the U.S. Coast Guard, who would not let me down ‘cause
she has a very really...a very comforting voice.
TOBY
Okay, here’s my thing. If you’re wrong, if the coast guard is wrong, the remarks open
with “As I look out over this magnificent vista.” If the event gets moved indoors, he
will no longer be looking out over a vista of any kind.
SAM
Do you honestly think he can’t change that on his feet? Do you honestly think the
President doesn’t know where he is when he’s giving a speech?
TOBY
This isn’t a major policy address, Sam. This is five minutes in front of the United
Organization of Trout Fishermen. I’m saying if it gets moved inside.
SAM
I got this from the U.S. Coast Guard. I got this from the National Weather Service.
They use satellites. They use technology.
Behind Toby, outside the window, lightning flashes. Thunder claps. It started to rain.
TOBY
This is the same satellite technology we use to detect intercontinental ballistic
missiles, right?
SAM
Yeah.
TOBY
All right then.
Toby and Sam head out the office. They meet C.J. outside.
C.J.
We should move the thing inside.
TOBY
Sam says it’s probably not gonna rain till later.
C.J.
Have either of you heard anything about a piece of paper that’s going around?
SAM
What piece of paper?
They all walk out into the HALLWAY.
C.J.
I don’t know. At the Gaggle, Dave Trillin asked what I knew about a piece of paper
that’s going around. Maybe you used from the campaign.
SAM
I haven’t heard anything.
C.J.
Me either.
TOBY
Let’s find out.
C.J.
That’s good advice, Toby.
Cutting into a CORRIDOR. They meet Leo.
LEO
We’re in the second floor auditorium in the O.E.O.B.
C.J.
And they’re moving people inside?
LEO
People are there. They moved them twenty minutes ago.
SAM
Why?
LEO
The weather report said it was gonna rain.
SAM
It did?
LEO
Yeah.
SAM
Is it possible First Lieutenant Emily Lowenbrau is yanking me around?
TOBY
Where’s the President?
LEO
He’s already over there.
They walk out to the LOBBY.
C.J.
How’s his mood today?
LEO
We had breakfast. He seemed very upbeat, very energetic, very optimistic about the day.
C.J.
How long do you think do you suppose that’s gonna last?
Leo, Sam, Toby and C.J. head out of the White House into the rain.
CUT TO: INT. OLD EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
President Bartlet, Mrs. Landingham, Charlie, Nancy are riding the escalator to the
second floor of the O.E.O.B. Secret Service Agents surround them.
BARTLET
Can we get this Godforsaken event over with so I can get back to presiding over a
civilization gone to hell in a handcart?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Nice talk for a President.
BARTLET
Leave me alone.
They reach the second floor.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You know what this is, don’t you sir?
BARTLET
What what is?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Your mood, sir.
BARTLET
There’s nothing wrong with my mood.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
It’s your diet.
BARTLET
Would you get off me with that?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You’re not getting enough roughage in your diet. You know I’m right about that.
BARTLET
I know I’d like to beat you senseless with a head of cabbage. I know that for damn sure.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Once again, you display an immaturity about vegetables and I think is not at all
Presidential.
BARTLET
Charlie, does anyone have my remarks?
CHARLIE
Sam’s bringing them, Mr. President.
BARTLET
Is Toby on his way?
CHARLIE
Yes sir.
BARTLET
C.J.?
CHARLIE
Yes sir.
BARTLET
Why aren’t they here right now?
CHARLIE
They didn’t know that it was raining, sir.
BARTLET
Nothing like surrounding yourself with the best and the brightest, Charlie.
Cutting through the hallway, they pass an entrance. The President meets with the rest
of his staff: Toby, C.J., Sam and Leo. They just came from the pouring rain. Everyone
continues to walk.
TOBY
Good morning, sir.
C.J.
Good morning, Mr. President.
SAM
Good morning, sir.
BARTLET
Hello.
TOBY
How are you, sir?
BARTLET
You didn’t know it was raining?
TOBY
To our credit sir, we knew it was raining once it started to rain.
BARTLET
Okay.
SAM
Here are your remarks, sir.
BARTLET
A couple of things, uh, who am I gonna be talking to now?
SAM
The United Organization of Trout Fishermen.
BARTLET
No, seriously now.
SAM
Sir?
BARTLET
Give me the damn speech.
SAM
There’s some very nice anecdotes there about trout fishing.
BARTLET
Have I ever been trout fishing?
SAM
Probably not.
BARTLET
Okay.
JOSH
[comes from behind] Good morning, Mr. President.
BARTLET
What’s going on Josh?
JOSH
The C.V.O.’s gonna revise its outyear projections, two commissioners resigned from the
F.E.C. this morning, and the N.G.A. endorsed trigger locks.
TOBY
How much?
JOSH
The projections?
TOBY
Yeah.
JOSH
Uh, maybe 200 billion?
BARTLET
Hang on.
Everyone stops walking near the entrance to the auditorium.
BARTLET
Two F.E.C. commissioners resigned?
JOSH
Yes sir.
BARTLET
There are two seats open in the F.E.C.?
JOSH
Yeah.
LEO
Sir?
BARTLET
This is interesting.
LEO
Sir, this is not the world’s best time to go off on a flight of idealistic-
BARTLET
Leo, two seats just opened up in the Federal Election Commission.
LEO
And the Senate Leadership will fill them.
BARTLET
I’m saying, what if this time we say we want our guys?
LEO
We won’t win.
BARTLET
Yeah, but we can dangle our feet in the water.
LEO
It’s not a good idea, sir.
BARTLET
Josh-
LEO
Mr. President, you’re thinking about changing the nature of democracy.
BARTLET
I’m talking about dangling our feet in the water. Josh, get Leo two candidates who back
aggressive campaign finance reform.
JOSH
Sir, I-I got to stand with Leo on this. I think that-
BARTLET
I’m not saying jump off the boat, Josh. I’m saying dangle our feet.
JOSH
Yes, sir.
Nancy is waiting in front of the entrance to the auditorium.
NANCY
Mr. President?
BARTLET
Yes. Somebody?
SAM
The United Organization of Trout Fishermen.
BARTLET
Thank you.
Bartlet and his staff head for the auditorium.
LEO
You gonna concentrate on this now, or is your head gonna be in changing the nature of
democracy?
BARTLET
No, I’m definitely gonna be thinking about the trout fishermen, Leo, ‘cause that’s
where my focus should be.
LEO
You were in a better mood an hour ago, Mr. President.
BARTLET
I was in a better mood a year ago, Leo.
C.J.
[to Leo and Josh] Does anybody know anything about a piece of paper that’s been going
around?
LEO
What piece of paper?
C.J.
I don’t know.
BARTLET
C.J., are you taller than you usually are?
C.J.
Yes sir. I’m my usual height.
LEO
Okay.
NANCY
Here we go.
BARTLET
Couldn’t pick a trout out of a police lineup, by the way.
LEO
Focus.
Bartlet goes inside the auditorium with Nancy, Charlie and C.J. The rest of the staff
stays outside.
HERALD [OS]
Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States!
JOSH
Two Federal Election seats open on the same day?
LEO
You can dream all you want Josh, but you’re dead in the water, it’s never gonna happen.
JOSH
That’s what I thought too, but after your little pep talk just now...
We hear Bartlet inside the auditorium. The staff stands watch by the door.
BARTLET [OS]
Thank you. Thank you very much. It’s good to see you. Thank you.
Toby and Sam just realized something.
TOBY
Sam?
SAM
Damn it!
LEO
What?
SAM
I forgot to do something.
BARTLET [OS]
As I look out over this magnificent vista...
Toby looks away in frustration as Sam slams his notebook.
SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER
* * *
ACT ONE
FADE IN: INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Josh and Donna are walking.
DONNA
How does the F.E.C. work?
JOSH
Six commissioners are appointed for a six-year term.
DONNA
Overlaps.
JOSH
Two seats come up every two years.
DONNA
And two commissioners just resigned?
JOSH
At the same time.
DONNA
How many times has that happened?
JOSH
Including this time?
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Once.
DONNA
So the President has the opportunity to back the F.E.C. without people and make
immeasurable impact on campaign finance reform?
JOSH
Yes.
DONNA
Well, do it baby!
JOSH
There’s a couple of roadblocks.
DONNA
What?
JOSH
Whenever a vacancy comes up, the party leadership of both sides... [pause] Did you just
call me “baby” back there?
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Okay. Uh, when a vacancy comes up, it’s up to the President to fill it, but the party
leadership on both sides always, always, always dictates to the President who he’s gonna
appoint. One Republican. One Democrat. Whoever the leadership says. That’s how you keep
the peace.
DONNA
But you’re gonna change all that, right?
JOSH
No, but I’m gonna spend the rest of the week trying.
DONNA
That’s not the right spirit, Josh. You’re trying to change the nature of democracy.
JOSH
You’re right. I’m gonna need a bagel. [goes into his office]
CUT TO: INT. BRIEFING ROOM - DAY
C.J. is giving a briefing.
C.J.
The Easter egg hunt and the Easter egg roll are two different things. The theme of this
year’s event is “Learning is delightful and delicious,” as, by the way, am I.
The reporters laugh.
C.J.
The collection, which is gonna be on display on the east colonnade to the White House,
features real chicken eggs decorated by artists from each of the 50 states and the
district. And the activities are coordinated by the American Egg Board. And I’ve hung
with some of the cats from the American Egg Board, and they are party people.
Thank you. That’s it for this afternoon.
As the reporters get ready to leave, C.J. leaves the podium and goes to Steve.
C.J.
Steve?
STEVE
Yeah?
C.J.
You got a second?
STEVE
Sure.
C.J.
What have you heard about a piece of paper that’s out there?
STEVE
Same thing you’ve heard.
C.J.
What’s that?
STEVE
There’s a piece of paper out there.
C.J.
That’s it?
STEVE
Yeah.
C.J.
If you hear anything more, you’ll tell me first?
STEVE
If I find anything more, I’ll tell my editor first.
C.J.
I keep forgetting you don’t work for me.
STEVE
Yes, you do.
MANDY
C.J.?
C.J.
See ya.
STEVE
Bye.
Steve leaves. C.J. faces Mandy.
C.J.
Mandy, there’s a buzz in the room. Something about a piece-
MANDY
Yeah.
C.J.
Do you know anything about it?
MANDY
I know everything about it.
C.J.
What do you mean?
MANDY
I wrote it.
C.J.
What is it we’re uh...
MANDY
I wrote a memo when I was working for Russell outlining strategies-
Mandy quickly looks away as Katie comes from behind C.J.
KATIE
Excuse me, C.J.?
C.J.
Katie, they’re in the blue room.
KATIE
Thanks. [leaves]
MANDY
When I was working for Russell, I wrote a memo outlining the weaknesses and
vulnerabilities of the Bartlet administration and mapping out a strategy to defeat
him for renomination. [pause] C.J. this is embarrassing and a little mortifying, but
you got to remember how pissed off I was at you guys.
C.J.
You worked for us for a year and a half, and you work for us again now...
MANDY
C.J....
C.J.
...And in between, you wrote a playbook on how to beat us?
MANDY
I was working for Russell, and the whole idea is to-
C.J.
I need to see a copy of it right now!
MANDY
C.J.?
C.J. storms out of the briefing room and slams the door.
CUT TO: INT. LEO’S OFFICE - DAY
Leo is in front of his computer.
LEO
[calls] Margaret!
MARGARET
[comes in] Yes?
LEO
I can’t e-mail.
MARGARET
They’re working on the problem.
LEO
What’s the problem?
MARGARET
My friend, Lynette, from the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, you remember her?
LEO
[irritated] No.
MARGARET
She’s the one where you say, “Who’s that?” And I say, “That’s my friend, Lynette, from
the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.”
JOSH
Hey.
LEO
Oh, hey Josh.
MARGARET
Anyway, she sent me an e-mail about the actual calorie count in the raisin muffin
they’re serving in the mess. I forwarded the e-mail to several hundred assistants
and secretaries in O.E.O.B. and in the West Wing, and that was fine. But Jolene
Millman, who works in political liaison, then hit reply, which apparently-
LEO
Oh Margaret! Margaret! I’m sorry. I’m gonna have to...I hung in there as long as I
could, but you long since passed the point when I stopped caring. If you’re curious,
it was right around raisin muffin.
MARGARET
I’ll leave you two alone.
LEO
And fix the e-mail.
MARGARET
Yes. [leaves]
LEO
So, who’d you come up with?
JOSH
John Bacon and Patricia Calhoun.
LEO
Oh, I know John Bacon. Who’s the other?
JOSH
Patty Calhoun’s the director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the
Heritage Foundation. She worked in the White House O.M.B. under two Republican Presidents.
LEO
And she favors campaign finance overhaul?
JOSH
Aggressive overhaul.
LEO
Then the leadership’s gonna hate them both.
JOSH
What do you want me to do?
LEO
Meet with the top guys in the leadership offices.
JOSH
You want me to meet with the leadership?
LEO
Absolutely not. I want you to meet their guys, and I want you to do it outside the
building. Do it over a meal.
JOSH
Leo, the President can’t think we’re gonna get anywhere with this, can he?
LEO
Hmmm?
JOSH
The President doesn’t think we’re gonna get anywhere with this, can he?
LEO
No.
JOSH
Okay.
JOSH
What happened with e-mail?
LEO
Oh, I don’t know. It has something to do with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness.
JOSH
Okay.
Josh leaves. Leo looks swiftly.
CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Josh comes out of Leo’s office. Sam and Toby see him.
SAM
Hey.
TOBY
Who’d you come up with?
JOSH
John Bacon and Patty Calhoun.
SAM
Not in a million years.
JOSH
Tell me something else I should know. What are you doing?
TOBY
It’s our turn with the boys.
JOSH
Knock ‘em dead.
SAM
Hey, listen.
TOBY
Yeah?
SAM
You want me to do the talking when we get in there?
TOBY
Why?
SAM
Just asking.
Toby opens the door to THE ROOSEVELT ROOM. Toby and Sam meet with several majors and
congressmen in the room. MAJOR TATE, MAJOR THOMPSON, and two Congressmen, KEN and MIKE,
are seated around the table.
TOBY
Good morning. Good morning. We all know each other. Why don’t we sit down? We’ve been
conducting meetings with various senior staff on the D.O.D., N.S.C. and House and
Senate Armed Services. We feel a little hamstrung because of the policy inherited
regarding gays and lesbians in the military. And we’d like as much reform input as
possible before making a recommendation to the President.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Toby, can I interrupt you for a moment?
TOBY
Sure.
MAJOR THOMPSON
What do you imagine’d be the consequence of your recommendation to the President?
TOBY
Well, actually, it’ll be Sam’s recommendation to the President. It’s on his desk, and
I’m just helping out.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Sam, what do you imagine’d be the consequence?
SAM
Major, bearing in mind that the President seldom, if ever, listens to my recommendation,
I’d imagine the consequence to be little.
KEN
I would imagine it to be very little, Sam.
SAM
Congressman, the commander-in-chief orders that gays can serve openly in the military.
That’s the way it’s gonna be, and anybody who chooses to disobey that order can stand
court marshal under the uniform code and military justice.
MAJOR TATE
The President can order the joint chiefs and the chiefs can give all the orders they
want. It takes an act of Congress to amend the uniform code. And the uniform code makes
sodomy a crime. That’s the end of the story.
TOBY
I guess it’s gonna be a pretty short meeting.
MAJOR TATE
Yeah.
CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY
C.J. comes out of the briefing room. Donna follows.
DONNA
C.J.?
C.J.
Yeah?
DONNA
There will be 25,000 wooden eggs in addition to the 7,500 other eggs.
C.J.
What are the other eggs made out of?
DONNA
Ah... the other eggs are...
C.J.
They’re actually eggs.
DONNA
Yeah. Mandy’s in your office.
C.J.
What is Josh doing?
DONNA
F.E.C. commissioners.
C.J.
Would you tell him when he has a free moment I’d like to see him?
DONNA
Yeah.
Donna goes the other way. C.J. meets Carol in her desk.
C.J.
Carol, 25,000 wooden eggs.
CAROL
In addition to the 7,500 eggs that are...
C.J.
They’re just regular eggs.
CAROL
Okay.
C.J.’S OFFICE. C.J. sees Mandy, carrying an envelope.
C.J.
Is that it?
MANDY
Yeah.
C.J.
Who has it?
MANDY
I don’t know.
C.J.
But somebody does.
MANDY
Yeah.
C.J.
Okay. I’m gonna read it now.
MANDY
Should I...?
C.J.
Go back to your office, and don’t answer any questions.
MANDY
You’ll...call me when you’re done reading?
C.J.
I’d count on it.
Mandy leaves. C.J. starts reading.
FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE
* * *
ACT TWO
FADE IN: INT. CAPITOL HILL ROOM - DAY
Josh is meeting with the STEVE ONORATO, and other aides from the Leadership office.
They are in the middle of a meal.
JOSH
Soft money contributions render the 1974 Campaign Reform Act toothless. Soft money
contributions, which were ostensibly designed for party-building, whatever that might
mean, do nothing but eviscerate any meaningful election controls. We are, by definition,
corrupt.
STEVE
I wouldn’t say that.
JOSH
I know you wouldn’t, Steve. This money isn’t coming in in 5’s and 10’s and 20’s. It’s
coming in in denominations of 100, 200, 500 thousand dollars. It’s coming from special
interests. It’s coming from special interests whose interests aren’t the same as those
who don’t have a half a million bucks lying around, and it’s not going to party-building.
It’s going to issue ads. It’s going to candidates.
MAN
Yeah. It’s called free speech, Josh.
JOSH
If the insurance company wants to buy ad time from 64 major markets, they are free to do
so. If the airplane manufacturing industry wants to back a candidate, they are free to
shout from the rooftops. If big tobacco wants to wave a sign or put a bumper sticker on
their cars, they are free to do so. That’s free speech. Money isn’t speech.
JERRY
I like it when Josh comes here once in a while to teach us a lesson we so richly deserve.
JOSH
I came here as a courtesy, Jerry. I came at the request of Leo McGarry. The President is
strong considering... John Branford Bacon and Patty Calhoun to fill in the two seats.
STEVE
I’m pretty sure we’ve already got our two guys, don’t we?
MAN
Yes.
JERRY
It’s Grant Kalen.
STEVE
Grant Kalen and Joe Barkley.
JOSH
Two people who oppose any campaign finance reform. Well...
JERRY
I thought you like Kalen, Josh. He got a lot of democrats elected in Indiana.
JOSH
He raised a lot of money in Indiana. And Joe Barkley says that people are allowed to
spend whatever they want in politics.
STEVE
Yeah. So does the Supreme Court, by the way. Uh, Josh, look, we can’t have this meeting
every time the President wakes up in the morning and decides to make the world better.
The party leadership’s gonna choose a Republican. The party leadership’s gonna choose a
Democrat. That’s the way it’s always been. That’s the way it’s gonna be. That’s the way
it is.
JOSH
Really?
STEVE
Yes.
JOSH
The President makes appointments to the Federal Election Commission.
STEVE
And the Senate confirms them. And I’m speaking from the majority leader. Embarrass us
like this, and we will give the same back to you tenfold. Every piece of legislation the
White House wants off the table will make a sudden appearance.
MAN
Yeah. Steve’s talking our greatest hits, Josh. 5-4-1, school prayer, Family Support Act,
Entertainment Decency Act.
JERRY
English as the national language.
STEVE
English as the national language will be first up. That’s gonna be our leadoff hitter.
JOSH
Wouldn’t it be easier to just not confirm our nominees?
STEVE
Oh, we’re gonna do that too.
JOSH
Are you saying that in addition to voting down our nominees, there’s gonna be political
retribution for having nominated them in the first place?
STEVE
Yes. You know why? Because you know if you do this, you’re gonna lose, and we’re gonna
look bad winning. I also got to say that I reject the suggestion that the best way to
maintain free speech is by having government regulate it.
JOSH
[quietly] Reject whatever you want.
STEVE
I-I didn’t hear that.
JOSH
I said reject whatever you want! You know, four hours ago, this was a fool’s errand for
me, and the President knew it. This was a test balloon. This was a “just out of curiosity
let’s see what would happen if” meeting, but you’ve managed to get me on board.
MAN
Steve, we got a caucus.
STEVE
We got to go.
They all leave the room. Josh sits still.
CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Mrs. Landingham comes out of her office. Charlie follows.
CHARLIE
Mrs. Landingham.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
I’m going to lunch, Charlie.
CHARLIE
Speaking of lunch.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Yeah?
CHARLIE
The President’s not too wild about his.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
What’s the nature of his dissatisfaction?
CHARLIE
He said it’s made almost entirely of vegetables.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
It’s a salad, Charlie.
CHARLIE
The President’d prefer a sandwich. He says roast beef would be fine. Pastrami, sliced
steak...
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Charlie, tell the President he will eat his salad. If he doesn’t like it, he knows where
to put his salad.
CHARLIE
Well, I don’t think I will tell the President that, Mrs. Landingham, but I appreciate
your help.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You bet.
CUT TO: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY
The meeting continues.
MIKE
It ain’t broke, don’ fix it, Sam.
SAM
Officer...
MIKE
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” works.
SAM
No, it doesn’t.
MIKE
Yes, it does.
SAM
Do you like to know how much it doesn’t? Eleven hundred and forty-five were discharged
from being gay in 1998.
TOBY
That’s a record.
SAM
It’s a 92% increase since “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was implemented. 414 Air Force
discharges--the highest in two decades. 271 of them during basic training at Lackland
Air Force Base. 271 during basic training.
TOBY
Major, what the hell is going on at Lackland Air Force Base?
MAJOR TATE
I don’t like your sense of humor.
TOBY
I get that a lot.
C.J.
[comes in] Excuse me. I’m sorry. I need Toby.
TOBY
Yeah. [to Sam] Come here a sec.
Toby and Sam go to the door. Toby whispers to Sam.
TOBY
You’re doing good. [to C.J.] What?
Toby goes out into the CORRIDOR.
C.J.
I know what the piece of paper is.
TOBY
What is it?
C.J.
It’s a recon-and-strategy memo that Mandy wrote when she was working for Russell.
TOBY
Strategy to do what?
C.J.
Beat us in three years.
TOBY
Did you read it?
C.J.
Yeah.
TOBY
Is it bad?
C.J.
Yeah.
TOBY
Let’s go to my office.
C.J. and Toby walk away.
CUT TO: INT. NORTHWEST LOBBY - DAY
Josh comes in the White House. Donna is standing in the middle waiting for him.
DONNA
How’d it go?
JOSH
[surprised] How do you know to be standing here?
DONNA
I see you at the window.
JOSH
You don’t have a window.
DONNA
You have a window.
JOSH
What are you doing in my office when I’m not there?
DONNA
Looking for you at the window.
JOSH
Okay.
They walk off.
DONNA
How’d it go?
JOSH
It went fine.
DONNA
Just fine?
JOSH
Yeah.
DONNA
You don’t want to say anything more than that?
JOSH
I don’t, Donna, and the way that you know that I don’t, is that I’m not.
DONNA
But this is our special time together.
JOSH
I’m really not in the mood to mess around.
DONNA
Okay.
JOSH
I need you to get me prepped on something.
DONNA
What?
JOSH
English as the national language.
DONNA
Why?
JOSH
Might come up.
DONNA
Why?
JOSH
Because...it doesn’t matter. Because if we do a thing with the F.E.C., opponents will
put English as the national language on the table.
DONNA
Are we for it or against it?
JOSH
Donna...
DONNA
I mean we’re not in favor of making another language the official language, are we?
JOSH
Donna!
DONNA
Like Dutch of something.
JOSH
Donna, didn’t I just say that I can’t mess around?
DONNA
Okay.
JOSH
Yes.
DONNA
Bullet points?
JOSH
Yeah.
DONNA
Give me thirty minutes?
JOSH
Thank you. [goes into his office]
DONNA
Oh, and Toby said to come by as soon as you got back.
JOSH
Toby?
DONNA
Yeah.
Josh hurries out.
CUT TO: INT. TOBY’S OFFICE - DAY
C.J. watches as Toby reads. Ginger knocks and pokes her head in.
GINGER
Toby.
TOBY
I’m not taking any calls right now, Ginger.
GINGER
It’s-
TOBY
I’ll call him back.
Ginger closes the door and walks back to her desk.
TOBY
[reads] “The reality of the Bartlet White House is a flood of mistakes. An agenda
hopelessly stalled and lacking a coherent strategy. An administration plagued by
indecision...”
Someone knocks.
TOBY
Ginger!
JOSH
[comes in and closes the door] What’s going on?
C.J.
Mandy wrote an instruction manual for Russell, and it’s out there somewhere.
JOSH
Where?
C.J.
I don’t know yet.
JOSH
How bad is it?
C.J.
Well, she takes the three of us to town. We don’t look like rocket scientists. But,
then again, we’re not rocket scientists.
JOSH
Who is it bad for?
TOBY
The President... Leo. The President and Leo.
JOSH
We don’t know who has this?
C.J.
I’m talking to everybody in the room.
JOSH
Do it quietly.
TOBY
And quickly. Whose paper will it be in tomorrow? We have to know right away.
C.J.
Yeah.
C.J. leaves. Josh sits beside Toby.
JOSH
Our second year doesn’t seem to be going a whole lot better than our first, does it?
TOBY
No.
FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO
* * *
ACT THREE
FADE IN: INT. MARGARET’S OFFICE - NIGHT
Toby comes in. Leo’s office door is closed. He approaches Margaret, who’s in front of
her computer.
TOBY
Margaret, does he have a minute?
MARGARET
He’s finishing up with the chairman.
TOBY
They almost done?
MARGARET
Yeah.
TOBY
I’ll wait.
MARGARET
You having problems with your e-mail?
TOBY
Yeah.
MARGARET
Technical support says the pipeline’s been flooded. Apparently it happened when I
forwarded an e-mail to several people, and one of them tried to reply. Everyone’s
e-mail box is clogged with replies, which are now, automatically and constantly
bounding back and forth at subatomic speed...
[pause] I passed the where you’re interested, haven’t I?
TOBY
Yeah.
Leo’s door opens. Out comes Admiral Fitzwallace and another officer.
LEO
Thank you, Fitz.
FITZWALLACE
Thank you. Hey Toby.
TOBY
Good afternoon admiral.
LEO
Toby, you here to see me?
TOBY
Yeah.
LEO
Fitz, the President’s gonna want to know is the Philippines redundant, that’s all.
FITZWALLACE
It is redundant. That’s the beauty of it.
LEO
Well, you’re gonna have to convince the President of its beauty.
FITZWALLACE
Yeah. I will.
LEO
If you say so.
FITZWALLACE
[to Toby] Say, who are those guys across the hall?
TOBY
They’re meeting with Sam on gays in the military.
FITZWALLACE
Why?
TOBY
Sam’s trying to put together a coherent position.
FITZWALLACE
When he comes up with one, let me know, will ya?
TOBY
Yes, sir. By the way, there may be a major security breach with the White House computers.
FITZWALLACE
White House computers aren’t secure.
TOBY
Well... that explains that.
Margaret looks as Fitzwallace leaves. Toby goes into LEO’S OFFICE. Leo walks behind his
desk.
LEO
He wants to put A1/M1s in Manila.
TOBY
The President’s gonna say it’s redundant.
LEO
Yeah.
TOBY
How much does it cost?
LEO
Not much. Twenty billion.
TOBY
So...there’s gonna be a thing.
LEO
About what?
TOBY
Mandy wrote an opposition research memo for Russell, and somebody’s got it.
LEO
Who?
TOBY
C.J.’s finding out.
LEO
Well, it’s politics, Toby. She was playing for the other guys.
TOBY
Yeah... There’s some observations the President’s not gonna be wild about.
LEO
I move him to the middle?
TOBY
The sense is that his instinct is to be aggressive, and you take him to safe ground.
LEO
Okay.
TOBY
Leo...
LEO
Don’t worry about it.
TOBY
Hey, look...
LEO
Don’t worry about it.
TOBY
Want to see a copy?
LEO
No.
TOBY
Okay... Okay. [looks earnestly at Leo]
CUT TO: INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Josh is walking. Donna comes from behind. She gives him a piece of paper.
DONNA
Josh?
JOSH
Yeah?
DONNA
Six pages on English as the national language.
JOSH
Is it good?
DONNA
I gave you some good stuff on James Madison and the-
JOSH
James Madison?
DONNA
And the Teriman resort-
JOSH
I didn’t ask for a damn social studies paper. I-I-
DONNA
[stops walking] Don’t snap at me Josh.
JOSH
Donna?
DONNA
Look at the memo. I gave you what you asked for. Don’t snap at me. [starts walking]
What’s wrong with everyone today? It’s been all day. Is it Mandy’s memo?
JOSH
No.
DONNA
Why is everyone walking around like they know they already lost?
JOSH
I wasn’t snapping at you. I just, I-I didn’t realize that you also gave me the stuff I
asked for. I thought it was just...you know, I thought you just gave me James Madison.
DONNA
Well, look at the James Madison. It’s gonna help you.
JOSH
Thanks.
JOSH'S OFFICE. Josh walks inside. Mandy is waiting for him.
MANDY
Hi.
JOSH
Hi.
MANDY
How is James Madison gonna help you?
JOSH
I really don’t know.
MANDY
I meant that-
JOSH
The President wants to put two reformers on the F.E.C. Onorato says they’ll retaliate
by opening up English as the national language.
MANDY
The President’s not gonna look good fighting against that one.
JOSH
I’ve been working here 14 months, Mandy. Tell me what else I should know.
MANDY
You should know that the President is not gonna look good fighting against that one.
JOSH
Mandy...
MANDY
You take an opposition to flag-burning amendment, school prayer, and gays in the
military. You pile on no to English as the national language, and they will paint
a picture.
JOSH
I understand, Mandy.
MANDY
Fine. I’m just saying that it’s my job to tell you that.
JOSH
You know, today, isn’t really the best day for you to tell me what your job is.
MANDY
I wrote an op memo, Josh. You and I have written 20 of them.
JOSH
You never heard of a burn bag?
MANDY
They got it off my hard disk.
JOSH
You know who has it?
MANDY
No.
JOSH
Then there’s not much you can do for us today.
MANDY
You shouldn’t let the President get into a debate on English as the national-
JOSH
Mandy, it’s not gonna happen. Don’t worry about it. It’s not gonna happen. The
President’s not gonna nominate who he wants in the F.E.C.
MANDY
Why not?
JOSH
’Cause it’s not what we do.
MANDY
All right. I’ll leave you alone.
JOSH
Thanks.
Mandy leaves. Donna comes in.
JOSH
It’s everyone that’s feeling this way today?
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Oh, okay. Thanks.
CUT TO: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - NIGHT
The meeting continues without Toby.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Hang on!
SAM
I’m saying-
MAJOR THOMPSON
Hang on. A lot of those cases-
SAM
This report, by the way-
MAJOR TATE
We know the report.
SAM
I’m saying-
MAJOR TATE
We can read. We know the report.
MAJOR THOMPSON
We know the report. A lot of the cases you’re talking about is the gays being discharged,
came from voluntary statements-
SAM
And a lot of these are not voluntary statements, not by any definition given by any
civilian court in this country. It is not a voluntary statement when it’s given to a
psychotherapist, as in the case of former Marine corporal David Blessing. It is not a
voluntary statement when it’s made into a personal diary, as in the case of former West
Point cadet Nicole Garrison. It is not when it’s made after being asked, as in the case
of master chief officer Diane Kelli. And it is not when it is coerced out of a service
member through fear...through intimidation, through death threats, in terms of criminal
prosecution, as in the case of former Air Force Major Bob Kiddis, former Marine gunnery
sergeant Kevin Keys, and four sailors aboard the U.S.S. Essex.
MAJOR
Sam, you take care of your guys; we’ll take care of ours.
SAM
You’re not taking care of your guys. Your guys are out looking for jobs.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Those weren’t our guys.
Admiral Fitzwallace enters.
MAJOR TATE
Oh my God.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Attention!
The officers in the room swiftly stand straight.
FITZWALLACE
Good afternoon, Sam.
SAM
Mr. Chairman.
FITZWALLACE
Congressman.
KEN
How do you do admiral?
FITZWALLACE
Good to meet you again, Ken. [to Mike] We haven’t met.
MIKE
Mike Satchel.
FITZWALLACE
From Oregon?
MIKE
Yes, sir.
FITZWALLACE
Percy Fitzwallace.
MIKE
It’s an honor to meet you, admiral.
FITZWALLACE
I imagine it would be. Yes.
SAM
Uh, Major Tate, Major Thompson, this is Chairman Fitzwallace.
FITZWALLACE
They’re not gonna speak to me until I speak to them, Sam. They’re pretty well-trained.
[to Tate and Thompson] Stand easy, fellas. [sees the snack on the table]
Is this Danish for everybody?
SAM
Oh. Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE
[to Tate and Thompson] We’re discussing gays in the military, huh?
MAJOR THOMPSON
Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE
What do you think?
No response.
FITZWALLACE
I said what do you think?
MAJOR THOMPSON
Sir, we’re here to help the White House form a possible-
FITZWALLACE
I know. I’m asking you what you think.
MAJOR TATE
Sir, we’re not prejudiced toward homosexuals.
FITZWALLACE
You just don’t want to see them serving in the Armed Forces?
MAJOR TATE
No sir, I don’t.
FITZWALLACE
‘Cause they oppose a threat to unit discipline and cohesion.
MAJOR TATE
Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE
That’s what I think too. I also think the military wasn’t designed to be an instrument
of social change.
MAJOR TATE
Yes sir.
FITZWALLACE
The problem with that is that what they were saying to me 50 years ago. Blacks shouldn’t
serve with Whites. It would disrupt the unit. You know what? It did disrupt the unit.
The unit got over it. The unit changed. I’m an admiral in the U.S. Navy and chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...Beat that with a stick. [to Ken] We’ll see you, Ken.
[leaves]
SAM
Excuse me.
Sam leaves and goes into the HALLWAY. He tries to catch up with Fitzwallace.
SAM
Mr. Chairman... Just, thanks for stopping in.
FITZWALLACE
You’re not gonna get anywhere.
SAM
The President just wanted some exploratory meetings.
FITZWALLACE
Yeah.
Fitzwallace walks away. Sam goes back to the room.
CUT TO: INT. PRESS ROOM - NIGHT
C.J. walks in. She sees Danny typing.
C.J.
Danny.
DANNY
Hey.
C.J.
I was hoping to find you here. I wanted to ask you-
DANNY
Hang on.
C.J.
I wanted to ask you-
DANNY
Hang on.
C.J. waits impatiently behind Danny.
C.J.
Danny, is it the Magna Carta or-?
DANNY
I’m trying to finish a thought here.
C.J.
Go ahead.
DANNY
[pretends to think] I’m finished.
C.J.
Okay. You’ve heard there’s a piece of paper out there, right?
DANNY
Yeah.
C.J.
You know what it is?
DANNY
It’s a strategy memo for Russell?
C.J.
That’s right. [pause] You got to know, I don’t want exploiting our friendship in any
way, and I certainly don’t like taking advantage of any feelings beyond friendship you
might have for me.
DANNY
Right. You have them for me too.
C.J.
I don’t.
DANNY
Okay.
C.J.
I need to be ready for this...Do you know who has it?
DANNY
Yes.
C.J.
Who has it?
DANNY
I do.
C.J.
You have it?
DANNY
Yeah.
C.J.
And you’re gonna write about it?
DANNY
Sure.
C.J.
Why?
DANNY
Look-
C.J.
Why?
DANNY
‘Cause it’s news, C.J.
C.J.
It’s not news.
DANNY
It is.
C.J.
It’s not news just because it’s entertaining, Danny.
DANNY
It’s news ‘cause a media director of a successful Presidential campaign wrote a memo
to a leader of a President’s party describing his weaknesses. Well, there are other
people in the President’s party. A lot of them buy my newspaper, and I think they’d
like to know what Mandy thinks, and I don’t think that’s at all out of line.
C.J.
Mandy wasn’t working for the President at the time she wrote this memo-
DANNY
I don’t care if she’s working for Bask’n Robbins when she wrote this memo. She’s a key
player in the Democratic Party, and she says the President is staggeringly vulnerable.
And that may not be good news for you, C.J., but it’s news. [pause] At this morning’s
briefing, you asked us to write about Easter eggs so I wouldn’t be-
C.J.
Fine.
DANNY
C.J.?
C.J.
We’ll have a comment for you at the end of the day.
C.J. walks off. Danny follows.
DANNY
[yells] None of this is our fault, C.J.!
C.J.
None of what is your fault?
DANNY
Mandy thought it was a pretty accurate analysis, and you know it. You knew she was
working for Russell, and you knew why. You knew she had to have written the memo. Why
wasn’t it the first thing you asked for when you hired her? “Mandy, tell us everything
you think we’re doing wrong.” ‘Cause you knew what she was gonna say. You knew she was
right. You knew there was nothing you could do about it. [pause] You guys are stuck in
the mud, around here, and none of it is the fault of the press. I know you’re frustrated.
But it ain’t nothing compared to the frustration of the people who voted for you, so
don’t come in here and question my...“We’ll have a comment for you by the end of the
day”? When I want the White House to comment on a story of mine, I’ll ask for it, C.J.
[calms down] I got to do this. I have to do this work.
C.J.
Okay.
C.J. walks out the door. Danny goes back to his computer.
FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE
* * *
ACT FOUR
FADE IN: INT. ROOSEVELT ROOM - NIGHT
KEN
I’d like to go on record by saying-
SAM
Congressman.
KEN
No. I’d like to go on record-
SAM
There is no record.
KEN
I’d like to go on record saying that I have no objection to what somebody does in the
privacy of their own home. But when we’re talking about schools, when we’re talking
about the boy scouts, when we’re talking about an army barracks-
SAM
You know, Ken. There’s something I’d always wanted to ask you. What does being gay mean
you can’t keep your hands to yourself? Over what kind of gentlemanly pride of the Armed
Forces willing to lay claim the restraint in that area? You want me to get the file on
sexual harassment on the D.O.D.? Do you want me to ask these guys about Tailok?
KEN
I’ve had enough of this.
SAM
And I’ve had more than enough of this!
KEN
Sam, don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue is the law. It’s federal law, and it takes an
act of Congress to change it. If the President were serious about changing it, he’d be
serious about changing it. He would not send you in here with me. He would not send you
in here with two relatively junior D.O.D. staffers. He’d call his staff together, he’d
say, “I want a resolution in the House. I want 50 high-profile co-sponsors. I want a
deal, and I want it now.” Has the President done that?
SAM
The President’s veracity on this-
KEN
Has the President done that, Sam?
SAM
No.
KEN
Okay then... Is this meeting anything more than a waste of time?
SAM
No.
KEN
Okay then.
Everyone leaves. Sam sits still.
CUT TO: INT. MARGARET’S OFFICE - NIGHT
Toby, while waiting for Leo, is talking to Margaret.
MARGARET
I.T. support is now accusing me of being a hacker. They’re accusing me of spamming or
smurfing. They asked me if I was running a Trojan horse. I said no, I...I was simply
informing the others that the calorie count in the raisin muffin was wrong. And it is,
Toby. You don’t believe me...You should take one of those muffins and you know, take it
down to the lab.
TOBY
I’ll do that.
MARGARET
Will you?
TOBY
Get me a muffin. Be careful not to handle it yourself. You want to use gloves. Slip it
to me in a plastic bag. I’ll send it off to the lab.
MARGARET
You’re mocking me now, aren’t you?
TOBY
Yes.
Leo’s office door opens.
LEO
Come in.
Toby comes in LEO'S OFFICE. Leo walks to sit.
LEO
Margaret thinks the F.B.I.’s gonna bust in here any minute.
TOBY
Yeah.
TOBY
I got my second bit of bad news for you today, Leo.
LEO
You got new numbers?
TOBY
Yeah.
LEO
How bad is it?
TOBY
CNN/USA Today puts our job approval at 42%.
LEO
We dropped five points?
TOBY
Yeah.
LEO
In a week?
TOBY
His unfavorables are higher than his favorables for the first time. Fifty-four percent
of the country is likely to vote for a Republican Congressional candidate in November.
LEO
We dropped five points in a week?
TOBY
Yeah.
LEO
We didn’t do anything last week.
TOBY
I’ll say.
LEO
Toby, when you start thinking about jumping ship, you’ll let me know, right?
TOBY
One victory in a year, Leo.
LEO
Toby-
TOBY
Mendoza. We got Mendoza on the Court.
LEO
This President was elected with 48% of the vote, Toby.
TOBY
Yeah, but he was elected.
LEO
Without a mandate. The majority of people in the country voted for somebody else.
TOBY
I don’t care, Leo. He was elected. He was sworn in. I was standing ten feet from the
chief justice.
LEO
I’m saying it’s not the easiest circumstance on...
TOBY
Who the hell said it would be easy?
LEO
... One victory in a year isn’t so bad!
TOBY
One victory in a year stinks in a life of an administration. But it’s not the ones we
lose that bother me, Leo. It’s the ones we don’t suit up for!
[pause] And I’m not too crazy about you questioning my loyalty just then.
Someone knocks.
LEO
Yeah?
C.J.
[comes in] Hey.
LEO
Oh. Hey C.J.
C.J.
The President’s reading Mandy’s memo. I just gave it to him.
LEO
I wish you hadn’t done that, C.J.
C.J.
Why?
LEO
It’s just gonna piss him off.
C.J.
It’s gonna be in the newspapers tomorrow.
LEO
Did you find out who has it?
C.J.
Danny.
LEO
And he’s writing it?
C.J.
Yeah. It should run right next to the new polling numbers.
Josh and Sam come in from the other door.
JOSH
How did we drop five points in a week?
LEO
It happened. Let’s move on.
JOSH
What I think is, the Senate will confirm Bacon and Calhoun. They’ll have to ‘cause
their credentials are too good, and the voters want campaign reform. As a punishment,
they’ll roll out a legislative agenda designed to force the President to come down on
the unpopular side of everything. For instance, they’ll bring out English as the
national language. I believe-
LEO
We’re not gonna let it on the table.
JOSH
I think we shouldn’t be afraid-
LEO
Josh!
JOSH
Leo, I think we shouldn’t be afraid to get into it on English as the-
LEO
He’s not gonna let it on the table.
JOSH
Then we’ll live with their candidates for the F.E.C.
LEO
As we always have.
JOSH
Yes.
LEO
[to Sam] What about you?
SAM
My meeting?
LEO
Yeah.
SAM
It was the same meeting we’ve been having for... [beat] It was fine.
Everyone’s faces are covered with sadness.
Charlie knocks and walks in from the Oval Office.
LEO
Yeah?
CHARLIE
I’m sorry to interrupt. [points to the Oval Office]
LEO
Yeah.
Leo stands and goes into THE OVAL OFFICE. Bartlet is seated in a chair, with memo in
his hand. Leo comes in. Charlie closes the door and stays there.
BARTLET
Who’s got this?
LEO
Danny Concannon.
BARTLET
Why am I just finding out about this now?
LEO
We spent most of the day learning about it ourselves.
BARTLET
I really did wake up energized this morning.
LEO
I know.
BARTLET
I never go to bed that way.
LEO
I know.
BARTLET
Just once, in this job, I’d like to end a day feeling as good as I did when the day
started. [pause] Are you bothered by this?
LEO
The memo?
BARTLET
Yeah.
LEO
Yes.
BARTLET
We’ve heard it all before, Leo. You drive me to political safe ground. It’s not true.
LEO
I know it’s not true.
BARTLET
Good. [heads for his desk]
LEO
You drive me there.
BARTLET
[turns] What the hell did you say?
LEO
And you know it too.
BARTLET
Leo?
LEO
We’re stuck in neutral because that’s where you tell me to stay.
BARTLET
You’re wrong.
LEO
No. I’m not, sir.
BARTLET
You want to do this now?
LEO
Sir?
BARTLET
You came to my house, Leo.
LEO
Mr. President?
BARTLET
You came to my house, and you said, “Jed, let’s run for President.” I said, “Why?”
And you said, “So that you can open your mouth and say what you think!” Where’d that
part go, Leo?
LEO
You tell me, Mr. President. I don’t see a shortage of cameras or microphones around
here. What the hell were you waiting for?
BARTLET
Look...
LEO
Everything you do...
BARTLET
This morning-
LEO
Everything you do says: “For God’s sakes, Leo. I don’t want to be a one-term President.”
BARTLET
Did I not say put our guys on the F.E.C.?
LEO
No sir. You did not do that.
BARTLET
Leo!
LEO
You said -- No! You said, let’s dangle our feet in the water of whatever the hell it is
we dangle our feet in, when we want to make it look like we’re trying without pissing
too many people off!
BARTLET
You’re writing a fascinating version of history, my friend.
LEO
Oh, take a look at Mandy’s memo, Mr. President, and you’ll read a fascinating version
of it.
BARTLET
You brought me in on teachers. You brought me in on capital gains. You brought me in
on China. And you brought me in on guns.
LEO
Brought you in from where? You’ve never been out there on guns. You’ve never been out
there on teachers. You dangle your feet, and I’m the hall monitor around here. It’s my
job to make sure nobody runs too fast or goes off too far. I tell Josh to go to the Hill
on campaign finance, he knows nothing’s gonna come out of it.
BARTLET
That’s crap.
LEO
Sam can’t get real on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell because you’re not gonna be there, and every
guy sitting across the room from him knows that.
BARTLET
Leo, if I ever told you to get aggressive about campaign finance or gays in the military,
you would tell me, “Don’t run too fast or go to far.”
LEO
If you ever told me to get aggressive about anything, I’d say I serve at the pleasure of
the President. [pause] But we’ll never know, sir, because I don’t think you’re ever gonna
say it.
BARTLET
I have said it, and nothing’s every happened!
LEO
You want to see me orchestrate this right now? You want to see me mobilize these people?
These people who would walk into fire if you told them to. These people who showed up to
lead. These people who showed up to fight. [points at Charlie] That guy gets death
threats because he’s black and he dates your daughter. He was warned: “Do not show up
to this place. You’re life will be in danger.” He said, “To hell with that, I’m going
anyway.” You said, “No.” Prudent, or not prudent, this 21 year old for 600 dollars a
week says, “I’m going where I want to because a man stands up.”
[pause] Everyone’s waiting for you. I don’t know how much longer.
BARTLET
I don’t want to feel like this anymore.
LEO
You don’t have to.
BARTLET
I don’t want to go to sleep like this.
LEO
You don’t have to.
BARTLET
I want to speak.
LEO
Say it out loud. Say it to me.
BARTLET
This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.
LEO
Say it again.
BARTLET
This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.
LEO
Now we’re in business!
Leo goes to the table and picks up a pen and writes on a pad.
BARTLET
What’s happening?
LEO
We got our asses kicked in the first quarter, and it’s time we move up the mat.
BARTLET
Yes!
LEO
Say it.
BARTLET
This is more important than reelection. I want to speak now.
LEO
[while writing] I’m gonna talk to the staff. I’m gonna take them off the leash.
BARTLET
You have a strategy for all this?
LEO
I have the beginnings of one.
BARTLET
What is it?
LEO
I’m gonna try that out for a little while.
Leo puts the pad on the desk in front of the President. It reads, “LET BARTLET BE BARTLET.”
The President looks at it and back to Leo as his chief of staff goes back into--
LEO’S OFFICE. The staff are still inside. Leo takes off his jacket and leans on his desk.
LEO
Listen up. Our ground game isn’t working. If we want to walk into walls, I’d want us
running into them full speed.
JOSH
What are you saying?
LEO
Well, you can start by telling the Hill the President has named his nominees for the
F.E.C.
Josh looks surprised.
LEO
And we’re gonna lose some of these battles, and we might even lose the White House, but
we’re not gonna be threatened by issues. We’re gonna put them front and center. We’re
gonna raise the level of public debate in this country, and let that be our legacy.
[turns to Josh] That sound all right to you, Josh?
JOSH
I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.
LEO
[to C.J.] Yeah?
C.J.
I serve at the pleasure of the President.
Leo turns to Sam.
SAM
I serve at the pleasure of President Bartlet.
LEO
Toby?
TOBY
I serve at the pleasure of the President.
Everyone turns their frowns into big smiles.
LEO
Good.
Leo turns to his desk and gets a clipboard. He turns back to his staff.
LEO
Then let’s get in the game!
Toby, Sam, Josh and C.J. exit. Leo walks to a table to get a pen. He looks at the open
door to the Oval Office. He sees Bartlet, who has been standing there watching.
Bartlet nods at him. Leo smiles back before Bartlet walks back to his desk.
DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
* * *