The Wonder Years (1988–1993): Season 6, Episode 5 - Politics as Usual - full transcript

-♪ BABY ♪

-♪ HIGH WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ SAID I'M GONNA MAKE
IT WITH MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ TRY WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ OH, OH, I'M GONNA
KEEP ON TRYIN' ♪

-♪ GET BY WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ I'M GONNA KEEP
ON TRYIN', NOW, BABE ♪

-♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪

-I AM A LOT MORE... LESS
INTERESTED IN MY PRESTIGE,

THAN I AM IN THE
FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY.

-WE'RE GOING TO
GIVE RICHARD NIXON



THE RETIREMENT HE
SO RICHLY DESERVES.

-EVERY FOUR YEARS, OUR COUNTRY

IS GRIPPED BY A CASE
OF TEMPORARY INSANITY.

WE CALL IT A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

IT'S DEMOCRACY DEFINED,

A CHANCE FOR POLITICIANS
WHO KNOW BETTER

TO MAKE PROMISES
THEY CAN'T KEEP.

AND COME NOVEMBER, IT'S A
CHANCE FOR US TO BELIEVE THEM.

-IN RICHARD MILHOUS
NIXON, YOU HAVE A MAN

WHO HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFETIME

TO AN EXEMPLARY AND SPOTLESS
RECORD OF SELFLESS SERVICE

TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

-THE 1972 CAMPAIGN
WAS NO EXCEPTION.

THAT FALL WAS A
TIME OF EXCITEMENT...



REFLECTION...

A TIME OF PASSION...

- THAT MADE AMERICA GREAT.

- A TIME TO EXAMINE THE ISSUES.

-KEVIN. PAY ATTENTION.

-SORRY.

-CAN'T TAKE HIM ANYWHERE.

- SO THAT YOU YOUNG PEOPLE

CAN CONTINUE TO
ENJOY THE BENEFITS

OF LIVING IN THE GREATEST
COUNTRY ON EARTH.

-BUT ABOVE ALL, IT
WAS A TIME OF DEBATE.

ENDLESS DEBATE.

- THANK YOU.
- THANK YOU, MR. LEEGEE.

AND NOW WITH AN
OPPOSING VIEWPOINT,

THE McKINLEY STUDENT COUNCIL

IS PLEASED TO WELCOME
MR. MICHAEL DETWEILLER,

HEAD OF THE TRI-COUNTIES
CITIZENS FOR McGOVERN OFFICE.

MR. DETWEILLER.

-GREAT.

-ANOTHER SPEECH.

-FACE IT.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO
HADN'T TURNED 18 YET,

THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY
TO DESCRIBE THIS CHARADE.

-POLITICS IS A LOT OF CRAP.

CRAP?

-ANYONE WHO STANDS UP HERE
TALKING TO YOU ABOUT YOUR FUTURE

USING WORDS LIKE "MORAL
VALUES" AND "LAW AND ORDER"

IS JUST SHOVELING THAT CRAP.

-I'M AFRAID I HAVE TO TAKE
ISSUE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

-LIKE I SAID.

AND YOU GUYS CAN'T JUST
SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO IT.

BECAUSE IT'S YOUR GENERATION
THAT THEY'RE SHOVELING IT ON.

IT'S YOU GUYS THAT'LL INHERIT
THE PLANET THEY'VE POLLUTED.

IT'S YOU GUYS THAT ARE GONNA
GET SENT HOME IN BODY BAGS

FROM THEIR WAR.

BUT IT'S ALSO YOU GUYS THAT CAN
HELP ELECT SENATOR McGOVERN

BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE GUY I
KNOW WHO WILL CUT THE CRAP.

-MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE HE SPOKE
ABOUT ISSUES THAT INVOLVED US.

OR MAYBE IT WAS
JUST THE FIRST TIME

SOMEONE USED THE WORD
"CRAP" IN McKINLEY AUDITORIUM.

IN ANY EVENT...

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT SPEECH THAT GRABBED US.

GOT US THINKING, WONDERING.

MADE US SEE POLITICS

IN A WAY THAT WE
COULDN'T HELP BUT RESPECT.

-HEY, THAT GUY PROBABLY
GETS THE CHICKS LIKE CRAZY.

WELL, LOOK AT THAT.
THEY'RE ALL OVER HIM.

YOU HAD TO ADMIT,
THE GUY HAD CHARISMA...

THE GUY HAD CHARM...

THE GUY HAD MY GIRLFRIEND

PRACTICALLY
DROOLING ALL OVER HIM.

-WHY? YOU THINK
IT'S A LOST CAUSE?

- WELL, NO. I...
- BECAUSE SOME OF THE GREATEST

VICTORIES IN POLITICS HAVE
COME OUT OF LOST CAUSES.

-MAYBE IT WAS TIME TO
INTERRUPT THIS LITTLE CAUCUS.

-WINNIE?

-OH, HI, KEVIN. THIS IS MIKE.

- HEY. MIKE DETWEILLER.
- KEVIN ARNOLD.

-SO, UH, WHAT DID YOU
THINK OF THE DEBATE?

-I TRIED TO RESTRAIN MYSELF.

-WELL... IT WAS,
UH... INTERESTING.

-INTERESTING? I THOUGHT
IT WAS WONDERFUL.

-YEAH?

-THINK I'LL HAVE TO
AGREE WITH KEVIN HERE.

I WAS GETTING PRETTY BORED
OF LISTENING TO MYSELF TALK, TOO.

-UH-HUH.

-WELL, UH... IT WAS
REALLY GOOD MEETING YOU.

BUT WE GOT TO GO.

-MIKE WAS SAYING HE COULD
REALLY USE OUR HELP IN THE ELECTION.

-YOU BET. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

-US?

-LISTEN, JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE
NOT OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE,

THAT DOESN'T MEAN
YOU CAN'T HELP.

WHY DON'T YOU COME ON DOWN TO
HEADQUARTERS SOMETIME? CHECK IT OUT?

HEY, YOU MIGHT EVEN ENJOY IT.

COLD PIZZA, WARM SODA.

ALL THE, UH, ENVELOPES
YOU CAN STUFF.

-YEAH, WELL, UH...

WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT.
- GREAT.

I HOPE I SEE YOU THERE.

-YEAH, I'D THINK ABOUT IT. FOR
ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF.

-WINNIE, YOU COMING?

-OH. SURE.

-OR MAYBE I WOULDN'T
THINK ABOUT IT AT ALL.

-WE'VE SPENT $150
BILLION ON VIETNAM ALONE.

-UNFORTUNATELY, IN 1972,
THAT WAS HARD TO DO.

PEOPLE SEEMED TO BREATHE,
SLEEP, AND EAT POLITICS.

MY FAMILY INCLUDED.

MY FATHER, FOR EXAMPLE,
WEIGHED ALL THE ARGUMENTS

AND SUMMED IT UP IN ONE WORD.

-MM.

-YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE
KIDS I RUN INTO AT THE COLLEGE

ARE GONNA VOTE FOR McGOVERN.

AND I LIKE HIS STAND
ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

HE REALLY RESPECTS
THE NEW POSITION

THAT WOMEN ARE
ACHIEVING IN SOCIETY.

-MY MOTHER, ON THE OTHER
HAND, HAD A MORE PERSONAL VIEW.

-GREAT. ANY MORE
POTATOES, HONEY?

-UH... I GOT THEM.

-SO, BUTTHEAD, WHO
YOU GONNA VOTE FOR?

-THEN THERE WAS MY BROTHER,

REPRESENTING THE
GREAT UNWASHED MASSES.

-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
I'M NOT OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE.

-GREAT. THEN I'LL SELL
YOU MINE FOR 5 BUCKS.

-PASS THE GRAVY, NIMROD.

-Shh.

-AND THERE WE WERE.

ALL IN ALL, A KIND OF A
CROSS SECTION OF AMERICA,

EACH OF US WITH TOTALLY
DIFFERENT INTERESTS,

BUT ALL OF US INTERESTED.

-YOU DID WHAT?!

-WELL... ALL BUT ONE OF US.

-I SIGNED US UP
TO BE VOLUNTEERS.

-YOU DID?

-HE REALLY NEEDS US, KEVIN.

-WHO... McGOVERN?

-NO. MIKE DETWEILLER.

-AND ON THE NATIONAL
FRONT, TODAY'S GALLUP POLL

SHOWS THE PRESIDENT WITH
AN IMPRESSIVE 28-POINT LEAD.

POLLERS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY ARE SHOWING...

-YOU SEE? IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR US TO GET INVOLVED.

-W-FINE THEN.

LET'S GET INVOLVED.

-BUT I GUESS WHEN IT CAME
TO POLITICS AND HUMOR...

-WINNIE, DO WE REALLY
HAVE TO DO THIS?

-YES.

- I HAD A LOT TO LEARN.

- WELL, HERE WE ARE.
- GREAT.

-AND SO I AGREED TO
THROW MY HAT INTO THE RING.

NOT THAT I REALLY HAD
A CHOICE IN THE MATTER.

McGOVERN HEADQUARTERS.

STILL, I KEPT TELLING MYSELF
THIS MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD.

IN FACT, I MIGHT ACTUALLY
LEARN SOMETHING HERE.

AFTER ALL, THIS WAS MY CHANCE

TO RUB NOSES WITH
PEOPLE WHO CARED.

PEOPLE LIKE, SAY...

-HEY, WINNIE.

- HEY, MIKE.
- HEY, KEVIN.

-MIKE, THESE FINALLY
CAME IN FROM THE PRINTER.

I'LL, UH... I'LL PUT 'EM IN
THE BACK STOREROOM.

- THANKS, PEG.
- MM-HMM.

PEGGY KIMBALL.

SHE'S, UH, BEEN MY RIGHT
HAND IN THIS CAMPAIGN.

SO, KEVIN, I'M GLAD
YOU DECIDED TO JOIN US.

-YEAH, WELL, I
JUST THOUGHT I'D...

-YOU'RE DOING IT
FOR WINNIE, RIGHT?

HEY, WHATEVER BRINGS
YOU IN, THAT'S COOL.

EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR REASONS.

THAT GUY'S HERE 'CAUSE
HE WANTS POT LEGALIZED.

HE DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN
ABOUT CUTS IN MEDICARE,

WHICH IS WHY SHE'S HERE.

AND NEITHER OF THEM COULD CARE
LESS ABOUT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.

WHICH IS WHY SHE'S HERE.

WINNIE'S HERE 'CAUSE
SHE LOST HER BROTHER.

YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE OF WINNIE.

THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY
COUNTS, IS THAT TOGETHER,

WE'RE ALL DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN

TO ELECT THE ONE PERSON THAT
CARES ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS.

SEE WHAT I MEAN?

-OH.

-AND WITH THAT, THERE WAS
NOTHING MORE TO SAY, EXCEPT...

- VOTE FOR McGOVERN.
- VOTE FOR McGOVERN.

-TAKE ONE. PLEASE.
VOTE FOR McGOVERN.

-RIGHT. NO, THANKS.

- VOTE FOR McGOVERN!
- VOTE FOR McGOVERN.

-VOTE FOR McGOVERN. HE REALLY
WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

-VOTE... VOTE FOR Mc...

THAT WAS GREAT. I ALMOST GOT
THE WHOLE THING OUT THAT TIME.

-NOBODY SAID IT WAS
GONNA BE EASY, KEVIN.

EXCUSE ME. MA'AM!

-OH. I THOUGHT IT WAS A COUPON.

-STILL, AFTER TWO HOURS
OF PASSING OUT LEAFLETS,

ONE THING SEEMED CLEAR...

-LOOK, WINNIE, THIS IS
A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME.

I'M NOT GONNA STAND OUT HERE
AND MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF.

NO ONE'S PAYING ANY
ATTENTION. NO ONE CARES.

-WELL, THEN WE HAVE
TO MAKE THEM CARE.

-RIGHT.

-VOTE FOR McGOVERN!

VOTE FOR McGOVERN. HE REALLY
WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

-FACE IT.

MY SWEET, INNOCENT GIRLFRIEND

WAS FIGHTING A
LOSING BATTLE HERE.

-WAIT! THIS ELECTION MAY NOT
SEEM IMPORTANT TO YOU NOW,

BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN?

IT'S THEIR GENERATION

THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO
DEAL WITH ALL THIS STUFF

IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T
START CHANGING THINGS NOW.

SENATOR McGOVERN
WANTS TO STOP THE WAR.

HE WANTS TO STOP POVERTY.
HE WANTS TO STOP POLLUTION.

HE CARES ABOUT
PEOPLE... PEOPLE LIKE US.

HE NEEDS YOUR VOTE.
- I'LL TAKE ONE OF THOSE.

- LET ME TAKE ONE OF THOSE.
- I'LL TAKE ONE. HEY, THANKS.

-COULD I HAVE AN EXTRA ONE?

-IT WAS LIKE FINDING OUT
YOU WERE DATING JOAN OF ARC.

-I AM REALLY PROUD OF YOU.

-WELL, I JUST SAID
WHAT YOU TOLD US.

-THEN AGAIN, YOU HAD TO WONDER

HOW JOAN OF ARC'S
BOYFRIEND FELT ABOUT IT.

-YOU'RE A GOOD
CAMPAIGNER, WINNIE COOPER.

YOU'RE A NATURAL.

-WELL, KEVIN HELPED, TOO.

-OH, SURE. GOOD JOB, KEV.

-YEAH. KEEP THE CHANGE.

- KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, WINNIE.
- THANKS.

-OKAY, LET'S GET MOVING!

-NOT THAT I BEGRUDGED
HER HER MOMENT OF GLORY.

-YOU KNOW, UH, WINNIE...

I'M REALLY PROUD OF YOU, TOO.

-HUH?

-OKAY. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH.

-SO...

YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND
GET A BURGER OR SOMETHING?

-UH, SURE.

I JUST HAVE TO GO ASK MIKE
SOMETHING ABOUT TOMORROW.

UM, I WAS JUST...

-MAYBE IT WAS THE
WAY HE LOOKED AT HER.

MAYBE IT WAS THE
WAY SHE LOOKED AT HIM.

BUT SUDDENLY I REALIZED
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN.

MAYBE THE NAMES ON THE
BALLOTS WERE NIXON AND McGOVERN,

BUT WHAT WE HAD HERE
WAS A THREE-MAN RACE.

- IMMORAL THING I COULD THINK OF

TO GIVE AMNESTY
TO DRAFT DODGERS.

-HE'S GOT TO SET A DEADLINE
FOR ENDING THIS WAR.

-AS THE CAMPAIGN MOVED
INTO ITS FINAL WEEK,

TENSIONS BEGAN TO RISE.

THERE WAS A LOT AT STAKE HERE...

THE FUTURE, THE
COUNTRY, MY GIRLFRIEND.

-OKAY. PEOPLE,
LISTEN UP. LISTEN UP.

OKAY.

UH... I KNOW YOU'RE TIRED.

I KNOW YOU THINK YOU'VE
GIVEN IT EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT.

I KNOW YOU THINK YOU
DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT.

AND I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT.

- WE'RE WITH YOU, MIKE!
- THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

-AND IN THE MIDST OF IT
ALL WAS MIKE DETWEILLER,

MR. CHARISMA...

MR. POLITICO...

MR. SNAKE-MY-DATE.

IT WAS CLEAR I WAS IN
THE RACE OF MY LIFE HERE.

MY OPPONENT WAS AHEAD.

AND I HAD TO DO SOMETHING
TO CLOSE THAT GAP.

- HERE YOU GO.
- THANKS.

-YOU KNOW, WINNIE,

WE'VE BEEN WORKING HERE
NONSTOP FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T WE
TAKE OFF EARLY TONIGHT

AND DO SOMETHING?

-THERE'S A LOT OF
STUFF GOING ON.

-YEAH, I KNOW. BUT MAYBE WE CAN
JUST SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER,

JUST YOU AND ME.

-MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT.

-GREAT.

-WINNIE? GOT A SECOND?

-YEAH, WHAT'S UP?

LISTEN, UH, COULD YOU STAY
A LITTLE LATE THIS EVENING?

- UH...
- WELL...

-ACTUALLY, UH... WE'RE
KIND OF BUSY TONIGHT.

-OH. SURE. I UNDERSTAND.

TAKE THAT, BUDDY.

-IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE...
WE'RE HAVING A MEETING

OF THE CORE GROUP
TONIGHT, AND...

WITH ALL THE WORK
YOU'VE BEEN DOING,

I-I THOUGHT YOU REALLY
SHOULD BE PART OF IT.

-YEAH, WELL, THAT'S
GREAT. BUT LIKE I SAID...

-WHAT DO YOU SAY, WINNIE?

-WELL... IF YOU REALLY NEED ME.

-OF COURSE I NEED YOU.
YOU'RE MY RIGHT-HAND GUY.

-OKAY.

-I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

- "OKAY"?

THAT'S IT? WHAT ABOUT OUR DATE?

-I'M SORRY, KEVIN.

BUT THERE ARE ONLY FOUR
MORE DAYS UNTIL THE ELECTION,

AND YOU KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT THIS IS TO ME.

I'M SURE YOU UNDERSTAND.

-WHAT, WAS SHE JOKING?
YOU BET I UNDERSTOOD.

NOT THAT I'D EVER ACTUALLY
COME OUT AND SAY IT.

-YOU KNOW, WINNIE, THAT GUY'S
ALMOST THREE TIMES YOUR AGE.

- WHO?
- WHO.

-MIKE... THAT'S WHO.

YOU KNOW, THE GUY YOU'VE BEEN
PRACTICALLY HANGING ALL OVER.

- WHAT?
- OH, COME ON, WINNIE.

FIGURE IT OUT. WHY DO YOU THINK
HE WANTS YOU TO STAY LATE TONIGHT?

-IT'S A CAMPAIGN MEETING.

-YEAH, AND I'LL
GIVE YOU ONE GUESS

AS TO WHAT HE'S CAMPAIGNING FOR.

-I DON'T BELIEVE YOU, KEVIN.

THE FUTURE OF OUR
COUNTRY IS AT STAKE,

AND ALL YOU CARE ABOUT
IS YOUR STUPID EGO?!

-NOW, KEEP IN MIND, I WAS
HALF-CRAZED WITH JEALOUSY.

SO I SAID SOMETHING I'D
REGRET THE REST OF MY LIFE.

-WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT
PRESIDENT NIXON, ANYWAY?

-KEVIN, YOU SOUND LIKE AN IDIOT.

-I MAY BE AN IDIOT, BUT
AT LEAST I'M NOT BLIND.

I'M OUT OF HERE.

-AND WITH THAT,
I QUIT POLITICS...

FOR GOOD... ONCE AND FOR ALL...

FOREVER...

UNTIL ABOUT FOUR HOURS LATER.

-YOU MIND IF I ASK
WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE?

-HEY, I JUST WANT TO SEE
WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY?

-FINE.

-YOU KNOW, I THINK I
SAW SOMETHING LIKE THIS

IMPOSSIBLE."

-LOOK AT THAT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK
THEY'RE DOING IN THERE?

-MY IMAGINATION
WAS RUNNING WILD.

I SAW PASSIONATE KISSES...

STEAMY EMBRACES...
LIMBS ENTWINING.

THEN I SAW THE LIGHTS GO OUT.

-I'M GOING IN THERE.

THAT'S GREAT.

-HEY, COULD YOU BRING
ME BACK A DOUGHNUT?

-CAN IT!

IT WASN'T DOUGHNUTS I WAS AFTER.

IT WAS MIKE DETWEILLER.

IT SEEMED OBVIOUS THE GUY
INTENDED TO BRING NEW MEANING

TO THE TERM "BACKROOM POLITICS."

-GREAT.

-SO THERE WAS ONLY
ONE THING TO DO.

WHICH IS WHY, THAT NIGHT,

AT APPROXIMATELY
22 MINUTES PAST 9:00,

I DID SOMETHING

DESTINED TO MAKE
HEADLINES IN YEARS TO COME.

I, KEVIN ARNOLD,

BROKE INTO McGOVERN
HEADQUARTERS.

SURE, MAYBE MIKE THOUGHT
HE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF WINNIE'S
ENTHUSIASM AND NAIVETé,

TWIST IT TO SATISFY
HIS OWN SORDID NEEDS.

BUT MIKE HADN'T
COUNTED ON ONE THING.

MIKE HADN'T COUNTED ON...

- MIKE...
- HOLD IT.

-OR MAYBE HE HAD.

-IT'S OKAY, GUYS. HE'S COOL.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU, KEVIN?

-UH...

I JUST CAME DOWN HERE TO, UH...

I MEAN...

-WELL, YOU'RE JUST IN TIME.

KEVIN, I'D LIKE YOU TO
MEET SENATOR McGOVERN.

-HELLO, KEVIN.

IT'S A PLEASURE
TO MEET YOU, SON.

-KEVIN'S BEEN WORKING
FOR YOU, TOO, SENATOR.

-YOU KNOW, KEVIN, IT'S THE
DEDICATION AND CONVICTION

OF YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE YOU

THAT'S GOTTEN US
THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

-THANK YOU.

-YOU'RE WELCOME.

-AND I GUESS THAT'S
WHEN I REALIZED

WHAT THIS ONE MOMENT MEANT.

-I'LL, UH...

LET MYSELF OUT.

-IT MEANT THAT I
WAS PART OF HISTORY.

IT MEANT I WAS FINALLY
ABLE TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE.

IT MEANT I COULD NEVER
COMPETE WITH MIKE DETWEILLER.

THE GUY HAD GEORGE
McGOVERN IN HIS BACK POCKET.

-WHEN HE SAYS THE PRESIDENT
ISN'T TELLING US THE TRUTH

ON THIS MATTER...

-TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1972.

WHILE THE ENTIRE NATION
PREPARED TO ELECT THE MAN

WHO WOULD LEAD IT THROUGH
THE NEXT FOUR YEARS,

I WAS FIGURING OUT
WHAT RIBOFLAVIN WAS.

-SO, DAD, WHO YOU
GONNA VOTE FOR?

-LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING, WAYNE.

WHEN I WALK INTO THAT BOOTH,

I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER
TO ANYBODY BUT MYSELF.

NEITHER WILL YOU.

IT'S EVERY AMERICAN'S RIGHT.

-NIXON, RIGHT?

LET'S GET A MOVE ON.

-DON'T BE LATE
FOR SCHOOL, HONEY.

- RIGHT, MOM.
- YEAH, SO LONG, SCROTE.

I'M OFF TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT.

-JUST DON'T FORGET
TO PULL THE LEVER.

-AND SO, WHILE MY
FAMILY HEADED OFF

TO FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN
AMERICAN CIVIC DUTY,

I STAYED BEHIND...

AND SULKED.

I WAS BITTER.

I'D SEEN POLITICS
FOR WHAT IT WAS...

A GAME PLAYED BY THE
POWER-HUNGRY FEW

WHO THOUGHT NOTHING OF USING
INNOCENT PEOPLE AS THEIR PAWNS.

-VOTE FOR McGOVERN.

-I FELT DISILLUSIONED,
DISENFRANCHISED.

FACE IT, I WAS WAY
AHEAD OF MY TIME.

STILL, THAT EVENING,
ALONE IN MY ROOM,

I FOUND MYSELF
WONDERING ABOUT WINNIE.

AND MIKE.

ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY ALL MEANT.

-AND HERE'S AN FM
105 ELECTION BULLETIN.

SENATOR McGOVERN HAS
SCORED A STUNNING UPSET

IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS.

EARLY RETURNS INDICATE
THAT THE SENATOR

HAS ALSO CARRIED THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

THE HIGH CONCENTRATION

OF YOUNG, FEMALE, AND
BLACK VOTERS IN THIS AREA

HAS GIVEN THE SENATOR
THIS UNEXPECTED VICTORY.

A McGOVERN SPOKESMAN HAS SAID...

- AND RIGHT AT THAT
MOMENT, ALL OUT OF NOWHERE,

I GOT MY ANSWER.

DRIVING DOWN THOSE
STREETS, I SAW THE BLUE GLOW

OF THE TELEVISION
SETS IN EVERY WINDOW.

AND I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND SOME

OF WHAT WINNIE HAD
BEEN SWEPT UP IN.

ACROSS TOWN, ACROSS AMERICA,

PEOPLE WERE WATCHING A NEW
CHAPTER OF HISTORY UNFOLD.

AND I HAD HELPED
WRITE THAT CHAPTER.

AND NOW I WANTED TO
SHARE THE THRILL OF VICTORY.

-THE EARLY VOTES WE HAVE
IN, COUNTED FROM PLACES...

-OR THE AGONY OF DEFEAT.

- AND THE EASTERN, MIDWESTERN,

AND SOUTHERN STATES...

-AND THERE IT WAS,
IN BLACK AND WHITE.

IN THE TIME IT HAD TAKEN
ME TO DRIVE DOWN THERE,

SENATOR McGOVERN'S VICTORY

HAD GONE FROM
LANDSLIDE TO MUDSLIDE.

-PEOPLE! LISTEN UP!

OKAY. I JUST GOT OFF THE
PHONE WITH HEADQUARTERS.

AND THE SENATOR IS ABOUT
TO OFFICIALLY CONCEDE.

BUT EVEN THOUGH WE LOST,

I KNOW THE SENATOR WOULD LIKE TO
THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU

FOR WHAT WE'VE
ACCOMPLISHED HERE.

WE FOUGHT A GOOD
FIGHT. WE DID SOME GOOD.

AND YOU GUYS SHOULD BE
PROUD OF YOURSELVES FOR THAT.

I KNOW I AM.

THANK YOU.

-THE FUNNY THING
IS, AT THAT MOMENT,

I KNEW I'D BEEN
WRONG ABOUT THE GUY.

I COULD ALMOST UNDERSTAND
WHAT WINNIE HAD SEEN IN HIM.

-MIKE, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

-AFTER ALL, THIS MAN HAD
HELD HER DREAMS IN HIS HANDS,

HER VALUES, HER IDEALS.

-HEY, LISTEN. IT'S NOTHING
TO KILL YOURSELF ABOUT.

IT'S JUST POLITICS.

BESIDES, WE KNEW THE
GUY NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

DIDN'T WE?
- WHAT?

-HEY. LET'S GET A DRINK.

TAKE CARE, OKAY?

I HEAR KENNEDY
MAY LAUNCH IN '74.

MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE HIM A CALL.

-I GUESS MANY HEARTS WERE
BROKEN ACROSS AMERICA

THAT NIGHT.

BUT ONLY ONE I
REALLY CARED ABOUT.

-I'M SORRY.

-I GUESS YOU THINK I
WAS PRETTY STUPID, HUH?

-BUT SOMEHOW, IT DIDN'T
SEEM IMPORTANT ANYMORE...

WHO WAS RIGHT, WHO WAS WRONG.

ALL THAT REALLY
SEEMED TO MATTER WAS...

-YOU, UH, WANT TO GO GET
A SANDWICH OR SOMETHING?

-THANKS.

- FOR YEARS TO COME.

-AFTER ALL, MAYBE IN HIS
OWN WAY, MIKE WAS RIGHT.

IN POLITICS, YOU LIVE
TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.

SURE, THE '60s WERE GONE,
BUT SOONER OR LATER,

THERE'D BE OTHER
BATTLES TO FIGHT.

- NO QUESTION AT ALL, THAT
WE HAVE PUSHED THIS COUNTRY

IN THE DIRECTION OF PEACE...

-THE THING IS, THAT ELECTION

FOREVER CHANGED THE WAY MY
GENERATION LOOKED AT POLITICS.

WE DISCOVERED, NO
MATTER HOW PAINFULLY,

THAT WE COULD BE
PART OF THE PROCESS...

THAT WE COULD BELIEVE.

AND EVEN NOW, 20 YEARS LATER,

DESPITE ALL THE EVIDENCE
TO THE CONTRARY...

-WHAT A WASTE.

-NAH. WAIT TILL NEXT TIME.

THEN THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT.

- I CAN REMEMBER THAT
NIGHT AND STILL BELIEVE.