The West Wing s05e01 Episode Script
7A WF 83429
Previously on The West Wing.
I don't think this is gonna come as a shock to anyone here but last May, I ordered a special ops unit to kill Abdul Shareef.
You print we did this now, and I'm worried what the five guys are gonna do.
Three days.
- And I get an exclusive on the sleepers.
- Done.
- Did you put Ecstasy in my drink? - I put a little bit.
Zoey Bartlet is missing and there's a dead agent at the scene.
By Section 3 of the 25th Amendment which permits, through written declaration to temporarily transfer all powers of the presidency - Get off! - This is a Polaroid of Zoey.
If you and the acting president gave contradictory orders Leo McGarry would be in a situation which could lead to extraordinary chaos.
- Leo would know what to do.
- You're relieved, Mr.
President.
At this hour, the White House does not Stepping in to fill the gaping hole left In a demonstration of the continuity of constitutional democracy President Josiah Edward Bartlet resigned his office Speaker Walken is with the nation's military and law enforcement advisers having been awakened from his sleep only three hours ago.
In a solemn, hastily arranged ceremony Speaker Glenallen Walken was sworn in early this morning I have decided to temporarily hand over my duties as president.
An eight-term congressman who took the speaker's office with the retirement of Jim Hohner.
A staunch supporter of the military and of veterans he's been a strong proponent of sound fiscal policy "Sound fiscal policy"? Proposing a $200 billion capital gains tax cut? An outdoor enthusiast, he's frequently defended gun owners.
He's opposed to waiting periods on grenade launchers.
Where's he gonna sleep? The Bartlets aren't moving out.
- There are 13 bedrooms in the residence.
- So he's gonna be in a guest room? Does he get a portrait? Every president gets one.
Even if he's president for a few days? There's no minimum occupancy requirement.
Does he get a presidential library? He's not gonna be here that long.
Should he have served while his daughter was missing? I've answered that question.
Brian? He looks small, doesn't he? Anything from the kidnappers? The note hasn't shown up on Al-Jazeera? Not yet.
Do we release the ransom note? - lf we don't, they will.
- State's been talking to Islamabad about the prisoners named.
They've pledged support.
We're requesting approval to issue a BOLO on the Bahji sleeper cell.
- A manhunt? - We've released their names and photos.
If we prematurely connect them, we deputize every nut with a gun rack.
They disappeared before her kidnapping, it's not premature.
You want vigilantes assaulting Arab-Americans? I want Zoey Bartlet back.
I'll take it to him.
The French kid's awake.
- Is he answering questions? - No, he's asking them.
He wants immunity.
The French premier, the Russian prime minister, Brazil and Mexico's presidents the Israelis.
- Why are these people here? - They work here.
- It's 5:30 a.
m.
I'll make sure they know.
The Democratic leadership wants to come over.
- You tell him about the leadership? - Who called? House minority leader, minority whip, Senate minority leader whip, McLean, Wyznee, Franklin, caucus chair.
- I'm gonna need a bigger office.
- Is he still here, Debbie, or has he gone? - He's here.
- Tell them it's gonna be a while.
- They won't be happy.
- When are they ever? Leo? I'll be right back.
Mr.
McGarry.
Mr.
President? Come on in, Leo.
Hey.
- I thought you were sleeping.
- Anything? No.
What time is it? It's almost 6:30.
They gave me something.
Yeah, I know.
I'm sorry.
Girls coming? They'll be here in a few hours.
You want me to call down for some coffee? I had a dream.
I was in Zoey's bedroom at home.
It was like it was when she was small.
With the bed my grandmother gave me.
Remember the pine bed? Of course I do.
She was little again.
Maybe 5 or 6.
And I was holding her.
How do I look? Like you slept in your clothes.
- C.
J.
! - C.
J.
! Good morning.
I have with me members of the FBI team who have taken the lead in this investigation.
The FBI has opened a 7 A.
That's a missing persons file and has assigned Zoey a control number: 7 A WF 83429.
The WF stands for Washington Field Office.
I'll take questions then turn it over to Agent Casper.
- Mark.
- How long will Walken be president? Until President Bartlet indicates he's prepared to resume his duties.
Steve.
CNN reports the 5th Fleet is in the Persian Gulf.
Is there any reason to suspect a foreign government? We're still in the early stages of this.
It's too soon to speculate.
Chris.
Paramedics indicated drugs were involved.
Does Zoey have a drug problem or any reason to disappear? There's an agent with a bullet in her head.
I think the FBI is comfortable calling it a kidnapping.
And no, Chris, Zoey Bartlet doesn't have a drug problem.
Agent Casper.
At 3: 17 a.
m.
, we received what we believe is an authentic communication from Ms.
Bartlet's kidnappers demanding the release of three convicted terrorists held by Pakistan.
And the immediate removal of American forces from Qumar and Saudi Arabia.
We're issuing a BOLO for five individuals last seen in the Portland area who are wanted for questioning in connection with terrorist activities.
They are Yemeni nationals, Faruk Salam and Ammat Badir.
Tanji Nassaliw and Masood Shiek Kadallah, both Saudis.
And Reginald I'm guessing burka sales are gonna take a little dip this afternoon.
- What are you working on? - Remarks.
- For what? - Walken's address to the nation.
- He's addressing the nation? - No, but he'll have to.
- They didn't have much.
- Oatmeal carrot granola? Ginger find you? Andy called.
Asked you to call her at the hospital.
- How are the twins? - Fine.
- Any photos yet? - No.
Something came up at work.
- What is that? - Eggwich.
- I'm sorry.
- Me too.
I think we made a mistake.
What? - Letting the president step aside.
- Have you been watching CNN, MSNBC? Even Fox calls it a seminar on the resiliency of the Constitution.
That's because Zoey is probably tied up in the back of a gas station.
We have no idea how this is playing.
He showed he's a leader.
Nobly embracing his own flawed humanity.
Lincoln and Kennedy had children who died, they didn't take a sabbatical.
Who's been calling? Congressional leadership.
Lincoln never got a ransom note.
He's putting country before family.
I'd carpet-bomb Mecca to get my kids back.
What if they like Walken better? What if he seems more presidential? What if they want Walken to stay? In a few days, Bartlet turns the second letter over to Congress.
What if it takes a few weeks or a few months? What if she's never found? It's a mistake.
I sent one of the kids over for clothes.
- C.
J.
! - Not today, Danny, please.
- Yes, today.
- A doughnut, maybe, or some toast.
Pulling out of Qumar, Bahji prisoners.
I have to ask.
No, actually, you don't.
Is there a connection between Shareef's assassination and the kidnapping? - We have a deal.
- That was - A deal.
Three days.
- In exchange for an exclusive on five Bahji sleepers the FBI just outed to every news outlet in the known universe.
Is there a connection between the assassination and the kidnapping? - It's only been a few hours.
- Is there a connection between the assassination of Shareef and the kidnapping of Zoey Bartlet? Damn it, Danny, I have no idea! What do you want from me? - I'm filing the story today.
- It'll get buried.
No, it won't.
Do you wish to comment on accusations the president ordered the assassination of a senior official of a friendly government? - I don't know.
- Well, find out.
You got a couple hours before I post it online.
Pakistan is prepared to release the prisoners.
We film it, put it on CNN, send it to Al-Jazeera.
- What does it get us? - A little more time.
- Ten-hut! - Good morning, sir.
Good morning, Mr.
President.
Stand down, everybody.
Where are we? The Washington carrier group will be in in three hours.
Any further communication from the kidnappers? No.
But the driver's license used to rent the minivan led us to an apartment in Baltimore rented to the same Shahab Kaleel.
Two Arab men were living with Kaleel.
No one's seen them for days.
- What about the apartment? - Mail, photographs.
Numerous fingerprints, even a passport.
- They didn't cover their tracks? - No, sir.
They don't care if we know who they are.
They don't plan to be alive in a few days.
- What do you wanna hit? - Kazir training camps.
The Qumaris say those are religious schools.
They're terrorist camps masquerading as religious schools.
We traced Kaleel to Zachari Faruk, leader of the camps.
- They close to anything? - Villages, a food distribution center.
We're suggesting AGM-88 HARMs, we will hit what we're aiming for.
This is a long-term ally in a highly volatile region.
- Bombing Tripoli stopped Libya.
- It's likely to strengthen resolve and topple a moderate regime.
- lf we bomb the camps don't the kidnappers murder Zoey Bartlet? Or it sends a message, "Kill her or don't the United States does not negotiate with terrorists.
" Our European allies are going to go crazy.
They have billions tied up in oil and natural gas pipelines in Qumar.
Screw Europe.
They've had years to try to convince Qumar to get their house in order.
- What are the chances Zoey's still alive? - Hard to say.
But I think, yes, she probably is.
They'll wanna milk this for all it's worth.
Get your people in place.
We don't go today unless we're provoked.
Find her and find her fast.
But if Zoey Bartlet turns up dead I blow the hell out of something and God only knows what happens next.
He's expecting me.
- The kid's asking for immunity? - We gave it to him.
Dealer's an Algerian friend of his from Paris.
They haven't found him yet.
Jean-Paul thought he was spiking her drink with Ecstasy, not GHB.
- Anything else from the kidnappers? - Not yet.
But the FBI has traced the driver's license to an apartment in Baltimore.
They have names and descriptions of two additional suspects and a wealth of new information to work off of.
We need to stall and give the FBI more time.
- What about the Pakistanis? - Yeah.
- You're already doing it? - Excuse me.
- Hello? - She's been on the phone for hours.
People never know what to say, she ends up consoling them.
Everyone's calling.
Twenty-two heads of state, the queen, the Vatican.
I guess people aren't excited about the idea of our children being in play now.
They gave her a number, Leo.
I saw it on CNN.
My little girl's a case number now.
Five digits.
Danny Concanon is going to run the Shareef story.
What? The Shareef story.
Danny's running it.
Asked if we wanted to comment.
No.
No comment.
So, what's Walken gonna do, cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war? I'm really not at liberty to discuss that with you, sir.
Right, no.
I'm sorry, of course.
I should get back.
Charlie is out in the hall.
What? - I sent him home hours ago.
- He didn't go.
I thought I sent you home.
- You need something, sir? - No, we're good.
Sit down.
Jean-Paul gave the FBI the name of his dealer.
Yeah, I wanna kill him too.
You really should go home.
You work for the president, he's gonna need you.
I work for you, sir.
Somebody else can show him where the Xerox paper is.
You do a lot more than that, Charlie.
Thank you, sir.
But I'd prefer to stay here with you.
It's the brown No, I know.
I had it here.
I had it here three minutes ago.
I was writing notes in it.
I don't know if I put the paper It's right by the If the desk were neater, I might find something.
- It's - I know where it is.
I had it with the NEC week-ahead.
Now I can't even find that.
Did you move it? Danny's filing in an hour.
Have you had a chance to take it to the president? I was just up in the residence.
The answer is no, we don't comment.
- The residence? - Yeah.
I meant President Walken.
Margaret? - Everybody ready to go? - They're gathering.
Bring it up with Walken at the meeting.
- You see this? - Yeah.
Any word on the new speaker? Gonna be Haffley or Mitchell.
I'm betting Haffley.
- Man, Haffley? - It'll be Mitchell.
Even Republicans think Haffley's a fascist.
I also hear rumors Walken plans to nominate a vice president.
- He won't.
- He can.
He won't.
- Everybody here? - Yeah.
- How's he doing? - He has a dog.
Basically just to Yeah, come on in.
Don't worry, folks.
I haven't reupholstered the furniture yet.
You know Steve from my office.
Phil Bradley, Anne Peterson, Tim Safford.
Everybody, sit.
- You all have assigned seats? - No, sir.
That's Bess.
Just shoo her on off of there.
Get off, Bess! Get down, girl! Good doggy.
How does this usually go? Treasury and Commerce are coming to discuss closing the markets tomorrow.
- Not a bad idea.
- We close them, the terrorists win.
The last thing people need to see is the Dow down 600 and the dollar tanking.
Closing the market hurts the dollar.
Well, they're coming by at 1.
How we doing on a VP? We're still vetting candidates.
If you haven't noticed, I'm one prime rib dinner away from sudden cardiac arrest.
I don't want the secretary of agriculture being named as the next president.
Senate pro tem.
The Senate pro tem is next in the line of succession.
Well, Republican leadership is sending me their ideas.
You might wanna round up names.
If I'm still here on Tuesday, we are gonna get into this.
Bess, knock it off, damn it.
I'm sorry, Leo.
What's next? Danny Concanon is doing a story alleging we assassinated Abdul Shareef.
- How are his sources? - He's got it.
He's looking for a comment.
I suppose throwing him in leg-irons and locking him in the basement wouldn't do any good.
Damn it, Bess! Tim? Take her out for a pee, will you? Her leash is over on my chair.
- I'm sorry.
Where were we? - Shareef.
We shouldn't comment, sir, not while Zoey Bartlet is missing.
We need to get out in front of it.
Release it before it breaks.
Release what? That we violated the Neutrality Act to covertly assassinate an official of a friendly government? Must not have been too friendly if you decided to shoot him.
Sir, acknowledging the assassination destroys a century's worth of progress.
- You guys didn't think of that? - It wasn't supposed to become public.
Yeah, well, you've tried that before, how did it work out on MS? Release it before Concanon has a chance to file his story.
We convinced Danny to hold the story days ago.
Undercutting him would go back on our agreement.
Your agreement.
Release it.
- Jed.
- Doug.
How are you holding up? Yeah.
Call the Oval, see if he has a moment to go over a draft of the press release.
Hi.
You looking for me? The White House doesn't wanna comment for your story.
- Okay.
- Danny.
Post the story now.
Right now.
Thanks.
What's with Bekins? The Visigoths laid siege to the Mural Room.
- Atwood and his guys? - Yeah.
- We should be happy they didn't evict us.
- I'm sure it was discussed.
- Will's working in there? - Sleeping, I think.
Walken scheduled a press conference? He's gotta respond to Danny's story.
- What's he gonna say? - I have no idea.
I've narrowed it down to about 50 names.
That's what, everyone over - Bachman.
- Too liberal.
He's Norman Thomas with a necktie.
Okay, I'm pretty sure that Norman Thomas wore a necktie but scratch Bachman, I've got some VP names.
Great.
- Hayes.
- Fair Labor Standards Act? - Oh, yeah.
- Graham? No support in the Northeast.
Plus he rides that scooter, which is - Sheats? - Too - You getting lots of calls? - Only a couple hundred.
They all start out by saying how sorry they are about Zoey and then spend 10 minutes working their name and the vice presidency into the same sentence.
Leo's looking for you.
Are they going home today? - Who? - The twins.
I was gonna ask about the twins.
They go home tomorrow.
Anybody else coming to the auto-da-fé? - We weren't invited.
- What? President Walken has assured me he has no intention of pushing a partisan agenda.
Walken can spend his entire presidency channel-surfing in the Lincoln Bedroom.
You said to the country Democrats can't handle security! If you wanna save a spotted owl, vote Democratic.
You want your kids safe, we'll be doing the crossword.
President Bartlet is protecting kids by ensuring that decisions are made based on relevant intel not on a father's clouded emotions.
If any emotions are clouded, Leo, it's yours.
You've always been too close to Bartlet.
It's your job to buck him up, to help him make the tough decisions.
The presidency isn't a vanity exercise.
Who's doing electoral math in the middle of a crisis? You single-handedly ended the imperial presidency.
You've elevated Walken and the Republicans.
You made them into genuine players on the world stage.
I didn't elevate them, the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 did.
I'm not prepared to think politics while we're under terrorist attack.
The republic comes first.
That's why Truman wanted the speaker third in line.
He wanted the speaker third in line because he drank with Sam Rayburn.
The only thing I find extraordinary is that a member of the executive branch actually wanted to share a drink with a member of the congressional leadership.
Thank you for coming by to share your concerns.
I'll be sure to pass them on to President Bartlet.
Those guys are on our side? They're not wrong, you know.
We should be thinking about the political ramifications.
- We should be polling on this.
- No.
- The Republicans will.
- No! Okay.
Margaret! Get me Angela Blake.
In New York? Yeah.
We've no idea what's in his statement? - His staff printed it up.
- Hopefully we're not declaring war.
What's all over your butt? Looks like cat hair.
Oh, for God's sake! - Did you get a pet? - No.
- It's President Walken.
- He's molting? Back home you have to pay extra for that at the Kit Kat Club.
- I got something on my skirt.
- They ready for us? - Yes, sir.
- I'll go settle the room.
My tie straight? No.
- Would you like me to? - Thanks.
Remarkable how that Post story hit the wires right before we released it.
Bad luck for us, I guess.
There you go.
You know, I'm not the enemy.
The things that unite us are greater than those that divide us.
We both believe in democracy, preservation of American values protection of our citizens in a sometimes hostile world.
- Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? - Exactly.
That what's in your statement? Something like that.
Don't look at the front row when you answer questions, look at the cameras.
We're going to the White House where President Walken will take questions regarding the assassination of Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Shareef.
Quiet down, everybody.
President Glenallen Walken.
Doesn 't this murder undercut our moral authority to condemn human rights violations in China? We live in the real world.
Our value systems only work if everybody plays by the same rules.
- Mr.
Speaker? - President Walken? But didn 't it violate the Neutrality Act protecting citizens of friendly nations? Terrorists aren 't nations.
The Neutrality Act doesn 't give a free pass to people who support murder.
Is there concern about the appearance of a superpower flouting international law? International law has no prohibition against any country superpower or otherwise, targeting terrorist command and control centers.
Abdul Shareef was a walking command and control center.
Damn.
Good answer.
As speaker, you knew of and supported the assassination.
Do you now regret that support? My only regret is that we only got to kill the bastard once.
The U.
N.
's gonna go crazy.
- I'm sorry, but he seems, I don't know - Presidential? If something were to happen to you, the presidency would fall to Senate Pro Tem Joseph Furman, who is 90.
Are you going to nominate a vice president? Ensuring an orderly succession is important, but now we're focused on getting Zoey Bartlet back for her parents and for the nation.
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
Dad? Dad? Did Mom know? - Ellie, can you give us a minute? - We're making lunch.
Why don't I call downstairs, get them to send something up? I don't want more people here, there are already too many people in our lives.
- Are the kids' noodles ready? - Yeah, and I'm cutting up some fruit.
It isn't true, is it? - I'm sorry you had to hear it on TV.
- Why should today be any different? Abdul Shareef had nothing to do with what's happened to Zoey.
- You don't know that.
- It was debated and discussed.
- And agonized over for weeks - Debated and discussed? I'm here.
I don't remember that.
- It was a difficult decision! - Made by you, not us.
I did what I thought was necessary.
Your decisions, Jed, not ours.
Leo? Leo? - What time is it? - It's almost 5.
- I told you to wake me at 4.
- You needed the rest.
What are you now, my mother? The secretary of state called.
I'll bet he did.
He's getting some pretty irate calls on the Shareef thing.
And Josh called.
The new economic adviser forecasts are in.
And? Great.
Just great.
- How bad? - Our guys are starting to freak out.
- I thought it was a blip? - Last week it looked like a blip.
- Now it looks like a pattern.
- Consumer confidence numbers tanked.
New housing sales dropped nonresidential construction was down 2.
6 percent.
And out of nowhere, the ISM index fell below 50.
But duct tape futures are up, right? - Actually, commerce doesn't really - He was joking, Ed.
The numbers won't get much play right now.
- lf we are headed into a recession - No, no, no! - We don't use that word here.
- What word? "Recession"? - lf we say it, we give it credence.
- What should we call it? I don't care, call it a "boat show" or a "beer garden" or a "bagel.
" So if it is a "bagel," the fed thinks it's gonna be a mild bagel.
That'll be comforting to the millions of Americans who'll lose their jobs.
Take the Haffley photos off the dartboard.
Elvis is in the building.
- Come on.
- Who's in the building? Republican leadership.
- Who we got? - Haffley, Connelly and Mitchell.
- The unholy trinity.
- What're they doing over here? Picking a new speaker, we think.
- Is that Duke? - Yeah.
Please don't let it be Duke, he hates me.
Tomlinson.
He hates me too.
- Jim Arkin.
- Arkin really hates me.
- Are you detecting a pattern here? - Hello, Josh.
- Everybody.
- Hey, Steve.
How's it going? Good.
You all wanna come in for a second, say hello? No, that's okay.
Thanks.
Hey, Steve.
Don't get too comfortable, you won't be back for three or four more terms.
Hey, guys.
Do we have hidden cameras or tape recorders in there? - Not since the mid-'70s.
- Josh? At least 80 people are dead, including 14 American soldiers who were visiting the town on shore leave from the USS Raleigh.
Istanbul is reporting a truck loaded with TNT drove into the Thalasso Center Cinema in Antalya.
- How many dead? - At least 14 Americans.
A group of Italian tourists and 60 Turks.
- How many were military? - All of them.
The theater was full of sailors on shore leave.
Anyone claiming responsibility? Al-Jazeera received a fax from the Bahji.
Nothing from the kidnappers? No, but we're making progress on the three suspects.
- Why haven't we heard from them? - We don't know.
It's time for us to encourage them to clarify their position.
Maybe they just did.
- What about the five sleepers? - No, sir.
We're hearing displeasure from the Middle East over the assassination.
Well, if the Arabs are mad at us, we must be doing something right.
Dr.
McNally? Sir, this would be the first time in our history that we have violated the soil of an ally.
- Admiral? - We're at Defcon Alpha awaiting your go.
- What's involved? Twelve F-14B Tomcats and eight F/ A-18E Super Hornets off the George Washington.
Then the Marine 3-7 will drop 1100 special ops forces in to clean it up.
- A bombing and an invasion? - We'll be in and out in three days.
We bomb Qumar and they kill her.
They're going to kill her anyway.
When you wanna go, admiral? lt'll take special ops nine hours to get into position.
On your order, we'll be over the targets in 10.
Six-thirty, our time, tomorrow morning.
Do you wanna tell the president or should I? Thank you, sir, but I'll do it.
Get the Qumari ambassador over here.
We need to let him know we're gonna bomb his country.
- Where is everybody? - Getting dressed.
We're going to Saint Joseph's.
Father Hughes offered to celebrate a private Mass for the family.
- The Secret Service is letting you go? - I still have a little pull around here.
Excuse me, sir.
The cars are ready.
Ellie came too.
Did I tell you? No.
That's great.
All the things we wanted to do, Leo.
All the things we believed in and wanted to fight for.
- Sir - He's going to bomb, isn't he? Yes, sir.
He is.
Approximately three hours ago, President Walken announced the U.
S.
conspiracy to murder Abdul Shareef, who mysteriously disappeared a year ago.
I thought Leo told you to go home.
- Yeah.
- Come on, get your coat.
I have some things I wanna finish up.
You go ahead, though.
Harold says people have been leaving stuff for Zoey by the fence all day long.
Thought I might walk by on my way home, check it out.
Josh.
Come on.
A fiery end to a cyclical chain of events has come to light in the last 24 hours.
Behind me, a fire still burns through piles of debris where a TNT-filled truck crashed through the lobby of a movie theater Leo? They were just boys.
Oldest was only 24.
Are we going to respond? Any word on Zoey? I need you to start two speeches.
I already started working on the first one today.
Go home tonight.
Get some rest.
Come back fresh in the morning.
Both of you.
- I need you at your best tomorrow.
- You going too? Yeah, absolutely.
I'm beat.
Why two? One if they find her alive, the other if they don't.
Oh, my God.
I don't think this is gonna come as a shock to anyone here but last May, I ordered a special ops unit to kill Abdul Shareef.
You print we did this now, and I'm worried what the five guys are gonna do.
Three days.
- And I get an exclusive on the sleepers.
- Done.
- Did you put Ecstasy in my drink? - I put a little bit.
Zoey Bartlet is missing and there's a dead agent at the scene.
By Section 3 of the 25th Amendment which permits, through written declaration to temporarily transfer all powers of the presidency - Get off! - This is a Polaroid of Zoey.
If you and the acting president gave contradictory orders Leo McGarry would be in a situation which could lead to extraordinary chaos.
- Leo would know what to do.
- You're relieved, Mr.
President.
At this hour, the White House does not Stepping in to fill the gaping hole left In a demonstration of the continuity of constitutional democracy President Josiah Edward Bartlet resigned his office Speaker Walken is with the nation's military and law enforcement advisers having been awakened from his sleep only three hours ago.
In a solemn, hastily arranged ceremony Speaker Glenallen Walken was sworn in early this morning I have decided to temporarily hand over my duties as president.
An eight-term congressman who took the speaker's office with the retirement of Jim Hohner.
A staunch supporter of the military and of veterans he's been a strong proponent of sound fiscal policy "Sound fiscal policy"? Proposing a $200 billion capital gains tax cut? An outdoor enthusiast, he's frequently defended gun owners.
He's opposed to waiting periods on grenade launchers.
Where's he gonna sleep? The Bartlets aren't moving out.
- There are 13 bedrooms in the residence.
- So he's gonna be in a guest room? Does he get a portrait? Every president gets one.
Even if he's president for a few days? There's no minimum occupancy requirement.
Does he get a presidential library? He's not gonna be here that long.
Should he have served while his daughter was missing? I've answered that question.
Brian? He looks small, doesn't he? Anything from the kidnappers? The note hasn't shown up on Al-Jazeera? Not yet.
Do we release the ransom note? - lf we don't, they will.
- State's been talking to Islamabad about the prisoners named.
They've pledged support.
We're requesting approval to issue a BOLO on the Bahji sleeper cell.
- A manhunt? - We've released their names and photos.
If we prematurely connect them, we deputize every nut with a gun rack.
They disappeared before her kidnapping, it's not premature.
You want vigilantes assaulting Arab-Americans? I want Zoey Bartlet back.
I'll take it to him.
The French kid's awake.
- Is he answering questions? - No, he's asking them.
He wants immunity.
The French premier, the Russian prime minister, Brazil and Mexico's presidents the Israelis.
- Why are these people here? - They work here.
- It's 5:30 a.
m.
I'll make sure they know.
The Democratic leadership wants to come over.
- You tell him about the leadership? - Who called? House minority leader, minority whip, Senate minority leader whip, McLean, Wyznee, Franklin, caucus chair.
- I'm gonna need a bigger office.
- Is he still here, Debbie, or has he gone? - He's here.
- Tell them it's gonna be a while.
- They won't be happy.
- When are they ever? Leo? I'll be right back.
Mr.
McGarry.
Mr.
President? Come on in, Leo.
Hey.
- I thought you were sleeping.
- Anything? No.
What time is it? It's almost 6:30.
They gave me something.
Yeah, I know.
I'm sorry.
Girls coming? They'll be here in a few hours.
You want me to call down for some coffee? I had a dream.
I was in Zoey's bedroom at home.
It was like it was when she was small.
With the bed my grandmother gave me.
Remember the pine bed? Of course I do.
She was little again.
Maybe 5 or 6.
And I was holding her.
How do I look? Like you slept in your clothes.
- C.
J.
! - C.
J.
! Good morning.
I have with me members of the FBI team who have taken the lead in this investigation.
The FBI has opened a 7 A.
That's a missing persons file and has assigned Zoey a control number: 7 A WF 83429.
The WF stands for Washington Field Office.
I'll take questions then turn it over to Agent Casper.
- Mark.
- How long will Walken be president? Until President Bartlet indicates he's prepared to resume his duties.
Steve.
CNN reports the 5th Fleet is in the Persian Gulf.
Is there any reason to suspect a foreign government? We're still in the early stages of this.
It's too soon to speculate.
Chris.
Paramedics indicated drugs were involved.
Does Zoey have a drug problem or any reason to disappear? There's an agent with a bullet in her head.
I think the FBI is comfortable calling it a kidnapping.
And no, Chris, Zoey Bartlet doesn't have a drug problem.
Agent Casper.
At 3: 17 a.
m.
, we received what we believe is an authentic communication from Ms.
Bartlet's kidnappers demanding the release of three convicted terrorists held by Pakistan.
And the immediate removal of American forces from Qumar and Saudi Arabia.
We're issuing a BOLO for five individuals last seen in the Portland area who are wanted for questioning in connection with terrorist activities.
They are Yemeni nationals, Faruk Salam and Ammat Badir.
Tanji Nassaliw and Masood Shiek Kadallah, both Saudis.
And Reginald I'm guessing burka sales are gonna take a little dip this afternoon.
- What are you working on? - Remarks.
- For what? - Walken's address to the nation.
- He's addressing the nation? - No, but he'll have to.
- They didn't have much.
- Oatmeal carrot granola? Ginger find you? Andy called.
Asked you to call her at the hospital.
- How are the twins? - Fine.
- Any photos yet? - No.
Something came up at work.
- What is that? - Eggwich.
- I'm sorry.
- Me too.
I think we made a mistake.
What? - Letting the president step aside.
- Have you been watching CNN, MSNBC? Even Fox calls it a seminar on the resiliency of the Constitution.
That's because Zoey is probably tied up in the back of a gas station.
We have no idea how this is playing.
He showed he's a leader.
Nobly embracing his own flawed humanity.
Lincoln and Kennedy had children who died, they didn't take a sabbatical.
Who's been calling? Congressional leadership.
Lincoln never got a ransom note.
He's putting country before family.
I'd carpet-bomb Mecca to get my kids back.
What if they like Walken better? What if he seems more presidential? What if they want Walken to stay? In a few days, Bartlet turns the second letter over to Congress.
What if it takes a few weeks or a few months? What if she's never found? It's a mistake.
I sent one of the kids over for clothes.
- C.
J.
! - Not today, Danny, please.
- Yes, today.
- A doughnut, maybe, or some toast.
Pulling out of Qumar, Bahji prisoners.
I have to ask.
No, actually, you don't.
Is there a connection between Shareef's assassination and the kidnapping? - We have a deal.
- That was - A deal.
Three days.
- In exchange for an exclusive on five Bahji sleepers the FBI just outed to every news outlet in the known universe.
Is there a connection between the assassination and the kidnapping? - It's only been a few hours.
- Is there a connection between the assassination of Shareef and the kidnapping of Zoey Bartlet? Damn it, Danny, I have no idea! What do you want from me? - I'm filing the story today.
- It'll get buried.
No, it won't.
Do you wish to comment on accusations the president ordered the assassination of a senior official of a friendly government? - I don't know.
- Well, find out.
You got a couple hours before I post it online.
Pakistan is prepared to release the prisoners.
We film it, put it on CNN, send it to Al-Jazeera.
- What does it get us? - A little more time.
- Ten-hut! - Good morning, sir.
Good morning, Mr.
President.
Stand down, everybody.
Where are we? The Washington carrier group will be in in three hours.
Any further communication from the kidnappers? No.
But the driver's license used to rent the minivan led us to an apartment in Baltimore rented to the same Shahab Kaleel.
Two Arab men were living with Kaleel.
No one's seen them for days.
- What about the apartment? - Mail, photographs.
Numerous fingerprints, even a passport.
- They didn't cover their tracks? - No, sir.
They don't care if we know who they are.
They don't plan to be alive in a few days.
- What do you wanna hit? - Kazir training camps.
The Qumaris say those are religious schools.
They're terrorist camps masquerading as religious schools.
We traced Kaleel to Zachari Faruk, leader of the camps.
- They close to anything? - Villages, a food distribution center.
We're suggesting AGM-88 HARMs, we will hit what we're aiming for.
This is a long-term ally in a highly volatile region.
- Bombing Tripoli stopped Libya.
- It's likely to strengthen resolve and topple a moderate regime.
- lf we bomb the camps don't the kidnappers murder Zoey Bartlet? Or it sends a message, "Kill her or don't the United States does not negotiate with terrorists.
" Our European allies are going to go crazy.
They have billions tied up in oil and natural gas pipelines in Qumar.
Screw Europe.
They've had years to try to convince Qumar to get their house in order.
- What are the chances Zoey's still alive? - Hard to say.
But I think, yes, she probably is.
They'll wanna milk this for all it's worth.
Get your people in place.
We don't go today unless we're provoked.
Find her and find her fast.
But if Zoey Bartlet turns up dead I blow the hell out of something and God only knows what happens next.
He's expecting me.
- The kid's asking for immunity? - We gave it to him.
Dealer's an Algerian friend of his from Paris.
They haven't found him yet.
Jean-Paul thought he was spiking her drink with Ecstasy, not GHB.
- Anything else from the kidnappers? - Not yet.
But the FBI has traced the driver's license to an apartment in Baltimore.
They have names and descriptions of two additional suspects and a wealth of new information to work off of.
We need to stall and give the FBI more time.
- What about the Pakistanis? - Yeah.
- You're already doing it? - Excuse me.
- Hello? - She's been on the phone for hours.
People never know what to say, she ends up consoling them.
Everyone's calling.
Twenty-two heads of state, the queen, the Vatican.
I guess people aren't excited about the idea of our children being in play now.
They gave her a number, Leo.
I saw it on CNN.
My little girl's a case number now.
Five digits.
Danny Concanon is going to run the Shareef story.
What? The Shareef story.
Danny's running it.
Asked if we wanted to comment.
No.
No comment.
So, what's Walken gonna do, cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war? I'm really not at liberty to discuss that with you, sir.
Right, no.
I'm sorry, of course.
I should get back.
Charlie is out in the hall.
What? - I sent him home hours ago.
- He didn't go.
I thought I sent you home.
- You need something, sir? - No, we're good.
Sit down.
Jean-Paul gave the FBI the name of his dealer.
Yeah, I wanna kill him too.
You really should go home.
You work for the president, he's gonna need you.
I work for you, sir.
Somebody else can show him where the Xerox paper is.
You do a lot more than that, Charlie.
Thank you, sir.
But I'd prefer to stay here with you.
It's the brown No, I know.
I had it here.
I had it here three minutes ago.
I was writing notes in it.
I don't know if I put the paper It's right by the If the desk were neater, I might find something.
- It's - I know where it is.
I had it with the NEC week-ahead.
Now I can't even find that.
Did you move it? Danny's filing in an hour.
Have you had a chance to take it to the president? I was just up in the residence.
The answer is no, we don't comment.
- The residence? - Yeah.
I meant President Walken.
Margaret? - Everybody ready to go? - They're gathering.
Bring it up with Walken at the meeting.
- You see this? - Yeah.
Any word on the new speaker? Gonna be Haffley or Mitchell.
I'm betting Haffley.
- Man, Haffley? - It'll be Mitchell.
Even Republicans think Haffley's a fascist.
I also hear rumors Walken plans to nominate a vice president.
- He won't.
- He can.
He won't.
- Everybody here? - Yeah.
- How's he doing? - He has a dog.
Basically just to Yeah, come on in.
Don't worry, folks.
I haven't reupholstered the furniture yet.
You know Steve from my office.
Phil Bradley, Anne Peterson, Tim Safford.
Everybody, sit.
- You all have assigned seats? - No, sir.
That's Bess.
Just shoo her on off of there.
Get off, Bess! Get down, girl! Good doggy.
How does this usually go? Treasury and Commerce are coming to discuss closing the markets tomorrow.
- Not a bad idea.
- We close them, the terrorists win.
The last thing people need to see is the Dow down 600 and the dollar tanking.
Closing the market hurts the dollar.
Well, they're coming by at 1.
How we doing on a VP? We're still vetting candidates.
If you haven't noticed, I'm one prime rib dinner away from sudden cardiac arrest.
I don't want the secretary of agriculture being named as the next president.
Senate pro tem.
The Senate pro tem is next in the line of succession.
Well, Republican leadership is sending me their ideas.
You might wanna round up names.
If I'm still here on Tuesday, we are gonna get into this.
Bess, knock it off, damn it.
I'm sorry, Leo.
What's next? Danny Concanon is doing a story alleging we assassinated Abdul Shareef.
- How are his sources? - He's got it.
He's looking for a comment.
I suppose throwing him in leg-irons and locking him in the basement wouldn't do any good.
Damn it, Bess! Tim? Take her out for a pee, will you? Her leash is over on my chair.
- I'm sorry.
Where were we? - Shareef.
We shouldn't comment, sir, not while Zoey Bartlet is missing.
We need to get out in front of it.
Release it before it breaks.
Release what? That we violated the Neutrality Act to covertly assassinate an official of a friendly government? Must not have been too friendly if you decided to shoot him.
Sir, acknowledging the assassination destroys a century's worth of progress.
- You guys didn't think of that? - It wasn't supposed to become public.
Yeah, well, you've tried that before, how did it work out on MS? Release it before Concanon has a chance to file his story.
We convinced Danny to hold the story days ago.
Undercutting him would go back on our agreement.
Your agreement.
Release it.
- Jed.
- Doug.
How are you holding up? Yeah.
Call the Oval, see if he has a moment to go over a draft of the press release.
Hi.
You looking for me? The White House doesn't wanna comment for your story.
- Okay.
- Danny.
Post the story now.
Right now.
Thanks.
What's with Bekins? The Visigoths laid siege to the Mural Room.
- Atwood and his guys? - Yeah.
- We should be happy they didn't evict us.
- I'm sure it was discussed.
- Will's working in there? - Sleeping, I think.
Walken scheduled a press conference? He's gotta respond to Danny's story.
- What's he gonna say? - I have no idea.
I've narrowed it down to about 50 names.
That's what, everyone over - Bachman.
- Too liberal.
He's Norman Thomas with a necktie.
Okay, I'm pretty sure that Norman Thomas wore a necktie but scratch Bachman, I've got some VP names.
Great.
- Hayes.
- Fair Labor Standards Act? - Oh, yeah.
- Graham? No support in the Northeast.
Plus he rides that scooter, which is - Sheats? - Too - You getting lots of calls? - Only a couple hundred.
They all start out by saying how sorry they are about Zoey and then spend 10 minutes working their name and the vice presidency into the same sentence.
Leo's looking for you.
Are they going home today? - Who? - The twins.
I was gonna ask about the twins.
They go home tomorrow.
Anybody else coming to the auto-da-fé? - We weren't invited.
- What? President Walken has assured me he has no intention of pushing a partisan agenda.
Walken can spend his entire presidency channel-surfing in the Lincoln Bedroom.
You said to the country Democrats can't handle security! If you wanna save a spotted owl, vote Democratic.
You want your kids safe, we'll be doing the crossword.
President Bartlet is protecting kids by ensuring that decisions are made based on relevant intel not on a father's clouded emotions.
If any emotions are clouded, Leo, it's yours.
You've always been too close to Bartlet.
It's your job to buck him up, to help him make the tough decisions.
The presidency isn't a vanity exercise.
Who's doing electoral math in the middle of a crisis? You single-handedly ended the imperial presidency.
You've elevated Walken and the Republicans.
You made them into genuine players on the world stage.
I didn't elevate them, the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 did.
I'm not prepared to think politics while we're under terrorist attack.
The republic comes first.
That's why Truman wanted the speaker third in line.
He wanted the speaker third in line because he drank with Sam Rayburn.
The only thing I find extraordinary is that a member of the executive branch actually wanted to share a drink with a member of the congressional leadership.
Thank you for coming by to share your concerns.
I'll be sure to pass them on to President Bartlet.
Those guys are on our side? They're not wrong, you know.
We should be thinking about the political ramifications.
- We should be polling on this.
- No.
- The Republicans will.
- No! Okay.
Margaret! Get me Angela Blake.
In New York? Yeah.
We've no idea what's in his statement? - His staff printed it up.
- Hopefully we're not declaring war.
What's all over your butt? Looks like cat hair.
Oh, for God's sake! - Did you get a pet? - No.
- It's President Walken.
- He's molting? Back home you have to pay extra for that at the Kit Kat Club.
- I got something on my skirt.
- They ready for us? - Yes, sir.
- I'll go settle the room.
My tie straight? No.
- Would you like me to? - Thanks.
Remarkable how that Post story hit the wires right before we released it.
Bad luck for us, I guess.
There you go.
You know, I'm not the enemy.
The things that unite us are greater than those that divide us.
We both believe in democracy, preservation of American values protection of our citizens in a sometimes hostile world.
- Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? - Exactly.
That what's in your statement? Something like that.
Don't look at the front row when you answer questions, look at the cameras.
We're going to the White House where President Walken will take questions regarding the assassination of Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Shareef.
Quiet down, everybody.
President Glenallen Walken.
Doesn 't this murder undercut our moral authority to condemn human rights violations in China? We live in the real world.
Our value systems only work if everybody plays by the same rules.
- Mr.
Speaker? - President Walken? But didn 't it violate the Neutrality Act protecting citizens of friendly nations? Terrorists aren 't nations.
The Neutrality Act doesn 't give a free pass to people who support murder.
Is there concern about the appearance of a superpower flouting international law? International law has no prohibition against any country superpower or otherwise, targeting terrorist command and control centers.
Abdul Shareef was a walking command and control center.
Damn.
Good answer.
As speaker, you knew of and supported the assassination.
Do you now regret that support? My only regret is that we only got to kill the bastard once.
The U.
N.
's gonna go crazy.
- I'm sorry, but he seems, I don't know - Presidential? If something were to happen to you, the presidency would fall to Senate Pro Tem Joseph Furman, who is 90.
Are you going to nominate a vice president? Ensuring an orderly succession is important, but now we're focused on getting Zoey Bartlet back for her parents and for the nation.
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
Dad? Dad? Did Mom know? - Ellie, can you give us a minute? - We're making lunch.
Why don't I call downstairs, get them to send something up? I don't want more people here, there are already too many people in our lives.
- Are the kids' noodles ready? - Yeah, and I'm cutting up some fruit.
It isn't true, is it? - I'm sorry you had to hear it on TV.
- Why should today be any different? Abdul Shareef had nothing to do with what's happened to Zoey.
- You don't know that.
- It was debated and discussed.
- And agonized over for weeks - Debated and discussed? I'm here.
I don't remember that.
- It was a difficult decision! - Made by you, not us.
I did what I thought was necessary.
Your decisions, Jed, not ours.
Leo? Leo? - What time is it? - It's almost 5.
- I told you to wake me at 4.
- You needed the rest.
What are you now, my mother? The secretary of state called.
I'll bet he did.
He's getting some pretty irate calls on the Shareef thing.
And Josh called.
The new economic adviser forecasts are in.
And? Great.
Just great.
- How bad? - Our guys are starting to freak out.
- I thought it was a blip? - Last week it looked like a blip.
- Now it looks like a pattern.
- Consumer confidence numbers tanked.
New housing sales dropped nonresidential construction was down 2.
6 percent.
And out of nowhere, the ISM index fell below 50.
But duct tape futures are up, right? - Actually, commerce doesn't really - He was joking, Ed.
The numbers won't get much play right now.
- lf we are headed into a recession - No, no, no! - We don't use that word here.
- What word? "Recession"? - lf we say it, we give it credence.
- What should we call it? I don't care, call it a "boat show" or a "beer garden" or a "bagel.
" So if it is a "bagel," the fed thinks it's gonna be a mild bagel.
That'll be comforting to the millions of Americans who'll lose their jobs.
Take the Haffley photos off the dartboard.
Elvis is in the building.
- Come on.
- Who's in the building? Republican leadership.
- Who we got? - Haffley, Connelly and Mitchell.
- The unholy trinity.
- What're they doing over here? Picking a new speaker, we think.
- Is that Duke? - Yeah.
Please don't let it be Duke, he hates me.
Tomlinson.
He hates me too.
- Jim Arkin.
- Arkin really hates me.
- Are you detecting a pattern here? - Hello, Josh.
- Everybody.
- Hey, Steve.
How's it going? Good.
You all wanna come in for a second, say hello? No, that's okay.
Thanks.
Hey, Steve.
Don't get too comfortable, you won't be back for three or four more terms.
Hey, guys.
Do we have hidden cameras or tape recorders in there? - Not since the mid-'70s.
- Josh? At least 80 people are dead, including 14 American soldiers who were visiting the town on shore leave from the USS Raleigh.
Istanbul is reporting a truck loaded with TNT drove into the Thalasso Center Cinema in Antalya.
- How many dead? - At least 14 Americans.
A group of Italian tourists and 60 Turks.
- How many were military? - All of them.
The theater was full of sailors on shore leave.
Anyone claiming responsibility? Al-Jazeera received a fax from the Bahji.
Nothing from the kidnappers? No, but we're making progress on the three suspects.
- Why haven't we heard from them? - We don't know.
It's time for us to encourage them to clarify their position.
Maybe they just did.
- What about the five sleepers? - No, sir.
We're hearing displeasure from the Middle East over the assassination.
Well, if the Arabs are mad at us, we must be doing something right.
Dr.
McNally? Sir, this would be the first time in our history that we have violated the soil of an ally.
- Admiral? - We're at Defcon Alpha awaiting your go.
- What's involved? Twelve F-14B Tomcats and eight F/ A-18E Super Hornets off the George Washington.
Then the Marine 3-7 will drop 1100 special ops forces in to clean it up.
- A bombing and an invasion? - We'll be in and out in three days.
We bomb Qumar and they kill her.
They're going to kill her anyway.
When you wanna go, admiral? lt'll take special ops nine hours to get into position.
On your order, we'll be over the targets in 10.
Six-thirty, our time, tomorrow morning.
Do you wanna tell the president or should I? Thank you, sir, but I'll do it.
Get the Qumari ambassador over here.
We need to let him know we're gonna bomb his country.
- Where is everybody? - Getting dressed.
We're going to Saint Joseph's.
Father Hughes offered to celebrate a private Mass for the family.
- The Secret Service is letting you go? - I still have a little pull around here.
Excuse me, sir.
The cars are ready.
Ellie came too.
Did I tell you? No.
That's great.
All the things we wanted to do, Leo.
All the things we believed in and wanted to fight for.
- Sir - He's going to bomb, isn't he? Yes, sir.
He is.
Approximately three hours ago, President Walken announced the U.
S.
conspiracy to murder Abdul Shareef, who mysteriously disappeared a year ago.
I thought Leo told you to go home.
- Yeah.
- Come on, get your coat.
I have some things I wanna finish up.
You go ahead, though.
Harold says people have been leaving stuff for Zoey by the fence all day long.
Thought I might walk by on my way home, check it out.
Josh.
Come on.
A fiery end to a cyclical chain of events has come to light in the last 24 hours.
Behind me, a fire still burns through piles of debris where a TNT-filled truck crashed through the lobby of a movie theater Leo? They were just boys.
Oldest was only 24.
Are we going to respond? Any word on Zoey? I need you to start two speeches.
I already started working on the first one today.
Go home tonight.
Get some rest.
Come back fresh in the morning.
Both of you.
- I need you at your best tomorrow.
- You going too? Yeah, absolutely.
I'm beat.
Why two? One if they find her alive, the other if they don't.
Oh, my God.