the 10:15 is american fisheries?
janie, make a note. we need to schedule more events where somebody gives me a really big fish.
janie, i was kidding.
hey, cooper.
is he upset about the speech last night?
well, it wouldn't be a monday morning unless lewis was concerned about something i did sunday night.
and monday morning it is.
this is a time for prudence, lewis.
i thought what with being the president and all.
i thought you'd be turning cartwheels this morning, lewis -- 63 percent job approval.
'morning, charlie.
for what?
there's a thing hanging out there?
and it's hanging out there?
maria--
did they tell you i'm gonna need--
thanks.
lewis, however much coffee you drink in the morning, i want you to reduce it by half.
then hit yourself over the head with a baseball bat, would you please?
hey, laura, happy birthday.
i should send her some flowers.
how're you, mrs. chapil?
sixty-three percent of it, at any rate.
what time does she get home today?
how's my afternoon look?
schedule some time for me at 3:30.
too-tall mccall, how was mexico?
now there's a thing hanging out there.
well, with you out of the country, it wasn't, robin. now that you're back, we're great again.
a.j., did you get one of these?
it would appear to be a letter from the entire environmental community. these people are outta control.
talk to the gdc again, a.j. tell them the president resents the implication that he's turned his back on the environment. tell them i'll send 455 to the floor. but we're gonna ask for a 10 percent reduction. if they want to pull their support, fine. at 63 percent job approval rating. i don't need their help getting a bill passed. we gotta get going-- where's leon?
you all right?
okay. first, i wanted to say congratulations. three years ago, we were elected to the white house by one of the narrowest margins in history, and today kodak tells us 63 percent of registered voters think we're doing a good job.
but the poll also tells us what we already knew: we don't get this crime bill of ours through congress and these numbers are gonna be a memory. so, starting today, we're shifting it into gear.
after the elections.
we can't take it out for a spin, lewis. we need it to get re-elected. for reasons passing understanding, people do not relate guns to gun-related crime.
lewis, we've gotta fight the fights we can win.
eighteen votes in 72 days. thank you, everyone. janie, what's next?
try it like this and lose that.
perfect.
that's too bad. remind me to give her a call later.
that's not a problem.
that's okay, forget it. what time is it?
i'm gonna go over and say hi to lucy.
robin, don't worry about it.
no, keep going. i liked what you were playing? what's it called?
well.  you play it with gusto!
are they supposed to be?
then you're doing fine.
a little gift.
nope.
i'm not comfortable with the "really old" part, but everything else you said was true.
your social studies teacher said your class would be starting on the constitution this week.
yes. it's called a parent-teacher conference. mr. linder and i were the key player in that discussion. why don't you like social studies, luce?
all your other teachers say you're happy, you're enthusiastic, you've always got your hand up. mr. linder says you don't participate unless he calls on you, and even then it's a one-word answer.
luce, take a look at this book. this is exciting stuff. it's about who we are and what we want. read what it says on the first page.
the next page.
see? grabs you right off the bat. it's a page-turner.
good, 'cause it's possible the subject might come up at dinner tonight.
no, it's just one of the perks. see you tonight.
okay. let's move on it. thank you, gentlemen.
have a good evening, mrs. chapil.
i'll see you in the morning, janie.
it's about time.
maybe we should try to steal her. ten percent, a.j. don't let them leave the room till they're clear about that.
mention it to janie.
then let's clear this off the table and get everybody focused on the crime bill. i don't want to win this. i want to win it by a couple of touchdowns.
good.
a.j.?
listen, robin said something to me today that i'm sure she wouldn't have said it if. i mean, she wasn't saying it to me, i realize.  ah, never mind. have a good night.
a.j., when we're out of the office and we're alone, you can call me andy.
i mean you were the best man at my wedding, for crying out loud. call me andy.
good night, a.j.
the day the government starts subsidizing private schools is the day we give up on public education.
we're already doing the least we can do, but i can't think of anything better, so we'll go with this for now. jerry, say hello to linda for me. and if i don't see you again, have a good thanksgiving.
how're we doing?
ahead?
janie, this is unprecedented. i don't know what to do with myself.
the gdc meeting. right.
couldn't be better. i apologize for the interruption, but a.j. asked me to stop and say hello. you wouldn't be sydney ellen wade, by any chance, would you?
all evidence to the contrary.
sydney?
you got a second?
i thought maybe we might have a word in private. someplace a little less intimidating. janie?
this is my personal assistant, janie basdin. janie, would you show ms. wade into the rec room. i'll be there in a second.
sorry to keep you waiting.
is it okay if i call you sydney?
have you ever been in the oval office?
i hear it's pretty good.
are you under the impression that i'm mad at you?
sydney, seldom does a day go by that i'm not burned in effigy.
no, i'll give you that.
did you know that when the city planners sat down to design washington, d.c., their intention was to build a city that would intimidate and humble foreign heads of state? it's true.
the white house has the single greatest home court advantage in the modern world.
sydney, this bill is important to me.
but you don't believe me?
it's not gonna pass at 20 percent. it's a long shot at 10.
sydney, at 20 percent, we are 34 votes shy in the house. it can't be done. but i tell you what. i'll make you a deal with you. if you can get 24 votes, i'll get you the last 10.
if you can swing 24 votes by the state of the union, i'll promise you full white house support.
absolutely. listen, are you hungry? i skipped breakfast. you wanna have some coffee? a donut or something?
you can't do that, sydney.
well, if you go through that door, the united states secret service. that's my private office. you need to go out that way.
should i meet with them?
fine. 2 in the side.
nice shot, mr. president? you won't call me by my name when we're playing pool.
at ease, a.j., and get away from the pocket. 9 in the corner.
i forgot to tell you.
not our time. gdc makes a big push for the votes, and when they come up short, we move in with the softer bill, to get passed, we're everybody's hero. 3 in the side.
sydney wade?
did she say anything about me?
when she called.
no, it's just that we had a nice couple of minutes together. she threatened me and i patronized her and we didn't have anything to eat, but i thought there was a connection.
she didn't say anything about me?
tell me this: hypothetically, what would happen--
--if i called sydney and asked her to be my date at the state dinner thursday night?
don't i sound serious?
why not? jefferson did. wilson did.
wilson was widowed during his first term. he meets a woman named edith gault. he dated her, courted her, married her, and somewhere in there managed to form the league of nations.
i don't want you to get me a girl, a.j. what is this, vegas?
and i'm talking about something that in no way is at conflict with my oath of office. i'm a single adult, and i met a woman that i'd like to see again socially. how's that different from what wilson did?
what are you saying?
how big?
five points we're standing here talking about?!
i drop five points when wisconsin doesn't make it to the rose bowl. 5 in the corner.
yeah. no. no. i don't want to check a polling sample to see if this is okay, like i'm asking permission to stay out an hour past curfew. this isn't the business of the american people.
i like her, a.j. stop being my chief of staff for one minute.
janie! she didn't say anything about me?
that's something.
i need you to track down a phone number.
uh, hi, is this sydney?
uhh. this isn't richard, it's andrew shepherd.
this used to be easier.
sydney?
listen, do me a favor. hang up the phone.
hang up the phone. then dial 456-1414. when you get the white house operator, give her your name and tell her you want to speak to the president.
hello.
it's my fault. i shouldn't have called you at home. should i call you at the office tomorrow?
what did you mean when you said you don't have a phone.
how did i get the number. that's a reasonable question. i don't know. probably the fbi.
you know who else is good at that?
well, yeah, but i was thinking of the internal revenue service. they have computer files that. well. i should stop stalling. as i'm sure you know, the french have elected themselves a new president, and we're having a formal state dinner at the white house, and i was wondering -- and you're under no obligation at all -- but i thought it might be fun.  i was wondering if you maybe wanted to go. with me, and uh.  there it is. that's why i was calling.
sydney? sydney, congress doesn't take this long to--
sydney, this is just a dinner. we're not gonna be doing espionage or anything.
i'm gonna have a very nice woman named marsha bridgeport call you. she's the white house social director, and she'll help you with anything you want. now when she calls you and tells you her name is marsha bridgeport, it'll help if you give her the benefit of the doubt.
i'll see you thursday night.
me too.
that's a little tight, luce.
is it supposed to cut off the blood flow to my face?
not bad. where did you learn how to do this?
very funny. really, where did you learn?
sweetie, did mom teach you how to do this?
lucy, is this okay with you? my having dinner with a woman?
are you sure? because if you want to talk about it.
you know, i'm a little nervous.
be myself.
her shoes?
sydney. andrew shepherd. we spoke on the phone.
mr. president, would allow me to introduce sydney ellen wade of the commonwealth of virginia. sydney, this is president rene-jean d'astier and his wife monique danielle d'astier of france.
sydney, it sounds like our table's ready.
once we hit the bottom of the stairs, i gotta do a thing. you'll be escorted.
this is, actually, only our second state dinner. the first was for the emperor of japan, who died shortly after that, so we stopped having them for a while, just in case.
do i date a lot?
no. how 'bout you?
then you're experienced at this.
how are we doing so far?
damn. and i wanted to find a way to be different from the other guys.
by the way, nice shoes.
they're hammered. esther, do you speak french?
i thought you spoke french.
great, next time julius caesar comes to town, you're our gal. sydney, i don't suppose that you speak any--
that's my date.
sydney, you didn't dissolve the nato treaty, did you?
more beheadings at the white house?
i'm sure he would, but i have a better idea.
would you like to dance?
arthur murray. six lessons.
first of all, the 200 pairs of eyes aren't focused on me. they're focused on you. and the answers are "sydney ellen wade" and "because she said 'yes.'"
good morning, mrs. chapil.
fine. janie, can you get me the number of a local florist?
i want to do it myself. i just need the phone number.
i want the phone number of a florist.
yeah.
i want to send some flowers, janie. i want to do it myself. i don't want to staff it out, and i don't want to issue an executive order. i just want a phone number.
thank you.
i just need two minutes to make a call and i'll be right with you.
thank you, janie.
i'm calling the organization of the united brotherhood of it's-none-of- your-damn-business, lewis. i'll be with you in a minute.
yeah, good morning. how do i get an outside line? really? that's simple. thank you.
tell me something. what is the state flower of virginia?
is there someone else there who might know? no, i'm not trying to five you a hard time, i was--hold on please.
janie, what's the state flower of virginia?
thank you. it's the dogwood. what? hold on please. janie, the dogwood is a tree, not a flower.
the dogwood is both a tree and a flower. i'd like a dozen, please. really? no dogwoods? how 'bout roses? simple. classic. two dozen roses.
janie! do you have any idea where my credit cards might be?
ah. listen, what might be better is if you just bill me for the flowers. i'm sure it'll be okay with your boss. well, i don't know if you recognize my voice, but this is the president. the united states. hello, hello.
the sydney issue?
i sure hope the sydney issue refers in some way to a problem we're having with australia, because if it's anything else.
tell her she can come right in. i'm finished here.
there is no sydney issue.
no problem. did you get the ham?
i wanted to send you flowers, but there seem to be some kinks in the system. i'm really glad you stopped by. i had such a good time last night.
i'm delivering a luncheon speech at the governor's conference this morning. i'm sorry to--
are you free for dinner tomorrow night?
casual. in the residence. without the united nations. my daughter'll be with us, so it may seem like the united--
she's gonna like you. excuse me -- jeff!
i can't do this.
either one. i have to be in and out.
stackhouse wants to talk about grazing rights. trust me.
sorry. you have concerns.
does it having anything to do with one of us being the president?
i am not mocking you, honest. i'm just a guy asking a girl over for a meal.
my ride's here.
yeah, well, when you put it that way, it doesn't sound that great to me either.
have dinner with lucy and me. it's meat loaf night -- how presidential can it be?
seven-thirty.
let meat loaf night begin.
my teeth?
oh, right. i've got a cavity in my upper bicuspid region.
you turned on me.
she's not having any fun, though.
they're doing a mock congress. each kid is playing one of the original delegates, and they debate the amendments. now what's not fun about that?
g'night, sweetheart.
sleep well, honey. i love you.
she's her mother.
would you like the 25-cent tour?
it was ready ahead of schedule. we've just been waiting for the personnel.
no, our guys. we've sent a team of army instructors to train the israelis.
yeah, it is. it's the room with all the dishes.
i'm more of a west wing president. if you're curious about the mansion, there's probably a book you can get--
sydney.
do you think there will ever come a time when you can stand in a room with me and not think of me as the president?
i got news for you, sydney. as a lobbyist, you would never be alone in a room with the president.
probably not.
excuse me.
listen--
i'm sorry, we're going to have to cut our evening short. the libyans have just bombed c-stad. i'll try to call you tomorrow. can you show ms. wade out.
and we're gonna hit libyan intelligence headquarters?
libyan i.h.q's in the middle of downtown tripoli -- are we gonna hit anything else?
are we gonna miss?
how many people work in that building?
how many people work in the damn building?
the fewest. what shift puts the fewest people in the building? the night shift, right?
what time does the night crew go on?
a.j.?
someday somebody's going to have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response.
attack. cut to:
the last thing i want to do is put the lybians center stage.
this isn't about rumson. what i did tonight was not about political gain.
leon, somewhere in libyan right now there's a janitor working the night shift at the libyan intelligence headquarters. he's going about his job 'cause he has no idea that in about an hour he's gonna die in a massive explosion. he's just going about his job 'cause he has no idea that an hour ago i gave an order to have him killed. you just saw me do the least presidential thing i do.
no. we did everything but show them the blueprints. the hardware was sitting in a airplane hangar for a month. they didn't hit it until the
yes, we'd just finished dinner.
we don't have a relationship. we just had dinner.
folks, a lot of people got killed last night. let's try to keep our eyes on the ball, okay?
there's nothing that needs prepping. a.j., let's meet with the leadership after we meet with the security council.
nobody gets ten minutes today.
lewis, tell the speaker to wait. i want to talk to him. no, i'll be right down.
i went to stanford, you blowhole.
thanks, coop.
not as tough as some. you want a drink? lemme take your coat.
sure it will. you button the top button, and it doesn't fall off the hanger.
i didn't think so. listen.
well, i have no intention of pursuing you inside the political arena, so that leaves everything out, and that's unacceptable to me.
let's clear up a couple of things. number 1: i seldom prance. number 2: i have no intention of engaging in a character debate, and number 3: you're not on my staff.
why is that, by the way?
why aren't you on my staff?
how much do you make?
the name's andy. how much money do you make?
you would raise your voice to the president?
are you attracted to me?
i asked if--
well, i tell you what. let's make it the issue. let's try something new, 'cause i know that most couples, when they're first getting together, are inclined to slam on the brakes because they're concerned about bob rumson's drool.
you know what your problem is?
sex and nervousness.
yes. last night when we were looking at the different place settings in the dish room, i realized that those place settings were provided by the first ladies. and i'll bet none of those first ladies were nervous about having sex with their president husbands. and you know why?
i will. because they weren't presidents when they met them. not the case here.
you see what i'm getting at?
sure. it's right through there.
as you pass through, you'll see a large closet on your left. and if you feel comfortable, hang up your coat, and when you come back i'll have fixed up a drink, we'll sit on the couch, and i will explain to you my plan.
okay. you're attracted to me, but the idea of physical intimacy is uncomfortable because you only know me as the president. it's not always gonna be that way, and the reason i know that is because there was a moment last night when you were with me and not the president, and i know what a big step that was for you. so, sydney, i'm in no rush. here's my plan: we're gonna slow down. when you're comfortable, that's when it'll happen.
perhaps i didn't properly explain the fundamentals of the "slow down" plan.
are you nervous?
good. my nervousness exists on several levels. number 1 -- and this is in no particular order -- i haven't done this in a pretty long time. number 2: any expectations you might have, due to the fact that i'm, you know.
exactly, thank you. just so you remember that's a political distinction that comes with the office. i mean, if eisenhower were here instead of me he'd be dead by now. and number three.
yeah. put him through. lewis, it is 5:00 a.m. you gotta get yourself a life, man. yeah. all right.
sydney?
what are you doing?
i have those same thoughts every day of my life. say, you know lewis rothschild, don't you? well, he's.
on his way up.
come on in, lewis.
what's the situation?
thank god.
see, and i think the important thing is actually not to be panicking.
no, please, let's do.
rest easy, lewis. we're not creating a diversion.
we'll have somebody take you home.
sydney, when you leave here, you're gonna run into reporters and photographers. your picture's gonna be taken every day, and you're gonna be asked questions every day. answer them, don't answer them -- it's entirely up to you. the white house has no official position except to say "no comment."
the white house doesn't comment on the president's personal life.
i tell you what, lewis, we just did.
i'm sorry about all this. we'll do it better next time.
no, i mean.
me, too. i'll call you. i'll be in panama, but i'll call you.
all right. okay. this is good.
douglas, does the n.r.a. have videotapes of you playing golf with satan? we've already softened the assault weapons. we're leaving the sks, the mini 14, and about 250 other types on the street. i mean, how much pull can one lobby--
--yeah, look, we're gonna continue this tomorrow. i'm late for the party fund-raiser. i'll be sure and put in a good word for you, by the way. okay.
i studied under a nobel-prize-winning economist. you know what he taught me?
yeah. i'm going to st. louis.
hop in. we'll talk in the car.
guys, do i have to be here for this meeting?
today?
let me see if i've got this: the third story on the news tonight was that someone i didn't know 13 years ago, when i wasn't president, participated in a demonstration where no laws were being broken in protest of something that so many people were against it doesn't exist anymore? just out of curiosity, what was the fourth story?
don't deal with it.
they're trying to get us to swing at a pitch in the dirt. no one ever wins these fights. it'll go away.
aw. hell!
no, you reminded me, i'm supposed to have dinner with sydney tonight.
i feel terrible, but i have to cancel our date tonight.
no, i've gotta go to st. louis and avert a massive airline strike.
thanks for understanding. i'll call you tonight
boy, i hate doing that. she was trying on dresses.
look! look! there it is! carmen's house of flowers! we gotta stop.
i gotta get her flowers.
i broke our date. this is what men do.
coop, i'm gonna hop out at that flower shop.
then it's not personal.
you think there's a florist who's planning an assassination on the off-chance that i'd be stopping by?
excuse me--
excuse me--
hey, i don't know if you're the one i talked to on the phone.  virginia, dogwood, the president . any of it ring a--
same girl. she remembers me.
brutus and cassius? they want me to get into the character debate and mix it up.
sydney says you guys are really stupid.
she's questioning your loyalty.
wait a second, here comes my favorite part.
it's a good thing he cleared that up, 'cause the crowd was gettin' ready to buy some amway products.
sydney, his number have nowhere to go but up.
we're fine. we'll be back up in the 60's once i get the votes for the crime bill. say, what're you doing this weekend?
the negotiations are going pretty well here. it looks like the nation's going to keep on flying. lucy's sleeping over at a friend's house saturday night.
have you ever been to camp david?
it's sass, right? you're sassing me.
i'll have a car pick you up saturday morning.
how many "e"s in "kaleidoscope"?
what?
are you still reading that ridiculous biography?
seven-trillion-dollar communications system at my disposal, you'd think i'd be able to find out if the packers won.
yeah. that course wasn't about what i thought it was gonna be about.
who cares? let's see some scores.
i'm so sorry about this, sydney.
you gotta tell him to turn a deaf ear.
sydney, i can't challenge the school bully to a fight just because he picked on my girlfriend.
i have one more election left, sydney. i don't have the luxury of losing my patience.
things will be better when i pass a crime bill. and sydney, if you disappeared, i'd find you.
is that a fact?
if i'm not mistaken, gill, i think the courts ruled on title 9 about 20 years ago.
well, it's a world gone mad, gill.
hi, syd. get stuck on dupont circle again?
i'll look into it.
you went to see the motown three?
the woman knows no fear. she'd lobby the carolinas to the american lung association.
i don't think the pep boys know too many words.
okay.
no, i was. i was thinking about-- nothing.
no, the gdc's political director didn't tell us anything. sydney wade told her boyfriend and her boyfriend's best friend that she had a lousy day.
i made a promise, a.j.
i made it with sydney.
yeah, well, this is all academic anyway. we're not going to need those votes.
this was delicious. thank you. is there any left?
are you kidding me, of course i did. but actually it's not for me. the agent who checked the food thought it was delicious, and i sort of told him i'd bring him some if there was any left.
no, i loved it.
no, i'm not.
when have you seen me do a thing with my face?
you were?
vaguely.
ah.
how did you know?
wow. what's the occasion?
two votes?
that's great, sydney. i mean it. that's great work.
look, no matter what happens, you have every right to be proud of yourself.
yeah, well.
yeah?
did he give a reason?
we said as a last resort.
no. come on. there's gotta be three votes someplace else.
bullshit, leon. there's gotta be somebody we haven't--
storch.
what about storch?
wagner.
sobel.
clark.
not that clark, the one from indiana.
she is one vote away, a.j. it's important legislation that for the first time has a legitimate chance. i think she deserves every possible opportunity to--
you got something to say to me?
examine what? they don't like that i'm going out with sydney.
whose problem we talking about, lewis? yours? you worried about your job? this poll isn't talking about my presidency. this poll is talking about my life. two hundred and sixty-four million people have decided--
look, if people want to listen to bob rumson--
lewis, we've had presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. people don't drink the sand, 'cause they're thirsty, lewis. they drink it 'cause they don't know the difference.
make the deal.
sounds good.
i'll say.
what do you mean?
you saw her?
where?
don't worry about it.
practice your music.
syd?
a grey. sweater? no. i called you at the office, but.
where were you going?
connecticut?
what's in connecticut?
when did you decide to get a new job?
why did he fire you?
i'll call him.
what do you think went on here today?
the environment got screwed. nothing happened to you today, sydney. governing is choosing. governing is prioritizing. i've made no secret of the fact that the crime bill was my top priority.
sydney. please. i don't want to lose you over this.
richard reynolds' district office. she's thinking of running his campaign. four in the corner.
hartford. the insurance capital of the world. have a good time, syd.
you handling me, a.j.?
good. 14 in the side.
excuse me.
has he lied?!
has rumson lied in the last seven weeks?
other than not knowing the difference between harvard and stanford, has he said something that isn't true? am i not a commander-in-chief who's never served in the military? am i not opposed to a constitutional amendment banning flag burning? am i not an unmarried father who was sharing a bed with a liberal lobbyist down the hall from my twelve-year-old daughter?
i don't think you win elections by telling 59 percent of the people that they are.
don't--
is the view pretty good from the cheap seats, a.j.?
it occurs to me that in 25 years i've never seen your name on a ballot. why have you always been standing a pace behind me?
fuck you.
have lewis put the final drafts of the state of the union and the crime bill announcement on my desk in the morning.
if mary hadn't died. would we have won three years ago?
if we'd had to go through a character debate three years ago, would we have won?
yeah.
you're not hungry?
yeah.
it's good for you.
you're not from wisconsin. i'm from wisconsin. you've lived in washington your whole life.
how are you doing in your constitutional debates?
you're done?
oh. well. that's good. why didn't you tell me?
okay, i give up. i don't care why you're not happy in social studies. i care about why you're not talking to me about why you're not happy in social studies.
you're not perfectly happy. you don't think i know when something's bothering you?
hey!
talk to me.
almost every time i talk, i say things you disagree with.
politically?
what do you mean?
stand up please.
i want you to pay very close attention to what happens now.
in your lifetime, you will never embarrass me. it could never happen. you're not the president's daughter, lucy, you're mine. and no one's gonna vote me out of that job. you're my daughter, and everything else is a distant second. school is for you, lucy. you say what you want. the only thing you have to do to make me happy is come home at the end of the day.
one more thing. i don't dislike senator rumson because of his political views. and even if you voted for everything he would vote for, that wouldn't make you like him. there's a fundamental difference between you and the bob rumsons of the world.
the difference is that he says he loves america. saying you love america is easy. what takes character -- and this is what you have--
what takes character is loving americans.
luce, i gotta go.
everything's fine. i'm just a little late for work.
somebody get my daughter some food! the girl's from wisconsin, for cryin' out loud!
yes, he will. 'morning.
that's all right, you can keep your seats. for the last couple of months, senator rumson has suggested that being president of this country was, to a certain extent, about character.
and although i have not been willing to engage in his attacks on me, i've been here three years and three days, and i can tell you without hesitation: being president of this country is entirely about character.
for the record: yes, i am a card- carrying member of the a.c.l.u. but the more important question is why aren't you, bob? this is an organization whose sole purpose is to defend the bill of rights, so it naturally begs the questions.
why would a senator, his party's most powerful spokesman and a candidate for president, choose to reject upholding the constitution? if you can answer that question, then, folks, you're smarter than i am, because i didn't understand it until a couple of minutes ago. everybody knows american isn't easy. america is advanced citizenship.
you gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. it's gonna say, "you want free speech? let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating, at the top of his lungs, that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. you want to claim this land as the land of the free, then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest." show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free. i've known bob rumson for years. i've been operating under the assumption that the reason bob devotes so much time and energy to shouting at the rain was that he simply didn't get it. well, i was wrong.
bob's problem isn't that he doesn't get it. bob's problem is that he can't sell it. nobody has ever won an election by talking about what i was just talking about.
this is a country made up of people with hard jobs that they're terrified of losing. the roots of freedom are of little or no interest to them at the moment. we are a nation afraid to go out at night. we're a society that has assigned low priority to education and has looked the other way while our public schools have been decimated. we have serious problems to solve, and we need serious men to solve them. and whatever your particular problem is, friend, i promise you, bob rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. he is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. you gather a group of middle-aged, middle-class, middle- income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family and american values and personal character. then you have an old photo of the president's girlfriend. you scream about patriotism and you tell them she's to blame for their lot in life, you go on television and you call her a whore. sydney ellen wade has done nothing to you, bob. she has done nothing but put herself through law school, prosecute criminals for five years, represent the interests of public school teachers for two years, and lobby for the safety of our natural resources.
you want a character debate? fine, but you better stick with me, 'cause sydney ellen wade is way out of your league. i've loved two women in my life. i lost one to cancer, and i lost the other 'cause i was so busy keeping my job i forgot to do my job. well that ends right now.
tomorrow morning the white house is sending a bill to congress for its consideration. it's white house resolution 455, an energy bill requiring a 20 percent reduction of the emission of fossil fuels over the next ten years. it is by far the most aggressive stride ever taken in the fight to reverse the effects of global warming. the other piece of legislation is the crime bill. as of today it no longer exists. i'm throwing it out. i'm throwing it out and writing a law that makes sense. you cannot address crime prevention without getting rid of assault weapons and handguns. i consider them a threat to national security, and i will go door to door if i have to, but i'm gonna convince americans that i'm right, and i'm gonna get the guns. we've got serous problems, and we need serious men, and if you want to talk about character, bob, you'd better come at me with more than a burning flag and a membership card. if you want to talk about character and american values, fine. just tell me where and when, and i'll show up. this is a time for serious men, bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. my name's andrew shepherd, and i am the president.
i don't want the limo. i don't want an escort.
i want a plain, ordinary, non- bullet-proof automobile. someone around here must have a chevy i can borrow. well, find one and meet me outside the west wing entrance in five minutes.
i'm going to her house. i'm gonna stand at her front door till she lets me in. and i'm not leaving till i get her back.
i haven't worked that out yet. but i'm sure groveling will be involved.
i'm the commander-in-chief of the most powerful army in the world. you don't think i can drive ten blocks?
i'm glad.
sydney, i didn't decide to send 455 to the floor to get you back.
i've got some things to do.
i'm having a cuff links crisis.
i think they've locked.
lewis.
things have been a little rough between us lately.
don't stop what you're doing.
no, you were right. two hundred and sixty-four million people don't give a damn about my life.
see you after.
whatcha got there, luce?
thank you. i'll see you afterward. i want a critique.
there's been something i've been trying to give you since our first date. i tried a bunch of times, but somehow i've always managed to trip over my job. anyay.
these are for you.
gotta go.
no, walk with me.
do what?
well. it turns out i've got a rose garden.