THE WEST WING “HE SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME...” WRITTEN BY: AARON SORKIN DIRECTED BY: ARLENE SANFORD TEASER FADE IN: INT. PRESS BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT Bartlet and his staff are preparing for the State of the Union address. The President, from behind the podium, reads the speech from the TelePrompTer. BARTLET With nearly 18 million new jobs, wages rising at more than twice the rate of inflation, the highest home ownership in history, the smallest welfare rolls in 30 years and the lowest peacetime unemployment since 1957. [beat] I stand before you to report that America has created the longest peacetime economic expansion in our history. For the first time in three decades, the budget is balanced. From a deficit of 290 million dollars just ten years ago... TOBY Billion dollars. Toby interrupts the President. Leo is seated beside him. BARTLET What? TOBY 290 billion. BARTLET What’d I say? TOBY You said million, but let’s move on. BARTLET I said million? TOBY Yep. BARTLET [clears throat] From a deficit of 290 billion dollars, just ten... it says “million” on the TelePrompTer, by the way. TOBY Sam? Sam is behind them controlling the TelePrompTer with several White House staffers. SAM Our fault. BARTLET L-Let’s take it back. The President coughs hard. He is sweating, and he looks tired. BARTLET [cont.] Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President... Behind all of them, Josh and C.J. are watching the President from a television. BARTLET [OS] Members of the 106th Congress, distinguished guests... JOSH He doesn’t look so good. C.J. Yeah. JOSH He’s pale and he’s sweating. C.J. I know. JOSH You think he’s getting sick? C.J. I don’t know. JOSH Are his glands swollen? C.J. Damn. JOSH What? C.J You know what I forgot to do today? JOSH What? C.J. I forgot to feel the President’s glands. JOSH Do you think the joke reflex you use as a defense mechanism is why you have so much trouble keeping a man? C.J. You know...? JOSH I’m saying, we’re 44 hours away from the State of the Union, and he doesn’t look so good. Bartlet continues to read from the TelePrompTer. BARTLET ...And how do we make the American dream of opportunity a reality for all? I came to this hallowed chamber one year ago, and I see we’re spelling “hallowed” with a pound sign in the middle of it. SAM We’ll fix that. BARTLET The pound sign’s silent? LEO Move on, Mr. President. BARTLET I came to this hallowed chamber one year ago on a mission: to restore the American dream for all our people, as we gaze at the vast horizon of possibilities open to us in the 321st century... Wow, that was ambitious of me, wasn’t it? SAM [heads to the podium] Leo... LEO Let’s take a break. BARTLET We meant “stronger” here, right? SAM What’s it say? BARTLET I’m proud to report our country’s stranger than it was a year ago? SAM That’s a typo. BARTLET Could go either way. TOBY Sam? SAM Taking care of it. [leaves] Josh and C.J. approach the President. Bartlet and his staff start to walk away. JOSH Mr. President? BARTLET Yes, sir. JOSH How do you feel? BARTLET Why is everyone asking me that today? JOSH But you don’t look so good. BARTLET I’m fine. JOSH You’re pale and you’re perspiring. BARTLET I’m fine. They walk out to the HALLWAY. C.J. You should be taking something, sir. BARTLET I’m taking many things, C.J. C.J. What are you taking? BARTLET I don’t know. My wife hands me pills. I swallow them with water. SAM Sir? BARTLET Vitamin C. Vitamin B. Is it possible I’m taking something called 'euthanasia'? SAM Echinacea? BARTLET Ah, that sounds more like it... Toby? TOBY Yes, sir. C.J. Mr. President. BARTLET I’m taking pills, C.J. C.J. Are you actually taking them, or are you just carrying them around in your pocket? BARTLET [beat] You know, carrying them around in my pocket was a pretty big step for me. C.J. You got to take the pills. BARTLET Toby? TOBY Yeah? BARTLET “How do we make the American dream a reality for all who work for it.” TOBY Oh, come on. BARTLET You got to add, “who work for it.” TOBY Sir? JOSH That was me. TOBY We’ve decided this two weeks ago. JOSH We’ve seen some pretty compelling polling samples. We need “people who work for it” and I’ll tell you what else. TOBY What? JOSH “The era of big government is over.” TOBY [stops] Oh, when did this happen? JOSH This morning, we had a meeting. TOBY We decided to offend poor people? JOSH The people we’re offending won’t be watching the State of the Union. TOBY Yeah, I can’t imagine why not. The group continues to walk. They stop around the corner of THE OVAL OFFICE. BARTLET It’s what they’re listening for in welfare reforms, so screw it. TOBY Alright, but when you get visited in the middle of the night by the ghost of Christmas future, don’t come running to me. BARTLET Damn, Toby, ‘cause you’re exactly who I was gonna come running to. TOBY You don’t look so good. BARTLET Well, I’m gazing in the 321st century, man. There’s a lot on my mind. LEO Let’s finish up in here. [indicates the Roosevelt Room] C.J. Mr. President? BARTLET Oh, dear God. I will take the pills, C.J. C.J. Will you take them now? BARTLET Yes. I will go to the Oval Office, and pour a glass of water from the Steuben glass pitcher, which was a gift from the Christian Charity Network there, Skippy. TOBY Mr. President? BARTLET I’m just saying, before you start calling me, Ebenezer Bartlet, remember, I got a really nice glass pitcher for just, you know, being a good guy. TOBY Well, you turned me right around on that one, Mr. President. C.J. Sir? BARTLET [waves the bag of pills in the air] I will take the pills. Bartlet goes inside THE OVAL OFFICE and closes the door. Sam, Leo, Toby, Josh, and C.J. are left standing outside. SAM You know, here’s the thing. LEO Hmm? SAM We haven’t been invited yet. TOBY What do you mean? SAM Technically, the Speaker of the House invites the President to deliver the State of the Union. TOBY And we haven’t been invited yet? SAM Not yet. LEO Is somebody seeing to this? SAM I’ll take care of it. TOBY Good, cause you know, we want to be able to report that the country’s a lot stranger than it was a year ago. SAM I’ll never be able to live it down. LEO No. Leo and C.J. laugh. CRASH! The staffers heard the sound of broken glass from inside THE OVAL OFFICE. They quickly go inside. We see the President lying face down unconscious in his carpet. Beside him is the broken Steuben glass pitcher and the spilled water. We hear a Secret Service Agent. AGENT [OS] Liberty’s down. We’re in the Oval. C.J. Get a doctor. Some of the group try to feel the President’s pulse from his neck. SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES. END TEASER * * * ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT Bartlet has regained consciousness. He is seated in a chair. The physician on duty, ADMIRAL HACKETT, has just taken his temperature. The staff is around them. HACKETT Well, his temperature’s 101.9. I’m fairly sure he’s got the flu, but I want to take him to Bethesda for a cardiogram. BARTLET I don’t need a cardiogram. LEO Let’s go. BARTLET I got dizzy. LEO We’re going to the hospital. BARTLET I didn’t have a heart attack, Leo. I got the flu, and I don’t need a cardiogram. HACKETT I also want blood work and a chest x-ray. LEO [to Hackett] You think it’s pneumonia? HACKETT No, I think it’s the flu, but I don’t want to fool around. BARTLET Leo, I’m fine. Mrs. Landingham approaches. She gives him a piece of paper with a note on it. MRS. LANDINGHAM Mr. President? BARTLET Thank you, Mrs. Landingham... Mrs. Landingham how do I look to you? MRS. LANDINGHAM You’re a very handsome man, Mr. President. BARTLET [to Leo] See? LEO [to Hackett] What do you think? HACKETT Uh, it can wait till morning, but I want to stay with him for an hour or two. LEO Do the blood work, send it to the lab, get the cardiogram and chest x-ray tomorrow. HACKETT Sure. LEO [to Bartlet] You’re going to bed. BARTLET Can’t yet. LEO Mr. President? BARTLET Situation Room. [gives Leo the note, which he reads] LEO Alright, let’s do this, and then you’re going to bed. [to Hackett] We’ll meet you in the residence in a few minutes. The President stands up. He gets dizzy again and almost falls down. Everyone tries to grab him. JOSH Whoa! BARTLET Just a little joke. TOBY You’re a real cut-up there, Mr. President. BARTLET 101.9 and I still got it. SAM Yes, indeed, sir. CUT TO: INT. THE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT The Joint Chiefs of Staff are inside, including the chairman, Admiral Fitzwallace. They are waiting for the President. FITZWALLACE I’m gonna tell him “steady and not egregious, sir.” We’re all okay with that? MITCH Yes, sir. TOM Yeah. OFFICER 1 Admiral? FITZWALLACE What do you got? OFFICER 1 We got the 2nd, 3rd, the 103rd, the 106th, and the 107th. FITZWALLACE Thank you. The double doors open. In comes Bartlet, followed by Leo. The Joint Chiefs of Staff all stand up. BARTLET Anybody know if the Celtics won tonight? MITCH We can get that information, sir. [signals an officer to go to the phone while all sit] LEO What’s going on? FITZWALLACE Sir, there’s been steady but no egregious clashing along the cease-fire line. If you look at the photo-recon analysis, you’ll see India has moved new units into their four structures at the border. BARTLET It was a two-week cease-fire. There’s four days left. FITZWALLACE Sir, they’re getting ready. BARTLET What’s Intel saying about the Pakistanis? TOM They’re desperately concerned that if the Indians continue their offensive, they won’t be able to defend the capital with conventional forces. LEO Is this just whining or it’s for real? FITZWALLACE Bazin’s given command control of some of their nuclear weapons to field commanders in theater, but I think they’re just trying to get our attention. BARTLET They’ve got mine. LEO And they’ve got China’s. FITZWALLACE Sir, I’m gonna scramble the B-1’s out of Manila, and put the 49th tactical on recon on ready alert. BARTLET I’m going to bed. But somebody call me if there’s movement. FITZWALLACE Yes, sir. Bartlet and Leo head for the door. The officer just got off the phone. OFFICER 2 Mr. President? BARTLET Yeah? OFFICER 2 Celtics lost in overtime. BARTLET Ugh. Good night. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF Thank you, Mr. President. Bartlet and Leo leave. CUT TO: INT. C.J.’S OFFICE - NIGHT Mandy and Danny are inside. MANDY That was very cute. DANNY So, I grow the rest of the beard back? MANDY Yeah. DANNY Okay. C.J. [comes in] Hello. MANDY C.J., don’t you think Danny looked very cute with the full beard? C.J. I actually never thought about it. DANNY Well, take your time. C.J. What do you need? DANNY Actually, I came by to see my fish. C.J. The fish is fine, and I need my office. DANNY I’m leaving? C.J. Yes. DANNY Okay. MANDY Good night. DANNY Good night. C.J. [dryly] He gave me a fish a few weeks ago... that one there. [looks at Gail] MANDY C.J., it wouldn’t kill you to be a little friendlier to him. C.J. Doesn’t seem to kill you. MANDY C.J.? C.J. What do you need? MANDY Are you kidding me? C.J. Yes. MANDY C.J.? C.J. I was kidding. MANDY You sounded serious. C.J. I’m very dry. MANDY The story’s gonna break tomorrow. C.J. Leo? MANDY Yeah. C.J. How do you know? MANDY It’s on the Internet. C.J. The whole thing? MANDY Yeah. C.J. I’ll go talk to him. [leaves] CUT TO: INT. LEO’S OFFICE - NIGHT Leo comes in. Margaret follows him. MARGARET We weren’t invited? LEO That’s right. MARGARET I thought it was a Constitutional requirement. LEO It is. MARGARET Then why do we have to be invited? LEO It’s a technicality. MARGARET I don’t... LEO It dates back to Parliament! What do you want from me? MARGARET Okay. [starts to leave] LEO Also, remind Josh to pick a guy. MARGARET Pick a guy? [writes it down] LEO Yeah. MARGARET He’ll know what that means? LEO Yeah. MARGARET Cause I don’t know. LEO Margaret! MARGARET Okay. [heads out] C.J. [comes in] Excuse me. LEO Oh, hey, C.J. C.J. Hey. LEO What’s going on? C.J. How’s the President? LEO He’s in bed. Hackett’s up there with him. C.J. Does the first lady know? LEO She cancelled her trip. She’s on her way from Andrews. C.J. Leo. LEO It’s gonna break... tomorrow? C.J. Yeah, it’s on the Internet right now. LEO Okay. C.J. Why don’t we do a preemptive... LEO Yeah. C.J. You’ll talk to the press in the morning? LEO Yeah. C.J. I’m gonna work with you first, okay? LEO Yeah. C.J. Okay... [looks for a second] Okay. [leaves] CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT’S BEDROOM - NIGHT Bartlet is sitting up in his bed talking on the phone. Admiral Hackett prepares for a blood test as Charlie stands watch. BARTLET [into phone] It tested very well. I’m not saying we’re doing it, Toby. I just want to try it and see how it reads. The era of big government is over... All right. Thanks. Bartlet hangs up the phone. He folds his arm when Hackett finished the blood test. CHARLIE How you feeling, sir? BARTLET I’m feeling roughly the same as I was feeling when you asked me four minutes ago. CHARLIE I’m sorry. BARTLET It’s okay. This isn’t the worst of it, Charlie. The worst of it’s coming up the stairs right now. On cue, the bedroom door opens. Abbey comes in. ABBEY Hello. BARTLET Hello. CHARLIE Good evening, ma’am. ABBEY [puts her jacket and bag on a chair] Hey, Charlie. How you doing? HACKETT Ma’am, I’m Admiral Hackett. I was on duty when it happened. [offers hand] ABBEY [shakes hands] Good to meet you, Admiral. Charlie, would you mind getting my bag please? Charlie does. Abbey takes a clipboard from Hackett. The President tries to get her attention. BARTLET Abbey? ABBEY [looking at clipboard] Oh, well. 101.9. HACKETT Yes, ma’am. ABBEY When’s the last time you checked? HACKETT About an hour ago. ABBEY Pulse and pressure? HACKETT The pressure dropped before he fainted, but it’s coming back. ABBEY 105 over 70. HACKETT Yes. ABBEY I want to put him on an IV/saline and vitamin solution. [to Jed] Honey, you still dizzy? BARTLET I was wondering when you were gonna notice me. ABBEY Are you still dizzy? BARTLET No. ABBEY He’s lying. Give him Flumadine, 100 milligrams, twice a day. HACKETT Yes, ma’am. ABBEY Thank you, admiral. Would you mind waiting outside for a minute? HACKETT No, ma’am. [leaves] ABBEY Thanks, Charlie. [pause] Charlie, would you mind waiting outside for a minute? CHARLIE No, ma’am. Do you need anything? ABBEY No, thanks very much. Charlie leaves and closes the door. BARTLET You’re very sexy when you’re in doctor mode you know that? Give me an IV/saline solution and 100 milligrams of Flumadine. Stat. [beat] I could jump you right now. ABBEY I could kill you right now. BARTLET My thing’s more fun. ABBEY [checks his eyes] It took you 25 minutes to call me. BARTLET Fitzwallace called me in the Situation Room. There was more movement in Kashmir. ABBEY I don’t care if Canada invaded Michigan, Jed. You call me. BARTLET Abbey? ABBEY Stop talking. BARTLET I broke the Steuben glass pitcher in the Oval Office. ABBEY It’s okay. BARTLET Seriously, Abbey, I’m fine. ABBEY You could’ve hit your head on something. [gives her husband an injection] BARTLET [groans] But I didn’t. ABBEY [quietly] Was it like the time in Nantucket? BARTLET Yeah. ABBEY Or was it like the time at my parents? BARTLET I really don’t remember. ABBEY It’s all right. Close your eyes. You’re gonna be asleep in a minute. Abbey takes the pillow from behind Bartlet, who lies down. BARTLET Fitzwallace says the Pakistanis are giving command control to some nuclear weapons to the field. ABBEY It’s okay. Leo’s in the West Wing. BARTLET I’m really sorry about the pitcher. ABBEY Just go to sleep, baby. BARTLET I could jump you right now. ABBEY Yeah, sure you could. Bartlet falls to sleep. Abbey, fighting back tears, sits on a chair and looks around the room. FADE OUT. END ACT ONE * * * ACT TWO FADE IN: INT. JOSH’S OFFICE - DAY Josh is talking on the phone. JOSH [into phone] I don’t think it’s being sorted in the mailroom. It’s an invitation to the President to address Congress. I’m assuming it was hand-delivered. [listens] Thank you. Donna knocks at the door. JOSH Yes? DONNA Margaret came by. JOSH Yes. Josh goes out the door into his BULLPEN AREA. Donna follows. DONNA She said Leo said to remind you you need to pick a guy. JOSH Right. DONNA She said you’d know what that means. JOSH Yeah. DONNA Do you know what that means? JOSH Yeah. DONNA I don’t know what that means. JOSH Someone from the line of succession is required to be absent from the State of the Union. DONNA Why? JOSH Donna? DONNA Wait, I know why. They walk to the NORTHWEST LOBBY. DONNA So if somebody blows up the building, nobody’s... JOSH Yes. DONNA Who are you gonna pick? JOSH Who do you think I should pick? DONNA I think you should pick me. JOSH You think so? DONNA Yeah, I’ll be good. JOSH And where exactly do you fall in the line of succession? DONNA If somebody blows up the Capitol Building, I’d imagine I’d move up a few slots. JOSH Fair point. They open the door to a HALLWAY. DONNA So who’s it gonna be? JOSH Roger Tribby. DONNA The secretary of agriculture? JOSH Yes. [stops] Listen. Be sweet to Margaret and Leo today. This might not be the worst day of their lives, but it’s got to be in the top five. DONNA Okay. JOSH See ya later. Donna goes the other way. Josh continues walking. CUT TO: INT. LEO’S OFFICE - DAY Josh comes in and closes the door. Leo is reading a speech that was prepared. They’re rehearsing for his press conference. Sam and C.J. are seated on the couch. LEO I deeply regret the pain and trouble this has caused for the people in my life... JOSH When you left Sierra Tucson, did you start attending meetings? LEO A.A. meetings? C.J. Don’t say A.A. if they don’t say A.A. JOSH [sits] When you left Sierra Tucson, did you start attending meetings? LEO Yes. JOSH Do you still attend them? LEO Yes. C.J., Sam, Josh are surprised. C.J. Where? LEO I won’t answer that. C.J. How often? LEO I won’t answer that, either. JOSH How about as often as I need to? SAM Need? JOSH He’s right. C.J. Don’t answer it. LEO What else? SAM Has the President known? LEO The President and I have a long history and a close personal friendship... SAM You didn’t answer the question. LEO The President has known, as well as the FBI and the Secret Service. C.J. Did they raise any objection to a man with your problem in such a sensitive position? LEO Yeah, they were concerned I’d sell state secrets to Bolivia for a quick... JOSH It’s not a totally unreasonable question. LEO Yeah, I’m all set. C.J. Okay. Leo goes to his desk. Sam, Josh and C.J. stand and get ready to leave. SAM Uh, Leo, I wrote a draft to the President’s statement of support. I thought you might want to... LEO [surprised] What did you do? SAM I wrote a draft to the President’s statement of support. LEO Who told you to do that? SAM The President’s in no condition... LEO [yells] I know what conditions he’s in. I’m asking who told you to write a statement of support? JOSH Toby told him last night to... SAM Nobody had to tell me. You’re about to get attacked. It’s what I do. LEO No, your job isn’t to protect me, Sam. It’s to protect the President. SAM Leo... LEO Do me a favor, Sam. Don’t show initiative. Don’t rush to my defense. I don’t want to see you on Crossfire. I don’t want to see you on Larry King. I don’t want to read your name in Newsweek unless it’s an advocacy of the President’s agenda. [calms down] I go down, I go down. I’m not taking anyone with me... Is that clear? SAM Yes, sir. LEO I’m all set. Go back to work. CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT’S BEDROOM - DAY Bartlet, now awake, sits up on his side of the bed still in his pajamas. Abbey, all dressed up, is seated beside him and has just finished taking her husband’s temperature. ABBEY Well, the good news is, your temperature’s gone down. BARTLET Can I go to the office? ABBEY No. BARTLET Why not? ABBEY It hasn’t gone down enough, and it’s gonna go back up again. BARTLET Why? ABBEY ‘Cause you have the flu. Abbey takes her stethoscope and puts the end on the President’s back. She listens. BARTLET Here’s the thing though. I never really saw you study while you were in med school. ABBEY Deep breath. BARTLET Do you even know what you’re listening for right now? [inhales] ABBEY Do you know how many other people I could have married? BARTLET [exhales] How many? ABBEY Shhh. BARTLET I’m going to the office. ABBEY Okay. BARTLET Really? ABBEY Feel free. BARTLET Okay. Bartlet takes off his blanket and tries to stand up. Before he could, he realizes he’s still dizzy and sits back down. BARTLET Uh-oh. ABBEY Anything else? BARTLET Alright. I think I’ll stay here for a little bit. ABBEY Okay. The President puts back his blanket. CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY Leo is waiting just outside the briefing room. Carol opens the door. CAROL Leo? LEO Mm-hmm? CAROL They’re ready for you. LEO Thank you. CAROL You need anything? LEO No. Leo goes into the PRESS BRIEFING ROOM. The reporters are on their seats. Cameras flash. Leo steps behind the podium. LEO Good morning. REPORTERS Good morning. LEO A story, in which many, if not most of you, are aware of already, will break in wide circulation by the end of the day. I’d like to take this opportunity to read a brief statement before I answer your questions. [starts reading] In June of 1993, I voluntarily admitted myself to the Sierra-Tucson Rehabilitation Facility to treat an addiction to alcohol and Valium. [looks up, cameras flash from everywhere] I am a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. [looks up again] I deeply regret the pain and trouble this has caused for the people in my life. I’d like to, at this point, clarify a few things... DISSOLVE TO: INT. HALLWAY - DAY Donna and Josh are walking. DONNA Roger Tribby. JOSH Yes. DONNA I don’t know why you’re picking the secretary of agriculture. JOSH Because the secretaries of defense, state and treasury are famous faces, and we want the camera to find them. DONNA So, if the Capitol Building blows up... JOSH Yes. DONNA The man my country will be looking to is the secretary of agriculture. JOSH It’s my country too. DONNA Yeah, but you’ll be dead. JOSH Which is why I really don’t care that much. DONNA Josh? JOSH Donna, I really don’t anticipate the Capitol Building exploding. DONNA What percentage of things exploding have been anticipated? JOSH Now you’re bringing me down. DONNA I would think so. [walks away] JOSH [sees Sam] Sam. SAM Yeah? JOSH I thought he did well. SAM Yeah, he did. JOSH I read the statement you wrote for the President--sensational, Sam. I’m sorry no one’s gonna read it. SAM The President’s gonna read it. He’s reading it right now. JOSH Sam? SAM I don’t care. JOSH Leo’s gonna kill us! SAM I don’t care. Do you? JOSH Nah. We pan to THE ROOSEVELT ROOM. Toby is having a meeting with RAYMOND BURNS and two other Congressmen about the State of the Union address. BURNS Toby, I’m concerned that the speech contains a number of positions that democrats and Congress aren’t quite on board with yet. TOBY They’re free to write they’re own speech. BURNS I understand, but they are the ones who are gonna have to run against us a year from now. TOBY What are your concerns? CONGRESSMAN We feel, even in this draft-- BURNS And, you’ve made some progress. CONGRESSMAN Yes, but even in this draft, there’s too much emphasis placed on the role of federal government. TOBY I’ve pared down... BURNS We know. TOBY This is an opportunity for a pep rally. This is an opportunity to trumpet government. Why do we want to pretend to be sorry for intruding? CONGRESSMAN Because that’s what people want to hear. TOBY So I’ve been told. BURNS Toby? TOBY Why don’t’ you pick your section of the speech. Fight with me about it, and I’ll lose, and then I can call in the next group. BURNS You understand-- TOBY Pick a section. There’s a line waiting outside. I’ve got 31 hours to-to write this... BURNS We don’t-- CONGRESSMAN Federal funding for the arts. TOBY The N.E.A.? [sighs] Let us open our hymnals to page 22. The Congressman smiles. CUT TO: INT. LEO’S OFFICE - DAY Leo is reading a piece of paper. The television on his right broadcasts his press conference. He looks at himself for a brief moment. He turns the TV off with a remote control before Margaret walks in. MARGARET Leo? Mallory’s here. LEO Okay. MALLORY [OS] [to Margaret] Thanks. [walks in] Dad? LEO Hey, Mal. [hugs her daughter] MALLORY Are you okay? LEO I’m fine. MALLORY You told me your press conference was gonna be this afternoon. LEO I told you that I didn’t know... MALLORY I wanted to be there. LEO It’s okay. MALLORY No, it’s not. Mom and I should have been there. LEO Oh, yes, definitely a picture of me standing next to my estranged wife-- MALLORY Dad? LEO Mallory? MALLORY I don’t want to fight with you. LEO Okay... Anyway... MALLORY I saw a copy of the President’s statement. LEO [surprised] What statement? MALLORY For the press, supporting you. It’s-it’s floating around. LEO It’s floating around? MALLORY It’s very moving, dad. He loves you so much. LEO Excuse me. [heads out] CUT TO: INT. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE - DAY Sam talks to a staffer. Josh comes up from behind. SAM Pages one and two. JOSH Sam. SAM Yeah? JOSH Where are we at? SAM We’re getting slapped around on the N.E.A. JOSH Oh, man! Why is he...? They go into SAM’S OFFICE. SAM Josh. JOSH I mean N.E.A. is putting up a fight... Leo walks in. He’s angry. LEO You did it again. JOSH Leo... LEO [yells] You did it again! JOSH I understand you’re being pissed off-- LEO Has the President seen it? JOSH Yes, and he-- LEO Who gave it to him? JOSH Leo? LEO Who gave it to him? JOSH I did. SAM I did. LEO What, you’re giving me Abbott and Costello? SAM I did. LEO I told you... SAM They want to tear you down, plain and simple. They don’t like you and this is what they do, and for us not to defend you? I disobeyed you. I apologize, but that’s the way it is. Behind Leo, Bonnie just got off the phone. BONNIE Leo? LEO Yeah? BONNIE The First Lady’s in your office. LEO Thank you. [to Sam] This is not what I wanted. [walks away] CUT TO: INT. LEO’S OFFICE - DAY Abbey is joking with Mallory. ABBEY Ah-ah-ah-ah! MALLORY Abbey? ABBEY You’ve got an itch for Sam Seaborn. MALLORY I do not have an itch. ABBEY A little itch. MALLORY Abbey? You... ABBEY Want a nickel worth of free advice? MALLORY Sure. ABBEY Don’t go for the geniuses. They never want to sleep. LEO [walks in] Hey. ABBEY Oh, Leo, hi. I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t take you away from something. LEO Oh, no, no, no. Mallory, would you mind...? MALLORY I do not have an itch! LEO [surprised] Mallory?! MALLORY I’m going. ABBEY [kisses Mallory] Bye sweetie. MALLORY [kisses Leo] Bye daddy. Mallory leaves and closes the door. Abbey shifts to the couch. ABBEY You did good today. LEO Thank you. ABBEY Mallory was very proud of you. LEO Well... ABBEY Leo, I came by because I wanted to ask do you think there’s a huge downside to postponing for a few days? LEO Did the fever go back up? ABBEY No, it’s going down. LEO Abbey? What’s going on? ABBEY Nothing. Uh, like I say-- LEO What should I know that I don’t know? ABBEY I just thought we should be on the safe side. LEO Why’d you cancel your trip? ABBEY Because he has the-- LEO Because that President has a temperature. The President’s not in nursery school. ABBEY Look, if it’s a problem to postpone-- LEO It’s not a problem to postpone. Of course, I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the President’s health. What I’m saying... ABBEY Leo, please. LEO [sits] Hey, hey, hey. This is me. This has happened before. I see you trying to cover the panic. I see you prescribing medication. I think you’re giving him shots. What does he have he can’t tell people? ABBEY He has the flu. LEO Ugh! You would not have come back for the flu, Abbey. ABBEY He fainted. He was running a fever. LEO Abbey? A pause. Almost in tears, Abbey decides to tell him the truth. ABBEY He has multiple sclerosis, Leo. LEO [shocked] Oh, Abbey. ABBEY A fever could be life threatening. Abbey tries hard to fight back tears, but couldn't. A tear falls from her eye. FADE OUT. END ACT TWO * * * ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. THE PRESIDENT’S BEDROOM - DAY The television is on. A soap opera playing. WOMAN IN T.V. Mrs. Crane, there are some things you mustn’t say to Chief Bennett. He’s married to someone else and so are you. Bartlet is in bed eating breakfast. Charlie is seated on a chair. BARTLET I don’t understand. Don’t any of these characters have jobs? CHARLIE I don’t know, Mr. President. I think one of them is a surgeon. BARTLET They seem to have a lot of free time in the middle of the day. The phone rings. Charlie answers it. CHARLIE Hello? BARTLET And that woman’s changed her clothes for quite a lot in one afternoon. CHARLIE [hangs up] Mr. President, Mr. McGarry’s outside. BARTLET Yeah. Would you mind stepping out, Charlie? CHARLIE No sir. [leaves] Bartlet turns the T.V. off. Charlie closes the door when Leo walks in. Leo walks over to the President. BARTLET Abbey phoned me up and told me about your conversation. I was diagnosed about seven years ago. My life expectancy is normal. My particular course of MS is relapsing-remitting, which means I should experience total recovery after attacks. Abbey gives me injections of something called Betaseron, and that reduces the frequency. Fever and stress tend to be two things that induces attacks. LEO Well, you’re the President of the United States, you’re delivering the State of the Union tomorrow night, India and Pakistan are pointing nuclear weapons at each other, and you have a 102-degree fever. So I guess we’re out of the woods, hmm? BARTLET 101.9. LEO Jed, of all the things you could’ve kept from me... BARTLET You haven’t called me “Jed” since I was elected. LEO [sits] Why didn’t you tell me? BARTLET ‘Cause I wanted to be the President. LEO That wouldn’t have stopped me from getting you here. And I could’ve been a friend. BARTLET You’ve been a friend. LEO But when it was time to really... BARTLET I know. LEO When I was lying on my face in the motel parking lot, you were the one I called. BARTLET When you stood up there today, I was so proud. I wanted to be with you. LEO Nah. Nah. BARTLET I tried to get up, but I fell back down again. LEO I know the feeling. BARTLET [fights back tears] I’m so sorry, Leo. I really am. CHARLIE [opens the door] Mr. President? LEO Don’t worry about it. BARTLET Yeah, Charlie? CHARLIE Lord Marbury. BARTLET Yeah, give us a minute, would you please? CUT TO: INT. THE ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY Toby is still in his meeting. BURNS Now, the President’s proposing in his speech that the budget by the N.E.A. be increased by fifty percent? TOBY The National Endowment amounts to less than 1/100th of one percent of the total budget for the federal government. It costs taxpayers 39 cents a year. The arts budget for the U.S. is equivalent to the arts budget of Sweden. BURNS That is such a big deal being made out of the performance arts of the Mapplethorpe photographs-- TOBY You gay bashing, Raymond? BURNS Well, once again, all we’d like is for you to not mention the N.E.A. CONGRESSMAN Personally, I don’t know what to say to people who argue that the N.E.A. is there to support art that nobody wants to pay for in the first place. I don’t know what to tell people when they say Rogers and Hart didn’t need the N.E.A. to write Oklahoma, and Arthur Murray didn’t need the N.E.A. to write Death of a Salesman. TOBY I’d start by telling them that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote Oklahoma, and Arthur Murray taught ballroom dance, and Arthur Miller did need the N.E.A. to write Death of a Salesman, but it wasn’t called the N.E.A. back then. It was called W.P.A. and it was Roosevelt’s... [long pause] It was Roosevelt’s... BURNS Toby? TOBY Yeah? BURNS You stopped talking in the middle of a...? TOBY Thank you everybody. This meeting is over. Toby leaves. The congressmen looked surprised. CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - DAY Bartlet and Leo are settled on the couch. Lord Marbury is across them. MARBURY You know, there are some marvelous flu remedies known in the certain remote parts of the subcontinent. Licorice root, for instance, combined with bamboo sap and a strong shot of whiskey. Ginger root, also, mixed with, uh, citrus peel. BARTLET And a strong shot of whiskey? MARBURY Yes, of course. In fact, you can throw out the ginger root and citrus peel, and still be well in your way. BARTLET What have you got for me, John? MARBURY Well, um, after speaking at length this past week with your secretaries of state and defense, as well as your joint chiefs and various embassy officials, I believe this. Buy them off. BARTLET Buy them? MARBURY Yes, sir. BARTLET How? MARBURY Mr. President, for several centuries, my kingdom has ruled India with a stick and carrot. When we had a particular problem with someone, one solution we would try is to make him a maharaja. That’s kind of a regional king. We would pay him off with an annual tribute, and in return, he would be loyal to the crown. LEO Lord Marbury, under our Constitution, our President is not empowered to create maharajas. MARBURY Yes. Thank you for clearing that up, Leo. Having been educated at Cambridge and the Sorbonne, I am, as you know, exceedingly stupid. BARTLET John, please. MARBURY You’ve been paying the world off since the industrial age. Foreign aid, during the Cold War was you paying dictators to be on your side. To this very day, you pay Korea not to develop nuclear weapons. BARTLET What does India want? MARBURY A computer industry, and for that, they require an infrastructure, and that is what you can give them. LEO Why? MARBURY It’s the price you pay. LEO For avoiding a war halfway around the world? MARBURY For being rich, free and alive all at the same time, and for the criminally negligent behavior of your Congress in not checking the proliferation of nuclear devices. BARTLET Your friend, the prime minister? MARBURY Rikki. BARTLET He’s gonna go for this? MARBURY If it’s handled properly. BARTLET All right, you tell the ambassador we’ll discuss this in three months. In three months, John. I don’t want this to be like quid pro quo. MARBURY Yes, sir. BARTLET That’s the carrot. Leo, what’s the stick? LEO In the next 24 hours, we want to see recon photos of Indian divisions retreating. If we don’t, we’re gonna seize Indian assets and so will our NATO allies, and G-7’s gonna call in its loans. BARTLET They put command-control in the field, John, and we’re gonna get physical. You make damn sure they know that. MARBURY Well, then, uh, I have my instructions. The three of them stand. BARTLET Talk to the ambassador. I want Fitzwallace to have photos in 24 hours. MARBURY Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. [leaves] CHARLIE [opens the door] Mr. President? BARTLET Yes, Charlie? CHARLIE Toby’s here. BARTLET Toby, come in please. LEO I’m gonna go back to the office. BARTLET Let’s hope. TOBY [enters] Leo. LEO Hey, Toby. [leaves] TOBY How you feeling, Mr. President? BARTLET Much better. Thank you. TOBY Good. BARTLET You know, I was watching a television program before with a sort of a roving moderator who spoke to a seated panel of young women who are having some sort of problems with their boyfriends. Apparently, because the boyfriends have all slept with the girlfriend’s mothers. Then they brought all the boyfriends out and they fought right there on television. Toby, tell me, these people don’t vote, do they? TOBY I wouldn’t think so. No sir. JOSH [pokes his head in] Excuse me, Mr. President. BARTLET What do you need, Josh? TOBY I asked Josh to join me here, sir. BARTLET [sits] What’s on your mind? TOBY The era of big government is over. BARTLET You want to cut the line? TOBY I want to change the sentiment. We’re running away from ourselves, and I know we can score points that way. I was the principle architect in that campaign strategy, right along with you, Josh. But we’re here now. Tomorrow night, we do an immense thing. We have to say what we feel. That government, no matter what its failures are in the past, and in times to come, for that matter, the government can be a place where people come together and where no one gets left behind. No one... gets left behind, an instrument of... good. [pause] I have no trouble understanding why the line tested well, Josh, but I don’t think that means we should say it. I think that means we should... change it. BARTLET I think so, too. [beat] What do you think, Josh? JOSH I’d make it a point never to disagree with Toby when he’s right, Mr. President. BARTLET Then you and Sam get your people together and get to work. TOBY Thank you, Mr. President. BARTLET Thank you. Toby and Josh leave. FADE OUT. END ACT THREE * * * ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. THE MURAL ROOM - NIGHT WEDNESDAY NIGHT Everyone is waiting for the State of the Union address. Josh, Sam, and C.J. are having a conversation. JOSH [sing-song] You’re jealous ‘cause Danny was flirting with Mandy. C.J. I didn’t say that. When did I say that? JOSH I read between the lines. C.J. There are no lines. SAM You know, C.J., it can be pretty confusing sometimes. I mean I’m at this place with Mallory, where I don’t know if she likes me. I don’t know if she doesn’t like me. I don’t know if she’s indifferent altogether. I just wish she’d take the bull by the horns and get past it so we can move on. Across the room, Mallory finds Sam. MALLORY Sam! Did you write this statement defending my father? SAM Uh, yes. Mallory walks over to Sam and kisses him. She pulls back then kisses him again, this time longer than the first. Josh and C.J. just stare at them. Mallory walks away after the kiss. SAM Well, now I’m even more confused. JOSH Yes. SAM Though, I gotta say, I’m enjoying being a writer. C.J. looks around the room. She sees Carol. C.J. Carol, is Danny Concannon in the Press Room? CAROL Yeah. C.J. Would you have him come to my office, please? C.J. smiles as CAROL walks away. CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT’S BEDROOM - NIGHT Abbey is going over the speech. Bartlet goes over to his wife and watches as she buttons his sleeve. ABBEY I want to take your temperature one last time. BARTLET Abbey...? ABBEY I want to take your temperature. BARTLET You’ve taken it 14 times in the last three hours. You’re not taking it again. ABBEY Mmm... Fine. BARTLET At least not with a thermometer. ABBEY Oh, Jed. BARTLET I’m saying if you want to take it recreationally... ABBEY Oh, there’s something wrong with you, you know that? BARTLET Yes, I do. ABBEY Why is “hallowed” spelled with a pound sign in the middle? BARTLET I stopped asking those questions. Bartlet takes off his wife’s glasses and kisses her. CUT TO: INT. C.J.’S OFFICE - NIGHT Danny is playing with Gail while waiting for C.J. Someone knocks at the door. DANNY Yes? C.J. [OS] It’s C.J. DANNY Okay. C.J. [OS] Can I come in? DANNY C.J, this is your office. C.J. [OS] Right. [opens the door and comes in] Hello. DANNY Hello. C.J. So... you have asked me out many times. I have said no. DANNY You said yes once. C.J. That was a business dinner. DANNY Okay. C.J. Nonetheless, I do seem to have a preoccupation, um, sort of girlish, I suppose, thing, which, um... and please don’t be in any way mislead by anything... in fact, let me put it this way... DANNY C.J., I’m gonna write about the speech tonight. My paper’s gonna want to, you know, see it. Is there any way we can move this along? C.J. I thought what I’d do is kiss you, you know, on the mouth, then I’d just get past it... I’d just get past it, and I’ll be able to give my work the kind of concentration it really deserves. DANNY Okay. C.J. How’s right here? DANNY That’s fine. C.J. Be careful of the fish. DANNY Sure C.J. No, I’m saying cause if you rock against the... Danny grabs C.J. and kisses her. DANNY How’s that? C.J. Oh, good. DANNY Past it? C.J. Yeah. DANNY Good. C.J. Okay, I got to go now. [takes Gail with her and heads out] DANNY C.J.? C.J. Yeah? DANNY Taking that fish with you? C.J. No. She puts the fishbowl back on the table and heads out. She bumps into the door. DANNY Walked into that door there. C.J. Yes. C.J. opens the door, walks out. She flashes a very big smile. CUT TO: INT. THE MURAL ROOM - NIGHT Abbey and Lord Marbury are among the many people in the room. They go to the door. MARBURY Uh, see, you’re too fixed on western medicine. Bamboo sap, gambeer twig... ABBEY And a shot of whiskey. MARBURY And a shot of whiskey in the old sense. Abbey laughs. They see Bartlet and Leo walking in. They all stand by the door. ABBEY Hello. BARTLET Good evening. MARBURY Good evening, Mr. President. Bartlet gives him several photographs. MARBURY [goes over the pictures] Uh, well now, if I’m not mistaken, these are photos of Indian troops retreating, and so is that, and so is... this. BARTLET Thank you, John. MARBURY Well, I’m on a plane to go see Rikki in an hour... still many things to settle. BARTLET Godspeed, your Lordship. MARBURY Thank you sir. They shake hands. MARBURY Abigail! [kisses Abbey on the cheek] LEO Good luck, John. MARBURY Good luck to you too, Leo. Leo shakes hands with Marbury. MARBURY I am off! [walks away] Bartlet, Abbey, and Leo step inside THE MURAL ROOM. BARTLET Friends, let me have your attention please. A lot of time, energy, passion, wit, skill, and talent went into drafting this, and while you might not know it from my delivery later, this is an extraordinary speech. And I say thee yea! Toby Ziegler, and I say thee yea! Sam Seaborn! Everyone in the room clap their hands for the President’s speechwriters. Charlie comes in and informs the President. CHARLIE Sir, the motorcade’s ready and the agriculture secretary is in the Oval Office. Bartlet nods. Everyone is still clapping for Toby and Sam. CUT TO: INT. OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT Charlie opens the door from outside. Bartlet walks in. The secretary of agriculture, ROGER TRIBBY, is standing in the middle of the room. BARTLET Roger. TRIBBY Good evening, Mr. President. BARTLET Roger, I’m sorry you drew the short straw on this. We’ll miss you tonight. Next year, it’ll be the surgeon general, I promise. Meanwhile, you can watch TV at my study. TRIBBY Thank you, sir. [beat] Um, I brought you a gift. [offers him a book] BARTLET Oh, thank you. TRIBBY I know of your love of all things ancient, and I came across this. BARTLET What is it? TRIBBY Someone took the time to translate the Constitution into Latin. I think it was a high school project, actually, and uh, it got published. BARTLET This is magnificent. TRIBBY I highlighted what I thought was an appropriate passage from the executive power section. Can you translate? BARTLET [reads] “He shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information on the state of the union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” TRIBBY Sounds right up your alley, sir. BARTLET Thank you, Roger. TRIBBY Knock ‘em dead, sir. Bartlet heads to the door. He stops as he remembers something. BARTLET Oh, Roger, if anything happened, you know what to do, right? TRIBBY I honestly hadn’t thought about it sir. BARTLET First thing always is national security. Get your commanders together. Appoint joint chiefs. Appoint chairman. Take them to Defcon 4. Have the governor send emergency delegates to Washington. The assistant attorney general is gonna be the acting A.G. If he tells you he wants to bring out the National Guard, do what he tells you. LEO'S OFFICE. As Bartlet tells Tribby the procedure, we see Leo walk into his office to get his coat. The door to the Oval Office is open so he can hear the President and Tribby, but couldn’t see them. BARTLET You have a best friend? ROGER Yes, sir. BARTLET Is he smarter than you? ROGER Yes, sir. BARTLET Would you trust him with your life? ROGER Yes, sir. BARTLET That’s your chief of staff. Leo, obvioiusly touched, stops for a minute and walks away. Back in THE OVAL OFFICE, Charlie walks in. Bartlet continues to speak. BARTLET Oh, in the residence, in the second floor, the bathroom at the end of the hall. You have to jiggle the handle a little. CHARLIE Mr. President? BARTLET I got to go. [beat] You’ll do fine. People have phenomenal capacity. ROGER Yes, sir. Bartlet holds his book and puts his fist against his chest close to the heart. Tribby stands watch as the President and Charlie leave. After they've gone, Tribby is standing in front of the Presidential seal and looks around the Oval Office in awe. DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES. FADE TO BLACK. THE END * * * The West Wing and all its characters are properties of Aaron Sorkin, John Wells Production, Warner Brothers Television, and NBC. No copyright infringement is intended. Episode 1.12 -- “He Shall, From Time To Time...” Original Airdate: January 12, 2000, 9:00 PM EST Transcript By: Giorgio July 21, 2000