The West Wing (1999–2006): Season 4, Episode 23 - Twenty Five - full transcript
In the wake of his daughter's kidnapping, Bartlet must make a decision between being a father and being President.
Previously on The West Wing:
I'm gonna go and put
some water on my face.
You're sad. And you're angry.
And you're not warm.
- My water broke.
- You'll see one of your kids in 15 minutes.
Bookbag's been taken.
I have an agent down.
We're black. Go to black.
Zoey Bartlet is missing,
and there's a dead agent at the scene.
My husband's been having
some empty-nest problems.
Jerry's been sighing all week.
Has the president?
Jed's been sighing. He's been sighing
in all kinds of dead languages.
Those pearls really are beautiful.
Thank you. Yeah.
The men are not taking this very well.
Fellas, you know, we're all having
a good time over here.
We're having a good time here too.
Doing what?
Talking about the too rapid passage
of time and, you know, grieving.
He's gonna schedule nine
White House visits...
...to France over the next three months.
He's accepting every invitation.
He's gonna be a judge
at the Cannes Film Festival.
I told you it was this one.
The day we brought her home
from the hospital.
Tell me that wasn't a month ago.
What is she doing graduating...
...summa cum laude from something.
- Remember the ride home?
Scariest drive of your life.
Seven miles an hour with
the hazard lights on all the way home.
From what I remembered,
did we have baby seats then...
...or did we just hold on very tight?
Yeah, we had the... .
Hey, honey, were there baby seats
when Jackie was born?
Yes, of course there were. There
were baby seats, indoor plumbing.
That was 21 years ago. I can't remember
our hotel from last night.
I wore all of my jewelry to the hospital
when George was born.
- I don't know why.
- To show off.
- Okay, Harbor Patrol's got the Potomac?
- Yes, sir.
- Forensics!
- Wes, what the hell is going on?
- She's been taken.
- What are you talking about?
- How many?
- 188, 24 stat!
- What are you talking about?
- Zoey's been taken.
We had her in the bathroom.
She's gone.
- She's messing with you.
- No.
- Local news over there.
- Doesn't matter! We move them away.
She's messing with you.
She's at a Baskin-Robbins
with her girlfriends.
- You gotta call these people off.
- They shot one of my agents.
Molly's dead. They shot Molly.
Molly's dead?
- They couldn't...
- Charlie.
- Couldn't have gotten far.
- Stay here.
- My car's around the corner.
- We need to stay here.
They're gonna need to talk to us.
Get off of me!
They've already dropped a net
on the city.
They've already dropped a net.
They aren't getting anywhere.
We were the last people
to see her go in the club.
They're gonna wanna have
a word with us.
Metro Police have roadblocks around
Georgetown. They've closed down...
...the Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge
and Route 29.
FBI's putting up
a command post at OEOB?
- Yes.
- CIA and Diplomatic Security are briefed?
Right now, and they're wired
to the Ops Center.
We're gonna begin questioning...
Do you have my older daughters?
Do you have Ellie and Elizabeth?
Yes, sir.
There's no need to keep this a secret.
We wanna get it out there
quickly and massively.
- Mike, turn the lights on?
- Secret Service put themselves...
...on the police frequencies,
so anyone with a scanner has it.
Major, I need C.J. Cregg.
Are we being attacked?
- We don't know.
- Tell me what you think.
I think we're being attacked,
but this is gonna take some time.
- How much?
- Forty-five minutes...
...to assemble and evaluate known
threats. An hour to crosscheck...
...with the Secret Service list.
- Two hours for interviews at the club.
- Related incidents?
We don't believe the three high-profile
abductions last week are related.
- Mexican CEO, two DEA agents in Peru.
- Patterns?
INS says three separate groups
of Qumari nationals...
...17 people all together,
flew back today.
Eleven out of JFK
and six out of Dulles...
...and traffic lights went out
at Wisconsin and M four minutes...
...after Wes Davis called in to the AOP.
- What is it they're gonna want?
Bahji prisoners freed? We get out
of Qumar? We get out of Kundu?
They'll let us know, sir.
- In a typical kidnapping...
- It's not a typical kidnapping.
Wait. Nancy, what did you say?
Is there anyone here who thinks
this sounds like a typical kidnapping?
Could it have been more low-tech?
A plan based on knowing when
someone needs to use the bathroom?
- 17 Qumari nationals leave the country?
- Out of 10,000 in the U.S.
Every car rental agency
is out of vans and U-Hauls?
It's graduation weekend. Every kid
in the mid-Atlantic is moving right now.
We shut down the airports.
Either they didn't know we were gonna
do that, or they didn't care.
Either way, Mike, does this seem
like a James Bond operation to you?
- I don't know what it is yet.
- I wanna stop hearing that answer soon.
Union Station too?
We shut down Union Station?
Yes, sir.
I'm gonna check on Abbey.
Leo, whoever took her
doesn't know what they're doing.
It was an absurd kidnapping.
She's not gonna turn up in a Bahji camp.
She'll turn up in the back
of a muffler shop.
Well, I'm looking...
...at Syria moving 20,000 troops
closer to Lebanon today...
...and Pakistan testing
a long-range missile...
...so I'm not sure about that.
I was there at the arboretum,
but I didn't see her.
- I don't understand.
- This part doesn't matter.
- We don't know what matters.
- You're right.
I'm sorry.
We went there together...
...we hopped the wall...
...and when we realized that Zoey was
also there, I stayed with Agent Reed.
We buried a bottle of champagne
out there three and a half years ago...
...to celebrate graduation.
- Where's"out there"?
- At a spot in the Asian garden.
- How much champagne she have?
Maybe a third of the bottle.
I don't know.
Charlie, there was no evidence
of a struggle at the club. None.
All she had to do was press a panic
button, and she didn't do that.
I found it on the ground. It's graduation
night. She's going to France.
They didn't try anything?
Vicodin, Valium, ecstasy?
Ecstasy.
- Jean-Paul!
- You need to sit down, son!
Hey.
She said you wanted her to take ecstasy
with you. Did you give some to her?
- He's out of it.
- Did you give her ecstasy?
Just tell me!
Wait, wait. This guy isn't... .
Look at me for a second.
Yeah, this guy isn't high on X.
Get me a paramedic!
What's your dealer's name, huh?
Who gave this to you? Give me a name.
Listen to me. You're gonna be fine.
You are the key witness
to the end of the world.
Come on, we're gonna keep you alive.
You have to tell me
who gave this to you.
- What's wrong with him?
- I don't give a damn.
- Get a blood sample to the lab.
- Yes, sir.
- All right, you guys are done.
- Listen, I... .
I don't know what to say about Molly.
Go back to the White House, Josh.
Stand your post.
No law-enforcement issues from
the podium. Refer them to the FBI.
Crime scene's still secured.
No press on the scene.
- I heard there was.
- It was local news at the party.
- C.J. Excuse me, Carol.
- Yes, sir.
Do not get into a discussion
of the president's emotional state.
Pivot whatever you get
to commander in chief.
Congressional leadership's
been notified.
- We'll have statements in an hour.
- Carol gave me that.
We're in control.
The government is functioning.
This is the most important
press conference of your life.
- Has anyone heard from Toby?
- You haven't?
I saw him this morning,
then he went with Andy to the house.
I have to write a statement,
and I don't know where to start.
- He'll answer his page.
- Listen.
- Yeah.
- Nothing.
What?
- There's no vice president.
- What's that to do with this?
Do we expect him to get a call and say,
"We don't negotiate with terrorists"?
One step at a time.
- Good luck.
- Thanks.
- C.J.
- C.J.
At 11:21 p.m., Special Agent Wesley
Davis of the U.S. Secret Service...
...called in an AOP, which means:
-"Attack on the principal."
- C.J.
As I said, they're obviously examining
any tape from security cameras...
...from the club, but we don't have
a photograph of what she was wearing.
I'm gonna repeat again
what witnesses have told us.
Black pants, black high-heeled boots,
a black tank top over a red tank top...
...which makes it appear, from a
distance, the black top has red piping.
Walking in the club, she was wearing
a multicolored silk jacket...
...but it appears
she may have taken it off.
I know this feed is being carried live
by all the networks.
I wanna remind the directors
to keep the 800 number...
...to keep the tip line bannered
on your air, please. Two more questions.
Surely he's not reacting
as if this is someone else's kid?
Is there a concern she's being raped?
Lyle, for the sake of a number
of distraught people...
...I ask you not to publicly speculate.
Katie, then I've gotta go.
Any concern that this could
exacerbate his MS?
No. Thank you.
I'll brief again in an hour.
When will you release the name
of the agent?
As soon as we can locate her family.
- C.J.
- C.J.
- Where have you been?
- All of Northwest is shut down.
Pennsylvania Avenue and Connecticut
Avenue are shut down.
I wouldn't be surprised if Pennsylvania
and Connecticut were shut down.
There are no cabs. The Metro's closed.
Metro Police took me to 18th Street.
It took me 15 minutes
to get in with a hard pass.
Where have you been?
- I won't repeat that. Got a statement?
- Here.
You have 100 messages.
How do you want them?
In your hand for a moment.
"In this difficult time, we are grateful
for the support of the American..."
We're not asking for fruit.
It's gotta say:
"Our youngest daughter
has been abducted.
She will be found, brought home safely,
and her abductors caught and punished."
"While we work for her return...
...the world community must know
this country will not be taken hostage...
...that our efforts toward peace
and freedom continue unabated."
Good.
- How is he?
- I haven't seen him.
- What about Abbey?
- Somebody's looking.
- They want a doctor to see him.
- He won't let them sedate him.
It's a waste of time.
I don't want that leaked.
- It's not for a sedative.
- MS?
Yeah.
Where's Leo on the stock exchange?
We haven't had time to talk,
but if we don't have her by 6...
...we gotta recommend that Leo instruct
the Treasury to suspend trading.
That the president instruct the Treasury.
There is no mechanism, none.
There is no mechanism
for presidential recusal.
Leo can't give an order
to the Treasury secretary.
- The Treasury secretary can't follow it.
- All right.
I heard the briefing on the radio.
You did great.
For the rest of the night, they get their
information from us, not the agencies.
- Josh?
- I've started the calls.
535 congressmen and senators
you've gotta call. You'll need a posse.
State calls the ambassadors.
Will, sit in on all the meetings tonight...
...in the counsel's office, report to Josh
quickly. He won't have time for a memo.
Well, let's go.
Oh, hey... .
This is... .
By the way, this is... .
The babies were born.
- What babies?
- The twins.
Andy had the babies.
- That's where I was. At the hospital.
- Oh, my God.
- Are you kidding?
- No.
- It just happened 10 days early.
- Are they okay?
Yeah, they're great.
Six pounds, 1 ounce. Each.
God.
Mazel tov, Toby.
- Mazel tov.
- Toby.
No, wait, wait.
Do they have names?
The boy does. He's named
after Andy's grandfather.
What's his name?
- Huck.
- Huck.
What a great name for a boy.
- We've gotta get back to work.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Toby... .
Okay. Okay.
This is high. I'm a little concerned.
You and me both.
Mr. President, they've located
Molly O'Connor's parents.
They're on the phone now.
How many people are in the building?
- Including press?
- Not including.
Not many. Anyone who left town
can't get back.
- Why did people leave town?
- It's the weekend. They went crazy.
- We'll need people.
- Do you know how many faxes...
...we've gotten and how many of them
are from your insane groupies?
The Lyman ho's have chosen this time
to let you know via fax:
"Should you need physical
comfort during this horrible time... ."
Read that. Do you like that?
Is that what turns you on, you sicky?
- I didn't write this.
- They must sense it in you.
- What are the others?
- I just picked them up.
It's more thoughts and prayers,
good wishes.
- That's nice.
- And bus-station skanks.
Do you need help with these calls?
Yeah, but you gotta sit
with Babish and his guys.
Spreklettes of Ames, lowa, hope
we don't exploit this to make...
...another argument about guns.
The Spreklettes of Ames
have weighed in.
- The speechwriting interns are here.
- They got in?
- They've been here.
- On a Saturday night?
- It was a character-building exercise.
- You hear that?
These interns, they can talk
on the phone?
Yeah.
They gotta talk
to congressmen. They'll...
- Hang on.
- They can do it, but you should...
- Hang on.
- What?
This is one tank top
on top of another tank top.
This is a Polaroid of Zoey.
That's a ransom note.
- Sir.
- Blood tests?
They found GHB,
gamma hydroxybutyrate.
It's degreasing solvent mixed
with drain cleaner, and in low doses...
- In low doses, it's a date-rape drug.
- Yes, sir.
- What about the boy?
- He'll be conscious in an hour or so.
Where is it?
This is the translation.
We think this is Zoey?
It's a fax-quality picture,
but the left shoulder...
- Where was it faxed from?
- A Kinko's in Dover.
A security camera
got a partial license plate.
It's a minivan rented to a Shahab Kaleel,
and there's an FBI APB out.
"Release Uzma Kalil, Ahmed Mansour
and Barmak Essa...
...from the Islamabad
maximum-security prison.
The president will announce
on television...
...that the U.S. will abandon
its presence in Qumar."
Now, analysts say Qumar's mufti made a
call for martyrdom operations last week...
...using phrasing almost identical
to the next passage...
...and named those three prisoners.
Two years ago, a Bahji cell kidnapped
the sons of the prime minister of Eritrea...
...in exchange for close
to 100 of their prisoners.
Where are you?
I wanna prepare to attack
the following targets:
The Bahji C3l: Communications,
Command, Control and Intelligence.
I wanna move the C-130s
and the Blackhawks...
...and move the Washington
carrier group into the gulf...
...to strike three Bahji camps in Qumar.
- I believe we can't move yet.
This will escalate.
This will get worse before it gets better.
Sir, that boy's gonna be conscious
in an hour...
...and we have a chance of finding
the dealer once he is.
We're gonna find the dealer, Nancy,
but he's gonna be dead when we do.
- Move the 5th Fleet into the gulf.
- Yes, sir.
No, and I think we should be careful
about saying that...
... but certainly, it's easy to imagine how
this escalates to a military situation...
... under any number of scenarios.
Thank you, and we'll be
coming back to you.
We've been, from time to time,
showing you home-movie footage...
... in the corner of our screen.
I don 't have the dates in front of me,
but it looks like she can 't...
Huck?
Yeah.
That's nice. I like that.
It's her grandfather's.
Hey. Hey.
The house. What happened?
What happened? Did you propose?
Yeah. We tabled it, though,
because, you know... .
- You had to go to the hospital.
- Yeah.
Was there time to tell her
you bought the house?
Yeah, I told her about the house.
What'd she say?
- This really doesn't feel like the night... .
- What did she say?
She said no.
Well, I mean, that'll change, right?
Hey, let me ask you something.
When Jenny was pregnant with Mallory,
you were nervous, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, me too.
Every father.
Yeah.
But I think I was nervous
for a different reason.
What?
I think I was nervous...
...I wasn't gonna love my kids...
...the way other fathers love theirs.
Why?
I don't know.
lf, for nine months, you're hearing
how this is gonna change your life, and:
"You've never loved anything
like this," and,"My God, the love"...
...and,"Nothing is gonna be
important anymore... ."
It just never felt to me like I was someone
who had the capacity for those feelings.
Plus, you know, I... .
I like what's important to me.
I want it to stay important.
I wanna be able to do it well.
What do you mean,
you don't have the capacity?
Anyway, I was just curious.
Of course you're gonna be
a great father.
Of course you'll love your kids how you're
supposed to, the way other fathers...
My God, Leo...
...we look around, we see
that's not true, not automatic.
I'm not talking about everybody.
I'm talking about you,
and I'm telling you, it's a mortal lock.
It's guaranteed.
Toby, what went on at the house?
With the Capitol area
virtually sealed off...
... all air traffic has been grounded.
Mrs. Bartlet?
Ma'am? Mrs. Bartlet?
I'm gonna make a direct appeal.
They'll turn on the cameras
when I go into the briefing room.
- You can't.
- I'm the mother.
- You can't.
- I don't know why I waited. I screwed up.
- Let's sit down.
- Get away from me.
You can't go in the press room. It'll...
- I've seen mothers do it.
- Abbey.
- You can't go in the press room.
- I'll make a direct appeal.
I don't know why I waited.
I've seen mothers do it.
- Mrs. Bartlet!
- Mrs. Bartlet!
Guys, give her a break.
It can be seen
as negotiating with them...
...and could undermine the military
threats the president is making...
...and if the goal
is to destabilize our government...
...they'll see you
and know they're succeeding.
You can't go in the press room.
I know.
I'd just seen other mothers do it.
I screwed up.
Abbey, come sit on my couch
for a minute.
I'm gonna call the doctor.
- Tell him I want whatever Zoey got.
- Come sit on my couch.
It's Amy.
Yeah, she's all right. She's fine.
If you could just step into
the press secretary's office.
Thank you.
Mr. President, have Leo meet
with the Qumari ambassador.
Have him do it before the sun comes up.
Try the diplomatic route...
...before this gets out of hand.
- Before it gets out of hand?
Sir, I wanna put the planes
in the air now.
If we're gonna end up striking bases
later on in Tamar and Laddi...
...we'll need some element of surprise.
Chairman, do I have to remind you
that Qumar is an ally?
You don't.
But I ask, what good is an ally...
...if their citizens are capable
of waging war on their own?
Excuse me, sir.
We have a problem.
One?
There's an airplane up there.
Captain, give us the controller's
transmission, please.
- Yes, sir.
- An unidentified Beech Baron 58.
It's a twin-prop plane.
It's over Richland, Washington...
...and it hasn't acknowledged
communications from Air Traffic Control.
They're 90 miles from
the Saw Mill River Nuclear Reactor.
Beech 0827, do you respond, over?
Beech 0827, this is Air Route Traffic
Control Center, Seattle.
Do you respond, over?
- We scrambled the jets?
- Two F-15s from Portland.
They're over water.
They have clear shots.
When do you want the order,
70 miles from the target?
- Sixty, 50?
- I'm sorry, Mr. President, which target?
- The nuclear plant.
- How far away do I wait...?
Has the transponder
been dialed to 7700?
Negative. No signal.
Seventy-seven hundred's
an emergency frequency?
If you lose your radio,
you set your transponder to 7700.
Seventy-five hundred means
you've been hijacked.
- These guys aren't signaling anything.
- Fellas, we've got confusion in here.
When do I give the order?
Beech 0827, this is Air Route Traffic
Control Center, Seattle.
Seventy miles. But they're gonna be
over population in about a minute.
- Talk to me.
- General... .
Beech 0827, this is U.S. Air Force
F- 15 56.
I'm a half-mile back on your right side,
and I have missile lock.
Switch to frequency 12 1.5
and stand by for slow flight.
Yeah, this is Beech 0827.
Sorry about that.
We were having a problem
with the...
With the thing.
- Mr. President.
- I know you wanna get...
...the planes in the air.
I wanna think about it a minute, okay?
Of course, sir.
I don't know what to do
about the military options.
Nancy's making good points.
Sorry about the confusion.
I know we practiced that.
We're doing fine.
I don't think so.
I need you to tell me now.
- Do you think she's already dead?
- I absolutely do not.
If they show me a picture of her alive
and say to aim missiles...
...at Tel Aviv, they're counting on me...
But you wouldn't.
I might.
There are people around you
who won't let you.
How about a knife to her throat,
get out of Saudi Arabia?
- You shouldn't think of images like that.
- All I can think of are images like that.
- Sir...
- Leo, please listen to me.
Did Fitz give me target recommendations
a little while ago?
Yes, sir.
He wants to attack a base...
I don't remember having
the conversation...
...or what targets
he wants to hit.
- Did I green-light the targets?
- Of course not.
Mr. President, no one is expecting you
to keep the U.S. out of a war tonight.
Me and Nancy and Fitz are standing
right next to you.
When you get information, you don't
need to remember it.
And we're standing right next to you
when you give orders.
You're not gonna hurt anybody.
I know it's a strange time
to bring this up...
...but I forecasted this once.
I made up a scary story a few years ago
for Zoey so that she'd take...
...her protection seriously,
and I went too far.
And I scared her.
And she cried.
This was the story.
Leo, the people you just named
don't have the legal authority...
...to stop me from doing certain things.
And some of them would go to jail
if they didn't follow my orders.
Very quietly...
...I want you to assemble the Cabinet.
I want you to call
the speaker of the house.
Is she asleep?
Yeah.
Mr. Ziegler?
You know, these people
went home last night.
I can bring the babies in there.
You can have...
Oh, no. Thank you.
No.
That's okay.
Okay.
Yeah, sure.
Right over here.
There we go.
They need to be fed soon,
so I'll come back.
Thank you.
I didn't realize babies come with hats.
You guys crack me up.
You don't have jobs. You can't walk
or speak the language.
You don't have a dollar in your pockets,
but you got yourselves a hat.
So everything's fine.
I don't wanna alarm you or anything...
...but I'm Dad.
And for you...
...son...
...for you, this'll be the last time
I pass the buck...
...but I think it should be clear
from the get-go that it was Mom...
...who named you Huckleberry.
I guess she was feeling like life...
...doesn't present enough challenges
to overcome on its own.
And, honey, you've got
a name now too.
Your mom and I named you after...
...an incredibly brave... .
An incredibly brave woman...
...really not all that much
older than you.
Your name is Molly.
Huck and Molly.
So, what do I do?
Well, you're gonna need food
and clothes and doctors and dentists...
...and there's that.
And should you have
any questions along the way...
...I'm gonna be doing stuff like this...
...Huck, because you're leaking
a little bit out of your mouth there.
You holding my finger, son?
Hey, Molly...
...your brother's holding my hand.
You wanna hold my hand?
This isn't gonna mean anything to you,
but Leo was right.
Leo was right.
- Mr. Ziegler?
- Yeah.
It's so nice when they look at you
like that, isn't it?
Yeah.
Oh, look how sweet they are together.
They've been showing home videos
on the news.
I don't know why they do that.
I have to get back to my office now.
Mr. Ziegler, would you convey
to the president and Mrs. Bartlet...
...that the prayers of everyone
in this hospital...
...and everyone are with them tonight?
Of course I will.
They'll both appreciate it.
I'm writing down my pager number...
...if Andy needs me...
...or if they do anything new.
- New?
- Yeah.
Like what?
You never know.
Oh, thank you.
- Charlie's on his way.
- Thanks.
I think you should sleep for a few hours.
I'll sleep when he sleeps,
but you should sleep for a few hours.
- I'll sleep when you sleep.
- Well, interesting.
We'll have a small band of dedicated
people who can't lift their arms.
Yes, sir.
I guess if I told you to get some sleep,
it wouldn't do much good.
I'm fine.
Tell the staff secretary's office...
...I'm gonna freeze all nonessential
paper for executive signature.
All nonessential executive orders.
All nonessential correspondence.
All legislation.
You understand?
Until when?
Until further notice.
I need you to get
a federal judge here right away.
Yes, sir.
Donna's paging Toby.
I just ordered Charlie to have
the staff secretary's office...
...hold all nonessential paper
for executive signature.
Why?
It's one in a series of steps
I'm taking tonight...
...to temporarily but dramatically
downsize the scope of the Oval Office.
- Why?
- The Cabinet's meeting in a few minutes.
Leo... .
He's invoking the 25th Amendment.
He's invoking 25.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Is his mind made up?
- He's with the Cabinet now.
Where did everyone come down?
Josh and I were on the fence.
We don't know what Will thinks.
Of the president temporarily handing
power to his political enemy?
I think it's a fairly stunning act
of patriotism.
And a fairly ordinary act of fatherhood.
Yeah, I do too.
Hey.
The president's gotta leave
the West Wing.
- Why are you out of breath?
- I ran very fast...
...and there were obstacles.
- Babies okay?
Yeah. They're great.
And if somebody was hurting them...
...I'd drop napalm on Yellowstone
to get them to stop.
Letting prisoners out
would be nothing...
...and I've known my kids
for about 45 minutes.
He's invoking the 25th.
- He is?
- Yes.
Good.
"...availing myself of the constitutional
option offered to this office...
...by Section 3
of the 25th Amendment...
...which permits,
through written declaration...
...to temporarily transfer all powers
of the presidency...
...to the next in the constitutional
line of succession."
It's just that we're elevating the most
powerful Republican in the country.
That's just a political reality.
It's just a political reality.
The article doesn't require
the unanimous consent of the Cabinet...
...but I want it.
I want it as clear as can be that this
administration stands squarely behind...
...and shoulder to shoulder,
with the acting president.
We're gonna be handing
the Republicans the election.
Yes, we are.
It doesn't say,"I can't handle this."
It says,"I am handling this."
It does.
Mr. President, my concern is this:
If you and the acting president
were to give contradictory orders...
...Leo McGarry would be put
into an impossible position...
...which could lead
to extraordinary chaos.
I won't be giving any orders.
But if you did...
...I think there are those in this room,
myself included...
...who would wanna follow
those orders.
And now we have two governments.
Leo would know what to do.
Would he?
Yes.
What if he changes his mind
and starts giving orders?
Leo will know what to do.
Secretary of Commerce?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs?
Aye.
Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Health and Education?
Aye.
- Secretary of Agriculture?
- Aye.
- Secretary of the Treasury?
- Aye.
Secretary of Defense?
Aye.
- Secretary of State?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Labor?
- Aye.
Secretary of the Interior?
Relax, everybody.
Breathe regular.
You too.
- Mr. Speaker.
- Leo.
Let's go inside.
- How's Mrs. Bartlet?
- Well, she's very upset.
- Yeah.
- Mr. Speaker...
...C.J., Josh, Toby, Will Bailey.
They're just getting this news,
and they're among the first.
They haven't put anything together,
but we'll do a joint press conference...
...in probably two hours, and in that time,
you will receive your briefings...
- What was the Beech Baron doing?
- Sorry?
- What were the guys in the plane doing?
- They were frat guys, they were drunk.
They were playing chicken.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- With the Air Force?
- What?
- Playing chicken with the Air Force?
- Yes, sir.
Unidentified aircraft get one warning.
I don't care if my mother's onboard
that plane going to visit her mother.
- Mr. Speaker.
- Mr. President.
If the gun that killed Molly O'Connor
was bought through a loophole...
...so help me God, Glen...
Excuse me.
Madam Justice Sharon Day.
- Come in.
- Mr. Speaker?
- Yeah.
- You need to resign.
- Does he?
- Yeah, it's against the law...
...to work for two
branches at the same time.
- You got some paper?
- Hang on.
If you resign from Congress,
you can't just go back.
You have to be elected again.
I was gonna have to be elected
again in two years anyway.
Witnesses.
- Huck?
- And Molly.
Nice.
So, what do you know now
that you didn't know before?
Babies come with hats.
Yeah.
They also come with those little
theft-protection devices...
...little LoJacks on their ankles so
they can't be boosted from the hospital.
Man, don't ever let them take it off.
There's no one in this room who wouldn't
rather die than let you down, you know.
All right, let's get organized.
I've got two letters.
One removing me from power,
the other reinstating me.
I'll sign the first.
The justice will swear in the speaker,
and Leo's right...
...the first thing is,
how do we announce this?
Well, the president and the speaker...
...have to make it clear
someone is in charge.
I'd argue we first have to make it clear
to the world...
...that there's someone in charge.
- Make it clear to Bahji.
Franz Ferdinand...
...who was the nephew
of the Austro-Hungarian emperor...
...was killed by a group
called the Black Hand.
And because they were
a Serbian nationalist society...
...the empire declared war on Serbia.
Then Russia, which was bound
by a treaty, was forced to mobilize...
...which meant that Germany
had to declare war on Russia.
Then France declared war on Germany,
and that was World War I.
Because the emperor's nephew
was killed.
Now...
...I thought you all
had some good ideas...
...but somebody should make it clear
to those in this room...
...that someone is in charge.
Glen, they've been up all night.
You're relieved, Mr. President.
You're relieved, sir.
Swear him in.
Will you place your right hand
on the Bible?
Raise your left hand toward God
and repeat after me.
l, Glenallen Walken,
do solemnly swear...
l, Glenallen Walken,
do solemnly swear...
...that I shall faithfully execute the office
of president of the United States.
...that I shall faithfully execute the office
of president of the United States.
And I will, to the best of my ability...
...preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States.
And I will, to the best of my ability...
...preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States.
I'm gonna go and put
some water on my face.
You're sad. And you're angry.
And you're not warm.
- My water broke.
- You'll see one of your kids in 15 minutes.
Bookbag's been taken.
I have an agent down.
We're black. Go to black.
Zoey Bartlet is missing,
and there's a dead agent at the scene.
My husband's been having
some empty-nest problems.
Jerry's been sighing all week.
Has the president?
Jed's been sighing. He's been sighing
in all kinds of dead languages.
Those pearls really are beautiful.
Thank you. Yeah.
The men are not taking this very well.
Fellas, you know, we're all having
a good time over here.
We're having a good time here too.
Doing what?
Talking about the too rapid passage
of time and, you know, grieving.
He's gonna schedule nine
White House visits...
...to France over the next three months.
He's accepting every invitation.
He's gonna be a judge
at the Cannes Film Festival.
I told you it was this one.
The day we brought her home
from the hospital.
Tell me that wasn't a month ago.
What is she doing graduating...
...summa cum laude from something.
- Remember the ride home?
Scariest drive of your life.
Seven miles an hour with
the hazard lights on all the way home.
From what I remembered,
did we have baby seats then...
...or did we just hold on very tight?
Yeah, we had the... .
Hey, honey, were there baby seats
when Jackie was born?
Yes, of course there were. There
were baby seats, indoor plumbing.
That was 21 years ago. I can't remember
our hotel from last night.
I wore all of my jewelry to the hospital
when George was born.
- I don't know why.
- To show off.
- Okay, Harbor Patrol's got the Potomac?
- Yes, sir.
- Forensics!
- Wes, what the hell is going on?
- She's been taken.
- What are you talking about?
- How many?
- 188, 24 stat!
- What are you talking about?
- Zoey's been taken.
We had her in the bathroom.
She's gone.
- She's messing with you.
- No.
- Local news over there.
- Doesn't matter! We move them away.
She's messing with you.
She's at a Baskin-Robbins
with her girlfriends.
- You gotta call these people off.
- They shot one of my agents.
Molly's dead. They shot Molly.
Molly's dead?
- They couldn't...
- Charlie.
- Couldn't have gotten far.
- Stay here.
- My car's around the corner.
- We need to stay here.
They're gonna need to talk to us.
Get off of me!
They've already dropped a net
on the city.
They've already dropped a net.
They aren't getting anywhere.
We were the last people
to see her go in the club.
They're gonna wanna have
a word with us.
Metro Police have roadblocks around
Georgetown. They've closed down...
...the Key Bridge, Memorial Bridge
and Route 29.
FBI's putting up
a command post at OEOB?
- Yes.
- CIA and Diplomatic Security are briefed?
Right now, and they're wired
to the Ops Center.
We're gonna begin questioning...
Do you have my older daughters?
Do you have Ellie and Elizabeth?
Yes, sir.
There's no need to keep this a secret.
We wanna get it out there
quickly and massively.
- Mike, turn the lights on?
- Secret Service put themselves...
...on the police frequencies,
so anyone with a scanner has it.
Major, I need C.J. Cregg.
Are we being attacked?
- We don't know.
- Tell me what you think.
I think we're being attacked,
but this is gonna take some time.
- How much?
- Forty-five minutes...
...to assemble and evaluate known
threats. An hour to crosscheck...
...with the Secret Service list.
- Two hours for interviews at the club.
- Related incidents?
We don't believe the three high-profile
abductions last week are related.
- Mexican CEO, two DEA agents in Peru.
- Patterns?
INS says three separate groups
of Qumari nationals...
...17 people all together,
flew back today.
Eleven out of JFK
and six out of Dulles...
...and traffic lights went out
at Wisconsin and M four minutes...
...after Wes Davis called in to the AOP.
- What is it they're gonna want?
Bahji prisoners freed? We get out
of Qumar? We get out of Kundu?
They'll let us know, sir.
- In a typical kidnapping...
- It's not a typical kidnapping.
Wait. Nancy, what did you say?
Is there anyone here who thinks
this sounds like a typical kidnapping?
Could it have been more low-tech?
A plan based on knowing when
someone needs to use the bathroom?
- 17 Qumari nationals leave the country?
- Out of 10,000 in the U.S.
Every car rental agency
is out of vans and U-Hauls?
It's graduation weekend. Every kid
in the mid-Atlantic is moving right now.
We shut down the airports.
Either they didn't know we were gonna
do that, or they didn't care.
Either way, Mike, does this seem
like a James Bond operation to you?
- I don't know what it is yet.
- I wanna stop hearing that answer soon.
Union Station too?
We shut down Union Station?
Yes, sir.
I'm gonna check on Abbey.
Leo, whoever took her
doesn't know what they're doing.
It was an absurd kidnapping.
She's not gonna turn up in a Bahji camp.
She'll turn up in the back
of a muffler shop.
Well, I'm looking...
...at Syria moving 20,000 troops
closer to Lebanon today...
...and Pakistan testing
a long-range missile...
...so I'm not sure about that.
I was there at the arboretum,
but I didn't see her.
- I don't understand.
- This part doesn't matter.
- We don't know what matters.
- You're right.
I'm sorry.
We went there together...
...we hopped the wall...
...and when we realized that Zoey was
also there, I stayed with Agent Reed.
We buried a bottle of champagne
out there three and a half years ago...
...to celebrate graduation.
- Where's"out there"?
- At a spot in the Asian garden.
- How much champagne she have?
Maybe a third of the bottle.
I don't know.
Charlie, there was no evidence
of a struggle at the club. None.
All she had to do was press a panic
button, and she didn't do that.
I found it on the ground. It's graduation
night. She's going to France.
They didn't try anything?
Vicodin, Valium, ecstasy?
Ecstasy.
- Jean-Paul!
- You need to sit down, son!
Hey.
She said you wanted her to take ecstasy
with you. Did you give some to her?
- He's out of it.
- Did you give her ecstasy?
Just tell me!
Wait, wait. This guy isn't... .
Look at me for a second.
Yeah, this guy isn't high on X.
Get me a paramedic!
What's your dealer's name, huh?
Who gave this to you? Give me a name.
Listen to me. You're gonna be fine.
You are the key witness
to the end of the world.
Come on, we're gonna keep you alive.
You have to tell me
who gave this to you.
- What's wrong with him?
- I don't give a damn.
- Get a blood sample to the lab.
- Yes, sir.
- All right, you guys are done.
- Listen, I... .
I don't know what to say about Molly.
Go back to the White House, Josh.
Stand your post.
No law-enforcement issues from
the podium. Refer them to the FBI.
Crime scene's still secured.
No press on the scene.
- I heard there was.
- It was local news at the party.
- C.J. Excuse me, Carol.
- Yes, sir.
Do not get into a discussion
of the president's emotional state.
Pivot whatever you get
to commander in chief.
Congressional leadership's
been notified.
- We'll have statements in an hour.
- Carol gave me that.
We're in control.
The government is functioning.
This is the most important
press conference of your life.
- Has anyone heard from Toby?
- You haven't?
I saw him this morning,
then he went with Andy to the house.
I have to write a statement,
and I don't know where to start.
- He'll answer his page.
- Listen.
- Yeah.
- Nothing.
What?
- There's no vice president.
- What's that to do with this?
Do we expect him to get a call and say,
"We don't negotiate with terrorists"?
One step at a time.
- Good luck.
- Thanks.
- C.J.
- C.J.
At 11:21 p.m., Special Agent Wesley
Davis of the U.S. Secret Service...
...called in an AOP, which means:
-"Attack on the principal."
- C.J.
As I said, they're obviously examining
any tape from security cameras...
...from the club, but we don't have
a photograph of what she was wearing.
I'm gonna repeat again
what witnesses have told us.
Black pants, black high-heeled boots,
a black tank top over a red tank top...
...which makes it appear, from a
distance, the black top has red piping.
Walking in the club, she was wearing
a multicolored silk jacket...
...but it appears
she may have taken it off.
I know this feed is being carried live
by all the networks.
I wanna remind the directors
to keep the 800 number...
...to keep the tip line bannered
on your air, please. Two more questions.
Surely he's not reacting
as if this is someone else's kid?
Is there a concern she's being raped?
Lyle, for the sake of a number
of distraught people...
...I ask you not to publicly speculate.
Katie, then I've gotta go.
Any concern that this could
exacerbate his MS?
No. Thank you.
I'll brief again in an hour.
When will you release the name
of the agent?
As soon as we can locate her family.
- C.J.
- C.J.
- Where have you been?
- All of Northwest is shut down.
Pennsylvania Avenue and Connecticut
Avenue are shut down.
I wouldn't be surprised if Pennsylvania
and Connecticut were shut down.
There are no cabs. The Metro's closed.
Metro Police took me to 18th Street.
It took me 15 minutes
to get in with a hard pass.
Where have you been?
- I won't repeat that. Got a statement?
- Here.
You have 100 messages.
How do you want them?
In your hand for a moment.
"In this difficult time, we are grateful
for the support of the American..."
We're not asking for fruit.
It's gotta say:
"Our youngest daughter
has been abducted.
She will be found, brought home safely,
and her abductors caught and punished."
"While we work for her return...
...the world community must know
this country will not be taken hostage...
...that our efforts toward peace
and freedom continue unabated."
Good.
- How is he?
- I haven't seen him.
- What about Abbey?
- Somebody's looking.
- They want a doctor to see him.
- He won't let them sedate him.
It's a waste of time.
I don't want that leaked.
- It's not for a sedative.
- MS?
Yeah.
Where's Leo on the stock exchange?
We haven't had time to talk,
but if we don't have her by 6...
...we gotta recommend that Leo instruct
the Treasury to suspend trading.
That the president instruct the Treasury.
There is no mechanism, none.
There is no mechanism
for presidential recusal.
Leo can't give an order
to the Treasury secretary.
- The Treasury secretary can't follow it.
- All right.
I heard the briefing on the radio.
You did great.
For the rest of the night, they get their
information from us, not the agencies.
- Josh?
- I've started the calls.
535 congressmen and senators
you've gotta call. You'll need a posse.
State calls the ambassadors.
Will, sit in on all the meetings tonight...
...in the counsel's office, report to Josh
quickly. He won't have time for a memo.
Well, let's go.
Oh, hey... .
This is... .
By the way, this is... .
The babies were born.
- What babies?
- The twins.
Andy had the babies.
- That's where I was. At the hospital.
- Oh, my God.
- Are you kidding?
- No.
- It just happened 10 days early.
- Are they okay?
Yeah, they're great.
Six pounds, 1 ounce. Each.
God.
Mazel tov, Toby.
- Mazel tov.
- Toby.
No, wait, wait.
Do they have names?
The boy does. He's named
after Andy's grandfather.
What's his name?
- Huck.
- Huck.
What a great name for a boy.
- We've gotta get back to work.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Toby... .
Okay. Okay.
This is high. I'm a little concerned.
You and me both.
Mr. President, they've located
Molly O'Connor's parents.
They're on the phone now.
How many people are in the building?
- Including press?
- Not including.
Not many. Anyone who left town
can't get back.
- Why did people leave town?
- It's the weekend. They went crazy.
- We'll need people.
- Do you know how many faxes...
...we've gotten and how many of them
are from your insane groupies?
The Lyman ho's have chosen this time
to let you know via fax:
"Should you need physical
comfort during this horrible time... ."
Read that. Do you like that?
Is that what turns you on, you sicky?
- I didn't write this.
- They must sense it in you.
- What are the others?
- I just picked them up.
It's more thoughts and prayers,
good wishes.
- That's nice.
- And bus-station skanks.
Do you need help with these calls?
Yeah, but you gotta sit
with Babish and his guys.
Spreklettes of Ames, lowa, hope
we don't exploit this to make...
...another argument about guns.
The Spreklettes of Ames
have weighed in.
- The speechwriting interns are here.
- They got in?
- They've been here.
- On a Saturday night?
- It was a character-building exercise.
- You hear that?
These interns, they can talk
on the phone?
Yeah.
They gotta talk
to congressmen. They'll...
- Hang on.
- They can do it, but you should...
- Hang on.
- What?
This is one tank top
on top of another tank top.
This is a Polaroid of Zoey.
That's a ransom note.
- Sir.
- Blood tests?
They found GHB,
gamma hydroxybutyrate.
It's degreasing solvent mixed
with drain cleaner, and in low doses...
- In low doses, it's a date-rape drug.
- Yes, sir.
- What about the boy?
- He'll be conscious in an hour or so.
Where is it?
This is the translation.
We think this is Zoey?
It's a fax-quality picture,
but the left shoulder...
- Where was it faxed from?
- A Kinko's in Dover.
A security camera
got a partial license plate.
It's a minivan rented to a Shahab Kaleel,
and there's an FBI APB out.
"Release Uzma Kalil, Ahmed Mansour
and Barmak Essa...
...from the Islamabad
maximum-security prison.
The president will announce
on television...
...that the U.S. will abandon
its presence in Qumar."
Now, analysts say Qumar's mufti made a
call for martyrdom operations last week...
...using phrasing almost identical
to the next passage...
...and named those three prisoners.
Two years ago, a Bahji cell kidnapped
the sons of the prime minister of Eritrea...
...in exchange for close
to 100 of their prisoners.
Where are you?
I wanna prepare to attack
the following targets:
The Bahji C3l: Communications,
Command, Control and Intelligence.
I wanna move the C-130s
and the Blackhawks...
...and move the Washington
carrier group into the gulf...
...to strike three Bahji camps in Qumar.
- I believe we can't move yet.
This will escalate.
This will get worse before it gets better.
Sir, that boy's gonna be conscious
in an hour...
...and we have a chance of finding
the dealer once he is.
We're gonna find the dealer, Nancy,
but he's gonna be dead when we do.
- Move the 5th Fleet into the gulf.
- Yes, sir.
No, and I think we should be careful
about saying that...
... but certainly, it's easy to imagine how
this escalates to a military situation...
... under any number of scenarios.
Thank you, and we'll be
coming back to you.
We've been, from time to time,
showing you home-movie footage...
... in the corner of our screen.
I don 't have the dates in front of me,
but it looks like she can 't...
Huck?
Yeah.
That's nice. I like that.
It's her grandfather's.
Hey. Hey.
The house. What happened?
What happened? Did you propose?
Yeah. We tabled it, though,
because, you know... .
- You had to go to the hospital.
- Yeah.
Was there time to tell her
you bought the house?
Yeah, I told her about the house.
What'd she say?
- This really doesn't feel like the night... .
- What did she say?
She said no.
Well, I mean, that'll change, right?
Hey, let me ask you something.
When Jenny was pregnant with Mallory,
you were nervous, right?
- Yeah.
- Yeah, me too.
Every father.
Yeah.
But I think I was nervous
for a different reason.
What?
I think I was nervous...
...I wasn't gonna love my kids...
...the way other fathers love theirs.
Why?
I don't know.
lf, for nine months, you're hearing
how this is gonna change your life, and:
"You've never loved anything
like this," and,"My God, the love"...
...and,"Nothing is gonna be
important anymore... ."
It just never felt to me like I was someone
who had the capacity for those feelings.
Plus, you know, I... .
I like what's important to me.
I want it to stay important.
I wanna be able to do it well.
What do you mean,
you don't have the capacity?
Anyway, I was just curious.
Of course you're gonna be
a great father.
Of course you'll love your kids how you're
supposed to, the way other fathers...
My God, Leo...
...we look around, we see
that's not true, not automatic.
I'm not talking about everybody.
I'm talking about you,
and I'm telling you, it's a mortal lock.
It's guaranteed.
Toby, what went on at the house?
With the Capitol area
virtually sealed off...
... all air traffic has been grounded.
Mrs. Bartlet?
Ma'am? Mrs. Bartlet?
I'm gonna make a direct appeal.
They'll turn on the cameras
when I go into the briefing room.
- You can't.
- I'm the mother.
- You can't.
- I don't know why I waited. I screwed up.
- Let's sit down.
- Get away from me.
You can't go in the press room. It'll...
- I've seen mothers do it.
- Abbey.
- You can't go in the press room.
- I'll make a direct appeal.
I don't know why I waited.
I've seen mothers do it.
- Mrs. Bartlet!
- Mrs. Bartlet!
Guys, give her a break.
It can be seen
as negotiating with them...
...and could undermine the military
threats the president is making...
...and if the goal
is to destabilize our government...
...they'll see you
and know they're succeeding.
You can't go in the press room.
I know.
I'd just seen other mothers do it.
I screwed up.
Abbey, come sit on my couch
for a minute.
I'm gonna call the doctor.
- Tell him I want whatever Zoey got.
- Come sit on my couch.
It's Amy.
Yeah, she's all right. She's fine.
If you could just step into
the press secretary's office.
Thank you.
Mr. President, have Leo meet
with the Qumari ambassador.
Have him do it before the sun comes up.
Try the diplomatic route...
...before this gets out of hand.
- Before it gets out of hand?
Sir, I wanna put the planes
in the air now.
If we're gonna end up striking bases
later on in Tamar and Laddi...
...we'll need some element of surprise.
Chairman, do I have to remind you
that Qumar is an ally?
You don't.
But I ask, what good is an ally...
...if their citizens are capable
of waging war on their own?
Excuse me, sir.
We have a problem.
One?
There's an airplane up there.
Captain, give us the controller's
transmission, please.
- Yes, sir.
- An unidentified Beech Baron 58.
It's a twin-prop plane.
It's over Richland, Washington...
...and it hasn't acknowledged
communications from Air Traffic Control.
They're 90 miles from
the Saw Mill River Nuclear Reactor.
Beech 0827, do you respond, over?
Beech 0827, this is Air Route Traffic
Control Center, Seattle.
Do you respond, over?
- We scrambled the jets?
- Two F-15s from Portland.
They're over water.
They have clear shots.
When do you want the order,
70 miles from the target?
- Sixty, 50?
- I'm sorry, Mr. President, which target?
- The nuclear plant.
- How far away do I wait...?
Has the transponder
been dialed to 7700?
Negative. No signal.
Seventy-seven hundred's
an emergency frequency?
If you lose your radio,
you set your transponder to 7700.
Seventy-five hundred means
you've been hijacked.
- These guys aren't signaling anything.
- Fellas, we've got confusion in here.
When do I give the order?
Beech 0827, this is Air Route Traffic
Control Center, Seattle.
Seventy miles. But they're gonna be
over population in about a minute.
- Talk to me.
- General... .
Beech 0827, this is U.S. Air Force
F- 15 56.
I'm a half-mile back on your right side,
and I have missile lock.
Switch to frequency 12 1.5
and stand by for slow flight.
Yeah, this is Beech 0827.
Sorry about that.
We were having a problem
with the...
With the thing.
- Mr. President.
- I know you wanna get...
...the planes in the air.
I wanna think about it a minute, okay?
Of course, sir.
I don't know what to do
about the military options.
Nancy's making good points.
Sorry about the confusion.
I know we practiced that.
We're doing fine.
I don't think so.
I need you to tell me now.
- Do you think she's already dead?
- I absolutely do not.
If they show me a picture of her alive
and say to aim missiles...
...at Tel Aviv, they're counting on me...
But you wouldn't.
I might.
There are people around you
who won't let you.
How about a knife to her throat,
get out of Saudi Arabia?
- You shouldn't think of images like that.
- All I can think of are images like that.
- Sir...
- Leo, please listen to me.
Did Fitz give me target recommendations
a little while ago?
Yes, sir.
He wants to attack a base...
I don't remember having
the conversation...
...or what targets
he wants to hit.
- Did I green-light the targets?
- Of course not.
Mr. President, no one is expecting you
to keep the U.S. out of a war tonight.
Me and Nancy and Fitz are standing
right next to you.
When you get information, you don't
need to remember it.
And we're standing right next to you
when you give orders.
You're not gonna hurt anybody.
I know it's a strange time
to bring this up...
...but I forecasted this once.
I made up a scary story a few years ago
for Zoey so that she'd take...
...her protection seriously,
and I went too far.
And I scared her.
And she cried.
This was the story.
Leo, the people you just named
don't have the legal authority...
...to stop me from doing certain things.
And some of them would go to jail
if they didn't follow my orders.
Very quietly...
...I want you to assemble the Cabinet.
I want you to call
the speaker of the house.
Is she asleep?
Yeah.
Mr. Ziegler?
You know, these people
went home last night.
I can bring the babies in there.
You can have...
Oh, no. Thank you.
No.
That's okay.
Okay.
Yeah, sure.
Right over here.
There we go.
They need to be fed soon,
so I'll come back.
Thank you.
I didn't realize babies come with hats.
You guys crack me up.
You don't have jobs. You can't walk
or speak the language.
You don't have a dollar in your pockets,
but you got yourselves a hat.
So everything's fine.
I don't wanna alarm you or anything...
...but I'm Dad.
And for you...
...son...
...for you, this'll be the last time
I pass the buck...
...but I think it should be clear
from the get-go that it was Mom...
...who named you Huckleberry.
I guess she was feeling like life...
...doesn't present enough challenges
to overcome on its own.
And, honey, you've got
a name now too.
Your mom and I named you after...
...an incredibly brave... .
An incredibly brave woman...
...really not all that much
older than you.
Your name is Molly.
Huck and Molly.
So, what do I do?
Well, you're gonna need food
and clothes and doctors and dentists...
...and there's that.
And should you have
any questions along the way...
...I'm gonna be doing stuff like this...
...Huck, because you're leaking
a little bit out of your mouth there.
You holding my finger, son?
Hey, Molly...
...your brother's holding my hand.
You wanna hold my hand?
This isn't gonna mean anything to you,
but Leo was right.
Leo was right.
- Mr. Ziegler?
- Yeah.
It's so nice when they look at you
like that, isn't it?
Yeah.
Oh, look how sweet they are together.
They've been showing home videos
on the news.
I don't know why they do that.
I have to get back to my office now.
Mr. Ziegler, would you convey
to the president and Mrs. Bartlet...
...that the prayers of everyone
in this hospital...
...and everyone are with them tonight?
Of course I will.
They'll both appreciate it.
I'm writing down my pager number...
...if Andy needs me...
...or if they do anything new.
- New?
- Yeah.
Like what?
You never know.
Oh, thank you.
- Charlie's on his way.
- Thanks.
I think you should sleep for a few hours.
I'll sleep when he sleeps,
but you should sleep for a few hours.
- I'll sleep when you sleep.
- Well, interesting.
We'll have a small band of dedicated
people who can't lift their arms.
Yes, sir.
I guess if I told you to get some sleep,
it wouldn't do much good.
I'm fine.
Tell the staff secretary's office...
...I'm gonna freeze all nonessential
paper for executive signature.
All nonessential executive orders.
All nonessential correspondence.
All legislation.
You understand?
Until when?
Until further notice.
I need you to get
a federal judge here right away.
Yes, sir.
Donna's paging Toby.
I just ordered Charlie to have
the staff secretary's office...
...hold all nonessential paper
for executive signature.
Why?
It's one in a series of steps
I'm taking tonight...
...to temporarily but dramatically
downsize the scope of the Oval Office.
- Why?
- The Cabinet's meeting in a few minutes.
Leo... .
He's invoking the 25th Amendment.
He's invoking 25.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Is his mind made up?
- He's with the Cabinet now.
Where did everyone come down?
Josh and I were on the fence.
We don't know what Will thinks.
Of the president temporarily handing
power to his political enemy?
I think it's a fairly stunning act
of patriotism.
And a fairly ordinary act of fatherhood.
Yeah, I do too.
Hey.
The president's gotta leave
the West Wing.
- Why are you out of breath?
- I ran very fast...
...and there were obstacles.
- Babies okay?
Yeah. They're great.
And if somebody was hurting them...
...I'd drop napalm on Yellowstone
to get them to stop.
Letting prisoners out
would be nothing...
...and I've known my kids
for about 45 minutes.
He's invoking the 25th.
- He is?
- Yes.
Good.
"...availing myself of the constitutional
option offered to this office...
...by Section 3
of the 25th Amendment...
...which permits,
through written declaration...
...to temporarily transfer all powers
of the presidency...
...to the next in the constitutional
line of succession."
It's just that we're elevating the most
powerful Republican in the country.
That's just a political reality.
It's just a political reality.
The article doesn't require
the unanimous consent of the Cabinet...
...but I want it.
I want it as clear as can be that this
administration stands squarely behind...
...and shoulder to shoulder,
with the acting president.
We're gonna be handing
the Republicans the election.
Yes, we are.
It doesn't say,"I can't handle this."
It says,"I am handling this."
It does.
Mr. President, my concern is this:
If you and the acting president
were to give contradictory orders...
...Leo McGarry would be put
into an impossible position...
...which could lead
to extraordinary chaos.
I won't be giving any orders.
But if you did...
...I think there are those in this room,
myself included...
...who would wanna follow
those orders.
And now we have two governments.
Leo would know what to do.
Would he?
Yes.
What if he changes his mind
and starts giving orders?
Leo will know what to do.
Secretary of Commerce?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs?
Aye.
Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Health and Education?
Aye.
- Secretary of Agriculture?
- Aye.
- Secretary of the Treasury?
- Aye.
Secretary of Defense?
Aye.
- Secretary of State?
- Aye.
- Secretary of Labor?
- Aye.
Secretary of the Interior?
Relax, everybody.
Breathe regular.
You too.
- Mr. Speaker.
- Leo.
Let's go inside.
- How's Mrs. Bartlet?
- Well, she's very upset.
- Yeah.
- Mr. Speaker...
...C.J., Josh, Toby, Will Bailey.
They're just getting this news,
and they're among the first.
They haven't put anything together,
but we'll do a joint press conference...
...in probably two hours, and in that time,
you will receive your briefings...
- What was the Beech Baron doing?
- Sorry?
- What were the guys in the plane doing?
- They were frat guys, they were drunk.
They were playing chicken.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- With the Air Force?
- What?
- Playing chicken with the Air Force?
- Yes, sir.
Unidentified aircraft get one warning.
I don't care if my mother's onboard
that plane going to visit her mother.
- Mr. Speaker.
- Mr. President.
If the gun that killed Molly O'Connor
was bought through a loophole...
...so help me God, Glen...
Excuse me.
Madam Justice Sharon Day.
- Come in.
- Mr. Speaker?
- Yeah.
- You need to resign.
- Does he?
- Yeah, it's against the law...
...to work for two
branches at the same time.
- You got some paper?
- Hang on.
If you resign from Congress,
you can't just go back.
You have to be elected again.
I was gonna have to be elected
again in two years anyway.
Witnesses.
- Huck?
- And Molly.
Nice.
So, what do you know now
that you didn't know before?
Babies come with hats.
Yeah.
They also come with those little
theft-protection devices...
...little LoJacks on their ankles so
they can't be boosted from the hospital.
Man, don't ever let them take it off.
There's no one in this room who wouldn't
rather die than let you down, you know.
All right, let's get organized.
I've got two letters.
One removing me from power,
the other reinstating me.
I'll sign the first.
The justice will swear in the speaker,
and Leo's right...
...the first thing is,
how do we announce this?
Well, the president and the speaker...
...have to make it clear
someone is in charge.
I'd argue we first have to make it clear
to the world...
...that there's someone in charge.
- Make it clear to Bahji.
Franz Ferdinand...
...who was the nephew
of the Austro-Hungarian emperor...
...was killed by a group
called the Black Hand.
And because they were
a Serbian nationalist society...
...the empire declared war on Serbia.
Then Russia, which was bound
by a treaty, was forced to mobilize...
...which meant that Germany
had to declare war on Russia.
Then France declared war on Germany,
and that was World War I.
Because the emperor's nephew
was killed.
Now...
...I thought you all
had some good ideas...
...but somebody should make it clear
to those in this room...
...that someone is in charge.
Glen, they've been up all night.
You're relieved, Mr. President.
You're relieved, sir.
Swear him in.
Will you place your right hand
on the Bible?
Raise your left hand toward God
and repeat after me.
l, Glenallen Walken,
do solemnly swear...
l, Glenallen Walken,
do solemnly swear...
...that I shall faithfully execute the office
of president of the United States.
...that I shall faithfully execute the office
of president of the United States.
And I will, to the best of my ability...
...preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States.
And I will, to the best of my ability...
...preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States.