07x13 - The cold

Episode transcripts for the TV show "The West Wing". Aired September 1999- May 2006.*
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An American political drama revolving around the White House Staff.
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07x13 - The cold

Post by bunniefuu »

Previously on The West Wing:

- Have you seen the Zogby poll?
- Yes.

Six weeks to go, you're still seven
points down, concerned?

It gave license to ask whether
you might have dinner with me.

How's tonight?

Emergency sirens went off
at the nuclear station...

...in San Andreo, California.

We could be looking
at a full-scale meltdown.

The coolant in the reactor's dropped,
exposing the fuel rods.

I pushed the licensing commission
to get San Andreo up and running.

You're anti-nuclear,
Vinick's got a long history.

This is all upside for us.

Arizona, up by four.
Nevada, up by three.

- Virginia, up by four.
- California?

- Up by six.
- I have seven.

- Who's that?
- Gallup.

- Really?
- Reading it off the paper.

- Is it up?
- Nope.

- Check again.
- I hit refresh.

When you keep pressing,
it won't load.

- Go to another page.
- How's it coming?

Three women telling me
how to use The Times ' website.


- It's straightforward. Need help?
- I think I've got it under control.

Four in Louisiana.
Tied in Arkansas.

Tied in North Carolina, South Carolina.

- South Carolina?
- It's up. It's up.

- Go.
- " Times national tracking poll...


...first national sample since the accident
at the San Andreo nuclear facility...

In this three-day spread polling of
likely voters, Senator Vinick dropped"...

Damn it! Screen froze.

- For God's sake!
- I got it over here, guys.

Up! Everybody, up!

- Good morning! Good morning!
- We're up! We're up!

We're up in California!

That's the elevator.

Yeah? Yeah, yeah. Hold on.

State-by-states are out.

Tied in South Carolina,
Arkansas and California.

- California?
- Ahead in Arizona, Nevada, Virginia.

- Got the national polls.
- The Times?


It's - . We're tied.

- We're tied?
- Nationally.

Holy mother of God, we caught him!

- Yes!
- We caught him!

Margin of error!

Josh, wake up.
Are they messing with me?

- That's what we got.
- We got it!

Lead narrowed in Tennessee, Louisiana,
Georgia. Neck and neck in the Carolinas.

They pulled ahead
in Arizona and Virginia.

The Times put it at - .

- California?
- Tied.

Nine points ahead
in California a week ago.

- Now we're tied.
- The good news is...

...most of the votes we lost
are showing up undecided.

They are not going for Santos yet.

Twelve percent undecided
this late in the campaign.

You have local press downstairs.

No comments
on the nuclear accident in California.

- Yeah.
- It was a national tragedy.

Don't talk about it
in a political context.

You are concentrating on meeting voters,
talking about the issues.

Namely tax cuts and more tax cuts.

- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

The Kazakhstan situation is heating up.

You can always pivot to that
if you need to...

I need seconds to myself, okay?

Tied. Nationally.

- Who'd have thunk it?
- Vinick must be weeping.

We talk to the Russians?

Their story is
the election wasn't rigged.

Tarimov is the legitimate
president of Kazakhstan.

Russian troops crossed the border
to provide stability to the government.

- China's also gone in for stabilization.
- NATO?

Everyone likes the idea of a peacekeeping
force, nobody wants to be in one.

- Can't imagine why not.
- UN's not involved.

China and Russia can both veto
in the Security Council.

- It's just us.
- Which looks like what?

Russia's moving in from the northwest,
China from the east.

We need to send enough troops
to create a human buffer zone...

...between the two advancing armies.

- How far apart are they?
- About miles, but not for long.

I want to see invasion plans
as soon as possible.

We wouldn't think of it as an invasion.
We'd call it an intervention.

Show me a plan that doesn't look like
an invasion, I'll call it whatever you want.

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

Keep NATO in the air. Don't want
to look like we're writing them off.

- I'll stay on it with State.
- Have Barrow put together a briefing.

- We don't know where we're going yet.
- Hopefully, we know next week.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- I have a thing of yours.
- My Pyongyang report? I turned my...

- It's not that.
- Really? It's in a blue binder.

- No blue binder.
- You sure? I may...

It's a bra.

Oh, okay.

I put it in a padded envelope,
which seemed appropriate.

- Really?
- Want it now?

No, no. Yes?

- It's in your office?
- It is.

- You keep it.
- Permanently?

Mail it to my home address.

- You don't think that's complicated?
- It is, isn't it?

- I'll hang onto it until we...
- Okay.

- We'll get better at this.
- One can only hope.

Cancel everything after the rally. Got to
get on the ground in the battle states.

Vinick has to head south.

Try and get his lead back in Louisiana,
Arkansas, the Carolinas.

- Has he been south since the primaries?
- Nope.

While he flails there,
we'll have the swing states to ourselves.

- Power plants in every swing state.
- News crews will be all over.

- Free media.
- Pennies from heaven.

A lot of undecideds.
Got to get them off the fence.

A lot of Dems who didn't know you
and were satisfied voting Republican.

Time for them to come home.

They wanna hear about deficit reduction
and more cops on the streets.

We need to focus on the fact you were
fighting nuclear power years ago.

You're forward-thinking
with a nuanced vision.

The vision a president needs to handle
complicated international situations...

...like this mess in Kazakhstan.

He had the vision to predict problems
with nuclear power.

He has the vision
to find solutions for our future.

- Yeah.
- Who's writing?

I got it.

The Santos education plan is now
the " st Century Education Plan."

- st Century Health Plan.
- Don't forget energy.

Energy plan. He's about the future,
Vinick's about the past.

Great.

I'll have Joey test language,
but that's the direction.

I'm coordinating with Advance.
Which state?

- Oh, that's easy.
- California.

Yeah.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Drink this.
- I don't want it.

- I didn't ask if you wanted it.
- It looks like Hawaiian Punch...

...smells disgusting,
and I'm not getting sick.

We lost these people
because of the nuclear accident.

Let them realize you didn't melt
it down yourself, they'll come back.

Cycle like that takes a month,
which we don't have.

- The base.
- Governor.

We've had a good time running
to the center, but the party's over.

You're a Republican. Start talking
to the Republican conservative base.

Nail him to a cross. He can stump
for votes on the Via Dolorosa.

I am the only person talking
to values voters.

And you are doing a fantastic job.

They're not voting for me.

He needs more time in the South
so we don't lose them.

Undecideds are moderates,
not bible-thumpers. Speak to their issues.

Pull the Arnold Vinick
health-care plan out of his tailpipe?

Would that qualify as a miracle?
They like the miracles.

- It will look like desperation.
- We need an ad blitz. Negative.

- That's not a bad idea.
- It is.

We need to curb Santos' momentum.

Keep these folks undecided long enough
for this nuclear mess to fade.

It's not gonna fade. He'll run thousands
of spots on your love of nuclear power.

We need to hit back.
I'm not talking a smear campaign.

Just focus attention on the times Santos
has voted to increase spending.

It'll drive up our negatives
as much as theirs.

He'll look like
a desperate hatchet man.

- So what?
- Is that an existential question?

Vinick was the voice of experience.

Now Santos is a wise, prescient
visionary, and the senator looks like a...

- A foolish old man?
- I'm sorry, sir.

No, go ahead. I love it.

You assume it can't get worse. It can.

We go negative, they're gonna trot out
every bad call I've ever made.

They'll plaster them
all over the airwaves.

It'll come back
and bite us in the ass.

- I'm agreeing with you.
- You are?

- All right.
- We need to stay the course.

The senator speaks to the center,
we pepper in health care and education.

Sullivan speaks locally
to the right flank.

- He's gonna talk health care too?
- No.

He's gonna do what he's been doing.
Family values, apple pie.

- You're with a -state strategy?
- No.

We can't win states anymore.

I'm aware of that.
It's still the best strategy we have.

We'll swing through the South,
shore up our numbers.

But he's not upending his message
this late in the campaign.

You've got Pensy and Carolton.

I start going after the base now,
I look like an idiot.

The governor's going after the base.

You just got to make nice
with Pensy and Carolton.

How about we grab lunch, talk about
how you want me to shade this.

Got time before your : .
Let's get into it now.

Unless you wanted
to talk about it alone.

In which case,
you could discuss it over lunch.

Mr. President.

Our base in Ayagoz has
marines on the ground.

We're proposing sending an additional
, ground troops...

...for control and stabilization.

- They'll require support units.
- Certainly.

- How many?
- Another , .

We come from the south,
creating a zone of neutrality...

...separating the Russian-controlled
northwest and the Chinese-controlled east.

The mountains here on the edge
of Lake Balkhash create a natural barrier.

Our hope is that the Chinese
won't push past them.

- It'll take weeks to prep an intervention.
- Eight, probably.

We don't have that kind of time.

We start an early deployment
of , troops, the rest follow.

- Coming from where?
- Pull the First Division from Wiesbaden.

- And get them there how?
- Send them through the transload hub...

...to gather munitions and equipment,
then deploy on C- s.

Or airlift them straight
from Wiesbaden on C- s.

We want the division to bring tanks,
we'll have to go with the C- s.

What will they wear?

I think green and brown
are still the favorites.

- What kind of outerwear?
- I haven't seen a prototype, but...

We're sending , Americans
to the th parallel in November.

It starts snowing in Astana in August
and doesn't stop till June.

As opposed to the Russians,
who do this a lot...

...Americans haven't fought a w*r
in the cold for some time.

I would like to know what kind of coats
you plan to put on our troops.

- We'll look into it, sir.
- Do that and come back.

Centcom's suggesting
a no-fly zone in Kazakhstan.

Symbolic buffer
between the two armies...

...until we can get rapid
deployment underway.

Yeah.

A hundred and fifty thousand troops.

We're not talking about a drive-by either.
If we go in, we could be there for years.

I need to talk to the candidates.

We live in the greatest democracy...

Rally in San Diego soon as we arrive.

- Visit to the shelters holding evacuees.
- Is he talking about the accident?

Nothing about the accident
or nuclear power.

He's just sharing some ideas
about health care and education...

...with cooling towers
in the background.

- Got a lot of new friends suddenly.
- Who?

Governor Watley and Stockwell,
secretary of energy...

...Treasury secretary, Senator Pallard.

How many times did I call them?

- A lot.
- Before we grew coattails.

Better late than never. Schedule them.

Why are you looking at me?

- Bono called.
- Bono?

- He's in New York, wants to have dinner.
- Do it.

- We're not in New York.
- Change the schedule!

- Bono wants to meet him?
- Will he be at the rally?

- We didn't get into specifics.
- They can talk about debt relief.

- Did you talk to him?
- I talked to Phil.

- Okay, invite him to San Diego.
- Phil?

Not Phil.

Press avail in San Diego and you need
to be available for phone interviews.

Getting questions on what
Santos thinks about Kazakhstan.

Tell them Congressman Santos
applauds the president's efforts...

...and is glad the U.S. Can share
its wisdom with emerging democracies.

Then find out what's going on.

- If Bono comes...
- You'll meet him.

Donna?

I wanna...

I'm sorry.

About this morning.
That was inappropriate.

- Don't worry about it.
- Totally inappropriate. I feel terrible.

- Don't.
- Seriously.

Seriously, it was bound
to happen sometime.

I'm gonna call the White House,
talk about Kazakhstan.

I want an evacuation report from FEMA
before the San Andreo budget call.

Get C.J.'s comments, and get Hollings
at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

- He's in this afternoon.
- I want to talk to him now.

- See the sketches?
- I'll get to it.

- How about now?
- A nuclear disaster and a w*r...

...they could wait.
- Been there for days.

Makes it look like
I don't pick up after you.

- I don't know what to think.
- A thumbs up or thumbs down.

- You think they look like me?
- More or less.

Then they'll do.

- What do you mean?
- Decent likeness.

Commanding, thoughtful.

There's no cane, which is a choice.

- A bad choice?
- I don't know.

- Did you make it, or did he make it?
- He did.

It doesn't matter.

I won't stand beside it with commentary.
Think it's a problem?

- Do you?
- Often as not, I don't even use it.

Yes, but you exist
in the Zeitgeist with a cane.

- I have an idea.
- What?

- Let's call Hollings at the NRC.
- Yes, sir.

Josh on two.

- Hey, sailor.
- Am I calling you, or are you calling me?

I think I'm calling you.
How's it feel?

This must be what
your first smack high feels like.

Hope it's not followed
by a crash and rehab.


- Nothing can k*ll my mood, but good try.
- Thanks.

We need a detailed idea of what's up
in Kazakhstan. Can you send somebody?

- How about the president?
- Below his pay grade. Love to see him.

He'd like to meet
with the candidates tonight.

Are you kidding? For the first time in
this race, we're not trailing. We're tied.

We'd pull ahead
if we play this thing right.

Taking him off the campaign trail so he
can have drinks in the Oval Office isn't...

I know, and I'm sorry.
If I had a choice...

We're going to California. We may win
Vinick's home state. He is not...

Would I ask if it wasn't important?

Diplomatic foray
into an entrenched conflict.

Yes, you have my word.

Should Santos win, he will continue the
efforts to negotiate a peaceable solution.

Okay, let's do it this way.
Vinick's coming.

You don't want
the press covering Vinick...

...in the Oval with the president
without Santos.

- I like you less and less.
- Will's coordinating the talking points.

The president will brief the candidates.
See you tonight.

President wants to see
the candidates at the White House.

- About what?
- Security briefing.

- San Andreo?
- They won't say.

Why not? Buys some time
to sort out the schedule.

You still stuck?

You're asking me to boost his public
appearances and limit press access...

...send him groveling for votes to states
he's never had to campaign in...

...when all he wants to do is go
to California. Yeah, I'm stuck.

- We're not going to California.
- I told him.

- What do you think about a media buy?
- You know how expensive that is?

- We're hemorrhaging votes there.
- I need our money for a media blitz.

You could blow the budget
buying ads in California.

Call Stan.
See what he thinks it'll cost.

- How much time in the South?
- Two, three days. See how it goes.

That's great.
A Republican stumping in Georgia.

Glad we've got Sullivan planning
the schedule.

Not his plan. It's mine.

- Really?
- Yes.

I am happy to change tack
in light of current developments...

...but I'd be more comfortable
if meetings took place...

...with you, me, and the senator.
Not you and Ray Sullivan.

Sullivan's just blowing off steam.

Nobody blames you
for what's happening.

- Not me, not the senator.
- I don't care if I'm being blamed.

I care if I'm being shoved out.

You're not.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- And you're here.
- Yes.

- Should I come back?
- No.

I've asked reps to come so we can
get everybody on the same page.

You should work that out.

I'll do a backgrounder,
he can adapt that into...

Talking points to share with the press.

Which won't be the whole story.

- Sure.
- Great.

- What?
- What?

- Is something weird happening?
- No.

I feel like a heroine who doesn't know
there's a guy with an axe.

Maybe it's the weather.
People feel that way when it's damp.

Thank you both.

- We're really bad at this.
- Really bad.

You know, in a minute, Dave Matthews
is gonna come up on this stage.

Oh, I know, I know.
Believe me, I know. I feel the same way.

In fact, I'm gonna get an autograph.

Lou's working on
the voice-of-a-new-generation thing.

She's gonna catch up with us.

- She knows we got a detour?
- Yeah.

Lou told Annabeth to send Leo
to San Diego tonight.

That's good.
See if we can get Helen there too.

Get on a plane, liaise with
White House Communications on the...

The Kazakhstan thing.
Lou told me. On my way.

I heard from a guy
at The Sacramento Bee.


You feel bad for the guys at The Bee?

- I don't.
- Lacks dignity.

- You're wandering.
- You heard a rumor?

At first they thought it was allergies
because Vinick has a mold sensitivity...

- Now you're wandering.
- They think he has a cold.

- Vinick?
- Yes.

Oh, my Lord. A cold?

- Fax from Lester at HQ.
- Yes!

A cold! The gods were listening
to me, and they love me!

- Why is there hugging?
- Vinick has a cold.

Oh, that's precious.

I wanna send him some Vicks VapoRub
and a big German nurse.

I have White House on the phone...

...and they think Leo has to be
at the White House too.

No, seriously, give me the phone.

Hi. This is Josh Lyman. Who's this?

Hi, Roberta. Mr. McGarry can't make it
to the White House tonight.

He's campaigning
for high government office.

I'm sure it was a mistake. Thank you.

- Thanks. Sorry.
- No worries. Bureaucratic snafu.

- Are they writing about this cold?
- They will be.

How the senator's health can't stand
up to the rigors of a campaign...

...or the challenges of the Oval Office?
- He's depressed.

- Hasn't been in a close race in years.
- Beginning of the end.

- Josh Lyman.
- Please hold for the president.


Hey, kid, how you doing?

- Fine, sir, how are you?
- Good, good.


Do me a favor. Bring Leo with you
to the White House tonight, would you?


- Sir, we...
- Tag along and say hello.


It'd be great to see you.
Thanks, Josh.


I'm thrilled to introduce to you,
Dave Matthews!

- What?
- We're going to the White House tonight.

Leo, the congressman, everyone.

We're gonna need little packs of Kleenex
in all the senator's pockets.

- Cough drops.
- Cough drops. Industrial strength.

None of that herbal business.

Pray to whoever you pray to
that he doesn't lose his voice.

- We should try to give him a day.
- A day off?

He's running a fever.
He needs to rest.

Not days out, he doesn't.

You want days
of the walking wounded?

He takes a day off, you reaffirm...

...every concern the voters have.
He's a dinosaur.

- Not up to the job.
- Dead on his feet.

- Gentlemen.
- Is the senator here?

Doing a Q & A outside.
He'll be right in.

Annie, tell Jake I want
the senator's wake-up call...

...pushed to a.m. Tomorrow,
not .

- Okay, these are for you.
- Which event are we k*lling?

It's an hour.
We're not talking about it anymore.

Hodder from the RNC would like a few
minutes with the senator without staff.

They request meetings without staff
when the meeting's about the staff.

Should I pack my pencils
and coffee mugs now?

Stop it.

- Call Hodder's office, tell them : .
- Okay.

- Will.
- Hey, look at you, back in the building.

Congratulations on your surge.

We're all walking
feet off the ground.

- You gonna visit your old desk?
- Not a lot of nostalgia there.

I've got the talking points on
the Kazakhstan negotiations...

...but Vinick's press guy's running late.
- Sure.

- Want a soda?
- I'm fine.

- I'm gonna have a ginger ale.
- Good. Good.

- Can I ask you a question?
- Sure.

- It's gonna sound a little wacky.
- Go for it.

If something had happened with us
when we were working, romantically...

...would that have been inappropriate?
- I'm flattered.

But I'm seeing someone in
a non-public and poorly defined way.

Not you. I was talking about someone
like you, with your job, in relation to me.

- Josh?
- You're seeing someone?

- You're seeing Josh?
- No.

- Then who?
- I'll tell you if you tell me.

Yours is Josh.

- And yours is?
- Classified.

Nothing happened with me and Josh.

I'm sorry, I shouldn't
have brought this up.

- We should drop it.
- Good idea.

It's not inappropriate,
seeing someone.

It's weird, maybe,
but you'll figure it out.

- Did they start?
- Who?

- Hodder.
- Not here yet.

I don't think
you need to be here.

The chairman asked me to sit in.

Hey, here he is.

What's she doing here?

- Good to see you, Sheila.
- Mr. Chairman.

- You remember Jane Braun?
- Sure.

- How are you?
- Bruno Gianelli, Jane Braun from the RNC.

- Good to meet you.
- Chairman Hodder.

- Mr. Chairman.
- How you doing?

Ray, thanks for joining us.

The senator's on a call.

- Be here any minute.
- World upside-down, huh?

It'll right itself, day or two.

How's he feeling?
Rumor has it he's got a...

- He's fine.
- Oh, good.

You're gonna spend a couple days
below the Mason-Dixon Line.

- That'll help.
- I think it will.

Message-wise?

Message-wise, we're holding center.

Sure that's your strongest play?

We need to win back the undecideds
right now. Moderates.

I see how you'd come
to that conclusion...

...but I'm not sure it's about
changing minds anymore.

- It's kind of late.
- Three weeks is enough time.

Can't count on it. What you can
count on is getting out the vote.

The Republican base will do that...


...if the candidate
speaks their language.

- Here we go.
- It's time to talk about values.

- And family.
- By which you mean what?

Gay marriage?

The list of family values is longer than
just the one, but since you mention it...

Play the gay-marriage card.
Santos will respond.

Voters will flock to Vinick.

Senator doesn't think marriage
is a federal issue.

- Rethink it.
- That what you plan on telling him?

Guys, you're up against the wall.

You had some maverick ideas early on,
and they played beautifully...

...but now it's time
to run a safe, sober campaign...

...that speaks to the concerns
of the Republican base.

What exactly do you think
that looks like?

- We don't need to...
- No, I'm interested.

Make it clear Vinick is their candidate.
They can count on him.

We didn't pull policies out of a hat.

- They're Vinick's positions.
- Wouldn't broadcast that.

- Meaning what?
- Send the message...

...that he got some bad advice.
He was steered off course...

- We got the idea.
- Think about it.

- Sure.
- Don't be flip about this.

There are downticket races to consider.
We could lose the House and the Senate.

- Arnie's alienated a lot of our people...
- Excuse me, the senator's ready now.

- Great.
- Right this way.

Excuse me.

- Good to see you.
- Pleasure.

Think they're not trying
to replace me?

They're definitely trying to replace you.
With her, apparently.

- Hey, stranger.
- Hi.

- Will get you up to speed?
- Yes.

I'm just hanging here until
the congressman and everybody gets in.

- Good to see you.
- You too.

- Good day?
- Amazing.

- How's Josh?
- What do you mean?

- Which part tripped you up?
- You're...

- Asking how he is.
- Oh, sorry. He's fine.

Happy we're doing so well.

- What's going on?
- Nothing.

- Is something... Is a Josh thing going on?
- No, no, no.

- Something happened.
- Nothing.

You've got a useless poker face.

I spend my day talking about
election monitors in Central Asia.

Throw me a bone.

It's nothing.

We just...

We had an odd moment today.

Another in a long series of odd
moments, meant to be ignored.

You should focus on
your election monitors.

- They're a complete failure.
- That's too bad.

It is.

Would you come with me, please?

- Good evening.
- Senator.

- I don't like how that looks.
- Yeah.

Make yourselves comfortable.

- The president will be right with you.
- Thank you.

- Not too comfortable.
- Excuse me?

- Did you...?
- What?

- Nothing.
- If there's anything I can get you...

...please let me know.

Vinick just came through.
I think they put him in the Mural Room.

Little too close to the Oval
for my taste.

The president will be with you
in a few minutes.

Thanks, Carol.

- Can I get anybody anything to drink?
- Oh, we're fine, thank you.

Good.

Mr. McGarry, could you
come with me, please?

I have no idea.

Sir, we're ready.

Why are we sitting here...

...while the Democratic V.P. Candidate's
being ushered into the Oval Office?

- Six chicks, all with their jeans dropped.
- They had "Santos for president" undies.

They wanted to show me. I thought
it was my job to keep them away.

You are a brave soldier, Bram.
I'm touched. I really am.

Any time, sir.

We're at the Marriott tonight.

Takeout lists are in the packet...

...but the restaurant should be
open when we get back.

I want a room with a view.
Last time I was over the dumpster.

- You're on the second floor.
- No view is what he's saying.

I was gonna go to the hotel and look
out every window, but I didn't get to it.

- You like "Dawn of the new America"?
- Not really.

How about "A new plan
for a new America."

"New America" sounds a little colonial.

- How do you feel about a pilgrim hat?
- I love it.

"Brave and bold visionary"
ought to work.

- This is me talking about myself?
- Language Joey poll-tested.

- Trying to work it in.
- Let me see.

Looking to capitalize on our country's
new vision of you.

- Post-nuclear debacle.
- Brave and bold.

- As opposed to Vinick, who's...
- Big and bad.

- I don't think we need it.
- Polled well.

You can't poll people after a crisis.

They're speaking from
anxiety and confusion.

- Their answers are all over the map.
- Wanna just stay the course?

We have their attention now.
They're listening.

Maybe they'll get the sense
we've been on the right track all along.

"Santos: Right from the start."

We want that on every bumper sticker,
every press release, everything.

- That was some impressive teamwork.
- It was, wasn't it? I'm a little teary.

I'm gonna have the doctor come by,
make sure it's not strep or something.

It's nothing, I'm fine. It's allergies.

Until the allergies clear up,
I think a cough suppressant...

...might make the day
go a little faster.

You wanna talk about
your meeting with Hodder?

I don't. You want to talk about
why we're admiring the china...

...while McGarry's in there
with the president?

We're setting up a no-fly zone
over Kazakhstan.

Step one of a two month ramp-up...

...with probably a five-year commitment
on the ground.

NATO's waving us into the fray
with absolutely no intention of following.

- Figures. You evacuate the embassy?
- Not yet.

- So it's a rapid deployment of , ?
- Twelve.

The dream scenario is we put them
in the middle of the buffer zone...

...which scares everyone enough
to drive the Russians and the Chinese...

...back on their own soil.

Otherwise, we follow
with another , .

- You think about air strikes?
- I'm willing to thr*aten air strikes.

But I don't wanna tear up the Kazakh
countryside just to make a point.

So you send in , men,
push the lines back.

Then you're a security guard until they
get a new government up and running.

It's a reasonable move.

Put a massive force on the ground
for deterrent purposes.

You nip the conflict in the bud.

I'd be surprised if either Russia or China
actually wanted a real battle.

Maybe.

That, or we're stuck between two
million-man armies spoiling for a fight.

Don't know till you're in it.

You think I should be sending
another negotiating team?

Armies are already on the ground.

Nobody's gonna agree
to a cease-fire...

...until they know you're serious.

Yeah.

This is what they'll remember
years from now.

- About your presidency?
- Got us into a big mess.

Left it for someone else to clean up.

Oh, come on.

They'll remember eight years
of strong leadership, growth.

A commander in chief
they could trust.

You know what probably happens?
It goes badly, I get the blame.

It goes well,
the next guy gets the credit.

Sounds about right.

The president's ready for you.

Sorry for the wait.

Gentlemen.

- Everything okay?
- Yeah.

The initial incursion would be small,
troops to defend the embassy.

- The embassy requires that much defense?
- Not really.

Hopefully, Tarimov takes it
as an indication of our commitment...

...and resumes negotiations.
- If he doesn't?

Two rapid-deployment divisions
dropped in within hours.

The ground troops follow
over eight weeks.

Who are we dealing with
at the Kremlin?

Chigorin's been unwilling to engage,
as you might expect.

The foreign minister's
communicating...

...but we sense he's been pushed out
of the decision-making process.

- Thank you, all.
- Thank you, sir.

One of you will inherit this piniata.
You should know what's on the table.

I was under the impression...

...the diplomatic options
hadn't been exhausted.

- I wish it were true.
- What about an international force?

We've asked, but NATO's participation
would be nominal at best.

So we're placing ourselves on an oil field
between two nuclear powers?

- Alone?
- Yes.

I don't see our presence
as doing anything more...

...than exacerbating the conflict.

Once we're involved...

...India will have to diplomatically align
with the Russians.

Pakistan will support China.

South Korea will feel pressure
to engage on our side.

I'm not sure I know
what our side is.

Gentlemen, let's talk about
what we're talking about.

You're worried that
I'm gonna announce...

...I'm deploying ,
American soldiers...

...three weeks before the election,
and suddenly your race is about my w*r.

You can speak candidly.

It does change the nature
of the election.

More importantly, a new president would
have an easier time brokering a solution.

If I thought we could wait
until after the election, I would wait.

- What's this gonna cost?
- Depends on how long we stay.

It doesn't matter.

First days are the most
productive of the whole term.

There's no way we extricate ourselves
from this in less than three months.

It's not about the money.

You're blowing any political capital we
might have by forcing us to fight a w*r.

- Do we have an estimate...
- First months, billion.

Well, I can say goodbye to my tax cut.

Your education plan's
certainly off the table.

What's a victory in this?

The retreat of Chinese and Russian
m*llitary forces across their own borders...

...and a stable, neutral and democratic
government in Kazakhstan.

Wait, wait, no.
This is where you lose me.

Everyone back to their corner,
I understand.

A stable, democratic regime...

...in a former Soviet
Central Asian republic...

...that could take two,
three generations.

I mean, if that's
your definition of success...

...I'm not sure I see a clear
exit strategy.

- It's a realistic concern.
- Is there an exit strategy?

General Schultz will tell you there is.

He'll tell you we stabilize Astana...

...hold new elections in months,
and pull out in ...

...but I'm not sure I buy that
any more than you do.

What's your exit strategy?

I don't have one.

I suggest you both start
giving it some thought.

I appreciate your concerns...

...but I am not in a position
to hold off our involvement.

These armies are marching
towards each other.

Someone must stand in the middle.
Unfortunately, it has to be us.

Thanks for coming in.
Good luck to you both.

What did the president want?

Lozenge?

- We have to talk about the chairman.
- Yeah.

He's a weasel, and I don't like
that woman, but they're right.

A little shake-up might create
enough of a diversion...

...to get us past San Andreo.
- Bruno's worked hard.

He's not the reason we're in the toilet.

I think f*ring him will just
get us a whole lot of nothing.

But if you want to do it, do it.

I'm not talking about Bruno.

Bruno doesn't have the visibility
to be a viable scapegoat.

I'm the public face
of your campaign staff.

You want this to work,
it's gotta be me.

That's the dumbest thing
I've ever heard.

No, really.

From a smart woman,
that's an incredibly stupid idea.

You need someone to blame for the fact
that we didn't campaign to the base.

You need to apologize and spend
the next three weeks singing their song.

- We're not...
- Don't interrupt me.

I can still be on the phone
with you / .

Hire Jane Braun.

And once we get a -percent strategy
in place, Bob and Bruno can execute it.

We're not losing.
We're just in a real horse race now.

I will hop myself up on
Sudafed tomorrow.

- Santos will be in the dust by Friday.
- Jane's rainmaker at the RNC.

She is the darling of
the evangelical right.

They will respond to her.

She'll whip them up
into a door-knocking...

...pavement-pounding frenzy.

You're really talking about this.

I made a promise to put you in office,
and that's what we're gonna do.

So that's it?

Tomorrow morning
I get a letter of resignation?

It's already in your briefcase.

You just have about...

... minutes of grip and grin here.

Perry will have your back.

When you get home, call Jane.

- Would you like your overcoat?
- What?

Would you like your coat, sir?
It's pretty cold.

No.

A this-is-my-size conversation
with the butt brigade?

We dealt with the relevant
information.

Oh, my God, you got a phone number,
didn't you?

- I'm not at liberty to share that.
- Oh, from a butt girl?

You're plummeting
in my estimation right now.

- How'd it go?
- Fine.

- What'd they talk about?
- You, actually.

In the Oval. All three of them.

Bram's dating one of the women
in the Santos undies.

- I'm not dating her.
- That's impressive.

Really brings honor to the family.

If Bono comes,
we are locking him in the van.

You're gonna be printing
"Bono for president" undies.

- That's not a bad idea.
- See?

Give me butt girl's number,
I'll find out.

Every color,
one for each day of the week.

Okay, order me a pair of pink.
I'm turning in.

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

She forgot her key. Donna!

- I got it.
- She's gone.

- I got it. I'm going up anyway.
- It's no problem.

She's next door to me.
You're three floors up. I got it.

Sweet dreams.

Sir, we have DES OPS. On your order.

DES OPS, we have a go.
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