Season 5 – Episode 15 – “Full Disclosure”

Episode Summary:

The Bartlet administration reels from press leaks that former Vice President Hoynes (Tim Matheson) is preparing a tell-all book that will embarrass the President and Leo as Hoynes plans to become a candidate for President of the United States. The newsflash first stuns C.J. live on the air as she jousts with acerbic pundit Taylor Reid (Jay Mohr). Josh welcomes the mayor of Washington, D.C., to the White House to discuss school vouchers and also encounters a political firestorm when intern Ryan (Jesse Bradford) proposes closing a military base in a district belonging to a powerful congressman. Toby parleys with trade union bosses who reach an impasse over import safeguards for brassieres.

Script:

THE WEST WING
5X15 - "FULL DISCLOSURE"
WRITTEN BY LAWRENCE O'DONNELL, JR.
DIRECTED BY LESLI LINKA GLATTER

TRANSCRIBED BY SOUNDMAN FOR TWIZ TV.COM.
 SEND FEEDBACK TO [email protected].

TEASER

FADE IN: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - DAY

We see Taylor Reid on one of the TV screens.

REID
We'll be back with White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg after this.

We pan to see that C.J. is on the phone with Toby. She is walking around
the set ready to go on the air.

C.J.
Wait, what was that? You're breaking up on me.

TOBY [VO]
Hello? Can you hear me now?

C.J.
Yes. That's much better. So, what's this about the dollar and the yen?

TOBY [VO]
No. Not the yen. That's Japan.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Toby is sitting at his desk while he is talking to C.J.

TOBY
China's currency is the yuan.

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
This isn't PBS, he's not going to ask about the yuan.

TOBY [VO]
But cheap goods imported from China are what tomorrow's labor protests are
going to be about, so we gotta start getting out the message that Chinese...

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Toby is still on the phone when someone hands him a piece of paper.

TOBY [cont.]
Hang on a sec.

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

TOBY [VO]
AP is reporting that a Presidential commission is recommending a 50%...

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

TOBY [cont.]
... increase in cigarette taxes. What the...?

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
He's definitely going to as me about that. Give me more.

One of the technicians is getting C.J. ready for the show.

TOBY [VO]
17 cent increase... raise 3.4 billion a year... 16 billion over 5...

C.J.
H-hang on. Can you stick it there? Yeah?

TOBY [VO]
Could buy out 75% of tobacco farmers.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Will comes to the door of Toby's office.

WILL
Did you see Drudge?

Will comes over to Toby's desk and starts typing on Toby's laptop in front
of him.

TOBY
Uh, pay them not to grow tobacco... Increase in price of tobacco...

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

TOBY [cont.] [VO]
... would reduce teenage smoking.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Will has pulled up a website that shows an article titled "HOYNES TELLS ALL".

TOBY
Other recommendations for reducing teenage smo...

Toby sees the article and suddenly looks concerned.

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

MAN
In ten, nine, eight...

C.J.
Toby, I got to go.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

TOBY
No, wait!

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

TOBY [VO]
Wait!

C.J. hangs up her phone.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

TOBY
Hello? Damn it.

Toby hangs up his phone.

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

C.J. goes on the air on the Taylor Reid Show.

REID
Joining me now in a rare venture outside the tightly controlled environment
of the White House press briefing room is the one and only queen of the
Bartlet spinners, Miss C.J. Cregg. C.J., welcome back to the show.

C.J.
Always a pleasure, Taylor, but if you really think the briefing room is
a controlled environment you should try controlling 100 hungry reporters
someday. And if I'm queen of anything I want a bigger office.

REID
Okay, C.J. Tell us about the President's secret plan to raise taxes.

C.J.
Love to, but it's so secret he hasn't even told me about it yet.

REID
I'm talking about a secret Presidential commission that wants a whopping
50% increase...

C.J.
First of all, Taylor, it's not a secret commission. The report was just
released and it's on the AP wire. That's how you found out about it and how I
found out about it and I promise you the President hasn't even heard of it yet.

REID
The commission's going to ask the President to raise taxes.

C.J.
Yes. Among their many recommendations to reduce teenage smoking, they
suggested 17 cent increase in the price...

REID
That's 50%, C.J. That's what I said.

C.J.
Yes, Taylor, 17 pennies does equal 50% in this little math problem...

REID
Well, that's not going to stop teenagers from smoking cigarettes.

C.J.
Raising the price should reduce the demand a bit, but, more importantly,
it will raise $3.4 billion a year. That's 16 billion over 5 years, and that
would be enough to buy out 75% of the American tobacco farmers.

REID
You mean pay them not to grow tobacco.

C.J.
If we reduce...

REID
Has this President ever met a government handout he didn't like? I mean,
how many people does he want to pay to do nothing? Does he not realize the
budget deficit is already large enough, and how much taxation does he think
we can stand before we reach our breaking point? Has this President forgotten
that this country was founded during a tax revolt? C.J., what is he thinking?

C.J.
Which one of those is your favorite, 'cause if there's one you'd actually
like me to answer...

REID
Come on, C.J. We all know he's never met a tax increase he didn't like. If
you don't want to answer the question, we'll move on to something else. This
is new. This is from the Drudge Report, Matt Drudge's website, and I'm reading.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

REID
"The Sunday Times Magazine is going to run an in-depth profile of former
Vice President John Hoynes...

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

REID [cont.]
... who resigned as a result of a sex scandal. Hoynes cooperated with the
Times and submitted to a tell-all interview in which he revealed that President
Bartlet tried to talk him into staying in office." Is that true, C.J.?

C.J.
Um, I...

REID
Was the President trying to orchestrate another cover-up here, C.J.?

C.J.
Look, I can't respond to every crazy website...

REID
Did the President tell Hoynes not to resign?

C.J.
I haven't even read the article.

REID
Did he or didn't he?

C.J.
I'm not privy to the private conversations the President has...

REID
Come on, C.J., this is pretty basic. Did the President tell Hoynes to stick
around because he thought he could beat the rap?

C.J.
I really can't comment on that.

REID
That's your answer? Your answer is "No Comment"?

C.J. stares silently at him.

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Toby is watching the show.

CUT TO: INT. - STUDIO - TAYLOR REID SHOW - CONTINUOUS

REID
Alright, we got to go to a break. When we come back, more with White House
Press Secretary C.J. Cregg. That was a great segment, C.J. Good job.

We see a look of defeat come to C.J.'s face.

SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER.
* * *

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - COMMUNICATIONS AREA - DAY

Toby and Rena are in Toby's office talking.

TOBY
Is she back yet?

RENA
Carol said any minute now.

TOBY
Where are we doing this meeting?

RENA
Well, the Roosevelt Room is booked and, I'm sorry, but 15 AFL-CIO union reps
aren't going to be too comfortable in here.

TOBY
Who's got the Roosevelt Room?

RENA
Uh... the Base Closing Commission. We're getting a table and some folding
chairs.

TOBY
Oh, folding chairs.

They walk into the lobby. Two union reps, TOM and SHELLY, speak to Toby and
shake his hand.

TOM
Hey, Toby.

TOBY
Tom.

SHELLY
Hey, thanks for making the time to see us.

TOBY
No problem, Shelly. Hey, everybody, sorry I'm late. Uh, hey.

He shakes another person's hand.

TOBY
We're having a little bit of a problem finding a room big enough for us
meet. So why don't I work on that for a minute. I'll uh, I'll be right back.

He walks off.

RENA
Uh, so, can I get you anything? Water or coffee?

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - DAY

C.J. and Toby are walking to C.J.'s office.

TOBY
Hey, how you doing?

C.J.
You saw the show. How do you think I'm doing?

TOBY
You got blind-sided.

C.J.
I looked like an amateur. Carol, I need an advance copy of the Sunday Times
Magazine, now.

CAROL
I tried already. They don't come out till Thursday. Leo and the President
want copies as soon as we get it.

C.J.
Who does Drudge say wrote the Hoynes article for the Times?

TOBY
Greg Brock.

C.J.
The guy that just pulled in from the Paris bureau?

Carol nods her head.

C.J.
Great. He doesn't owe me a thing.

CAROL
You want me to get him on the phone?

C.J.
Yeah.

CAROL
Oh, and I've got Ben holding on line two.

C.J.
I can not talk to Ben right now. Drudge leaked maybe 50 words out of what's
got to be a 5,000-word article and we're already on the ropes.

CAROL
I've got Greg Brock's voice mail.

C.J.
I'll do it.

She picks up the phone.

C.J.
Hi, Greg, it's C.J. Cregg. I've been meaning to buy you lunch since you
joined the White House press corps. It's a little tradition we have. One
I'm trying to start, actually, so why don't you give me a call and we'll,
um... Oh, you know exactly why I'm calling. Get back to me fast, will ya?

She hangs up the phone.

TOBY
Are you sure you want to handle this?

C.J.
Yeah.

TOBY
Okay.

He walks out of the office.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Josh and Leo are walking through the Roosevelt Room, talking as they walk
to Leo's office.

JOSH
Come on, please. Not the Base Closing Commission. The most ridiculously
boring...

LEO
I need you to sit with them and make sure they don't...

JOSH
Wait a minute, is this even legal?

LEO
It's perfectly legal.

JOSH
Aren't they supposed to be independent or something?

LEO
Yeah, so's Congress and we talk to them. Look, I need you to make sure that
the recommendations the Commission gives the President on what military
bases to close are not politically suicidal for us.

JOSH
Closing any military base is politically suicidal.

LEO
Right, that's why we let the Base Closing Commission decide on which ones
to close.

JOSH
We're not letting them decide.

MARGARET
President wants you in the NEC meeting.

LEO
When?

MARGARET
Now... ish.

LEO
We're lobbying the Base Closing Commission, Josh. You're lobbying them,
just like everyone else does.

Toby walks in.

TOBY
Hey, I've got 15 AFL-CIO union reps who want to yell at me for sending their
jobs to China.

LEO
So?

TOBY
So, I need the Roosevelt Room.

LEO
Josh is in there all day with the Base Closing Commission.

JOSH
All day?

TOBY
So move 'em.

LEO
We're talking two former four-star generals, a former admiral, and a couple
of former assistant secretaries of DOD.

Will walks in.

LEO [cont.]
And they're accustomed to a certain amount of style, and we're lobbying
them. So they get the Roosevelt Room, massage tables, ESPN, whatever they want.

TOBY
These union reps are going to be outside tomorrow protesting against us,
but if we can at least treat them right, then maybe...

LEO
Check with Margaret about the Mural Room.

WILL
The Vice President has it.

TOBY
For what?

WILL
He's the Vice President, Toby. I don't have to justify his using a room.

TOBY
Of course not. For what?

WILL
Meeting with a bunch of environmental groups.

JOSH
Environmental groups? That has to be a first for him.

TOBY
Looks like he's off and running.

WILL
Looks like Hoynes is too.

LEO
We don't know that.

WILL
No, not exactly, not yet. But a come-clean, tell-all interview in the Times
is a good first step.

LEO
The Vice President's campaign for President is not our concern.

WILL
Look, Hoynes is obviously trying to rewrite history to make himself morally
superior to the President.

TOBY
Right, this from an adulterer, who...

WILL
Who lied about sex. Everyone lies about sex. That's how his people are going
to spin it.

JOSH
He doesn't have people anymore.

WILL
We don't know that. I'm just saying, the Vice President's office - I -
would like to be included in any strategic discussion about how to respond
to Hoynes's campaign, and it is a campaign, to make himself out to be the
only honest guy in an administration of liars.

LEO
Yeah. We'll be sure to call you.

Leo walks into the Oval Office.

CUT TO: INT. - BASEMENT - WHITE HOUSE - DAY

Toby walks up to the meeting room that has been allocated for the meeting
with the Union reps. Ed and Larry are standing there.

ED
Here are the latest numbers on our trade deficit with China.

TOBY
Don't need them.

LARRY
You want us to stay for the meeting?

TOBY
No. This meeting is about politics, facts won't help.

He walks into the room. Rena is passing out coffee.

TOBY
Well, it turns out we're going to have to make due with, uh, folding chairs.

TOM
That's okay, Toby. Rena here explained the whole thing.

TOBY
She did?

TOM
And we told her it's not important where we sit.

TOBY
No, you're right. It's not.

TOM
What's important is that you do what we want.

TOBY
Uh-huh.

TOM
Or at least treat us with respect.

TOBY
How am I doing so far?

TOM
You got two strikes on you.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S OFFICE - DAY

Josh, Donna, and Ryan are gathering stuff for Josh's meeting with the Base
Closing Commission.

JOSH
Because reviewing a cost-benefit analysis for every military base in the
country is as mind-numbing as a Radiohead concert.

DONNA
Need this?

JOSH
Uh, yeah. And the one under it. And deciding which military bases we don't
need anymore is the most politically disastrous thing you could ever get
involved with.

RYAN
But why close any bases when we've got to train troops to fight terrorists
around the world?

JOSH
Is that everything?

DONNA
Yeah.

JOSH
Because terrorists are very well trained for deep snow combat like the Soviets
were. So maybe we don't need that base in upstate New York anymore. And maybe
we should be expanding our desert combat training bases, because, you know,
desert warfare's not going out of style anytime soon.

RYAN
So it's an efficiency thing?

JOSH
You're quick.

RYAN
Since when is efficiency bad politics?

DONNA
Since any place that loses a base loses jobs. You should have seen my hometown
when the Army pulled out.

Will walks up as they come to the Roosevelt Room.

WILL
Josh, got a minute?

JOSH
Anything to keep me out of that room. You guys go ahead and get organized.

WILL
What's Hoynes up to?

JOSH
Don't know.

WILL
Come on, Josh, you worked for him in the Senate. You know him better than
anyone.

JOSH
Well, turns out, there was at least one side of John Hoynes I didn't know.

WILL
Do you think he actually believes he can put the scandal behind him?

JOSH
Maybe he just wanted to do one big interview and move on. Start bringing
clients into the law firm. Excuse me, I got to get in there.

WILL
Base Closing Commission?

JOSH
Uh, yeah.

WILL
The Vice President would like to urge you not to close any base in any state
with more than one electoral vote.

JOSH
No problem.

Josh goes into the Roosevelt Room.

JOSH
Good morning, everyone.

ALL
Good morning, Josh.

He whispers to Donna.

JOSH
[whispering] Get him out of that chair. [louder] The President would like
me to go over your list of preliminary recommendations so he could have an
idea of what you might have in mind.

GENERAL STANLEY
Ready whenever you are.

JOSH
Shoot.

STANLEY
First on the list is Fort Drum in upstate New York. It's mission is deep
snow combat training. The Commission's consensus is that deep snow is no
longer a training priority. Next...

CUT TO: INT. - MEETING ROOM - BASEMENT - WHITE HOUSE - DAY

Toby and the reps are talking.

TOM
What we're saying is this country is China's biggest customer, so we ought
to be dictating the terms of the deal.

TOBY
Uh-huh.

SHELLY
Like the evaluation of the yuan...

Rena comes up to Toby and whispers in his ear.

RENA
Margaret says Leo needs you.

SHELLY
... low when the dollar is weak.

TOBY
I know.

SHELLY
If they let their currency float...

TOBY
Tell him I can't.

SHELLY
... get an export advantage from a weak dollar.

TOM
Instead, we keep letting them flood this country with cheap stuff made by
cheap labor.

SHELLY
And slave labor.
TOM
Right, while they buy nothing from us.

TOBY
I wouldn't call 747s nothing.

RENA
I did. I told Margaret to tell Leo that you're stuck in here, and she said
he said no, you're not.

TOBY
I'm sorry. Please, uh, the President needs me for something, and, uh...

TOM
Toby, we're not new in town. You expect us to fall for the old
President-needs-us thing?

TOBY
No. Leo McGarry just ordered me into his office. And as much as I want to
try to save your jobs, I have to try to save mine first, if I'm going to be
any use to you at all. So... I'll be back, you know... soon.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO'S OFFICE - DAY

C.J. is standing talking to Leo, who is sitting at his desk.

C.J.
Was there any discussion of exactly how Hoynes could hang in there?

LEO
No. We just said we didn't think he had to resign over having an affair. That
in this day and age, he could get through something like that.

C.J.
And you'd help him get through it?

LEO
I guess.

C.J.
Guessing's not good enough, Leo. Did you say you'd help him get through it?

LEO
Yeah.

C.J.
Did the President say that?

LEO
Maybe, something like that. I can't remember exactly what he said.

C.J.
Did you take any notes in the meeting?

LEO
It wasn't a real meeting. It...

Toby comes in.

LEO
It was kind of on the fly.

C.J.
Did you discuss any strategy on how to manage the scandal?

LEO
It never got that far. Hoynes had his mind made up before we said a word. [to
Toby] I need you to get the Mayor in here right away.

TOBY
Which mayor?

LEO
D.C., the only mayor we can get in here right away.

C.J.
I need a meeting with the President on this.

LEO
I can pull a couple of things off his schedule this afternoon.

C.J. leaves.

LEO
The House and Senate just passed the Emergency D.C. Supplemental Appropriation
for Snow Removal.

TOBY
And that's the first bill signing we're inviting the Mayor of Washington to?

LEO
They attached a school voucher program to it.

TOBY
Oh.

LEO
We - I mean you - someone - has to talk to the Mayor before we veto it.

TOBY
Why, you want to put out a joint statement...?

C.J. comes back in.

C.J.
Because when everyone in the Briefing Room has that Hoynes article, I'm
going to be getting bombarded about what Hoynes says you and the President
said. And I've got to be sure, word-for-word sure, about what all three of
you said and what you didn't say. I can control this story, Leo. I can get
us through this, but only if you tell me everything I need you know.

LEO
You got it.

C.J.
I should only talk to the press about this once. I don't want to have to
go back out there a second saying, "Oh, yeah, Hoynes was right," about this
bit and that bit that you guys forgot to tell me.

Leo stands up.

LEO
I understand.

C.J.
We've got to get our story straight on this today, so...

She walks out.

LEO
She okay?

TOBY
Well, you know, she got blind-sided by this Hoynes thing on LIVE TV.

LEO
And that got to her?

TOBY
Yeah, it did.

Toby grabs some stuff and leaves.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. - BASEMENT - WHITE HOUSE - DAY

Toby is in the meeting room still talking to the union reps.

TOM
Are you saying there's nothing we can do?

TOBY
I'm saying it's not that simple. Look what happened with the steel tariffs
you asked for. It killed more jobs in auto manufacturing than it saved in
steel production.

Rena walks in and hands a piece of paper to Toby.

TOM
Well that just means we have to pick our targets more carefully.

TOBY
We keep picking targets, we're gonna end up in a trade war.

TOM
We're already in a trade war with China. That's why we gotta make bras our
first line of defense.

TOBY
Bras?

SHELLY
Chinese bras are killing us.

TOBY
They are?

SHELLY
They're flooding Wal-Mart with cheap bras. Domestic producers can't
compete. China has tripled its market share in two years.

TOBY
I assume we're all okay with French bras, right? 'Cause I, for one, really
prefer them, and I wouldn't want...

TOM
This isn't funny.

TOBY
Of course not. Look, I am with you on this one. I just wish the President
could do something [he laughs] about cheap bras.

TOM
He can.

SHELLY
HE could activate the textile and apparel import safeguards we got you guys
to put in the deal admitting China to the WTO, starting with bras.

TOBY
Apparel import safeguards? I didn't know about that.

TOM
Everyone's going to know about it tomorrow when we start burning bras in
front of the White House.

TOBY
I'll be right back.

He gets up and leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Josh is in the Roosevelt Room and he is meeting with the Base Closing
Commission.

ED
Do you have long-run projections for the economies of scale you think are
achievable through the net consolidation of troops and material, if all of
your recommendations were implemented?

Toby comes to the door, knocks, and opens it. Josh gets up and comes outside.

 STANLEY
On page 1,237... 13B shows the aggregate numbers. 13C...

TOBY
I need Ed and Larry for a thing about bras.

JOSH
You sure they're the guys for that?

TOBY
Chinese bras.

JOSH
Oh, well, they're the experts.

TOBY
Is Hoynes crazy enough to run?

JOSH
You want the short answer? Yes.

TOBY
If this article is his first step on the road to political rehab, what does
he do next?

JOSH
Start putting a staff together.

TOBY
I better make some calls.

JOSH
Yeah.

Toby walks off. Josh goes back in and speaks to Ed and Larry.

STANLEY
That's why we want to consolidate these five Air Force bases into three...

JOSH
Excuse me. I'm sorry. Ed, Larry? Toby needs to talk to you about, uh,
China. Now.

They get up and leave. Josh goes over and speaks quietly to Donna and Ryan.

JOSH
I need you two to take over.

DONNA
You sure?

JOSH
Just ask, "How much will that save?" every few minutes.  And don't you say
a word.

He speaks to Stanley.

JOSH
Uh... please continue, General Stanley. Donna and Ryan here will sit in for me.

He leaves as Donna and Ryan sit down.

STANLEY
As I was saying, if we consolidate these three Air Force bases into three,
we could upgrade all three of the aircraft maintenance facilities to handle
major overhauls.

DONNA
How much does that save?

STANLEY
Using CBO's baseline or the DOD projections?

RYAN
Both.

STANLEY
Well...

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - DAY

Carol and C.J. are walking into C.J.'s office. They are talking.

CAROL
Russert's on line three. Time, Newsweek, and, well, everyone's called about
the Hoynes article.

C.J.
Has Greg Brock called yet?

CAROL
No. And Ben called, said he had tickets to the Kennedy Center this weekend
and...

C.J.
Tell Russert I can't do Meet The Press next week.

C.J. picks up the phone and dials.

C.J.
Hi, Greg. It's C.J., again. Hey, did I mention how useful it is for a reporter
to have the White House Press Secretary owe you one? A big one?

Carol comes in and waves at C.J.

C.J.
So call me, or tell me what dark parking garage to meet you in and I'll be
right there. Call me.

She hangs up the phone.

C.J.
Now.

CAROL
Greg Brock is here.

He comes into C.J.'s office and Carol goes back to hers.

GREG BROCK
You have a favorite parking garage for this sort of thing?

C.J.
Come on in, Greg. Nice to formally meet you. Of course, I've seen you out
there in the briefings.

BROCK
Well, I feel like I know you already.

C.J.
Really?

BROCK
There's nothing to do in Paris, so I just sat there, glued to your briefings
on C-SPAN every day.

C.J.
C-SPAN's what's happening in Paris these days. Can I get you anything? Carol,
do we have anything?

Carol comes to C.J.'s door.

CAROL
Uh, water.

BROCK
Yeah, thanks.

CAROL
It's D.C. water.

BROCK
I'm good.

He pulls out a notebook of some sort as C.J. closes the door.

C.J.
Every word I'm going to say is off the record, so you're not going to
need that.

BROCK
Okay.

C.J.
I assume Drudge's quotes from your piece are accurate.

BROCK
Yeah. I don't know how he does it.

C.J.
I'm going to need an advance copy of your piece.

BROCK
So much for beating around the bush, huh? You can get an advance copy of
the Sunday Times Magazine Thursday.

C.J.
Everyone can get it Thursday.

BROCK
Right.

C.J.
I wouldn't be talking to you if I needed it Thursday. I need it before anyone
else has it. I already got hit with questions about it. I need it now.

BROCK
Sorry. I never give subjects of an article sneak peeks.

C.J.
But I'm not a subject of the piece. Am I?

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S OFFICE - DAY

Josh is on the phone when Donna comes in.

JOSH
Sure. Well, if you hear anything about Hoynes making any moves on staff,
just let me know. Okay, thanks.

He hangs up the phone.

JOSH
You left the kid alone with the brass?

DONNA
Just for a minute. He actually seems to have a feel for that stuff.

JOSH
He's faking it. If you learn one thing in prep school, it's how to always
pretend like you know what's going on.

DONNA
Rena says Toby's stuck in some Chinese bra thing and can't...

JOSH
Okay, do the Chinese even need bras? I mean, you know...

DONNA
No, I don't know, Josh. Some of us are trying to govern here, Josh. Toby
asked if you could cover a meeting with the Mayor. I said yes, assuming
you're trying to stay out of the Base Closing meeting.

JOSH
Good call.

DONNA
Great. Mayor's on his way.

JOSH
Hey, Donna. Which mayor?

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - DAY

C.J. and Brock are still talking.

BROCK
I'm not going to play that game - who's in the piece, who's not, what's in
the piece, what's not.

C.J.
I wouldn't be asking you this if Drudge didn't already have it, if he wasn't
quoting in online.

BROCK
Drudge has better sources than you do, like maybe Hoynes's publisher.

C.J.
Publisher? Hoynes is writing a book?

BROCK
Just got a $5 million advance. Must be saving some good stuff for it. Wish
I could help you out, C.J.

He gets up and drops some things to the floor. He bends over and grabs the
notebook but does not pick up the disk which fell to the floor.

BROCK
But, that's just my policy: no sneak peeks.

He opens the door and turns back to C.J.

BROCK
By the way, you think there's any chance I could get an exclusive with the
President on his reaction to what Hoynes has to say in my article?

C.J. looks down and sees the disk on the floor. It is labeled "HOYNES".

C.J.
Yeah, there's a chance. But I can't promise it.

BROCK
Can you promise me he won't give anyone else an exclusive on this?

C.J.
Yes.

BROCK
Can you promise me that if he issues a written statement I'll get a copy of
it before anyone else?

C.J.
Yes.

He looks down and almost certainly sees the disk on the floor.

BROCK
You sure you can't promise me an exclusive?

C.J.
Yeah, I'm sure.

BROCK
Well... I really enjoyed finally meeting you.

He leaves. As soon as he does, C.J. gets up from her seat, grabs the disk,
goes to her computer, and puts it in.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - DAY

C.J. is sitting at her desk reading the Hoynes article. She takes the disk
out of her drive and looks at it for a moment before getting up and going
into Carol's office.

C.J.
Can you print copies of this for Toby, Josh, Leo, and the President?

CAROL
The Hoynes article? How bad is it?

She says nothing but goes back in her office.

CUT TO: INT. - MEETING ROOM - DAY

 Toby, Ed, and Larry are sitting at the table talking to the union reps.

TOBY
So, it's true? We could use the, uh...

ED
The apparel import safeguards.

TOBY
We could use that to safeguard American bras?

ED
Yes, but we can't do anything until you guys file a safeguard petition.

TOM
Done.

LARRY
But...

TOBY
There's another but?

LARRY
Our trade representative is in Beijing right now working on a deal for
exporting American-made cars to China.

SHELLY
And using the apparel import safeguard against bras could kill the deal
on bras?

LARRY
Exactly.

Carol comes in and hands a folder to Toby.

CAROL
[whispering] The Hoynes aticle.

TOM
We better talk to the auto workers on this.

SHELLY
You know what they're going to say. That's not going to make this any easier.

TOBY
Why don't we take a break, and you guys can talk amongst yourselves about
which is more important to you: cars or bras?

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY - OUTSIDE ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Josh is walking and talking with the Mayor of D.C.

JOSH
We really appreciate your coming in, Mr. Mayor.

MAYOR
Ah, nice to finally see the inside of the place.

JOSH
Could you... excuse me for one second?

MAYOR
Uh, sure.

Josh goes in the Roosevelt Room. Ryan is talking to the Base Closing
Commission.

RYAN
But if the port is too shallow for most of the Navy's ships, then why wouldn't
you recommend closing the port?

JOSH
Whose district?

STANLEY
Chris Finn's.

JOSH
Because the Base Closing Commission, while independent, is not insane. They're
not going to recommend closing a base in a congressional district represented
by the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee for Armed Services. Sorry
about this. I'm gonna be tied up a bit longer. Don't let Ryan slow you down.

STANLEY
We also recommend no changes for Port Mugu Naval Air Station...
He walks back out into the hallway and starts walking with the Mayor.

JOSH
This can't be your first time here.

MAYOR
It is during this administration.

JOSH
Oh.

Carol comes up to him and hands him a folder.

CAROL
The Hoynes article.

They walk into the lobby and head to Josh's office.

JOSH
So, the President wants to issue a joint statement with you opposing the
voucher rider on the snow removal appropriation.

MAYOR
But I want the money.

JOSH
Oh, we'll get it for you eventually. We'll just have to go through at least
one round of the President vetoing it in order to get them to send us a
clean bill with no vouchers attached.

MAYOR
I want the voucher money, too.

JOSH
Huh?

MAYOR
I'd like the President to sign the bill with the vouchers.

JOSH
Mr. Mayor, he's vetoed every school vouchers bill they've sent him.

MAYOR
I know, but this is just a pilot program, a little voucher experiment, help
pay for maybe a couple hundred kids to go to private school, out of 68,000
in the D.C. public school system.

JOSH
We're against vouchers, period. And by "we", I mean the entire Democratic
Party. You're still a Democrat, right?

MAYOR
This bill got 4 votes in the Senate and 42 in the House. Look, it wasn't my
idea to put Congress in control of the D.C. budget.

JOSH
Then, help us fight them on this.

MAYOR
Why don't you help me get some kids a better education?

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Ryan and the Commission are still talking.

RYAN
But if we bring him in to talk about it, then there's...

STANLEY
Congressman Finn would not only prevent us from closing the base in
his district, he would make it his life's mission to derail the entire
process. The next base on our list is 29 Palms Marine Base which is our best
training facility for desert warfare...

Ryan gets up and leaves. He walks into the Communications office and picks
up a nearby phone.

RYAN
Hi. Could you get me Congressman Christopher Finn, please? ... Ryan Pierce. I'm
with the, uh, Base Closing Commission.

We pan to see Josh walk through the Communications Office and into Toby's
office. He is reading the article as he goes.

TOBY
Can you believe this guy?

JOSH
Yeah, I can. This is the Hoynes I know: self-centered, self-important...

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY

C.J. comes into the office and speaks to Charlie.

C.J.
Charlie, they ready for me?

CHARLIE
Uh, I think they're still reading but you can go in. C.J.?

C.J.
Yeah?

CHARLIE
Don't' go on TV with Taylor Reid again unless you're going to tell him what
an idiotic, shallow, uninformed, lying punk he is.

C.J.
I think he knows that.

She knocks on the door to the Oval Office and goes in. Leo and Bartlet are
seated and they are reading the article.

LEO
I never said he could "beat the rap."

BARTLET
I didn't say any of this.

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Toby and Josh come into the office and speak to Charlie.

TOBY
We're going to have to get the Mayor on the President's schedule today.

CHARLIE
Which mayor?

JOSH
D.C.

CHARLIE
It's about time.

JOSH
Huh?

CHARLIE
No problem.

They go into the Oval Office.

LEO
Oh, for God's sake. I don't remember the exact words I used.

BARTLET
Weather. I think you said we could "weather this."

C.J.
How is that different from "beat the rap"?

BARTLET
It's completely different.

C.J.
It's not different enough for me to go out there and fight about it. Did
you tell him he shouldn't have used White House phones?

LEO
No. I said "Didn't you know the White House keeps records of all calls?".

C.J.
Oh, great. That's completely different. Did you tell him we could say this
is a right wing conspiracy against the White House?

LEO
Absolutely not.

C.J.
Did you tell him he could deny the whole thing?

LEO
I asked him if he was "in a position to deny it".

C.J.
Okay, um, couple more things. He says you pressed him for details and he said
"It's none of your business"?

BARTLET
Yes.

C.J.
Leo, did you say the woman was a "cheap whore", and did you suggest she had
"other customers"?

LEO
No, I said she was a "cheap person" because she sold her story. What kind
of person does that?

C.J.
And Mr. President, did you say "We've got to start attacking her right tonight,
right now"?

BARTLET
No.

C.J.
Anything like that?

BARTLET
I think I said something like if we're going to get him through this, we're
going to have to start right now.

LEO
And I said since she sold her story she's not going to have a lot of
credibility.

C.J.
Anything else about the woman?

BARTLET
Nothing.

C.J.
You sure?

BARTLET
Yeah.

C.J.
I'm done.

BARTLET
You think he's getting ready to run?

JOSH
Made some calls. He hasn't made any moves on staff. Got some calls out to
the usual suspects in Iowa and New Hampshire, I'm waiting to hear...

C.J.
He's writing a book.

TOBY
A book?

C.J.
Greg Brock told me. Big advance.

LEO
Then he's definitely running.

JOSH
He's going to make the book the final word on the scandal, hold his wife's
hand on Oprah, and catch the next flight to Iowa.

LEO
And rewrite history with the book.

BARTLET
His own version of every conversation we've ever had with him.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO'S OFFICE - DAY

Leo, Toby, Josh, and C.J. come into Leo's office. Will is waiting for them.

WILL
We got to take a shot at Hoynes. We got to let him know we have ways of
fighting back.

JOSH
What ways?

WILL
We need a list.

TOBY
Of what?

WILL
A list of all his private, on-the-job screw-ups. Every time Hoynes gave the
President bad advice, every mistake he ever made, big and small.

LEO
That mess he made with Mexico on immigration.

JOSH
The way he tipped our hand on the Energy bill.

TOBY
And lost the entire New York delegation on the Transportation bill.

WILL
We start leaking it to the press, bit by bit.

C.J.
No, give it to me. I'll fire a warning shot.

TOBY
You can't do that in the Briefing Room. It'll make it too big a story.

JOSH
We'll all look bad.

C.J.
I won't do it in the briefing.

They look at her for a second.

LEO
You'll have the list in an hour.

She leaves. As she does, Toby watches her, concernedly.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: CAROL'S OFFICE - DAY

Carol and C.J. are walking and talking. They are headed toward the Briefing
Room.

CAROL
The first ten pages are legislative achievements.

C.J.
You mean the ones Hoynes almost screwed up?

CAROL
Right. And the next section is the bills he really did screw up, and the
last 12 pages have all the diplomatic stuff.

Toby comes into the hallway and starts walking with them.

TOBY
He managed to offend 7 South American heads of states in a five-day trip.

C.J.
Got the China statement?

He hands her some papers.

TOBY
We're going to make a move on bras. You sure you don't want to insert a
joke here?

C.J.
So, we want to scare them on bras to get a better deal on cars.

TOBY
Exactly, so, go tough on bras but not too tough. And promise me something.

C.J.
What?

TOBY
You'll never let them make a list of my screw-ups. They wouldn't have
enough paper.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - DAY

Josh and the Mayor are walking through the lobby and they are talking.

MAYOR
The President can sign the bill and say he still opposes vouchers. He signs
bills with little things in them that he opposes all the time.

JOSH
We open the door an inch on vouchers, we'd have an open revolt by Democrats
on the Hill.

They are now outside of the Roosevelt Room. Josh sees something inside.

JOSH
Uh, I'm sorry... Mr. Mayor. Can you excuse me for a second?

MAYOR
Sure. I'll wait.

Josh goes into the Roosevelt Room. CONGRESSMAN CHRISTOPHER FINN is seated
at the table talking with the Commission.

CONGRESSMAN CHRISTOPHER FINN
50% of the jobs in my district are dependant on that base - 50%.

JOSH
Congressman Finn...

FINN
It's been there since World War II. The town grew up around the base. There
is no town without the base.

JOSH
Congressman, I want you to know you have the President's full support on this.

FINN
See? President gets it. You can't close this base. Thanks, Josh.

STANLEY
Josh, we didn't...

RYAN
Uh, I just thought we should bring...

JOSH
Can I see you for a second?

They go out into the hallway.

JOSH
Okay, that's it. You're fired!

RYAN
That's good, okay. Wave your finger in my face, act like you're going to
hit me.

JOSH
Are you out of your mind?

RYAN
That's good. That's great. Show Congressman Finn you are ready to kill to
save his base. Come on, he's going to love you for this. He'll back you up
on everything you want the Commissioners to do. And believe me, they're a
lot more afraid of him than they are of you.

JOSH
Just give me your West Wing pass.

RYAN
Oh, that's good. That's good. Here, here. Does Finn look like he's buying this?

JOSH
I told you not to open your mouth in that room.

RYAN
He's going to be grateful to you for the rest of his life for saving his
base. You're going to get credit for what the Commission was going to
do anyway.

JOSH
You planned this?

RYAN
You want me to look like I'm crying? I can do that. I can look like I'm crying.

He breathes heavily and begins to fake tears.

JOSH
Stop.

CUT TO: INT. - OUTER OVAL OFFICE - DAY

C.J. can be seen on TV, giving a briefing. Josh and the Mayor come in.

JOSH
He ready for us?

CHARLIE
Uh, a couple of minutes.

They stand for a few minutes.

CHARLIE
Mr. Mayor, hi, I'm Charlie Young.

MAYOR
Hey, Charlie. Good to meet you.

CHARLIE
I'm doing great, just great. I wanted to introduce myself because, well,
I'm a big fan.

MAYOR
Well, thank you.

CHARLIE
I voted for you both times.

MAYOR
I hope you're gonna vote for me next time.

CHARLIE
Every time.

CUT TO: INT. - BRIEFING ROOM - DAY

We see, on a TV screen, C.J. briefing the press. We pan around to see her
at the podium.

C.J.
No, the President has no intention of starting a worldwide bra war.

The reporters laugh.

C.J.
I really don't think the President would ever start a war that the French
might actually win.

They laugh again. C.J. points to a reporter.

MARK
C.J., can you confirm or deny the statements former Vice President John
Hoynes has attributed to President Bartlet and Leo McGarry?

C.J.
Mark, the President...

MARK
Specifically, did they tell him he could beat the rap and they would help
him do it?

C.J.
Okay, everyone, get this down because I'm only going to say this once;
the President and Mr. McGarry feel they have not been accurately quoted...

They all clamor for C.J.

C.J.
Hold on, Mark. They refuse to comment on any part of the conversation they
had with the Vice President just prior...

CUT TO: INT. - TOBY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Toby is watching the briefing.

C.J. [cont.][on TV]
... to his resignation. They believed they were providing advice and support
to a friend who came to them with a very serious personal problem...

CUT TO: INT. - BRIEFING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

C.J. [cont.]
... that was going to affect his work and his family. They believed that
conversation was private, and as far as they're concerned, it still is.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

Bartlet, Josh, and the Mayor are sitting and they are talking.

MAYOR
I'm sorry, Mr. President, but we can argue this all night and I'm still not
going to change my mind.

BARTLET
Again.

MAYOR
I'm not the only one. My school board president has changed her mind, too.

JOSH
Jany...

MAYOR
Scott.

JOSH
She's in favor of vouchers now? She used to rail against them.

MAYOR
After six years of us promising to make schools better next year, we're
ready to give vouchers a try. We're ready to give anything a try.

BARTLET
You start handing out tuition vouchers for private school, you're sending
the message that it's time to give up on public schools.

MAYOR
With all due respect, Mr. President, no one gets to talk to me about giving
up on public schools. I assume I'm the only person in this room who actually
went to public school.

BARTLET
And you couldn't be a better advertisement for them.

MAYOR
Kids weren't bringing guns to school in my day.

BARTLET
Republicans want to spend more on D.C. education, they should spend it on
public schools.

MAYOR
We spend over 13,000 per student, that's more than anywhere else in the
country, and we don't have a lot to show for it.

BARTLET
But if we start diverting money away from public schools, that's the end of
public education.

MAYOR
This is extra money Republicans will give me for school vouchers, nothing else.

BARTLET
They're just using you to try and divide the Party.

MAYOR
I'm the only mayor in America whose budget is controlled by Congress and
the President. And you guys never fail to play political games over the city
that I'm trying to run.

BARTLET
Your Honor, I'm not trying to tell you how to run your city.

MAYOR
Yes, you are, Mr. President. Congress is too, and I resent it. But this
time they want to give me money that might actually help some students. I'm
sorry. I don't know how to refuse that.

BARTLET
This is a pilot program?

JOSH
Enough money for a couple hundred students.

MAYOR
I have a few thousand names on the waiting list for vouchers already. Go
into any one of my schools, ask kids who want to go to college what they
think of vouchers. They'll ask where they can sign up.

BARTLET
Could you ask Charlie to come in, please?

Josh gets up to go to the door.

CUT TO: INT. - CAROL'S OFFICE - NIGHT

C.J.
Am I caught up on phone calls?

CAROL
You got everybody except Ben. You want me to see if I can get him?

C.J.
No, thanks.

Carol walks off as Toby walks up.

C.J.
What? Did I screw up the China thing?

TOBY
No. That was great. Perfect. You going over there now?

C.J.
Yeah.

TOBY
I thought maybe I could give you a ride.

C.J.
No. Thanks, Toby, but I'll be okay.

TOBY
You sure?

C.J.
Yeah. I'll see you later.

BARTLET [prelap]
Charlie, would you sit down, please?

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

Bartlet, Josh, and the Mayor are seated. Charlie comes over and sits next
to Josh.

BARTLET
Tell us where you went to high school.

CHARLIE
Roosevelt.

BARTLET
A public school.

CHARLIE
Yes, sir.

MAYOR
Where'd you want to go, Charlie?

CHARLIE
Gonzaga. A parochial school, near Union Station.

MAYOR
Why?

CHARLIE
There's never been a shooting there. They don't even have metal
detectors. Almost everyone goes to college.

MAYOR
Couldn't afford it?

CHARLIE
Couldn't come close to affording it.

BARTLET
You know what this meeting's about?

CHARLIE
Yes, sir. The mayor told me.

BARTLET
What do you think about trying an experimental vouchers program for
D.C. schools?

CHARLIE
I wish they would have had one when I was in school.

BARTLET
You planning on telling me that anytime soon?

CHARLIE
Can't say that I was, sir.
BARTLET
Your Honor, I'm going to need your help putting out some fires within the
Party on this one.

They all stand.

MAYOR
You got it. Thank you, Mr. President.

CUT TO: INT. - HOYNES'S LAW FIRM - HOYNES'S SECRETARY'S OFFICE - NIGHT

C.J. is waiting to see Hoynes.

SECRETARY
The Vice President will see you now.

CUT TO: INT. - HOYNES'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Hoynes is seated at his desk when C.J. comes in.

HOYNES
Hey, C.J., great to see you.

C.J.
Mr. Vice President.

HOYNES
Oh, come on with that title. I think we're back to John now, don't you? How
have you been? You look great, just great. Please, sit down.

C.J.
I don't want to take up too much of your time.

HOYNES
Hey, I'm the only lawyer here who doesn't have any clients yet, so I got
all the time in the world. Sit, please.

C.J.
You should take a look at this list.

He takes out his glasses and reads the paper.

C.J.
If you're going to continue to try to rehabilitate yourself by throwing mud
and lies at the President...

HOYNES

C.J., you can stop. I get it. You mind if I keep this?

C.J.
Please do. You can give it to whoever's ghost-writing your book.

HOYNES
You can tell the President he doesn't have to worry about the book. I'm not
going to try to make him look bad. I just wanted to get this scandal behind
me, so I can get on with my life.

C.J.
Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

HOYNES
Well... I'm gonna call it Full Disclosure. What do you think? Good title?

C.J.
Am I going to be in the book?

HOYNES
Yes. Not mentioning you would be kind of strange, don't you think? I mean,
next to the President and the Vice President, you're the most visible person
working in the White House.

C.J.
I'd prefer not to be.

HOYNES
C.J., you've got nothing to worry about, I promise.

C.J. turns to leave.

C.J.
What are you going to do in the campaign when the stories start coming out?

HOYNES
Those stories?

C.J.
No. The other women.
HOYNES
I haven't decided to run, I really...

C.J.
Because there have been other women, right? Lots of women, right? Because
the way you came on to me... way too smooth, way too practiced.

HOYNES
C.J., that was ten years ago. I'm sorry...

C.J.
When you run for President, the press is going to find some of those women. And
if you try to attack them, if you get your opposition research team working
on them, if you try to destroy them, if you try to say they're all bimbos
and liars, then I'll be standing right there with them and I'll be ready
to take anything you or your people throw at me, anything. So don't make me
tell the truth about you because it will be the whole truth.

She leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

We see C.J. walk into the building and through the lobby.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - NIGHT

We see C.J. come in and head to her office. She goes in and sits down. Toby
comes to the doorway.

TOBY
You okay?

C.J.
No.

TOBY
Is there anything I can do?

C.J.
No.

TOBY
Okay.

C.J.
What do I need to catch up on?

TOBY
President signed school vouchers bill for D.C.

C.J.
Are you kidding? I leave the building for an hour and he switches parties? You
need a press release?

TOBY
No, it can wait.

C.J.
Toby?

TOBY
Yeah?

Toby comes in and sits across from C.J.

C.J.
There is no night of my life I regret more than that one.

TOBY
 You don't have to explain it.

C.J.
I wish I could, but I can't explain it. I knew he was married. I knew it. I
always thought women who did that... If I could take back one moment of my
life, it would be getting on that elevator. I'm sorry.

TOBY
You don't have to apologize to me.

C.J.
I don't have anyone else I can apologize to. I'll come back to your office
in a few minutes and we can work on the release.

TOBY
Sure.

Toby leaves. C.J. sits for a minute and then grabs some papers from her
desk. She pulls out her phone and dials.

C.J. [into phone]
Ben, hi. It's C.J. ... Oh, I guess I've had better days at the office. ... Oh,
you know, the usual, and-and then some. ... Yeah, I'd love to. Let me just
check the schedule tomorrow when Carol's here, you know, make sure I'm clear
that night. ... That sounds great. ... Ben, could you do me a favor? Would
you mind talking to me for awhile and letting me just listen? ... I don't
know. Whatever you want, just as long as it has nothing to do with my job.

DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
* * *

The West Wing episode 5.15 "Full Disclosure", original air date 25 February,
2004.

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