The West Wing (1999–2006): Season 4, Episode 17 - Red Haven's on Fire - full transcript

Military action in the Middle East has unforeseen repercussions. Sam and Toby work together on the Orange County Campaign. Will has to find his leadership skills quickly as he is left with no one but interns to prepare remarks on the dry subjects of Taxes.

Previously on The West Wing:

Tell Toby to take over the campaign.

The White House will answer
the Republican tax plan Monday.

Every speech the president gives
has to be about the Democratic tax plan.

- The speechwriting staff, they quit, right?
- Yeah.

We're speechwriting staff interns.

- Kundu is in the midst of a civil war.
- No, it's not.

It's in the midst of a slaughtering
of an entire people.

Two Marine lance corporals
and a PFC have been taken.

- What are we doing?
- Special ops wants to brief you...

...on some rescue scenarios.
- We're coming home.



... with General Vahorean disclosing
for the first time...

... the names of the Marines
taken hostage.

They are Lance Corporals
John Halley and Raymond Rowe...

... and Private First Class
Herman Hernandez.

On what was described
as a routine patrol...

... of the perimeter of Bitanga Airport,
the three reported by radio an attack...

... by an estimated 50 members
of the Kundu National Army.

Well, Sam's on his way over
and I'll tell you something.

If I felt comfortable hugging
other people...

...I'd do one to Sam,
because he impaled himself.

So I think the least I can do is
bring the Ziegler brand of wisdom...

...to the campaign for the last week,
be a role model.

You know what they don't tell you?

- You can post bond with a credit card.
- Man, that's totally whacked.



Yeah, Charlie's trying to throw it down
with the street. It's a sad sight.

I've got American Express,
I've got Visa.

I could've posted bond
and gotten miles.

- Hang on.
- Press Secretary C.J. Cregg...

... telling us President Bartlet...

... who was to spend the weekend
in California campaigning...

... for Democratic congressional
candidate Sam Seaborn...

... has boarded Air Force One
and is on his way back to Washington...

... to more closely monitor the crisis, you
have to call it with the three hostages.

- Sir?
- Yeah. When do you land?

Sign here, here, here.

Initial it here, here, here.
And sign again here.

Excuse me. I think they're making me
buy somebody's house.

Call me when you land.

I'm sorry, who'd I borrow this from?

It was me. Thanks.

- Toby.
- I'm sorry I missed your rally.

That was something you did
with the tax plan.

- Thank you.
- I meant it was stupid.

- Speaking of which, what happened?
- With us? At the bar?

Yes.

Couple of country club guys
were a little lubed.

They got into it with Andy.

I wanted him to step back,
and he slipped.

His wingman thought I hit him,
so I took care of business.

- You did what?
- Charlie took care of business.

- You all right?
- Yeah. When you sit in a cage...

...you have time to do a lot of thinking.
- Hurricane, we were in for two hours.

You probably haven't talked to anybody?

I just got off with Josh. I'm running
the campaign for the last week.

Yeah. The president can't fire
Scott Holcomb.

He was taking it in the wrong
direction, Sam.

And you guys are gonna take it
in the right direction?

We made a rough entrance here,
but things are looking up now.

You trapped people at Disneyland...

...told the French to stick bread up their
ass, had a meeting with a communist...

...and things are looking up because my
new campaign director just made bail.

A glass is half-full or half,
you know, the other...

- How'd you call Josh?
- What do you mean?

- Didn't they take your cell phone?
- I borrowed theirs.

On a call girl's bill,
there'll be a call to Air Force One?

You're really gonna be teaching a
seminar on call-girl caution? Really?

Excuse me, but at this point we're
in jail voluntarily. Can we go?

- What are we doing about this story?
- Nothing. It's a box on page 27.

- It'll be more than that.
- They got the hostages...

...the president
heading to Washington...

...a flood in Colorado, and a chemical
fire in Providence. We got saved.

All right, I called that putt too early.

Lance Corporal Halley is from
Sarasota, Florida.

He joined the Marine Corps
two years ago...

... and he did his basic training
at Camp Pendleton.

He is married, with a 3-year-old
daughter. The three were deployed...

How come it's never people with six
months to live who are taken hostage?

I mean, there's so much of it, you'd
think once in a while we'd catch a break.

- Hey, Trotsky.
- Yeah.

The first lady's gonna do
the president's public events tomorrow.

Let C.J. know that she should stay.
She was gonna take a red-eye back.

Also, Charlie should stay
and staff the first lady.

Okay, speaking of the first lady,
you have a meeting with Max.

Yeah, Max is taken care of.

The HHS chapter of the submission
is ready for you to proofread.

- Want me to do it?
- I'm supposed to do it myself.

Yes, but you don't. Want me to do it?

- You took a meeting with a communist.
- You sent me there.

Yeah. Fair enough. My bad.

- You want me to proofread this?
- Yes, please.

- Mr. President? Mr. McGarry.
- Would you all excuse me?

Yes, sir.

- Yeah?
- Electronic eavesdropping...

... and a couple of paid informants...

...lead us to believe they're being held
about 37 miles east of Bitanga.

What happens if, screw the deadline,
we just go to full deployment right now?

Well, I don't know, but the three Marines
would certainly be executed.

All right, we gotta go get them.

Fitz?

The Delta Force, First Special Forces.
That's 26 special ops.

They've been practicing
for the last three hours or so in Ghana.

They're gonna use the RH-66,
the Comanche Attack-Recon.

When they've got it right in Ghana, we'll
recommend that you give the order, sir.

If that happens, we believe there's
a 70-percent chance of success.

All right, then. On my order.

-Thank you, sir.
- Thank you, Mr. President.

... or if any ransom demands
have been made.

Pentagon officials would not comment
on whether the fate of the hostages...

... affects America 's decision
to take action.

You can't say their plan is the
wrong way to stimulate the economy.

- It is the wrong way.
- No. It's not.

It won't stimulate the economy at all.

It'll stimulate yacht manufacturers. Don't
say,"We believe." Make it declarative.

Twenty-one and 60.

They've been working
since very early this morning.

- Right. Yeah.
- Twenty-one, you wrote:

"Even if capital gains
does reward risk-taking...

...the plan is bad for the deficit."
Why are you conceding their point?

And Lauren Shelby writes,
"Everyone should get equal benefits."

Our plan isn't equal.
It raises taxes on the rich.

- I meant, metaphorically, I suppose.
- Why don't I take this one.

Will, those are remarks for the
deputy small-business administrator.

So anyone subcabinet or lower,
it's okay to be a mass of indecision?

I'm saying you have limited time
and finite resources.

- Maybe it'd be best to triage.
- Do not fall asleep again.

- I thought I saw food on the floor.
- They haven't eaten.

- There's food in the mess.
- It closes at 6.

- Is it after 6?
- Yes.

- What time is it?
- Eleven thirty.

All right, you guys should go home.

- You need anything?
- No.

- You didn't give encouragement.
- What?

- You didn't give encouragement.
- I'm not a counselor.

I need these things done by Monday.
The staff quit.

I've gotta figure out a way
to do it myself.

- By Monday?
- Yes.

Okay, but you've had an attitude
since yesterday.

I question their commitment.

They're here on a Saturday night
and they don't get paid.

"White House intern"
looks good on a r?sum?.

In three months, two of them
will be working at Cond? Nast and HBO.

- And the other two?
- Will marry senior vice presidents...

...at Cond? Nast and HBO.

- Hello?
- Hey.

- You guys all right?
- Charlie and I got arrested.

- Yeah, I saw it on the news.
- It made the news out there?

A Jewish guy won a bar fight.
It's news.

- The tax plan's coming out tomorrow.
- What are you talking about?

Sam found out we were holding back
because of him...

...and made the president flip the cards.
So the toothpaste's out of the tube...

...and we need to be ready with public
remarks by the end of tomorrow.

- Get them back.
- Who?

The Ronettes. Get them back.

- Are you there?
- Yeah. End of tomorrow.

I'll call you in an hour.

Toby, I'm gonna catch
the red-eye back.

No, you're not. The first lady's flying
in to take over the president's events...

...she needs a staff.
- How do I get her schedule?

- Advance is bringing it over.
- Did Zoey stay?

Yeah, she's still here. All right.

Amy, how much money
does he have left?

Twenty-eight thousand five hundred
cash on hand.

That's including a loan for 15,000
for targeted radio spots.

- Yet with regard to money you remain...?
- Cautiously optimistic.

- Because?
- The campaign's strapped...

...because Scott Holcomb never tapped
Democratic interest groups.

- Will they write checks this late?
- If they can be convinced...

...Sam's still sucking in some oxygen.
- I'm enjoying this.

You're eight points down,
with 10 up for grabs...

...we need them to break for you.

- All of them?
- Yes.

Look, it's been one of those days.

Who would've thought Charlie could bust
us out of jail using nothing but his shoes.

Go ahead, tell them, Charlie.

These guys got beat.

Could that have happened in the struggle
when they were ambushed?

- No.
- No.

These guys got beat.

- I think 80 million...
- We're talking about PSSF grants?

Yeah, I think 80 million's pretty
unrealistic from the House.

Last year didn't the conferees split
the difference like 68-something?

Sixty-eight point two.

We'll tell them the budget submission's
at 80 and everyone's happy at 70.

- Do we have anything else?
- Can I just ask?

Mrs. Bartlet was promised 12 million for
immunization education funds at CDC.

You've got the full
139 million for vaccines in here.

- Shouldn't they be separate?
- Max, there's no more 12 million.

- Why?
- I traded it.

- You're kidding.
- I am not.

Josh, the first lady wanted it. No one
notified me this was on the table.

- You get a daily memo on consultations.
- I get 35 of them and you know it.

Yes. Thank you.

I have to go tell this
to the first lady now?

Well, I'd have someone else do it,
but it's up to you.

- Morning.
- Good morning. You get some sleep?

God. Yeah, that was a nice four hours.

- I'm a whole new woman.
- Are you the leader of the group?

- I'm sorry?
- The group leader.

- I've been here the longest.
- You guys gotta hunker down.

- I promise you, we're doing our best.
- I don't think you are.

- Man, your sister was right.
- Was she?

- Yeah.
- About what?

- Good morning.
- Morning, everyone. Good morning, Elsie.

Minimum wage is $5. 15 an hour.
Times 40, times 52...

...that's $ 10,712 dollars a year.
Which is what you make...

...unloading boxes in a right-to-work
state. Say, Kentucky.

He can't live on that, so he puts in
another 30 hours at night...

...bringing his total to $ 18,746 a year.

He pays 15 percent
in federal income tax, or $2811.90.

Public schoolteacher, $41,724 dollars
is the national average.

He's paying 28 percent,
or $ 11,682 dollars.

And, finally, a doctor making 150,000
is paying 36 percent...

...or $54,000 in taxes.

Fifteen percent, 28 percent, 36 percent.

It's a progressive tax,
been around since Lincoln.

Under the plan the Republicans
announced on Friday...

...the box unloader stays the same.

The schoolteacher stays the same.
The doctor gets $4500 back.

Under our plan, which has sort of been
announced already...

...the box unloader gets $321 back.

The schoolteacher gets $ 1251.
The doctor stays the same...

...and to finance the tax deductibility
of college tuition...

...for the children
of the box unloader and teacher...

...we go to a fourth group,
the ?ber-wealthy...

...and ask a CEO making
$ 16,400,000 a year...

...to give us another one percent,
taking him up to 41.

Whatever you have done in an hour
is what I'm gonna work with.

- Thanks.
- The doctor got into medical school.

I said, the doctor got into medical school.
He had to work hard to do that...

...and presumably the CEO has skills...

...the value of which the market
has placed at $ 16,400,000.

Was there a spread on this
in Republican Vogue?

Bring me whatever you've got
in an hour.

You're very stealthy, ma'am.
I've always liked that.

- Yeah?
- How are you this morning?

You outwitted my chancellor.
You bested my swordsman.

I haven't said this lately, ma'am, but you
and the president are a perfect couple.

- I wanted that 12 million.
- Me too.

But at the end of a prizefight,
you look at the guy dancing around.

- That's who won.
- Why doesn't my agenda...

...get anywhere in these negotiations?

Well, can I ask you, ma'am?

- Why do you think?
- Because you're a political snob...

...who doesn't think
the first lady belongs...

...on this side of the building.
- Wrong.

- Wrong what?
- Wrong, ma'am.

- Damn right.
- The president and Leo make decisions...

...by listening to and participating in
vigorous debate.

This isn't school.
I work with people who can play.

You're comfortable being
this condescending with me?

- Yes, ma'am.
- Why?

Because I won. I always do.

- And you came here for my advice.
- Max...

- He's an idiot.
- He's my nephew.

No kidding. He doesn't understand
budget process or committee structure.

He thinks decisions are made
in meetings...

- This is an extremely...
- He can't play.

Mrs. Bartlet, you're the first lady.
You need a chief of staff. A real one.

If you want your agenda taken seriously,
put a professional face on it.

- Thank you.
- Thank you, ma'am.

When they ask you
why you're here today, you say:

"Orange County's beachfront
is a national treasure."

- Who are you? Charlie McCarthy?
- Charlie was the dummy.

Edgar Bergen was the ventriloquist.

When they ask about the rise in the
consumer price index, you say:

"Orange County's beachfront
is a national treasure."

They're gonna ask me about
the Democratic tax plan.

- They might.
- They might.

- They will.
- Yeah.

When they do,
here's what you say:

"Orange County's beachfront
is a national treasure."

Assuming I did say that, which I won't,
you don't think I'd sound like an idiot?

I doubt you'll sound like anything.

They'll just use it as B-roll,
but if there's audio...

...you might as well be on message.

- Sam will take some questions now.
- Mr. Seaborn?

What are we doing here today?

Orange County's beachfronts
are a national treasure, Samantha.

That's why I've supported
creating the Federal Beach Project.

Orange County is experiencing
land development...

- He looks youthful.
- Yes.

- And energetic.
- Yes.

He looks youthful and energetic.
Do we have anything he can jump over?

- What is it?
- What's going on at the White House?

I'm standing right here.
I don't have special powers.

When you brief the press
that's when I'll know.

You've never been on a beach
in your life, have you?

No.

- They're here?
- Yes, sir.

- Who are they?
- Diane Halley and their 3-year-old...

...Esteban and Louisa Hernandez,
and Martha Rowe.

- There's a 3-year-old in there?
- Yeah. I'll take care of it.

This is my first time
doing this particular one.

Good morning, I'm Jed Bartlet.
Mr. And Mrs. Hernandez?

- Yes, sir.
- Mrs. Rowe?

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Halley?
Is it all right if I call you Diane?

Diane's fine.

- Are you Betty?
- Yeah.

- Are you 3 years old?
- Yeah.

Are you scared now?

Don't be. Diane, would you mind...

...if Betty sat in the next room
with my secretary, Mrs. Fiderer.

We'll be just behind that door.

Yeah. Honey, wait for me
in the next room with...

Debbie. Come on, Betty.

I know a lot about you.

Thank you.

Please.

No one can tell us anything.

- The picture is real?
- Yeah.

It was taken off Kundunese TV.

They have TV?

Yeah, sure.

They...

They've been beaten?

I'm afraid so, sir. Yes.

We are currently negotiating
for Red Cross access...

...so they can get medical attention.

Where are they being held?
What kind of place is it?

I'm sorry. I can't tell you that.

Do you know?

- I mean, do you know where they're...?
- I'm sorry, I can't tell you that, either.

But something is being done
to get the boys back?

- Mr. Hernandez, I can only imagine...
- You can't tell us that, either.

No, ma'am, I can't.

- Excuse me.
- Excuse me, please.

- Delta just got it right in Ghana.
- Let's go.

They fly in on two Comanches
and a Black Hawk.

Twenty men forcibly secure
the perimeter of the barracks.

A snatch force of six men penetrate
and take the captives.

What about resistance?

Well, they're gonna subdue sentries
and visible guards.

They've got heavy sniper rifles
and the CIA wet team.

What's the timetable?

Forty-seven minutes to get there
from the president's go order.

That's radio silence.

Two hours to get it done.

Why a wet team?

- Excuse me, sir?
- Why the CIA wet team?

We're not near water.

No, sir. It's called...

They call it a wet team
because it's bloody.

I had to ask.

What's it called?

Task Force Dawn Sky.

- Go.
- Go.

It's a go. Task Force is go.

- Dawn Sky's in operation.
- Stand by.

- Work at the end of hour seven.
- Where's everyone else?

- Asked me to bring it.
- They're scared of me?

- Yes.
- Give me that.

What did Cassie mean by:

-"Your sister was right about you"?
- What?

-"Your sister was right."
- I probably was.

- About what?
- What do you mean?

- Will you tell me what you said?
- Clock's ticking.

"In our redistributive tax plan..."
I don't want it called that.

Sounds like redistributing wealth, which,
historically, is preceded by heads...

...on peasants' pitchforks.

"In the Bartlet plan, Americans
making less than $80,000...

...will see their marginal tax rate
cut from 15 percent and 28 percent...

...to 12 percent and 23 percent."
I'm sleeping already.

- Hard-ass.
- What?

Cassie said,
"What's with your stepbrother?"

I said,"He's a sweet hard-ass."

You did? And she said,
"Your sister was right about you."

- She meant you're sweet.
- I don't think so.

- How do you know?
- Because.

- Willie.
- Don't call me that!

Sputnik crashed down
on your head overnight.

You're working on one speech,
suddenly you're deputy director...

...the director's away,
and your staff quit.

- Because of me.
- Because they're idiots!

And the tax plan's out two days early,
so you're cramming it.

You're taking it all out on
four defenseless interns who...

...think Sputnik's crashed
on their heads too.

Leave these. I'll make notes.

Okay.

"The DNC honors the Bartlet women."

Well, I assume you're talking
about my daughters...

...because if the DNC is honoring my
husband's skanky ex-girlfriends, I...

No. No, you're honoring
the great work...

...done by so many women
during Jed's first term.

Sherry Klein and Jean Hammond
of the NWLA...

...who got 28 billion into the budget for
health care coverage for the uninsured...

...and children of low-income parents.

Ellen Meshejian and her team
at the National Education Initiative.

Rachel Warren and the child-care
tax incentive program.

Elizabeth Lowell and
the Women's Health Coalition.

I beg your pardon, ma'am.

And Amy Gardner,
who's had seven jobs in three years.

On behalf of the DNC...

...on behalf of the White House and
the president, I thank you very much.

And let's send Sam Seaborn
to Congress. Thank you.

I'm so sorry, ma'am.
I was reaching for the glass...

...misjudged the angle on the candle and,
as you saw, one thing led to another.

How did you live with Josh Lyman?

- I'm sorry?
- How did you live with him?

He beat Max out of the 12 million
earmarked for vaccine education.

And when I said I wanted the
12 million, he said,"So did I.

At the end of the fight, look at the guy
dancing around and that's who won"?

So I wanna know
how you lived with him?

We never technically lived together,
which was the subject of...

Don't you wanna kill him
when he's like that?

My problem is I wanna jump him
when he says things like that.

- Where did you get your mouth?
- Brown, then Yale Law School.

Oh, God. Alana Waterman's
about to zatz me on fair pay.

- Save me, would you?
- You want me to?

- Please.
- Abbey...

...you were charming.
- Good to see you, Alana.

I'm not sure if you saw my op-ed...

- I did...
- Me too.

- Well, what I wanted to say is...
- I thought it was terrific, if that counts.

- Thank you. Obviously...
- And courageous.

- I'm sorry?
- I say, I thought it was courageous.

Because the leadership
wanted fair pay done quietly...

...so it didn't become necessary
for the moderate Republicans...

...to make it a symbol
of left wing overreaching.

As if the president
doesn't have enough problems.

But you said,"Screw the leadership."
I think that's courageous.

Ironically, I have a hunch the first lady
could've been brought on board fair pay...

...if she had been lobbied more...
What's the word?

More, you know, professionally.

Rather than being embarrassed
in this morning's newspaper, Alana.

Lovely remarks today, ma'am.
That's what I came over to say.

- You said,"Save me."
- I meant...

...walk me to the other side
of the room or something.

Oh. Oh, I'm sorry.

So this is what it looks like
from where you are, Mr. McGarry.

I'm sorry?

I say, this is what it looks like
from where you are.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Rowe,
I don't follow.

The comfortable chairs
and the bodyguards.

I'm sorry. I'm still not...

I can tell you if it's just a matter of...

When the U.S. is involved in a military
conflict anywhere in the world...

...the chief of staff is given
increased security. It's just...

Is that what you meant?

I meant that the Bartlets
aren't ones for joining the service.

- Did you serve?
- I did.

I flew F-105s for the
355th Tactical Fighter Wing.

- During a war?
- Yeah, the war in Vietnam.

I apologize, sir.

- My mistake.
- That's all right.

Mr. McGarry?

- You should call me Leo.
- Esteban. Steve.

Does my son...?

Would these boys know anything?

- Have any information...?
- Steve, you wanna ask me...

...if your son's being tortured?

Would they know
any information that...?

I can't tell you that.

Excuse me.

Coming up on 47 minutes
plus two hours.

Well, let's get everybody in.

You got a fax from Amy.

- What does she say?
- Looks like just some campaign updates.

- Read it to me.
- Low-dollar program capped at 37K.

Three new national endorsements
including Sierra Club and NARAL.

Latter on promise of opposition
to partial-birth ban.

- Mrs. B. Says...
- Hey, Josh?

Did you sign off on $40 million...

...from the immunization fund to be
earmarked for immunization education?

- Yeah.
- Really?

I thought you settled that
with the first lady's office.

Yeah. Wait. What?

Hi. Maddy Tatum.
We've worked together for years.

- Did you say immunization education?
- Vaccines and the HHS budget.

You moved 40 million
from nutrition services in the...

- I didn't move anything.
- It's in the HHS final.

Let me see that.

- This isn't what we had this morning.
- The change was made in the galleys.

Didn't you proofread it?

I don't know. Did I proofread it?

Yeah. But you proofread it to make sure
capital was spelled with an A.

- You didn't proofread it to...
- To make sure it was what we agreed to?

- I didn't do that?
- Not as such. No.

- Who moved the money?
- I don't know.

Whoever moved the money knew
I don't proofread these.

- Must've been Max.
- Max doesn't know.

- Then I give up.
- Really leaving no stone unturned, huh?

Don't yell at her.

- Read me the rest of the fax.
- What?

How did she...?

Read... Read me the fax.

"Latter on promise of opposition
of partial-birth ban.

Mrs. B. Says you're encouraging her
to hire new chief of staff.

Need treasury breakdown
of cap gains cut.

First lady took your advice.
She just hired me.

Weather here is 74 degrees
and partly cloudy."

Well.

A whole new chapter begins.

Yeah.

You know, I think I've got...

Yes, yes.

I do. I've still got sand in my shoes
from, like, six hours ago.

You know, I'm looking
at this wire report.

Why is the first lady commenting
on falling soybean prices?

- That's what they asked.
- Why let her take the questions?

That's what a lot of us
are wondering.

Mrs. Bartlet wants to change
her remarks at the DCCC tonight...

...and talk about the vote on
nutrition assistance programs.

- That's not a good idea.
- Why not?

Because it's a black-tie event.

When she talks about poor women
while wearing a $4000 Krizia dress...

...she looks like Marie Antoinette.

- She's right.
- I am.

So you should tell her that.

- I'm sorry?
- Tell her not to talk about the vote.

- I should say she'll look like a dilettante?
- I once had to tell the president...

...he was wearing different shoes.
- That's roughly the same.

You polished up my remarks.

- Those are recommendations.
- For the office park?

Say what you want.

Do you mean for the office
park now or the banquet tonight?

I meant for both.

"Charles Darwinomics
for the chamber of commerce."

"Trickle-down travesties."

- That was mine.
- She's ready to go.

Good luck.
I'll catch up with you later.

They're well-paid
technology workers.

- What happened to courting undecideds?
- We're doing that.

Darwinomics at the
chamber of commerce?

- It's flamethrower language.
- Don't want that?

- I didn't say that.
- Good.

- You feel all right?
- Yeah.

Then let's go.

At what point do we start to worry?

- I'm sorry?
- Hack was two hours and 47 minutes.

That was an approximation.

Yeah, but it's four hours
and 10 minutes now.

I got three parents, a wife,
and a 3-year-old there.

At what point do I tell them
what's going on?

- Let's give them some time.
- How much time before we send guys...

...to get the guys we sent in to get...?

Dakota one-one, O.D.S.
Is this channel secured?

Confirm, Dakota one-one.
Call in, over.

-Zeus four-one.
-Black Widow one-one, O.D.S.

That's all three choppers.
EUCOM, can you confirm the cargo?

-Dakota one-one, say if cargo 's onboard.
-EUCOM Dakota one-one, that's affirm.

Yes!

Ask him to confirm it again.

- Affirm again EUCOM.
-Dakota one-one, affirm your cargo.

Lance Corporals Halley and Rowe and
PFC Hernandez onboard Zeus four-one.

-That's affirmative, White House.
- That was the longest silence...

...since Mexico.
- Chihuahua's governor.

- That's the way to go.
- We heard Spanish over the com.

- What did that turn out to be?
- Her bodyguards were on walkie-talkies.

Leo.

- What's that?
- Red Haven's on fire.

- What does that mean?
- A bomb went off.

EUCOM, are you reading the condition
on Red Haven?

Roger that. Red Haven 's on fire.

Can you give a situation assessment?

- What's Red Haven?
- The base in Ghana...

...where the Deltas practiced.
- Fitz, what's going on?

It's coming.

White House, EUCOM. Best we can tell,
three SUVs breached the gate at Haven.

First one was stopped.
The second two continued...

... before driving into a barracks
and exploding their C-4s.

Casualties?

It was a suicide bombing.

They're reporting 17 dead
and some 20 injured.

I want Threatcon Charlie
for Africa and Europe.

All right.

- Why don't you go talk to the families.
- Yes, sir. I'll be right back.

They've been gone a long time now.

As soon as they know anything,
they'll send someone.

Well, that's not true, though. I mean,
they know a lot but they can't tell us?

That's for everyone's safety.

Can you tell us this?

Why were these boys sent to a place
I have never heard of...

...and to kill people
I've never heard of?

That's a complicated question.

I'm a smart lady.

- Leo.
- They're safe.

They're in airspace over Morocco.

- What happened?
- Our special ops unit...

...staged a successful rescue.

They'll be brought to a hospital at
Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany...

...and they'll be home tomorrow.

We'll have communications set up in a
few minutes. You can speak with them.

The president wishes he could
be here himself to tell you...

...but I'm afraid he's engaged
at the moment.

Leo, what aren't you telling us?

- The boys are fine, Mrs. Rowe.
- But something has happened.

It appears there's been
a terrorist retaliation...

...at the makeshift camp we set up
in Ghana to practice for the rescue.

Seventeen staff and administrators
were killed.

Someone will be in to take care of you.

Thank you.

Listen to this.

"Our taxes aren't a penalty,
hard as that is to believe.

They're the price we pay
for our roads and bridges.

And the way we look after
the least among us.

The sign and signal of our obligations to
each other and to our own best selves."

That's nice.
Did you write that?

- No. You did.
- I didn't write that.

Yeah, you did.
I painted it, but it's yours.

You wrote:

"We must rise above parochial interests
and speak to the national interest.

Instead of a trickle-down economy,
imagine one...

...where the work of ordinary Americans
is the center of our national life."

- I wrote that?
- You did.

- I'm very good.
- Don't get carried away.

Which is Shelby,
and which is Romano?

I'm Romano.

A spread in Republican Vogue?

- What was that supposed to be? Clever?
- You're entitled.

A guy's entitled to shout stupid things
at a ballpark.

Doesn't make me
wanna follow his lead.

The answer as to why the MD
should accept a greater tax burden...

...in spite of his well-earned success,
is called a veil of ignorance.

Imagine before you're born,
you don't know who you'll be...

...your abilities or your position.

Now design a tax system.

- Veil of ignorance.
- John Rawls.

We rescued the hostages, but suicide
bombers killed 17 U.S. soldiers in Ghana.

It's what we're talking about tomorrow,
so I'll put the tax plan aside...

...and work on this.

You all did well.

I'll see you tomorrow.

- Lauren, why don't we get the profiles?
- He's gonna need the minute-by-minute.

- Can I get a Bible?
- Corinthians?

- I think so.
- We should pull material from when...

...we lost the Deltas in Bogot?.
- Why does he need...?

I'm almost sure there's
a King James Bible on the shelf.

- Someone tell the DNC...
- Elsie.

...not to bother with the tax plan.
- Hi, this is Lauren.

They misunderstood.
They can go.

- I was wondering if Will Bailey...
- They understood.

That's right, Sam wrote it
for the president.

Is there a copy I can run over and get?

And the hospital workers' conference.

We are preaching to the choir.
That's all we are doing.

Yet you packed the damn office park
with bodies from the... Where'd he go?

I'm sorry, are you talking to me?

No.

- Are you open?
- We have a private party in a little while.

Yeah, I'm supposed to be next door.

Sorry I didn't catch that last part.
You were walking all fast.

You packed the office park with bodies
from labor. AFL, Teamsters.

It was like the cast
of a James Cagney movie.

The event was to talk
to wired workers.

Didn't want a half-empty rally, and the
wired workers are wired to Webb.

I've spent a third of the day in
one-on-ones with Planned Parenthood...

...Families America, AARP. You think
those people are gonna vote for Webb?

My concern is that those people
are gonna stay home on Election Day.

Now I'm supposed to go
to the chamber of commerce...

...and sing about titans
of corporate greed?

- Problem?
- The titans are the ones in the room.

- Can we get a couple shots and a beer?
- Yeah.

- I'm preaching to the choir.
- I'm sorry?

You have me preaching to the choir.

- Yeah.
- Why?

That's how you get them to sing.

I can't just cut any chance I have
for victory.

- The story will be,"It's over."
- No.

The story is you had the guts to stick up
for what you believe, and you didn't run.

And people are gonna remember that.
I'm gonna make sure of it.

I'm gonna lose.

- Yeah.
- There's no chance of a miracle?

No.

Then why are you here?

You're gonna lose...

...and you're gonna lose huge.
They're gonna throw rocks at you.

And I wanted to be standing
next to you when they did.

- Oh, really?
- Yeah.

- Really?
- Yeah.

- Really?
- Really.

I'm just getting creamed.
I'm just getting worked.

- I know. You're not imagining it.
- Thanks.

Don't know if you heard.
It was just on the news.

There was a terrorist bombing
in Africa, an Army base.

Yeah, we heard.

We should get back to work.

God save the president
of the United States...

...and Sam Seaborn.

Let's go.