Knife Fight (2012) - full transcript

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ but you must try,

try and try,

try and try ♪

♪ you'll succeed at last

♪ Listen



♪ persecution, you must fear

♪ win or lose,

you've got to get your share ♪

♪ got your mind set on a dream

♪ you can get it now,

hard it may seem now ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ but you must try,

try and try,



try and try ♪

♪ you'll succeed at last

♪ And I know it

♪ listen

♪ Rome was not built in a day

♪ opposition

will come your way ♪

♪ but the harder the battle,

you see ♪

♪ leads to sweeter victory,

yeah ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ you can get it

if you really want ♪

♪ but you must try,

try and try,

try and try ♪

♪ you'll succeed at last

- Governor... we are not, not,

not going to be explaining.

When we're explaining,

we're losing.

Now, we'll protect you from

this bullshit.

We will attack, attack and

attack again.

This is Paul Turner,

former presidential aide and

the guy for politicians

in trouble.

He's called the master

of disaster.

- But I need Sophia

by your side.

- I've got the, uh,

Vermont gov. Calling.

...and this is me,

Kerstin Rhee, his assistant.

I learned more in my first week

with Paul on how it all really

works than in four years

of college.

- All right, O.K.

I'll call you later.

You... don't worry.

Just, just don't.

- Thank you.

- Hey, listen.

- I didn't have much.

Absent father, mother with two

low-paying jobs and my sister

Mary, my big sister, who always

dreamed of becoming a doctor.

But, hard as my mother worked,

she couldn't keep up the

payments on our little house.

And one day the bank came

and foreclosed on us.

Larry Becker was

born to run for office.

He's taken on the wall street

banks, who in return,

have declared jihad

against him.

And he's in a bare-knuckled

reelection campaign against a

crazy ex-baseball player.

- First we moved into a

homeless shelter, but that

wasn't safe.

Eventually we found a tiny

one-bedroom apartment--

the three of us.

- The press will most likely

have questions about Afghan

troop levels, the Travis base

closing, levies, the budget

debates-- just blow through

those questions and pivot to our

message of the day.

- All right, great.

Got it.

Thank you guys.

Ah.

All right, show time.

Stephen Green is the

real deal.

War hero, cares, actually knows

the facts and he's cruising

for reelection against

Duff Campbell, who has none of

those things, but duff does

have good hair and unlimited

money, which is the mother's

milk of all politics.

- My mama struggled day and

night, but it wasn't enough.

Eventually, my, my sister Mary,

she had to quit high school,

get a job as a waitress.

Both of them working just to

provide me with some food,

clothing and a roof over

- What do you say about

Campbell's charge that you're

- What is the air force

going to do about the Travis

base closing? - As a former

Navy seal, what do you think of

the way they handled it?

- Gas prices are at a record

high, companies are making

enormous profits--

what's your response?

- O.K., guys, these are great

questions, I'm going to get to

all these, but my primary

purpose here today is to talk

about our most precious natural

resource, which is our children.

We now live in a country where

over two-thirds of the

population is overweight.

Now 90% of our middle schools no

longer have daily gym classes.

- At night I'd hear my

mama come home from her late

shift at the tanning plant.

As I lay there in bed...

I could hear my mama cry.

And I ask you, how is it

possible that a country that can

afford to bail out the wall

street banks to the tune of over

$2 trillion-- trillion--

how could that country not

afford to have those same banks

from taking away the American

dream from so many hard-working

Americans?

It's just not right!

- This is a crisis.

And it's a crisis that we owe it

to our children to solve.

And the time to solve it is now.

- ...Afghan troop levels,

senator!

- Hey, Reed?

Hey.

Why don't you go fishing for the

three-day weekend, we'll dump

the divorce news after

five on Friday by tipping

the A.P. To the legal filings on

an embargoed basis.

They'll play on the wires after

seven, it's the perfect time for

a document dump.

All right, talk to you later.

He'll live.

- Whoo!

- Ca-ching!

Money shot-- message of the day.

- This one's yours, all right?

Oh, God!

- Sir, are you O.K.?

- Yeah, I'm all right.

All right!

Come on!

- Same thing?

- Yes, yes.

- Now, as I stand here in the

governor's house-- the people's

house-- I am using the power of

this house to help keep the

people of Kentucky in

their houses.

Today I am sending a bill to the

State Senate that offers

real and solid protection from

the kind of cruel foreclosures

that my mama and so many

hard-working Kentuckians

have been forced to endure.

And I'm asking for you to

back me on this.

It's... it's fair, it's decent

and it is right!

...you don't have to do that--

you're an aide, not a waitress.

- It's my pleasure.

And can I ask you something?

- Of course.

- How much of that story you

just told is true?

- Helena...

One hundred percent.

- Really?

- Aw...

Come here.

- Room 1600?

- You're tawny?

- To the rescue.

1600?

- Down the hall to your left.

Hey, could you be a bit

more obvious?

- I thought he was getting a

masseuse, not some starlet

playing a masseuse.

- Hey, she and her company

were vetted.

She had the recs.

- Yeah.

She has the killer bod,

that's the only rec that counts.

You know, come to think of it,

my back feels stiff too.

- Yeah, that's not the only

thing, you jerk.

- In Kentucky, we're going to

the mattresses.

- I've got some ideas

on the statement.

- Well, they'd better be good

because if he goes down,

it's gonna be a four-day school

week there, minimum wage will

drop to 75 cents an hour,

you'll be able to light the

Kentucky rivers on fire.

- How late are we?

- Real time or Paul time?

Exactly on time.

How do you know this person?

- She's my law school

roommate's sister.

But the object is to get in,

get out and get back to the

Kentucky mess.

- Max!

Julia!

- Yes?

- Get me Paul.

Get him now.

- Senator, let's just go

through this bit by bit.

What are we talking about here?

- She's claiming that

we did it.

- Well, did what?

A happy ending, or...

- More.

I'm sure she thinks it'll

get her a bigger check.

Look man, I am dying because of

your photo op and now I'm dying

because of this fucking psycho.

- And what kind of masseuse is

this, like a masseuse-masseuse

or an escort?

- Julia got her from the

speaker of the assembly!

- We're in room five.

- O.K., how many people know

about this?

- Just us.

Come on man, this is--

this could be a career killer.

- O.K., I need 15 minutes

here-- make it 10-- and I'm

on this.

- Look out the door:

Malnourished children,

aids rampant, people looking for

decent jobs-- or any job for

that matter.

The victims of an education

system horribly broken,

and hope, something in extremely

short supply.

- I completely agree and I can

only imagine what it's like to

try to run this every year.

And next year, you're going to

have even less money for

this clinic.

So in terms of fund-raising,

I think I should put you in

touch with some deep pocket guys

in Woodside, Pacific Heights,

Internet do-good-er--

- I want to run for governor.

- Excuse me?

- I want to run for governor.

- Well, I guess that's

one way to solve your problem.

O.K., do you mind if I ask

you why?

- For nine years, I have worked

12, 14 hours a day here,

seeing what's working in our

society and more importantly,

what isn't.

And I'm not just

a physician, I--

- I'm really sorry.

- What do you want me to tell

- nothing from children's?

O.K., we're going to have to

road trip it.

Get in their faces, guilt them

into the transplant.

And ask the O.R. nurses when

Chris Anderson gets out of

his last surgery.

- Sure.

Dim sum on the way back?

- Perfect, thanks.

Sorry. My life.

Anyway...

I'm not just a physician, I also

do community organizing, a job

qualification that didn't hurt

our president.

And uh, not to sound too

immodest, but I think I can make

people's lives better.

- Look, forgive me.

You're Dan's sister and I love

him and you seem like a very

nice person yourself, but I

gotta tell you, and I think as a

doctor you'll understand when

I say this, you need to have

your head examined.

I mean, seriously, because this

is insane.

- Running a free clinic with

what the state gives me,

that's insane too.

- O.K., um, all right, we had

something that came up, so I

don't have a ton of time,

but let me just walk you

through this.

If you are ballsy enough or

crazy enough to do this, I can

promise you an unending barrage

of innuendo, vitriol and lies.

Everything will be on the public

record, from the dope that you

smoked in the 11th grade,

to the blow you did with your

girlfriends during your college

lesbian experimentation period.

There's not one moment of your

past that will not be

scrutinized in

excruciating detail.

- Done?

- Not yet.

After that all comes out and

more, the facts will be twisted,

stomped and exaggerated to the

point that you will no longer

recognize them.

And if that doesn't do it,

new facts will be made up so

they can destroy you.

- Done?

- Not yet.

And then they'll say--

and, I'll say it right now--

what the hell qualifications do

you have to be governor?

- In my job, I work with every

sort of person, a giant array

of problems.

I run a team that daily

produces real, tangible results.

I see our problems up close, and

I think that I can bring people

together to accomplish things--

good things.

- Good things? - Yes.

- Excuse me.

This isn't a high school

service club, O.K.?

Getting elected isn't the

Harvard-Yale debate society

where the best argument carries

the day.

These are steel cage

death matches.

And even if you win-- which,

with all due respect, would be

laughable-- they will

hobble you.

They will shatter you.

The process itself will change

you in ways that you cannot even

possibly imagine.

Is that what you want?

And is that what you want

for you, for your family?

Do you have a family?

- I'm a single mom.

I have a six-year-old son.

- What about the kid's dad?

- Irrelevant.

- Not if you're going

to do this.

Nothing will be irrelevant.

Despite this being the bluest

state in the country, it still

knocked down gay marriage

and the legalization of pot.

Over half of the people in the

state self-identify as

born-agains or regular church

goers-- not exactly the profile

of someone who's going to be

voting for you.

This is a blood sport, O.K.?

I have worked for men who were

shot at in Vietnam and the

campaign literally broke them

down to tears.

A man I loved-- who America

loved-- with the Navy cross and

two purple hearts, sat crying on

my living room couch because of

what the press said about him

and his family.

You're too good a person

for this.

Look...

To win in politics, you have got

to be the person who's willing

to bring a gun to a knife fight.

- Is this your usual pep talk?

- No.

- Well, that's good, I guess.

- No, this one's for friends

and family-- usually it's worse.

- Hmm.

- She wants to be governor.

Oh, man.

- I liked her.

She was cool and sharp and

seemed like she really

wanted it.

- Well, I want to play

shortstop for the giants,

but it's not gonna happen in

this lifetime.

...O.K.

Jimmy, you want to start us off?

- This is our friend tawny

Shearson-- courtesy of YouTube--

at her massage school

graduation picnic.

- So she is an actual masseuse,

this is not a set-up?

- Licensed and with six years

experience.

- Oh, that sucks.

- But with other

experience too.

She had the misfortune of being

arrested twice for prostitution.

The first time she pleaded

guilty and was sentenced to

probation, the other time,

charges were dropped.

- O.K., so we're not dealing

with the virgin Mary here.

- Exactly, and you, sir, are a

war hero who served your country

in the freezing mountains of

Afghanistan while she was

selling her pussy at the Beverly

hills hotel.

So if it becomes her word

against yours, you should be

O.K., that's the good news.

- O.K., tell me the bad news.

- She's a pro and you're on her

massage table in your boxers.

That's our bogey.

- Do we know what she's

asking for?

- Two million.

- Oh, forget that.

Jimmy, could you bring up the

next thing?

We just threw this together,

probably a little early, but we

had to know.

You want to know why you're up

seven points?

This is why.

Soccer moms, 35 to 45,

these are your people.

- No way would I

believe him.

- And if she had a shady past

and was a known and proven liar?

- I don't know.

Someone who looks like that?

He's still a guy.

- Guys do what they're

gonna do.

- And how about if someone told

you that he was in a state of

semi-consciousness because of

all the pain, and that's why he

didn't realize how bad it might

look, him being in there

with her?

- If my husband said something

like that, not only would I

think that he a cheating jerk,

but that he can't make up a

halfway decent lie.

- O.K., they were my people.

- If I told you that because of

a war injury, sometimes he takes

strong pain medication which

makes him drowsy and that's why

this happened?

- Well, that's 10% better,

but 90% pure lame-o.

Come on.

Really.

- They love you when

you're talking about smaller

class sizes, but not so much

when you're trying to explain

away a quickie with tawny.

- I am such an idiot.

- You are anything but.

But you got caught up in some

nasty shit.

We're going to figure out a way

to get you out of it.

- How is she going to

spill it?

- She's got some kinda in

this asshole they brought in to

run KXSF-- Roger Fillmore--

he's practically smacking his

lips on this one.

Not to mention his riding-high

tea party pals.

This is their wet dream.

- So what are they waiting for?

- She's teed it up, but hasn't

given the deliverables.

This is straight-up pay to play.

And even if we do pay, Roger is

still probably going to run

with it.

- O.K., look, we're going to

figure out a way to inoculate

you against this and we're going

to dig up the shit on this girl.

What do you think is the best

- Carl Ludwig at KCOP loves us.

- Or Maggie Darcy?

- I have two words for you.

Peaches o'Dell.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- Can I buy you another coffee?

- No thanks, I've got enough to

last me all night which, at the

rate you're dumping your garbage

on me, is where I'm going

to be again.

- You did a great job with that

tawny mug shot.

- She's a ho.

- She's a ho with a story.

- Yeah, well, like all of us.

- How much did it cost you?

- Nothing.

I did a little thing for an

interpol guy running a buttoncam

video on a dot-com gazillionare.

- A thing?

- A thing.

You don't wanna know, trust me.

And... I got you a

little present.

- This wouldn't have anything

to do with health-related

issues, would it?

- Try everything.

Your buddy in Kentucky--

the ex-left fielder for the

Baltimore orioles, no less--

guess what?

He's mortal.

- I'm heartbroken.

- Yeah, me too.

Who would have thunk it?

Leagues-while-you-were-a-pussy-

in-the-peace-corp,

arrogant prick fuck.

- And this is solid?

- Platinum.

- Actually seen,

or talked about?

- What do you take me for?

- As our friend the gipper

always said,

"doveryai, no proveryai."

Trust, but verify.

- O.K.

Well, no pro-pro-pro--

look at it.

- Wow.

- Yeah.

You can kiss me if you like.

- Irregular heartbeat.

He's had it for years.

And one of the great truisms of

the game is when voters start to

worry about a candidate's

health...

It is a gigantic numbers suck.

But I can't exactly tell a local

news honey I just happened to

sneak a peek at Perkins'

medical records.

- Well, no, I mean,

not like that.

- How, then?

- It's all about how you frame

the narrative.

Look, this is a race about

leadership.

One guy is using his position in

the State Senate...

To conduct a completely

meritless witch-hunt against

a man who has served the public

his entire adult life, a man

who works for the state of

Kentucky 24/7.

Look... look what time we're

talking now.

It's what, it's 3:15 in the

morning your time.

- Yeah.

- What you do...

Is incredibly difficult.

It requires tremendous strength

and stamina.

- Yeah, you're fucking

telling me.

Trying to get my

anti-foreclosure thing...

Through this wing-nut

legislature is like trying to

run a Red Sox flag up in

yankee stadium.

- How's it going?

- Ah, you know, two steps

forward, one-and-a-half back.

And not to sound like some kinda

ad you guys do, but my mama

could've used something

like this...

And if these assholes want a

fight, they're going to get

a fight.

- And it's an incredibly

difficult fight, right?

And look, all we're doing is

asking the voters to compare the

two candidates' health records

and make an informed choice.

I mean, you're going to release

everything you have, right?

I mean, and is there anything in

there that I need to be

worried about?

- Nothing.

- Really nothing?

- Trust me.

Despite decades of avoiding the

gym like that's where you get

dengue fever, I have--

probably unfairly-- been dealt a

pretty good hand.

- I'm going to have my guy look

it over anyway.

And then when we do release it,

every day, at every stop through

every news cycle, we hammer him

to release his.

- What if he doesn't go for it?

- Well, that's exactly

what we want.

More than anything else,

it's the refusal to release that

creates the story.

Look...

Campaigns always come down

to one thing above all else:

Who do you trust?

And by not releasing,

that causes people

to lose trust.

And once you've lost the public

trust, you're a dead

man walking.

- Better him than me.

- And that's just

then we get some credible third

parties down there to just

pound him...

Ask him, "has he ever

failed a steroids tests?"

You think Roger clemens on

steroids was a big story?

How about a guy running for

governor on the juice?

And the nurses are with us...

Big time.

We get them out there, picketing

his fucking office every week

and then we get our blog buddies

to float a story that he may be

suffering from some sort of

S.T.D. And then we put the

flyers on the windshield at the

churches and then we follow that

up with a killer push poll.

- Well, that's nice,

considering he's got none of

those things.

- Well, maybe he has and maybe

he hasn't.

We're just asking questions.

Look, your guy loves to talk

about hitting major league

pitching?

Well, politics is the N.F.L.

And we're gonna hit him

helmet to helmet.

- Let's say he does release

them and people feel sorry

for him?

Then I just look like some kind

of a jerk for bringing it up.

- You didn't know what

was in it!

You're as surprised as

he was an all-star baseball

player, for Christ's sake.

Of course, you feel for him...

And you'll keep him in yours and

Sophia's prayers, but what

you're more interested in

is who's best qualified to lead

a state that nobody could

possibly care about more

than you.

- Got it.

Crazy times, man.

Hey, is it true Stephen green

got a hummer from a pro?

- Where did you hear that?

- I heard it.

- Come on.

- One of green's guys did the,

uh, the webb race with

one of mine.

That makes my stuff look

like a walk in the park.

Was she hot?

- I can neither confirm nor

deny the story.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Was she hot?

- Allegedly, very.

...hey, peaches!

- Really, you're coming to me?

- Always. - Oh, come on.

When I'm looking my worst?

- Your worst is a thousand

times better than most

people's best.

Weren't you a miss-something?

Nebraska? - Arizona.

- Arizona. - Miss Arizona.

Some of us had to get ahead

without the fancy schools.

- Hey, while you were polishing

your tiara, I was busting my ass

on construction sites up

in Minnesota.

- Oh, please.

Didn't you go to Harvard law

or something?

Sounds kind of silver-spoony

to me.

- Try wooden spoon.

My dad was a building trades

union steward.

That's how I got all my cushy

jobs lugging lumber up four

flights of stairs.

- Well, you've got me without

the glam, and as much as I do

enjoy seeing you, I don't think

you came all the way across town

to check me out in my

sweaty gear.

- I have a story for you.

- Oh, stop it.

- I hear that CNN may be

bringing you to D.C. to try you

out nationally?

- Well, it could be.

- Well, this could help.

- Paul, whatever you've got for

me, it cannot be as good as what

I'm getting from Campbell's

guys which, as I understand it,

involves a tasty treat from a

smokin' hot masseuse.

- Well, peaches, of course

we're gonna deny that.

- We are talking about a united

states senator and a purple

heart winner with a documented

history of a bad back--

injured, I might add, in service

of this country.

- Right, and John F. Kennedy

had a bad back, but it didn't

stop him from fucking

Marilyn Monroe.

- This is no Marilyn.

- No, Marilyn was a secret.

And not this baby.

She is hot and she is

mine-o-mine.

- O.K., look.

Like everything else,

there's another side to this.

And I thought that you and I

might be able to work

something out.

- Hmm.

Not friggin' likely.

- O.K. - What?

- I have a friend, who tells me

that your newest anchor Connie

Connor went to a bachelorette

party in Vegas a few years back.

- And?

- Things got pretty wild.

- Oh, yeah!

O.K.

O.K., your friends are good.

These on the net?

- Not yet.

So... some room service?

- Mmm.

- Am I going to love this?

- Do you love me?

- Deeply.

No, show me the spot first.

- I used to

on a mission in Afghanistan,

my helicopter was shot down.

Both of my legs and four ribs

were broken.

The enemy came to finish us off,

but the young officer that I was

transporting single-handedly

fought off an entire squad of

Taliban until reinforcements

could arrive.

I didn't think I'd make it

through that night.

And when the rescue choppers

finally came, that same officer

carried me over a quarter mile

on his back.

By all accounts,

I should be dead.

But I'm not, thanks to one man.

Stephen green fought for me with

everything he had.

And now he's fighting just as

hard for all of California's

families.

I was so very proud

to serve with captain Johnny

Duncan-- a true American hero.

I'm Stephen green and I

approve this message.

- Yeah, it's for that

new cruiser, which costs more

than an aircraft carrier did

when I was coming up.

- Well, somebody will get rich

on it.

- Yeah, you know, I got a

feeling it doesn't even do what

the uh, Navy says it's supposed

to do, but you try to find real

data on it?

I mean, good luck.

Thank you.

- You have a call to make.

Mandy Denton.

- Sounds vaguely familiar.

- She runs commercials

for Campbell.

- Oh, God.

Those cloying, what, "I believe

how a guy treats his family,"

those "Mr. family values till

you want to retch," those ads?

- Yeah, that's her.

- Good night.

- You know what they're doing,

right?

The more they pound family

values, they're just laying

track for you-know-who.

- Scum.

- First class.

But it turns out that Mandy

not only makes the commercials

for Campbell, she also makes

his bed.

It's all one big happy family--

along with Roger Fillmore,

down at KXSF-- but he's really

just a mouthpiece for Campbell

and his 90 million bucks he's

got earmarked to bury you.

- Yeah, family values.

What's Roger actually got?

- He's trying to swiftboat you.

He's got all his guys meeting

with anybody and everybody you

ever served with.

- Yeah? Happy hunting.

What's Mandy's story?

- She's good at what she does.

She's got two kids at home,

the husband's a dot-com guy.

I don't think he knows.

So...

- O.K., Roger?

I want you to blow that

asshole up.

This Mandy thing, kill it.

She's a civilian.

- What is it?

- Talking points for the

governor on his budget.

- And what do you know

about that?

- Six weeks ago, not much.

- O.K., but you can fake it.

- Yeah, it's nothing.

My parents think that I'm taking

some time off before applying to

med school.

And remember, you're not

Samantha, but a guy named Sam.

- Oh, thanks.

- You're welcome.

Don't be pissed.

- Oh, my God.

- Hey, Paul.

- Hey, it's not too late

to call you, is it?

- Ah, no.

- Do you remember the, uh...

- Hi, Paul.

- ...football player who was

wanting to run for mayor

of San Diego?

- Tony Blanchard.

- Right, right...

Right, and doesn't he have a

book coming out?

First and goal,

something like that.

- Let's get him in here.

- O.K.

- O.K., so, ah, 89.

You wanna push it?

8-9, perfect.

Thank you.

Hmm.

You and me, lunch.

- O.K.

- Want pizza, yeah? O.K.

We're going to have to wait just

a second, honey.

Come on.

Hello.

Hey, guys.

...petitions from people who

want me to run.

- Did you have every junkie in

the mission sign these?

- No.

O.K., yes.

But I also got

architects, other physicians,

waitresses, delivery guys,

teachers, painters.

- O.K., look, I have no doubt

those people love you.

But you also need the farmers in

the central valley, the soccer

moms in Concord and the second

and third generation latinos in

San Bernardino to love you too.

Not to mention the golf crowd in

Santa Barbara.

- Hey, I was raised in

Santa Barbara.

My dad was a doctor there

- O.K., well, great, but that's

not gonna help you with your

druggy friends.

And then the other side of that,

your parents' friends don't want

to know about the dirty

needle crowd.

And here's the cold reality:

You have no name recognition.

So how the hell are you going

- that's what the web's for.

There has to be a million people

willing to pay $10 for

real change.

Boom-- there's $10 million

for you.

- California has more local

media markets than any state

in the union.

It costs $2.5 million a week for

a statewide media buy.

$10 million?

Try multiplying that by five

just to get into the game.

- O.K., then I'll get four

that's only 10% of the state to

pay $10.

You got 40.

You know, I gotta, I gotta

believe that one in 10 people

will think for the price of

two frappuccinos,

they'll finally get a governor

who will really change things.

- O.K., I get it.

I'm sure you would be a

great governor.

But I'm in the business

of winning.

- I thought you were in the

business of helping.

- Helping people who can win.

- Hello?

- Would you just, would you,

would you just help me?

Would you, would you think

about it?

- Kentucky.

He loved the talking points.

- I have thought about it.

I'm sorry.

Hey, hey... no.

- Come on, buddy, we gotta go.

- For a girl born in seoul,

she's sure got that Kentucky

thing down... - Thank you.

- Right?

I think it's going to move the

numbers... a little.

- Gimme a break!

- What?

- Look.

- I played professional

baseball for 15 years and was

fortunate enough to make the

American league all-star team

six times and later, I shared in

the highest honor in team

sports-- winning the

world series.

And after that amazing season,

I came home to serve in our

State Senate, where I stood up

for small businesses,

cutting your taxes and cracking

down on bloated pensions for

overpaid and underworked

bureaucrats.

But the greatest honor I could

ever have is going to bat for

all of Kentucky as your

governor.

I'm Justin Perkins,

and I approve this message.

- Oy.

- Yeah, right?

- Now, I don't have an F.B.I.

Badge, but I know blackmail when

I see it.

- As I'm sure you can

understand, we see it rather

differently.

My client has suffered enormous

emotional damage.

Imagine, you're hired to do a

job, you do it exceptionally

well for six years,

then suddenly out of the blue,

you're hit on by a united

states senator.

- Senator green has a

completely different

recollection of these events and

with all due respect,

if it comes down to his word

against your client's,

I think we both know who wins.

- You're a bit overconfident.

Do you have any idea what faces

your boss if he doesn't settle

this case?

A legal colonoscopy without

anesthesia.

- O.K., I want to know

what you want.

- Finally!

What I want is a check--

- sweetheart, please.

Let me handle this.

What Ms. Shearson wants is three

things: $3 million.

What your clients wants--

- wasn't it two million?

- It was two, until your boss

accused my client of extortion--

a million dollar costly mistake.

- Look, even if we were to pay

that outrageous amount,

what guarantee do we have that

we still wouldn't hear this

story from peaches o'Dell or any

of your other media buddies?

- Paul, I keep my promises.

How do you think I built this

law firm?

- O.K.

All right.

This is what I'm prepared

to offer you.

And I really want you to think

because this is as high as it

will ever get.

Zero.

That's my offer.

- Well, I guess we're going to

be hearing a lot more about a

particular senator.

Now, Paul, I want you to

understand this is not a threat.

- You don't have much to go on.

On our side: A sterling silver

reputation.

Your side: Multiple prostitution

arrests.

But we have something that you

don't have.

We have a lab report

from a forensic lab in

Mountain view.

It shows tawny's shirt.

- You want to guess

what's on it?

- I don't think I want to.

- D.N.A., in a stain,

perfect match to your senator.

It seems as if your guy is being

screwed again.

Mr. green, in the bedroom,

with his happy little gun.

- Why did he do it?

- Look, politicians are

politicians because they have

completely interrelated

strengths and frailties.

They can be incredibly committed

to truly changing the world and

also be wildly self-destructive.

- I'll take the first and pass

on the second.

- It's not so easy in

the real world.

The qualities that make a star

politician-- the need for the

spotlight, the quest for power,

the ability to use people then

discard them when you're through

with them-- is the exact same

skill set that enables an

FDR to create the new deal.

Saving the country and having

multiple affairs.

Or eisenhower, liberate a

continent and be carrying on an

affair with his aide the

or president Clinton presiding

over an unprecedented period of

peace and prosperity and then

banging Monica Lewinsky.

- To all of our detriment.

But is this that we gotta have

or just something that we've

just bought into?

- You don't get the outsized

talent without the outsized

weakness.

And look, this isn't a video

game or a TV show.

This is the real thing.

People in power truly impact

our lives.

You know, do they screw up?

Are they perfect?

Look.

Stephen green could be

president, right?

And he would be a great one.

Because of some blackmailing

hooker, are we going to throw

away all of the good that he's

done, all of the good that he's

gonna do?

- Yeah, but still.

- When it gets like this,

you just gotta get revved and

ready and say: W.W.M.D.

What would machiavelli do?

- This better work, man.

- Look at it this way: If it

doesn't, I've got you back on

the road to get in shape.

- I'd rather be riding down

that road on my harley.

A lot more fun.

- What?

- What what?

Looking at the new me,

sweetheart.

- Really?

- Don't sound so skeptical.

I used to be in pretty

hey, I still am in reasonable

shape... sorta.

Oh, come on.

What'd you bring 'em for?

Hey!

- Tony Blanchard.

So nice to meet you, sir.

- God.

The pleasure is all mine.

Tony Blanchard.

I used to watch you all the

time, just in awe of

your talent-- amazing.

- Thank you, thank you.

I appreciate it, sir.

Thank you.

Hey, I hear you're going to be

the next mayor of San Diego.

- Oh... trying, hoping.

- Where did you think I heard

it from?

- Governor!

- Tony, over here!

- Just a few questions.

Governor, do you have any

releasing his medical records

later today?

- Just that it's long overdue.

We both, we both owe it to the

voters to be completely up-front

and open.

As you know, I released my

records over two weeks ago.

But I think if you want to

occupy this fine house, well,

the voters have a right to know

the state of their

governor's health.

- Is having Tony Blanchard with

you today related to

the release?

- Absolutely not.

This is one of the finest

athletes this country has ever

produced and when Tony offered

to take time out of his busy

schedule to come here, I jumped

at the chance.

Not every day you get whooped by

an all-pro.

- Tony, what do you think of

the governor as a jogging

partner?

- I think, and let me stress

think, that I can beat your

governor today.

But if I'm in as half as good

a shape as governor Becker is

when I hit his age, I'll be

one happy guy.

- "His age."

Get off, go, go long.

Want to join us?

- Not in these heels, but have

a good run, governor.

- Thanks, governor.

- O.K., here we go.

- Man, you are fast!

- Not as fast as you and Tony.

- Cheers to that.

- For state senator and

gubernatorial candidate Justin

Perkins, it was a major day

indeed.

Perkins finally released his

medical records this morning and

as we've been reporting,

they showed an

irregular heartbeat.

All over the capitol and,

in fact, the state, this has

been topic number one.

And earlier the Perkins campaign

made every effort to diminish

the damage, including having his

personal physician speak to

reporters here at mercy

hospital.

- Thank you.

Welcome to mercy hospital.

I'm Dr. Ryan Johnson,

I'm senator Perkins'

cardiologist and his

attending physician.

Senator Perkins has arrhythmia,

a condition commonly known as an

irregular heartbeat, a condition

shared by millions of Americans.

He is a former professional

athlete, as everybody in

Kentucky knows.

He is in superb health.

There will be no physical

limitations for him because of

this condition.

- But what about the reports

of steroids?

- Excuse me, one at a time,

- why were his records not

released earlier?

- I'll refer you to the

campaign on that.

Again, he's in superb condition.

His arrhythmia will have

no impact.

- Any evidence of S.T.D.S?

- That's an offensive question

that I won't be answering.

- ...at the same time,

our current governor had a

different take on the

day's events.

- Let me begin by saying that

the issue of a person's health

is far more important than any

political campaign, but this is

really about the public trust.

If the public can't trust you to

be up-front about your own

health, then how can they trust

you with the health of

our state?

Of course, Sophia and I will

have state senator Perkins in

our hearts and our prayers

tonight, when it comes to his

overcoming this very serious

health problem.

...I think if you want to occupy

this fine house, the voters have

a right to know the state of

their governor's health.

- And later in the day,

Tony Blanchard spoke to a

packed-to-the-rafters crowd at

leland middle school and then

afterward, signed autographs.

And for those lucky kids getting

to meet our governor's all-pro

jogging partner, it'll be a day

they remember their

entire lives.

- Lucky!

- And we caught up

with governor Becker as he

attended a talk and book signing

for football superstar Tony

Blanchard at the pine

valley mall.

...some rush there, governor!

- Well, I promised I'd come

hear Tony speak, he's a good

friend and I'm running

a little late.

You know, like everyone else in

America, I cheered when he made

that unbelievable super bowl run

and I'm cheering for him now

that he's setting such a fine

example for Kentucky's children.

- Thanks for your time,

governor.

- Wow.

- It's a Picasso.

- Sure.

A Picasso.

- The escalator was genius.

- And you had the cameras

everywhere they needed to be.

Just a great job.

It's great, a great job.

- Thanks, sweetheart.

I owe you.

Well... that is it for jogging!

- No, no, no.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Once a week, every week until

the campaign ends.

- What?

Can't we just release some

photos or something?

- Just one, because you and I

are going to the Seville bar

later.

- The wine bar?

- The wine bar.

- Seems a little upscale

for you.

- Upscale?

Really, why?

What do you mean?

- The girls keep their clothes

on, for one thing.

- Don't be so sure.

- There's this waitress there

named Lara.

Oh, my God, she's absolutely

gorgeous.

- Is she the new thing?

- Well, actually, she's more

your type.

- Why are we going

to the Seville?

- O.K., Lara, who is becoming

very tight with myself,

has agreed to show

some pictures.

- Really?

- Yeah. - Clothed?

- Kinda, sorta.

- Regarding... bite marks...

Of a certain set of teeth...

From a person of interest.

Regarding a certain fleshy part

of the body.

- What are you still

doing here?

- You're here, boss.

Anyway I love this spot.

- Love it?

- Swiftboat the

swiftboaters, dude.

It's still rough, and my voice,

but we'll get don in here

tomorrow, if you like it.

- Let's have a look.

- Jimmy on computer:

Imagine this: You attend

Annapolis.

You play football there...

And did so well, you had the

chance to go on and play

professionally.

But instead, you turned down the

NFL and went to fight for

your country.

Your leadership was recognized

with the Navy cross and then,

years later, someone begins

knocking on the doors of those

who served with you.

- They came into my house and

started asking me questions

about Stephen green and all the

bad things he had done when he

was a lieutenant in my unit.

Bad things?

There wasn't an officer in all

of Afghanistan as respected as

he was.

- Yeah, they asked me the same

thing, and every time I said

something good about Stephen

green, they wanted

something bad.

This is the guy who put his body

between us and the Taliban.

And what they're doing is

un-American.

So I asked them to please leave

my house.

Far too many of our friends are

buried here.

And it shocks me that instead of

honoring those that fought and

died for this country,

duff Campbell is spending his

money looking for some kinda

dirt that doesn't even exist on

the finest officer I had the

honor to serve under:

Lieutenant Stephen green.

- Fuck you, motherfucker!

- Ohh!

That is a Rembrandt!

Yeah!

Yeah!

Kerstin's still here?

- Yeah, she's on the roof.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- You gonna jump?

- I should.

- Is that the Stephen green

stuff?

- No, it's not that.

Read.

- "I first aspired to go to

medical school when, as a small

child, I would accompany my

Uncle to his small pediatric

clinic in seoul where he was a

beloved figure"-- what is this?

- Well, that's my life.

The cliche of my life.

It's what you do when you're

first generation American and

your parents run a fruit market

in the shadows of Berkeley.

They work, like, 15 hours a day,

just so that one day, you can go

to that very same college.

- And become a surgeon.

- Not just that.

I could be an internationally

renowned concert pianist, or a

Professor in electrical

engineering.

- But you ended up here.

- I thought it was a

good thing.

- Well, I can't offer you a lab

coat, but... the truth of it is,

is that, as fucked up as things

are and as bad as they may seem,

that most people really believe

that leaders can make a

difference.

If you're helping great leaders

get in, aren't you doing a

service?

- Yeah, I know, but...

- It doesn't fit the narrative.

The cliche that we work with

every day.

- Like being the daughter of

outrageously hard-working Korean

immigrants who one day goes off

to Johns Hopkins medical school.

- You broke out of your cliche.

I think that's a great thing.

Look... on election night,

when your guy goes over the top,

the feeling is

un-fucking-believable.

It courses through your veins

like nothing else.

- See, that's what I want

to do, I...

I want to do what you do.

I want to make kings and queens,

but I can't do what you do.

- You can.

And you'll be better than I am.

- No...

I can't.

- Then you'll be a great

doctor...

A Penelope-great doctor.

I'll write a letter of

I'll get the vice-president of

the United States to write a

letter of recommendation

for you.

- I'm sorry, but thank you.

Thanks.

- That photo probably cost him

five grand.

- For you.

- You're kidding.

- Not at all.

I go to meetings all the time

and all I get from them

is a headache.

Now, at least, you'll have

something good to remember our

little talk by.

Sit.

- Well, hopefully we'll be able

to provide a happy memory

of our talk.

- We can all use them, or more

to the point, uh, your man

Stephen green can.

Not happy times for our junior

senator, huh, Paul?

- Well, I don't know

about that.

He's up nine points in the

latest field poll, he's got 16

major newspaper endorsements and

more importantly, he's doing

great things for the state.

- Spare me.

We're in a no-spin zone

here, Paul.

We both know that he's got a

giant bull's-eye painted on his

back and I have a huge fuckin'

archer standing right

behind him.

- But you haven't fired.

- I wanted to see what you had

to offer first.

- You're interested in

our story?

- Of course.

We're fair.

We're balanced.

We're a news organization,

for Christ's sake, Paul,

- Well, I'm not sure

that I agree with any of

those claims.

Our story is that there

is no story.

Nada.

Nothing.

Zilch.

- Mmm.

That's too bad.

Then I guess we'll be hearing a

lot more from miss Shearson.

It's horrible, what that poor

girl experienced.

- Something tells me she's

going to be just fine.

I was hoping you would do me a

personal favor.

I'd like you to kill any stories

with her ridiculous claims.

- You must be joking.

- Not at all.

You see, I've recently become

aware of a waitress at the

Seville wine bar named Lara.

She tells a pretty incredible

story.

- I've never been there.

- The story is, guy comes in,

is drinking, he's interested.

He bites her ass in the bar.

Now, it's, it's-- that was my

reaction as well.

So she tells her friend,

who also works there, and it

turns out, the same guy did the

same thing to her too.

- Really?

- And there's more.

Apparently the guy is so rich--

he was brought in to run a

television station or

something-- that both girls,

looking for opportunities as

people are wont to do in these

tough economic times,

take pictures... - Hmm.

- ...of the bite marks and

what this guy did to them.

I thought you'd want to know.

I can have this story up on

Gawker before I get back

to my office.

Most of the major media outlets

will probably pick it up.

Certainly the chronicle.

Maybe some other television

stations?

But I'm guessing, not here?

- Probably not.

This has been great.

Paul, best.

- Thanks for the mug.

- Absolutely.

- Hey, guys.

- I'd like you to meet Angela.

- Hi.

Sorry, I was working all day,

and Dimitris... - What?

- He spent, like, half your

company's budget on me tonight.

- Just few drinks.

This girl can go toe-to-toe with

the best.

- You look familiar.

- Very good, Jimmy!

There's something in between

your ears besides

unlistenable punk.

Very nice.

O.K., now tell me, from where?

And Paul's disqualified.

Oh, come on, nobody?

- The tawny video,

orange bikini.

- That's my girl.

- It was red and it's my

favorite.

- Red, blue, yellow, who cares?

You looked that fucking

beautiful in it.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome.

- O.K., Dimitris says that you

are a proud graduate of the bay

city school of massage therapy?

- She is the all-star graduate.

She has, she won like the, what,

the president's award or the

iron cross or something--

- Hey.

Hi, I'm sorry.

- Oh, my God!

- I'm sorry I'm late.

- Oh, my God!

I watch you all the time!

You're peaches o'Dell!

You're the best!

You are very sweet to say that.

All I ever wanted to be when I

was a little girl was a TV

reporter and you did it.

Look at you.

And you're like, wow,

you're here, like, right here,

on the couch beside me!

- Angela went to school

with tawny.

- Oh?

What is she like?

- Mean. - Oh.

- Well, she's not always,

but when she drinks, she gets

that way. - Mm-hmm.

- Um, pretty, tell her what you

uh, told me about the Baja.

- Oh, right, yeah.

We were out drinking and, well,

something she did a lot of--

well, but to be honest, kind of

something I did a lot of too--

and we'd had this crazy happy

hour, where we did way too many

Tequila shots at the Baja

Cantina.

You know it?

In venice?

- I don't. - It's awesome!

- O.K.

- So when we left, we passed

this rollerblading place and she

picked up a pair of knee pads

and she said, "these guys--

a ticket to Washington and this

body and I'm golden!"

- Nice.

- But how'd she end up in

Sacramento?

- Oh, she had some thing with,

like a politician dude that she

thought was gonna go like a

week, but then he got elected

speaker of the assembly.

And when he moved his whole

family up there, then he brought

her up too.

- Wow.

- I kinda didn't think much

I didn't think it was that big

of a deal.

But then Dimitris...

- Yes, I did.

- ...found me and it all

came back.

Dimitris found me.

- Would you be willing to tell

this story on camera?

- You want me?

Peaches o'Dell, you want to,

you want to interview me?

- Yep.

- Hell, yeah!

Yeah! Yes.

Absolutely, I would, yes.

- Thank you, thank you.

This is a story that needs

to be heard.

- Yeah.

- Mm-hmm.

Yes.

- Just keeping the media happy.

- Fat and happy.

- Fat?

I don't think so.

- Just be glad you're

not on camera.

Do you know what I think?

- Hmm?

- I think you're running a con.

- I bring you to the best Sushi

restaurant in the town and

this is the thanks I get?

- Are you?

- No hidden microphones or

secret cameras?

- Wanna pat me down?

- Absolutely. - No.

- I think we're surrounded by

the con.

"Tax breaks for the rich will

help the poor, diet drinks will

help you lose 20 pounds and you

snag the man of your dreams.

Paul, please give us the inside

scoop, we promise we'll treat

your guy fairly in the story."

- "And the guy you elect today

will change your world

tomorrow."

- You know the first race I

ever ran was for my dad's

childhood friend, Ron Gerace.

Great guy.

Just very little formal

education, but smart and honest.

He was running for mayor against

a corrupt asshole who had been

in office forever and was

considered unbeatable.

I was, like, 20 and had no

experience, but a lot of energy

and a lot of ideas, but really,

I didn't know shit.

- Like now.

- Even more so.

- But what I did know was that

if I worked hard enough and a

miracle happened and Ron got in,

that the world would somehow be

a better place.

- Did he win?

- He killed.

He was the best mayor

Minneapolis ever had.

So, as corny as it sounds,

if you believe, it happens.

- So what do you believe?

- That if you get the right guy

elected, you are so far into a

place that is beyond running a

campaign or reporting the

news-- you are making the news,

and that's what we dream of.

So, do I believe?

Yeah, I believe.

- Conning me?

- I am not.

It's the truth.

Straight up.

Swear to God.

- Oh, yeah, right.

That'll be the day.

That... that is your God.

You believe in the God

of BlackBerry.

- Please, it's only a tool.

- Right.

Then, don't answer it.

I dare you.

You love that thing more than

- well, that would be crazy.

What are you-- what the fuck!

- It's merely a tool.

- What?

- We did a sweeps piece

I know it looks really weird,

but the rice will bring it back

to life.

- It better.

- Hmm.

- Oh, you have some right

there.

There you go.

- I'm not too much of a vapid

beauty queen?

- I don't know.

Not too much of an overeducated,

BlackBerry-addicted guy running

a con?

- Paul, where the hell

are you?

I've been emailing you

every two minutes!

- You know, I had a long night.

I had meeting after meeting and

then I just lost track of time.

And then I had a BlackBerry

technical malfunction.

It works!

Did you send it to the iPhone?

I'll look at it there.

O.K.

- And we just learned

tonight that a local man claims

his girlfriend is having an

ongoing affair with the

governor.

And he claims he has her diary

to prove it.

- Sounds like this is one

explosive story.

And what was the governor's

response?

- Well, nothing yet, Dani.

And to be fair, this just

came in...

- This is terrible.

We need to get down there.

What's the first flight

we can get?

- Oh, God.

- Fuck a duck!

- No, honey-- you fucked

an intern.

That's why we're all here.

- Has anyone actually

seen the diary?

- Hey, darlin'.

- Do we even know that the

diary's real?

- We don't and if it's

electronic, that would be

a huge break.

Is she a nutter?

- No, no.

She's solid.

I like her.

I mean, I, you know what I mean.

- Paul, as much as I want to

violently disagree with every

single thing, every word,

every syllable, my alleged

husband says, that one thing

is true.

She's the daughter of one

of our professors.

- And?

- And you're not going to kobe

Bryant her, turn her into some

sort of predatory slut.

- We're just getting

started here.

- She may not be perfect,

or even completely innocent,

I have no idea.

But you are not going

to trash her.

- Look, honey--

- no, honey.

You guys trash her and I won't

be there to do my

stand-by-my-man thing and then

you're really fucked.

Honey.

So what do we do?

- Sweetie, we have entered a

deep, dark, unspinnable place.

- Ah, it's nice to know no

matter how bad things get,

there's gonna be a naked girl on

a pole to cheer you right up.

- Try many, many girls, hi.

You object?

- Enjoying.

- That's my girl.

There's a gentleman sitting

across the way in a

football Jersey.

That's the boyfriend.

His name is junior, believe it

or not, junior Conway.

He's here all the time.

- Don't get me wrong, I could

stay here all day, but you've

got to do better than that.

- Patience, my friend,

patience.

- Junior?

He sells coke to everyone:

Girls, customers.

Shit, he probably even sells it

to the cops that come in.

- O.K., what about her?

- I did see her once.

- And did junior there provide

the refreshments?

- Yes and no.

- What do you mean?

- One time we were all,

like, three girls from the club,

junior and a couple of his

buddies-- we were at a frat

party in Lexington, doing a

bunch of junior's blow and he

kept telling her to do it.

- But she didn't want to do it?

- Not really.

She kept saying no and junior

wouldn't let it go.

He was buggin' on it and he kept

saying over and over,

"are you 22 or 62?

Just go for it!"

- Did she do any?

- She did a tiny bit of the

blow and then, five minutes

later, she went home alone.

I mean, if I had to guess,

that was probably the beginning

of the end.

I mean, they're just so

different.

- Did you ever see her do the

drugs again?

- I mean, I barely saw her

- It's go time.

It's do or die,

but it's your call.

- Sophia's going to

go bat-shit.

- You should look at this.

They've made a major ad buy.

It's about to hit.

A guy at the station slipped

it to me.

- Larry Becker wants us to

give him another term as

governor so he can a.) Continue

to use the governor's office as

his personal sex spa...

B.) Use our tax dollars to pay

the state troopers who guard him

when he's on the prowl...

Or c.) Convince you that a girl

just out of high school really

isn't the first mistress of

Kentucky, so he can have four

more years in office?

Is this really the kind of man

you would trust with

your daughter?

Or your state?

- I'm Justin Perkins.

And I'll restore dignity back to

the governor's office.

- I don't know where

to fucking start.

And by the way, since when is

22 just out of high school?

- She could have been 32,

they'd have used the same line.

- Know what's weird?

She's a good girl... really.

- Well, the boyfriend is

asshole central.

Dimitris already got him

getting a 100k payday and double

that if you go down.

- Oh, fuck me.

Six months ago, the only way I

could lose this thing was to get

caught in bed with a dead girl

or a live boy.

Now this.

- So what's it going to be?

Sonny or Michael?

- Sonny.

Go nuclear.

- Bloggers. - Yep.

- TV reporters. - Yeah.

- Talk show bloviaters and

newspapers.

All of them. - Newspapers.

- City, community, college.

I want all of our big guys and I

want every newbie looking to

break in.

- O.K., they're set up.

Got it.

Background-- just follow the

money, it leads straight back

to Perkins.

...listen, I'm doing you this

favor so you don't get

you did all the legwork, but you

definitely did not get this

information from us.

...now this story is yours and

yours only, but remember,

whatever you do, don't source

back to us.

...and remember this is

embargoed for a seven A.M.

Online posting tomorrow.

But you're not giving this to

because, let's face it, my blog

drives the cable coverage.

All the insiders come

to us first.

- No, absolutely, you get the

first pop.

- This is going to be more

when I heard about this story,

I had a blogasm.

- Now you get multiple

blogasms.

- Perkins and his buddies are

rat-fucking Kentucky.

...so we're talking about the

Sunday edition above the

fold, right? - Right.

- So I hear that you two are

Kentucky's answer to woodward

and Bernstein. - Who?

- Never mind.

But I am deep throat.

- Hey, didn't you go to school

with that major anchor in

Lexington, Dani whatever?

- I competed against her.

- Well, that's close enough.

But, if you slipped her the

- we're not exactly friends.

- But you can call her, right?

- Paul.

- I don't understand

what's wrong.

- Paul, shut up and fuck!

- It had been nearly a week

since governor Becker last

answered reporters' questions,

but when he came out of church

this morning, the governor

was finally ready to speak to

the media.

- Governor, would you

like to make a statement?

- Yes, I would.

Uh, more than anything,

these charges are complete and

utter fiction.

John Grisham could have written

this, or better still,

Stephen king, because this has

truly been a horror story for

my family.

And this alleged diary the man

claims to have is just more

fiction, pure and simple.

- And what about

Helena St. John, the woman at

the center of all of

these charges?

- Well, Dani, Ms. St. John

returned to her parents' home

near Boston, where she was

briefly seen yesterday.

- Helena, over here,

we have a question!

Why are you denying the affair?

- Why did you do it,

Helena?

Was all the sex consensual?

Has the governor been in touch

with you?
- Can we get

- Is the governor

going to divorce his wife?

- Helena, are you in

rehab now?
- Helena!

- And Ms. St. John also came up

back home, when we caught up

with the governor heading for a

performance of the good Shepherd

youth choir, run by Lexington

police officers.

- The lady in question is a

good girl, who like so many fine

people, from good families,

fell into that terrible,

terrible abyss of drugs.

I wish her all the luck in the

world in getting her life

together and I know that with

assistance of clergy, she will

be just fine and can become

clean and sober once again.

- That's good.

O.K.

Here's the spot Jimmy just cut.

We're running it at 2,000

points, heavy rotation for the

next two weeks, major cable buy.

Lifetime, Ellen, just buying the

shit out of the mom demo.

- Some things are pretty

darn expensive and it makes you

wonder where all that money

comes from.

The cost of incarcerating a

cocaine dealer in Kentucky for

15 months? $28,313.

The cost of a brand-new pickup:

$34,201, which was purchased two

days after claiming he had a

diary for sale.

The cost of cocaine rehab for a

month? $14,000.

The cost of wall street banks

trying to ruin the reputation of

a man who has served the

commonwealth of Kentucky his

entire adult life: Priceless.

- Booyah, motherfucker!

- I owe you, man!

But you better get your ass

outta dodge.

- Hey, next time you think

about running for office,

try France.

It's a better fit.

Well, merci

beaucoup.

- Taxi'll be here in five.

So you also have the--

- Paul.

You son of a bitch.

I can't fucking believe it.

Here.

When you graduated law school,

you know where I was, right?

- Sure.

You were two years behind me.

- Right, in the same class with

your favorite pal.

I gotta tell you,

I have taken a lot.

- I know you have.

- I'm not sure you do.

My father was an artist who

struggled his whole life to

support us and he told me if I

worked hard, got good grades,

and got into Harvard, I could do

whatever I wanted.

Guess what I did when

I got there.

I fell for one Larry Lincoln

Becker, who dragged me back to

this godforsaken place.

- Godforsaken?

- If you grew up in Brooklyn,

absolutely.

You know, I've been a

I've done my stand-by-your man

thing for a guy who will fuck

anyone-- anything-- in a skirt.

Honestly, it must be so

confusing for him when those

Scottish bagpipers come here

to play.

But it was all between me and

him, but now you go ahead and

you drag this girl through

the mud.

A girl with her whole life ahead

of her?

Is that what it's come to?

- Hey, she did the coke.

- Big deal!

Half of America has done a line

once in their lives.

- And she wasn't raped.

She was a completely willing

participant. - Hardly.

- She knew what the score was.

- What the fuck, Paul?

Is it worth it?

- Let me tell you what

I'm doing.

I am playing to win, so that

your guy gets another

four years.

So that that asshole Perkins--

who is diametrically opposed to

every single issue that you care

about: Foreclosures,

minimum wage, clean air and who

doesn't so much as take a shit

without first having it stamped

and approved by wall street

banks and the mega-mining and

health care industries--

doesn't get to sit where

Larry sits.

- And doesn't it bother you?

The way you get there?

It's just you and me here, Paul.

- Thought you'd never make

it home. - Hi. - Hi.

- Is that more Kentucky stuff?

- No.

Penelope's petitions.

And they're not just petitions.

I mean, they are, but there's

also notes on them.

- Oh, boy.

- For example: "Best doctor

I ever had."

"Yes," followed by four

exclamation points.

"I wish I could sign 10 times,

because you are going to be 10

times better than what we got."

- And 10 times as likely to

get slaughtered.

- Why not Penelope?

There's 101 reasons why she

can't win.

- Yeah, I know.

And they're all really good

ones, but I just feel like if

she won, this world would be a

better place.

Not so?

No?

- I didn't know you were

in town.

- Can I talk to you for

a minute?

- Yeah, sure.

Look, I know that you're still

upset about Helena, but...

This is what happens.

- Paul, Helena tried to

commit suicide.

She took a container full of

pills, but her mother found her.

It happened over the weekend.

They're keeping it quiet.

It's not in the media

and won't be.

But her mother called

to tell me.

And I thought you should

know too.

- I had no idea it would...

I didn't think it would play

like this.

- This is what happens.

- Professor St. John, this is

Paul Turner calling again, um,

I know it's a hard time for you

and your family, but if you

could give me a call at the

number that I left earlier,

that... that would be great.

Thank you.

Hello, Helena.

It's Paul Turner calling again.

Um, look, if you'd like me to

stop calling you, just text me

and I will.

O.K., thanks.

- Please, I just need five

minutes of your time.

Ple-- five minutes and I will go

home, I promise.

Please.

I can't begin to tell you how

sorry I am.

We never should have done it.

I never should have done it.

- But you did.

Why?

Why me?

- I dunno.

No... I do know.

What we do is like a military

guy in Virginia piloting a drone

over Afghanistan and launching

a missile.

It seems like a video game and

there aren't real people

involved, and you hit the fire

button and you're thinking,

"how'd we do?

Did we hit it?"

And sometimes we hit the target,

and other times...

We destroy the building with the

red cross painted on the top.

- It's not right.

It's so not right.

For years, after a bad day at

school, I'd jump on that

trampoline.

And I'd feel better, feel like I

was free, floating in space.

But at some point, my mom would

come out and tell me that I

couldn't stay here all night.

The last thing that I wanted

was to come back to earth.

- And this is a big dose of

coming back down to earth.

- Giant dose.

And my dad teaches power

and politics.

I should've known.

- No. Nobody really

understands power.

I think that's why we all abuse

it so easily.

- I'm sorry, but that's just

not good enough.

Actions have consequences.

And I think you do understand.

- Hey.

You know better than that.

- Oh, yes, I do.

Foreclosure stats and we're

cutting the spot now.

- Good... where's the big guy?

- You got me.

- What's he doing, hiking the

appalachian trail?

- Yeah, something like that.

- We're talking about the most

electronically connected dude on

the planet.

Where the hell is he?

- I have no idea.

...hi, I'm so sorry for calling

you so many times and I know

you're really busy and I called

you yesterday.

- It's fine, really.

- Um, you haven't heard from

him yet, have you?

- I haven't, but if I do I'll

call you or text you.

Are you O.K.?

- Just a little worried.

- Well, I'll let you know

if I do.

O.K., bye.

- I think you need a shot.

- That's my line.

- This is what you're up

against.

Trip Simmons: Internet tycoon

who, after two grueling months

teaching, is running as a public

school teacher, albeit a public

school teacher willing to spend

$45 million, 95% of which is

his own money.

- Serious stuff.

- If you happen to get past him

in the primary, and that is a

gigantic "if," this is who you

will face: Hammering Hank

Harrison, beloved television

star and tea party hero, who is

running as the outsider in this

race in spite of having

$65 million already in the bank

and off-the-charts name

recognition.

- And what do we have?

- You.

- I'm flattered.

But anything else?

- Us.

- Are you sure you're

up for this?

No more appalachian trail

walkabouts?

- You know, I actually was on

the appalachian trail in Maine.

- Well, welcome home.

- So, Jimmy is going to be

following you around 24/7.

He's going to be filming you.

We'll cut together some spots

about who you are, what you're

about, your commitment to

service, your dedication to this

office, that kind of thing.

- And people are going to want

to see this?

- We can only hope.

- Thank you.

Thank you so much.

...in the words of the great

Hubert Humphrey, "I am proud to

be here today to represent the

people who don't always

have a voice."

Those in the dawn of life,

our children; Those in the

shadows of life, our poor,

and those in the dusk of life,

our elderly.

I am proud to be here on behalf

of those who work to make

California work.

The people who build our houses,

teach our children, care for our

sick, put out the fires,

protect our streets, cook our

food, pick our fruit, drive the

trucks and clean our offices.

I am here because we are all in

this together when it comes to

standing tall and standing

strong to fight for the

California dream.

- Field poll.

- Where are we?

- Still in the single digits,

six percent.
- Oy.

- Oh, there's still time.

- While they will protect wall

street banks and lower taxes for

corporations and millionaires,

we will fight for jobs.

- Can you do that again,

but really emphasize, "we will

fight for jobs"?

- While they will protect wall

street banks and lower taxes for

corporations and millionaires,

we will fight for jobs.

And while they will complain

about what is wrong in America,

we will focus on what is right

in America.

Today, our party, which has

saved this nation from

depression, from fascism,

from racism, from corruption,

is called upon to do it again.

This time to save the state from

confusion and division, from the

threat of eventual fiscal

disaster and from those who lack

the courage and vision to

understand that we are all in

this together.

- A little higher.

Yeah, up... yep.

- Now how is it?

- Perfect!

- What do you think?

- I think it's gonna be a knife

fight in a phone booth.

- Protein shakes.

- Are you sure you're gay?

- Nope.

- Then what the hell am I doing

with peaches?

- Peaches?

Peaches?

Is this a thing or a fling?

- We need her.

- We need her?

What if I told you I was

screwing some hair product

reporter because we needed him?

What would you say?

- Is he local or national?

- You would not!

What?

- You gotta get here now!

- No, we'll be there, we'll be

there in less than five.

We're in the mission now,

we're on our way.

- You're going to give them to

me now, huh?

You're going to give me

'cause I will cut your fucking

throat, little girl.

- Excuse me, excuse me!

Hey, hey!

- You gonna give 'em to me now,

little girl, huh?

- Put it down, stop!

Ah!

- You too, Penelope?

You going to fucking dis me too?

Huh?

Fucking dis me too!

- Hey, Tommy, Tommy, marisol is

one of the sweetest,

nicest people I have ever met.

She would never intentionally

disrespect you.

And you know that, right?

- It's not true.

- No, never.

We don't even have the pills you

want, Tommy.

- O.K., Tommy.

Give me the knife, O.K.?

Please.

- No, I need my meds.

- I know.

Give me the knife.

Give me the knife, Tommy.

Please.

Give me the knife.

- No!

- Give me the knife.

- I can't.

- Please.

Give me the knife.

- I need my meds, Penelope!

My meds, Penelope.

- Are you O.K.?

- Yeah.

- We should get you

back inside.

- Holy... shit.

- I'm glad you're O.K.

- I'm fine.

- I'm glad.

I'm, um, so sorry.

Really, really, sorry, you know?

- Don't be sorry.

No, we're just glad that

everyone's O.K. And that Jimmy

called us.

- Yeah, I mean, you were

amazing out there.

- Yeah.
- Incredible.

- No, no.

You see one of the biggest

cliches about this neighborhood.

Normally it's not like this,

really.

You're probably right.

If I can't even control my own

little space, how can I control

an entire state?

Right?

- So this is what you've

wrought: Facebook likes,

1.2 million and counting.

Number of YouTube views of you

taking the knife away from the

crazy person: 4,318,000.

- And counting.

And watch this.

- She's awesome.

She's really inspiring.

- That lady is definitely

walking the walk.

- O.K., you cannot take that

bandage off until the election.

- It's been almost two weeks,

I think it's time.

You've got to give me at least

another month.

- I'll give you a week.

- Sold.

- What the fuck?

- What?

- Check it out.

- Helping the homeless is

nothing new for San Francisco.

We have a long history of it in

our city.

But what is new is a program

one of the volunteers here

has started.

- Exhale.

- Ahh!

- Tawny Shearson is

no ordinary volunteer.
- Out.

- She has started a

special program for San

Francisco's homeless children.

- Well, the idea is why should

only rich children get all the

amazing benefits of yoga?

These kids love it!

They can't get enough of it.

And honestly, I can't get enough

teaching them.

- Tawny Shearson, a woman truly

making a difference for those

who need it most.

Rick Sanchez, KXSF news,

at Saint Mary's church in

the tenderloin.

- O.K., so when she's not

blackmailing us, she's running

for Saint?

- Those guys are good.

- Mandy Denton behind this?

- 100%.

And we violated the number one

commandment in politics-- we had

her down and we did not put

in the shiv.

...all right, when you think of

family, what are the first

- Love, protection,

warmth.
- Security, fun.

- Caring.

A bond, support.

- Strength as a unit.

Shelter.

- That's good.

When we get back-- incoming.

- Penelope Nelson

runs this clinic.

The same Penelope Nelson who

claims she's qualified to be

your governor.

What she doesn't tell you is 28%

of those who come here are not

Americans, but illegal aliens.

And it's all funded by you.

You pay far too much in taxes

already so that Penelope can

spend your money on illegals?

You work hard, you play by the

rules, why doesn't she?

Hank Harrison-- let's make

California great again.

- I'm Hank Harrison and with

your help, we can take back

our government.

- That's good.

- Now it's really incoming.

Tawny's lawyer.

- Erik the red has scheduled a

press conference with tawny

tomorrow at six.

- He'll call it off if we

deliver him $2 million tomorrow

at four.

- Down a million.

- It's still blackmail.

- And the answer is still--

- no fucking way!

- Good, good.

O.K.

Good, O.K.

All right.

First, tawny has a story, but so

does peaches and her new

BFF, Angela.

How is that going?

- All set.
- Good.

And second, starting on the

five o'clock news, we're

launching a saturation buy of

the downed helicopter spot with

your war buddy.

Three, we are making your name

and the word "family"

synonymous.

Think Stephen green,

think family.

- Take all the things that

family means and go from there.

Like love, warmth, strength,

protection, support, caring.

- And with each one of those,

we do a photo and message

of the day.

- Like what?

- Well, let's start with the

last one on the list: Caring.

As in caring for your

children's future.

We've worked something up around

your affordable college program,

which I love, incidentally.

- We'll send you to a school

or something.

- Fourth: Editorials.

Tawny's going to cry to every

reporter with a laptop that

you're a bad guy.

We get editorials saying that

the last thing anybody needs in

this economy is more lipstick

and pig stories.

Everybody should be focusing on

real issues that affect

real Americans.

- O.K., O.K., how about this:

We suggest-- gently, but serve

it on a silver platter--

that tawny is a complete

distraction from real issues and

let them hark back to when

mark twain was a reporter here

and that he could see through

all the smoke and nonsense,

like this smoke and nonsense.

- Mark twain.

They love mark twain.

I love quoting mark twain.

- Well, she actually uses zero

fossil fuels and thus has

zero emissions.

She can go at highway speeds,

and what's more, she was built

entirely by the class you

see here.

- Thank you all for coming.

This is tawny Shearson.

- She's going to tell you quite

a story about a woman wronged by

a United States senator.

- Senator, last month we went

to the California solar

challenge. - Mm-hmm.

- And of the five finalists,

we were the only public school

there, but we won.

And what we're showing here is

that what it takes to achieve in

science isn't all about money.

It's about inventiveness and

creativity and brain power.

All of which this class has

in abundance.

- Well, this is amazing.

This is truly amazing.

And I think I speak for myself,

but I also think I speak

for every senator when I say

that we can learn a lot from

Mr. Quinn's class.

It's truly amazing!

Give yourselves a round

of applause.

- Thank you so much for coming.

- Senator green, senator green.

Are you aware of the press

conference tawny Shearson

just gave?

She's claiming you had

an affair!

- I was just thinking about

something that mark twain once

said which is, "when in doubt,

tell the truth."

Well, here's the truth:

I have a bad back.

I injured it in the service

in Afghanistan.

And I receive physical therapy

for that injury,

including massages.

And during one of those

massages, I crossed the line.

And, uh, here's some more truth:

There is, there's no one to

blame for this but me.

There is no excuse for what

I did.

It was, it was wrong to do to my

family, it was wrong to do to

the people that I set an

example for.

It was just plain wrong, period.

Now, I could stand up here and I

could spin the facts and I could

maybe fool some of you, but I

believe that the people of

California deserve better.

I think that we are all tired of

the spin.

So, I am just here to offer my

sincere apology.

And it is my hope that the

citizens of California will

forgive me for this mistake and

will choose to reelect me.

I promise I will be your

senator, and I will work

tirelessly for the things that

matter most to you, like classes

taught by Matt Quinn here,

where our children are truly

inventing the future.

And to that end, I am proposing

an oil company windfall profit

tax with the revenue providing

the funds for every student in

America with a b-plus average

and above to go to college!

I'm prepared to do everything

for you, as a not-perfect, but a

truly dedicated man, who will

always fight for you.

- ...mission in Afghanistan

when my helicopter was

shot down.

Both of my legs and four ribs

were broken.

The enemy came to finish us off,

but the young officer that I was

transporting single-handedly

fought off an entire squad of

Taliban until reinforcements

could arrive.

- Up, up, up!

Senator, you have jumped

five points!

It is off the charts!

- Whoo!

- On the other hand, tawny is

going to kick ass if she ever

decides to open a chain of

massage parlors.

- Oh, sweet.

Tell him to check his email.

Jimmy just sent us all

a present.

- Check your email, we got

something coming your way.

- And then tawny went

up to the Rollerblade guy and

took two knee pads and she said,

"these guys-- a ticket to

Washington and this body

and I'm golden."

- How did that make you feel?

- Um...

Now that is room service.

- Oh, my God.

Penelope's video just got five

million views on YouTube.

- You see, when you're doing

God's work and you're at the

right place at the right time,

good things happen.

- Best hundred bucks

you ever spent.

- What do you mean?

- What do you mean,

what do I mean?

- What are you talking about?

Does somebody want to tell me

what's going on?

- It's O.K.

- Oh, my God.

I just assumed that

she told you.

Your girl here had me send the

guy to the clinic.

- You did what?

- O.K., in her defense, I gave

the guy a hundred bucks, I told

him to scream and wave the knife

around a little.

In no way... Did I

think that he was gonna take

a hostage.

I didn't think that was

- you gave a junkie a knife?

- Yeah, well, in retrospect.

- Meg Whitman spent 175

million-plus running for

governor.

We spent a hundred dollars and

took Penelope's name recognition

from nonexistent to omnipresent.

Am I fired?

- You are a brilliant,

beautiful woman.

- What happened to the guy?

- He's doing 90 days.

I'll give him another $500 when

he gets out.

He'll send me flowers for such a

nice payday.

O.K., I'll give him a thousand.

- As we've been reporting,

Stephen green had an easy

reelection tonight, but the real

story is right here.

In a gubernatorial race that's

too tight to call between

upstart candidate Penelope

Nelson and Hollywood megastar

Hank Harrison.

- We have really done something

incredible.

No matter what happens tonight,

we have done something

incredible.

-It was a very steep

hill to climb indeed.

Ms. Nelson is going to need a

huge turnout in Los Angeles and

the bay area if she has any hope

of eating into Mr. Harrison's

margins.

Again, very discouraging news

for Ms. Nelson's campaign and

her supporters.

Hank Harrison, one of the

country's most popular

television and movie stars,

has been in the public eye for

over three decades.

And with 76% of precincts

reporting, if he can maintain

that lead, he'll be our next

governor.

We have just learned that Santa

Barbara, San joaquin and

Sacramento counties,

all bellwether counties,

have reported and all three have

gone narrowly for Hank Harrison.

This is a devastating blow to

Ms. Nelson's campaign.

Sacramento must also be

particularly disappointing

for her, as traditionally...

- You O.K.?

- Yeah, I'm O.K.

- ...As goes

Sacramento county, so goes

California.

And we're still waiting for

results from Los Angeles county

and the bay area to come--

O.K.

We just got word, Los Angeles

county has reported and Penelope

Nelson is over the top.

- Hey!

Hey!

- My God!

- What an incredible victory

for Penelope Nelson.

Penelope Nelson, who ran her

campaign on passion and promise,

but so very little money,

will be the next governor...

- Un-fucking-believable.

Un-fucking-believable!

- Thank you!

Thank you!

- Thank you, California!

- And at the governor's mansion

earlier, this was the scene.

- What a feeling!

- Nice!

Hey!

- There she is!

- Thank you, thank you,

thank you.

And you.

Thanks.

- Wow!

- I think it's,

"wow, governor."

- Absolutely!

Wow, governor!

- I got a lot of work to do.

And so do both of you.

- Well, I'm losing her.

I'm losing her to

medical school.

This is her swan song.

- Actually, I'm gonna withdraw

my apps.

- Really? - Really.

- Well, I gotta get reelected

in four years and I can't get

stabbed twice, you know.

- Oh, we'll think of something.

- ♪ mine eyes have seen

the glory of the coming

of the lord ♪

♪ he's trampling out the vintage

where the grapes of wrath

are stored ♪

♪ he hath loosed

the fateful lightning

of his terrible swift sword ♪

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ I've read a fiery gospel

written burnished

rows of steel ♪

♪ as you deal

with my contentment ♪

♪ so with you,

my grace shall deal ♪

♪ let the hero born of woman

crush the serpent

with his heel ♪

♪ since God is marching on

♪ he has sounded

forth the trumpet

that shall never call retreat ♪

♪ he is sifting out

the hearts of men

before his judgment seat ♪

♪ be swift my soul

to answer him,

be jubilant, my feet ♪

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ in the beauty of the lilies,

Christ was born across the sea ♪

♪ with a glory in his bosom

that transfigures you and me ♪

♪ as he died to make men holy,

let us die to make men free ♪

♪ while God is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ glory, glory, hallelujah

♪ his truth is marching on

♪ marching on

♪ marching on

♪ the truth is marching on

♪ the truth is marching on.