Season 5 – Episode 6 – “Disaster Relief”

Episode Summary:

Bartlet is preoccupied with a killer tornado in Oklahoma and flies there to lend his support. But his compassion overrules good judgment, and Bartlet stays longer than planned. Meanwhile, Leo worries about several crises in the capital that need the president’s immediate attention. Josh fears the worst after a political miscalculation costs the Democrats dearly. And Donna becomes concerned about Josh’s welfare after he becomes Washington’s latest target of scorn.

Script:

THE WEST WING
5X06 - "DISASTER RELIEF"
TELEPLAY BY ALEXA JUNGE
STORY BY ALEXA JUNGE & LAUREN SCHMIDT
DIRECTED BY LESLI LINKA GLATTER

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

TEASER

DONNA [VO]
Talk to me.

C.J. [VO]
Beer, please.

FADE IN: INT. - MURAL ROOM - NIGHT

We see that C.J. is sitting on one of the couches in the Mural Room. Donna
comes over and sits down. She opens her beer and flips the cap onto the
table in front of her.

C.J.
If I haven't said it recently...

DONNA
Bless me and my mini-fridge. So, how bad?

C.J.
All the dailies are going to jump on it: the Post, the Times. Fox will have
a field day. Newsweek will do a cover. The Sunday morning shows will hang
Josh from a klieg light, use him as a pinata. All of which is okay. We can't
put a lid on the story, but we can control the Schadenfreude, make sure he's
still standing in a week.

DONNA
Schadenfreude?

C.J.
You know, "enjoying the suffering of others"? The whole rationale behind
the House of Representatives.

We hear a car horn honk.

CUT TO: EXT. - STREET - DAY

Donna is standing at a street corner waiting on Josh to pull up. C.J. can
still be heard in the background.

C.J. [VO]
It's all about setting the right tone, and it has to start first thing
Monday. That's where you come in.

Donna walks over to Josh who is getting out of a cab.

DONNA
You look nice.

JOSH
I feel good.

DONNA
You look good.

JOSH
Why are you here?

They walk back to the corner where Donna was standing.

DONNA
I could tell you it's because I needed a clean copy of the Post but the truth
is, I have a crush on the little old man at the cappuccino stand. [pause]
You okay?

JOSH
I already told you. I feel good.

They begin crossing the street together.

DONNA
So you're not...

JOSH
I have my health, I have central air -- in the hierarchy of pain and suffering,
I really can't complain. I mean, I will...

DONNA
And your not...

JOSH
It's a blip. I can't get worked up about it.

DONNA
Good for you!

JOSH
That's what we said to my grandmother when she was down to 84 pounds.

C.J. [VO]
You've got to help him protect his image...

CUT TO: INT. - MURAL ROOM - NIGHT

C.J.
...project business as usual. He's gotta do real work. No meetings that are
below him, nothing with the Dairy Caucus or the Malt Beverage Lobby.

CUT TO: EXT. - STREET - DAY

Josh and Donna are still walking down the street toward the White House.

DONNA
I set up a call with the Idaho Democratic Party Chair. I figure if you can
survive his wrath, you're good to go.

JOSH
Check with Defense Approps every hour on the hour, will ya? That launcher
better not be in the bill. I'm not gonna lose Carrick and buy him a useless
piece of military junk. [pause] Anything from Leo?

DONNA
Not yet.

JOSH
You said Margaret said first thing in the morning.

DONNA
He got jammed up. Something about missing plutonium in Chechnya.

JOSH
Like that matters. What is this? What the hell are you doing out here? You
met me outside so when you told Leo hadn't set a meeting yet, I'd be out of
the building if I got upset.

DONNA
I have a crush on the cappuccino man. Have you seen his little newsboy cap?

JOSH
I'm not upset.

C.J. [VO]
If he'd come to me, I'd tell him myself, except men are funny that way. He'd
never come to me.

They walk on toward the front gate of the White House.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE - LOBBY

Josh and Donna walk in the front doors and toward the end of the lobby toward
Josh's bullpen Area.

JOSH
I'm just trying to see around the corner so I don't get bit in the ass.

DONNA
Are you going around the corner ass-first? You'll be fine. Sam called,
Amy called. Sam wanted me to remind you: You gotta roll with the punches.

They

JOSH
Any reporters?

DONNA
ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, New York Times, the Post, Detroit Free Press,
Miami Herald, Nightline, Dateline...

They are standing at a coffee machine and Margaret walks up.

MARGARET
Hey, Josh, are you okay?

JOSH
Yeah. I'm great.

MARGARET
Well, keep your chin up.

She walks away.

JOSH
Do people keep cliche thesauruses around for times like this?

Donna sees something on one of the TV sets.

DONNA
Oh, my God.

JOSH
What?

We see on the TV set a story about a tornado.

REPORTER [on TV]
...A tornado touched down at dawn, killing at least 17 and devastating much
of McLain county.

DONNA
I have to call my cousins.

JOSH
I thought they were in Wisconsin.

DONNA
My other cousins!

REPORTER [on TV]
...over 100 citizens are still missing. Search-and-rescue crews are expected
to reach the site within the hour.

Josh turns to walk to his office. Larry walks past him.

LARRY
Hey, don't let the bastards get you down.

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

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - WHITE HOUSE - DAY
                MONDAY MORNING, 7:12 AM

We fade in on a TV set showing the footage of the tornado damage. We pan
left to see Josh, Toby, and C.J. walking through the Roosevelt Room.

C.J.
So, a five on the Fujita scale, that's a...

JOSH
...vast and violent vacuum cleaner, uprooting everything in its path.

TOBY
It's a funnel cloud.

JOSH
A vast and violent vacuum cleaner.

C.J.
It's a vacuum cleaner and a funnel cloud. See men? Peace on Earth. How are
Donna's cousins?

JOSH
They're fine. They're up in Tulsa or somewhere.

They walk into Leo's office. He comes through the door from the Oval Office.

C.J.
I thought they were in Wisconsin.

LEO
The FCO is requesting activation of the National Guard.

Leo walks out into Margaret's office and she hands him something.

C.J.
I remember the tornados warning sirens. My whole family cramming into the
bathroom in the garage.

LEO
We all set for the Chancellor?

TOBY
You had a bathroom in your garage?

JOSH
He's addressing the U.N. tomorrow afternoon then flying down here on Wednesday
morning to meet with the President.

LEO
Anything new on Carrick?

JOSH
Yeah. He's a Republican.

LEO
Newer?

TOBY
Haffley's planning to use Carrick's defection to slide a cap gains tax cut
into our stimulus package.

LEO
Apparently it's "Seize the Day" Day.

JOSH
Or "Blow Up the Deficit" Day.

C.J.
See what you did?

LEO
You have everything you need for the briefing?

C.J.
Is the President going to Oklahoma?

LEO
I don't want him to be in the way.

TOBY
Getting his picture taken with a family who's just lost there house might
play like he's trying to raise his numbers.

C.J.
Or getting his picture taken with a family who's just lost there house
might make other people think the President gives a damn. Photo ops aren't
cynical. They give people hope.

JOSH
Hope? What is that?

LEO
We send Russell. Nobody gets hurt.

C.J.
In that case, the President sends his condolences and prayers.

LEO
Toby, find Will. Tell him the VP's going to Oklahoma. That's it. Thanks
everyone.

JOSH
Thank you, Leo.

They all turn to leave.

LEO
Josh. Stick around for a minute.

The other two leave.

JOSH
Listen, on that cap gains thing, we should get Singer to send Haffley...

LEO
Margaret!

Margaret comes in from her office.

LEO
Get the door would you, please?

Margaret closes the door.

LEO
Nobody's happy you lost Carrick, but we're all about moving forward, and
we can't do that without you. I do, however, have to take you out to the
woodshed and whack you with a two-by-four.

JOSH
Carrick was never really a Democrat. Word is he was working the Republicans
for... I'm sorry, whack away.

LEO
Maybe the camel's back was already broken, but you gave him the straw, and
then you ran over him with a tank! The President and I think you've been
spread too thin. We're going to scale back your portfolio. Probably some of
the legislative stuff. I'll let you know the details as soon as I take the
temperature of the caucus. You get to keep your title, your staff.

JOSH
Okay.

He gets up and leaves.

JOSH
Thanks.

As he walks out of the door, Margaret walks in.

MARGARET
FEMA director on two.

As Leo reaches for the phone, Josh comes back in.

JOSH
Leo, does C.J. have...

LEO
"Josh Lyman is one of the President's most trusted advisors and has the
absolute confidence of the President."

JOSH
I'm gone.

Leo picks up the phone.

LEO
Dan, what's happening on the ground?

DONNA [prelap]
Oh, thank God.

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

Josh is walking into his office and Donna follows him in.

JOSH
You thought I was cooked.

 DONNA
I did not.

JOSH
You thought I was gone, and so were you. You were already cleaning out your
desk. Mentally kicking dirt on my grave.

DONNA
No, now I'm doing that.

JOSH
Confirm my dinner with Wilcox tomorrow. Make sure I have my usual table.

DONNA
That's good. You're getting out. A man about town.

JOSH
Set up a meeting with Ted Davis at the Democratic Strategy Group and one
with the Security Policy Working Group.

DONNA
Crack some heads, Let 'em know you're riding herd. I'm not helping.

JOSH
It's a blip, Donna. When I write my political memoir, this will be the
character-building funny part.

She turns to leave.

DONNA
I thought I was the character-building funny part.

As Donna leaves his office, Josh begins flipping through something on his desk.

WILL [prelap]
If we want environmentalists to go along with using cyanide...

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Will, C.J., and Charlie are talking as they walk through the Roosevelt Room.

WILL [cont.]
...in gold mining, we have to come up with a warmer, fuzzier word for it
than... [to Charlie] Am I boring you?

C
Sorry. I was up late with the President playing Scopa d'Assi.

C.J.
Come again?

CHARLIE
It's an obscure Italian card game. The cards are in Latin. He told me Sinatra
gave him the deck, but I think he was just trying to get me to stay longer.

Toby walks past them while they are walking. Charlie walks off.

TOBY
C.J., we need the VP to go to Oklahoma.

WILL
Yeah, I heard.

TOBY
Soon as you get space nearer the Vice President, I want your office back.

Toby walks off.

WILL
He hates me.

C.J.
Oh, yeah. The way you hate the girl you ask to the prom who says, "No,
thanks. I already have a date." You made a choice, now own it.

C.J. walks away.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM - DAY

All of the reporters are seated when the door opens and C.J. comes in and
walks over to the podium.

REPORTERS [all]
Good morning!

C.J.
Good morning. At approximately 5:45 am, a tornado touched down outside
Maysville, Oklahoma. 27 bodies have been recovered, and over 50 people are
still missing. At Governor Wade's request, the President has declared a
national emergency.

All the reporters begin clamoring for C.J. to answer their questions.

REPORTER CHRIS
Will the President be visiting the site?

C.J.
The President sends his condolences and prayers to the victims. He's dispatched
FEMA director Daniel Ruben to survey the damage and update him throughout
the day.

REPORTER STEVE
C.J.! C.J., when is General Alexander going to present his fourth readiness
assessment.

C.J.
General Alexander has only been the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs a week. Let's
give his some time to find the paper clips. But if you care to get him a
housewarming gift, he's registered at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

They all laugh as C.J. calls on Chris.

CHRIS
C.J., would you care to comment on reports that after losing Carrick to the
Republicans, the President no longer trusts Josh Lyman to work with Congress?

C.J.
Josh is one of the President's closest, most trusted advisors.

STEVE
So he won't be stripped of his legislative portfolio?

C.J.
Absolutely not. His portfolio always fluctuates to suit the President's needs.

STEVE
Which are?

C.J.
Food, water, an occasional ball game.

The reporters laugh as others begin shouting for C.J.

C.J.
Yes.

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

We see that C.J. is still briefing the press. Toby is standing and Josh is
sitting and they are both watching the briefing.

JOSH
You're not going to ask me if I'm okay?

TOBY
Do I look like your mommy? Take your medicine, keep your head down. [louder]
I said DEA, not EPA.

One of the workers comes in, takes a folder from him, and leaves again.

JOSH
Leo said they're scaling back my portfolio, which is unmistakably euphemistic
for 'They're giving it to someone else.' [pause] This is the part where you
tell me 'It's not me.'

TOBY
Oh, this is the part?

JOSH
Yeah, I'm letting you off the hook.

TOBY
This is also the part with the hook?

The worker comes back in and hands Toby a folder.

WORKER
They're gathering in the Oval.

Before she can leave he looks at it and hands it back to her.

TOBY
This isn't it, either.

She turns back around, grabs the folder, and leaves.

JOSH
Think Leo's bringing somebody in?

TOBY
Probably. I would.

He turns to walk out of the office.

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

Donna is on the phone at her desk.

DONNA
Thanks. I'm sure he'll appreciate the support.

She hangs up the phone.

DONNA
Why don't the just send him a wreath?

We see Ryan walk in with a folder in his hand.

RYAN
I Googled Carrick and Lyman. Nothing new linking Josh to Carrick's move.

DONNA
Uh-huh.

RYAN
But I did find Carricka Lymanshauser's porn site. She's a Swiss
sensation. 2,000 hits so far today.

Donna gets up and walks off.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Toby, Josh, Leo, C.J., and Will are sitting on the couches in the Oval
Office. Bartlet is on the phone at his desk.

TOBY
Looks like Carrick's buddies are jumping on the Republican, budget-busting,
Milton Friedman-worshipping bandwagon.

WILL
The Blue Dogs are going to vote for new cap gains tax cuts?

TOBY
That's what Singer said.

LEO
How many are we talking about?

JOSH
Twenty-seven.

TOBY
With Singer, it's twenty-eight, enough to make it veto-proof in the House.

LEO
Remember back when Democrats used to vote with us?

TOBY
If we can turn Singer, five or six other Dems will follow.

LEO
Let's get him over here today.

Bartlet hangs up the phone and comes over to join the Senior Staff.

BARTLET
I do enjoy Governor Wade. Minus her little love affair with handguns and
tort reform.

LEO
[to Will] Is the Vice President ready to go?

WILL
Advance has greeters and transportation's secure. The 89th Air Wing's in
place for wheels-up tomorrow morning.

TOBY
All it takes is one ambulance held up by the VP's motorcade, and we'll have
a three-day story.

WILL
It's taken care of. Anyway, a site visit shouldn't be about politics; it
should be about hope. And photo ops.

TOBY
Photo ops are hope.

C.J. pinches Toby's arm.

BARTLET
Claudia Jean, did you just pinch Toby?

C.J.
Yes, sir. It was a... [clears throat] ...professional dispute.

BARTLET
What about?

LEO
She thinks you should go.

BARTLET
Really?

C.J.
Yes, sir. We need this Presidential moment. Let's not give it away to
Russell. I think you should go, not because of how it looks, because of what
it is. But... I seem to be the only one.

BARTLET
Then you can sit next to me on the plane.

WILL
The Vice President...

BARTLET
...can take my place at the National PTA Luncheon. If he can figure out why
I was going in the first place, he's a better man than I am.

Nancy knocks and walks in from the outer office.

NANCY
Mr. President. Secretary Berryhill is ready for you in the Cabinet Room.

BARTLET
Thank you.

LEO
We have briefings and prep tomorrow for the Chancellor's visit.

Bartlet stands and everyone else does too.

BARTLET
Steel tariffs and unemployment. How could I forget? Say, you think he'll
mention the rise in German unemployment might be tied to our bombing the
Qumari pipeline?

C.J.
We can make the trip in six hours.

BARTLET
Let's do it. People need to know I care about more than just my own family. And
since you folks are all quiet, I know I'm right.

He and Leo begin to leave while the rest stay standing.

LEO
Have him back in five hours, C.J.

The rest of the Senior Staff begins to leave the Oval Office.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: EXT. - OKLAHOMA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
                TUESDAY MORNING

We see several fire trucks and emergency workers. There is a lot of destruction
from the tornado. We hear sirens in the background. We pan up to see the
Presidential Motorcade driving down the street.

                10:44 AM CST
                (2 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

The motorcade stops.

We see the FEMA director and Governor Wade walking up to the
motorcade. President Bartlet gets out, walks over, and shakes the Governor's
hand.

BARTLET
Good morning, Governor Wade.

GOVERNOR WADE
Good morning.

BARTLET
I'm sorry about the circumstances. Where are we?

They begin walking amid the destruction as they continue talking.

WADE
The tornado ripped the railroad tracks right out of the ground. You ask me,
there's nothing scarier that eight-foot railroad ties flying around.

FEMA DIRECTOR DANIEL RUBIN
16 of the dead are from the trailer park. Over a hundred mobile homes
destroyed.

WADE
Of course; it's always the ones with the least who are hardest hit. These
people are already pinching their pennies; what with the gas tax and the
death tax.

BARTLET
Here we go. What's the median income?

RUBIN
Thirty-one thousand.

WADE
Was. The Safeway distribution center was right over there.

We pan across to see that there is now nothing but rubble where Wade pointed.

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

Toby is at his desk reading something. Josh is standing in front of the
desk. The worker from before comes in and sets a pile of folders and papers.

TOBY
What website is this?

JOSH
The MSNBC.com. Kamen called. Heard Leo's already talking to people.

Josh shuts the door after the worker leaves.

TOBY
How do they get this stuff - tap Leo's phone? I guess David Glasser's a
possibility, so is Ned Wallace.

JOSH
I'm not working with some K2-climbing-Rhodes-scholar with a goatee.

TOBY
He complimented my shoes at the Correspondent's Dinner.

JOSH
That's how he sucks you in. Angela Blake, she's such a self-promoting
holier-than everybody...

TOBY
She's not going to give up her corner office with a view of the Park. She
works at Steerson and Wallace with David Glasser.

JOSH
So she's recommending him. They say Mason Fuller's been "in constant contact"
with Leo.

TOBY
He's selling his boat.

JOSH
How do you know?

TOBY
He tried to sell it to me, too.

JOSH
You don't have time for a boat.

TOBY
I know, but the 15 minutes I spent imagining what I'd name it were perhaps
the happiest 15 minutes of my life.

REPORTER [on TV]
The sun rose bleakly...

CUT TO: EXT. - OKLAHOMA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
                11:03 AM CST
                (16 MIN. AHEAD OF SCHEDULE)

Bartlet, along with his entourage, is still walking and surveying the damage.

REPORTER [VO]
...over the town of Maysville this morning, revealing millions of dollars
of damage wreaked by the tornado...

BARTLET
So, how much warning did they have?

RUBIN
The Doppler Radar System was designed to provide at least fifteen minutes.

WADE
Unfortunately, the Doppler Radar System...

BARTLET
The system was the first thing hit?

WADE
Yeah.

We see the ruins of a church building as the group continues walking.

RUBIN
They had just started building a new church. Raised most of the money
themselves.

WADE
That's a lot of bake sales and car washes.

RUBIN
A lot of the congregation is still missing.

CHARLIE
We have about a half hour, sir.

BARTLET
Where are all the people?

RUBIN
I'm sorry, sir?

BARTLET
From the town; where are they?

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER AREA - DAY

11:23 AM CST (ON SCHEDULE

We can hear a various assortment of sounds: people talking, babies crying,
phones ringing, etc. Bartlet is walking around.

BARTLET
Hi. I'm Jed Bartlet...

C.J. speaks to the woman beside her, probably someone from Advance.

C.J.
Find something, anything - vans, pickup trucks. We have to get the press here.

WOMAN
No one told us he'd be traveling to another site. [to Charlie] Get him
through here quickly, Charlie. We have to be back by three.

CHARLIE
Yeah.

C.J. opens her phone and dials a number.

C.J.
Page Leo McGarrry, call holding with C.J. Cregg. [to woman] Tricycles,
rickshaws, piggyback rides...

LEO [VO]
How's he doing?

C.J.
Great. Uh, listen. I wanted to give you a heads-up. He made an impromptu
stop at a Red Cross shelter. Colonel Gantry says he can make it up in flight.

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

Sitting at his desk, Leo is on the phone.

LEO
State's Germany briefing is at three. Keep me posted.

He hangs up the phone.

We pan around to see that CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS GENERAL ALEXANDER,
Secretary Hutchinson, and their respective staffs are sitting in front of
Leo's desk.

LEO
Sorry, where were we? Mr. Secretary?

HUTCHINSON
11 billion is a waste. I defer to the General, but in my opinion, we need
to concentrate on precision-based munitions.

GENERAL ALEXANDER
Paying for a state-of-the-art howitzer is a bit like paying for a
state-of-the-art bow and arrow. We should kill it.

LEO
Fine. What else?

ALEXANDER
The Hellenic Navy forcibly removed six Albanian soldiers from the Isle of
Croxys this morning.

LEO
Where's that?

ALEXANDER
Ionian Sea. The Greeks believe they own the property. They've raised a flag.

LEO
Good for them. Thanks, everybody.

They all stand and Hutchinson and his staff leave the room.

ALEXANDER
Leo, do you have a minute?

LEO
Of course, General. Thanks, Miles. Keep me posted. How's life in the E-Ring?

The two of them sit in the chairs in front of Leo's desk.

ALEXANDER
Still moving in, you know, lot of boxes.

LEO
We're delighted to have you take over as Chairman.

ALEXANDER
Admiral Fitzwallace is a hard act to follow.

LEO
You'll do great. What's on your mind?

ALEXANDER
I realize this administration wants to move in a new direction; that's why
you brought me in here.

LEO
But.

ALEXANDER
But when you politicize the advancement in the General Officer Corps, you
compromise the integrity of the advice you get from my officers.

We hear a knock on the door. Margaret walks in.

MARGARET
Congressman Singer is in the Roosevelt Room, and Senator Triplehorn in
on three.

She leaves. Leo and Alexander stand up.

LEO
General, I'm not quite sure what you're talking about.

ALEXANDER
The Secretary of Defense has requested interview with all Army generals in
line for a third or fourth star.

LEO
All of them?

ALEXANDER
[nodding his head] 150, sir.

LEO
We don't screen generals.

ALEXANDER
Then, I'd suggest you tell that to Secretary Hutchinson.

RYAN [prelap]
So, Carrick was a mole for the right?

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

JOSH
Yeah.

RYAN
We should meet with his contributors, get them to sue, try and get their
money back.

JOSH
A lawsuit?

RYAN
Hey, you can sue McDonalds for being fat.

They walk through the door and we see Leo walking toward them.

JOSH
Leo...

LEO
Hey, I was just coming to find you.

JOSH
I think we can outflank Haffley on cap gains if we stick to stimulus.

LEO
Yeah... [to Ryan] Can you give us a second.

Ryan walks off as Leo and Josh walk a little ways.

LEO
I just got off with Triplehorn. The Democrats on the Hill want you to sit
this one out.

JOSH
The meeting with Singer?

LEO
We need a fresh start.

JOSH
He knows I'm supposed to be there. It's going to look like your benching me.

LEO
Toby's up to speed on the cap gain numbers. I asked him to sit in.

JOSH
Only on this meeting, or...?

Leo nods his head.

JOSH
The budget negotiations?

LEO
We need the Democratic Leadership off our backs. I'll have Toby find you after.

Leo walks off, leaving Josh standing in the hall.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

CONGRESSMAN SINGER is sitting at the table. Toby is sitting across from
him. There is another man sitting next to Singer. Singer hands Toby something
as Leo walks in and sits down.

SINGER
Honestly, the whole first year, I couldn't tell my twins apart.

TOBY
Mine are a boy and a girl. I'm thinking of having them tattooed.

SINGER
Hmm. [to Leo] No Josh, huh?

LEO
He wanted to convey his apologies for having to miss this meeting. So,
Congressman, we wanted to talk to you about...

SINGER
I'm not going to vote against the tax cut, Leo. Neither are any of my
other guys.

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER AREA - DAY
                12:38 PM
                (38 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

Bartlet is sitting across from an old man and they are talking to each other.

MAN
Well, we were in the car together, and the-the noise was so loud, it-it
sounded like a freight train. I just don't know what I'm going to do without
her. I don't even know what to feed the damned cat.

Bartlet looks at the man sympathetically. We can hear C.J. on the phone.

C.J.
Uh-huh, I don't know how many times I can say I'm sorry. I'm happy to do
it again.

She sighs as she hangs up the phone and talks to Charlie.

C.J.
That was the Bureau Chief from the Times. He wanted to know why his reporter
had to walk three miles through a wheat field. The President promised me
two minutes a person. What number is he on?

CHARLIE
Three.

We hear various noises as C.J. walks away.

CUT TO: INT. - WHITE HOUSE HALLWAY - DAY

Toby and Leo are walking and talking through the hall. They walk and end up
in Leo's office.

TOBY
It's Republican propaganda. We do this cap gains tax cut, we're congratulating
the wealthy for selling off their Renoirs. I don't know, should we maybe be
thinking about unemployment insurance?

LEO
The Blue Dogs think this will make us look pro small-business.

TOBY
The GDP increase is a couple hundredths of one percent.

LEO
Yeah.

They walk into Leo's office.

TOBY
If Haffley links the tax cut to the stimulus package, he's going to steamroll
us straight through November!

We see that ANGELA BLAKE is standing in the doorway.

BLAKE
November? How about until you turn out the lights?

LEO
How was the flight?

BLAKE
Why is it you can't just "hop a plane" from La Guardia?

LEO
Toby, you know Angela Blake.

They shake hands.

BLAKE
I'm his biggest fan.

Blake sits down in one of the sofa chairs by the wall.

LEO
You got briefed. Start talking.

BLAKE
I think we can pin Haffley on the long-term market impact of the cap gains tax
cut. He's got at least twenty Wall Street Republicans in his conference. Upward
pressures of interest rates, asset sell-offs, a decline in stock prices. And
that's before we even get to the deficit.

LEO
Toby?

He nods in semi-confirmation.

BLAKE
You have to get Singer in with the President tonight.

LEO
Margaret!

TOBY
I'll do it.

He walks over to the phone as Leo sits on the couch.

TOBY
[into phone] C.J. Cregg, please.

BLAKE
We put him in a room with Singer, and as many of the Blue Dogs as we can
round up.

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER AREA - CONTINUOUS
                2:44 PM CST
                (1 HR. 59 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

C.J. is talking to Toby on the phone.

TOBY [VO]
Are you on Air Force One?

C.J.
Not so much.

TOBY [VO]
You're still on the ground?

C.J.
That's an affirmative.

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

Toby sighs as he holds out the phone for Leo. Leo walks over and takes
the phone.

LEO
Put him on.

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER AREA - CONTINUOUS

We see C.J. walk up to Bartlet and hand him the phone. He is autographing
a little girl's teddy bear.

C.J.
It's Leo.

BARTLET
Thank you. There you go. [into phone] Leo, we're doing good work.

LEO [VO]
I'm sure you are.

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

LEO
You're State Department briefing for the Chancellor's visit is in an hour
and I need you to sit with Singer...

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER AREA - CONTINUOUS

LEO [VO]
...about cap gains tonight.

BARTLET
Have Russell do it. There's a memorial service here in the morning.

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

LEO
You're meeting with Chancellor Weisman in the morning.

CUT TO: INT. - RED CROSS SHELTER - CONTINUOUS

LEO [VO]
Sir, I...

Barltet snaps the phone shut and hands it to C.J.

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

Leo hangs up the phone and turns back to the others.

BLAKE
What?

LEO
I think the President just went AWOL.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA - NIGHT
                TUESDAY 5:30 PM

We see Donna walking. She grabs something off her desk and walks into Josh's
office. He is sitting at a chair in front of his desk.

DONNA
You need to get going.

JOSH
[pause] What?

DONNA
Your dinner. You're going to be late.

JOSH
Right. Any calls?

DONNA
No.

JOSH
Really?

He starts putting on his coat.

DONNA
Yeah.

JOSH
Come on.

DONNA
Nothing.

JOSH
Who?

DONNA
Your mother.

Josh sighs as he begins walking out of the room.

JOSH
Uh, do you have the G-8 memo for Leo?

Donna hands him a folder. He walks away. We see Donna standing in front of
his office as Ryan walks by her.

DONNA
What are you doing tonight?

RYAN
Um, Wizards-Knicks, courtside.

DONNA
No.

RYAN
No... No?

We see her staring at the door that Josh went out of.

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

We see Toby walk out of Leo's office. He shuts the door behind him. As he
walks out of Margaret's office, he sees Josh walking toward Leo's office.

TOBY
Where you going?

JOSH
Uh, dinner with Wilcox.

TOBY
I'll walk you.

JOSH
I got to drop something off for Leo.

TOBY
I'm going to see him later; I'll take it.

Josh turns around and hands Toby the folder. They begin walking down the
hallway, talking as they go.

JOSH
This is the President's G-8 itinerary. I spent the afternoon with Scheduling
and Advance. Anything I can do to help with Singer.

TOBY
Yeah. Sure.

JOSH
We started the cap gains tax cut debate last spring. I have the Treasury
analysis...

TOBY
Uh-huh.

JOSH
... talking points, CBO numbers.

TOBY
Okay.

JOSH
I can c... I... [quieter] I can count on one hand the people I trust right now.

Toby nods at him and Josh leaves.

REPORTER [prelap]
I walked seven miles from the church.

CUT TO: INT. - SHELTER AREA - NIGHT
                6:22 PM CST
                6 HRS. 47 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

C.J. is talking to a reporter, later identified as Louis.

C.J.
You did not.

LOUIS
There are only five modems at the filing center. We're up against deadlines.

C.J.
I'll talk to Advance.

LOUIS
There's a rumor that you did this on purpose. You "spontaneously" changed
the schedule so he'd seem compassionate.

C.J.
Louis, if I did this on purpose, don't you think I'd "spontaneously" make
sure I had a change of clothes and a toothbrush?

C.J. turns to walk away and Louis leaves. Charlie is waiting behind her.

CHARLIE
C.J.?

C.J.
I promised this wouldn't happen.

CHARLIE
Advance is already working on rooms for the press, transportation. It'll
be fine.

C.J.
I promised Leo.

CHARLIE
The Harvey's asked him to spend the night at their place.

C.J.
Who are the Harvey's?

CHARLIE
Mr. Harvey lost his hardware store.

C.J.
Here's hoping the Harvey's don't have any felons in their family.

CHARLIE
He was talking to the Secret Service about spending the night here.

C.J.
In the gym?

CHARLIE
They've got generators. They'll just set him up in one of the classrooms.

C.J.
I saw a "For Sale" sign down the street. Maybe he'd like to move in?

She walks off.

MARGARET
State moved the Chancellor back to 1:00...

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

Leo and Margaret are talking.

MARGARET
... but they can't go any later. He's got a speech is Augsburg Thursday
morning.

We see Toby walk in.

LEO
Call Hutchinson's office. We should meet early next week.

Margaret gets up and leaves.

TOBY
Something going on at DOD?

LEO
Hutchinson decided to put himself in charge of Army Human Resources. He's
interviewing generals.

TOBY
That would explain why Murabayashi is trying to get permission to go on
Meet the Press on Sunday.

LEO
Margaret!

Margaret comes back in from her office.

LEO
I need Hutchinson tomorrow.

She leaves again.

TOBY
Is Angela Blake taking over Legislative Affairs? I just stopped Josh from
wandering in here and finding his replacement sitting on your sofa.

LEO
She's not replacing him. He had too much on his plate.

TOBY
When were you planning on telling him?

LEO
In the morning.

TOBY
When were you planning on telling the rest of us?

LEO
I'm trying to get through the week. Angela was my number two in Labor. She'll
be up to speed in about five minutes. I know you want to do more.

TOBY
So he screwed up? So, what? We all have. Is this how it's gonna be?

We hear a knock at the door. Margaret walks back in and hands Leo a note.

MARGARET
The Vice President's here.

TOBY
Is she going to be in the budget negotiations?

LEO
She's going to lead them.

Toby looks stunned at the news.

CUT TO: INT. - RESTAURANT - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

We see many people at their tables in the dining room of a fancy restaurant. We
move around to see Josh sitting at a table by himself. A man, later called
Art, walks up and shakes his hand.

ART
Josh. Hey, how you doing?

JOSH
Art. Good to see you.

ART
Things going okay?

JOSH
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, great.

ART
Good. You want to join us while you're waiting?

JOSH
No, I-I just got here early.

ART
Well, glad to see you're doing all right.

JOSH
Yeah. Yeah. Doing great. It's good to see you, Art.

The man walks off. We see through the glass behind Josh that Ryan is sitting
at the bar, looking at Josh.

CUT TO: INT - RESTAURANT - LOBBY - NIGHT

A waiter answers a ringing phone. We see Ryan come to the doorway and
listen in.

WAITER
Morton's... Mr. Lyman is already seated.

CUT TO: INT. - RESTAURANT - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

We see Josh still waiting at his table. Ryan comes over and sits down next
to him.

RYAN
Obi-wan.

JOSH
Hey. [pause] Wilcox is running late.

RYAN
No. Sorry, he's not coming.

JOSH
Donna sent you? Just in case.

RYAN
What's good?

SINGER [prelap]
We have a languishing economy...

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - NIGHT

Leo and Russell are seated at the table. Singer and some of the other Blue
Dogs are seated across from them. Toby is standing next to Russell. At the
other end of the room we can see Will sitting in a chair.

SINGER [cont.]
... with a belly so full of social welfare programs that its dragging
the ground.

TOBY
Giving kickbacks to the wealthy isn't creating wealth. It's just giving
kickbacks to the wealthy.

Toby sits down next to Russell.

SINGER
You keep taxing capital 15%, you are encouraging people to stash their assets
under their mattresses. You cut the taxes, people will sell their investments.

LEO
Flooding the market.

TOBY
But that flood's only gonna wash up a hundred million. In terms of our
two-trillion dollar budget, that's like a rounding error in the OMB.

RUSSELL
Excuse me, Toby, if I may. You're right, Congressman. If we lower cap gains
taxes, we reward the small business owners who took a risk for the economy
and I'd be the first in line to pat 'em on the back, but the thing is,
the Speaker is trying to "propulgate" a tax bill onto and appropriations
package. We start allowing that, we're never going to get budgets passed.

Leo, Toby, and Will look confused at the VP's word choice.

SINGER
You're saying the administration would support a tax cut if it were separate
from the budget?

LEO
We're sure as hell not going to discuss it while it's attached to
appropriations.

Margaret walks in and hands Leo a note.

SINGER
Maybe we should just wait for the President to join us before we continue.

LEO
The President considers this vote a priority, Nate.

SINGER
I'd hate to be the next rung down on his to-do list.

Leo gets up and walks out into the hallway.

LEO
Excuse me.

CUT TO: INT. - HALLWAY - OUTSIDE OF ROOSEVELT ROOM - CONTINUOUS

General Alexander is waiting in the hall when Leo comes out. Margaret follows
Leo as he leaves the Roosevelt Room. He hands the note back to Margaret.

LEO
Find the President.

They begin walking. They go to Margaret's office where she hands Leo a folder
of some sort, and then they go into Leo's office.

LEO
The Albanians are declaring war?

ALEXANDER
Albania's Foreign Minister is calling the flag-raising on Croxys an act of war,
so the Greek President has ordered his navy to surround and defend the island.

LEO
You're kidding?

ALEXANDER
Now the Albanians are preparing to dispatch their fleet.

LEO
The Albanians have a fleet?

ALEXANDER
Some old torpedo boats and a few mine sweepers, yeah.

LEO
And what's the strategic importance of this? It's a rock, isn't it?

ALEXANDER
Primarily used for grazing goats.

Margaret walks in.

MARGARET
The President.

LEO
It's a rock, General, not a war. President Ismaili and President Gianakkos
can get in a room and be big boys.

They all leave as Leo picks up the phone.

LEO
Mr. President.

BARTLET [VO]
Where you able to move the Chancellor?

LEO
Only two hours. Singer and the Blue Dogs really need to talk to you. I
need you...

CUT TO: INT. - LOCAL SCHOOL - CLASSROOM - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS

Bartlet is on the phone in a classroom. A Secret Service Agent is also in
the room.

BARTLET
You know when you hear a tornado has uprooted a tree? I saw it.

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

Leo sits down at his desk.

BARTLET [VO]
60 feet of roots from a bur oak yanked right out of the ground. I talked to
this guy who flew B-29s in Korea...

CUT TO: INT. - LOCAL SCHOOL - CLASSROOM - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS

BARTLET
... and made it back without so much as a split lip. Yesterday his legs
were crushed...

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

BARTLET [VO]
.. by a chest of drawers while he was sleeping.

LEO
Yeah. We'll be happy to have you back, sir.

CUT TO: INT. - LOCAL SCHOOL - CLASSROOM - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS

BARTLET
I'll see you tomorrow, Leo.

He hangs up the phone and gets up from the desk he was sitting on. He walks
out into the hall and the Secret Service Agent follows him.

CUT TO: INT. - LOCAL SCHOOL - GYM - SHELTER AREA - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS
                10:12 PM CST
                (10 HRS. 27 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

The Secret Service Agent opens the door to the gym and Bartlet walks in. We
see several people asleep on cots. He walks a little farther and sees
several people sitting in front of a TV. He walks a little farther and into
the kitchen. He sees a lady in an apron who is washing the dishes. He walks
over to her.

BARTLET
Hi.

She turns around.

BARTLET
You need any help.

LADY
Um... No, thank you, sir. I-I'm almost done.

BARTLET
I'm pretty good with a scouring pad.

LADY
That'd just be embarrassing for both of us, Mr. President.

He laughs as she gets more dishes to put in the sink.

BARTLET
You're with the Red Cross?

LADY
I'm a volunteer and I drive a school bus for the district.

BARTLET
That must be very rewarding, getting to know all the children, watching
them grow.

She becomes teary-eyed.

LADY
I'm sorry. I lost four kids on my route yesterday. Yeah, first your just
glad it's not your kids. But you got to wonder...

We see C.J. walk in. She stops short and listens to the lady talking.

LADY
What kind of a god would do such a terrible thing? We go to church every
Sunday. We try to do the right thing. What kind of plan could this possibly be?

She goes back to washing the dishes, a bit upset. Bartlet walks over to the
sink, grabs a dish towel, and begins drying the dishes. We see C.J. walk
back out of the room.

CUT TO: EXT. - STREET - WASHINGTON - NIGHT

A cab is driving down the street. Josh and Ryan are inside.

RYAN
Why do you call the Democrats who usually vote with Republicans "Blue Dogs"?

JOSH
You didn't have to stay and eat dinner with me to keep me from looking
pathetic.

RYAN
I was hungry.

JOSH
[pause][to cab driver] Hey! Pull over, would you?

The driver does and Josh gets out. He looks out at something and begins
shouting. He is obviously upset.

JOSH
Hey! You want a piece of me! I'm right here! I'm standing right here! Come
on! Come on!

We pan around to see that he is looking at the Capitol building. We see
Ryan looking at him as though he is concerned. Josh turns around and begins
walking back to the cab.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. TOBY'S OFFICE - DAY
                WEDNESDAY MORNING
                6:30 AM

Toby is sitting at his desk reading. We pan around and see Angela Blake walk
into Toby's office.

BLAKE
You're in early. So, are we okay?

TOBY
Sure.

BLAKE
I thought you might still be mad about last year at the Kennedy School
Forum. Those kids'll laugh at anything. I know, cause I'm not funny.

TOBY
Not really, no.

BLAKE
So, what time's Senior Staff?

TOBY
7:30.

BLAKE
I'll see you there.

She leaves. As she does, the worker comes into the office.

WORKER
Donna called. He's just now coming in the Northwest Gate.

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

Josh and Donna are walking along. Josh has a headache and Donna gives him
some pain pills for it.

JOSH
Toby in yet?

DONNA
Eat white food.

JOSH
I'm okay.

DONNA
Like cottage cheese.

JOSH
I'm okay. It's just a headache.

DONNA
Obviously you're not okay, or you wouldn't be screaming at a building at
1:00 in the morning.

JOSH
Hey, I was just going to come looking for you. How'd it go?

We see that Toby has come through the doors and is walking toward Josh.

TOBY
What?

JOSH
Last night.

They walk into Josh's office. Donna goes to her cubicle. We hear Josh
semi-yell from his office.

JOSH
Angela Blake?!

We see Toby shut the door to Josh's office.

LEO [prelap]
I don't mind he walked into a propeller...

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

Leo and Will are walking through the hallway.

LEO [con.]
... although I'm pretty sure there's no such word as "propulgate". Maybe he
meant "propagate", or "promulgate".

WILL
You put the Vice President into a room with a guy who was winding up to
take a swing at the President. He stepped in and took the shot, but he's
not happy about it. You need to talk to him.

Margaret walks up to them.

MARGARET
Leo. There's a... situation.

LEO
You're gonna be good at this job.

Will walks off. Leo and Margaret head toward his office.

MARGARET
The Secretary of State called twice. He's heard there's a scheduling problem
with the President getting back in time for the Chancellor. And he wanted
to remind you, in the most emphatic terms...

LEO
He said that? "Emphatic terms"?

MARGARET
... that the Chancellor only accepted our invitation to come to Washington...

She reads from a pad of paper in her hands.

MARGARET
... after numerous overtures and two months of painstaking negotiations.

They reach Leo's door.

LEO
Really? Thank him, for me, would you? I'd almost forgotten the 200 calls I
had to make to Berlin.

Leo opens his door and walks into his office. He sees General Alexander
waiting on him.

LEO
Oh, dear God, not the goats again. Margaret!

ALEXANDER
Ismaili refuses to discuss a peaceful resolution to the Croxys dispute.

Margaret has come in to Leo's office through her office.

LEO
Let Josh know I need to see him before Senior Staff.

ALEXANDER
Ismaili wants President Bartlet to broker a deal.

LEO
What do they want; shared custody of the goats? President Bartlet isn't a
marriage counselor, or a shepherd, for that matter.

ALEXANDER
Yeah, but we're trying to avoid a missile launch from one of the nine warships
floating around in the Ionian Sea.

LEO
Margaret!

Margaret comes in.

LEO
Find C.J.

MARGARET
Again?

She walks out back into her office. Alexander goes with her.

LEO
I should have never gotten out of bed this morning.

WOMAN [prelap]
The President could...

CUT TO: EXT. - OKLAHOMA - DAY
                7:58 AM CST
                (20 HRS. 13 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

C.J. is talking to the same Advance woman from earlier. They are discussing
the memorial service that is about to take place.

WOMAN
... light the peace candle during the prayer.

C.J.
Any chance he could lead the prayer? He's not so good with matches.

WOMAN
The Governor could take the benediction instead and the opening greeting.

C.J.
Fine.

WOMAN
Fine. Governor Wade will arrive and be escorted to her row, and then the
President will enter...

C.J.
The President has to enter first.

WOMAN
People want to see the Governor first. She's a familiar, comforting face
to Oklahomans.

C.J.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here...

Her phone begins to ring. She grabs it and opens it.

C.J.
... and say the President has a recognizable face. Excuse me. [into phone]
Yeah.

The woman walks off.

LEO [VO]
I'm dying here. What time are you back?

C.J.
The memorial service is schedule to start around 10:00.

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

Leo is talking on the speakerphone.

LEO
10:00?

C.J. [VO]
It was supposed to start earlier but some of the family members are driving
in from other...

He picks up the phone.

LEO
What the hell am I supposed to tell the Germans?

CUT TO: EXT. - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
How about you don't charge 'em for the headphones and give 'em some extra
peanuts?

LEO [VO]
Was that supposed to be funny?

C.J.
What do you want from me, Leo?

LEO [VO]
I've got a cap gains tax cut...

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

LEO [cont.]
... tacked onto an appropriations bill, two Bronze Age civilizations
threatening to blow each other up over some goats...

CUT TO: EXT. - OKLAHOMA - CONTINUOUS

LEO [VO] [cont.]
... and a major ally that's going to be in the lobby leafing through dog-eared
copies of Congressional Quarterly while the President is singing "Kumbaya".

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

LEO [cont.]
I want the President back here now, C.J. This was your idea, fix it.

He hangs up the phone. Josh knocks on the door and comes into his office.

JOSH
You wanted to see me?

LEO
Yeah. Come on in.

JOSH
I don't know where we're at on capital gains, but I was thinking about this
Boeing stuff. If we flip...

LEO
Josh.

JOSH
Haffley'd amputate his own leg before...

Leo holds up his finger and almost yells.

LEO
You got to stop, Josh!

JOSH
When were you going to tell me about Angela Blake?

LEO
Right now.

JOSH
She's a fund-raiser, Leo. She doesn't know the Hill.

LEO
Damn it, Josh! You tried to humiliate Carrick in his own state, which is
bad enough, but you failed to the tune of a party switch. You think it ends
with the Leadership? You can't believe the calls I'm getting from the DNC
membership. State party chairs. No one wants you here. [pause] We're going
to be late for Senior Staff.

CUT TO: EXT. - OKLAHOMA - DAY

C.J. is walking along. She walks over to a building and talks to Charlie,
who is standing there.

C.J.
He in there?

CHARLIE
Working on his remarks.

She walks into the building. The President is seated and is writing.

C.J.
Excuse me, Mr. President.

BARTLET
I'm trying to remember a quote from Isaiah. I should just call Toby. Everything
working out for the memorial?

C.J.
We're still haggling over who arrives first; you or the Governor.

BARTLET
We're the guest here. Whatever she wants is fine.

C.J.
No, sir. You need to walk in first.

BARTLET
If Wade is going to get all hot and bothered...

C.J.
I need you to walk in first. I need you to know that you walk in first. [pause]
I'm sorry, sir. We need to go back to Washington.

BARTLET
We'll leave after the service.

C.J.
No, sir. We need to go back now. I told Leo we'd only be here a few hours. He
needs you to meet with Singer and the Blue Dogs. The Chancellor is waiting,
and there's something about a war between ancient civilizations.

BARTLET
These people need me.

C.J.
No, sir, they don't. Maybe they did yesterday, but now they need their town
back. They need their police officers working, not clearing intersections
for your motorcade. They need the 50 motel rooms we took last night for
people who lost their homes. And they need you back in Washington running
the country, and creating the jobs that are going to help to pay the taxes
to help support disaster relief and rebuilding. What are we doing here, sir?

She turns and walks out of the building.

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

Leo is seated at his desk. Margaret knocks on the door and comes in.

MARGARET
Secretary Hutchinson is here.

LEO
Yeah.

Hutchinson walks in and Leo indicates for him to sit down.

LEO
Any idea why General McLain might be flying in from Oslo next week?

HUTCHINSON
Look, Leo, I know Alexander's not happy about this.

LEO
There's a command structure. We have procedures.

HUTCHINSON
I am trying to transform a military establishment that hates change. It's a
new world. We're facing a new enemy. We need new thinking. Speed, flexibility,
rapid deployment...

Margaret comes in from her office.

MARGARET
Air Force One; wheels-up ten minutes ago.

LEO
Thank God.

Margaret leaves.

LEO
We agree we need to modernize. But we also have to have unbiased military
advise, so I'm gonna need you to stop undermining Alexander and cancel these
interviews. You start handing out the stars, Miles, those general aren't
going to tell you anything you don't want to hear.

CUT TO: INT. - AIR FORCE ONE - DAY
                9:38 AM CST - WHEELS UP
                (21 HRS. 38 MIN. BEHIND SCHEDULE)

We see C.J. walking down the aisle of Air Force One.

CUT TO: INT. - PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE - AIR FORCE ONE - DAY

We hear a knock on the door as we also see Bartlet, at his desk, sign a paper
and hand it to Charlie. Charlie then walks over and opens the door. We see
C.J. standing there.

C.J.
You wanted to see me?

BARTLET
Give us a minute, will ya, Charlie?

C.J. walks in as Charlie walks out. C.J. sits down across from Bartlet's desk.

BARTLET
Are we having a problem?

C.J.
No.

BARTLET
I feel as if I did more good in the last 24 hours than in the last six months.

C.J.
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
You resent me taking a few extra hours to console grieving people?

She clears her throat but does not answer.

BARTLET
I'm asking you a direct question, C.J.

C.J.
Honestly, sir? I resent you ignoring the responsibilities of your office. If
you want to reach out and touch people, teach math at East Saint Louis after
your term expires.

BARTLET
So you think my staying longer was some sort of personal indulgence?

C.J.
I think it's been a difficult time for you sir. For all of us.

BARTLET
What's this really about, C.J.?

C.J.
I understand there was no time, sir. I can't imagine what it was like. I
don't have children.

BARTLET
It's like I knew who I was, then woke up one morning and didn't have a clue.

C.J.
I understand, sir. But I need more. You're the President of the United
States. My President. I'm frightened. We're all frightened. This is... the
world is too dangerous now. Unpredictable. I need you back. I need you to
lead. [pause] Is there anything else, Mr. President?

He shakes his head and she gets up and leaves.

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

Josh in on the phone. We see Toby walk up and stand in the door.

TOBY

Jeanine.

JOSH
What?

He comes into the office.

TOBY
It's the name of my boat. Jeanine.

Josh hangs up the phone.

JOSH
Who's Jeanine?

Toby laughs.

TOBY
You want to grab some lunch?

JOSH
No. Thanks.

Toby leaves. Donna comes to the door with a filebox in her hand.

DONNA
You need anything?

JOSH
On my home machine I have 52 "Hang in There" messages; one from a headhunter
wanting to know if I'm interested in moving into the private sector.

Donna comes in and sets the filebox down on Josh's desk.

DONNA
Are you?

JOSH
What's that?

DONNA
It's my "What a Shame" folder. All the stuff we never have time for. The stuff
we thought we'd fix when we got here, but we never did. Foreign adoption
policy. Hybrid energy partnerships. Extending the roadless conservation
plan. Okay this one's not a shame, I just didn't want to deal with it. Funding
special education for kids with disabilities. Ammunition control. What's a
gun without bullets?

CUT TO: INT. - AIR FORCE ONE - DAY

C.J. is in her seat looking out the window. We can still hear Donna offscreen.

DONNA
A 21st Century Teachers Corps. We've got all those baby boomer teachers
retiring. Mentor programming...

CUT TO: INT. - PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE - AIR FORCE ONE - DAY

We see Bartlet set his glasses down on the desk and look out the window.

We cut to an ext. shot of Air Force One flying through the air before we...

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

The West Wing episode 5.06 "Disaster Relief", original air date 5 November,
2003.

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