THE WEST WING
"WHAT KIND OF DAY HAS IT BEEN"
WRITTEN BY: AARON SORKIN
DIRECTED BY: THOMAS SCHLAMME
TEASER
FADE IN: EXT. THE NEWSEUM - NIGHT
LIVE TOWN HALL MEETING
THE NEWSEUM
ROSSLYN, VIRGINIA
In the alley behind the Newseum, there are waiting crowds and limos.
BARTLET [VO]
Here’s another one. Two politicians are having an argument. One of them stands up and
says, "You’re lying!" The other one answers, "Yes, I am, but hear me out."
The audience laughs.
CUT TO: INT. CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
A monitor shot of Bartlet on stage.
MODERATOR [VO]
Mr. President, do you have time for one more question?
CUT TO: INT. STAGE - CONTINUOUS
BARTLET
I don’t think I answered the last one. Suzanne’s got me telling jokes. Here’s an answer
to your question that I don’t think you’re going to like the current crop of 18-25 year
olds is the most politically apathetic generation in American history. In 1972, half of
that age group voted. In the last election, 32%. Your generation is considerably less
likely than any previous one to write or call public officials, attend rallies, or work
on political campaigns. A man once said this, "decisions are made by those who show up."
So are we failing you, or are you failing us? It's a little of both.
Gina is on a catwalk above the audience, talking to another Secret Service Agent.
GINA
We’re moments away. I’m going to get the door.
BARTLET
. . .there’s a guy on my staff who showed me a report from the Center of Policy
Alternatives that said 61% of your age group agree with the statement "Politicians
and political officials -
In the lobby of the Newseum. Josh, C.J. and Carol stand in the room. Reporters mill-about.
BARTLET [VO]
- have failed my generation. When asked how older generations see you, your answers were
"lazy", "confused," and "unfocused".
REPORTER [OS]
What’s that source?
JOSH
The Center of Policy Alternatives. C.J. will have copies for the bus ride back.
BARTLET [OS]
When asked how you see yourselves, your answers were "ambitious", "determined", and
"independent". [CUT TO: Bartlet onstage] Uh, I want to continue with this, [Bartlet
glances offstage to Charlie, who looks very happy] but there was some debate amongst
my staff earlier today as to whether or not I should take off my jacket. Some thought
that it would fit in nicely with the folksy atmosphere of a town meeting, others thought
that it wouldn’t be presidential. Can I trust you all to read nothing more into it than
I’ve been talking for two hours and it’s a little hot under these lights?
The audience applauds as Bartlet takes off his jacket.
Sam stands at the end of the control room, reading some notes.
BARTLET [VO]
See all that ambition and determination doesn’t translate into political action, Suzanne.
Bonnie walks up to Sam.
BONNIE
Where’s Toby?
SAM
Why?
BONNIE
He’s got a phone call.
SAM
From who?
BONNIE
Peter Jobson.
SAM
Give it to me.
BARTLET [VO]
- that tax burden has crept further and further down the income and age ladder. And
benefits are going more and more to the elderly and well-to-do. Totaling all payments
to individuals...
Toby is watching Bartlet on a monitor in the lobby.
SAM
Toby?
BARTLET [VO]
We spend nine times as much on the elderly as we do on a single child.
Toby turns around. Sam shoots his arm up in the air in a wavy motion. Toby sighs with
relief and turns to look over the railing to Josh standing below.
BARTLET [VO]
No wonder this upcoming generation has turned its back on a government that’s forgotten
them.
TOBY
Josh. [makes the wavy sign to Josh]
Josh is at the bottom of the stairs. He gets Leo’s attention.
JOSH
Leo.
Leo turns around, Josh makes the wavy sign.
LEO
What’s that?
JOSH
It’s the signal.
LEO
I thought that was the signal for the other thing?
JOSH
It’s the signal for this thing, now.
LEO
When did that happen?
JOSH
It happened just... who cares, Leo? It’s the signal for this thing, now.
LEO
So, we’re totally out of the woods?
JOSH
Go tell the President.
C.J. is in the Newseum Press Room, walking behind the rows of reporters.
BARTLET [VO]
Overall entitlement payments have crowded out public investment in infrastructure and
they will have crowded out public investment in education., to say nothing of the general
quality of life. So college kids are facing a future of having to pay higher taxes...
C.J. hits Danny on the back of the head on her way past him.
C.J.
Follow me.
DANNY
Why?
BARTLET [VO]
Today’s young people aren’t exactly living for tomorrow.
C.J.
I have a tip.
DANNY
You do?
C.J.
Yes.
DANNY
Okay.
C.J.
I have a tip and I’m going to give it to you before the others.
DANNY
Are we being watched?
C.J.
No.
DANNY
Then why are we talking like this?
C.J.
I have news.
DANNY
What’s the news?
C.J.
I want you to acknowledge that I’m doing something nice for you.
DANNY
What’s the news?
C.J.
A peace pipe of sorts.
DANNY
Yes.
C.J.
An offering, in one sense.
DANNY
What’s the damn news?
C.J.
Call your science editor.
DANNY
Why?
C.J.
It’s about the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Leo walks behind the audience. As Bartlet speaks, Leo walks up in front of a monitor and
makes "the signal" so Bartlet can see it.
BARTLET
Generation x advocacy group third millennium, 53 of 18 to 25 year olds believe the soap
opera General Hospital will outlast Medicare. This from a generation convinced that the
generation before them has ransomed their generation’s future. That’s why my youngest
daughter Zoey is always mad at me.
The audience laughs. Zoey looks down at her father affectionately.
BARTLET
This is the part where Zoey tries to crawl under a seat to hide. Don’t worry about it,
sweetie, I’ll bring out the baby pictures any second now.
CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE THE NEWSEUM - NIGHT
Crowds cheer on the side. Ron walks up to Gina.
RON
Straight to the car.
GINA
He’s not going to work the rope line?
RON
There’s a softball game the President wants to watch.
GINA
They show softball on TV?
RON
Well, yeah.
GINA
And the president watches it?
RON
He likes to unwind by watching sports on TV.
GINA
Softball.
RON
Whatever’s on.
GINA
Okay. [surveys the crowd]
CUT TO: INT. NEWSEUM AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
Charlie walks up to Josh in the back of the auditorium.
BARTLET [VO]
Strange as it may seem, that was the first time in history that anyone had bothered to
write that down.
CHARLIE
Did you hear that?
JOSH
Yeah.
CHARLIE
He used it.
JOSH
Yeah.
CHARLIE
He used the material I told him about.
JOSH
Yeah.
CHARLIE
You were right.
JOSH
About what?
CHARLIE
It doesn’t go away.
BARTLET [VO]
Thank you, everyone. God bless you, and God bless America.
JOSH
Here we go.
CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE THE NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
Gina speaks into her wrist mike.
GINA
He’s not working the rope line. Straight to the car. I’ve got Bookbag.
Bartlet, the staff, and Zoey walk out to the limos. Gina escorts Zoey to one of the limos.
ZOEY
[to Gina] Baby pictures, he’s heckling me with it. And visa card bills [on her father
walking to the crowd] And look, now he’s working the rope line. If there’s ever a chance
he’s going to walk past a crowd of people. Charlie!
Charlie walks up, while Gina apprehensively looks over the crowd.
GINA
[muttering] I saw something.
ZOEY
By the way, Charlie apologized to me. He made a full apology.
GINA
I saw something!
In the crowd, a troublesome-looking young man looks up at something behind Gina’s head.
Gina turns around in slow-motion to see what he is looking at. Her eyes widen, and she’s
just about to scream...
SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER
* * *
ACT ONE
FADE IN: INT. THE SITUATION ROOM - DAY
12 HOURS EARLIER
Various military personnel are running to and fro. Leo enters and approaches Admiral
Fitzwallace.
LEO
What’s going on?
FITZWALLACE
One second, Leo. [into phone] That was an SA-6? Surface to air? Thank you. That was Jabar
Air Force base in Kuwait, says a Nighthawk didn’t come back.
LEO
Didn’t come back from where?
FITZWALLACE
A three-hour patrol in the No-fly with the Five and Dime.
LEO
Iraq.
FITZWALLACE
Yeah.
LEO
We have an F-117 down in Iraq.
FITZWALLACE
Along with the pilot
LEO
How much of this is confirmed?
FITZWALLACE
None of it.
LEO
How much time?
FITZWALLACE
I'll need ten more minutes.
LEO
Ten minutes, and then I’m bringing in the President.
FITZWALLACE
Confirmation in ten minutes.
CUT TO: INT. THE WHITE HOUSE COLONNADE - DAY
Bartlet and Charlie are walking from the Residence to the Oval Office.
BARTLET
It seems to me that if this event is over by 10:00, then I can be back here by 11, and
you know what that means.
CHARLIE
Yes, sir. It means that you can watch the girls’ softball game.
BARTLET
Did you just snicker when you said that?
CHARLIE
No, sir.
BARTLET
Yes, you did.
As they enter THE OVAL OFFICE, an aide hands him a memo.
AIDE 1
Mr. President.
BARTLET
Thanks, Lou. [to Charlie] When you said Girls Softball Game, you snickered.
CHARLIE
No, sir.
BARTLET
Yes, you snickered. As if to indicate there was something wrong with my wanting to see a
girls’ softball game live via satellite.
CHARLIE
Well, you seem pretty excited by it, sir.
A knock on the door, and another aide sticks his head in.
AIDE 2
They’re ready for you, Sir.
BARTLET
Thanks, Phil. [to Charlie, whom he leads down the hall] I am excited about it! You come
to the end of a long day, you sit back, you open a beer, you watch a sporting event.
That’s what men do.
CHARLIE
Girls’ softball.
BARTLET
If that’s what’s on, then that’s what they watch. It’s either that, or a cricket match
between Scotland and Bermuda. Now, I am an educated man, Charlie, but when someone tries
to explain cricket to me, all I want to do is hit him in the head with a teapot.
AIDE 3 [OS]
Good morning, Mr. President.
BARTLET
Good morning, Patty. [to Charlie] So, it’s softball. Sacramento State versus the
University of the Pacific.
CHARLIE
Well, that’s a clash of the Titans, sir.
BARTLET
Now, you’re not going to spoil my fun.
CHARLIE
I wouldn’t want to, Sir.
BARTLET
I’m going to get back at the end of the day, sit back, open a beer...
CHARLIE
And watch girls softball.
BARTLET
That’s right!
They walk into the West Wing offices. Greeted by more aides.
AIDES
Good morning, Mr. President. Good morning, sir.
BARTLET
Hey, Steve. Hey, Mikey. [to Charlie] Listen, have I got any of the names right so far?
CHARLIE
No, sir, but you came pretty damn close to a couple of them.
BARTLET
Okay.
Charlie and Bartlet enter THE PRESS ROOM, which is filled with aides. C.J. is inside.
BARTLET
Good morning, everybody!
C.J.
[pointing out the stage setup to Bartlet] I hope you don’t mind if we get right to it.
BARTLET
Sure.
C.J.
It’s a town hall meeting broadcast live on MSNBC. For the purposes of this rehearsal,
Carol will be the moderator, she’ll be seated at your right, which is camera left.
You’ll have a pitcher and a drinking glass.
BARTLET
And when I speak, I should stand facing the audience, right?
C.J.
Sir
BARTLET
Do you know how I know this, C.J.? Because I’ve done it 2,000 to 300,000 times before.
[to Sam, who just walked in] Hey, Sam.
SAM
Yes, sir?
BARTLET
Why didn’t the Columbia land last night?
SAM
I’m sorry, sir?
BARTLET
The Space Shuttle was supposed to land last night, someone told me that it didn’t.
SAM
I don’t know, sir.
BARTLET
Why don’t you go ask Toby?
SAM
Why would Toby know?
BARTLET
His brother’s on that flight.
SAM
Really?
BARTLET
He’s a payload specialist.
SAM
I didn’t know that
BARTLET
He’s up there with four red-bellied Japanese newts. He wants to see how a newt’s inner
ears, which are remarkably similar to humans, are influenced by the absence of gravity.
[to C.J.] Do you know what he calls them, C.J.?
C.J.
Astro-newts?
BARTLET
100% right. [to Sam] Go ask him why it didn’t land.
SAM
Yes, sir. Bartlet walks up to Stage and sits on stool. C.J follows him.
C.J.
Okay, Mr. President.
CAROL
Mr. President, the first question is...
BARTLET
C.J., you say I have a pitcher of water and a drinking glass. Now the water gets into
the glass how?
CUT TO: INT. THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE - DAY
Toby is pacing in front of Bonnie’s desk.
TOBY
And the question will go something like this, Mr. President, your administration has
pursued a policy of, what? Constructive engagement...
BONNIE
Yes.
TOBY
...towards China, even though it’s a communist country that has systemically, what,
imprisoned dissidents...
BONNIE
Yes.
TOBY
Okay, oppressed blah, blah, blah. At the same time, your administration has refused to
engage Cuba. Why the double standard?
GINGER
[walking by] Interesting question.
TOBY
Thanks.
SAM
Toby?
TOBY
We need an answer on Cuba. We need an answer on Cuba, and we need an answer on farm loans.
SAM
Toby, college students aren’t going to ask questions on Cuba.
TOBY
There will be faculty there.
SAM
You know, not only did I not know that you had a brother on the Space Shuttle right now,
I didn’t know you had a brother.
TOBY
Yeah.
SAM
I didn’t know you had a brother!
TOBY
I do.
SAM
Do you know why the Space Shuttle didn’t land last night?
TOBY
Why?
SAM
Were you aware that the Space Shuttle was supposed to land last night and didn’t?
TOBY
What do you want from me, Sam? Is there something going on on the shuttle?
SAM
I’ll find out.
TOBY
Thank you. And write me the answer on Cuba.
SAM
Okay.
CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY
Josh is just getting in, and is all over the muffins and coffee.
JOSH
Donna?
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Did you get me the meeting with the Vice President?
DONNA
I did, but you’re not going to be happy.
JOSH
Jogging!
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
We couldn’t really, this time, just sit in chairs?
DONNA
He’s jogging at 2; it’s the only time he could fit you in.
JOSH
Okay, order me boiled chicken and some pasta. Nothing like a meeting you have to carb-up
for.
DONNA
You’re supposed to be at the town hall prep right now.
JOSH
[walking into his office] Yeah, I’m headed to the Press Room.
DONNA [VO]
It started 10 minutes ago.
JOSH
[stopping behind his desk] Donna?
DONNA
[walking inside] Yeah?
JOSH
Where’s my chair?
DONNA
We have to go.
Donna walks out of office. Josh follows her as she goes by her desk.
JOSH
Where’s my chair?
DONNA
What chair?
JOSH
The chair I sit in at my desk.
DONNA
It’s at the shop.
JOSH
At the shop?
DONNA
You said one of the wheels was wobbly.
JOSH
Yeah, you call up a guy in maintenance, he uses a screwdriver.
DONNA
Well, I sent it to the shop.
JOSH
I didn’t even know there was a shop.
DONNA
It’s not so much a shop as it is
JOSH
What?
DONNA
My friend Curtis.
JOSH
Your friend Curtis.
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Is fixing my chair?
DONNA
I’m throwing him some work.
JOSH
And how much is Curtis charging the Federal Government to fix the wobbly wheel on my
chair?
DONNA
He said he’d have to take a look at the job.
JOSH
At his shop.
DONNA
Yeah.
JOSH
Okay.
CUT TO: INT. THE PRESS ROOM - DAY
MANDY
Mr. President, there are more than 40 million Americans without health insurance,
and a majority of them are children. In the first year of your presidency, you
proposed no new...
BARTLET
I proposed
MANDY
...comprehensive solution to the crisis. Can we expect real action in the future, or will
your administration continue to nibble around the edges?
BARTLET
I wouldn’t say my administration is nibbling around the edges.
JOSH
Don’t repeat the phrase, sir, that will be the soundbite. If we don’t have a solution,
the least we can do is acknowledge that there is a problem.
BARTLET
I agree with you that far too many Americans don’t have adequate access to health
insurance, and that far too many of them are children. Yes, we can and we must do more.
LEO
Mr. President?
BARTLET
Hang on. [to Josh] Now can I blame Congress?
JOSH
Knock yourself out.
LEO
Mr. President, I need you in the situation room.
Bartlet nods to everyone and follows Leo out.
CUT TO: INT. THE SITUATION ROOM - DAY
Fitzwallace and the Joint Chiefs of Staff rise as Bartlet comes in.
FITZWALLACE
Good morning, Mr. President.
BARTLET
Is the pilot still alive?
FITZWALLACE
He had an ACES II 0/0 ejector seat abroad.
ARMY OFFICER
NATO command in Brussels says the AEGIS system on the North Dakota picked up a tracking
signal on the south peninsula on the Fao Peninsula, south of Basra.
BARTLET
He’s in the middle of nowhere.
LEO
Who else is out there?
ARMY OFFICER
The fourth corps of the Iraqi RG were patrolling the area.
AIR FORCE OFFICER
Someone is within ten miles of the pilot.
BARTLET
Our guy is ten miles from the Fourth Corps of the Iraqi Republican Guard?
FITZWALLACE
It’s a matter of who gets there first.
LEO
Fitz, you got a rescue scenario?
FITZWALLACE
Yeah, the 16th special operations group out of Hubert Field.
LEO
They use the PAVE Hawks?
FITZWALLACE
And the MH-53J.
LEO
[handing Bartlet photos] These are the special equipped helicopters. They fly treetop
altitude at about 180 knots.
PHIL
Mr. President, can I suggest that rather than jumping into a military rescue mission -
LEO
Oh, please.
PHIL
That a phone call to the Iraqi ambassador
LEO
Bill, you wanna check with the embassy?
PHIL
I’m saying that three hours spent on diplomatic solutions
LEO
I'll tell you what, Phil. How about I drop you and your 47 million-dollar warplane that’s
already been picked up by Iraqi radar in the middle of the desert. Then you tell me if
we’ve got three hours to find a diplomatic solution before we come and get you!
BARTLET
What’s his name?
FITZWALLACE
I’m sorry, sir?
BARTLET
The pilot. What’s his name?
FITZWALLACE
Captain Scott Hutchins.
BARTLET
Where’s he from?
FITZWALLACE
Rhode Island.
BARTLET
How old is he?
FITZWALLACE
26.
BARTLET
Rob told me in my intelligence briefing last week that the Iraqi government has put out
a bounty the equivalent of 14,000 dollars U.S on any American plane shot down, or any
American soldier captured. Now, he was just patrolling the No Fly zone, right?
FITZWALLACE
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
He had not engaged.
FITZWALLACE
No, sir.
BARTLET
Bill, if it ends up that Fitzwallace has to call this kid’s parents, I swear to God I’m
invading Baghdad. [to Fitzwallace] Get him back.
FITZWALLACE
Yes, sir.
CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - DAY
C.J. walks into Leo’s office.
C.J.
Yeah.
LEO
Oh C.J., The Iraqis shot down an F-117 Nighthawk in the Southern No-Fly Zone.
C.J.
Is the pilot still alive?
LEO
Yeah, but he’s caught between a couple of divisions of the Republican Guard.
C.J.
Is there a Pentagon...?
LEO
Pentagon team is coming over to brief you.
C.J.
Is there a rescue mission?
LEO
President gave the order about an hour ago.
C.J.
If the Iraqis shot down an F-117, they’re going to want to tell the world about it.
LEO
Yeah.
C.J.
There’s going to be film of a burning airplane on CNN within two hours, and the press
will have the news before you get done with whatever it is you’ve got going on in the
situation room.
LEO
Which is the problem of conducting a covert rescue mission in this age of instant news.
You understand what I’m telling you?
C.J.
Yes, I do.
LEO
‘Cause there was a problem.
C.J.
Leo, I’m saying...
LEO
There was a problem a few months ago with India/Pakistan, you were uncomfortable -
C.J.
Leo.
LEO
You were uncomfortable lying to the press...
C.J.
I wasn’t lying to the press about India/Pakistan, I was lied to by you, which made me
look like an idiot.
LEO
Well, I’m not lying to you now. Four Mh-53 J Pay-lows carrying 80 guys from the 16th
special ops are out flying under radar.
C.J.
We’re going to pay a price for misleading the press.
LEO
I don’t care.
C.J.
I understand.
JOSH
[enters] Leo, an F-117?
LEO
[to C.J.] You should go to your briefing.
C.J. exits.
LEO
[to Josh] Yeah.
JOSH
An F-117 is a stealth fighter, right?
LEO
Yeah.
JOSH
At some point, we’re going to be talking about how they shot down a stealth fighter.
LEO
You can take that to the bank.
JOSH
Anyway, I arranged a meeting with Hoynes.
LEO
When?
JOSH
In an hour.
LEO
Where?
JOSH
We’re jogging.
LEO
Listen to me. Don’t tell him why it’s bad for us. Tell him why it’s bad for him.
JOSH
I’m not worried about the meeting.
LEO
Come see me after.
Josh exits into the HALLWAY and runs into Toby. They continue walking.
TOBY
An F-117?
JOSH
Yes.
TOBY
How did it get seen?
JOSH
I’m sure that someone is looking into that.
TOBY
I would think so.
JOSH
In it’s defense, the stealth fighter is a generation of technology behind the B-2 Spirit
Bomber.
TOBY
It’s a stealth fighter, it should have stealth capability, right?
JOSH
Yeah.
TOBY
Because if it doesn’t, we should call it something else.
Josh snorts in agreement and veers left to his own office. Toby walks into his OFFICE,
where Sam is sitting on the front of Toby’s desk, waiting for him.
SAM
Hello.
TOBY
Hi.
SAM
One of the payload bay doors would not close.
TOBY
I’m sorry.
SAM
Specifically the starboard payload bay door.
TOBY
Sam, if your ass isn’t off my desk, and I mean stat...
SAM
[getting up] This is not his first shuttle mission. It is his fourth shuttle mission,
Dr. David Ziegler, holding postgraduate degrees in both physiology and biology. Now I
know more about your brother than I do about you, since I didn’t know you had a brother.
TOBY
A payload bay door wouldn’t close?
SAM
I talked to the mission commander, guy name of Peter Jobson, he said the power drive unit
on the starboard pay load door is jammed, they were going to need an EVA to fix it, and
they didn’t want to land till the morning.
TOBY
It’s morning every 45 minutes on the shuttle.
SAM
Morning at Edwards.
TOBY
It’s morning right now.
SAM
The EVA’s taking them a little time.
TOBY
Well, it’s a red-letter day for U.S. Aviation, isn’t it?
SAM
Toby. Peter Jobson was very calm. He said it was a minor problem.
TOBY
All right, then go back to work. C.J.’s going to need the briefing room, so let’s move
prep to the Roosevelt Room as soon as the President is free.
SAM
I don’t believe he’s going to get anything on Cuba, but weíre working out an answer.
Also on teachers.
TOBY
Okay. [as Sam is walking out] Sam? Keep in touch with Peter Jobson and let me know as
soon as it lands, would you?
SAM
Yeah.
Bonnie enters.
BONNIE
Toby?
TOBY
Yeah.
BONNIE
CNN’s got the Nighthawk.
TOBY
Thank you.
CUT TO: EXT. ROCK CREEK PARKWAY - DAY
Josh and Hoynes are jogging towards the Lincoln Memorial.
JOSH
There was a reckless deregulation of the S&L industry by a Democratic Congress, it was
flooded with S&L donations. A disaster which nearly collapsed the banking industry and
cost the taxpayers 500 billion dollars.
HOYNES
What’s your point?
JOSH
We’re no better with the money than they are.
HOYNES
Tell me about it.
JOSH
Three-quarters of all soft money coming to the Democratic party isn’t coming from labor
unions, it’s coming from corporations.
HOYNES
Yes, I know.
JOSH
Over a hundred businesses gave both parties in excess of $125,000 in the last election.
HOYNES
I know.
JOSH
They gave it to both parties! This isn’t free speech or political values, Mr. Vice
President. I don’t know how we’ve done it, but we’ve legalized bribery.
HOYNES
Yup.
JOSH
So, now what we’ve got is two corporate parties - one pro-life, one pro-choice.
HOYNES
Josh, like I said, what’s your point? I mean, what’s your point?
JOSH
We’ve noticed the sudden increase in racquetball and late-night poker games with
democratic opponents of campaign finance reform.
HOYNES
Come on, Josh, this is Washington, DC, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a
democratic opponent of campaign finance reform.
JOSH
Can we stop running for a second? [They stop running] You’re backing the wrong horse.
You read the same polls I do. President’s gone up nine points in three weeks. 51% job
approval - big deal. But he’s going on national television tonight, that’s going to be
another 5 that’s 56%, a 14-point bump in a month.
HOYNES
Look, Josh...
JOSH
Hang on. If we bring this pilot back home alive, that’s another 10 points. And then
we’re off to the races with a job approval rating in the high 60s. Now every Democratic
congressman in a tight race is looking to get his picture taken with the president,
and you’re looking around the racquetball court, saying, "Where did everybody go?"
You’ve had some experience battling Jed Bartlet when he’s right, and you’ve had some
experience battling him when he’s popular. Why in the world would you want to try it
when he’s both at the same time?
HOYNES
You know something, Josh, sometimes I wonder if I’d listened to you two years ago,
would I be President right now? Do you ever wonder that?
JOSH
No sir, I know it for sure. [on Hoynes’ nod] I’m done. Thank you for your time, sir.
Josh walks off, Hoynes gestures to SS agents, and they continue jogging in the opposite
direction.
CUT TO: INT. BRIEFING ROOM - DAY
C.J. enters with military officers to multiple camera flashes.
C.J.
Good Afternoon. A U.S. Air Force F-117-A Nighthawk Stealth fighter attack aircraft flying
a routine patrol out of Al Jabar Air Force Base in Kuwait was shot down over the southern
no-fly zone in Iraq. At this point, we don’t know the condition of the pilot. We do know
that the plane does carry an ACES II 0/0 ejector seat, and that is was activated. General
Richmond and General Clancy will talk more about that in a moment.
REPORTERS
C.J.! C.J.!
C.J.
Danny.
DANNY
Is there a rescue mission underway?
C.J.
Obviously there are a number of scenarios being contemplated, but I wouldn’t want to
speculate.
Leo is watching C.J. through the glass window in the back of the room.
C.J.
We have been in touch with the Iraqi government, and the President is looking for a
diplomatic solution.
DANNY [VO]
There have been no military moves?
C.J.
No.
REPORTERS
C.J.! C.J.!
C.J.
Chris.
CUT TO: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY
Bartlet and his staff are preparing for the Town Hall meeting.
MANDY
You could tag Congress as being obstructionist, but you have to first list your own
accomplishments, or else you won’t have any credibility.
Sam enters.
BARTLET
Expanding healthcare coverage for 5 million more poor children.
MANDY
Yes.
BARTLET
Making healthcare portable for people who change jobs.
MANDY
You can also list the agenda for the coming year.
BARTLET
You know what’s hard about all this, C.J.?
C.J.
Sir?
BARTLET
I’m rehearsing here without the pitcher and glass, it’s totally weird for me.
C.J.
Yeah.
MANDY
How do you feel about him taking off his jacket?
SAM
No.
MANDY
I like it.
SAM
It’ll look staged.
MANDY
Not if he does it at the right moment.
SAM
What’s he going to do, throw it over his shoulder?
MANDY
Maybe.
SAM
I’m also not wild about the hand-held mike. Can we get him wired?
BARTLET
No, because with the mike and the stool, and the jacket thrown over my shoulder,
and I can do the town hall meeting, and then do a couple of sets at the Copa.
Zoey knocks on the door, and then enters with Charlie.
ZOEY
Hey.
BARTLET
My musical director, Zoey Bartlet.
ZOEY
Are you working?
BARTLET
We’re down to do I or do I not take my jacket off.
He goes out into the HALLWAY to talk to Zoey.
ZOEY
Do you want to know what I think?
BARTLET
I honestly couldn’t care less. Listen, I want you to come with us tonight.
ZOEY
Dad, I was... are you sweating?
BARTLET
I’m fine.
ZOEY
Are you sure?
BARTLET
Yeah.
ZOEY
Did you take your pills?
BARTLET
Zoey!
ZOEY
Fine, then, go ahead and collapse.
BARTLET
Are you channeling Mom, now?
ZOEY
Dad
BARTLET
Come to Virginia tonight.
ZOEY
I can watch on TV.
BARTLET
It’s not like being there in person.
ZOEY
You’re going to talk about me, and the camera’s going to go on me, and my face is going
to turn red, and it’s just going to be awful for me.
BARTLET
Bonus. Then it’s settled.
ZOEY
Listen. Charlie wanted to say something during prep.
BARTLET
Okay.
ZOEY
I’m going to go see Mom.
BARTLET
And you’re coming tonight.
ZOEY
Yeah.
BARTLET
Thanks. [to Gina, who’s waiting near the door] Gina.
He goes back into THE ROOSEVELT ROOM.
BARTLET
All right, everyone, we’re done. Thanks very much.
STAFF
Thanks, Mr. President. Thank you, sir.
BARTLET
Charlie, Zoey said you had something you wanted to mention?
CHARLIE
I’m sorry, sir?
BARTLET
Zoey said you had something you wanted to mention.
CHARLIE
No, sir.
BARTLET
Are you sure?
CHARLIE
Yes, sir, there was justI’m sorry, sir, there was just a misunderstanding.
BARTLET
Okay.
SAM
Mr. President?
BARTLET
Yeah?
SAM
I was thinking that it might not be a bad idea to have a signal worked out.
BARTLET
A signal for what?
SAM
Good news regarding the pilot, if it comes while you’re on television.
BARTLET
What kind of signal did you have in mind?
SAM
Something like this.
He makes a slow, upward wavy motion.
SAM
Very subtle, very simple.
BARTLET
What is that?
SAM
It’s departure. It’s a safe departure. Would you like a different signal?
BARTLET
No, that one’s good.
SAM
Should I spread it around?
BARTLET
Well, I think it’s going to get around all by itself, but if you want to help it along
a little, there’s nothing wrong with that.
SAM
Thank you, Mr. President.
Bartlet makes the signal to Sam, who makes it back at him.
CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - DAY
Josh enters.
LEO
Hey, Josh.
JOSH
What’s going on?
LEO
I just talked to Hoynes.
JOSH
Is he in?
LEO
Yeah. He’s on board. You did a good job.
JOSH
Good.
LEO
Josh?
JOSH
Yeah.
LEO
Did you happen to say to him that if Scott Hutchins comes back alive, there’ll be a ten
point bump?
JOSH
I did.
LEO
I gotta tell you, if the President ever heard about that, he’d be out of his skin.
JOSH
Leo.
LEO
Even in private!
JOSH
I was just...
LEO
The guy’s been blown out of the sky! He might be seriously injured. For sure he’s in an
Iraqi desert with no water. He’s got to keep radio silence because we’re for sure not the
only ones looking for him, and if they get to him first, all he gives them is his name,
rank, and serial number, they’re going to beat him.
JOSH
They’re going to torture him. This is to say nothing of the 80 guys in a helicopter who
are going to get shot at if they’re picked up underneath the radar.
JOSH
You’re right.
LEO
I know the President’s been joking around all day. But he’s been living and dying with
this every hour, and I know he’d be really offended if he knew that you were discussing
a political upside. And I gotta tell you, Josh, as a guy who flew planes in the war,
I was really offended, too.
JOSH
Yes, sir.
LEO
Okay.
JOSH
Okay.
LEO
Now, you did good today. I’m just saying that there’s a way to be a person.
JOSH
I apologize.
LEO
Your apology’s accepted.
Leo semi-reaches out, Josh moves in for a hug.
LEO
[stopping him] What are you doing?
JOSH
It looked like you wanted to hug me.
LEO
Oh, man, did you read that wrong.
JOSH
Okay.
LEO
[stops him as he’s leaving] Hey, Sam was here before. We’ve got some kind of signal?
JOSH
Yeah, for if we know something during the town hall.
LEO
Could be days.
JOSH
Maybe not.
LEO
What is the signal?
JOSH
It’s this. [demonstrates the signal]
LEO
What is that?
JOSH
It’s the signal.
LEO
It looks like a hip-hop gesture.
JOSH
It’s, uh, a plane taking off.
LEO
Doesn’t look like a plane taking off.
JOSH
[repeats it again] It means something good has happened. [does the signal going down
instead of up] This means something bad has happened. [does the signal going up]
This means something good has happened.
LEO
I’ve got it.
JOSH
You don’t have to be a cryptographer.
LEO
I said I’ve got it.
JOSH
Leo. I really do apologize.
LEO
Thank you.
CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY
Charlie catches up with Zoey and Gina.
CHARLIE
Zoey, can I talk to you for a minute?
ZOEY
Yeah.
CHARLIE
I can’t believe you did that.
ZOEY
You needed prompting. I can’t believe you chickened out.
CHARLIE
I didn’t chicken out. And I didn’t need prompting. It just wasn’t appropriate.
He leads her into JOSH'S OFFICE.
CHARLIE
I don’t have the same relationship with your father that you have, I don’t have the same
relationship that the staff has.
ZOEY
I don’t think it’s out of line for you to put your two cents in.
Josh walks in.
JOSH
Hi.
CHARLIE
I’m sorry, we were just using your office for a minute.
JOSH
You can keep fighting in just a second, I just need to find something.
ZOEY
I also don’t think it was out of line for me to stick up for you, since you were clearly
chicken.
CHARLIE
Zoey, I work in a building with the smartest people in the world...
Josh goes to sit down on his non-existent chair and Zoey and Charlie watch him fall to
the floor. Gina pops her head in, concerned.
JOSH
[sitting up] Donna!
Donna enters.
DONNA
Hi.
JOSH
How you doing?
DONNA
We should get something temporary so that doesn’t happen.
JOSH
Yeah.
Charlie and Zoey walk out.
CHARLIE
Anyway, I wish you wouldn’t do that anymore.
ZOEY
Okay. But you’re wrong. I’ll see you later.
CUT TO: INT. TOBY'S OFFICE - DAY
Sam approaches and knocks on door.
TOBY
Come in. What do you know?
SAM
Listen...
TOBY
Sam.
SAM
No, it’s not... Cathy’s getting Peter Jobson on the phone for you, he’s going to tell
you about this.
TOBY
Sam.
SAM
There was a screw-up when they closed the door. They were doing something, which is
called a manual winch op, which means they disconnect the motor from the door, and
somehow either as a result of that, or of something completely unrelated, the two OMS
engines are failing. OMS are the orbital maneuvering systems.
TOBY
Do you know if they have primary RCS?
SAM
That’s what they’re trying now.
Toby nods tersely.
SAM
Toby. If this were at a certain level, they would call the President.
TOBY
Yeah.
SAM
Seriously.
TOBY
Yeah.
SAM
Anyway, Cathy’s getting Peter Jobson.
TOBY
Before, when you first asked me, the reason I reacted the way I didI was just embarrassed.
Cause honestly, I forgot he was up there. They had switched his mission order around a
couple of times and I just lost track of it.
Cathy enters.
Cathy
Toby, Peter Jobson’s on line 5.
Toby picks up the phone.
TOBY
[to Sam and Cathy] Thank you.
Sam and Cathy leave. Toby starts to talk on the phone.
CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - DAY
Bartlet is lying on the couch. Charlie enters.
CHARLIE
Mr. President?
BARTLET
Yeah?
CHARLIE
Admiral Fitzwallace told me that he’s on his way over.
BARTLET
Thanks.
CHARLIE
Would you like anything?
BARTLET
No. Hey, what was it that Zoey was talking about before?
Bartlet gets up, pulls pills out of his pocket, and drinks them with a glass of water
on his desk.
CHARLIE
It was nothing, sir.
BARTLET
What was it?
CHARLIE
It was uh, it was a report that’s been sitting on your desk for a few weeks.
BARTLET
It has?
CHARLIE
Well, my desk, really. And so, I was reading it, and so I was reading it, and during
prep this week, you’ve been having discussions with the senior staff about youth
participation in the political process. You were saying...
BARTLET
What’s the report?
CHARLIE
It’s from a group called the Center for Policy Alternatives. And there’s some things
that hit home with me, and I mentioned it to Zoeyy, and that’s why...
Mrs. Landingham enters, interrupting.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Mr. President?
BARTLET
Yeah?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Chairman Fitzwallace.
BARTLET
Thank you.
Mrs. Landingham exits.
BARTLET
Charlie, whatever it is, stick it in my briefcase, would you?
CHARLIE
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
Thank you.
Fitzwallace enters as Charlie is leaving.
FITZWALLACE
Charlie.
CHARLIE
Sir.
FITZWALLACE
Mr. President.
BARTLET
Fitz, do you have any news at all?
FITZWALLACE
Actually, I think I might have something in a minute. They’ll put the call through here.
BARTLET
Okay.
FITZWALLACE
Mind if I wait with you, sir?
BARTLET
No.
Fitzwallace sits on the couch and Bartlet in the armchair.
FITZWALLACE
How you feeling?
BARTLET
I feel fine.
FITZWALLACE
Yeah?
BARTLET
Yeah, I feel fine.
Fitzwallace looks down at the carpet.
FITZWALLACE
The eagle on the seal in the carpet. In one talon he’s holding arrows, and in the other
an olive branch. Most of the time, the eagle’s facing the olive branch, but when Congress
declares war, the eagle faces the talons. How do they do that? You think they’ve got a
second carpet sitting around in the basement someplace?
BARTLET
I don’t know.
FITZWALLACE
Maybe this piece in the middle cuts out and they do it like a basketball court.
BARTLET
I honestly don’t know, Fitz.
Mrs. Landingham comes in.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Excuse me, Chairman, that’s your call, the blinking light.
FITZWALLACE
Thank you. I’ll stop bugging you in just a minute Mr. President. [into phone] Yeah?
Thanks. [to Bartlet] Mr. President, I have Captain Scott Hutchins on the phone, he’s
cleared Iraqi airspace, and he’s on his way to Tel Aviv.
BARTLET
Fitz...
FITZWALLACE
Congratulations, Sir.
BARTLET
The kid’s all right?
FITZWALLACE
Sprained ankle.
BARTLET
Well, that’s, that’s a job awfully well done, Mr. Chairman.
FITZWALLACE
Thank you, Mr. President.
BARTLET
I owe you one.
FITZWALLACE
No, that’s not how it works.
BARTLET
All the same, I’m going to check out that thing with the carpet.
FITZWALLACE
Talk to the pilot. [goes to leave]
BARTLET
Seriously, I’m going to get an answer for you on that.
Fitzwallace leaves, Bartlet picks up the phone.
BARTLET
Captain Hutchins, this is President Bartlet. How’s your ankle? Good. Now before you say
another word, give me your parents’ phone number. I never get to make this call.
CUT TO: INT. THE BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT
C.J.
Radar officers aboard the Minneapolis monitored Captain Hutchins as his plane went what
is called "Feet Dry" south of the 33rd parallel.
REPORTERS
C.J.!
C.J.
Katie.
KATIE
Did we use Saudi Arabian airspace, and if so, was it with the Saudis’ permission?
C.J.
We did use Saudi airspace, we flew secretly on the way in, they were informed of the
mission on the way out.
REPORTER
Is that when the British were told?
C.J.
That’s when the British were told.
REPORTERS
C.J.!
C.J.
Folks, it’s a few minutes after seven. Most of us have to pile into buses to get over to
Arlington. All this material will be covered in much greater detail at the Pentagon
briefing, which will take place 30 minutes after our return. That’s all for now.
C.J. exits as the reporters call her name. Danny gets up to go after her.
CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
CAROL
Nice!
C.J.
I have to congratulate you, Carol. I was afraid I was going to see Saudi Arabia spelled
with a ‘y’.
CAROL
C.J., I’m a much better speller than you give me credit for.
C.J.
Yes. One "l" in Tel Aviv.
CAROL
Okay.
Danny catches up to them.
DANNY
C.J.!
C.J.
In my office.
They go into C.J.'S OFFICE.
C.J.
Danny, I don’t even want to hear it. I did exactly the right thing. Your nose is bent out
of joint, and I don’t give a damn.
DANNY
You looked at me point-blank and told me you were looking at a diplomatic...
C.J.
Danny...
DANNY
You looked at me and told me...
C.J.
What did you think I was going to do, Danny? Give you longitude and latitude? Did you
think I was going to fork over the radio frequency that we’re transmitting on?
DANNY
You didn’t have to answer the question.
C.J.
I did!
DANNY
You could have said, "Danny, we’re not ruling anything in or out, and I’m not going to
let you take me down that path" and we would have been done with it.
C.J.
Danny, if by standing up and lying, I misdirected Iraqi intelligence for even half a
beat, then it was absolutely worth it. That’s a no-brainer. And if I didn’t, it was
certainly worth trying. There were only 50 people in the world who can’t understand why
I lied this morning, and they all work in the White House pressroom. I’m sleeping fine
tonight.
DANNY
You didn’t have to call on me. Every hand shot up, everybody’s hand shot up, everybody
was going to ask the same question, you knew what your answer was going to be, and you
called on me.
C.J.
Well, yes, I did.
DANNY
And you wouldn’t have rather done that to a journalist that’s been less supportive of
this administration than I have?
C.J.
No, I chose you.
DANNY
C.J., I’m not staying in the penalty box forever. I’ve covered the White House for eight
years, and I’ve done it for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and
the Dallas Morning News! And I’m telling you, you can’t mess me around like this.
C.J.
Danny, I got to tell you, that was, seriously, that was a turn-on when you said that,
though I don’t know why you decided to be the most haughty on the Dallas Morning News.
DANNY
C.J..
Carol enters.
CAROL
The buses are leaving.
C.J.
[to Danny, who's still fuming] The buses are leaving.
C.J. exits.
CUT TO: INT. OUTER OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT
Bartlet and Leo are exiting.
LEO
Girls' softball?
BARTLET
Womens' softball. It’s going to be great. Mrs. Landingham? I’m watching a live sporting
event from beginning to end tonight.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
And when Sacramento State and the University of the Pacific get together, it’s usually
a barnburner, sir.
BARTLET
You’re not going to spoil my good time for me, Mrs. Landingham.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Oh, sir, I think we both know from experience that’s not true.
BARTLET
Yeah.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You needed to be in the car ten minutes ago, Mr. President.
BARTLET
Do you see me walking out the door?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
No, I see you standing and arguing with a senior citizen.
BARTLET
I’m leaving.
He leaves, with Leo behind.
LEO
Sam’s got some notes for you on Cuba, and some notes on farm loans that I’d like you
to look over in the car.
BARTLET
[handing Leo his briefcase] You know what, I'll be at the car in just a second.
LEO
Yes, sir.
BARTLET
Thank you.
He heads off in the opposite direction.
CUT TO: INT. TOBY'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Bartlet enters. Toby’s looking out the window.
BARTLET
Toby?
No reaction.
BARTLET
Toby.
TOBY
Excuse me, Mr. President. I’m sorry.
BARTLET
You can’t see them, they’re over Australia now. I just spoke with the mission commander.
They’re trying firing something called an RCS?
TOBY
Yeah, it’s the reaction control system. It’s actually 40 separate engines around the
shuttle.
BARTLET
If that doesn’t work, they’ve got about 39 other things they can try. There’s redundancy
after redundancy after redundancy built in. And for good measure, they have Atlantis
warming up on the launch pad. It can dock with the Columbia in about two hours. We can
do that now, Toby.
TOBY
First thing the shuttle does after it leaves the atmosphere is open the cargo bay doors.
That’s what lets the heat out. Once those doors close, they have a pretty short window to
get back before it overheats.
BARTLET
Then they’ll open those doors again.
TOBY
How?
BARTLET
Same way they closed them - with a five-dollar wrench.
TOBY
Mr. President.
BARTLET
When we’re done tonight, you should take the next flight out to Edwards’ Air Force Base,
meet the thing when it lands, stop being a horse’s ass, and talk to your brother.
TOBY
Mr. President. I appreciate you trying to be a comfort, and I appreciate that you have
some understanding of the situation with my brother. But the thing was supposed to land
19 hours ago. Obviously, there’s a problem. It’s space travel, and I don’t believe any
problem is minor.
BARTLET
Shuttle flies itself, Toby.
TOBY
No, it doesn’t, Mr. President.
BARTLET
No, it doesn’t.
Bartlet exits. Toby slowly puts on his jacket and follows him out.
FADE TO: INT. THE NEWSEUM - NIGHT
Bartlet is already on the STAGE.
BARTLET
Thank you, thank you very much. That was a joke about politicians. [audience laughter]
Two politicians are having an argument. The first one yells, 'but you’re lying!' and the
other one answers, ‘yes, I know, but hear me out!"
Gina walks on the CATWALK.
GINA
[to the other agent] We’re moments away. I’m going to get the door.
BARTLET
I don’t think I answered the last one. Suzanne’s got me telling jokes. Here’s an answer
to your question that I don’t think you’re going to like. A man once said this,
"decisions are made by those who show up." So are we failing you, or are you failing us?
[hand shake] A little of both. There’s a guy on my staff named Charlie Young, he showed
me a report from the Center of Policy Alternatives that says that 61% of you agree with
the statement "The older generation has failed my generation". When asked how the older
generation sees you, your top answers are "lazy", "confused," and "unfocused".
Josh watches in the LOBBY.
Reporter
What was that source again?
JOSH
Center for Policy Alternatives. C.J. will have copies for you on the bus ride back.
BARTLET
If I take my jacket off, can I trust you all to read nothing more into it than I’ve been
talking for two hours and it’s a little hot under these lights?
The audience applauds, and Bartlet takes off his jacket.
In the PRESS AREA, C.J. walks behind the reporters. She hits Danny in the back of
the head.
C.J.
Follow me.
DANNY
Why? [follows her]
Bonnie approaches Sam in the CONTROL ROOM.
BONNIE
Where’s Toby?
SAM
Why?
BONNIE
He’s got a phone call.
SAM
From who?
BONNIE
Peter Jobson.
SAM
Give it to me.
Toby in the HALLWAY watches the President talk.
SAM
Toby?
Sam makes "the signal" when Toby turns around. Toby nods in relief. Toby makes the
signal down in the lobby to Josh, and then turns around and sighs in relief.
CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE THE NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
Gina walks out to Ron.
RON
Gina! Straight to the car.
GINA
He’s not going to work the rope line?
RON
There’s a softball game the President wants to watch.
GINA
They show softball on TV?
RON
Well, yeah.
GINA
And the president watches it?
Gina and Ron walk past a menacing looking young man wearing a cap, gray shirt,
and the biggest "Bartlet" button in the world. He watches them pass, and then turns his
attention to an office building window on the other side of the alley.
CUT TO: INT. NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
Bartlet is still on the stage.
BARTLET
They’re telling me that we’re out of time. I just want to mention that at several points
during the evening, I was referred to as both a liberal and a populist, and a fellow
fourth from the back called me a socialist, which is nice, I haven’t heard that for a
while.
CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE THE NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
Gina looks over the crowd apprehensively.
BARTLET [VO]
Actually, I’m an economics professor. My great-grandfather’s great-grandfather was Dr.
Josiah Bartlet, who was the New Hampshire delegate to the second Continental Congress,
the one that sat in session in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776...
CUT TO: INT. THE NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
BARTLET
...and announced to the world that we were no longer subjects of King George III, but
rather a self-governing people. We hold these truths to be self-evident, they said,
that all men are created equal. Strange as it may seem, that was the first time in
history that anyone had bothered to write that down. Decisions are made by those who
show up. Class dismissed. Thank you, everyone. God bless you. And God bless America.
The audience applauds.
JOSH
Way to go.
CUT TO: EXT. OUTSIDE THE NEWSEUM - CONTINUOUS
Gina looks very apprehensively at the crowd. She looks right past creepy looking young
guy, who’s looking right at her.
GINA
He’s not working the rope line. [into wrist mike] Straight to the car. I’ve got Bookbag.
Bartlet and his staff are walking down to the limos.
ZOEY
He used it, you’re feeling good about it, and you’re looking for a way to thank me.
CHARLIE
It had nothing to do with you, and you were still unbelievably wrong.
ZOEY
I accept your apology.
BARTLET
Toby! Walk with me.
TOBY
Yes, sir?
BARTLET
What have you got to say for yourself?
TOBY
About what?
Bartlet makes "the signal".
TOBY
[chuckling] Yes, sir!
In the office building, bad men are loading ammunition. The creepy boy looks up at the
office window. Gina meets Zoey at the end of gate before the limos.
ZOEY [to Gina]
...baby pictures he keeps heckling me with, visa card bills. And look, now he’s walking
the ropeline. If ever there is a chance that he’ll pass a crowd of people...
Bartlet happy as a clam, works the ropeline.
ZOEY
Charlie!
GINA
I saw something.
ZOEY
Charlie apologized to me. A full apology.
GINA
I saw something!
The skinheads in the office building are looking down at the scene. Gina looks around
frantically, spotting the creepy boy looking up at the office building past her head.
ZOEY [VO]
Gina?
The creepy boy turns to walk away and his cap is knocked off, revealing a "skinned" head.
Gina turns around to see what he’s looking at. Charlie turns with her. The skinheads in
the office building raises their guns. Just as the first shot is about to go off,
Gina yells.
GINA
GUN!
Gina turns, knocks Charlie to the ground by the limo.
The skinheads shoots into the crowd.
Secret Service Agents and passersby are scurrying.
Gina pulls Zoey down and shields her from the gunfire, yelling, "get down, get down!"
The agents fire up at the shooters.
Some of them pull Bartlet back and down.
Gina shoves Zoey into the limo.
Josh looks behind the gates in horror.
Agents fire, the crowd screaming and scurrying.
Secret Service snipers fire at the gunmen.
The gunmen fire at the crowd.
Agents shove Bartlet into a limo.
An agent knocks into C.J., who’s standing next to Sam.
A police car’s top. Its light shatters.
Sam tackles [or falls into] C.J., bringing them both to the ground as a limo window
shatters right in front of them.
Firing guns.
Scurrying crowds.
Toby caught on the ground at the bottom of the gate.
Leo being held down onto the ground by SS agents, saying, "stay down!"
Overhead shot of scurrying crowds, one limo towards the background, one, possibly two,
people lying prone, face-down on the ground in front of it.
DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
AGENTS [VO]
Oh, god, we’ve got people down. People down, people down! Who’s been hit? Who’s been hit?
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
* * *