Studio One (1948–1958): Season 8, Episode 30 - The Arena - full transcript

Arriving in Washington, a freshman senator gets an experienced advisor who warns him not to continue a heated feud with his state's senior salon, held over from his father. But later in a drunken jag, he blurts out secret evidence...

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Is he in?

10 minutes before I got here.

Yeah? First impressions?

Young, anxious, attractive.

And married.

Yeah, and married. I knew that.

You're Feeney, aren't you?

Yes, that's right. How
are you, Senator Norton?

- Welcome to Washington.
- Thank you.

Well, well, well,
you're a brave man.

How so?

Well, you start tackling
your labors of office

before your right-hand man
has a chance to cushion you.

Well, here you are.
Start cushioning.



Well, number one,

I don't necessarily go with
your appointments, you know?

You can boot me and
the rest of your staff out

at your discretion.

We'll settle that one right now.

I want you here.

I'm obviously a man of a
vast need of cushioning.

This is my first
federal job, you know,

and it's a little different
when you're not elected,

just appointed by a governor.

Yeah, sure.

Senator Henders
said great store by you.

I don't think I could do better.

Well, I'll do the
best I can for you.

I was with Henders
for 14 years, you know.

Yeah, it's a pity.

How old was he?
Not over 60, was he?

62 next month, if he'd lived.

Well, Mr. Feeney, you
may fire when ready.

Well, number one,
you've got your directory.

This?

That'll serve as your bible
for the next couple of weeks.

It'll tell you everything
you have to know.

I'll go over it later.
Now, let's see.

You're, uh, you're gonna be
sworn in tomorrow, aren't you?

I assume so.

Well, I'd advise a
news conference.

But after that,
don't call any more

unless you have something
important to announce.

Oh, and you better study
up on parliamentary rules.

It's quite possible that
even a first-year senator

will be asked to preside.

Mr. Feeney, you seem
to know your way around.

Senator, you got
yourself a hot assistant.

What about committee
assignments?

Oh, they'll be coming.

What were Henders' committees?

Oh, they were big ones.

Foreign Relations, Armed
Services, Appropriations.

But freshman senators

usually get District of
Columbia committee...

Post Office, Civil Service.

You have to wait your
turn for the big ones.

Excuse me, Senator Norton,

will you be calling a
news conference today?

- Will I?
- For this afternoon.

Set it up, will you,
Betty? Meeting here.

Right.

Well, Mr. Feeney, I am
satisfied with what I see.

Does that go both ways?

Well, give me a couple
of weeks, and I'll tell you.

You're frank.

You'll get used to it.

Well, between you and my father,

I should be reasonably
well-directed.

Your father was quite a
legend around here, wasn't he?

How long was he in the Senate?

24 years?

Yeah.

He had good years
left, a lot of them.

It's a pity.

What's a pity?

You don't know the story?

Well, I've heard
versions of it, yes.

The senior senator
from my state...

That would be Senator Rogers.

That's exactly who it would be!

He kept my father
from being renominated.

And this doesn't sit
well on your father.

Mr. Feeney, I came
here with no enmities

and no preconceived ideas,

other than the basic
ones I share with my party.

But there is one exception.

You share your father's
dislike of Senator Rogers.

That is a mild and tactful way
of saying that "here is a man

who better keep his
distance when I'm around."

Well, that's, uh, that's
going to be kind of difficult.

Why?

Well, he's senior
senator from your state.

Tradition calls on him to
introduce you on the floor.

He'll accompany you in tomorrow.

He'll very likely
make a call here.

Let him.

I'll be out.

Tell Betty I'll be out.

Well, Senator, there are certain
minimum things we observe.

I'll observe the courtesies

as long as it doesn't
involve Senator Rogers.

And when the press boys
put the questions to you

and his name
comes up, what then?

Do you just, uh,
just read him off?

I'll merely tell them

that this is an area I
don't choose to discuss.

Senator.

Senator, the areas the people

don't choose to discuss
around here are very often

on the backyard where
they hang their laundry.

- Now, if I were you, I would...
- Excuse me.

Senator Norton, Senator
Rogers is out here.

Shall I send him in?

Just a minute, Betty.

Excuse me, sir,
Senator Rogers...

I know who he is.

Oh, all right, Feeney.

Tell Senator
Rogers I'll see him.

- Oh, Feeney.
- Yeah?

This afternoon, when
the press is here,

stay close to my
elbow, will you?

Sure.

- Well, Senator Rogers!
- Hello, Mr. Feeney.

Senator Norton, I'm Rogers.
I don't think we've met.

I don't believe we ever have.

I see you have Jack
Feeney in your office.

That's fortunate.
He's a good man.

He seems to know his way around.

Well, he should.

There's a rumor he came
here with Daniel Webster.

Uh, may I sit down?

I won't keep you long.

I know you're probably busy.

I presume they told you

that I'm to introduce
you on the floor tomorrow.

That's what I've heard.

I'll make it very brief.

You'll find it's more or
less custom, that's all.

And if you want anything or have
any questions you want to ask,

just check with me.

I'll do what I can.

I think I've been pretty
well zeroed in by now.

How is your father, Norton?

He's getting old, Senator.

Well, that's nature.

He tires easily.

Also nature.

He misses working, Senator.

He misses his career.

For some men, that
would be just a regret.

But my father, it's a hunger.

This is one we can't
chalk up against nature.

If the shoe fits.

Your father and I had certain
basic political disagreements.

I fought against his nomination.

But I'll tell you this, Norton,

I have no intention of
lumping you with your father,

as far as my attitude
towards you is concerned.

At present, you're an
unknown quantity to me.

It may be that we'll get along.

Senator Rogers, I'll
be comparably frank.

I don't want your
charitable little tidbits.

They may be aids
to your conscience,

but they're no good to me.

Well, well, well, well.

We have a cause now,
after all, haven't we?

I will ask you this,
though, my young friend,

to hold off your attack

until after I introduce
you on the floor.

It's been interesting
meeting you, Senator Norton.

Very interesting.

How about this, Betty? Come
on. We got to eat, you know?

I'm sorry.

Well, you call a certain
time, and no one comes out.

- Hiya, boys!
- Okay, Feeney.

Wait, wait, wait. Now, the
senator is eating his lunch.

He's eating it on our time.

Mr. Humphreys, may I suggest
a protest through channels?

Oh, come on, Jack. What's
your impression of him?

Is he like his old man?

Now, look, boys, all I
ask is a little patience.

Oh, come on, Feeney.

Betty, Betty,
count the ashtrays.

This came from his
father about an hour ago,

just after he went to lunch.

Senator Frank Norton, huh?

A weight thrower.

An order giver.

A banner waver.

A trumpet blower,
and a threat shouter.

You know, you put
those all together, Betty,

they spell "daddy."

- We got a deadline to meet.
- Here you are, Betty.

- For you, sir.
- Oh, thank you, Jack.

- Send them in, will you?
- Sure.

All right, gentlemen.

It's about time, Feeney.

I'm afraid I'd have to give that
question a little more thought

before I'd venture an opinion.

Is that it, gentlemen?

One more question,
Senator Norton.

You mentioned a few moments
ago that your father had no plans

for returning to politics.

That's correct. As
far as I know, none.

Well, sir, there's a
rumor going around

that the governor appointed
you at the request of your father,

without consulting
the senior senator.

Now, wouldn't that mean
that they feel no great love

toward Senator Rogers?

To the best of my knowledge,
the governor appointed me

because he thought
I could do the job.

I'd like to end this
line of discussion

with that statement...

You will admit, sir,
that there's no love lost

- between you and Senator Rogers.
- No comment.

Well, he ranks number-four
in your party, sir.

You must admit he's
a pretty able senator.

- I must admit nothing.
- Then you don't think he's able.

He may or may not
be. I have no comment.

Well, do you consider yourself
sufficiently open-minded

on the subject of Senator Rogers

to support any bill
he might be boosting?

Well, that would
depend upon the bill.

One more thing, Senator Norton.

Senator Rogers was
quoted several months ago

on his television program

and answered to a question
as to whom he thought

were the worst senators
of the past two decades.

He, um, he put your
father at the top of that list,

if you recall, now.

That was a stupid remark!

Completely political in nature!

It was unfair as it
was uncalled-for.

Would you care to comment for
publication, or may we assume

that your last quote sums
up your feeling on the matter?

You may state that
my father served

in the United States
Senate for 24 years.

He was elected and re-elected
on four different occasions.

I think that's a pretty good
indication as to his caliber.

Senator Rogers should check
his mouth, as well as his facts.

Thank you very
much, Senator Norton.

Thank you very much, Senator.

Oh, I'm sorry, Feeney.

They got my goat.

Correction. They found one.

Oh, anyway, I'm glad
it's over, aren't you?

Aren't I what?

Glad it's over.

It isn't over, Mr. Senator.

It's hardly begun.

Jim, your coffee's ready.

When you're finished with your
father's telegram, come on out.

I want to tell you about my day.

I was at that Congressional
wives luncheon.

I happened to remark
to the lady next to me

that, if there's one
thing I really hated,

it was baked potatoes.

I found out later she was the
wife of the senator from Idaho.

Well, you've got
to give him credit.

There are six bills on
the floor of the Senate.

He knows every one of them.

He also knows how he
expects you to vote on them.

Well, he had some suggestions.

They don't read
like suggestions.

They come out with the same
inflection as if he just said,

um, "Son, go up
and wash your face."

- Oh, come on, now.
- Oh, Senator.

Put your head
back on that pillow

and go on telling
me about your day.

What happened at
the press conference?

Well, they asked a lot
of questions, of course,

about, oh, the farm
program and foreign aid...

Things like that.

That's all, hmm?

Well, there were some questions

about Senator
Rogers and my father.

Ah, I thought there would be.

How did you handle it?

Badly, I'm afraid.

At least, Feeney thinks I did.

Oh. I'll see who it is.

I thought I'd turn the
beds down, ma'am.

Please do. Come in.

That's today's
paper. It was outside.

Thank you.

Well, what's it say?

Jim, what did you say
in the press conference

when they asked
you about Rogers?

Hmm.

Let me see that.

That's an auspicious
beginning, if I've ever seen one.

Well, it would please
my old man, anyway.

Is that who you're representing
in the United States Senate?

Hello? Yeah.

It's Dad.

Hi!

Oh, fine. How are you?

Oh, you heard
about it on the radio.

Well, I guess I kind
of blew my top, huh?

Well, I'm glad
you liked it, Dad.

Well, yes, Dad, I...

Yeah.

Yeah, I understand, Dad.

Yeah.

Now that you've seen
part one of "The Arena,"

let's turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.

Yes, if you lived
in some countries,

here's how you might
do the family wash.

Da!

First, you dip the clothes,

and then you beat them and
beat them to get the dirt out.

Something is bound to give,
and, finally, it's the clothes.

Well, it's not quite that bad

when you wash your clothes
in an old-fashioned washer

with an agitator like this, but
they do take quite a beating.

You see those sharp blades?

Well, let's watch
those blades in action

with a regular load of wash.

You see how the
clothes here in the center

really get beaten
back and forth,

but the clothes here at the
outside hardly move at all.

Well, that's why Westinghouse

developed a completely
new way to wash.

First of all, they took
those sharp blades

off the center post, formed
them into smooth fins,

and put them on the side
of the washing basket.

And then they got rid
of the post altogether.

Then the basket was tilted

so that your clothes
would turn over

every time the basket
revolved to get uniformly clean.

And now here it is... The
New Way to Wash in action.

Watch in slow motion

how your clothes are
flushed through sudsy water,

lifted and turned
50 times a minute.

This is complete agitation.

All your clothes are
washed all the time.

And thanks to those smooth fins,

your clothes never
take a beating.

Yes, the Westinghouse-patented
New Way to Wash

gets your clothes so wonderfully
clean and with far less wear.

Now, don't forget you'll
find that New Way to Wash

only in a Westinghouse
laundromat.

So go and see this beautiful,
new deluxe laundromat

at your dealer.

And see its wonderfully
efficient twin...

The Westinghouse clothes-dryer.

And remember, they are
the only completely automatic

matched washer
and dryer made today.

And remember, too...

We return you now to
Westinghouse Studio One

and "The Arena."

If the senator is
referring to the opinion

written by Justice Havenstrab
in the Hope-Jackson case,

- then my good friend is...
- Don't look so worried.

He's been down there
an hour and eight minutes.

Not a scar on him yet.

The distributors of whom
we speak came in last year

and obtained an exemption
from federal control

in a bill passed
by the Congress.

Now, is this not true?

It most assuredly is.

Do I see you nodding,
Senator Norton?

Are you speaking to
me, Senator Rogers?

Well, your name
is Norton, isn't it?

You asked a question concerning
exemption from federal control

passed by the Congress
of the United States.

To my understanding,

this is Bill H.R. 9632,
passed by a yay-or-nay vote.

My colleague is
extremely well-versed.

You no doubt recall

that the area covered
by this particular bill

had to do with
certain principles

espoused by my father,
Senator Frank Norton,

for a good number of years.

Then, if the junior senator
retains his clarity of memory,

he will further recall
that his father's principles

were somewhat, uh,
flexible in this regard.

Senator Frank Norton
attached, uh, riders to that bill,

granting special privileges
to interests in his home state.

These riders were nothing
more than simple pork barrel.

That is simply not true!

The riders were
legitimate extensions

of the bills themselves!

They were legitimate
extensions to a handful of people

in one county in
Senator Norton's state,

but to the country at large,

they had... They assume
no such legitimacy.

I must protest against what
I consider to be an attack

by the senior
senator of my state.

You may protest all you please,
but you will do me the goodness

to observe the rudiments
of parliamentary procedure

by first requesting
that I yield.

All right, then, will you yield?

I shall be very happy to
yield to a reasonable extent

for a question.

The senior senator
mentioned two bills.

The first was a simple bill

withdrawing from control of
the National Forest Service...

Mr. President, I rise
to a point of order.

I yielded only for a question.

My learned young colleague
is making an observation.

If the senator will do
me the goodness...

The junior senator
is out of order.

I think the junior senator
from my state can be excused

for what is, uh,
mere enthusiasm,

rather than a deliberate
disregard of procedures.

These things take time.

I seem to recall that he has
more than a passing interest

in an innate ability to offer
men to keep their mouths shut.

I take it he was sworn in.

Never in the
history of the Senate

have so few caused so
much noise for so few.

Our young man took
the bit in his mouth

and filled 6 1/2 pages of
the Congressional record.

Well, you're back in a hurry.

I was extremely anxious

to get away from the
scene of the crime.

I figured.

Ah, ah, ah, now, let me guess.

You're right.

"Congratulations, son, you've
shown honest guts and fight."

Guts and fight.

Your father admires
those traits, doesn't he?

He always has.

Never give your opponent
a chance to recoup

for a counterattack.

Hit him again and
again and again.

Keep him defending himself.

Pretty good rules,
don't you think?

Well, it's a good rule
for Stillman's Gym,

but I question its application

on the floor of the
United States Senate.

Well, you've got to admit
I had due provocation.

Well, now, isn't that funny?

I would have guessed it
was just the other way around.

This man, this Rogers,

rises on the floor of the
United States Senate,

makes a personal
attack against my father.

What am I supposed to
do, Feeney? Sit there?

If you want to lock horns with a
man like Senator Harvey Rogers,

you ought to check your facts.

By tacking on a couple
of private pet charities,

your father broke the
back of both those bills.

Um, I've got some
dictating to do.

Have Betty come in, will you?

- What's that?
- Message from Rogers' office.

He's going to be on a
television show tonight...

"The Press Looks
at Washington," 8:30.

Says he has a few things to
say which might interest you.

Ah, I'll bet.

Have Betty watch
this, if she can,

and make stenographic
notes of everything he says.

Have her type them up
first thing in the morning

and have them on my desk.

Oh, Feeney.

I know you're here to help me,
but there are going to be times

when I'm gonna have to
look you straight in the eye

and order you to back
off... Not suggest, order.

This is one of them.

This is my fight.

What is this fight with you?

Are you a United States Senator

or the heavyweight
in purple trunks?

Now, I've read a lot
of stuff you've written.

And every bit I've read told me

that here was a guy who
knew what government was.

You've been here just 24
hours, and you act like a puppet,

with strings which extend
all the way back to Daddy!

Back off, Feeney. I mean that!

Yes, sir.

In this area, sir,
that you conflicted so

with Ex-Senator Frank Norton?

Norton, for one, and others.

I always felt that theirs
was a brand of politics

that went back to the old days

when you traded
a turkey for a vote,

instead of a promise to
govern and govern well.

It was the difference
in the sense of values.

Yes, sir. Now,
what about his son?

Well, as to Senator
James Norton,

I'm sure his motives
are of the highest,

but thus far, he
has shown himself

to be a man like his father,
who will fight for an issue

because he likes to fight,
not because he likes the issue.

If I do him an
injustice, I'm sorry.

But this is my impression.

Thank you, Senator.
Now, one other question.

- Jim.
- Not now, Margaret.

Hello?

Yes, this is he.

What newspaper?

Yes, I saw the program.

I have no comment.

Jim.

He's made a career out
of hounding my father.

Now it's passing over to me.

He knows we're two of a kind.

And he knows more than I do.

What do you mean by that?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

Hello?

Yes.

That's right. I have no comment.

Operator.

Will you see to it
there's no further calls

put through here this evening?

Unless they're from
members of my staff.

That's right. Thank you.

Margaret, you're like Feeney.

You seem to think I
should dodge an issue just...

That's just the point,
Jim. It isn't an issue.

It isn't a bill or a
law or a philosophy,

the kind of thing
you're here for.

All you're doing and all you've
done since you've been here

is defend your father.

Well, Jim, has it ever
occurred to you that...

You dislike him, don't you?

I don't dislike
your father, Jim.

You dislike him because
he seems a little loud,

a little arrogant.

But you don't
know him, Margaret.

And you do, I suppose?

Most of your life you
spent in school, Jim,

while he was in the Senate.

I know this is a man with
a concern for the people.

Concern for the people.

That, Senator, is not
a unanimous feeling.

Nothing in politics is
unanimous, my dear.

So if you're going
to be so small that...

That all you can
see is his arrogance...

I've never disliked
him for his arrogance.

And I've certainly
never resented the fact

that he's a man full of regrets.

I pity him for this, Jim.

I pity him because he has
to brood the rest of his life.

What I do resent... The
thing that I resent the most

is that your father has tried
to mold you into his image.

Nonsense, Margaret,
and you know it.

All he's tried to do is to...

Is to show me who
my enemies would be.

And your friends.

Has it ever remotely occurred
to him that you have friends?

My father's always said,
"When it comes to politics..."

Don't quote him anymore
to me, will you, Jim?

I'm... I'm fed up
with his quotes,

with his sayings,
and his little homilies...

and his hatreds.

And I have a big regret, too,
Jim Norton, a very big regret.

It's simply that I wish
you were fed up, too.

My learned young
colleague stood there

extolling the virtues of
the Kelly-Fulsome Bill,

and in three minutes,
turned around and denied

the very essence
of the bill itself.

That is simply
not the case at all!

Does the senator favor
federal controls in this area,

or does he not?

We have an abiding interest
in anything that he wants to say,

but too often in
the past few weeks,

I have found him quite
incapable of consistency.

I want to make this
clearly understood.

I did not yield.

Well, then, will you yield now?

I will not because I will
not allow this, uh, debate

to go into areas that
are totally irrelevant.

Is the Senator trying to
impose a one-man cloture here?

Mr. President,

will the senior senator
yield a privileged motion?

I yield.

Pursuant to the previous
order, I now move

that the Senate stand in recess
until 12:00 noon tomorrow.

Mr. President, is it understood

that I am to have the floor
when the Senate reconvenes?

We adhere that following
the morning hour tomorrow,

Senator Rogers
will be recognized.

Hey!

Hello, sir.

Who are you?

Me?

I'm the United States
senator from Alaska.

I thought I recognized you.

Are you here to repeal
the 18th Amendment?

Exactly, sir.

I am Jack Feeney by name.

I'm a senator builder.

Hmm.

Now, you take my latest protégé.

He was a passable lawyer.

He should make a
good senator, but he ain't.

And you want to know why?

He's got a father complex.

He's frightened.

He's bitten into a rotten apple,

and he'll die before
he spits out the worm.

So here I am getting
drunk, saying to myself,

"Feeney..."

"Feeney, why don't you
help this young man?

Why don't you show
him all the ropes?

Why don't you show him a rope
he can hang his opponent with?"

"Feeney..."

"Feeney, you could
get Rogers off his back

by just saying the right words."

"But you're not
going to say them."

Good night, madam!

And don't take any
wooden congressmen.

Jack.

Somebody gave
you the wrong dope.

Senators don't get
paid for overtime.

Hey, you look tired.

You also look scared.

I am.

Both.

I made a fool of myself
on the floor today.

He outmaneuvered me, Feeney.

Made me keep harping on the
one point he knew I couldn't prove.

How am I so stupid?

Oh, you're not stupid.
You're just young.

And I'm just drunk.

- Oh.
- Have some coffee, Jack.

You know the thing that sticks
in my craw is that here you are

having to take all this guff
when all you really have to do

is get up on the floor and
say, "Look who's talking."

What do you mean?

Just dig back a couple of years

and come up with
a nice, little plum,

and you say, "Look at
this man, fellow senators.

Look what I've got here.

I've got a little information

about this outstanding, upright
senior senator from my state.

It says that the right,
honorable Mr. Harvey Rogers

was formerly a
member in good standing

of an organization
known as the Vindicators."

"Now defunct."

"And now also

on the Attorney
General's subversive list.

The right, honorable
Mr. Harvey Rogers

was once a member of an
outfit that hated everybody

who didn't come
over on the Mayflower,

and that includes a lot
of names, a lot of people,

a lot of colors,
and a lot of ideas.

So the next time Mr. Rogers
gets up to take a swipe at me,

just remember to
consider the source.

That's all, my friends.

Just consider the source."

Hello, get me Senator
Norton's suite quickly, please.

He... Hello, Mrs. Norton?

This is Jack Feeney
in your husband's office.

Now, look, Mrs. Norton,
when your husband gets home,

tell him to forget it, will you?

Yeah.

Yeah, he'll know all about it.

Just tell him to forget it!

Tell him I was drunk, and I
didn't know what I was saying.

Now, please, Mrs. Norton.

Tell him to forget it.

And now let's pause a moment

and turn to our Westinghouse
program and Betty Furness.

Yes, she's been going
round and round that full skirt,

trying to iron it smooth.

It's just got to be
right for the party.

Now look.

It's too dry, and she's gonna
have to dampen it again.

Oh, it's such a bother.

It's so much easier
ironing with a steam iron.

See how fast it goes.

It just seems to sail
right over the cloth,

and it leaves
everything so smooth.

But don't think for a minute

that every steam iron
works as well as that one.

You see, some steam irons
have just a couple of vents

at the tip of the
soleplate like this.

Now, others have a few more,

but the Westinghouse
has 15 vents

that go way down
the soleplate like that.

And so, well...

here is the width of the
steam path from that first iron.

It's not very wide, is it?

And there's the second.
It's a little bit wider.

But look.

The Westinghouse iron gives
you more steam over a wider area.

And that means faster,
easier ironing and pressing,

and better dampening, too.

In fact, you save strokes
on every piece you iron.

Now, I'm gonna prove
that to you by holding

this Westinghouse iron over
this aluminum cookie sheet,

so you can watch
the steam come out.

Just watch.

There.

Do you see that wide,
smooth path of steam?

Now, that's why you
get faster, easier ironing

and better dampening.

It's wonderful for the
new miracle fabrics.

And this can be a dry
iron, too, you know.

All you do is just
turn the dial to "dry."

And wait till you hear this.

This new Westinghouse
Steam 'n Dry Iron is now yours

at a new low, low
price of only $14.95.

So go and get your
Westinghouse steam iron

and turn out those summer
cottons as smooth as silk.

And remember...

We return you now

to Westinghouse Studio
One and "The Arena."

I've been waiting
for you all morning.

Have you?

Where are you going?

The airport.

Why?

To meet my
father. He's flying in.

I phoned your hotel all last
night until 2:00 this morning.

- Did you?
- Now, look, Senator,

this won't take long,
but I need your attention.

I need it very badly
at the moment.

Go ahead. You got it.

- Well, I was drunk last night.
- Don't apologize.

I'm not apologizing
for being drunk.

But I am sorry for
acting like a drunk

and saying things I
had no right to say,

for giving you information
that will destroy an old man.

Feeney, you make it sound

like the third act of
a bad melodrama.

Now, look, you can't do this.

Now, listen to me, Feeney.
Listen to me for a minute.

Have you any idea what
it's like to sit in that Senate

day after day after
day and get whipped,

get beaten down, get
outtalked, intimidated,

and made to look like a fool?

Do you know
what that feels like?

I guess I do.

All right, then.

Suddenly I'm handed a weapon,

something to use
on my tormenter.

Now, look, if you're
gonna start using names,

you better check the facts.

Senator Rogers is no tormenter.

He's got a temper like yours.

There are times when he isn't
very selective in his language.

But he doesn't make you
bleed because he happens to like

- the color of your blood.
- Why does he do it, then?!

Because I think he figures
you're a lousy senator.

Like my father.

Exactly.

All right.

We'll see how good the
senior senator is, then.

Now, look, that information
never should have left my mouth.

Somebody tried to sell it to
me once, and when the seller

got as drunk as I was,
they spilled it for nothing,

and it's been up here
for a long, long time.

- And it's never come out.
- Why did it come out last night?

Because I was drunk!
Because I was sorry for you.

That's right, Senator,
I-I felt sorry for you.

Way down inside my
drunken soul, I dug deep.

And I came up with what
seemed like a nugget.

That's all right, Mrs. Norton.
You can listen to this, too.

I was just telling your husband
that... No, that's not right.

That's not what I'm doing.

I'm asking him...

I'm pleading with him
to forget what I told him.

- Look, Jack, I've got to meet...
- No, you've got time!

You've got time to listen to
how to save a man's reputation!

Now, don't use that nugget
I gave you, Mr. Senator.

Because it isn't
a nugget at all.

It's just a piece of mud.

But it's the truth.

I know it is. I
know it's the truth.

I spent a lot of
hours last night

in a lot of devious
channels, but I confirmed it.

Every devious channel I know
in this town leads up in a sewer.

Listen to him, Jim. He's
talking sense to you.

I'm giving you more
than sense, Senator.

I'm giving you basic truth.

There's a line of
decency, of ethics,

you don't cross over in
this town or in that Senate.

Once you cross over that line
carrying your big, dirty stick,

then every name you call,
all the rotten things you do,

you can sew them together
and wear it as a coat

because it'll fit you.

Margaret, I'll... be
down in the lobby.

I've got two minutes.

If you have anything to say
to Mr. Feeney, do it quickly.

If you want to excuse me or
justify me or cut me to ribbons,

do it quickly, will you?

You know, there are
moments in a man's life

when he should be able
to just lie down and die,

quietly, unobtrusively,
and simply.

Just die.

I'll do what I can, Mr. Feeney.

What will you do?

Well, I-I lead a very
orderly life, Mrs. Norton.

I plan it in segments.

Number one... I type
out my resignation.

Number two... I go
to see Senator Norton.

And number three... I get drunk.

He's waiting for
you, Mrs. Norton.

Is that you, Mr. Feeney?

Yes, sir.

I'm sorry I'm late.

Well, go on, Mr. Feeney.
Tell me the worst.

I take it that most of what
you have to tell me is the worst.

Senator Norton has some
information about you...

Something you did
a long, long time ago.

Go on.

Well, it's the kind of
information that, once out,

well, it could be
very serious for you.

You mean destructive
and irrevocable, huh?

That's exactly what I mean.

And now it's for me to plumb
the depths of my memory

and see if I can
figure out what...

What is this nefarious
action of mine

that is suddenly to be
brought into the light.

As a matter of fact, I don't
need to plumb very deep.

All these years, I've
thought it hidden,

knowing that it was
just around the corner,

ready to show its
miserable, ugly face.

The Vindicators. That's
what you mean, isn't it?

That's what I mean.

I joined it during the...
During the Depression,

when a man was too
frightened to do much thinking.

This was an outlet, an excuse,

a-a convenient way
of finding a scapegoat.

One of the tragedies of
our time, Mr. Feeney...

There are so many
scapegoats available.

It didn't seem too
important at the time.

Most of us didn't
have the foresight

to know that what was
stupid 25 years ago

could be dangerous
2 1/2 decades later.

But you came here
tonight, even so.

Well, I happen to think

you've made up for this
one many, many times.

It was decent of
you, Mr. Feeney...

Wonderfully,
incredibly decent of you.

Tell me,

where did Senator
Norton get this information?

Well, he got it...

He got it from me.

You're an unhappy
man, Mr. Feeney.

People in the
middle generally are.

Two separate and
distinct loyalties,

each pulling at you
from different directions,

and which way do you go?

Thank you for
coming, Mr. Feeney.

You want to sit down?

No, thanks, Dad.

Now, let me get this straight.

You bring me all the
way here, 1,000 miles,

to ask me what is
patently a stupid question...

Shall you use the information?

That's right.

And yet you point-blank refuse

to tell me what
the information is.

I do, Dad. I must.

Well, I find your reticence
difficult to understand.

I helped you get
this appointment.

You recall?

I recall the governor
appointed me.

He respected your talent.

I won't deny that.

But I'm not a lightweight
when it comes to influence, Jim.

You want the answer
to one question.

There's only one answer.

In politics, a man has to use

every single possible
weapon in his possession.

If he doesn't,
he's a bloody fool.

In politics, you have to fight,

you have to brawl,
you have to claw.

You... You... You
have to hit low.

Have you always felt that way?

Why not?

Politics is only a
form of dirt farming,

where you raise
careers out of muck.

A man can spend 24
years serving in the Senate,

and this man can be a giant.

But politics dictates
that even a giant

can be thrown aside
by a mob of midgets.

Who might they be?

The soulless, brainless,
dull, oxen-like mob.

You give them a full gut,

and all you ask in return
is an "X" on the ballot,

and they turn on
you like a hound dog

and kill you with the very
thing you handed to them.

You worry about
morals in politics, my son.

Look for it in the
residue of my political life.

What have I got?

An empty, meaningless life.

An old age full of memories.

A career that just
stopped. It didn't end.

A purpose, a meaning, a
hope all stamped into the ground

by this man you have such
compunctions about hurting.

Take this information,
whatever it is.

Use it like a bomb
on Monday morning.

Explode it in Rogers' face.

Rip him apart with it. Make
him crawl out of that chamber.

I'll think about it.

If you think about it,

you'll eventually thank
me for some good advice.

I think I've taught
you something, son.

I think you have, Dad.

Yes.

I think you have.

Yeah.

There he is.

Senator Norton.

I'm sorry, gentlemen, I
have no statement to make.

Can you tell us what
you'll say to Rogers next?

I have no statement.
I'm very sorry.

- Thank you, Senator.
- Thank you very much, Senator.

Wish me luck.

Oh, Mr. Senator, I've been
talking to the majority leader.

He says McClintock's name

will be brought up for
confirmation next week.

- Now, the way he sees it...
- George,

I'm making an announcement
on the floor this morning.

About what?

About a wire that I'm
sending my governor

announcing my
intention to resign.

What?!

Harvey!

Mr. President,

I ask unanimous consent
that, following quorum call,

we may, uh, have the customary
morning-hour transaction

of routine affairs

with the usual limitation
on speeches to two minutes.

Without objection,
it is so ordered.

Mr. President.

The chair recognizes
Senator Rogers.

Mr. President, I
rise for the purpose

of making an
announcement to this body.

I have here...

Will the senior senator from
my state yield for a question?

I yield.

Senator Rogers,

my question is a carryover
from our debate here on Friday.

At times, you
objected to the nature

of some of the
remarks in that debate.

You suggested quite pointedly

that we should refrain
from personalities.

Now, my question is...

what if there are certain
aspects of a man's personality

that have a bearing

on his qualifications
to debate an issue?

Are you suggesting
that these facts

not be introduced
into the debate?

If these facts are pertinent,

I would not question
their admissibility.

What did I tell
you? Here it comes.

Would the Senator think back
to his remarks about my father?

In retrospect, does he now
feel them to be pertinent,

or would he, at this
time and for the record,

consider withdrawing
some of those remarks?

Now I've heard
everything. It's blackmail.

What my learned young
colleague does not seem to realize is

that, at no time,
have I ever attempted

to injure a fellow senator
or a fellow human being

for the sake of
rendering injury.

If I have been critical of
an individual or outspoken,

the criticism was leveled at
their beliefs and their actions.

I have attacked
no one as a person.

I have attacked
many as bad senators

and ineffectual legislators.

And as far as this goes,
Senator, those remarks hold.

Then, Senator, I will
now ask you to yield.

I yield.

Will the Senator excuse
me for taking his time?

I find I have nothing
further to add.

I withdraw my
request from the floor.

Hello, Senator.

Hello, Mr. Feeney.

Am I permitted
to ask a question?

Sure. Go ahead.

Why didn't you use it?

I don't know.

I really can't say.

You know, Feeney,
when I sat down,

I-I looked around the
room and this chamber.

For the first time, I really
felt like I belonged here.

You do belong here,

But to some men,

this isn't a pilot plan of
a democracy down here.

This is an arena.

They walk into it to
destroy one another,

and they wave one
banner and use one excuse,

and they call it politics.

They have one stock defense

for every unprincipled
act they perform,

for every human
being they try to destroy

and sometimes
ultimately do destroy.

And again, it's politics.

Politics isn't the dirty
thing, Mr. Senator.

The dirt comes from the men.

Jack, I had some typewritten
papers in the chamber here.

I tore them up and put them
in the wastebasket in my office.

Would you be sure
they're destroyed

first thing in the morning?

It'll be a pleasure.

Um, your wife's
waiting for you, Senator.

Thanks.

See you tomorrow, Mr. Senator.

See you tomorrow, Mr. Feeney.

Now, are you quite proud?

No.

Not proud, Father. Not that.

You have that much
awareness, anyway.

Being able to cringe
effectively is not a talent.

Whatever it is, Father,
I-I came by it myself.

I'm sorry, Father, but some
of your ideas I can't live with.

I regret having to tell you
that more than I can say.

I'll add that speech to
the rest of the residue.

It hurts, doesn't it?

What are you gonna do now?

I don't know.

Why don't you go
see Senator Rogers?

Well, there are some things
I'd like to talk to him about.

Appointments and
bills and budget.

Will you come with me?

I'd love to.

Just look at him
running his toy auto

across the top of that lovely
Ficks Reed cocktail table.

You'd think he was
all set for a spanking

until you looked
at his mother's face

and realized that
she's not worried at all

because the top of that table

is made of Westinghouse Micarta,

the miracle beauty
covering that's so tough

that almost nothing can
mar its lovely surface.

You know, these days,
people are using Micarta

in every room in the house,

even for the top
of high-style chests

like this one by the
Mengel Company.

Micarta is not only practical,

but it comes in such
handsome patterns

and subtle, pleasing colors.

For instance, here's
a sparkling design

that comes in a
lovely range of colors.

It's called Stardust.

And then here's a
favorite pattern of mine.

This one is called Mardi-Gras.

It's so gay and festive.

It adds brightness to any room.

So look for
Westinghouse Micarta,

spelled M-I-C-A-R-T-A,

when you're building
or redecorating,

and look for it
on furniture tops.

You'll love it.

And remember...

You got that?

Sign my name,

and then maybe better write in
caps underneath, "Commissioner."

- You know what I mean?
- I've got it, sir.

And get that off today.

Oh, and, uh, get the
adoption bureau for me.

And get out file
on, uh, let's see...

File number 4356, got that?

4356.

Is something wrong, sir?

Plenty. Get it fast.

Get everything you can
regarding file number 4356.

Next week, a new
television play starring...

Here's a beautiful gift...

The new Westinghouse
Grill-n-Waffler.

It toasts, fries,
grills, and bakes.

For instance, look.

12 juicy hamburgers
all cooked at once.

Or use these grids for
the tastiest waffles ever.

Only $29.95 at your
Westinghouse dealers.

Westinghouse Studio One

has been selected for viewing
by America's armed forces

at home and overseas.

This is Paul Branson saying
good night until next week

for Westinghouse.