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Episode Summary:

Vice President Russell (Gary Cole) is the first to give his speech at the Iowa Corn Growers’ Expo. Matthew Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda) follow and the differences in these candidates become very clear. Josh (Bradley Whitford) struggles to understand how he can possibly guide Santos in this race.

Script:

Previously on The West Wing: Ever see Arnie Vinick campaign? He’ll go into high school gymnasiums in Iowa and blow them all away.
I let Russell seduce me with mindless perks like a salary and political support.
What make-work job do they have you doing over there? Media targeting for the Northeast and Pacific Northwest.
You care who’ll be in that chair after Bartlet.
I do.
That’s why I don’t want Russell to be president.
I’m gonna give big speeches.
I’m gonna push limits.
And that’s the campaign you get to run.
– You gonna need me in the morning? – I’ll call Mindy if I do.
Okay.
Thanks.
Hey, anything for 412? – Mr.
Bailey’s still in the cafe.
– Thanks.
– Good night.
– Five forty-five wake-up call? Yeah.
Or you can have someone come to my room and hit me over the head with a mallet or something.
– You got a name for the hog roast yet? – “Pig out with Bob”? – Hey.
How was South Carolina? – Southern.
How’d the donor conferences go? Heard a hundred ideas about how Democrats can take back the South and scooped up the checks.
– Don’t be a tease.
– Half a million.
– When’s the VP coming? – Air Force Two is wheels-down at 9:30.
– Where do you want me? – We need to pack the debate stage – with fringe candidates.
– Here you go.
We’ve got two recently released federal inmates an airline mechanic, two men over the age of 80 – a comedian, a nun.
– Don’t forget Jennifer James.
– One guy’s entire platform – She’s a porn star.
is a tax cut for anyone who adopts and neuters a pet.
Why do we want them, aside from the neutering thing? Hoynes was hoping to be alone on-stage with the VP.
The more wackos around him, the more Hoynes looks like a clown.
Okay.
Morning staff at 6:30.
– Wonderful work.
– Good job, Donna.
– How was it? – Good.
– Pool in Charleston was nice.
– You had time to swim? No, but it looked nice.
We really gonna call them Bob’s Boulders? They keep signing checks, I don’t care if they’re the Flying Wallendas.
Half a million.
Not bad for two days of rolling with the Boulders.
Good night.
– Can you hold the elevator? – Sorry, I.
If we can’t afford at least we gotta find another way.
Stuart, will you call me back in five? Thanks.
– I’m sorry, I couldn’t find the button.
– Right.
Will you hit four? – Just get back? – Yeah.
South Carolina.
– How’s it going with you guys there? – We’re closing in on Hoynes.
You? We’re focusing on New Hampshire right now.
So where did you stay in South Carolina? Marriott.
Charleston.
They got that nice-looking pool.
So – good night.
– Yeah.
See you.
You’re doing it too fast.
I get I get frequent-flier miles every time I swipe.
So much for the Bermuda trip.
– Yeah? – Good morning.
This is your 5:45 a.
m.
wake-up call.
Carly Farkula, a 22-year-old Turkish woman who was sexually involved with a coworker was convicted of adultery this morning.
She’s been sentenced to death for her crime.
The conviction of the young woman comes at a precarious time for Turkey who has until recently enacted reforms aimed at preparing the country for European Union membership.
However, EU officials say the execution of Miss Farkula would be a major obstacle to Turkey’s future inclusion in the EU.
Bartlet administration officials stressed that while saddened by Turkey’s decision to allow the execution to go forward the United States remains committed to strengthening ties with Turkey.
American Legion pancake breakfast followed by remarks at the opening of the new office in Des Moines.
– It’ll be 5 degrees.
– Bus ride to Centerville then to the Iowa Corn Growers’ speech.
– Where are we on ethanol? – VP loves it.
– Showers in it.
– Comment on Turkey? – What’s the president saying? – Saddened – committed to strengthening ties.
– Saddened? They’re gonna behead her.
– Who’s got the wonderful world of corn? – That’d be me.
Iowa Corn Growers Expo is non-partisan sponsored by the Iowa Farm League.
The expo offers an excellent opportunity to address farmers, corn growers, crop consultants and seed-corn reps on a variety of issues, including the economy, farm subsidies, trade biotechnology, ethanol and alternative fuel.
– We’re sure Hoynes will flip? – Believe me.
Hoynes is taking the pledge.
This guy, if speaking to cannibals, will promise them missionaries.
Think we’ll be able to find corn? Corn fritters, corn pudding, corn flamb�, corn souffl�, Creole corn country-fried corn, peanut butter corn cakes and huitlacoche.
It’s a sweet-corn fungus.
They give it to pigs in the States.
It’s a delicacy in South America.
No need to stop for lunch.
Everybody fill up on corn smut at the Jefferson Cow Barn.
Five days till the caucuses nineteen days to New Hampshire.
Donna, Christine.
You two heading out on your beyond-the-fringe world tour? First stop, Peter Burton.
He wants the military in schools to prevent violence.
One Abrams tank seems like a worthwhile truancy deterrent.
A 120 mm cannon would blow the wheels off any tardy sixth grader’s bike.
Tough on cafeteria linoleum.
When you swing by the expo, Bob will thank you for looking at that pool.
Skip this one.
He went to federal prison for refusing to pay income tax.
Ever been to one of these caucuses, Trevor? My grandmother runs one down at her church every four years.
You don’t think it’s weird your state gets to go first? – We always go first.
– Yeah, and why is that? – Iowa’s first because it’s first.
– Says who? We should check this Craig out.
You don’t think Californians should meet candidates? We’re not a bunch of politically spoiled farmhands.
We take the responsibility of screening presidential candidates seriously.
Guy wins Iowa, it means he’s learned to speak about soybeans and farm implements.
Here we are.
This is the Burtons’ here.
Maybe we should’ve called first.
– Good flight in? – Yeah, slept.
– First stop’s a pancake breakfast.
– Love pancakes.
The Sun-Times wants a statement on farm subsidies.
The family farm is the backbone of America.
They were looking for something substantial.
What do they expect, I’ll be against farm subsidies in Iowa? – Oppose manhole covers in Manhattan? – We’ll give them boilerplate.
It’s a tragedy about the woman in Turkey.
– We issue a statement? – You deplore it.
– Good to know.
– You support Bartlet’s efforts to strengthen ties with an important regional ally.
This morning’s finance report, – Ought to buy a few lawn signs.
– And lawns.
Got a minute for donors? Irwin Drucker’s wife, Eileen.
Have a daughter Susan at LSU.
Peter Mosby, he’s in insurance.
Sorry, I got stuck in the pack at the White House.
Irwin, Eileen.
How’s your daughter Susan doing at LSU? Mr.
Edgars, your platform would allow all citizens to carry a concealed weapon? Not allow.
Require.
And you don’t think that might lead to.
Well, anarchy? What we got now is anarchy.
An armed citizenry will take back our cities, our parks, our schools and our highways.
You try those pepper sausages? Damn, those things were hot.
Somebody get me a quart of milk and a bucket of sand.
Paul Durett and his wife, Mimi.
Sam Skok and his son, David.
Hey.
I’m gonna step back, take my coat off.
I’ll be right back.
Roger, make sure everybody’s got something to drink.
– You look at the ethanol speech? – Seems fine.
Who else is speaking? Hoynes before you.
Clarkson and Santos after you.
Republicans tonight.
You think Arnie’s gonna say ethanol’s a colossal waste of the taxpayers’ money? – Thanks, Shelley.
– Vinick will flip.
Has to.
I was in the Senate the last time he made his anti-ethanol speech.
Had it been a tie, I’m not sure what I would’ve done.
Voted aye if you wanted to run for office again.
I think ethanol passed something like 82-18.
I’m surprised there were 18 senators with no presidential ambitions.
You think he can wriggle out from under his record? He’ll wiggle, he’ll squirm.
He’ll say it wasn’t good for California.
He knows it’s good for the country.
He’ll pull a muscle reaching around him to pick up that one.
The majority whip is positioning on Third Circuit nominees again.
Yeah.
Vinick’s not wrong about ethanol.
Takes more oil to transport it and fertilize it than we save using it.
Sir, you’re not changing the speech.
– Was it Paul and Mandy? – Paul and Mimi.
Son David.
Mr.
Johnson, your platform would include paying the president the Cabinet and members of Congress a salary of $ 1 a year? Hell, yeah.
Make them get a real job.
And you wanna ban motorcycle helmets, color television, drop out of the U.
N abolish Medicare and privatize Social Security? We gotta get the government out of our damn pockets.
Sir, are you sure you’re a Democrat? We’re gonna need time after the trip for a debate prep.
– The Black and Brown’s coming up.
– Do I really have to go? – It’s an Iowa tradition.
– And a fair fight.
Atkins and Santos get to stand up there rail against racial injustice, while the rest of us loiter looking like those albino twins from The Matrix.
Donna Moss is here.
South Carolina fundraising.
Great job on Carolina.
Keep those Boulders rolling.
Thank you, sir.
We can’t put these fringe candidates on-stage with serious candidates.
We’ve got a Fascist arrested for brandishing a rifle calling for the republic’s overthrow.
A delusional preacher, a guy who just needs a job and a refugee from the New Christian Minstrels.
A freight train derailed in Baton Rouge.
Big chemical spill and fire.
They’ll have to evacuate a 20-square-mile area.
– Any fatalities? – Leveled a couple of city blocks.
They’re ready for you, sir.
– We’re set on this ethanol speech? – Don’t worry, I’m not suicidal.
I’m gonna take the pledge.
Ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the United States.
I might throw in something about drastically reducing sugar subsidies, though.
We can’t give these fringe people a megaphone.
They’re lunatics.
– It’ll be a circus.
– Thanks for that welcome.
Now, I’m not saying this just because I’m in Iowa.
I say this everywhere I go.
We need more ethanol production.
– It’s not already a circus? – When I was in Congress I voted to subsidize.
Good morning.
This is your 5:45 a.
m.
wake-up call.
Thank you.
Carly Farkula, a 22-year-old Turkish woman who was sexually involved with a coworker was convicted of adultery this morning.
She’s been sentenced to death for her crime.
In the most recent attempt to revamp Turkey’s 78-year-old penal code members of the Justice Development Party approved yesterday a controversial amendment plan to criminalize adultery.
Leaders are expressing concern that the country’s laws might be moving closer to Islamic law.
The conviction of the woman comes at a precarious time for Turkey who has until recently enacted reforms aimed at preparing the country for European Union membership.
EU officials say the execution of Miss Farkula would be a major obstacle to Turkey’s future inclusion in the EU.
Bartlet administration officials stressed that while saddened by Turkey’s decision to allow the execution to go forward the United States remains committed to strengthening ties with Turkey.
Okay, you guys.
I’m just gonna be right next door, all right? At 10 we tour the Todd family orchard in Ames.
Talk about agricultural policy with farmers.
Followed by a photo op in Audubon with Albert, world’s largest bull.
– Campaign’s full of metaphors, isn’t it? – Josh Lyman for Toby Ziegler.
Say, Ned, did Andrea send over the markups on the dispersal? I wanna weigh in before it goes to the floor.
– Read it on the way.
– Next is a coffee-bean caucus – at Hamburg Inn #2.
– The what? It’s a diner.
They line up mason jars with each candidate’s name on it.
Customers get a bean to toss in their favorite’s.
– I even have a jar? – We sent a volunteer in all week.
– You got seven beans.
– Volunteer as big as Albert? Next is the oldest Dairy Queen.
You try soft-serve and talk about the economy.
Next we fly to.
– We have a plane? – Sort of.
for the “I impale myself on the sword of corn-based fuel” speech.
What are you gonna say about ethanol? “Best thing since soft-serve.
” Ethanol is subsidized to the tune of what, a billion dollars a year, Josh? – What’s up after the corn expo? – Prep on the Brown and Black debate.
All of you are gonna prep me for a debate on race? We should go over opposing arguments.
See if we can get Hoynes on the issues.
I grew up in Houston.
I lived the opposing arguments.
Okay, that’s it.
Parking lot, 10 minutes.
Terrible about the woman in Turkey, huh? What will the president do? Not much, I’d guess.
I mean, she’s a Turkish citizen.
It’s their country.
They’re executing her because she slept with her fianc�.
Hey, we execute minors.
The rest of the world thinks that’s barbaric.
– I’m with the world.
– You joining us this morning? No.
Peter’s got the sniffles.
Think we’re gonna stay here for a while.
Honey, a billion dollars a year to make a gasoline additive? I’ll get my coat, kiss the kids goodbye.
– Pictures are better without the coat.
– Circulation’s better with it.
– Register has us at 3 percent.
– Yeah, I saw.
Iowa’s Hispanic population’s A billion dollars that could be spent on health care, prenatal care – Head Start education – Catch up later? – Yeah.
– See you.
We wrangled you an invitation to hunt pheasant with one of the Osceola County supervisors.
Get into camo gear, sling a 12-gauge over your shoulder – get a few photos for the AP.
– With a gun? You were a Marine.
You can shoot, right? Yeah, a 20 mm chain gun, but it might be a little hard on the pheasant.
You know, Helen’s not wrong about ethanol.
– Oh, please.
Come on.
– It’s bad for the environment.
It’s expensive.
It’s the mother of all panders.
After antagonizing New Hampshire, we’re gonna do the same thing here? – Transportation and storage are difficult.
– Is this the insult-and-injury tour? We going to North Dakota next, tell them South Dakota has a cooler name? Farm subsidies began as a way to help farmers in the Depression.
It’s out-of-date.
It’s corporate welfare.
Don’t you wanna get votes in one of these states? Hey, 75 percent of the money goes to the richest 10 percent of American farmers.
We’re talking about writing six-figure checks to Chevron, the John Hancock Insurance Company, NBA stars.
Repeat after me: “Family farming is a precious way of life in this country, and we’ll do everything we can to protect it.
” I’m Matt Santos.
I’m running for president.
Come inside, we’ll talk about how we can make America stronger.
I wanna look at the ethanol speech – No.
– As soon as we get back on the bus.
– It’s not gonna happen.
– Is he doing it again? About immigration, we need to tighten our borders.
– That’s fine.
– Maybe we should find some hungrier volunteers.
– He’s not talking ethanol, is he? – Immigration.
Great.
He proposing opening the border and pelting them with surplus corn? Something about foreign nationals serving in the military – without being given citizenship.
– God.
They defend our country, but they can’t be citizens – until they’re discharged? – You’re Hispanic.
You talk immigration reform, people will think – you wanna throw open borders.
– Not throw open but make sense out of our immigration laws.
You know, the ethanol subsidy is a joke.
It’s in the Oxford English Dictionary under “pandering.
” Maybe voters will respect us for telling the truth.
That because ethanol isn’t perfect, they have to send their kids to community college, and we’ll yank millions out of the local economy? But it’s up to us to explain that it’s gonna hurt them that we’re essentially paying for make-work jobs.
That can’t be what they want.
Explain it after someone’s actually elected us to something, okay? I’m not going to a Brown and Black debate and only talk about economics.
I’ll look ridiculous.
Lack of opportunity is the root of our divisions.
We need to lower the deficit, lower interest rates and create private-sector jobs.
We need to raise educational standards and equip Americans for the new economy.
Russell and Hoynes will say that.
You’re steering me to middle-of-the-road positions – that appeal to C-SPAN viewers.
– All six of them who’ll be watching the debate, yeah.
Want me to talk about economic problems in minority communities? Yeah, I really do.
Okay.
How about the fact that minority kids are five times more likely to grow up poor and fatherless? – You know you can’t go there.
– I’m serious.
Kids who grow up fatherless are more likely to suffer emotional consequences and twice as likely – to engage in criminal activities.
– We need to challenge Hoynes not fringe candidates.
We reformed welfare to require women to work.
When they can find a job.
We haven’t done much to force deadbeat dads to pay support.
You know less than a quarter of Latino kids grow up without fathers.
It’s nearly half of African-American children.
I don’t care if it’s three Bosnians, an Armenian and a bus full of party clowns.
It’s a huge economic problem, Josh.
It’s gonna look like you’re lecturing African-Americans.
Oh, so if I’m president, I can only use the bully pulpit to talk to Latinos? What, does my State of the Union only run on Telemundo too? No.
Tell me right now.
What’s gonna help everyone, broadly? Make a difference across all the races? Values issues are important too, Josh.
And supporting ethanol’s a mistake.
I wanna see that speech.
This is a small plane.
Don’t like small planes? Buddy Holly small.
Big Bopper small.
Jiles Perry Richardson.
Bopper’s real name.
Ritchie Valens too.
All went down right here in Iowa.
– Where’s the congressman? – Up front.
– Up front? – He can’t exactly fly it from back here.
Everybody set? You might wanna buckle up, Josh.
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of doing barrel rolls.
“Ethanol is good for our economy, good for our environment.
Should be at the heart of our energy strategy.
” We’ve lost 850,000 jobs to foreign oil.
Ethanol’s created 150,000.
Think of it as a Midwestern jobs program.
“As president, I will ensure that by the year 2020 10 percent of all motor fuels will come from renewable sources – like ethanol.
” – Four lines at the top of the speech.
– Think of it as a trip to the dentist.
– I’m a good flosser.
– Honey, how you doing? – Good.
– Peter’s better.
– Great.
Ronna, do we know who’s been here? Hoynes this morning.
Russell about an hour ago.
All right.
You know, I’m not gonna do this.
Any of it.
I’m gonna tell the truth.
We have to help farmers in the tough years and reform the system so we can target those who really need it.
Not agribusinesses and multimillionaires.
You walk out on that stage and come out against ethanol, you are dead meat.
Bambi would have a better shot getting elected to the NRA than you’ll have of getting a vote here.
Let him say what he wants.
He’s right.
– No, he’s not.
– You want me to support something I know to be lousy policy and a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money to round up votes for a caucus I can’t possibly win.
I want you to support a policy that helps people so that when you are sworn in as president you can make the changes we both know need to be made.
I’m ready.
Matt? Take the pledge.
Ladies and gentlemen, Congressman Matthew Santos.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you very much for that warm welcome.
Ethanol is good for our economy good for our environment and should be at the heart of our energy strategy.
As president, I will ensure that by the year 2020 10 percent of all motor fuels come from renewable resources like ethanol.
Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to talk about the steps that we must take.
– Yeah? – Good morning, sir.
It’s 5:45.
– Great.
Thank you.
– You’re welcome.
Carly Farkula, a 22-year-old Turkish woman who was sexually involved with a coworker was convicted of adultery this morning.
Leaders are expressing concern that the country’s laws might be moving closer to Islamic law.
Meanwhile, Bartlet administration officials stressed that while they’re saddened by Turkey’s decision to allow the execution to go forward Speech on tax reform at General Mills, then a meet-and-greet with managers.
Talk about improving the business climate.
– We have talking points on the tax plan? – Yeah.
Okay, 11:00 rally at the Mid-America Center.
Followed by a lunch for John Schofield.
– Thought we said no.
– Party’s behind him.
– They’re trying to unseat Lockman.
– We have a couple house stops then on to Hamburg Inn #2.
– That the place with the beans? – Great pie too.
Finally tonight, the Iowa Corn Growers Association.
It suddenly get quiet in here? – Do we have that new direct-mail piece? – I took out 17 exclamation points.
Here.
Fewer words, more pictures.
Can we get any mileage out of Bartlet and Turkey? I don’t see how.
He criticized the decision while reaffirming commitment to regional autonomy.
It’d be a way to remind caucus-goers of your foreign-policy experience.
You wanna remind them of that experience? Might get their minds off ethanol and abortion.
Bringing them with me to a DMZ wouldn’t take their minds off that.
Okay, everybody.
That’s it.
Got the new financial report.
– We’re up 6 million.
– A lot of money.
All we need is people willing to vote for you.
Bob, you got crumbs all Oh, great.
Now if I want a snack, I reach into the carpet.
– You tell him? – Tell me what? About the new field poll.
You’re at 5 percent.
– So I’m up a little.
– Half a point.
Dumped 2 million bucks into Iowa, and you are up a half.
Ten million, I can get you double digits.
You’ll have to do it.
– I’m not having this conversation.
– Sheila, tell him.
Stop it.
She’s been doing all her own talking since she turned 35.
Why don’t we talk about this in the car.
I never thought we should commit resources here.
We can’t just thumb our noses at Iowa.
Let Allard clean up and take the momentum into New Hampshire? This is about rural voters.
A Republican can’t win without the farm belt.
You want me to spend the day in overalls talking about soybean prices? You know that’s not what we’re talking about.
Farmers in America don’t wanna get paid in the mailbox.
– They wanna be paid in the marketplace.
– I wrote that.
People know where I stand.
They may not like it, but they know I’ll stick to it.
This is issue one, two and three here.
– I’m not a panderer.
– It’s unavoidable.
It’s the non-panderer’s pander.
General Patton would pander on ethanol.
Et tu, Brute? Bartlet’s economic policies simply aren’t working.
In small towns and rural communities across America our lifestyle and values are under siege.
The trade deficit’s at record levels.
Corn is down 3 cents a bushel.
Soybeans are down 12 cents.
Isn’t the deficit due to NAFTA as much as anything else? Trade creates jobs.
Period.
One-third of Iowa’s agricultural product goes overseas.
We need more programs like the Freedom to Farm legislation – that I sponsored.
– Here we call it Freedom to Foreclose.
That’s clever, but it’s not very accurate.
Do you think that farmers should decide what they get to plant? Or should that be left to some bureaucrat in Washington? You know, too often you’re forced to farm the subsidy instead of the market.
We could use the study by the ethanol institute.
I wonder who footed the bill for that.
It says when you put 10 percent ethanol in every gas tank in America we can reduce worldwide oil demand by 2 percent.
First, we can’t produce that much ethanol.
Second, using it as an additive allows the oil companies to pump up octane levels and sell more premium gas to SUVs.
– We’re trying – Years ago, I called it highway robbery.
Now I’m supposed to hand out ski masks, guns and paper bags? Forget the subsidy argument.
You said a hundred times reducing dependence on foreign oil is a national security issue.
– We fold ethanol into that.
– The only problem is it’s not true.
Making a gallon of ethanol takes almost a gallon of oil.
That’s like saying using tonic water as an additive reduces our demand for gin.
Listen, I need to catch Valerie after school.
– I have to wish her a happy birthday.
– Will you look at the report? It’s a classic study of a stupid policy rammed down our throats by special interests.
It makes about as much sense as building patio furniture out of corn.
But sure, I’ll take a look.
We need fewer regulations on small businesses.
Small businesses like family farms.
We have to do something about lawsuits that jack up costs for small businesses make it hard for them to afford to have insurance, capital investment You know, I’m for free trade, but shouldn’t it be fair trade? Can we really compete with people earning a dollar a day? Do we really want workers in Malaysia to be earning our minimum wage? I mean, do you have any idea what real estate costs in Kuala Lumpur? Trade lowers prices for Americans.
How do you think they keep things so cheap over at Wal-Mart? It’s not just ethanol, you know? These subsidies are what give us the corn glut.
That’s why we make 20 million tons of corn sweetener a year.
Average American eats or drinks 93 pounds of it.
And we wonder why we have an obesity problem with kids.
What would I have to say? You weren’t wrong as senator.
Ethanol wasn’t in California’s interests.
As president, you do what’s right for the country.
What did you expect? How about, “As senator, I pandered to Californians.
But as president, I plan to pander to every special interest group who’ll get me elected.
” Bob have a speech drafted? – You wanna read it? – No, not especially.
You know, if Iowa weren’t first, if it were third, you know what it’d be? South Dakota primary.
Senator Vinick, any thoughts on today’s train derailment? – He gonna do it? – No.
Hello? Senator, your granddaughter.
Well, Mantovani I’m not.
No No, of course I didn’t forget.
Well, it’s cold.
It started snowing.
Okay, you go back to your friends.
I love you too.
Happy birthday, pumpkin.
Have that Profiles in Spinelessness speech of yours? It’s on the prompters.
You ready, senator? I missed my kids’ birthdays.
Now I’m doing it with the grandkids.
Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Arnold Vinick.
As many of you are aware in the past I haven’t been a big supporter of ethanol subsidies.
I know what you wanna hear.
Telling people what they wanna hear is the easiest thing to do in politics.
But that’s not why I’m here.
That’s not why I’m running for president.
I know that the ethanol subsidies have been good for some of you.
But mostly, it’s a windfall for huge conglomerates.
I’m embarrassed by it, and I think you should be too.
I know what you’re up against.
I grew up in a citrus-farming community in California.
I’m here to tell you the straight truth.
If you elect me president ethanol subsidies are not gonna be a part of my agriculture policy.
Senator Arnold Vinick surprised many people earlier today by announcing to the Iowa Corn Growers You and the congressman finish dinner? At least one candidate gets to go home without feeling like he’s been mugged.
He may have his wallet, but he’ll be down four points in the morning.
Ned, would you mind excusing us for a minute? Thanks.
See you.
Josh, why are we even in Iowa? Shouldn’t we be focusing on Texas? California? Places where we might actually get some.
What do you political professionals call them? Votes.
We’re letting people know there’s an alternative to Hoynes and Russell.
Matt Santos.
– Making sense, talking about ideas.
– Making sense about ethanol? It makes sense in Iowa, yeah.
Russell’s a house of cards.
His support’s a mile wide and an inch deep.
We can’t compete with him on endorsements or institutional support.
But we don’t have to worry about Russell.
Hoynes will take him down.
This the Josh Lyman nine-point plan? Hoynes is smart.
He has access to money.
Plenty of chits he can call in.
Once Russell crumbles, his support will flow to Hoynes unless someone has established themself as not Hoynes.
Not Hoynes? There’s gonna be primary activists uncomfortable with an adulterous, moderate DLC Democrat.
My God.
You stay up nights thinking this stuff up? It’s a living.
I’m going to bed.
Don’t keep him up too late.
He’s tired.
Good night, Josh.
– Is it still snowing outside? – Supposed to clear in a couple hours.
– We gonna change the schedule? – Not yet.
– Josh.
As I live and barely breathe.
– Senator, how are you? Well, aside from the dozen Republican farmers who tried to show me the business end of a Mr.
Popcorn machine – I’m fine.
You know Sheila, Bob.
– Hey.
– You got some.
– That’s Bob’s way of packing a lunch.
Senator, Congressman Matt Santos.
– We’ve met.
How are you, Matt? – I’m good, Arnie.
You? We cosponsored a doomed immigration reform package a couple years ago.
– We fought the good fight.
– Still went down in flames.
We’re supposed to be driving back to Des Moines now, but.
With the storm, we thought we’d eat and see if it clears up.
– We could see if the kitchen’s open.
– I’ll check it out.
– I’ll get a table.
– Sure.
I’ll be right there.
I read about that education plan you introduced in New Hampshire.
That’s pretty gutsy stuff, taking on the teachers’ unions.
Well, I don’t think I’ll be elected president of my PTA right now, but.
– I saw the ethanol speech.
– That wasn’t gutsy so much as suicidal.
Or so my staff tells me.
– Mind if I sit? – No, please.
Russell and Hoynes have come after me on that already.
– You lining up a shot for tomorrow? – I think I’ll just sit this one out.
A 240-day school year, huh? An end to teacher tenure.
Nationalizing the system.
Wanna hop on? I could use support.
I’m taking a shellacking from my side.
I’m with you on the tenure.
But a longer, federally mandated school year? I don’t know.
It sounds like another Washington power grab to me.
– Here we go.
– Why would we wanna wrest control from local boards and parents who know more – about their kids than we do? – School boards and parents aren’t making sure kids can compete in the marketplace.
Wouldn’t be a Democrat plan if it didn’t involve taxes.
Maybe we should take apart every public school auction them off.
Some things cost money, Arnie.
Who’s gonna administer all this? The Department of Education? They did such a great job improving education in the last four decades.
Are you through embarrassing me in front of my staff? I’m not even close.
– When are you going to New Hampshire? – Tomorrow.
What with my ethanol tantrum, I.
I suspect my work here is done.
I think I’ve managed to successfully drag my poll numbers below a pro hockey score, you know? – At least you still got a full set of teeth.
– Yeah.
My staff is very proud.
Well, if they weren’t, I was.
You’re not an ethanol fan? Not until today.
Kitchen’s closed, but they’ll whip up a few eggs, some sandwiches.
Thank you.
What do you think they’re plotting over there? If your day’s been anything like ours, I’d keep away the sharp cutlery.
That was a bold move on the ethanol thing.
That was all him.
You may lose, but you’ll mop up with the press.
They’ll talk about how courageous your guy is.
From your lips to God’s ears.
– What’d your guy do on ethanol? – He took the pledge.
Republican field’s wide open.
We’re just trying to find a way to stay in the game.
Our force is adequate to meet the needs of the agreed-upon security arrangements, and all parties remain – Hello? – Good morning.
This is your 5:45 a.
m.
wake-up call.
Thank you.