The West Wing (1999–2006): Season 2, Episode 13 - Bartlet's Third State of the Union - full transcript

While a live TV show is broadcast from the West Wing following the State of the Union, the staff must covertly deal with a hostage situation in Colombia. CJ learns that a special guest at ...

Previously on The West Wing :

-A woman named Ainsley Hayes.
-Aimsley?

-Hire her.
-Welcome to the White House.

-Your poll says that?
-I said that.

-" Vox populi, vox Dei. "
-"The voice of the people...

...is the voice of a dog "?

-"The voice of God, " Joshua.
-God.

Y es.

-Hello, pumpkin.
-Abbey?

Hello, gumdrop.

Shake my hand.



-We just formed it.
-Formed what?

The Committee to Re-elect the President.

We are minutes away from
the president's entrance...

... onto the floor
of the House of Representatives.

It's his third State of the Union address.
We 'll hear the introduction...

... from the doorkeeper of the House,
Edgar Finney.

Some people don 't know that in order
for the president to address Congress...

... he must receive permission
from the Speaker.

I ' m still here. AII right.

Is that a yes? Is it a yes?

-Sam?
-Give me half a minute.

Ed. Delete "vigorously"
from the first sentence.

-Which paragraph?
-Three, section seven.

We' re not gonna vigorously pursue
campaign finance reform?



-We' re just gonna pursue it.
-Not vigorously?

Not tonight. McGowan feels "vigorous"
is inflammatory.

-Change "chokehold " to "tight grip. "
-Is that it?

-No, Sam's still on.
-We got four minutes.

-Where are we?
-Sam's still on.

Bob Novak said this was the speech
of my political Iife.

Know how many times I've heard that?

-We' re fine if we cut "vigorously. "
-Do it.

-How you feeling?
-Good.

-Abbey's already in her seat?
-Y es, sir.

-My wife's in her seat?
-Y es, sir.

-We got four minutes.
-Get him in the car. Let's go.

I' m gonna tell him it's a yes.
Thank you.

-What'd they say?
-We put our weight behind S. B. 380.

-Highway Improvement Bill.
-And?

-Set aside park Iand.
-What else?

-Mr. President?
-Do it.

Ginger? T ell C.J. it's a green Iight
on the BIue Ribbon. She'II know.

-Yes, sir.
-We'II write it in the car.

Sir?

-It's a good thing.
-The BIue Ribbon?

Excuse me. What are you doing?

Putting gum in your mouth?

It's a good idea to chew gum...

...when you' re taking a poll
for the president.

That's a sound people Iike to hear.

The polling hasn't started yet.

-Well, thank you, Mr. Helper.
-Josh.

-These people have done this before.
-They' re not our people.

-They' re Joey Lucas' people.
-None have accents?

-They' re out of the Midwest.
-I' m saying Joey Lucas is deaf--

-Josh.
-Do any of you people have accents?

Oh, my God.

Do any of you people
have the power of speech?

-They' re fine.
-I should be there right now.

He's fine.

Therefore, I am asking the Ieaders of
Congress and members of both parties...

...to join me in establishing a BIue Ribbon
National Commission to fashion--

I want it for him when he
walks in the door.

Gail Schumer, can we expect the White
House will be doing its own polling?

Better believe it. This may be the
speech of the president 's political life.

Excuse me. I ' ve got a heads up.
There' II be a Iast-minute addition.

The president will announce a
BIue Ribbon Commission...

...to study the Iong-term future
of entitlement programs.

-There'II be more details in the address.
-Why Iast-minute?

You know, when I say "Iast-minute" I' m
wrong. We' re just under three minutes.

-C.J., why Iast-minute?
-He's been going back and forth on it.

He wanted support
with Democratic Ieadership.

-And he does?
-Y es.

I remind you Capital Beat
is broadcasting from the west wing...

...for the hours following the address.
So that area is off-Iimits for carousing.

Capital Beat's doing post-game Iive
from the White House?

-Y es.
-So why do they get special treatment?

Because they' re special.
Enjoy the show, everybody.

"T o build this future will demand
setting aside our partisan blinders...

...and abandoning our ideological.... "

What?

" Entrenchment. "

"T o build this future will demand
setting aside our partisan blinders...

...and abandoning our ideological
entrenchment. "

-That's it.
-Okay.

-This is it.
-Y eah.

Phone it to the prompter.

Mr. President.

-Mr. President.
-Thanks.

Sir.

-Amen.
-Amen.

Mr. Finney, would you tell the Speaker
I'd Iike to see him, please?

Mr. Speaker!
The president of the United States!

An America that's continued to rise...

... through every age,
against every challenge...

...a people of great works and
greater possibilities who have always...

... always found the wisdom and strength
to come together as one nation...

... to widen the circle of opportunity,
to deepen the meaning of our freedom...

... to form a more perfect union.
Our best days lie ahead.

God bless you. And God bless
the United States of America.

-He did good.
-He can bring it up there.

Up there is where this president eats.
That is his place of business.

Yes, he did well.

-Let's find out how well.
-This is exciting.

-Y es. So, what do I do?
-What do you mean?

-What do I tell them?
-T o start.

Didn't you talk to Joey?
What'd she say?

-Her plane was Iate.
-What'd she say to tell callers?

-She didn't say anything.
-Donna!

-T ell them to start.
-Do they receive instructions based on--?

What?

Time zones? I don't know. I' m not
a pollster. I thought Joey called.

-She was Iate.
-When's she gonna be here?

Joshua Lyman, you have the cutest
Iittle butt in professional politics.

Really, that better have been her talking.

-I' m here.
-Where the hell you been?

-PIane had mechanical difficulties.
-There was nothing you could do?

No. As a child, I never paid attention
during airplane mechanics class.

Is this the Noel Cowardesque wit
I can expect all night?

Yes.

Start the phone banks.
They need instructions.

-Is anyone chewing gum?
-No!

Okay, start.

I had taken care of the gum thing.

In five, four, three.

Live from the White House,
it's Capital Beat with Mark Gottfried.

Tonight on Capital Beat,
a special expanded edition:

The State of the Union.

Good evening. I'm Mark Gottfried...

... and tonight our show is live
from the White House.

We 'll be joined all night
by Republicans and Democrats...

... Iawmakers and pundits, and we 'll talk
to focus groups around the country.

On the panel with me now is Deputy
House Majority Whip Henry Shallick.

And the very Iovely, very talented
Miss CIaudia Jean Cregg...

...White House press secretary. C.J.

On a scale of one to 1 0, how did he do?

Fourteen. You know, Mark, the president
is a commanding public speaker...

...and the bar is set higher
when he makes a major address...

... but tonight he cleared it
with room to spare.

My unofficial tally has him
interrupted for applause 73 times.

I have 72 times, but I'II take your count.

Henry Shallick,
how did the president do tonight?

Well, C.J. is right. The president
is a gifted public speaker.

We've always known that, and it's an
admirable talent, not unlike juggling.

If only he said something. By my count,
23 of the interruptions for applause...

...were for co-opted Republican ideas.

Let's break. We' re getting started
with our post-game analysis...

...of the president's third
State of the Union address.

We've got guests around the country.
We'II be back with more Capital Beat...

-... right after this.
-We' re out.

-C.J. 's not wearing pants.
-Y es.

-No pants whatsoever.
-It's cable. Carol?

-Ninety seconds back.
-Could I see you a moment?

-Could I see you over there?
-How about here? I' m not wearing pants.

-Can we do it here?
-As Iong as there aren't microphones.

Carol?

-Thank you.
-You Iook Iike a Rockette.

-Y eah.
-You know why I' m not wearing pants?

-I assumed it was the usual reason.
-I sat in paint.

I went to the sculpture garden
to get some air.

-I sat on a bench.
-Didn't say "wet paint"?

-It did, it turns out.
-CIothes are coming.

-Where'd you get the bathrobe?
-Gym.

-Bathrobes?
-Women's Iocker room.

Not the men's. That's outrageous. A
thousand men work here and 50 women.

And it's the bathrobes that's outrageous.

-What's going on?
-Jack SIoan has an official reprimand.

-For what?
-Excessive force.

-How Iong ago?
-Seventeen years ago.

A criminal charge was dismissed.
There was a civil suit, it was dismissed.

There is enormous pressure
from Iocal black Democrats.

-Our people?
-1 7 years ago.

So they gave him
an official condemnation.

-Anybody have the story?
-They will.

-1 0 seconds.
-I need to see the police officer.

-What was his name?
-SIoan.

AII right.

T ake the desk away,
I pick up 3 share points.

In five, four, three.

We 're back with our panel: Deputy
House Majority Whip Henry Shallick...

...and White House Press Secretary
C.J. Cregg.

-Welcome back.
-How did it Iook on TV?

It Iooked good.

Charlie, is it possible that C.J.
isn't wearing any pants right now?

Yeah. She sat in wet paint.

And she's not wearing any pants?

Well, she's wearing underwear, Mrs.
Landingham. She hasn't gone smokeless.

Okay.

I didn't understand this note.

The president balanced his checkbook.
He found an outstanding check...

...for $500 that was never cashed. The
check was written by the first Iady...

...to a woman the president never heard
of. He'd Iike you to ask her about it.

The president balanced his checkbook?

-Why?
-He does it to relax.

-Okay.
-Y eah.

Why doesn't he just ask the first Iady
about the $500 check himself...

...in the normal course of, you know,
being married to her?

When the president inquires
into the first Iady's bookkeeping...

...she gets angry with him and yells.

She's gonna get angry
and yell when I inquire.

-The president doesn't care about that.
-Yeah. Okay. This is a good job.

-I saw you on TV.
-Cool.

To build this future will demand
setting aside our partisan blinders...

...and abandoning
our ideological entrenchment.

Therefore, I am asking the leaders of
Congress and members of both parties...

... to join me in establishing a Blue
Ribbon National Commission to fashion--

--boldly setting aside
our partisan blinders...

... and abandoning our ideological
entrenchment. Therefore...

-Come in.
-...I am asking the leaders of Congress...

... and members of both parties to join me
in establishing a Blue Ribbon...

-... national commission to fashion--
-Mrs. Bartlet?

-Hey, Charlie.
-Am I disturbing you?

-I just came up to change my clothes.
-Did you sit in paint?

-I' m sorry?
-C.J. sat on wet paint.

In the sculpture garden?

No. I' m not supposed to
go to the reception...

...in the same clothes
in which I went to the speech.

I could tell people I have
two outfits exactly alike.

-That's what I'd do.
-What do you need?

Bear in mind that I' m not wearing pads,
a helmet or contact gear of any kind.

A $500 check that hasn't been cashed.
It's written to a woman--

-Oh, how Iong has that been up his ass?
-Well, I wouldn't know, ma'am, but--

Her name is Jane Robinson.
I read an article a few months ago.

-Her husband threw her out?
-He set fire to the bed.

-Christmas presents were ruined.
-I sent her $500.

She hasn't cashed it.
I'II make sure she got it.

Thank you, ma'am.

--in establishing a Blue Ribbon
National Commission....

Hey, it's Sam Seaborn, everybody.

See? You guys said
I couldn't write comedy.

You talked to C.J.?

The dial groups are huge.
Middle-class tax cuts, Social Security--

-What about polling?
-Josh and Joey will have numbers.

My point is, this police officer?

The president asked him to stand.

-Leo.
-Let C.J. talk to him.

Is he here?

No pictures anywhere near the president.

They need you in the Situation Room.

-What's going on?
-Leo, we believe five U.S. DEA agents...

-... have been abducted in Colombia.
-Where?

On a road between Bogot?
and a training base in Putumayo.

-Was it the CRF?
-We don't know.

Do we think it was the CRF?

Can agents be identified
as U S. DEA?

-They' re carrying badges.
-On a road from Bogot? to Putumayo?

They' re gonna shoot these guys.

The White House press corps is upstairs.

And there's a Iive TV show
being broadcast next door.

I need to meet with State Justice and the
Pentagon, and it needs to happen softly.

Yes, sir.

This was almost a good night.

Good evening. My name 's Melissa.
I'm from the National Strategies Group...

...in Washington D. C. I' m taking a poll
for the president of the United States.

-Are you a voting-age member...?
-I' m taking a poll for the president....

Donna.

It's going well.
It's a 1 7 percent response rate.

-Great.
-Jack SIoan was reprimanded...

...for excessive force
by the Detroit Police Department.

-How Iong ago?
-Seventeen years.

-What happened?
-I don't know.

He made a bust.
He broke the guy's Ieg.

DA couldn't make the case. The
civil suit was dismissed, but it's there.

-Who's Jack SIoan?
-From tonight.

-The police officer.
-I wasn't there.

I was on a plane with difficulties.

Officer Jack SIoan
of the Detroit Police Department...

...was added at the Iast minute to the
invited guests recognized...

-... by the president during the speech.
-He was the cop--

At the elementary school?

-He wasn't vetted?
-It was Iast-minute.

-When do I see numbers?
-It's going good.

-When do I see numbers?
-There's a 1 7 percent response rate.

-Fantastic! When do I see numbers?
-You need patience.

I need numbers, T onto.

-The poll's an hour old.
-You get early numbers.

-You'II have them.
-In the meantime?

I' m getting a doughnut.

Okay.

We' re plagued by this nonsense, Donna.
It's reaching epidemic proportions.

Those numbers are gonna tell us
we had a big night.

The bounce is gonna be dragged down
by a news cycle...

-...that won't shake the cop story.
-You should ask her out.

-I' m sorry?
-Ask Joey out.

-T onight could be the night.
-The night to do what?

-T o ask her out.
-Get a doughnut.

Okay.

Before we go to commercial,
let me ask for predictions.

How big a bump does the president get
off the speech?

-Excuse me. Mr. Secretary?
-Y es?

Sorry to interrupt. Leo McGarry
was wondering if you'd come say hello...

-...to an old friend of his?
-Certainly.

-Would you excuse me?
-It's quite all right.

-Sit Room.
-Thank you.

Are we verifying exactly
who was at the Iab?

We verified Agents McGrath and Nun,
but we still can't confirm the other three.

-I don't want to misnotify the families.
-Leo.

Mickey, 2 p. m. Iocal time in Bogot?...

...five DEA agents assisting police
in evidence-gathering at a cocaine Iab...

...were taken by the CRF.

-Are they alive?
-We think so.

Okay. Putumayo is a Frente stronghold.

The agents were at one of their
top-producing cocaine Iabs.

We open a dialogue through
Colombian army commanders.

-Who are they talking to?
-I think it's Nelson Guerra.

-He's a Frente jefe.
-Get me everything on him.

-Y es, sir.
-Is anybody close by on the ground?

-The closest we've got is T res Encinas.
-Who's there?

Six commanders and 1 3 support.

Really? How many people are gonna
guard where these guys are taken to?

-Five, 600.
-Not the numbers you' re hoping for...

...for a massive attack
and rescue mission.

No.

T ell Special Operations at Ft. Bragg
to submit plans for unilateral op.

-They have an hour.
-Yes.

We should Iet these 1 9 guys
at T res Encinas know they' re in it now.

Y es, sir.

I challenge all our schools to teach
character education.

To teach values. To teach citizenship.

If it means our kids 'll pay more attention
to mathematics and English literature...

... and history and science and the arts
and less attention to designer labels...

... then public schools should be able to
require students to wear school uniforms.

" School uniforms "
from a Iiberal Democrat.

What was that sound we just heard?

Joining us now on our panel is Associate
White House Counsel Ainsley Hayes.

T o my Ieft, Gretchen Tyler, director
of public education for the ACLU.

Gretchen, Iet's start with you.
Were you surprised?

I was surprised, Mark.
I was disappointed.

This president has always had
strong First Amendment credentials.

-What's the position of the ACLU?
-The position of the ACLU is that...

...every child in the country has
a Iegal right to public school education.

And that right can't be conditioned
upon compliance with a uniform policy.

-Ainsley?
-I think Gretchen's point is well taken...

...in that I'm not 100% sure what the
president suggested was constitutional.

What I can tell you is, he 's concerned
about the kid who 's left out...

...because he can 't afford the clothes
his friends wear.

He 's also taken serious notice
of any number of studies...

... done by education experts
that say, by and large...

... kids will do better wearing uniforms.

It should be noted that there already are
dress restrictions on public school kids.

T hey' re not allowed to wear
inappropriate clothing...

...or something obscene on their T -shirt.

It should also be noted
those restrictions...

...were over the strong objection
of the ACLU.

Ainsley, gage for us how strongly
the president feels about this.

He included it in a
State of the Union.

But from your conversations
with him personally.

I haven't had conversations with him.

-On this?
-On anything. I've never met him.

I' m an associate counsel. The Chinese
food guy's got more access than I do.

Y et they have you out here
speaking for the White House?

Yeah, it's a really big night for me.

We'II be back with Gretchen Tyler
and Ainsley Hayes...

...and more guests as the night goes on.

We' re gonna send you
to New Y ork for other news.

-Here's Frank and Judy.
-We' re out.

-You crack me up.
-Thank you.

-Hey, Gracie.
-Hey, Sam.

-Mark, does she have time?
-It's a five-minute news break.

-Have you been watching?
-Y es.

Aren't I delightful?

Yes. You know what I'd Iike?

I'd Iike it if you didn't say you weren't
1 00% sure the proposal is constitutional.

The ACLU has a reasonable case
against the president.

They do a fine job making it without
the help of the president's Iawyer.

-That's fair.
-You never met the president?

-I haven't.
-You've been here for months.

He works in the Oval Office.
I work in steampipe trunk distribution.

-We haven't run into each other.
-I'II set it up.

-Meet him tonight. It's no problem.
-Yes, it is.

-Scared to meet him?
-I' m not scared.

-You are.
-I am not scared...

-... because I' m not gonna.
-Ainsley.

I' m having a good night.
I wanna keep having it.

I don't wanna fear the inevitable
bungling of Ianguage...

-...that will occur, and the mortification.
-Sounds bad.

I am. Y es, I am indeed.
Y es, I am scared to meet the president.

-It sounds really bad. Okay.
-Y es.

-When you meet him, you meet him.
-No need to rush that day along.

Right. Okay, can I talk to you
about adrenaline for a second?

-Adrenaline?
-Y eah. You' re feeling it now.

There will be more because it's a big
night. You never experienced this before.

-Think I'II have a nutty?
-Don't drink till you' re off television.

God! Thanks for that debating tip.
Your feel for nuance!

I shouldn't be drunk when
representing the White House.

Yeah. And don't forget
you' re a blond Republican girl...

...and that nobody Iikes you.

-I' m going back on television now.
-T ry and remember you' re on our side.

Thank you, thank you.
Sam Seaborn wrote that Iine for me.

There's a Iot of polling
going on right now.

The instant-dial focus groups
predict tonight's speech was a success.

And I' m sure where Josh is over at the
phone banks they'II be confirming that.

But when numbers are crunched
and polls are taken...

... I think everyone here realizes...

...that the truly important thing
is that I changed my hair.

Seriously, this is not my official toast.
My official toast is Iater.

I just wanted to say informally
before the president got here...

...thank you so much for your hard work.
And enjoy tonight's success.

-Your hair Iooks great, by the way.
-So, what's going on with Jack SIoan?

C.J. 's on it.

So we were able to get in the Ianguage
about the BIue Ribbon Commission.

We were able to get it in Iast-minute.

We got our guys.
We changed the Ianguage to broaden--

I was there, Leo.

We changed the Ianguage
at the Iast minute.

You wanna be pissed,
the architect of this speech--

I don't wanna be pissed at anyone.
But thanks for asking.

And I don't need to be told who
the architect of tonight's speech was.

It's T oby Ziegler!

In your office in half an hour.
Got it?

-Yes, ma'am.
-Keep shaking hands.

-He didn 't say that.
-Hang on.

He didn 't say that,
and we can roll the tape.

-He said--
-He said standardized testing...

... would be more acceptable
if its limitations were understood.

What about the New York City testing
scores Hal Chafey just cited a while ago?

-Six out of 1 0 were black or Hispanic.
-Chafey forgot to mention...

... that six out of 1 0 of those
students were black or Hispanic.

-On the button.
-Josh--

-No. We' re still doing this?
-Have you asked her out?

-Donna.
-The Iast time I asked, you hadn't.

-What is taking so Iong?
-"Would you Iike to go out Friday night? "

You have to say it.
You have to ask a girl on a date.

You can't just randomly
tumble into a girl...

...and hope she breaks up with you
as always.

-Why not?
-Because you can't.

-You said I always do.
-I can help you or not. It's up to you.

-I choose not helping me.
-Want me to ask her for you?

-Y eah. That's exactly what I want.
-Joey.

Sit down. Where are the first numbers?

-Soon.
-How soon?

-Five minutes.
-You said that 1 5 minutes ago.

-The response rate slowed down.
-Why?

-People are going to bed.
-But the response rate didn't stop, right?

Everybody didn't go to bed.
If they did, that would be phenomenal.

The response rate slowed down and you
need to have some juice and crackers.

America is talking and I' m trying to hear
what they' re saying.

They' re saying that you' re an egomaniac
who needs to know the public Ioves you.

And you'II have the numbers
in five minutes.

I don't think that is what they' re saying,
but, absent information--

-Josh--
-Joey, it's the State of the Union.

-We worked on the speech three months.
-You will hear America speaking.

-In five minutes?
-In five minutes.

-What the hell?
-My computer's down.

It may take a Iittle Ionger now.

Excuse me.

But this White House uses the First
Amendment to protect flag burning...

... pornography, to ban school prayer.

Why, when the Second Amendment
clearly says...

...that the federal government will not
infringe upon a citizen's right...

-...to keep and bear arms--
-It doesn't say that.

The only way it says that
is if you remove words.

-You' re--
-It says, "A well-regulated militia...

... being necessary for security of a free
state, government shall not infringe. "

" Regulated " and " militia"
are in the first sentence.

I don't think the framers were thinking
of guys in a Dodge Durango.

-You don't know what they' re thinking.
-No.

If you combine the populations
of Great Britain, France, Germany...

...Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark
and Australia, you get a population...

... roughly the size of the United States.
We had 32,000 gun deaths Iast year.

They had 1 1 2.

Think it's because Americans
are more homicidal by nature?

Or do you think it's because
those guys have gun control Iaws?

We' re gonna talk to some people
and hear answers to that question.

You' re watching an expanded edition
of Capital Beat.

Live from the west wing
of the White House.

-We'II be back after this.
-We' re out.

T oby.

I' m gonna sit out the next segment.

I gotta see someone.
We'II get you a body.

-Has she been waiting Iong?
-No.

-Sorry I' m Iate.
-That's fine.

-On the air.
-I want to ask--

-Mrs. Bartlet.
-T oby?

Excuse me. I want to remind you there's
press coming in and out of this area.

Are you under the impression
I am going to have a fit of some kind?

-No, ma'am.
-So, what was the deal?

A highway and a park named after him?

-The BIue Ribbon--
-The BIue Ribbon Commission is swell.

I am not talking about
the BIue Ribbon Commission.

And don't talk to me Iike I' m
other people. You've never done that!

It was the Ianguage.

-Mrs. Bartlet--
-The draft I read said :

"The first fiscal priority
of the government must be, will be...

...ensuring Social Security
and Medicare. "

Now, how did that turn into " boldly
setting aside our partisan blinders"?

-White House considering new options?
-Look--

-Raising retirement age?
-Abbey--

How did school uniforms
get a prominent spot?

It was in a section on education reform,
Abbey.

Considering other options doesn't mean
we' re caving on retirement age.

So, what was your concern
with the Ianguage?

The draft said:
" Our commitment to the full benefits...

... promised to America's
greatest generation is absolute. "

-I was there when you wrote it.
-Our commitment is absolute.

We' re open to new ideas, as it said.

-Oh, please!
-Believe me.

We gave Republicans
plenty to be pissed about.

The surplus, missile defense,
capital gains.

I was just on TV for the 900th time
and alienated gun owners...

...to say nothing of people
who own Dodge Durangos.

So, what exactly was your problem
with the Ianguage?

It seemed....

-Abbey?
-I was thrown by Iast-minute changes.

You should get back on TV.

He's here?

-Officer SIoan?
-Y es, ma'am?

I' m C.J. Cregg, press secretary.
Sorry to get you out of the party.

It's all right.

I' m sorry to be abrupt,
but I' m racing the clock a Iittle.

Could you tell me what happened
1 7 years ago...

...with a suspect named Walter T appis?

I can access information through the FBI.
I can call Wayne County DA--

-Do I need a Iawyer?
-I don't think so, but if you'd Iike--

No. It was an armed robbery in progress.
I was pursuing Walter T appis on foot...

...through a series of fenced-in
storage areas behind a warehouse.

I apprehended him and tried to cuff him.
During it he broke my hand and nose.

-So you fractured his Ieg?
-I didn't fracture his Ieg.

He said you kicked him repeatedly
while he was handcuffed.

He was suing the city
for five million dollars.

What possible motivation
would he have to Iie?

-Officer--
-He was 1 9 years old, 6' 2", 1 90 pounds.

He won two bronze medals at state high
school track and field championships.

Miss Cregg, Iook at me.

Do you think I'd catch up to this guy
if his Ieg isn't fractured already?

It didn't happen.

Why didn't you tell anybody this was on
your record when you were invited here?

I just assumed. I mean, because
of what happened over the weekend...

...at the elementary school.

I assumed, you know,
that it was okay now, that I was okay.

I didn't think it
was gonna come up again.

-Does the press know?
-No, but I have to tell them.

-Why?
-They'II find out.

I have to stay ahead of the pitch.
If I issue a statement...

...it doesn't Iook Iike we' re trying to hide
anything. I control the story for a while.

-There is no story.
-Officer--

The DA couldn't bring a case.
The civil suit was dismissed.

The president pointed to you
as an example.

-I am an example.
-It's a story.

-Because you' re giving it to them.
-They'II find it anyway.

-You don't know that.
-Y es, I do.

My wife and kids are back at the party.

You should go back there.

Don't talk to anybody about this.

I wish you'd said something to us before.

Yeah. I just assumed.
I thought it was okay now.

-Okay. Good news.
-What's happening?

The electric power company says outage
was caused by a 1 3,000-volt cable...

...that caught fire in a building
on N Street and Wisconsin.

-How is that good news?
-We have hard information.

-When's the power back on?
-That information isn't available.

-Donna?
-The outage affects 2000 customers.

And it was Iikely started when
a repairman misspliced something.

Call Sam.

-I want the numbers!
-Everybody else is having fun with this.

You' re the only one who's having fun.
Nobody else is.

Boo! How are you doing?

-Are those numbers safe?
-Y es.

Are we gonna be able to make
West Coast calls?

-That depends when the power goes on.
-When's that?

-T onight.
-Do I Iook Iike EIectricity Girl?

-No.
-I' m thinking of Ieading a song.

Is that Sam? Give him to me.

-Sam?
-What's going on?

-The power's down.
-I know.

We' re minutes away
from an East Coast sample.

-Got nothing west of Indiana or IIIinois.
- You need anything?

A Iightning bolt, a key and a kite.

Donna told me to tell you
to ask out Joey Lucas.

-Can I tell you? Donna's been acting--
-I gotta go.

We' re in.

-Sir.
-How's it going?

-Lost power at National Strategies.
-I heard.

-Well done.
-Thank you.

Listen, you scored big
on some of the stuff I fought you on.

-Y es. I know a way you can repay me.
-Repay you for what?

-For you being wrong, me being right.
-I owe you money?

-Not money, sir.
-I owe you anything?

-Great job, Mr. President.
-Thanks.

Ainsley Hayes has worked here
three months.

She's frightened of meeting you.
If you run into her in the halls...

... maybe you could introduce yourself
and welcome her personally.

-Don't you already get paid?
-In the hallways, in the next few days...

...you are bound to be in the same place.
I' m just--

-Mr. President.
-Hang on.

Is there anything in particular
you'd Iike me to say?

If you said something
along the Iines of:

" People assumed you were hired because
you' re a blond, Republican sex kitten.

They were obviously wrong. "
And to keep up the good work.

That's really good.

Mr. President.

-Mr. President.
-The police officer?

-C.J. 's Iooking into it.
-We' re gonna get knocked off the story--

The cop isn't what's gonna
knock us off the story.

-What is?
-We have a situation in Colombia.

-They can be identified as agents?
-They' re dressed as civilians.

-But they've got DEA badges.
-Y eah, they may have blown their cover.

-Sir.
-How do we know they' re still alive?

Human sources paid
by the national police...

-...confirm they' re in a CRF outpost.
-They kill our guys...

... unless Santos releases Juan Aguilar
from a prison in Bogot?.

-The Colombian government won't.
-It doesn't matter.

-Why?
-The Frente doesn't care about Aguilar...

...and how Iong he stays in jail,
they want to kill these guys.

-I don't think--
-They want to drag their bodies.

These people provide 70 percent
of the world's cocaine.

They have 1 22,000 hectares of coca.

The Putumayo region alone produced
$400 million in cocaine Iast year.

The government has no control
over the region. There is no Iaw.

They' re gonna shoot these guys
in the head and have a parade.

If they wanted to kill them,
they'd be dead.

-Robbie.
-Okay, Mr. President.

This plan is called Cassiopeia.
Three MH-60 BIack Hawks...

...two MH-6 Little Birds
and an AC-1 30 gunship.

Each BIack Hawk has 1 0
Delta commandos from Special Forces.

-How Iong?
-Five to seven minutes.

-How many Frente casualties?
-Do you care?

-No.
-Mr. President.

I want to urge
that we continue negotiating.

-You think we' re headed for Vietnam?
-If we attack, the Frente'II hit back.

-How?
-I think they'II bomb our embassy.

I think they will kill diplomats
and citizens in captivity.

AII require a military response.
It could unify the drug Iords.

It could destabilize the region.
It could Iead to a war.

Lead to a war, we' re in a war.

We' re sending people down there
to fight a war on drugs.

Those guys aren't hostages,
they' re prisoners.

How Iong's it gonna take
Special Forces to mobilize?

They' re in 1 41 s now
on their way to T res Encinas.

You can give them a "go" order
in three hours.

Well, then, I want our people
to keep talking to Nelson Guerra.

In three hours,
be ready to kick in the back door.

-Yes, sir.
-Leo, I'd Iike the senior staff.

-Would you round them up?
-Y es, sir.

-I' m gonna be wandering the halls.
-Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

You know what I' m surprised about?

-What?
-We haven't seen a Iot of Iooting.

Usually in these cases you see Iooting.

General civil unrest.

-People get on each other's nerves.
-Okay.

Joey, can I ask you
what may be a silly question?

-Sure.
-It's not possible, is it...

...to just open up one of these computers
with a screwdriver and get the numbers?

-Why'd you think that's a silly question?
-I want these numbers!

Josh?

Sam.

-You gotta come back.
- What's going on?

I don't know. Leo wants everybody back.
Leave Joey and Donna for a while.

I'II be right there.

Ginger?

Isn't Ainsley Hayes
supposed to meet me?

-She's in her office.
-Isn't she to meet me here?

-She needs to meet you in her office.
-Why?

She can't wear her pants.

Ainsley?

-I hardly know where to start.
-I was feeling good after my segments...

-...so I went to the sculpture garden.
-You know...

-...there's a "wet paint" sign.
-My assistant went to get me clothes.

-Why are you moving Iike that?
-I' m blaming it on the bossa nova.

I know what you mean about that
adrenaline high, I definitely think I got it.

The bartender made me a Pink Squirrel.

So you see, I am not
the teetotaler you think I am.

-Is there alcohol in that at all?
-A dash of cr?me de cacao, my friend.

-I came down here to tell you--
-Oh, dance with me, Sam.

-What's up?
-Oh, Mr. President.

I never knew we had a nightclub
down here.

Oh, my God!

Mr. President, I don't believe
you've met Ainsley Hayes.

Y eah, Ainsley, I wanted to say hello
and to mention, you know...

... people assumed you were hired
because you were a blond Republican...

...sex kitten and, well,
they' re obviously wrong.

-Keep up the good work.
-Y es, sir.

-Know we' re meeting?
-Y es, sir.

Okay.

That could've been worse.

No, probably not.

T ake us behind the scenes. What are the
president and first Iady doing right now?

The reception's still going on,
I don't know if you can hear the music.

They are Iikely
to stay up Iate with friends.

AII right, we' re staying up Iate too.
Maybe we'II get invited to the party.

We' re gonna take a break
and come right back.

-We' re out.
-How you holding up?

You got a second?

I've Iaid off it because
we've done things together.

-I didn't want to ambush you--
-SIoan?

-Yeah. C.J.
-Mark.

I talked to the guy. Before
the stampede begins, give me a--

C.J.?

-Let me talk to you before--
-C.J.?

Leo McGarry would Iike you
to meet a friend.

-Give me 20 minutes.
-Why?

-We've done things together.
-I' m Iooking at my watch.

-They said you were here.
-Just for a minute.

Fellas?

-You' re mad at me.
-You know what, I' m not your mommy.

Abbey, so I indicated we were open to
new ideas, how did I fail you this time?

You didn't fail anybody.

They've been giving you
some pretty decent style points.

I have a meeting.

At what point in the process
did you decide not to mention...

-...the Violence Against Women Act?
-Things had to be cut.

Jane Robinson, by the way, is the name
of the woman I made the check out to.

It wasn't cashed because she framed it.

Charlie tracked her down
at a women's shelter.

That's what made me think about
the Violence Against Women's Act.

T o make a 90-minute speech into
an 80-minute speech, things had to go.

It's good it didn't have to be shorter, or
school uniforms might not have made it.

We had a deal.

-Right now--
-We made a promise. We made a deal!

When did you decide you were
gonna run for a second term?

-That's not what tonight's speech--
-That's all tonight's speech was about!

You kicked off your re-election campaign.

And I' m sitting here, eating a sandwich
because we had a deal.

That was three years ago.

I have Special Forces
headed to Colombia on ready-alert.

-They'II be ready in Iess than three hours.
-What happened?

The Frente took five DEA agents
in Putumayo.

Mr. President? Senior staff's together.

-I'II be right there.
-Y es, sir.

-Abbey--
-No, you gotta focus right now.

AII right.

-I've gotta go.
-I'II stay up with you.

Welcome back. If you 're just joining us,
we 're live tonight...

... from the west wing of the
White House with an all-star panel.

We 're talking about the State of the
Union. It appears that it 's a blockbuster.

Claire Willow joins us now
from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Subtitles by
SDI Media Group

[ENGLISH]