Episode Summary:
The President (Martin Sheen) waits tensely for the results of a military strike to rescue three captive American soldiers in Africa while Toby (Richard Schiff) tries to help Sam’s (Rob Lowe) California congressional campaign and Josh (Bradley Whitford) butts heads with the First Lady (Stockard Channing).
Script:
THE WEST WING "RED HAVEN'S ON FIRE" TELEPLAY BY: AARON SORKIN STORY BY: MARK GOFFMAN & DEBORA CAHN DIRECTED BY: ALEX GRAVES TEASER FADE IN: INT. NEWPORT POLICE STATION - NIGHT NEWSCASTER [on TV] ...with General Vahorean confirming, or I should say, disclosing, for the first time the names of the Marines taken hostage. They are Lance Corporals John Halley and Raymond Rowe and Private First Class Herman Hernandez. On what was described as a routine patrol of the perimeter of Bitanga airport, the three reported by radio an attacked by an estimated 50 members of the Kundu National Army. SATURDAY EVENING We pan down from the TV to Toby who is talking into a cellphone. Charlie is standing at a window talking to a guard. They are finishing up paperwork to get out of jail. TOBY [into cellphone] Well, Sam's on his way over, and I'll tell you something, if I was someone who felt comfortable hugging other people, I'd give one to Sam 'cause he absolutely impaled himself. So I think the least I can do is bring the Ziegler brand of wisdom to the campaign for the last week, be a role model. By the way, you know what they don't tell you? You can post bond with a credit card. CHARLIE [to officer] Yo, man, that's totally whack! TOBY [into cellphone] Yeah. Charlie's trying to throw down with the street. It's kind of a sad sight to see. CHARLIE [to officer] I've got American Express. I've got Visa. I could've posted bond and gotten miles, damn it. TOBY [into cellphone] Hang on. REPORTER [on TV] ...with White House Press Secretary, C.J. Cregg, telling us that President Bartlet, who was to spend the weekend in Southern California campaigning for Democratic Congressional candidate Sam Seaborn, has boarded Air Force One and is on his way back to Washington to more closely monitor the crisis-- I guess we'd have to call it-- with the three hostages. OFFICER [to Toby] Sir? Toby walks over to the window where Charlie and the officer are. TOBY [into cellphone] Yeah. Uh, uh, when do you land? OFFICER [to Toby] Sign, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here. [flips the page] Initial it here, here, here, here, and sign again here. TOBY [into cellphone] Excuse me, I think they're making me buy somebody's house. Uh, call me when you land. Toby hangs up the phone and walks over to a bench where several young ladies, scantily clad, are sitting. TOBY I'm sorry, I can't remember who I borrowed this from. CALL GIRL It was me. TOBY Thanks. Sam enters. SAM Toby... TOBY I'm sorry I missed your rally. That was a hell of a thing you did with the tax plan. SAM Thank you. TOBY I meant it was really stupid. SAM Speaking of which, what happened? TOBY With us? SAM Yes. TOBY At the bar? SAM Yes. TOBY Couple of country club guys were a little lubed. They got into it with Andy. I wanted them to step back, and he slipped, and his wingman thought I hit him, so he came for me, and I took care of business. CHARLIE You did what? TOBY Charlie took care of business. SAM [to Charlie] You're all right? CHARLIE Yeah, I'm all right. You know, when you sit in a cage, you have time to do a lot of thinking. TOBY Hurricane, we were in the joint for two hours and 20 minutes, 'kay? SAM Look, you probably haven't had a chance to talk to anybody. TOBY No, I just got off with Josh, and I'm running the campaign for the last week. SAM Yeah. Technically, the President can't fire Scott Holcomb. TOBY He was taking it in the wrong direction, Sam, and you know it. SAM And you guys are going to take it in the right direction? TOBY We made a rough entrance here, but things are looking up now. SAM You trapped people at Disneyland, told the French they could stick a loaf of bread up their ass, had a meeting with a Communist, and things are looking up 'cause my new campaign director just made bail. TOBY Look, a glass is half full or half... You know, the other thing... SAM How'd you call Josh? TOBY What do you mean? SAM Didn't they take your cellphone from you? TOBY I borrowed theirs. [motions to the bench of call girls] SAM So on a call girl's phone bill, there's going to be a call to Air Force One? TOBY You're really going to be teaching the seminar on call girl caution? Really? CHARLIE Excuse me, but at this point, we're in jail voluntarily-- can we go? SAM What are we doing about this story? TOBY Nothing. It's a box on page 27. SAM Oh, I think it's going to be more than that. TOBY They got the hostages, the President heading to Washington, a flood in Colorado and a chemical fire in Providence. We got saved. CUT TO: EXT. NEWPORT POLICE STATION - CONTINUOUS They exit the police station where a horde of reporters are waiting. REPORTERS [clamoring] Mr. Ziegler! Mr. Seaborn! Mr. Young! TOBY All right, I called that putt too early. SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES. END TEASER * * * ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. AIR FORCE ONE, MEETING ROOM - NIGHT REPORTER [on TV] Lance Corporal Halley is from Sarasota, Florida. He's 24 years old. He joined the Marine Corps. two years ago, and he did his basic training at Camp Pendleton. He is married with a three-year-old daughter. The three were deployed... BARTLET How come it's never people with six months to live who are taken hostage? I mean there's so much of it, you'd think once in a while we'd catch a break. JOSH [to Donna] Hey, Trotsky. DONNA Yeah. INT. STAFF CABIN JOSH The First Lady's going to fly out to California tomorrow and do the President's public events. Would you let C.J. know that she should stay? She was going to take a red-eye back. DONNA Yeah. JOSH Also, Charlie should stay and staff the First Lady. DONNA Okay, speaking of the First Lady, you have a meeting with Max in the morning. JOSH Yeah, Max is taken care of. DONNA All right, the HHS chapter of the submission is ready for you to proofread. You want me to do it? JOSH Well, I guess I'm really suppose to do it myself. DONNA Yes, but you don't do it yourself, so you want me to do it? JOSH You took a meeting with a Communist, Donna. DONNA Because you sent me there. JOSH Yeah. Fair enough. My bad. DONNA You want me to proofread this? JOSH Yes, please. INT: MEETING ROOM NANCY Mr. President. BARTLET Yeah. NANCY Mr. McGarry. BARTLET Would you all excuse me? The staffers get up and leave the office. BARTLET [into phone] Yeah? We intercut between Bartlet in the meeting room and Leo and Fitz in the Situation Room. LEO Electronic eavesdropping and a couple of paid informants lead us to believe they're being held in a barracks about 37 miles east of Bitanga. BARTLET What happens if, screw the deadline, we just go to full deployment right now? LEO Well, I don't know, but the three Marines would certainly be executed. BARTLET All right, we got to go get them. LEO Fitz. FITZWALLACE The Delta Force, First Special Forces. That's 26 Special Ops. They've been practicing for the last three hours or so in Ghana. They're going to use the RH-66, the Comanche Attack- Recon. When they've got it right in Ghana, that's when we'll recommend that you give the order, sir, and if that happens, we believe there's a 70 percent chance of success. BARTLET All right, then, on my order. FITZWALLACE Thank you, sir. LEO Thank you, Mr. President. CUT TO: INT. THE WEST WING - BASEMENT MEETING ROOM - NIGHT Will is meeting with the writing staff interns. WILL You can't say their plan is the wrong way to stimulate the economy. LAUREN CHIN It is the wrong way. WILL No, it's not. It won't stimulate the economy at all. It'll stimulate yacht manufacturers. And don't say, "We believe." Make it declarative. 21 and 60. He looks over and sees Lauren Shelby and Lauren Romano sleeping. CASSIE They've been working since very early this morning. Will picks up a book, drops it on the desk in front of them. They jump. LAUREN SHELBY Right, yeah. LAUREN ROMANO Sure, yeah. WILL 21, you wrote, "Even if it's true that capital gains rewards risk-taking, the plan is bad for the deficit." Why are you conceding their central point? And Lauren Shelby writes, "Rather then give the benefits to the rich, everyone one should get them in equal..." Our plan isn't equal. It raises taxes on the rich. LAUREN ROMANO I meant... metaphorically, I suppose. WILL Why don't I take this one. CASSIE Will, those are remarks for the Deputy Small Business Administrator. WILL So anyone sub-cabinet or lower-- it's okay to be a quivering mass of indecision? CASSIE I'm saying you have limited time and finite resources. Maybe it'd be best to triage. Romano begins to doze off again. WILL Do not all asleep again. LAUREN ROMANO I thought I saw food on the floor. CASSIE They haven't eaten in a while. WILL There's food in the Mess. CASSIE The Mess closes at 6:00. WILL Is it after 6:00? CASSIE Yes. WILL What time is it? CASSIE 11:30. WILL All right, you guys should go home. CASSIE You need anything? WILL No. The girls get up and leave. ELSIE You didn't give them much encouragement? WILL What? ELSIE You didn't give them much encouragement. WILL I'm not their camp counselor. I need these things done by Monday. The staff quit. I'm not going to pretend these guys are speechwriters, and I'm going to figure out a way to do it myself. ELSIE By Monday morning? WILL Yes. ELSIE Okay, but you've had an attitude about the interns since yesterday. WILL I question their commitment. ELSIE Well, they're here on a Saturday night, and they don't get paid. You question their commitment? WILL "White House Intern" looks good on a resume. Three months from now, two of them will be working at Conde Nast and HBO. The phone rings in the room. ELSIE And the other two? WILL WIll marry Senior Vice Presidents of Conde Nast and HBO. [into phone] Hello? TOBY [VO] Hey. WILL You guys all right? TOBY [VO] Charlie and I got arrested. WILL Yeah, I saw it on the news. TOBY It made the news out there? WILL A Jewish guy won a bar fight-- it's news everywhere. TOBY The President's coming out with his tax plan tomorrow, not Monday. WILL What are you talking about? TOBY Sam found out we were holding back 'cause of his campaign, and made the President flip the cards a couple of hours ago, so the toothpaste's out of the tube, and we're going to need to be ready with public remarks by the end of the day tomorrow. Will snaps at Elsie to get her attention. WILL [to Elsie, whispering] Get 'em back. ELSIE Who? WILL The Ronettes. Get them back. TOBY Are you there? WILL Yeah. Uh, end of the day tomorrow. TOBY I'll call you in an hour. CUT TO: INT. CALIFORNIA HOTEL-LOUNGE - NIGHT Toby has just gotten off the phone with Will. CHARLIE Toby, I'm going to head to the airport and catch the red-eye back. TOBY No, actually you're not. The First Lady's flying in tomorrow and taking over the President's events, so she needs to be staffed. CHARLIE All right, how do I get her schedule? TOBY Advance is bringing it over to you. CHARLIE Did Zoey stay? TOBY Yeah, she's still here. Charlie walks away. Toby sits down at a table where Amy and Sam are. TOBY All right, Amy, how much money does he have left? AMY $28,500 cash on hand. That's including a loan for $15,000 for targeted radio spots. TOBY Yet with regard to money you remain...? AMY Cautiously optimistic. TOBY Because? AMY The reason the campaign's strapped is that Scott Holcamb never tapped Democratic interest groups. TOBY Will they write checks this late? AMY If they can be convinced Sam's still sucking in some oxygen. SAM I'm enjoying this. TOBY You're eight points down with ten points up for grabs, and you need them all to break for you. SAM All of them? TOBY Yes. Well, look, it's been one of those days. Who would've thought Charlie could bust us out of the Newport Beach Correctional Facility using nothing but his shoes. Go ahead, tell them, Charlie. They all look over at Charlie who is looking at a TV screen. CHARLIE These guys got beaten. AMY Is it possible that that happened in the struggle when they were ambushed? TOBY No. CHARLIE No. Theses guys got beaten. They are all now looking at the TV which is showing a picture of three guys in military fatigue badly beaten. FADE OUT. END ACT ONE * * * ACT TWO FADE IN: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY SUNDAY MORNING JOSH I think 80 million... OMB AIDE 1 We're talking about PSSF grants? JOSH Yeah, I think 80 million is pretty unrealistic from the House. Didn't-- last year-- didn't the conferees split the differnce, like 68-something? OMB AID 2 68.2, I think. JOSH All right, we'll tell them the budget submission's at 80, and everyone's happy at 70. Do we have anything else? MAX Can I just ask: Mrs. Bartlet was promised $12 million for immunization education funds at CDC, you've got the full 139 million for vaccines in here. Shouldn't they be earmarked seperately? JOSH Max, there's no more 12 million. MAX Why? JOSH I traded. MAX You're kidding me. JOSH I am not. MAX Josh, the First Lady wanted this. No one notified me this was on the table. JOSH You get a daily memo on Hill consultations. MAX I get 35 of them and you know it. JOSH Yes. Thank you. Josh gets up and Max follows him into the HALLWAY. MAX I have to go tell this to the First Lady now. JOSH Well, I'd have someone else do it, but it's up to you. CUT TO: INT. BASEMENT MEETING ROOM - DAY Will is in the office alone when Cassie enters. CASSIE Good morning. WILL Good morning. Did you get some sleep? CASSIE God, yeah. That was a... nice four hours. I'm a whole new woman. WILL Are you the leader of the group? CASSIE I'm sorry? WILL Are you the group leader? CASSIE I've been here the longest. WILL You guys got to hunker down. CASSIE Will, I promise you, were doing our best. WILL I don't think you are. CASSIE Man, your sister was right. WILL Was she? CASSIE Yeah. WILL About what? Elsie and the other three interns enter. ELSIE Good morning. WILL Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Elsie. They all take a seat. Will stands in front of a markerboard which he has written on. This is what's on the board: NW-U PS Teacher Doctor $18,736 $41,724 $150,000 15% 28% 36% $2811.90 $11,682 $54,000 0 0 $4,500 $321 $1,251 0 As he speaks, he refers to this chart. WILL Minimum wage is $5.15 an hour. Times 40, times 52, that's $10,712 a year, which is what you make unloading boxes in a right-to-work state, say Kentucky. He can't live on that, so he puts in another 30 hours as a night watchman, bringing his total to $18,746 a year. He pays 15% in federal income tax or $2,811.90. Public school teacher. $41,724 is the national average. He's paying 28% or $11,682. And, finally, a doctor making 150,000 is paying 36% or $54,000 in taxes. 15%, 28%, 36%. It's called a progressice tax, it's been around since Lincoln. Under the plan the Republicans announced on Friday, the box unloader stays the same, the schoolteacher stays the same, the doctor gets $4,500 back. Under our plan, which has sort of been announced already, the box unloader gets $321 back, the schoolteacher gets $1,251, the doctor stays the same and to finance the tax deductability of college tuition for the chidren of the box unloader and the schoolteacher, we go to a fourth group, the uberwealthy, and ask a CEO making $16,400,000 a year to give us another one percent, taking him up to 41. Bring me whatever you have done in an hour. That's what I'm going to work with. Thanks. ROMANO The doctor got into medical school. WILL Hmm? ROMANO I'm sorry, I said the doctor got into medical school. He had to work hard to do that. And, presumably the CEO has some skills, the value of which the market has placed at $16,400,000. WILL Was there a spread on this in Republican Vogue? Bring me whatever you've got in an hour. CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S OFFICE - DAY Josh is sitting at his computer typing. He turns and gets a paper off of his desk. He looks up and sees Abbey leaning in the doorway. JOSH You're very stealthy, ma'am. I've always liked that about you. ABBEY Yeah? JOSH How are you this morning? ABBEY You outwitted my chancellor, you bested my swordsman. JOSH I haven mentioned this in a while, ma'am, but I think you and the President are a perfect couple. ABBEY I wanted that 12 million. JOSH Me, too, but at the end of a prize fight, you look at the guy who's dancing around, and that's who won. ABBEY Why doesn't my aganda get anywhere in these negotiations? JOSH Well, can I ask you, ma'am, why do you think? ABBEY Because you're a political snob who doesn't think the First Lady belongs on the starboard side of the building? JOSH Wrong. ABBEY Wrong what? JOSH Wrong, ma'am. ABBEY Damn right. JOSH The President and Leo make their decisions by listening to and participating in vigorous debate. This isn't school. I work with people who can play. ABBEY You're comfortable being this condescending with me? JOSH Yes, ma'am. ABBEY Why? JOSH Because I won-- I always do-- and you came here for my advice. ABBEY Max... JOSH Max is an idiot. ABBEY Max is my nephew. JOSH No kidding. He doesn't understand the budget process, he doesn't understand committee structure, he thinks decisions are made in meetings... ABBEY This is an extremely-- JOSH ...and he can't play at this level. Mrs. Bartlet, you're the First Lady, you need a Chief of Staff, a real one. If you want your agenda taken seriously, put a professional face on it. ABBEY Thank you. JOSH Thank you, ma'am. She gets up, and Josh watches her as she walks down the hallway. CUT TO: EXT. CALIFORNIA, NEWPORT BEACH - DAY Toby and Sam are walking along the beach. TOBY When they ask you why you're here today, you say, "Orange County's beachfront is national treasure." SAM Who are you, Charlie McCarthy? TOBY Charlie McCarthy was the dummy. Edgar Bergen was the ventriloquist. When they ask you about the rise in the Consumer Price Index, you say, "Orange County's beachfront is a national treasure." SAM They're going to ask me about the Democratic tax plan. TOBY They might. SAM They might? TOBY They will. SAM Yeah. TOBY And when they do, here's what you say: "Orange County's beachfront is a national treasure." SAM Assuming I did say that, which there's no chance I'm going to, you don't think I'd sound like an idiot? TOBY I doubt you'll sound like anything. They'll just use it b-roll. But on the off-chance there's audio, you might as well be on message. They have now reached a group of reporters that have assembled to interview Sam on the beach. TOBY [to reporters] Sam will take some questions now. REPORTER Mr. Seaborn, what are we doing here today? Sam looks over to Toby who smiles. SAM Well, Orange County's beachfront are a national treasure, Samantha. And that's why I support creating the Federal Beach Project... Sam continues with the interview. C.J. walks over to Toby. C.J. He looks youthful. TOBY Yes. C.J. And energetic. TOBY Yes. C.J. He looks youthful and energetic. Do we have anything he can jump over? TOBY What do you want? C.J. What's going on at the White House? TOBY I'm standing right here, I don't have special powers of... When you brief the press, that's when I'll know. C.J. You've never been on a beach in your life, have you? TOBY No. CUT TO: INT. OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY BARTLET They're here? DEBBIE Ye-yes, sir. Um... BARTLET Who are they? DEBBIE Diane Halley and her... their three-year-old; Esteban and Louisa Hernandez; and Martha Rowe. BARTLET Is the three-year-old in there? DEBBIE Yeah. I-I'll take care of it. BARTLET This is my first time doing this particular one. Bartlet enters THE MURAL ROOM where the families of the soldiers taken hostage are sitting. BARTLET Good morning, I'm Jed Bartlet. Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez? They shake hands. ESTEBAN "STEVE" HERNANDEZ Yes, sir. BARTLET Mrs. Rowe? They shake hands. MARTHA ROWE Yes, sir. BARTLET Mrs. Halley, is it all right if I call you Diane? They shake hands. DIANE HALLEY Diane's fine. BARTLET Are you Betty? BETTY HALLEY Yeah. BARTLET Are you three years old? BETTY Yeah. BARTLET Are you scared now? She looks down and doesn't responds. BARTLET Don't be. Diane, do you mind if Betty sat in the next room with my secretary, Ms. Fiderer? DEBBIE We'll be just on the other side of that door. DIANE [to Betty] Yeah, honey, wait for me in the room next door with... DEBBIE Debbie. Come on, Betty. I know a lot about you. Ms. Fiderer takes Betty by the hand and escorts her out of the room. BARTLET [to guards] Thank you. [to families] Please. Mm-hmm. They sit down. MARTHA No one can tell us anything. The picture is real? BARTLET Yeah. It was taken off of Kundunese TV. MARTHA Ah. They have TV? BARTLET Yeah, sure. There is a large moment of ackward silence. ESTEBAN They, um... They've been beaten, hmm? BARTLET I'm afraid so, sir, yes. We're currently negotiating for Red Cross access so they can get medical attention. DIANE Where are they being held? What kind of place is it? BARTLET I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. DIANE Do you know? I mean, do you know where they're... BARTLET I'm sorry, I can't tell you that either. ESTEBAN But something is being done to get the boys back? BARTLET Mr. Hernandez, I can only imagine... MARTHA You can't tell us that either? BARTLET No, ma'am, I can't. There's a knock at the door and Leo enters. LEO Excuse me. BARTLET Excuse me, please. Bartlet and Leo walk out to the OUTER OVAL OFFICE and close the door. LEO Delta just got it right in Ghana. BARTLET Let's go. CUT TO: INT. SITUATION ROOM - DAY Fitzwallace is briefing Bartlet and Leo on the rescue scenario. FITZWALLACE They fly in on two Comanches and a Blackhawk. 20 men forcibly secure the perimeter of the barracks. A snatch force of 6 men penetrate and take the captives. LEO What about resistance? FITZWALLACE Well, they're going to subdue sentries and visible guards; they've got heavy sniper rifles and the CIA wet team. LEO What's the timetable? FITZWALLACE 47 minutes to get there from the President's go order. That's radio silence. Two hours to get it done. BARTLET Why a wet team? FITZWALLACE Excuse me, sir? BARTLET Why the CIA wet team? We're not near water. FITZWALLACE No, sir, it's called... They call it a wet team because it's bloody. BARTLET I had to ask. What's it called? FITZWALLACE Task Force Dawn Sky. Bartlet mulls over giving the order. BARTLET Go. FITZWALLACE Go. Bartlet stands in silence as the officers around him busily get to work. OFFICER 1 It's a go. Task Force is go... OFFICER 2 Dawn Sky's in operation. OFFICER 3 Stand by. FADE OUT. END ACT TWO * * * ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE - DAY The place is moving with a little bit more than the usual bussle. Elsie finds Will in the crowd and walks over to him with a pile of papers. ELSIE Work at the end of hour seven. WILL Where's everyone else? ELSIE They asked me to bring it. WILL They're scared of me? ELSIE Yes WILL Give me that. He takes them and they start walking into WILL'S OFFICE. WILL [as he looks over the papers] What did Cassie mean when she said "Your sister was right about you?" ELSIE What'd you mean? WILL She said, "Man, your sister was right about you." ELSIE I probably was... WILL About what? ELSIE What'd you mean? WILL Will you shut up and tell me what you said? ELSIE Clock's ticking... Will starts reading from the papers. WILL "In our redistributive tax plan.." I don't want them calling it that. It sounds a lot like redistributing wealth, which, in human history, has normally been preceeded by heads on the pitchforks of peasants. "In the Bartlet plan, Americans making less than $40,000 a year would see their marginal tax rate cut from 15% and 28% respectively, to 12% and 23%." I'm sleeping already. ELSIE Hardass. WILL What? ELSIE Cassie said, "So, what's the deal with your step brother?" And I said, "He's a very sweet hardass." WILL You did? ELSIE Yeah. They walk back out of the office to the COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE. WILL And she said, "Your sister was right about you." ELSIE She probably meant that you were sweet. WILL Nah, I don't think she did. ELSIE How do you know? WILL Because. ELSIE Willy.. Will throws his head back violently in disgust. WILL Don't call me that! He turns and heads back for WILL'S OFFICE and Elsie follows. She's finally been driven to the edge. ELSIE Sputnik crashed down on your head overnight. You were concentrating on one speech, and suddenly you're deputy director, and the director's a continent away, and the speechwriting staff quit! WILL Because of me. ELSIE Because they're idiots! And the tax plan's out two days early, and you weren't here for the nine months before, so you're cramming it. And you're taking it all out on four defenseless interns who, by the way, think Sputnik's crashed down on their heads too! WILL [beat, indicating the papers] Leave these. I'll make notes. ELSIE [reluctantly] Okay. She turns away and exits. Will looks over at the broken plexiglass between his and Toby's office. He walks over and lightly puts his hand on it. The plexiglass falls into Toby's office and shatters. Will looks shocked, then calmly acknowleges the accident and walks away as we... CUT TO: EXT. CALIFORNIA HOTEL - DAY SUNDAY AFTERNOON We hear people clapping. CUT TO: INT. SMALL BANQUET ROOM - DAY Abbey is at a podium with tables on either side. There are two large banners saying "The DNC honors the Bartlet women." About 4 women are seated on either side at the tables. The one we recognize is Amy, seated on the far end to Abbey'S left. There are about 75 people seated at tables in the audience. ABBEY "The DNC honors the Bartlet women." Well, I assume you're talking about my daughters and my mother-in-law, beacuse if the DNC's honoring my husband's skanky ex-girlfriends... Everyone laughs. ABBEY No. You're honoring the great work done by so many women during Jed's first term. Sherri Klein and Jean Hammond at the NWLA who got $20 billion into the federal budget for health care coverage for the uninsured and children of low-income parents. Everyone claps. ABBEY Ellen Misegen and her team at the National Education initiative. Everyone claps. We focus on Amy, who knocks a candle down onto the table. She quickly picks it back up, but then realizes her napkin's on fire, as Abbey keeps speaking. ABBEY Rachel Warren and the Child Care tax incenitve program... Everyone claps again. Amy tries to beat the napkin on the table to put out the fire, but that just makes it stronger. She dumps her water on it, as Abbey keeps speaking. ABBEY Elizabeth Lowell and the Women's Health Coalition. Everyone starts clapping. The fire has gone crazy now, and Amy finally gets aggressive, knocking something glass to the floor and really starts hitting the flame with her napkin. Though she's successful at putting it out, everyone, including Abbey, notices. AMY [to Abbey] I beg your pardon, Ma'am. ABBEY And Amy Gardner, who's had seven jobs in three years. Everyone chuckles a bit and claps. Amy gives them an embarrassed wave. ABBEY On behalf of the DNC, on behalf of the White House, on behalf of the President, I thank you very much. And let's send Sam Seabourn to Congress! Thank you! Everyone is on their feet and clapping. Abbey exits out a side door and motions for Amy to follow her as we... CUT TO: EXT. HOTEL COURTYARD - CONTINUOUS Abbey and Amy are walking out of the room and into the courtyard to visit with people. AMY I'm so sorry, Ma'am, I was reaching for the water glass, misjudged the angle on the candle and, as you saw, one thing led to another. ABBEY How did you live with Josh Lyman? AMY I'm sorry? ABBEY How did you live with him? He beat Max out of the 12 million earmarked for vaccine education and when I said I wanted the 12 million, he said, "So did I. And at the end of the prizefight, you look at the guy who's dancing around and that's who won." So I wanna know, how did you live with him? They've stepped out to a group of people. They all clap and Abbey waves. AMY We never technically lived together, which was the subject of many... ABBEY Don't you wanna kill him when he says things like that? AMY My problem is I wanna jump him when he says things like that. ABBEY Where'd you get your mouth? AMY Brown and then Yale Law School. ABBEY Hmm. A woman, ALANA MOIRON, waves to Abbey and starts to walk over. Abbey notices. ABBEY Oh God. Alana Moiron is about to zatz me on fair pay. Save me, would you? AMY You want me to? ABBEY Please. Alana has made it over. Abbey fakes being happy to see her. They shake hands. ALANA Abbey, you were charming. ABBEY It's good to see you, Alana. ALANA I'm not sure if you saw my op/ed this morning.. ABBEY I did. AMY [piping in] Me too. Alana tries to ignore Amy. ALANA Well, what I wanted to say was... AMY I thought it was teriffic, if that counts for anything. ALANA Thank you. [to Abbey] Obviously... AMY And courageous. ALANA I'm sorry? AMY I say, I thought it was courageous. Because the leadership wanted fair pay done quietly, so it didn't become necessary for the moderate Republicans to make it a symbol of left- wing overreaching. Not like the President doesn't have enough problems, but you said, "Screw the leadership." And I think that's courageous. Ironically, I have a hunch that the first lady could have been brought on board fair pay if she had been lobbied more, what's the word, more, you know, professionally. Rather than being embarrased in this morning's newspaper, Alana. Amy has a sly smile. Alana tries to hide her embarrassment. ALANA [to Abbey] Lovely remarks today, Ma'am. That's all I came over to say. ABBEY Thank you. Alana leaves. Abbey turns to Amy with a look that says "What the *@!& was that?" AMY You said, "Save me." ABBEY I meant, walk me to the other side of the room or something. AMY Oh. Oh, sorry. Abbey looks at Amy with a smile, as if she just had an epiphany. CUT TO: INT. THE MURAL ROOM - DAY Mrs. Rowe is holding a picture of her son. We pan up to reveal Leo now in the President's place, surrounded by more than the usual security. Ms. Halley and the Hernandez couple are still here too. ROWE So this is what it looks like from where you are, Mr. McGarry? LEO I'm sorry? ROWE I said, this is what it looks like from where you are. LEO I'm sorry, Mrs. Rowe, I still don't follow... ROWE The comfortable chairs and the body guards. LEO I'm sorry, I'm still not... I can tell you if it's just a matter of.. [nods at the body guards] When the U.S. is involved in a military conflict anywhere in the world, the chief of staff is given increased security. It's just.. is that what you meant? ROWE I meant that the Bartlet people aren't ones for joining the service. Did you serve? LEO I did. I flew F-105's for the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing. ROWE During a war? LEO Yeah. The war in Vietnam. ROWE I apologize, sir. My mistake. LEO That's alright. We now notice that Mr. Hernandez has been pacing behind Leo this whole time. MR. HERNANDEZ Mr. McGarry? Leo stands up and walks over to him. LEO You should call me Leo. MR. HERNANDEZ Stephan. Steve. Does my son.. would these boys know anything... have any information... LEO Steve, you wanna ask me if your son's being tortured. MR. HERNANDEZ [trying desperately to get through the question] Would they know any information? LEO I can't tell you that. There's a knock on the door. Leo's guards open it. LEO Excuse me. Leo steps out into the hall where Margaret is waiting for him. MARGARET Coming up on 47 minutes plus 2 hours. LEO Well, let's get everybody in. Margaret nods her head and leaves. Leo leaves too, and we see the guards close the doors to the room. FADE OUT. END ACT THREE * * * ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - NIGHT Donna is walking through with a stack of papers. She finds Josh at her desk. SUNDAY EVENING DONNA You got a fax from Amy. JOSH What does she say? DONNA Looks like it's just some campaign updates. JOSH Read it to me. DONNA "Low-dollar program capped at 37K, three new national endorsements including Sierra Club and NARAL, latter on promise of opposition to partial birth ban. Mrs. B says..." All of the sudden a female aide comes rushing up to Josh. MADDI TATEM Hey Josh? Did you sign of on 30 million from the immunization fund to be ear marked for immunization education? JOSH Yep. MADDI Really? JOSH Yep. MADDI I thought you settled that with the First Lady's office. JOSH Yeah. Wait, what? MADDI Hi, how you doing? Maddi Tatem, we've worked together for two years. JOSH Did you say immunization education? MADDI Yeah, vaccines in the HHS budget. [referencing her paper] You moved 40 million from nutrition services in the... JOSH I didn't move anything. MADDI It's in the HHS final. JOSH Let me see this. He takes the paper, and looks at it for a second. JOSH This isn't what we had this morning. MADDI They said the changes were made in the galleys. Didn't you proofread it? JOSH [to Donna] I don't know. Did I proofread it? DONNA Yeah, but you proofread it to make sure "capital" was spelled with an "a" and not an "o", you didn't proofread it to.. JOSH ..to make sure it reflected the changes we agreed to? I didn't do that. DONNA Not as such. No. JOSH [to Maddi] Who moved the money? MADDI I don't know. JOSH Whoever moved the money knows that I don't proofread these things. MADDI Well, then, it must have been Max. JOSH Max doesn't know anything. MADDI Then I give up. JOSH [sarcastically] Boy, really leaving no stone unturned, aren't ya? DONNA Don't yell at her. JOSH [to Donna] Read me the rest of the fax. DONNA What? JOSH How did she... Read me the fax. DONNA "...latter on promise of opposition to partial birth ban. Mrs. B says you're encouraging her to hire a new chief of staff, need Treasury breakdown of cap. gains cut, First Lady took your advice; she just hired me." Josh is clearly surprised by this. DONNA [beat] "Weather is 74 degrees and partly cloudy." [chuckles] Well, a whole new chapter begins. Josh looks at her for a second before finally finding words. JOSH Yeah. Josh walks very slowly into his office. He's still trying to absorb this news. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL ROOM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - NIGHT C.J. is looking out the window in a gown. Toby walks in and sits on the couch. He's wearing a tux. TOBY You know, I think I've got..yes, yes I do, I've still got sand in my shoes from like six hours ago. C.J. [singing] Sand in my shoes... While she's been singing, Toby has taken off one of his shoes. Toby bangs it on a coffee table several times very loudly. C.J. [still singing] ..sand from Havana... Toby pours sand out of his shoe. Quite a bit, actually. TOBY You know, I'm looking at this wire report. Why's the First Lady commenting on falling soybean prices? C.J. [sits on the table] That's what they were asking her? TOBY Why'd you let her take the questions? C.J. In retrospect, that's what a lot of us are wondering. Charlie walks in, also in tux, and talks to C.J. CHARLIE Mrs. Bartlet would like you to know that at the D Triple C tonight, she wants to change her remarks and talk about the House vote on the nutrition assistance program. C.J. I don't think that's a good idea. TOBY Why not? C.J. [while putting on coat] 'Cause it's a black tie event. And when she talks about poor women wearing a $4000 Mercritia dress, she looks like Marie Antoinette. TOBY She's right. C.J. I am. So, you should tell her that, Charlie. CHARLIE I'm sorry? C.J. You should tell her not to talk about the House vote. CHARLIE You want me to tell Mrs. Bartlet she's gonna look like a dilettante? C.J. I once had to tell the President he was wearing two different shoes. CHARLIE That's roughly the same. Charlie leaves. Sam comes in from the other side of a door plastered with a "Seaborn for Congress" poster. SAM [to Toby] You polished up my remarks? TOBY Those are recommendations. SAM For the office park? TOBY They're recommendations. Say what you want. SAM I'm asking, do you mean for the office park now or the banquet tonight? TOBY I meant for both. SAM [looking at the paper] "Charles Darwin-omics" for the Chamber of Commerce. "Trickle-down travesties.." C.J. That was mine. Charlie walks back in hurriedly. CHARLIE She's ready to go. C.J. Good luck. We'll catch up with you later. Charlie and C.J. both leave. SAM [to Toby] They're well-paid technology workers. What happened to courting undecideds? TOBY [as he fixes his cuffs] That's what we're doing. SAM Darwin-omics at the Chamber of Commerce tonight? That's flamethrower language. TOBY You don't wanna be a flamethrower? SAM I didn't say that. TOBY [standing] Good. You feel alright? SAM Yeah. TOBY [putting on his coat] Then let's go. Toby leaves. Sam looks at him for a second, then gets up to go. CUT TO: INT. SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT The camera pans down to reveal everybody at work. Bartlet is seated at the far end looking very anxious. BARTLET At what point do we start to worry? FITZWALLACE I'm sorry? BARTLET Hack was 2 hours and 47 minutes. FITZWALLACE That was an approximation. BARTLET Yeah, but it's four hours and ten minutes now. I've got three parents, a wife and a three-year-old up there. At what point do I tell them what's going on? FITZWALLACE Let's give 'em some time. LEO How much time before we send some guys in to get the guys we sent in to get the guys.. Leo is interrupted by voices over the radio. VOICE 1 [OS] Dakota-1-1-ODS. Is this channel secured? VOICE 2 [OS] Confirmed. Dakota-1-1. Call in. Over. VOICE 3 [OS] Zeus-4-1. VOICE 4 [OS] Black Widow-1-1-ODS. FITZWALLACE That's all three choppers. [to radio] U-COM, can you confirm the cargo? VOICE 2 [OS] Dakota-1-1, say if cargo's on board. VOICE 1 [OS] U-COM, Dakota-1-1 has confirmed.At this, everyone in the room celebrates and claps. BARTLET [to Fitzwallace] Ask him to confirm it again. FITZWALLACE Confirm again, U-COM! VOICE 2 [OS] Dakota-1-1, confirm your cargo. VOICE 1 [OS] Lance Corporals Halley and Rowe and PFC Hernandez.. We can't hear VOICE 1 anymore because everybody in the room erupts with satisfaction. LEO I gotta tell you something, that was the longest radio silence since Mexico. We see an aide carry in a note as everyone else keeps talking. The note goes to Fitzwallace. FITZWALLACE Leo? Leo now sees the note. BARTLET What's that? FITZWALLACE Red Haven's on fire. BARTLET What does that mean? LEO A bomb went off. FITZWALLACE [to radio] U-COM, are you reading a condition on Red Haven? VOICE 2 [OS] Roger that, Red Haven's on fire. FITZWALLACE Can you give me a situation assessment? BARTLET What's Red Haven? LEO It's the base in Ghana where the Deltas practiced. BARTLET Fitz, what's going on? FITZWALLACE It's coming. VOICE 2 [OS] White House, U-COM. Best as we can tell, three SUVs breached the gate at Haven. First one was stopped and the other two continued before driving into a barracks and exploding their C4s. FITZWALLACE [beat] Casualties? BARTLET It was a suicide bombing. VOICE 2 [OS] They're reporting 17 dead and some 20 insured. BARTLET [to Fitzwallace] I want Threat Con Charlie for Africa and Europe. FITZWALLACE Okay. VOICE 2 keeps going in the background as Fitzwallace sets everything into motion. BARTLET [to Leo] Why don't you go talk to the families? LEO Yes sir. I'll be right back. CUT TO: INT. MURAL ROOM - NIGHT Mrs. Halley, Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez and Mrs. Rowe are still inside with Debbie. HALLEY They've been gone a long time now. DEBBIE As soon as they know anything, I'm sure they'll send someone here. HALLEY Well, that's not true, though. I mean, they know a lot, but they can't tell us. DEBBIE That's for everyone's safety. ROWE Can you tell us this? Why were these boys sent to a place I've never heard of? And to kill people I've never heard of? DEBBIE That's a complicated question. ROWE I'm a smart lady. Debbie just stares at her, as there's a knock at the door. The guards open it and Leo's there. MR. HERNANDEZ Leo? LEO They're safe. They're in air space over Morocco. Obviously, the family members act very relieved. Mrs. Halley hugs her daughter. HALLEY [sobbingly] Thank you. MR. HERNANDEZ What happened? LEO Our special ops forces staged a successful rescue. They'll be brought to a hospital at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and they'll be home tomorrow. We'll have communications set up in a few minutes You can speak with them. The President wishes he could be here himself to tell you, but he's engaged at the moment. ROWE Leo, what aren't you telling us? LEO The boys are fine, Mrs. Rowe. ROWE But something has happened. LEO It appears there has been a terrorist retaliation at the makeshift camp we set up in Ghana to practice for the rescue. 17 staff and administrators were killed. The room is somber again. LEO Someone will be in to take care of you. Thank you. At this, Leo and Debbie leave the room, and the guards close the doors again. CUT TO: INT. OEOB MEETING ROOM - NIGHT The interns and Elsie are here, working hard. Will walks in with a piece of paper. Elsie stands behind him smiling, as if she knows exactly what he's about to do. WILL Listen to this. "Our taxes aren't a penalty, as hard as that is to believe. They are the price we pay for our roads and bridges. And they're the way we look after the least among us. The sign and signal of our obligations to each other and to our own best selves." LAUREN CHIN That's nice. Did you write that? WILL No. You did. LAUREN CHIN I didn't write that. WILL You did. I painted it, but it's yours. [points at Lauren Shelby] You wrote, "We must rise above parochial interests and speak to the national interest. Instead of a trickle-down economy, imagine one where the work and welfare of ordinary Americans is placed at the center of national life." LAUREN SHELBY I wrote that? WILL You did? LAUREN SHELBY I'm very good. WILL Don't get carried away. Which one of you is Shelby and which is Romano? LAUREN ROMANO [smiling] I'm Romano. WILL [apologetically] "A spread in the Republican Vogue?" What was that supposed to be, clever? LAUREN ROMANO You're entitled. WILL A guy's entitled to shout stupid things at a ballpark. Doesn't make me want to follow his lead, you know? The answer to your question about why the MD should accept a greater tax burden in spite of the fact that his success is well earned is called the veil of ignorance. Imagine before you're born you don't know anything about who you'll be, your abilities, or your position. Now design a tax system. LAUREN ROMANO Veil of ignorance? WILL John Rawls. We rescued the hostages, but suicide bombers killed 17 US soldiers in Ghana. This'll be what we're talking about tomorrow, so I'm gonna put the tax plan aside and work on this. You all did well. I'll see you tomorrow. Will walks out, but the interns spring into action. LAUREN ROMANO Lauren, why don't we get the profiles? LAUREN SHELBY ...We're gonna need a minute-by-minute... CASSIE Can we get a bible? They all keep talking, as Will looks back through the door and re-enters. WILL Elsie? [She walks up to him.] I don't think they understood. They can go home. ELSIE They understood. They both smile. Elsie walks back to the table, Will walks out. CUT TO: INT. A BAR IN ORANGE COUNTY - NIGHT Sam comes in, wearing a white-tie suit. SAM We are preaching to the choir and that is all we're doing. We packed the whole damn office park with -- Where the hell did he go? BARTENDER I'm sorry, are you talking to me? SAM No. No, no. Are you open? BARTENDER We have a private party here in a little while. SAM I'm supposed to be next door. Toby comes in, also in a white-tie suit. TOBY Hey. Sorry. I didn't catch that last part, you were walking a little fast. SAM You packed the office park with bodies from Labor! AFL, teamsters, it was like the cast of a James Cagney movie. The reason for the event was to talk to wired workers. TOBY I didn't want a half-empty rally, and the wired workers are wired to Webb. Toby sits at the bar. SAM We spent through the day in one-on-ones with Planned Parenthood, Families America, AARP. You think any of those people are gonna vote for Webb on Election Day? TOBY Your concern is that those people are gonna stay home and do laundry on Election Day. SAM And now I'm supposed to go into Chamber of Commerce and do a chorus and two verses of "Titans of Corporate Greed"? TOBY Problem? SAM It's the Chamber of Commerce. The titans are the ones in the room. TOBY [to the bartender] Can we get a couple of shots and a glass of beer? Sam finally sits beside Toby. SAM We're preaching to the choir. TOBY I'm sorry? SAM I'm saying you had me preaching to the choir. TOBY Yeah. SAM Why? TOBY 'Cause that's how you get 'em to sing. SAM I can just cut any chance I have for victory. The story'll be "It's over." TOBY No. The story's going to be that you actually stuck up for what you believed in, you didn't cut and run. And people are gonna remember that, I'm gonna make sure of it. SAM I'm gonna lose. Toby looks up at him as if to say "You just now figured this out?" TOBY Yeah. SAM There's no chance of a miracle? TOBY No. SAM Then why are you here? TOBY You're gonna lose, and you're gonna lose huge. They're gonna throw rocks at you next week, and I wanted to be standing next to you when they did. SAM [sarcastically] Oh, really? TOBY Yeah. Sam is touched. SAM [seriously now] Really? TOBY Yeah. SAM Okay. Sam smiles down at his drink. Toby pats him on the back, and they hug. SAM I'm just getting creamed. I'm just getting worked. TOBY You're not imagining it. They break the hug. SAM Thanks. BARTENDER I don't know if you heard, it was just on the news. Some terrorist bombing in Africa at an Army base. Sam and Toby nod somberly. SAM Yeah. We heard. [to Toby] We should get back to work. TOBY God Bless the President of the United States and Sam Seaborn. They clink their glasses and down their drinks. TOBY Let's go. They get up. Toby leaves a tip, and they walk out. DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES. FADE TO BLACK. THE END * * * The West Wing and all its characters are a property of Aaron Sorkin, John Wells Production, Warner Brothers Television and NBC. No copyright infringement is intended. Episode 4.17 -- "Red Haven's On Fire" Original Airdate: February 26, 2003, 9:00 PM EST Transcript by: The Vault August 19, 2003