The Newsroom (2012–2014): Season 1, Episode 5 - Amen - full transcript

I can't tell you where we are,

frankly, for our own safety.

Systematically we have seen
journalists attacked.

We would like
to be showing you--

instead of this strange
image of me sitting on

the floor of an undisclosed
location in dim lighting,

we would like to be
showing you pictures--

Live pictures of what's happening
in Tahrir Square right now,

but we can't do that because
our cameras have been taken down.

Physically, Elliot, when you say
your cameras have been taken down?

Through threats
and intimidation



and through
actual physical attacks.

We're looking at Al Jazeera feed
from about six hours ago.

Can you describe
what we're seeing?

He can't describe anything
except his room.

Ask him what's in the minibar.

I'd like it
if you'd settle down.

Then I think you're
gonna be disappointed.

That was roughly
7:00 P.M. in Cairo.

Elliot?

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Will.
- Elliot, can you--

There's gunfire coming
from below our hotel room.

- Where's he going?
- Out on the balcony.

- Get back on the air.
- Do we still have Elliot?

- Take it.
- God damn it!



If you're just joining us with dawn
about to break in Cairo,

a crowd estimated at over
100,000 people

gathered several hours ago in Tahrir Square
in the Egyptian capital...

Get back on the fucking air.

Mubarak resign after 18 days

of unprecedented
pro-democracy protests.

How long's he gonna
be on the balcony?

The resignation was expected
by President Obama,

French President
Nicolas Sarkozy,

and British Prime Minister
David Cameron.

But in a 17-minute address,

Mubarak announced that he
wouldn't be stepping down,

infuriating the crowd,
which appears to have grown larger

and angrier throughout
this extraordinary night.

We're speaking with our
own Elliot Hirsch...

No, Elliot's on the balcony
singing a song from Evita.

- An undisclosed location.
- He's back.

- Pardon me, Will.
- Yeah, is everything all right?

Uh, that was gunfire.

It doesn't appear
that anyone's been injured,

but it is a little hard
to tell from where I am.

We're looking at a feed
from six hours ago, Elliot.

Can you describe what's happening
in the Square right now?

Uh, the crowd is surging
and spreading.

The army has made a ring
around Tahrir Square...

- Ow!
- Oh, God, are you all right?

It's a glass door.
You can't see me standing here?

Yeah, be quiet.
There's a new story.

We're getting footage
of a protest that's forming

in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The governor's inside a newspaper office there

and a spontaneous protest of teachers
is happening outside the building right now.

- Yup, go.
- Call the edit bay and tell them what's happening.

Will, we're going to push
the commercial break.

A small protest broke out
in front of a newspaper office

where Scott Walker
is right now.

So we're cutting the feed.
Tap your pen if you understand.

And now the protests
are spreading out from Tahrir?

- I'm already on it.
- Which one?

- The teachers in Wisconsin.
- That's me.

- What's going on?
- The governor of Wisconsin

is pushing a bill through the legislature
to balance the state budget

by busting public sector unions,
especially teachers,

and strip their collective
bargaining rights.

The governor is trapped
in a newspaper office

with 75 teachers protesting outside
and by tomorrow it'll be 10,000.

Yes, but in the meantime,
some Egyptians are about to overthrow Egypt.

- Is there anyone else here?
- Nope.

Okay. We got two packages to cut
and only one editor.

Cory, if I promise
I understand the irony,

can I break union rules
and sit at this bay?

Will you talk to someone
about hiring more editors?

Talk is all I can promise.
But I'm on your side.

Go ahead.
Where do you want to start?

It's around 12:20. He starts the answer with
"We have in state government."

- We have in state government--
- Right there.

Before I'd taken office,
plans for contingencies

no matter what the circumstances.
We have updated those.

I've had a full briefing
from all the major level one

state agencies as well as
the National Guard yesterday.

- Cut it there.
- Cut it there.

Pay attention to your thing.

Right there where
the teachers are chanting.

Hey hey, ho ho,
selfish Scott has got to go.

Cut it there.
That's the package. Render it.

Come on, come on, come on,
come on, come on.

I'm about to have
my "Broadcast News" moment.

There are at least nine things between here
and the control room I can trip over.

It's 2011.
We don't move film manually anymore.

You're gonna have
to move this manually.

It's taking too long to render
both at the same time.

- Grab a thumb drive,
- Can I use a thumb drive,

- throw it in the USB,
- Put it in the USB,

- copy the raw file to the drive,
- Copy the raw file, and I'll

- and run to the control room.
- Take it down to control?

I'm right behind you.

So as we mentioned,
there are thousands currently outside

of state TV and parliament
and a call for 25...

There's a group of protesters
headed towards Heliopolis.

Ask him if he knows
anything about the protesters

heading towards
the presidential palace.

We're getting information
about protesters

heading towards the presidential palace
in Heliopolis.

I don't know
anything about that.

'Cause you're in
the Cairo Radisson.

Does he look happy about that?

It's hard for me to tell

from the incredibly high-resolution pictures
we're getting.

I'm as frustrated as you are,
Don,

but I'm not sending an American journalist
into that protest.

- Trust me, I'm an American journalist.
- Hey!

That's the Walker press conference and
the teachers in Appleton unrendered.

- Got it.
- I didn't trip over anything on the way.

- Oh!
- Sorry!

- Oh, my God. I'm sorry.
- Are you kidding me?

- Sorry.
- Raw file?

Let's pivot now.

All right,
Elliot Hirsch reporting from Cairo.

- We'll be coming back to you, Elliot.
- Why?

Where are you going?

I'm gonna find someone
who's on the ground.

What is shocking is to hear
an American governor

threaten to call up
the National Guard.

But that's just
what Scott Walker,

the commander in chief of the
Wisconsin National Guard, did today

in defending his Wisconsin
budget repair bill.

Anyone with producer in their title,
conference room.

- Sloan.
- I'm not a producer.

- I need you. Can you wait a minute?
- I was this close.

You know I'd have had
security stop you downstairs.

- I know.
- I'll be just a couple of minutes.

Okay, but sometimes
you ask me to wait

and then you forget that you did and
you call me from home at 11:00 and say sorry.

- How many times has that happened?
- Twice.

Well, I really was sorry.

I'll sit and watch TV.

Does anyone know
where there's a TV?

Honey, I'm sorry.
I need 20 minutes.

No, I can see.
Is Egypt still a country?

Yeah, it's just a new one.

I happen to be an Egyptologist
if you want me on tomorrow.

Since when are you
an Egyptologist?

I can be one by tomorrow.

Go to Hang Chew's, get a drink,
and I'll meet you there.

Yes, boss.

- Herb.
- Yes, ma'am?

We were 17 seconds heavy on Bernanke,
which meant we had to squeeze--

- Wait, wait. Everybody watch this.
- There's nothing to watch.

- She has to subtract with her fingers.
- I don't have to.

We were 17 seconds
heavy on Bernanke,

which means we had
to squeeze Bill Kristol down to what?

2:13.

And Will took tap dancing lessons
when he was 11.

And Mackenzie thought This Old House

was working on the same
house every week.

Everyone in the conference room.
And that was reasonable.

It took six months
to build the city of Dubai.

You think they were renovating the same
mid-century colonial for 15 years?

- Let's go.
- How many kitchens do you think that house had?

That'll do.
Let's get serious.

I'll begin by saying that Will cries
when he watches the movie Rudy.

- No, I don't.
- Cries like an onion.

Onions make you cry.
They don't themselves experience emotion.

The way you experience emotion
when you watch Rudy.

One scene, one moment,
once in a while.

- The jersey scene?
- Yes.

Everybody cries
at the jersey scene.

- Jim?
- I never saw it.

- You haven't seen Rudy?
- Uh-oh.

What were you doing when everyone else
your age was living their lives?

- My homework.
- "My homework."

I didn't think I'd be
the only one to say that.

I thought I'd have
the safety of a mob.

Listen up, 'cause it's Rudy's last chance
to dress for a game.

- I shouldn't have started this.
- Well, you did.

NCAA rules only allow a certain number
of players to be in uniform.

And every time the list goes up,
Rudy's name is left off it.

And the list for the last game goes up
and Rudy's name is left off it again.

Four years of futility. First he's got to make
the grades to get in the school.

Then he's got to make
the practice squad.

And he's getting creamed
by guys twice his size.

But he doesn't care because
it's all about the team.

And all he wants is to just once
to be on the list to dress for a game.

And it's the last game of his last year
of college and he's not on the list.

- So one by one...
- Here it is.

The players come to
the coach's office

and put their jerseys
down on the desk.

- And say, "Coach"--
- "I want to take a shower with Rudy."

No, they don't.

They walk in one by one,
put their jerseys on the desk

and say, "Coach, I want Rudy
to take my place on Saturday."

And there's a whole
line snaking out

of the coach's office of
players holding their jerseys.

- Jim, your forehead is bleeding.
- It is.

- I accidently hit him with a door.
- Twice.

Move your hair out of the way.

- It is bleeding.
- Could you grab the first aid kit?

- Yeah.
- I'm fine.

- Where's Don?
- I don't know.

I saw him slip out
after Elliot's segment.

Well, that's what
I want to talk about.

We're 18 days into this
and I'm sick of pulling

pool feed from the wires.
I've seen the same footage

we're using licensed NBC
three times in the last two hours.

Nilesat keeps
popping on and off.

And mostly, we can't cover this
from a hotel room.

- We need someone on the ground.
- It's too dangerous on the ground.

- For an American.
- You want to get a stringer?

Someone local.
Someone who can blend in with the crowd.

Someone who's credible with
both us and the protesters.

And someone who can shoot and
cut and knows to check audio.

You live on the Internet.
Have you been tracking anyone?

I absolutely have the guy.

Excuse us.

Do you know what you're--
Ow.

Do you know what you're--
Ow.

Do you know what you're doing?
Ow.

- I could have been a doctor.
- What happened?

- Well, I didn't go to medical school or anything.
- Okay.

It's another TMI story.

And it'll be picked up
by Page Six.

- How many different ways
- It's online today,

- do I have to say I'm not going to play on that court?
- and in print tomorrow.

- We have to engage this time.
- What does it say?

Did you know that your boy--
Did you know that Wade Campbell

is thinking about
running for Congress?

Yeah, he's thinking about it,
but not more than that.

Yes, more than that.
He's had meetings with senior staff of the DCCC.

They're recruiting him
for Anthony Weiner's seat.

Anthony Weiner's keeping
Anthony Weiner's seat.

- Not if he runs for mayor.
- I didn't know that.

You've had Wade on the show
five times in six weeks.

What's this story gonna be?

It's gonna be that you're
trying to get your boyfriend

elected to Congress.
What do you think it's gonna be?

When you put it like that,

I can see that that's what
it could look like.

That's what it does look like.

He won't be on
the show anymore.

Guys, according to
Google Trends volume index,

since New Year's Eve,
the search term Will McAvoy

has spiked 35 times its average frequency
over the last three years.

In less than six weeks,
there have been nine

negative mentions
in Page Six and TMI.

How many of their readers
do you think are our viewers?

Those articles have been
referenced or backlinked

- in over 800,000 websites.
- Jesus!

- Yeah.
- There are 800,000 websites?

It's a daily distraction from
what we're trying to do here.

- First it was Will's dating disasters.
- I'm a great date.

Now we're playing it
fast and loose with ethics.

Whoa, that's only
what it looks like.

What else matters?
We're getting eaten alive by our own tabloid life.

Come on, chief, it's Mac.
She's annoyingly ethical.

- Thank you.
- Well, congratulations.

You're now a boldfaced name.
You're in play.

- Anything you do--
- I understand.

Come on.

How did you not know
he was talking--

He never told me.
You can't think I used you to raise his profile.

I know for sure
you didn't use me.

He used me.

Hey, you know what?
Seriously.

Don't assume anything.
He seems like a good guy.

Plus, nobody in his right mind
would risk losing you.

Come on.

Who's the stringer you've got?

I've been following his Twitter feed
and YouTube posts.

- He goes by the name Amen.
- A-M-E-N?

- Like praise the Lord?
- That's how it's spelled.

But it means "the hidden one"
in ancient Egyptian.

He's got a following
including Richard Engel

who says he's solid,
straightforward,

and fearless in the face
of all the chaos.

It's a nice endorsement
from Engel,

but I don't know about
using someone I don't know.

I know him.
He's just like me.

- He is me.
- What do you mean?

Our fathers were
both mechanics.

Not because it was
their dream job,

but because they knew there
was always work for mechanics.

- Neal.
- We're both the eldest son

and have been taking care of
our siblings for most our lives.

Neither of us will ever
get a college degree.

We're both idealistic
about the Internet.

Keep talking.

- I was on one of the trains.
- 7/7?

I was going to visit my aunt,
and the train

had just left Liverpool Street,

and I was half asleep
when the bomb exploded.

What did you see?

The car filled with smoke,

people screaming, crying.

Praying.

Finally, an underground worker
in an orange vest got to us

and started leading us up
the tunnel into King's Cross.

And I pulled my cell phone
out to call my dad.

- There was no service.
- Right.

- So you started filming it instead.
- Yeah.

And I got out and I--

you know, I uploaded it
and I sent it to the news stations.

You knew then you weren't
going to be a mechanic.

- Yeah.
- He's Rudy.

- Not everything is Rudy.
- I know not everything is Rudy.

Forget it.
Some people just don't understand Rudy.

Just me and Rudy and Neal
and the guy Neal found in Cairo.

- Amen.
- Thank you.

No, his name is Amen.

And you can trust him.
He's gonna come through.

What kind of equipment
does he have?

A Kodak Zi8 HD handheld
and a laptop.

- You can find him?
- Yes.

- How will we get the signal?
- Why can't he use our uplink?

- We'd need a mobile.
- There's still the Internet.

There's been no Internet
since the 27th.

Not from the four major ISPs,

but there's a smaller
provider called the Noor Group,

and their main client is
the Egyptian Stock Exchange.

They can't shut that down.

Are you saying there's still
working Internet in Egypt?

Noor Group has 83 live
routes with successful pings

on international
inbound transit.

- Are you saying there's still working Internet in Egypt?
- Yes.

- Will.
- Yeah?

- I need you to fill in at 10:00.
- What happened?

Elliot left his hotel.
He went down to the street and he got beaten up.

What's his condition?

He's got a couple broken ribs,
a broken arm,

and cuts and bruises
around his face.

- He got beaten with a rock.
- Get him home.

- That's happening.
- What the hell was he doing on the street?

I'm gonna call his wife.

- I'll do it.
- No.

- Don.
- Charlie, let him do it.

Right away you say he's fine
and he's on his way home.

- Yeah.
- She doesn't need to know about the rock.

What the hell
was Elliot thinking?

He was thinking,
"Get the story."

- Hey.
- Hey.

What are you still doing here?

Right. Yes.
Come with me.

- I just heard about Elliot.
- He'll be okay.

- You're sure?
- No internal injuries.

Thank God.

A few months ago,
I agreed to appear

on a panel at the Paley
Center called

- "Is TV News Equipped to Cover the Economy?"
- Excellent subject.

- I think so, but here's the thing.
- Yeah?

I'm not equipped to cover the economy.
I don't know anything about economics.

I'm sure they're not expecting you to be an economist.
You're a producer.

Yeah, but what I'm saying is I don't know
anything about the economy.

Nothing.
I never studied it in school.

I never read the business section.
I never reported economic news.

You've been
producing economic news.

We've been doing five
minutes a night for months.

Yeah, I just set aside a five-minute block
and let you and Will go at it.

- You've been approving the subjects.
- I trust you.

What does that mean?

I pretend to read what
you give me and then I nod.

Okay, have you been
listening during the show?

- I have been listening very closely.
- And?

- I do not understand a word you're saying.
- Kenzie!

Can we save the scolding,
Thomas Friedman?

- Do you mean Paul Krugman?
- Which one's the economist?

- Paul Krugman.
- Then that's who I meant.

I just need you to teach me

a couple of things to say that'll make it
look like I know something.

How long did it take
you to know what you know?

College, grad school,
doctorate, post-doctorate,

practical experience--
15 years. When's the panel?

- Tuesday. Morning.
- Okay.

How about I give you three things
you can write on your hand?

No, I want to know this.
I think that a lot of what's going on in the world

- has to do with the economy.
- You may be on to something.

It's not like I need
to know everything.

You'll be in no danger of that.

- Joke well crafted.
- Thank you.

- Go home.
- Yup.

Welcome back to ACN Morning

where it's 22 minutes past the hour
on this cold New York--

- Very cold.
- Very cold February 11th in New York.

Coming up, we go behind the scenes
of the Jennifer Aniston comedy

Just Go With It
hitting theaters today.

And later we'll be live at the Cineplex
just up the street

where moviegoers are braving
freezing temperatures

just to be the very first to watch
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.

Do you have Bieber Fever?

I'm not ashamed to say
I do have Bieber Fever.

But right now it's time
to play a round of...

"What Caught My Eye."
I'll tell you what caught my eye this morning.

It was an item
about our own house.

TMI is reporting online that
News Night may be playing favorites

by boosting the profile
of the boyfriend

of its executive producer Mackenzie McHale.
Did you see that?

I did, but we don't know
the facts about that.

Well, the facts are Mackenzie McHale
is the executive producer of News Night.

Wade Campbell is her boyfriend.
Wade's got political ambitions.

And he's turned up
as a guest on the show,

so the piece says,
five times in the last six weeks or so.

What do you think, ethical?

Millie, put me through to
the day side control room.

I'll tell you what makes this
even a little more complicated.

- Tony.
- Mackenzie McHale and Will McAvoy used to be a couple.

So things have to be a little
tense on the prime time side.

Ask me how I know
they were a couple,

- 'cause this is a wild story.
- The email.

Mackenzie McHale sent a mass email
to every employee of AWM

- saying that she had cheated on Will.
- Let's move on.

We've all done that, right?
I don't mean cheated.

I mean we've all
hit the wrong key...

This is Charlie Skinner.
Put me right in his fucking ear.

So we've got an anchor and an executive producer
who used to be involved...

Hi. You've got 10 seconds

to take your show
gracefully to commercial

or so help me, Hannah,
you're not going to be

sitting in that chair
when we come back.

Oh, well.
You get the picture.

We're gonna take a break
and come back after the break.

This is ACN Morning.

Very graceful.

She really wasn't ashamed
to say she had Bieber Fever?

It's all right.

- Happy Valentine's Day.
- Oh, wow.

I didn't--
I didn't realize it was Valentine's Day.

And that people
in the office gave--

No, Valentine's Day is Monday,
not today,

and these aren't for you,
they're from you.

I am more confused
than I was before.

Don planned a beautiful night
for us on Monday.

- You and me?
- Yes.

Don planned a romantic
evening for you and me.

- Me and him.
- That makes more sense.

And I don't want it to be ruined by Lisa,
who will ruin it

if she doesn't have
a romantic Valentine's Day.

Last year her boyfriend
forgot it was Valentine's Day

and went to a Rangers game
with his friends.

She got drunk,
made us watch Overboard,

and reviewed every bad Valentine's Day
she's ever had,

which was all of them.
Not this year.

You're gonna be like
St. Valentine himself.

- St. Valentine actually--
- Focus, nerd.

- Okay.
- Don got us a room at the Four Seasons.

- Me and--
- Nope, still him and me.

The Four Seasons.
The bathtub fills up in less than 60 seconds.

And I don't want
Lisa showing up

with a copy of The Notebook saying,
"Where's the minibar?"

Yeah, I can't hang out
with Lisa on Valentine's Day.

That-- That's making
a pretty strong statement.

Don't screw with me on this,
James Tiberius Harper.

That's not my middle name.
You're thinking of Captain James Tiberius Kirk--

Do not screw me on this, Jim.

We're not in a relationship.

She calls me
at night after work.

We talk for a minute and then she says,
"Should I come over?"

- And what am I supposed to say?
- You say yes.

I say yes.

If you're dating someone
on February 14th,

you take them out
on February 14th.

What's February 14th?

- Valentine's Day.
- Yes.

Here's your itinerary.

You made reservations at
her favorite restaurant, Dell'anima.

You got her a horse charm
for her charm bracelet.

This is a bottle
of her favorite wine.

And this is some
slutty lingerie

for whatever disgusting thing
you guys do later.

Oh, and the 60-second bathtub
is for hygiene?

You can't have sex in a bathtub.
It doesn't work.

Yes, it does.
You just have to slip yourself--

- Thank you.
- I'd like to hear more.

- Shut up!
- Okay.

Here is her card.

And here is what
you'll write on it.

"This has been the best
month of my life.

You are beautiful, talented,

and the most"--
Are you out of your mind?

- We've been on four dates.
- Look at me.

I already am.

Do. Not. Screw. Me.
On. This. Jim.

- You pick her up at 9:30.
- Let's go.

He's online.

- Amen?
- Yes?

I'm Neal Sampat,
Atlantis Cable News in New York.

Did we communicate
about an hour ago?

Yes, we did.

What did I say my favorite
kind of pizza was?

Plain pizza.
Cheese.

You're a purist.

It's true.

Amen, we'd like to pay you to be
our reporter on the ground.

You're obviously able to
move around out there.

Your quotes and sources
all check out.

You're asking great questions
and you're posting great film.

- Do we have a deal?
- Yes, we have a deal.

Good.

This is our executive producer.

That's the boss.
Her name is Mackenzie McHale.

Amen, thanks so much
for agreeing to help us.

Thank you for
broadcasting this.

We go on the air
at 3:00 A.M. your time.

And you'll be part of
the top story.

I want you to report from
the middle of Tahrir Square.

But first, we need interviews.

We need you to go to the palace

and find out who's in charge.

- Can you do that?
- Yes, ma'am.

We need you to talk to
a member of the military

and see what their
marching orders are.

- Can you do that?
- Yes, ma'am.

Do you have a BeachTek
with an XLR adapter

so you can go wireless?

I have a handheld directional,
but it works pretty well.

Okay, but you'll have
to check your levels.

We'll have a problem
with overmodulated sound.

- Got it.
- We're gonna need any B-roll you shot last night.

Can you compress it into
a YouSendlt file?

It should be downloading
on your computer.

It is.
Thank you.

- Okay, one last thing.
- Yes?

We need you to take
off your bandana.

We have to ID you with your real name,
first and last.

Do you understand?

That's necessary?

The report won't
have credibility

coming from
an anonymous reporter.

Amen, every news outlet in the world
is gonna be there.

But you'll be the first Egyptian reporter
on an American network

to describe what it's like
living through this

Berlin Wall moment
for the Middle East.

This is history and
you'll never forget tonight.

Yes, of course.
You're right.

My name is Salim.
Kahlid Salim.

Kahlid, let's go through
some technical details.

First of all,
how do you spell Kahlid?

K-A-H-L...

Are you gonna be nervous
about Leona

if I look into the Koch brothers
on Wisconsin?

Are you gonna be nervous
about more tabloid stories?

- Have I ever been nervous about the tabloid stories?
- You?

Would it make life easier for everyone
if I quietly resigned?

- No.
- No, and when was the last time you quietly did anything?

- I can be quiet.
- For instance, there was the time you sent an email

- to 138,000 people.
- I sent it to 112 people.

- And then it got sent to--
- Will the two of you shut up?

This is exactly
the kind of story

Leona doesn't want
us to chase, so...

- Let's chase it as hard as we can?
- Yeah.

Do me a favor and see
if there's a connection

between the Koch brothers
and Citizens United.

- I'm way ahead of you.
- How?

Well, no, I'm exactly where you are.
It's just an expression.

Usually it takes decades,
even centuries,

for us to see the world change.

But in the Middle East,
the world has changed in seven weeks.

January 25th,
protesters converged

on Cairo's Tahrir Square
demanding the resignation

of President Hosni Mubarak,
who'd ruled Egypt for 30 years.

Last night Mubarak enraged
the Egyptian people by refusing to resign.

But just 24 hours later,
he bowed to the will of the people

and announced the following
through his vice president

- Omar Suleiman.
- Roll 2, take it.

Dear citizens of these
difficult times...

You're a handsome young man,
Kahlid.

- How are you feeling?
- Good.

- Here's Tahrir Square just moments later.
- Roll 3.

Take it.

They're chanting
"Egypt is free.

You're an Egyptian.
Lift up your head."

For more,
we're going live now to Cairo

where our reporter
Kahlid Salim is standing by.

Good morning, Kahlid.

It is a good morning.

30 seconds back.

- Will.
- Yeah?

I wanted to mention something to you,
just for what it's worth.

- What?
- I used to work at TMI.

There was a rumor--
It was a little more than rumor--

that some of the guys at TMI would
take protection money.

What are you talking about?

You give 'em money
and your name stays out.

You just get in touch with Nina Howard,
pay her what she wants--

- Are you out of your mind?
- Just mentioning it.

They took protection money at TMI?

In three, two...

Welcome back.
We go from Cairo to Madison, Wisconsin,

where thousands of people are
converging on the statehouse

to protest Governor Scott Walker's
proposed budget bill.

There it is.
Can you see us?

- Yes.
- That was real good work.

Thank you.
I've got some excellent footage

of the disinfectant brigades.

What are
the disinfectant brigades?

Most of Tahrir is old ladies
sweeping up right now.

The kids changed the country,
then they brought in the moms to clean up after.

The whole place
smells like Lysol.

And they call it
a nonviolent revolution.

I wouldn't say
it was a revolution.

- Why's that?
- The army's still in charge.

So I suppose I'd call it
a military coup.

But we'll get there.

For the moment,
we traded an 82-year-old dictator

for a 79-year-old
field marshal

who's been called
Mubarak's poodle.

Who called him
Mubarak's poodle?

Your State Department

in emails released
by WikiLeaks.

- WikiLeaks.
- The army's not the good guys?

I think that's where
to go with the story.

Will there be free
and fair elections?

Will the army protect
pro-Mubarak thugs

who killed hundreds in
the last two and a half weeks?

I was in Tahrir the night
they killed 91.

Old men and children
beaten and shot.

Okay, brother,
where do you want to go next?

The Ministry of the Interior.

If Mubarak wanted to throw
you in a hole, that was it.

The army's got it cordoned off

and they're burning documents
in the courtyard.

- That's a government building.
- He's all right.

Kahlid, you get us film
of the army burning evidence

and I'll personally come down there
with a truckload of Lemon Pledge.

I won't let you down with this.

You understand the difference between
a commercial bank and an investment bank?

- Of course.
- Kenzie?

- No.
- Investment banks are gamblers.

Commercial banks are where you have
a savings account and a checking account.

- Can you balance your checkbook?
- Yes.

- Kenzie?
- No.

All right,
so after the Great Depression,

Congress wanted
to put a firewall

between the investment banks
and the commercial banks.

They wanted to make sure that Wall Street
could melt to the ground

and the commercial banks
wouldn't be touched.

They passed a law,
the Glass-Steagall Act.

Now you could be Gordon Gekko
or George Bailey,

but you couldn't be both.

You with me?

I can't seem to stop hurting Will.

This morning was just fucked up.

Day side at this place
just resents prime time.

And that's all that was.

- Is Will mad at you?
- No.

That probably
makes you feel worse.

And my saying that just then
probably makes you feel

a lot worse than you did
a couple seconds ago.

Do you have any
human knowledge?

I have been told I do not.

Let's keep going.

I can't help but think this is all
partially my fault.

I'm the one who didn't believe you
when you told me that Will didn't cheat on you

- and that's why you--
- I had to send the email, right.

Don't be ridiculous.
It's completely your fault.

It's so unbelievably your--
No.

I'm the closest thing to a female friend
that you have, right?

Wait, are you saying that
I don't have female friends

or that you're not
entirely female?

- Which do you think?
- The first.

Yes. So what happened
and why can't it be fixed?

What happened was
I was with a guy for a long time

who wasn't half the man that Will is
and he dumped me.

- Later I started seeing Will.
- I can fill in the rest of the story.

- Why can't it be fixed?
- Listen, do you mind if we just talk--

- Yeah, Glass-Steagall.
- The firewall, it worked?

It helped lead to
the largest sustained period

of economic growth
in US history,

a 60-year expansion
of the middle class,

the largest increase
in productivity,

and the largest increase
in median income.

We also won World War II,
put a man on the moon

and a computer in
everyone's lap.

And you know what
happened next?

We cheated on the perfect guy
with a guy who dumped us?

Yes.

We repealed Glass-Steagall.

Why can't it be fixed?

Hey, I've got to write something on
a Valentine's card.

You're used to deceiving women.
What would you write--

- I can't find Kahlid.
- What do you mean?

I haven't heard from him
since Saturday night his time

and he hasn't updated
his Twitter or Facebook.

- Have you tried contacting--
- All his contacts--

Facebook, YouTube--
No one's heard from him.

Guys, Elliot Hirsch.

Thank you.

I'm fine, really.

And thanks, everyone,
for the calls and the emails and the flowers.

And the stripper dressed as
a pro-Mubarak security officer.

You wouldn't think they'd
have that outfit in storage.

- Come on.
- Where are we going?

- Charlie.
- Hang on.

Welcome back, Elliot.

- Everyone's really happy you're all right.
- Thanks, man.

The coverage from the stringer,
it was great Friday night.

- They told me that was you.
- Yeah.

But I can't find him.
It's been about 36 hours.

- Did you try--
- I've tried everything.

All right,
he's got our satellite phone.

The one the two
of us were using.

You can get the provider to run a GPS trace
to tell you where the phone is.

Good. Thank you.

Did someone here
order a fascist thug?

No, we did this already.

- He's home.
- Thank you, God.

I can't hug you, right?

No, my ribs.

All right.

- Elliot.
- Yes, sir?

Don't ever fucking
do that again.

- Yes, sir.
- Will filled in Friday night.

I'll have Becky fill in tonight
and until you're ready to--

No, that's why we're here.
I want him on the air tonight.

- And shoot him from the neck down?
- No, we show what's going on.

- Journalists are getting beaten up.
- I know, but--

He took the lead for ACN on
the biggest international story in a decade.

- You can't take him off.
- It'll just be for a week.

- Just till my face heals--
- You don't want to go on?

- Of course I want to go on.
- Then that's it.

This is a great reporter
who brought us a great story.

I didn't bring any story.
I got beaten up before--

That's the story.

No, I didn't mean that
that's the story.

I meant that-- Yes,
I know that we're not the story,

but, Jesus, God damn it,
nobody's ever gonna know that he--

- We know.
- That's not good enough.

Yes, it is.

Fine.

And the media, we're all effete,
elitist assholes.

We're blow-dried clowns sitting in an ivory tower.
Just look.

You're benched.

- Will.
- Yeah?

I need to talk to you.

First, Maria Guerrero wanted me to
relay a message that she feels terrible.

Why isn't she saying
that herself?

- She's terrified of you.
- That's fair.

Look, Tony thinks prime time
looks down their nose at day side.

- That's all that was about.
- Well, he really turned me around.

Tell Maria I saw her try to stop it
and I appreciate it.

I will, but I came here to tell you that
Nina Howard is getting ready to run another piece.

I don't care.
Nina can write whatever she wants about me.

It's about Mac.

What is she writing?

Did she almost get her crew killed
during an incident in Pakistan?

You've got her number?

This really works?

If it were me, I'd try it.

We're in the conference room.

Gary, why don't you tell
your friends on day side

that if they've got any questions about
Mackenzie's ethics, they can come see me.

Yeah.

- Get your head looked at?
- Just needed a couple stiches.

The answer is yes,
the Koch brothers had money in Citizens United.

A number of Koch-funded groups
submitted amicus briefs to the court,

including the Cato Institute,
which the Kochs funded.

They submitted a brief calling
for unfettered corporate speech.

So did the Institute for Justice,
also funded by the Kochs.

Their brief said that
finance laws prohibiting

unlimited corporate contributions
trumped the First Amendment.

And after the court ruled
in their favor,

these groups spent
a lot of money

to oppose efforts
to provide transparency.

Here's an interview with
David Koch and his lawyer.

Koch's asked about
Citizens United

and he seems to pretend
he's never heard of it.

Koch is in the foreground
in the grey herringbone coat.

What do you think
of Citizens United?

- Has it helped your influence?
- Citizens United?

What do you think
of Citizens United?

- Has it helped your influence?
- Citizens United?

One more time.

What do you think
of Citizens United?

- Has it helped your influence?
- Citizens United?

Justices Thomas and Scalia

have both been frequent guests
of the Kochs.

And between 2003 and 2007,

Virginia Thomas,
wife of Justice Thomas,

was paid $686,589

by the Heritage Foundation,

which was funded
by David and Charles Koch.

For whatever reason,
Justice Thomas didn't disclose the 686,000

on his Supreme Court
financial disclosure form.

Is it very unusual
that Scalia and Thomas

didn't recuse themselves
from the case?

If they had,
Citizens United would have lost 4-3.

All right, the Citizens United decision
allowed corporations

to donate unlimited amounts of money
to any political candidate

without anyone knowing
where the money was coming from.

But it also did the same thing for the unions,
and they knew that.

So wouldn't the next step be
to get rid of the unions?

If you're rigging the game, yes.

Excuse me. Kahlid's gone.

The satellite service says
his phone isn't giving a signal,

which means it's either destroyed
or very deep underground.

We sent him to get evidence of the army
burning documents. He's been taken.

We have a local security contractor in Cairo.
I'll start with them.

Will, you call your highest contact
at the State Department.

And then call her husband
if you have to.

Don, you've got contacts at
the Egyptian embassy.

- I used to.
- What do you mean?

Their government
was just dissolved.

Aw, come on.
We put the guy in that place.

- Neal, we're not losing him.
- Jesus.

- Do you have contacts in the Egyptian army?
- I do.

So do I.
We can retrace his steps.

Snerdly, have you heard this?

The Egyptian army is rounding up
foreign journalists.

I mean, even two New York Times reporters
were detained.

Now this is supposed to
make us feel what exactly?

- Are we supposed to feel outrage?
- Neal.

I don't feel
any outrage over it.

Are we supposed to feel anger?

I don't feel any anger
over this.

Do we feel happy?

Well, do we feel...

kind of going like,
"Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah"?

Do we feel happy?

Well, do we feel...

kind of going like,
"Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah"?

- Oh!
- Neal!

Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Give me your hand.
Come on, give me your hand.

You broke a couple fingers.
Come on. Come on.

- I'm sorry.
- Shh, shh.

Let's go.

Corporate legal won't let us
work with security in Cairo.

- Why the hell not?
- They don't want to assume liability for a freelancer.

They say he can
turn around and sue us.

Sue us?
He's either a prisoner or dead.

Let's talk to Reese.

I'm the one of us
who's pissed him off the least.

Let me do the talking.

- He's not in, Don.
- I think he is, Roberta.

- Don.
- Reese, get the fuck out here.

Don, he's not in.

Oh, God!
Fuck!

It's a strong door.

So, do you know
where he can be reached?

Ladies and gentlemen,
30 minutes to air.

We are live in 30 minutes.

I'm gonna put someone's head
through a fucking pyramid.

Now get me somebody on the phone who--
Thank you.

- You all right?
- Yeah. It's sprained.

- The shoulder?
- Yeah.

- Donnie--
- I sent him down there.

I bullied him into going out on the street
and they beat him up with a rock.

He went out there
because I told him to.

I know.

Everybody knows.
We're all jealous.

We wish it was us
with the bruises on our face.

You didn't give him an order.
You gave him permission.

I got him!

The army's got him.
They denied it until they realized

somebody with money was looking for him.
They say that--

- A fringe group has him.
- Yeah, but it's them.

What does
the fringe group want?

A quarter of a million dollars, US.

I'm gonna quietly run this by
some people in private security

just to make sure it checks out,
but, Will,

you're the only one who can get corporate
to make this wire transfer.

You got the information
on the transfer?

Nobody has to leave a bag of cash
on top of a mailbox?

No, they want you to wire
the money to a charity

called Intisar Charity
Benevolence Fund.

They're practically
letting us use PayPal.

A charity in Cairo?

No, a commodities trading
fund in Dubai.

Talk to your people
and I'll deal with corporate.

How you feeling?

- I feel great.
- I'm sorry.

I'm tough on you
and I'm--

I'm so sorry.

You couldn't have stopped me.

Thursday night,
it was 75 teachers in Appleton.

Tonight, the number of
protesters in Madison

is estimated at 30,000.

Governor Walker's office
is feeding inside information

about their intentions
to friendly groups

who in turn are paying
to fill hearing rooms

with supporters
of Walker's plan.

Wade's here.

He says you haven't
returned his calls or texts

and he's not leaving
until you speak to him.

Have him wait on the terrace.

It's about 10 degrees outside.

The reelected governor gave
$140 million in tax breaks,

is being balanced on the backs
of public sector workers who,

organizations like Americans for Prosperity
believe, are overpaid.

You deserved a lot better.

We'll let you decide
if they're overpaid.

- I deserved what I got.
- The low income threshold in the US

is $45,000 a year
for a family of four.

Average salary for an employee of
the Health Services Department--

$45,805.

Children and Families Agency--
$47,810.

Workforce Development Agency:
$46,074.

And the average salary
for a public school teacher

in Wisconsin--

$46,390.

Finally.
Why'd I have to wait out here?

Because I wanted you to.

I've been calling you all day.

Yeah, when was your first
meeting with the DCCC?

Look, we have to
work together on this.

No, we can't work together.

And because you're not a moron,
you already know that.

Hey, High Road,

were you ever gonna tell me
that you and Will were together?

This was never gonna work,
you and me.

You wasted my time.

So I got something out of it.

In this order-- Leave,

lose the election,

go to hell.

She's in the back.

Anyone comes in I don't want to see,
just buzz my BlackBerry.

I want this to stop.

I was rude to you at a party
and I apologize.

Be a bigger narcissist.

You think this is happening because
you didn't take me home on New Year's Eve?

Your ex booked her
boyfriend five times--

If you called for a comment,
I could have told you that I was the one--

Bullshit you want your ex
dating a congressman.

- She didn't know the DCCC was--
- Says you.

- Says her.
- Yeah.

All right, the ethics
of Wade coming on the show,

that was fair.
You had every right to run that.

But to say that she almost
got someone killed--

I'm running a piece saying
you hired an incompetent EP

because she was your girlfriend
and she dumped you.

I hired the best EP
in broadcasting

in spite of her being my ex-girlfriend
who dumped me.

You know, you guys up there
are millionaires--

- I'm the only millionaire up there.
- And celebrities.

- I'm the only celebrity up there.
- Not anymore.

How does this work?

I'm thinking

about investing in a restaurant

and I'm looking
for silent partners.

$50,000 a share.

- $50,000 and I'm a silent partner?
- Yes.

- And you're a silent partner?
- Quiet as a mouse.

- For good?
- You'll have your own table at the restaurant for life.

Hey, Will...

we're journalists.

- I wish you hadn't said that.
- What?

Everything would have been cool if you hadn't said that.
You just talk too much.

You have a problem with me
calling myself a journalist?

Only the elite few

who cover stories nobody cares about
get to call themselves--

I've got a guy on my staff who got hit
in the head with a glass door Thursday.

His forehead wouldn't stop bleeding,
but he wouldn't go to a doctor

'cause I got another guy
who got beat up covering Cairo.

And the first guy wouldn't see a doctor
until the second guy saw a doctor.

I've got a producer
who ran into a locked door

'cause he felt responsible
for the second guy.

I've got an 18-year-old kid
risking his life

halfway around the world,
and the AP who sent him there

hasn't slept in three days.

I've got 20-somethings who care about
teachers in Wisconsin.

I've got a grown woman who has to
subtract with her fingers

staying up all night
trying to learn economics

from a PhD who could be
making 20 times the money

three miles downtown.
They're journalists.

Come after me all you want,
Nina.

Come after me every day.
Look through my garbage.

Invent things out of thin air.
That's what you're paid for.

But you touch my staff and you are
walking into a world of hurt.

I have an hour
of prime time every night

and I will rededicate my life
to ruining yours.

I also want you to send
a message up the chain

of whatever
backroom machinery is driving this

that if I so much as smell Leona Lansing's
perfume on any of this,

I'm going to make a meal
out of both of you

and I won't stop
until I'm done.

Look at me...

and see that I'm dead serious.

Restaurants are
bad investments.

Wait 20 minutes
before you leave here.

Tough-ass speech...

- but you're not gonna win.
- I don't care.

I'm just a middle-aged man who never
lived up to his potential.

You don't want to be on
the wrong end of me if I ever do.

I got the drinks.

1980, Ronald Reagan
is elected president

and the culture
of deregulation begins.

What happened to Will?
I haven't seen him around.

He changed and ran out
right after the show.

Where?

The culture of deregulation
culminates in 1999.

- Glass-Steagall gets repealed.
- And immediately banks start merging.

Now Gordon Gekko

can use George Bailey's
bank balance to make bets.

Where's James Harper?!

That's Lisa.

- Oh, my God!
- Oh, my God.

It-- It's Valentine's Day.
I forgot to meet her.

James Harper?!
Nobody?

If he is not here,
I will stand here...

- What are you doing?
- Hiding.

- Does this seem like a good plan to you?
- No.

- Get up. Get up!
- Please don't make me.

But I'm looking for Jim
because he did not come.

- Anyone? James?
- Lisa.

I am so sorry.
It's been a very chaotic day.

Where the fuck have you been?

- Like I said, it's been--
- You don't know how to use a phone?

I might have a concussion,
but still, I'm sorry.

You're sorry? All right,
in that case, I totally forgive you

for making me wait alone
in a restaurant for an hour.

I appreciate that.

- Unless you're being sarcastic.
- She was.

I thought there was
an outside chance--

- Did you get any of my messages?
- No.

- Wait, are you Lisa?
- Yes.

- I got your messages.
- What?

We accidentally
switched phones again.

- What happened to marking them with nail polish?
- We both did that.

You stood me up on
Valentine's Day,

which is 1,000 times worse
than a regular stand up.

- I didn't stand you up.
- Yes, you did.

Yes, I did.
But I have presents.

And I wrote you a card.

"From the desk
of James Harper."

- Are you kidding?
- I lost the card.

- You're a jerk.
- No, he's not.

- Maggie.
- Lisa, stop.

- You know what?
- Stop!

Jim did everything right here.

- Well, he left me alone in a restaurant for an hour.
- Except that.

- And didn't call.
- And that.

It would be hard for a casual observer
to tell which side--

Shut up.
Lisa, he's a very decent guy.

- This isn't anyone's fault.
- It's his.

It's a little bit his,
but mostly

it's just a very bad day.

It's Valentine's Day.
It's my favorite day.

Then pick another day!

Because it's every guy's
least favorite day.

Everyone's always disappointed.

Valentine's Day
is the bully of holidays.

It forces love on people
who aren't in love.

- Cupid's freakish.
- All right.

No, I'm boycotting
Valentine's Day from now on.

Who's with me?

I love you every day.

Today's just an excuse
to spend the night in a hotel room.

I'm sorry.
I was faking it just then.

I think she can still hear you.

I'm sorry.

I'm really sorry.

I'm still wearing
edible underwear.

- Well, if I'd known that...
- Shut up!

It's one big Jenga tower.

You pull a piece out,
put it on top,

and the tower definitely
gets higher,

but also gets less stable.

Will's back.

Let's do this.

Oi.

- Where have you been?
- I had to run an errand.

- What kind of errand?
- I wanted some gum. Got it.

Let me tell you something, Billy.

I ever find out you paid
a gossip columnist money

to protect me,
I will beat you senseless.

- And you know I can do it because I'm crafty.
- I know.

- Do you understand?
- Yeah.

I hear corporate
wired the money.

- Kahlid's home.
- Yeah.

Funny, because legal
wouldn't even let us talk

to our own security about Kahlid
because of the exposure.

- They changed their mind.
- Hmm.

Did you know that it
was Bill Clinton

who signed the repeal
of Glass-Steagall?

Yeah.
Everybody knows that.

Well, now everybody knows it.

How are the lessons going?

Corporate didn't wire anything.
You did.

He's one of our guys.

Yeah.

Speaking of which...

It's not much,
but I'd like to help with this.

- Neal, you can't afford it.
- Please.

Sure.
Thank you.

All right, so I'd--

- It's not much.
- Maggie.

Please.

- What's this in the memo line?
- Read it.

"Coach."

We want Rudy to dress
for the game, Coach.

You guys are missing
your fife and drum.

You did this?

Happy Valentine's Day.