The Runner (2015) Movie Script
A day and a half after
Deepwater Horizon exploded,
the flames, fed by crude
from the bottom of the sea,
were simply too big to contain.
For the families
of the 11 missing crew members,
hope of their rescue is fading.
The search for survivors
will end before dawn tomorrow.
The forced feeding of mud and cement
into the well failed to work.
The well continues to spew oil
with the force of seven fire hoses.
Today, that slick is 12 miles long,
covering 100 square miles.
Winds are coming from the south
and they're strong,
about 30 miles an hour,
pushing that oil towards the coast.
Congressman, all of our sites
are outlined here.
We've got our east operations
all the way up here.
Over here, our west operations.
Up here we're working with local Indian
tribes to protect their burial grounds.
How you doing on boom supply?
Hard boom we clean and reuse,
so we're good there.
Soft boom needs to be replaced
when it's oil soaked, so...
demand is never ending.
It's something new.
It's something we had to figure out
on our own because we're shrimpers.
We didn't know nothing about
cleaning up oil until last week.
Floyd told me you got six boats.
- BP contract them all?
- Two of them.
The other four shut down
because we ain't allowed to shrimp.
How much are they paying you?
1350 a day a boat.
And out of that I got to pay for fuel,
crew, all the other expenses.
- Normally you'd be making what? 35?
- Yeah.
Going to have to start
laying off workers soon.
First Katrina took it away and now BP.
What you going to do?
The chair recognizes the gentleman
from Louisiana, Mr. Pryce.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Today we saw reports
that BP's spill in the Gulf
has grown to nearly 20 million gallons,
which is roughly twice
the size of Exxon Valdez.
This is the most devastating man-made
environmental disaster in U.S. history.
It's also an economic
and cultural disaster.
People of the Gulf Coast
will be living with this reality
long after the TV cameras have gone home
and the nation's attention
has turned elsewhere.
Long after the politicians
have finished making their statements,
these people will continue to suffer.
Today I'm not a federal official.
Today I'm a resident
of the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
These fishermen,
these restaurant owners,
these folks who run the bait shops
and the corner stores,
they're people I grew up with.
They're people my parents grew up with.
People I look in the eye
every single day.
They've never asked
for a handout in their lives.
They've bled for this country, their sons
and daughters have bled for this country,
and right now they need our help.
They need firm commitments
from BP and the government
that'll not just help them rebuild,
but that'll assure them
we stand by their side.
That we have their backs
just like they've had ours.
Everything I know,
everything I love is at risk.
And even though these marshes
lie along coastal Louisiana...
these are America's wetlands.
And even though this is
British Petroleum's spill...
it is America's ocean.
Excuse me, I'd just like to submit
the rest of my statement for the record.
Thank you.
Been calling the house.
I needed time to clear my head.
That was quite a show you put on.
It wasn't a show. I dropped the lines
about the necessity for a central czar.
- Most important part of the speech.
- You were honest.
- And that's the way it came off.
- No, I was weak.
You haven't heard.
- Who else picked it up?
- Everyone.
Today it appears the sun is shining
on a Louisiana congressman nobody knows.
You want to milk this.
I want to milk the shit out of it
and ride it straight
into the Senate seat.
This is what we've been waiting for.
You're not capitalizing on the spill.
This...
This is you.
All right. All right.
We're going to use this, Frank,
to ensure BP and Transocean
take responsibility
for what they've done.
Shine a light in their goddamn faces.
You're on the 9:15 out of Reagan.
And Colin...
if we're going to do this,
we need to be buttoned up.
I want the Coast Guard
and the EPA closed to press.
- But Frank explicitly said...
- I don't care what Frank said. This is priority.
- Let's keep this tasteful.
- Would you consider 20/20 tasteful?
They're going to open
with you on June 15th.
It seems like this speech
is going to have some legs.
Congressman, care to comment
on yesterday's speech?
- Jen, how you doing this morning?
- Hanging in there, sir.
Unfortunately, the congressman
requested this be a closed-door meeting.
- Sorry, folks.
- Are you running for Senate?
Since you were last here, we've made
a significant number of changes.
Just trying to be more aggressive
containing the oil.
How often are you receiving
shipments of soft boom?
Not often enough.
I'll see what I can find out
and circle back.
If you need anything else, you call me.
You've got my personal number.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
Enlighten me, Mr. Morris,
who do I need to call
to get trucks bringing in
soft boom every day?
Admiral Allen? Goddamned president?
No, no, no. Believe me, I understand,
and I'm not trying to be rude.
I'm just sick of all this posturing.
You don't think I've been
through this before?
Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike.
Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear.
Louisiana needs the oil industry
and the oil industry needs Louisiana.
That was true 100 years ago
and it will be true in another 100 years.
The spill was a tragedy,
but it is in everyone's best interest
to keep American oil healthy.
My husband isn't doubting how reliant
our local economy is on industry.
My fund runs a diversified
energy portfolio
with an emphasis on Gulf producers.
I know you've leaned left
on energy in the past,
but I'm looking to back a horse
that will support our interests.
You can find a lot
of politicians around here
in the party whose interests
align with yours.
- Why me?
- You're a winner.
People are talking about you, Congressman.
Even in my world.
Well, then, you should know
I don't pander to campaign financing.
Well, you won't win the Senate seat
unless you reconsider.
I'm sorry, I was under the impression
this was a lobby meeting.
We haven't decided
if we're going to run for Senate.
Colin, just hear him out.
We are in the middle of a recession.
This election is going
to be about the economy.
And a moratorium will be
more devastating than the spill itself.
Mark, I don't think
you quite understand,
I'm not just advocating
for a temporary moratorium.
I think we ought
to phase out drilling altogether.
- Colin.
- Oil is an addiction.
And right now it's going to be pretty damn
tricky to deny how harmful it is,
how antiquated it is.
We need to develop
a sustainable infrastructure.
Mark, you're a man with foresight.
You know green is how
we ought to be creating jobs.
Am I hearing what I think I'm hearing?
I'm sorry.
We've wasted your time.
You're not going to win.
We'll see.
It's not smart.
You told him we're planning to run
before we've announced.
You humiliated me.
Do you have any idea how much business
my firm does with that man?
I didn't ask you to do that.
I won't be beholden
to Mark Lavin or anyone else.
That speech was a godsend.
Don't blow it.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
See you at home.
Frank told me you've been
calling the office.
Why would you do that?
What were you thinking, Lucy?
I'm sorry.
Terrence knows about us.
He came home drunk last night talking
all sorts of shit, and I don't know.
But don't worry,
he ain't going to say nothing.
I think you've had enough.
Don't you think
you've fucking had enough?
- No.
- I do.
Okay, I'm sorry, Lucy, okay?
I'm sorry.
I miss you, Colin.
Please.
Just sit with me.
Just for a minute. Please.
Tell it like it is, Pryce!
- You've got my vote.
- All right, brother.
You need to get ready.
Car is picking us up in 15 minutes.
The Parish School Board fundraiser.
Sit with me for a minute.
Just one minute,
and I promise I'll cooperate.
Since when did we start
stocking the house with alcohol?
You've been sober for 16 years.
I think we're safe.
Besides, we can't all
get high on Diet Coke.
You remember our first legislature run?
Planting posters at 2:00 a.m.
on the median of Highway 90?
Two kids, fresh out of law school.
Colin...
I want you to see someone with me.
I know you don't want to,
but we don't have a choice.
Did you have a choice
when you slept with that
27-year-old cheerleader coach?
Frank told you.
Who fucking cares who told me?
I'm sorry.
I was trying, Deb.
Believe me, I really was.
Do you expect me to congratulate you
because you tried to keep
your dick in your pants?
What is it you want to hear?
That I'm fine you keep risking
everything we've worked for?
Not everything is about our career.
I wish that were true.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.
All right, good job, girls. Good job.
Lucy Hall?
- Kara, take over for a couple minutes, okay?
- Okay. No problem.
I'm a reporter for the Lafitte Gazette.
As uncomfortable as this is,
I got to ask about your relationship
with Congressman Pryce.
There must be some mistake.
Honestly, I have no idea
who you're talking about.
You've been elected twice in a district
that is 60 percent African-American
and one that has historically elected
black officials since the Seventies.
What do you think that says about you?
Well, I think it says
a lot about the city.
I took office in 2006
straight after Katrina.
People were rightfully craving change.
Folks don't care what color your skin is
anymore, what your economic standing is.
What people want, what they need
is a leader to produce.
I spent eight years in the state
legislature, I did a term in city council.
My wife is a well-respected attorney
around here.
So I think it's a matter of trust.
- You grew up in a political family.
- Yes, sir.
Your father, Rayne Pryce,
was mayor during the Seventies.
He created numerous opportunities
for the city's black population.
I'd imagine folk down here
still love your daddy, don't they?
Yes, they do. Very much.
Needless to say,
the Civil Rights Movement
wasn't popular in the South back then.
What he did, it took guts.
Talk to me about
his post-mayoral career.
It's no secret that Rayne
lost three consecutive Senate elections
and was involved
in a number of incidents.
What happened to him?
My father is an alcoholic, Byron.
No one is available to take your call.
Please leave a mess...
Come on, Colin. Come on.
Let's focus on the fact
that for the first time
since the storm,
people are moving back into the city.
Which makes the spill
that much more devastating.
Right. And that's precisely
why we need to remain vigilant,
why we need to hold
all parties accountable.
Now, BP has vowed to pay
all legitimate claims,
but folks don't have a lot of room
to wait around for checks to come
or I should say not to come in the mail.
And I want people to know
I'm going to be there for them.
Get rid of that suit.
Whoa, don't touch that oil
with your bare hands.
Use some gloves, man.
All right, we're taking off
in 15 minutes, fellas.
Terrence?
Terrence Hall?
What's next for you?
Any plans to run, say, for the Senate?
Well, that's a ways off. Right now
we need to focus on the oil spill.
Right now I have a job representing
the Second District
of Louisiana in Congress.
I think we have enough here.
It's been a real pleasure.
Thank you, Colin.
- Thank you for having me, Byron.
- Yes, sir.
Thanks for coming on such short notice.
He's in the kitchen.
How long before a major picks this up?
I'd give it until the morning.
People are going to think he knew
that slut was the fisherman's wife.
She's right. They're going
to think he knew the fisherman.
- Terrence.
- What?
The fisherman.
His name is Terrence Hall.
An NBC affiliate has footage
of me speaking at his oyster company.
That's how I met the girl.
We'll start polling damage
first thing in the morning.
Well, I'm going to have to come clean,
so set a press conference.
I think we should hold off on that.
I think we need to see how
this is going to play out.
Why? You think it's going to blow over?
No, I don't think
it's going to blow over,
but I think it's possible
that we can weather this.
Frank, it's not like
my husband committed a crime.
With all due respect, have you forgotten
what's going on out there?
How do you think it's going to look when
people find out that Congressman Pryce,
the superhero of the BP oil spill
is fucking the wife
of a local fisherman,
the black wife
of a black local fisherman?
How do you think that's going to look?
- You're being dramatic.
- Oh, am I?
This is going to snowball.
Colin is not going to have
one solitary friend in Washington.
Not with every person in America
having watched him cry
on national television five days ago.
Maybe you're right.
But we need to stay cool.
Think about Owens
and the prostitution scandal.
That was less than a year ago.
This is Louisiana.
Owens was re-elected.
We're not going to be in November.
Colin is a white congressman
in a black district.
He can barely win here
with nothing hanging over him.
That's why the Senate made sense,
where there are at least white voters.
Still does.
What's on for tomorrow?
- The claims fair.
- That's right. The claims fair.
- The release go out yet?
- No, not yet.
Well, let's see that it does.
That's what you should be focusing on.
Not this bullshit.
Come on, let's get some sleep.
Yeah?
Hi, Congressman Pryce?
Hi, it's Jen Wyman.
Who?
It's Jen.
Lieutenant Wyman from the Coast Guard?
Oh, Jen, of course.
- What's on your mind?
- We got a real problem here.
We haven't received a shipment of soft boom
in over a week, and we're running real low.
Projections show the oil moving west
and we don't have enough
to protect the western coastline
of Mississippi.
I'm sorry to call
on your personal line, sir,
but you did say to reach out
if there's an emergency.
You haven't heard what's been going on?
What's wrong, sir?
I'm going to put you in touch
with my friend, Dave Erikson,
President of Plaquemines Parish.
He'll be able to help you.
Bernadette, you're on in three...
Over the weekend,
calls for a resignation
have intensified with statements
from the House Minority Leader
and National Committee Chair.
Both said a temporary
leave of absence is not enough.
This has become a sensational story,
a symbol to many of everything
that's wrong in Washington.
Louisiana simply can't afford
to face this disaster
with a scandal that could distract
from the real problems at hand.
Price couldn't even attend
his own claims fair.
- Thank you, Jimmy.
- All right, sir.
Long time, Pryce.
Oh, how's the wife, Stan?
- Busting my balls as usual.
- That's what they do.
- Mm-hmm. Got anything for me?
- How's your son doing? Is he going to resign?
Did he know she was
the fisherman's wife?
Just remember this, folks,
Louisiana has always been
one big family.
And we don't abandon our family
when they make a mistake.
I wouldn't be standing here today
if that truth failed to exist.
- Thank you.
- Mr. Pryce!
Now, Moulay Ismail, that Moroccan ruler,
fathered 900 children
with his concubines.
900 children.
Genghis Khan, well,
he made old Ismail look barren.
One out of every 200 men
on this planet has a direct line
stretching back to that son of a bitch.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
- What's your point, Dad?
- Point is, a lot of powerful men,
JFK, FDR, Clinton, behave the same way.
Now, I was never much
of a philanderer when I was in office,
but I get where you're coming from.
No offense, Miss Deborah.
All right, that's enough.
What am I doing here?
I haven't heard from you
for over a year,
now you want me
to be a part of this fiasco?
I didn't invite you.
Rayne, seeing as how you're uniquely
qualified on the subject of scandals,
why don't you give your son some advice?
Want my advice?
Fuck them.
Fuck the party. Fuck the administration.
Hell, fuck the people.
This spill will be over soon,
and they'll forgive you.
You just got to fight
through it like a man.
- Something funny about what I said?
- Like a man?
We're in the middle of a disaster here.
People are suffering
and I can't even leave my house.
I've already left
these people out to dry.
This ain't about you doing your job...
Of course not.
It was never about that for you.
- I was the best mayor this city ever had.
- And then you lost again and again.
Why are you here? Why is he here?
Colin, I understand you're under
an enormous amount of pressure,
but you need to think about yourself,
and you need to think about us.
Colin, look at me.
Look at me!
You're not going to resign.
I've decided to resign.
I think you're doing the right thing.
I need you to help me get through this.
Why? It's over.
I'm not retiring.
We'll miss the Senate run,
I know that, but...
after the spill's over.
Look, I can't name anyone
who has come back
after a resignation
and been elected again.
You need to think about doing
something else with your life.
You remember why I hired you?
Because my father worked for your father
and you thought he was a miracle worker?
No, that's why I sought you out.
Why'd I hire you?
- What'd I tell you when we met?
- Colin, please.
What'd I say?
That I don't have my head up my ass
like those other Beltway pricks.
I trust you, Kate.
You want some free advice?
Stay out of the press.
Stay out of the press for a long time.
Give people time to forgive you.
How long are we talking?
I don't know.
You are in unchartered waters.
Congressman, the public would like
to hear your side of the story!
Congressman Pryce,
when will you step down?
I don't know what hurts more...
The fact that you're stepping down
or that I wasn't
the first person you told.
This isn't about the spill.
Or the people or you not
being able to do your job.
You're just scared.
You're just scared everyone
will stop loving you.
Your whores, your father,
your constituents.
- It's all the same.
- Stop.
Would you just stop?
I don't care about this city anymore.
If you resign...
I'm going to leave you.
Good afternoon.
Let's get some reaction
now to what we've been hearing
from Senator Tom Owens of Louisiana,
whose state, of course,
has been the hardest hit.
What's your immediate reaction, Senator?
Hallelujah. Let's hope that the spill
has indeed been contained.
Let's hope this cap holds
and they can finally
- kill that well and stop the flow of oil.
- 87 days.
That's, of course, how long
this has all been unfolding.
Give us a little bit of a sense of what
the Gulf Coast residents
are feeling right now.
Well, there is a sense of relief, sure.
But what you have to understand is
right now folks are concerned
with where their next paycheck
is coming from,
How they're going to pay their mortgage,
how they're going
to put food on the table.
For us right now this is only the beginning
of a long rebuilding process.
And we're all just
a little numb right now.
But yes, this is
certainly good news, Wolf.
Colin, it's me. Pick up if you're there.
I'm reminding you about your 9:00 a.m.
With Grandalf's Fisherman's Co-op.
I'm hoping you're already on your way.
Please don't be late again.
Anyway, I'll see you at the foundation.
We try shrimping,
but since the spill,
there ain't nothing out there.
And I could have a boat
on the water for three hours,
it comes back with barely enough
to make a gumbo with.
People think it don't hurt
because they capped the well
and they cleaning up and all that,
but I ain't never seen the water
this dead before.
I sympathize, Mr. Provich, I do.
But Louisiana National simply
isn't in a position to help.
Seems to me this is a matter you should
take up with the claims fund BP set up.
Claims process is fucked.
Excuse my English.
Ain't none of us got a penny from BP
- since the emergency funding back in May.
- I'm sorry to hear that,
- but we have a policy...
- A policy?
I've had to lay off half my workers.
We've been clients
of National for 15 years.
We just looking for a little help.
Please, let's all calm down.
Sorry I'm late.
I'd like a word with Mr. Musgrave
if it's all right with y'all.
Now, Bill, over the past few months,
my organization has been providing
legal counsel to the cooperative.
Forgive me, Mr. Pryce,
I'm not familiar with your organization.
It's a New Orleans
based nonprofit, pro bono
for small business owners
affected by the spill.
I'm their attorney.
Now, this is our proposal
to uniformly restructure
the co-op's boat
and real estate mortgages.
This is BP's obligation, not ours.
You know damn well these men aren't getting
any payments from the GCCF anytime soon.
They're already in default,
and if you don't come through,
they won't make it
through another season.
If you foreclose, the liquidation value
will be less than keeping these fishermen
in business while the industry recovers.
This is very much
in your interest as well.
It's too low.
Well, what are our options?
File for Chapter 11.
It's not ideal, but it'll allow us
to have your assets
revalued in bankruptcy court,
which would force National to cooperate.
We don't want to go down that road.
It'll taint our names.
I understand, Hal. But at this point
it's all about surviving.
You can handle this?
I have a number of clients
in the same position as your co-op, Hal.
Hotels, restaurants,
even a used car salesman in Lafitte.
It's going to take money
and it's going to take manpower.
Yeah, money you ain't got.
I'm working on it.
Thank you, Colin.
Mr. Pryce, I'm from The Daily Kingfish.
I already told you guys,
I'm not doing interviews.
The story's on the GCCF.
The focus will be on your foundation.
Do you think it'll be enough
to get you re-elected someday, Mr. Pryce?
Don't be a jackass.
Sorry, we're running
a little behind today.
We'll be with you as soon as we can.
Morning.
We're backed up out there.
How about a little help?
This is the proposal
for Billick Canner to outsource.
How high?
Did you explain to Billick
that this is for fucking charity?
And I politely reminded him
that you were his mentor at Tulane.
Even if we get Billick
down to 100 an hour,
we still need 200 here to take
the fishery co-op through bankruptcy.
And that doesn't include
the restaurant groups or anyone else.
- I'll wire more money.
- You don't have more money.
I have enough to bring on a few more
employees to help with the raise.
The raise? Maybe that would make sense
if we had even a modicum of success
with our current setup.
- It's just difficult because of your...
- My what?
My reputation?
You're not thinking clearly.
It's a great cause.
It's just not working.
BP's compensation fund
has made a final settlement payment
to one out of 91, 000 people
waiting for checks,
and that was a $10 million payout
to a BP business partner.
The talk line is 555-261 -1677.
Of course, today, our guest is Louisiana
Attorney General Chris Wilcox.
There have been rumors that you would
support a permanent ban on drilling.
Those aren't just rumors.
Some would call that a radical position.
It's radical to those who haven't
researched alternative energy.
No one's saying it's going
to be easy, but mark my words,
the green energy revolution
is going to dwarf the technology revolution.
- We need to be forward thinking.
- Let's go.
And quite frankly,
we don't have any time to waste.
- I heard Wilcox is going to run for Senate.
- He hasn't decided that.
That's funny, because I heard
you're going to run his campaign.
It's a small town.
- So, what do you have in mind?
- Consultant. We'd keep it dark.
And what do you get out of being a shadow
consultant for Wilcox's Senate campaign?
I do good work for Chris,
maybe he gives me
a position down the line.
- Can I get you two something else?
- Yes, ma'am. I'll have another Diet Coke.
I'm good.
Sure you don't want a beer?
Or a bourbon?
It's a small town.
I'm fine.
Trust me, I'm fine.
It's too risky.
If word gets out,
the campaign could be damaged.
We've known each other
since high school.
I'm asking you for a favor.
Nine months. It's just been nine months.
Kate!
Kate, God damn it, I completely forgot.
It's fine.
I have a 6:00 p.m.,
so we don't have a lot of time.
How long are you in town for?
I'm leaving in the morning.
Do you have dinner plans?
Let me take you to Cochon.
No. I mean, yes. I can't tonight.
Mostly bloggers and local.
It's what you'd expect.
Speculation about a return to politics,
questions about the motives
behind your organization.
And people calling me
a narcissistic asshole.
I warned you the press
was going to spin it this way.
You didn't wait long enough
for the dust to settle.
At least you haven't commented publicly.
I just don't understand how my work
can be construed as a negative.
I mean, this isn't
some resume builder, Kate.
Then why do you have a publicist?
No good deed goes unscrutinzed?
Not when you're a politician.
- How are you, Kate?
- Me?
I'm great.
Everything is great.
Do you really want to know how I am?
- Yeah.
- Well...
Let's see, my husband and I
recently separated.
I'm thinking of leaving my job.
My kids are a pain in the ass.
Other than that, I'm great.
Oh, come on, blow off your 6:00 p.m.
and get a drink with me.
You don't want to be burdened by some
37-year-old woman's midlife crisis, believe me.
Let's get back to it, shall we?
- You're only 37?
- Fuck off.
Is it terrible that
I'm drinking with you?
How loose is your definition
of terrible?
You're not going to end up...
passed out naked in some doorway?
No, it was never like that.
Well, maybe a couple of times.
No, I was a functioning alcoholic
until I wasn't.
You know, sometimes I look back
on my life, what was driving my life,
Jesus, I don't know,
with all the campaigning
and the meetings
and the speeches...
I just miss it, you know?
This will get easier.
We said we wouldn't do this.
You're a real special one,
you know that?
Hey, Maria. Is Mrs. Pryce home?
I'm sorry, Mr. Pryce.
She's still at the office.
She asked me to come by and drop off
these papers from the lawyers.
- It's good to see you, Mr. Pryce.
- You, too.
Colin.
Colin.
Hello, James.
How you doing?
I spoke to your doctor.
You're going to need to have surgery.
What for?
70 percent of my liver has stopped dead.
I'm making arrangements
to take care of the bills.
I don't want your damn money.
You're in the red from financing
your last campaign.
You don't have any money, Dad.
Well, don't shit your pants.
You ain't going to be saddled
with my debt or my fiascos.
I wouldn't do that to your wife.
Yeah.
How's that pro bono work going?
Could be worse.
Not what I heard.
My advice is stop
spending your own money.
Keep it simple.
You don't have to be the hero.
You just have to make it look good.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
You know, it's funny.
I walk around this city,
people come up to me to shake my hand,
want to thank me for doing the things
I did for them while I was mayor.
They don't remember anything after that.
The speeches I gave under the influence.
That fucking spitting incident.
None of it.
Yes, sir. Louisiana
is a mighty funny place.
You'll be back
on that horse soon enough.
Is that what you think this is?
Some sort of publicity stunt?
Well, ain't it?
You mind getting me some more?
You shouldn't be drinking
or smoking for that matter.
You sound just like your mother.
May she rest in peace.
What?
You may hate my guts,
but you turned out all right.
After all, the apple
didn't fall too far.
You really think you're better
than me, don't you?
No, I don't.
But I'm nothing like you.
Hey there. You're up early.
I had a dream about you.
Really?
We were in high school together.
But we looked the same.
Middle-aged high-schoolers.
I was asking you to the prom
or something, I don't remember exactly.
You were nervous and blushing,
and I gave you one hell of a kiss.
Did we go to prom together?
I don't know. You sped off crying.
That sounds about right.
Listen, what would you think about
coming down here for a few days to visit?
- Come on.
- Shoes off, please.
I want my damned pancakes.
- Watch your mouth.
- Yeah, shut up, Robbie.
How about this weekend?
This weekend?
This weekend's good.
Okay, I got to run.
I will call you later.
Okay.
Colin!
Colin!
At 7:00 a.m. I get a call
from Gail Dixon with the GCCF.
She's in Feinberg's office.
She tells me BP admires the work
the foundation is doing
and has decided to give us
a $3.5 million grant.
Three million
for existing clients' claims,
and the remainder
for their bankruptcy needs.
- This right here is too good to be true.
- That's what I thought.
So I get to the office,
I log into the donation account, the money
is there. The numbers match up.
But why us? There's got to be ten
other organizations just like ours.
- Publicity?
- Exactly. So if you're BP,
why associate yourself
with a disgraced politician?
Muddles the story.
But this barely touches on the scandal.
Do you want to send back the money?
Hell, no.
I poked around with a BP publicist.
She didn't know
who authorized the grant,
but she thought it would ignite a wave
of funding, which makes sense.
I mean, the GCCF's been hit
with a ton of criticism.
Yeah, okay. Then why start with me?
Who knows? Who cares? Just be thankful.
This is a blessing for your foundation
and your image.
And I know the press
have taken their shots,
but you are coming off of this a winner.
All right, enough about work.
So, what's the plan?
Are you hungry?
Client of mine's having
a barbecue in Grand Isle.
- The fishing village?
- Yeah, the fishing village.
Who do you think my clients are?
Only kind of seafood
won't kill you these days.
You got your potatos,
you got your corns,
little bit of crab oil, some garlic,
then you got your Cajun spices,
and God help you if you
get this in your eyeball.
And once you get it smoking real good,
then you know you got yourself a boil.
You married quite the chef, huh?
No, there ain't a man in Louisiana
don't know how to cook.
- Oh, she got a mouth on her.
- What? It's true.
Y'all want a beer?
You have a soda or something?
- What, you don't drink?
- Trying not to.
Oh. Me, too.
Can I tell you something?
Sure.
- I think you got a bum deal.
- Lay...
I mean, you got that
son of a bitch Senator Owens
sleeping with hookers.
He keeps getting elected.
You, you cheated on your wife.
Big fucking deal.
I mean, people are broke,
sick with the dispersants,
you're the only one down here
doing a goddamn thing for us.
Can I help you with those drinks?
Sure.
That lady of yours,
she's something else.
No, no. We just work together, Hal.
I heard you was
rattling cages over at BP.
Looks like we're in business.
I think more like
we ain't out of business yet.
You done good, Congressman.
In breaking news, yet another scandal
is sending shockwaves
through our nation's capital.
This one involving two-term
Republican Senator Tom Owens
of Louisiana who was detained
by federal agents late last night.
On Saturday morning FBI agents raided
Senator Owens' Washington, D.C.
and Metairie homes
as part of an ongoing corruption probe.
Sources familiar with the investigation said
investigators are looking into whether Owens
- used his influence in business dealings.
- Yeah?
- Who?
- No formal charges have been filed against me.
We don't know the extent or the precise
nature of this investigation,
but I am cooperating
with the authorities fully and...
3:00 p.m. works. Uh-huh.
Who was that?
Mark will just be a minute.
Can I get you something to drink?
No, thanks, I'm fine.
Hello.
Sorry, honey.
No, you cannot go
to the Kanye concert alone.
Janie is not an adult.
160,000 cash. That's what the Feds
found in the attic
of Owens' Georgetown home.
Your stepfather can take you.
He's cool. He's hip.
Okay, pumpkin. All right, love you.
My daughter is 14.
What else do you know about Tom Owens?
I know that he took a bribe
from a Florida businessman.
- Tom's going to resign?
- No.
The investigation could take 18 months,
and if Owens decides
to fight, which he will,
a conviction could take years.
What's the problem, then? Tom may not be in
the party, but he supports your interests.
It's not Owens I'm worried about.
It's Chris Wilcox.
He's going to beat him.
- You know I can't win.
- Really?
Well, our polls
are telling us differently.
Seems the public would be
receptive to your running.
You just need the right spin
and a machine to spin it.
You authorized that grant.
Being one of BP's most influential
shareholders has its perks.
So you had them donate
$3.5 million into my foundation
to test the waters for a Senate run?
What's it to them?
Who's going to finance the campaign? BP?
No. I am.
We need someone from Louisiana
fighting for our side.
And you think it makes
a hell of a story,
Colin Pryce, working to bridge
the gap between BP
and all the hardworking folks
of Louisiana.
This goes way beyond BP.
This is about the entire industry.
This is about protecting investments.
The next few years,
every major oil and gas company
will be spending
more and more token money
on alternative energy and safe drilling.
Billions of ad dollars will be spent
to cleanse their images.
And we'll make sure that
you're in the center of it all.
A hero.
But you're not just asking me
to change my energy position.
You're asking me to turn my back
on the claims process.
Look at it this way,
if it's not you,
we'll find someone else.
Chris Wilcox is not going to win.
You can bet on that.
What makes you think I'd do this?
You're standing here.
You want to know how I rationalize it?
I ask myself,
would I rather that claims money
be in the hands of a bunch
of podunk fishermen
or invested back into the economy
by a corporation who's been creating jobs
down here since before I was born.
As for a moratorium,
that is just not
economically sound for anyone.
Thank you for your time.
You know what I always found
most interesting about politicians
is that they're so blinded
by delusions of grandeur
that they forget who they really are.
In your case, the only thing anyone
is going to remember about you
is that you fucked a fisherman's wife.
Most people won't even remember that.
You're going to need
someone like me, Colin.
I know.
I know what you're thinking.
It's really not my place.
I'm not going to work with him, Kate.
Then why take the meeting?
Because I at least needed to...
Hear him out? Why?
Even if I never resigned, I still
wouldn't have won that Senate seat.
They were always maneuvering me.
I was in denial.
That's not true.
You stand for something.
Will you stay for a couple more days?
I wish I could.
But unfortunately I have work and...
children. So...
Well, what would you think about me
coming up there to visit you soon?
I could spend time with your kids.
I'm not divorced yet, Colin.
And neither are you.
You know damn well it's right with us.
What about your career?
Do you have any idea
what this would look like?
We've already been incredibly reckless.
This feels real to me.
And if it means
I can't run for office again,
so be it.
I thought I was taking you
to the airport.
I called a cab.
I figured I'd let you sleep.
Folks, the grant was given to us
for claims we already submitted.
Are any of you existing clients?
Meaning people
we worked with in the past?
All right, who's next?
We had to treat
your father's alcohol withdrawal
to maximize the safety of his surgery.
Detox.
Detox was kind of rocky for him.
Both emotionally and physically.
We're going to take him
into the OR about 40 minutes.
The surgery should take
five to seven hours.
Take your time with him until then.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Heard you were in the middle
of a class action.
I didn't think you'd be here.
I postponed the depositions,
but I have to get back
to the office during surgery.
He's my father, too.
I'll be outside.
How are you feeling?
Ask me that in seven hours.
You're going to be okay.
You know, I was thinking
about something on the ride over.
You remember that speech
you gave during the '69 campaign
about the anti-discrimination
ordinance, you remember?
You were shouting, pounding your fist,
spitting like a mad dog.
I was too young to understand
much of what you were saying,
but I did understand it was about race.
Blacks and whites, right and wrong.
- And I never...
- Do...
Do me a favor, Colin.
What?
Don't feel sorry for me.
Oh, Christ.
All right.
Close the damn shades.
The sun is hurting my eyes.
You've been sleeping
with your consultant.
That's none of your business.
Another disaster waiting to happen.
What does it matter to you anyway?
It's difficult to stop
caring about someone
you've spent 25 years of your life with.
But you did.
I apologize.
I'm willing to admit that...
I've been wrong. And I'm sorry.
What are you talking about?
I don't want to sign.
If you fall on one issue,
you make that sacrifice,
we can accomplish
everything we've worked for.
You won't be able
to make this on your own terms.
Not this time.
500,000.
That's how many people
have filed with the GCCF.
I'd be responsible for all of them.
It won't change a thing,
and you know it.
Why are you doing this?
I love you.
Whether you take the deal or not.
Do me a favor.
Don't come back here after the surgery.
You've reached Kate Haber,
you can leave me a message...
City and state, please.
Arlington, Virginia. Katherine Haber.
Hello?
Kate.
Why are you calling me at home?
Can we talk for a minute?
This isn't a good time.
Just call the office tomorrow
and we can talk then.
I miss you.
Honey, we're starting the movie.
Can... I just need a minute.
I'll just be a minute.
That was your husband.
We've decided to try
and work things out.
Were you going to bother telling me?
Yes, of course I was.
But it just happened and...
I...
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
But what did you think
was going to happen?
That I'd campaign with you?
That I'd stand up there
on that podium by your side?
You weren't giving up politics
to be with me.
And if you did,
you would have been miserable.
You would have resented me.
Maybe not at first,
but what about in six months?
Or a year?
Do you love him?
Oh, Colin, tell me that I'm wrong.
Tell me that I'm wrong.
I'm sorry to have called so late.
You have a good night.
Colin?
Colin, open the door.
Colin. Colin.
Open the door.
Unlock the door.
Colin.
You've always been a decent man, Colin.
But that's not why I married you.
I married you because I knew
you had it in you to be a great man.
And great men,
men who build legacies,
they aren't always decent.
They understand that people...
they need someone
to tell them what to remember.
And what to forget.
They need great men
to insulate them from frailty.
What's good, what's bad.
Because only great men know how to make
people's powerlessness tolerable.
My mother grew up a couple miles
east of here in Metairie.
My father grew up in the city.
I was raised in Broadmoor.
Graduated Jesuit High.
My parents had friends
who worked at this plant.
I had friends whose parents
worked at this plant.
And I have friends now
who work at this plant,
some of you are here today.
So I understand
the problems that we face.
I understand our frustrations.
And I am here to be the solution.
We must not let ourselves forget
the 11 men who died
on that Transocean rig
or the impact the spill
has had on the Gulf Coast.
But we also can't allow tragedy
to force us into making foolish decisions.
Instead of wasting our energy
vilifying the oil industry
and the GCCF, we need to be patient.
We need to work together.
Because the fact of the matter is,
we need each other.
Good legislating
is the art of compromise.
Good business is the art of compromise.
Life will forever be
the art of compromise.
Chris Wilcox doesn't understand
that around here people go
from seafood to oil field
and from oil field to seafood.
He doesn't understand that
a permanent ban on drilling
will devastate our local economy.
He doesn't understand that
you cannot afford to send
hard-earned American dollars
to the Middle East.
I am running for Senate
to move things forward,
not only for this
great state of Louisiana,
but for this great country.
Deepwater Horizon exploded,
the flames, fed by crude
from the bottom of the sea,
were simply too big to contain.
For the families
of the 11 missing crew members,
hope of their rescue is fading.
The search for survivors
will end before dawn tomorrow.
The forced feeding of mud and cement
into the well failed to work.
The well continues to spew oil
with the force of seven fire hoses.
Today, that slick is 12 miles long,
covering 100 square miles.
Winds are coming from the south
and they're strong,
about 30 miles an hour,
pushing that oil towards the coast.
Congressman, all of our sites
are outlined here.
We've got our east operations
all the way up here.
Over here, our west operations.
Up here we're working with local Indian
tribes to protect their burial grounds.
How you doing on boom supply?
Hard boom we clean and reuse,
so we're good there.
Soft boom needs to be replaced
when it's oil soaked, so...
demand is never ending.
It's something new.
It's something we had to figure out
on our own because we're shrimpers.
We didn't know nothing about
cleaning up oil until last week.
Floyd told me you got six boats.
- BP contract them all?
- Two of them.
The other four shut down
because we ain't allowed to shrimp.
How much are they paying you?
1350 a day a boat.
And out of that I got to pay for fuel,
crew, all the other expenses.
- Normally you'd be making what? 35?
- Yeah.
Going to have to start
laying off workers soon.
First Katrina took it away and now BP.
What you going to do?
The chair recognizes the gentleman
from Louisiana, Mr. Pryce.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Today we saw reports
that BP's spill in the Gulf
has grown to nearly 20 million gallons,
which is roughly twice
the size of Exxon Valdez.
This is the most devastating man-made
environmental disaster in U.S. history.
It's also an economic
and cultural disaster.
People of the Gulf Coast
will be living with this reality
long after the TV cameras have gone home
and the nation's attention
has turned elsewhere.
Long after the politicians
have finished making their statements,
these people will continue to suffer.
Today I'm not a federal official.
Today I'm a resident
of the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
These fishermen,
these restaurant owners,
these folks who run the bait shops
and the corner stores,
they're people I grew up with.
They're people my parents grew up with.
People I look in the eye
every single day.
They've never asked
for a handout in their lives.
They've bled for this country, their sons
and daughters have bled for this country,
and right now they need our help.
They need firm commitments
from BP and the government
that'll not just help them rebuild,
but that'll assure them
we stand by their side.
That we have their backs
just like they've had ours.
Everything I know,
everything I love is at risk.
And even though these marshes
lie along coastal Louisiana...
these are America's wetlands.
And even though this is
British Petroleum's spill...
it is America's ocean.
Excuse me, I'd just like to submit
the rest of my statement for the record.
Thank you.
Been calling the house.
I needed time to clear my head.
That was quite a show you put on.
It wasn't a show. I dropped the lines
about the necessity for a central czar.
- Most important part of the speech.
- You were honest.
- And that's the way it came off.
- No, I was weak.
You haven't heard.
- Who else picked it up?
- Everyone.
Today it appears the sun is shining
on a Louisiana congressman nobody knows.
You want to milk this.
I want to milk the shit out of it
and ride it straight
into the Senate seat.
This is what we've been waiting for.
You're not capitalizing on the spill.
This...
This is you.
All right. All right.
We're going to use this, Frank,
to ensure BP and Transocean
take responsibility
for what they've done.
Shine a light in their goddamn faces.
You're on the 9:15 out of Reagan.
And Colin...
if we're going to do this,
we need to be buttoned up.
I want the Coast Guard
and the EPA closed to press.
- But Frank explicitly said...
- I don't care what Frank said. This is priority.
- Let's keep this tasteful.
- Would you consider 20/20 tasteful?
They're going to open
with you on June 15th.
It seems like this speech
is going to have some legs.
Congressman, care to comment
on yesterday's speech?
- Jen, how you doing this morning?
- Hanging in there, sir.
Unfortunately, the congressman
requested this be a closed-door meeting.
- Sorry, folks.
- Are you running for Senate?
Since you were last here, we've made
a significant number of changes.
Just trying to be more aggressive
containing the oil.
How often are you receiving
shipments of soft boom?
Not often enough.
I'll see what I can find out
and circle back.
If you need anything else, you call me.
You've got my personal number.
Yes, sir. Thank you.
Enlighten me, Mr. Morris,
who do I need to call
to get trucks bringing in
soft boom every day?
Admiral Allen? Goddamned president?
No, no, no. Believe me, I understand,
and I'm not trying to be rude.
I'm just sick of all this posturing.
You don't think I've been
through this before?
Katrina, Rita, Gustav, Ike.
Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear.
Louisiana needs the oil industry
and the oil industry needs Louisiana.
That was true 100 years ago
and it will be true in another 100 years.
The spill was a tragedy,
but it is in everyone's best interest
to keep American oil healthy.
My husband isn't doubting how reliant
our local economy is on industry.
My fund runs a diversified
energy portfolio
with an emphasis on Gulf producers.
I know you've leaned left
on energy in the past,
but I'm looking to back a horse
that will support our interests.
You can find a lot
of politicians around here
in the party whose interests
align with yours.
- Why me?
- You're a winner.
People are talking about you, Congressman.
Even in my world.
Well, then, you should know
I don't pander to campaign financing.
Well, you won't win the Senate seat
unless you reconsider.
I'm sorry, I was under the impression
this was a lobby meeting.
We haven't decided
if we're going to run for Senate.
Colin, just hear him out.
We are in the middle of a recession.
This election is going
to be about the economy.
And a moratorium will be
more devastating than the spill itself.
Mark, I don't think
you quite understand,
I'm not just advocating
for a temporary moratorium.
I think we ought
to phase out drilling altogether.
- Colin.
- Oil is an addiction.
And right now it's going to be pretty damn
tricky to deny how harmful it is,
how antiquated it is.
We need to develop
a sustainable infrastructure.
Mark, you're a man with foresight.
You know green is how
we ought to be creating jobs.
Am I hearing what I think I'm hearing?
I'm sorry.
We've wasted your time.
You're not going to win.
We'll see.
It's not smart.
You told him we're planning to run
before we've announced.
You humiliated me.
Do you have any idea how much business
my firm does with that man?
I didn't ask you to do that.
I won't be beholden
to Mark Lavin or anyone else.
That speech was a godsend.
Don't blow it.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
See you at home.
Frank told me you've been
calling the office.
Why would you do that?
What were you thinking, Lucy?
I'm sorry.
Terrence knows about us.
He came home drunk last night talking
all sorts of shit, and I don't know.
But don't worry,
he ain't going to say nothing.
I think you've had enough.
Don't you think
you've fucking had enough?
- No.
- I do.
Okay, I'm sorry, Lucy, okay?
I'm sorry.
I miss you, Colin.
Please.
Just sit with me.
Just for a minute. Please.
Tell it like it is, Pryce!
- You've got my vote.
- All right, brother.
You need to get ready.
Car is picking us up in 15 minutes.
The Parish School Board fundraiser.
Sit with me for a minute.
Just one minute,
and I promise I'll cooperate.
Since when did we start
stocking the house with alcohol?
You've been sober for 16 years.
I think we're safe.
Besides, we can't all
get high on Diet Coke.
You remember our first legislature run?
Planting posters at 2:00 a.m.
on the median of Highway 90?
Two kids, fresh out of law school.
Colin...
I want you to see someone with me.
I know you don't want to,
but we don't have a choice.
Did you have a choice
when you slept with that
27-year-old cheerleader coach?
Frank told you.
Who fucking cares who told me?
I'm sorry.
I was trying, Deb.
Believe me, I really was.
Do you expect me to congratulate you
because you tried to keep
your dick in your pants?
What is it you want to hear?
That I'm fine you keep risking
everything we've worked for?
Not everything is about our career.
I wish that were true.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.
All right, good job, girls. Good job.
Lucy Hall?
- Kara, take over for a couple minutes, okay?
- Okay. No problem.
I'm a reporter for the Lafitte Gazette.
As uncomfortable as this is,
I got to ask about your relationship
with Congressman Pryce.
There must be some mistake.
Honestly, I have no idea
who you're talking about.
You've been elected twice in a district
that is 60 percent African-American
and one that has historically elected
black officials since the Seventies.
What do you think that says about you?
Well, I think it says
a lot about the city.
I took office in 2006
straight after Katrina.
People were rightfully craving change.
Folks don't care what color your skin is
anymore, what your economic standing is.
What people want, what they need
is a leader to produce.
I spent eight years in the state
legislature, I did a term in city council.
My wife is a well-respected attorney
around here.
So I think it's a matter of trust.
- You grew up in a political family.
- Yes, sir.
Your father, Rayne Pryce,
was mayor during the Seventies.
He created numerous opportunities
for the city's black population.
I'd imagine folk down here
still love your daddy, don't they?
Yes, they do. Very much.
Needless to say,
the Civil Rights Movement
wasn't popular in the South back then.
What he did, it took guts.
Talk to me about
his post-mayoral career.
It's no secret that Rayne
lost three consecutive Senate elections
and was involved
in a number of incidents.
What happened to him?
My father is an alcoholic, Byron.
No one is available to take your call.
Please leave a mess...
Come on, Colin. Come on.
Let's focus on the fact
that for the first time
since the storm,
people are moving back into the city.
Which makes the spill
that much more devastating.
Right. And that's precisely
why we need to remain vigilant,
why we need to hold
all parties accountable.
Now, BP has vowed to pay
all legitimate claims,
but folks don't have a lot of room
to wait around for checks to come
or I should say not to come in the mail.
And I want people to know
I'm going to be there for them.
Get rid of that suit.
Whoa, don't touch that oil
with your bare hands.
Use some gloves, man.
All right, we're taking off
in 15 minutes, fellas.
Terrence?
Terrence Hall?
What's next for you?
Any plans to run, say, for the Senate?
Well, that's a ways off. Right now
we need to focus on the oil spill.
Right now I have a job representing
the Second District
of Louisiana in Congress.
I think we have enough here.
It's been a real pleasure.
Thank you, Colin.
- Thank you for having me, Byron.
- Yes, sir.
Thanks for coming on such short notice.
He's in the kitchen.
How long before a major picks this up?
I'd give it until the morning.
People are going to think he knew
that slut was the fisherman's wife.
She's right. They're going
to think he knew the fisherman.
- Terrence.
- What?
The fisherman.
His name is Terrence Hall.
An NBC affiliate has footage
of me speaking at his oyster company.
That's how I met the girl.
We'll start polling damage
first thing in the morning.
Well, I'm going to have to come clean,
so set a press conference.
I think we should hold off on that.
I think we need to see how
this is going to play out.
Why? You think it's going to blow over?
No, I don't think
it's going to blow over,
but I think it's possible
that we can weather this.
Frank, it's not like
my husband committed a crime.
With all due respect, have you forgotten
what's going on out there?
How do you think it's going to look when
people find out that Congressman Pryce,
the superhero of the BP oil spill
is fucking the wife
of a local fisherman,
the black wife
of a black local fisherman?
How do you think that's going to look?
- You're being dramatic.
- Oh, am I?
This is going to snowball.
Colin is not going to have
one solitary friend in Washington.
Not with every person in America
having watched him cry
on national television five days ago.
Maybe you're right.
But we need to stay cool.
Think about Owens
and the prostitution scandal.
That was less than a year ago.
This is Louisiana.
Owens was re-elected.
We're not going to be in November.
Colin is a white congressman
in a black district.
He can barely win here
with nothing hanging over him.
That's why the Senate made sense,
where there are at least white voters.
Still does.
What's on for tomorrow?
- The claims fair.
- That's right. The claims fair.
- The release go out yet?
- No, not yet.
Well, let's see that it does.
That's what you should be focusing on.
Not this bullshit.
Come on, let's get some sleep.
Yeah?
Hi, Congressman Pryce?
Hi, it's Jen Wyman.
Who?
It's Jen.
Lieutenant Wyman from the Coast Guard?
Oh, Jen, of course.
- What's on your mind?
- We got a real problem here.
We haven't received a shipment of soft boom
in over a week, and we're running real low.
Projections show the oil moving west
and we don't have enough
to protect the western coastline
of Mississippi.
I'm sorry to call
on your personal line, sir,
but you did say to reach out
if there's an emergency.
You haven't heard what's been going on?
What's wrong, sir?
I'm going to put you in touch
with my friend, Dave Erikson,
President of Plaquemines Parish.
He'll be able to help you.
Bernadette, you're on in three...
Over the weekend,
calls for a resignation
have intensified with statements
from the House Minority Leader
and National Committee Chair.
Both said a temporary
leave of absence is not enough.
This has become a sensational story,
a symbol to many of everything
that's wrong in Washington.
Louisiana simply can't afford
to face this disaster
with a scandal that could distract
from the real problems at hand.
Price couldn't even attend
his own claims fair.
- Thank you, Jimmy.
- All right, sir.
Long time, Pryce.
Oh, how's the wife, Stan?
- Busting my balls as usual.
- That's what they do.
- Mm-hmm. Got anything for me?
- How's your son doing? Is he going to resign?
Did he know she was
the fisherman's wife?
Just remember this, folks,
Louisiana has always been
one big family.
And we don't abandon our family
when they make a mistake.
I wouldn't be standing here today
if that truth failed to exist.
- Thank you.
- Mr. Pryce!
Now, Moulay Ismail, that Moroccan ruler,
fathered 900 children
with his concubines.
900 children.
Genghis Khan, well,
he made old Ismail look barren.
One out of every 200 men
on this planet has a direct line
stretching back to that son of a bitch.
- Is that right?
- Yeah.
- What's your point, Dad?
- Point is, a lot of powerful men,
JFK, FDR, Clinton, behave the same way.
Now, I was never much
of a philanderer when I was in office,
but I get where you're coming from.
No offense, Miss Deborah.
All right, that's enough.
What am I doing here?
I haven't heard from you
for over a year,
now you want me
to be a part of this fiasco?
I didn't invite you.
Rayne, seeing as how you're uniquely
qualified on the subject of scandals,
why don't you give your son some advice?
Want my advice?
Fuck them.
Fuck the party. Fuck the administration.
Hell, fuck the people.
This spill will be over soon,
and they'll forgive you.
You just got to fight
through it like a man.
- Something funny about what I said?
- Like a man?
We're in the middle of a disaster here.
People are suffering
and I can't even leave my house.
I've already left
these people out to dry.
This ain't about you doing your job...
Of course not.
It was never about that for you.
- I was the best mayor this city ever had.
- And then you lost again and again.
Why are you here? Why is he here?
Colin, I understand you're under
an enormous amount of pressure,
but you need to think about yourself,
and you need to think about us.
Colin, look at me.
Look at me!
You're not going to resign.
I've decided to resign.
I think you're doing the right thing.
I need you to help me get through this.
Why? It's over.
I'm not retiring.
We'll miss the Senate run,
I know that, but...
after the spill's over.
Look, I can't name anyone
who has come back
after a resignation
and been elected again.
You need to think about doing
something else with your life.
You remember why I hired you?
Because my father worked for your father
and you thought he was a miracle worker?
No, that's why I sought you out.
Why'd I hire you?
- What'd I tell you when we met?
- Colin, please.
What'd I say?
That I don't have my head up my ass
like those other Beltway pricks.
I trust you, Kate.
You want some free advice?
Stay out of the press.
Stay out of the press for a long time.
Give people time to forgive you.
How long are we talking?
I don't know.
You are in unchartered waters.
Congressman, the public would like
to hear your side of the story!
Congressman Pryce,
when will you step down?
I don't know what hurts more...
The fact that you're stepping down
or that I wasn't
the first person you told.
This isn't about the spill.
Or the people or you not
being able to do your job.
You're just scared.
You're just scared everyone
will stop loving you.
Your whores, your father,
your constituents.
- It's all the same.
- Stop.
Would you just stop?
I don't care about this city anymore.
If you resign...
I'm going to leave you.
Good afternoon.
Let's get some reaction
now to what we've been hearing
from Senator Tom Owens of Louisiana,
whose state, of course,
has been the hardest hit.
What's your immediate reaction, Senator?
Hallelujah. Let's hope that the spill
has indeed been contained.
Let's hope this cap holds
and they can finally
- kill that well and stop the flow of oil.
- 87 days.
That's, of course, how long
this has all been unfolding.
Give us a little bit of a sense of what
the Gulf Coast residents
are feeling right now.
Well, there is a sense of relief, sure.
But what you have to understand is
right now folks are concerned
with where their next paycheck
is coming from,
How they're going to pay their mortgage,
how they're going
to put food on the table.
For us right now this is only the beginning
of a long rebuilding process.
And we're all just
a little numb right now.
But yes, this is
certainly good news, Wolf.
Colin, it's me. Pick up if you're there.
I'm reminding you about your 9:00 a.m.
With Grandalf's Fisherman's Co-op.
I'm hoping you're already on your way.
Please don't be late again.
Anyway, I'll see you at the foundation.
We try shrimping,
but since the spill,
there ain't nothing out there.
And I could have a boat
on the water for three hours,
it comes back with barely enough
to make a gumbo with.
People think it don't hurt
because they capped the well
and they cleaning up and all that,
but I ain't never seen the water
this dead before.
I sympathize, Mr. Provich, I do.
But Louisiana National simply
isn't in a position to help.
Seems to me this is a matter you should
take up with the claims fund BP set up.
Claims process is fucked.
Excuse my English.
Ain't none of us got a penny from BP
- since the emergency funding back in May.
- I'm sorry to hear that,
- but we have a policy...
- A policy?
I've had to lay off half my workers.
We've been clients
of National for 15 years.
We just looking for a little help.
Please, let's all calm down.
Sorry I'm late.
I'd like a word with Mr. Musgrave
if it's all right with y'all.
Now, Bill, over the past few months,
my organization has been providing
legal counsel to the cooperative.
Forgive me, Mr. Pryce,
I'm not familiar with your organization.
It's a New Orleans
based nonprofit, pro bono
for small business owners
affected by the spill.
I'm their attorney.
Now, this is our proposal
to uniformly restructure
the co-op's boat
and real estate mortgages.
This is BP's obligation, not ours.
You know damn well these men aren't getting
any payments from the GCCF anytime soon.
They're already in default,
and if you don't come through,
they won't make it
through another season.
If you foreclose, the liquidation value
will be less than keeping these fishermen
in business while the industry recovers.
This is very much
in your interest as well.
It's too low.
Well, what are our options?
File for Chapter 11.
It's not ideal, but it'll allow us
to have your assets
revalued in bankruptcy court,
which would force National to cooperate.
We don't want to go down that road.
It'll taint our names.
I understand, Hal. But at this point
it's all about surviving.
You can handle this?
I have a number of clients
in the same position as your co-op, Hal.
Hotels, restaurants,
even a used car salesman in Lafitte.
It's going to take money
and it's going to take manpower.
Yeah, money you ain't got.
I'm working on it.
Thank you, Colin.
Mr. Pryce, I'm from The Daily Kingfish.
I already told you guys,
I'm not doing interviews.
The story's on the GCCF.
The focus will be on your foundation.
Do you think it'll be enough
to get you re-elected someday, Mr. Pryce?
Don't be a jackass.
Sorry, we're running
a little behind today.
We'll be with you as soon as we can.
Morning.
We're backed up out there.
How about a little help?
This is the proposal
for Billick Canner to outsource.
How high?
Did you explain to Billick
that this is for fucking charity?
And I politely reminded him
that you were his mentor at Tulane.
Even if we get Billick
down to 100 an hour,
we still need 200 here to take
the fishery co-op through bankruptcy.
And that doesn't include
the restaurant groups or anyone else.
- I'll wire more money.
- You don't have more money.
I have enough to bring on a few more
employees to help with the raise.
The raise? Maybe that would make sense
if we had even a modicum of success
with our current setup.
- It's just difficult because of your...
- My what?
My reputation?
You're not thinking clearly.
It's a great cause.
It's just not working.
BP's compensation fund
has made a final settlement payment
to one out of 91, 000 people
waiting for checks,
and that was a $10 million payout
to a BP business partner.
The talk line is 555-261 -1677.
Of course, today, our guest is Louisiana
Attorney General Chris Wilcox.
There have been rumors that you would
support a permanent ban on drilling.
Those aren't just rumors.
Some would call that a radical position.
It's radical to those who haven't
researched alternative energy.
No one's saying it's going
to be easy, but mark my words,
the green energy revolution
is going to dwarf the technology revolution.
- We need to be forward thinking.
- Let's go.
And quite frankly,
we don't have any time to waste.
- I heard Wilcox is going to run for Senate.
- He hasn't decided that.
That's funny, because I heard
you're going to run his campaign.
It's a small town.
- So, what do you have in mind?
- Consultant. We'd keep it dark.
And what do you get out of being a shadow
consultant for Wilcox's Senate campaign?
I do good work for Chris,
maybe he gives me
a position down the line.
- Can I get you two something else?
- Yes, ma'am. I'll have another Diet Coke.
I'm good.
Sure you don't want a beer?
Or a bourbon?
It's a small town.
I'm fine.
Trust me, I'm fine.
It's too risky.
If word gets out,
the campaign could be damaged.
We've known each other
since high school.
I'm asking you for a favor.
Nine months. It's just been nine months.
Kate!
Kate, God damn it, I completely forgot.
It's fine.
I have a 6:00 p.m.,
so we don't have a lot of time.
How long are you in town for?
I'm leaving in the morning.
Do you have dinner plans?
Let me take you to Cochon.
No. I mean, yes. I can't tonight.
Mostly bloggers and local.
It's what you'd expect.
Speculation about a return to politics,
questions about the motives
behind your organization.
And people calling me
a narcissistic asshole.
I warned you the press
was going to spin it this way.
You didn't wait long enough
for the dust to settle.
At least you haven't commented publicly.
I just don't understand how my work
can be construed as a negative.
I mean, this isn't
some resume builder, Kate.
Then why do you have a publicist?
No good deed goes unscrutinzed?
Not when you're a politician.
- How are you, Kate?
- Me?
I'm great.
Everything is great.
Do you really want to know how I am?
- Yeah.
- Well...
Let's see, my husband and I
recently separated.
I'm thinking of leaving my job.
My kids are a pain in the ass.
Other than that, I'm great.
Oh, come on, blow off your 6:00 p.m.
and get a drink with me.
You don't want to be burdened by some
37-year-old woman's midlife crisis, believe me.
Let's get back to it, shall we?
- You're only 37?
- Fuck off.
Is it terrible that
I'm drinking with you?
How loose is your definition
of terrible?
You're not going to end up...
passed out naked in some doorway?
No, it was never like that.
Well, maybe a couple of times.
No, I was a functioning alcoholic
until I wasn't.
You know, sometimes I look back
on my life, what was driving my life,
Jesus, I don't know,
with all the campaigning
and the meetings
and the speeches...
I just miss it, you know?
This will get easier.
We said we wouldn't do this.
You're a real special one,
you know that?
Hey, Maria. Is Mrs. Pryce home?
I'm sorry, Mr. Pryce.
She's still at the office.
She asked me to come by and drop off
these papers from the lawyers.
- It's good to see you, Mr. Pryce.
- You, too.
Colin.
Colin.
Hello, James.
How you doing?
I spoke to your doctor.
You're going to need to have surgery.
What for?
70 percent of my liver has stopped dead.
I'm making arrangements
to take care of the bills.
I don't want your damn money.
You're in the red from financing
your last campaign.
You don't have any money, Dad.
Well, don't shit your pants.
You ain't going to be saddled
with my debt or my fiascos.
I wouldn't do that to your wife.
Yeah.
How's that pro bono work going?
Could be worse.
Not what I heard.
My advice is stop
spending your own money.
Keep it simple.
You don't have to be the hero.
You just have to make it look good.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
You know, it's funny.
I walk around this city,
people come up to me to shake my hand,
want to thank me for doing the things
I did for them while I was mayor.
They don't remember anything after that.
The speeches I gave under the influence.
That fucking spitting incident.
None of it.
Yes, sir. Louisiana
is a mighty funny place.
You'll be back
on that horse soon enough.
Is that what you think this is?
Some sort of publicity stunt?
Well, ain't it?
You mind getting me some more?
You shouldn't be drinking
or smoking for that matter.
You sound just like your mother.
May she rest in peace.
What?
You may hate my guts,
but you turned out all right.
After all, the apple
didn't fall too far.
You really think you're better
than me, don't you?
No, I don't.
But I'm nothing like you.
Hey there. You're up early.
I had a dream about you.
Really?
We were in high school together.
But we looked the same.
Middle-aged high-schoolers.
I was asking you to the prom
or something, I don't remember exactly.
You were nervous and blushing,
and I gave you one hell of a kiss.
Did we go to prom together?
I don't know. You sped off crying.
That sounds about right.
Listen, what would you think about
coming down here for a few days to visit?
- Come on.
- Shoes off, please.
I want my damned pancakes.
- Watch your mouth.
- Yeah, shut up, Robbie.
How about this weekend?
This weekend?
This weekend's good.
Okay, I got to run.
I will call you later.
Okay.
Colin!
Colin!
At 7:00 a.m. I get a call
from Gail Dixon with the GCCF.
She's in Feinberg's office.
She tells me BP admires the work
the foundation is doing
and has decided to give us
a $3.5 million grant.
Three million
for existing clients' claims,
and the remainder
for their bankruptcy needs.
- This right here is too good to be true.
- That's what I thought.
So I get to the office,
I log into the donation account, the money
is there. The numbers match up.
But why us? There's got to be ten
other organizations just like ours.
- Publicity?
- Exactly. So if you're BP,
why associate yourself
with a disgraced politician?
Muddles the story.
But this barely touches on the scandal.
Do you want to send back the money?
Hell, no.
I poked around with a BP publicist.
She didn't know
who authorized the grant,
but she thought it would ignite a wave
of funding, which makes sense.
I mean, the GCCF's been hit
with a ton of criticism.
Yeah, okay. Then why start with me?
Who knows? Who cares? Just be thankful.
This is a blessing for your foundation
and your image.
And I know the press
have taken their shots,
but you are coming off of this a winner.
All right, enough about work.
So, what's the plan?
Are you hungry?
Client of mine's having
a barbecue in Grand Isle.
- The fishing village?
- Yeah, the fishing village.
Who do you think my clients are?
Only kind of seafood
won't kill you these days.
You got your potatos,
you got your corns,
little bit of crab oil, some garlic,
then you got your Cajun spices,
and God help you if you
get this in your eyeball.
And once you get it smoking real good,
then you know you got yourself a boil.
You married quite the chef, huh?
No, there ain't a man in Louisiana
don't know how to cook.
- Oh, she got a mouth on her.
- What? It's true.
Y'all want a beer?
You have a soda or something?
- What, you don't drink?
- Trying not to.
Oh. Me, too.
Can I tell you something?
Sure.
- I think you got a bum deal.
- Lay...
I mean, you got that
son of a bitch Senator Owens
sleeping with hookers.
He keeps getting elected.
You, you cheated on your wife.
Big fucking deal.
I mean, people are broke,
sick with the dispersants,
you're the only one down here
doing a goddamn thing for us.
Can I help you with those drinks?
Sure.
That lady of yours,
she's something else.
No, no. We just work together, Hal.
I heard you was
rattling cages over at BP.
Looks like we're in business.
I think more like
we ain't out of business yet.
You done good, Congressman.
In breaking news, yet another scandal
is sending shockwaves
through our nation's capital.
This one involving two-term
Republican Senator Tom Owens
of Louisiana who was detained
by federal agents late last night.
On Saturday morning FBI agents raided
Senator Owens' Washington, D.C.
and Metairie homes
as part of an ongoing corruption probe.
Sources familiar with the investigation said
investigators are looking into whether Owens
- used his influence in business dealings.
- Yeah?
- Who?
- No formal charges have been filed against me.
We don't know the extent or the precise
nature of this investigation,
but I am cooperating
with the authorities fully and...
3:00 p.m. works. Uh-huh.
Who was that?
Mark will just be a minute.
Can I get you something to drink?
No, thanks, I'm fine.
Hello.
Sorry, honey.
No, you cannot go
to the Kanye concert alone.
Janie is not an adult.
160,000 cash. That's what the Feds
found in the attic
of Owens' Georgetown home.
Your stepfather can take you.
He's cool. He's hip.
Okay, pumpkin. All right, love you.
My daughter is 14.
What else do you know about Tom Owens?
I know that he took a bribe
from a Florida businessman.
- Tom's going to resign?
- No.
The investigation could take 18 months,
and if Owens decides
to fight, which he will,
a conviction could take years.
What's the problem, then? Tom may not be in
the party, but he supports your interests.
It's not Owens I'm worried about.
It's Chris Wilcox.
He's going to beat him.
- You know I can't win.
- Really?
Well, our polls
are telling us differently.
Seems the public would be
receptive to your running.
You just need the right spin
and a machine to spin it.
You authorized that grant.
Being one of BP's most influential
shareholders has its perks.
So you had them donate
$3.5 million into my foundation
to test the waters for a Senate run?
What's it to them?
Who's going to finance the campaign? BP?
No. I am.
We need someone from Louisiana
fighting for our side.
And you think it makes
a hell of a story,
Colin Pryce, working to bridge
the gap between BP
and all the hardworking folks
of Louisiana.
This goes way beyond BP.
This is about the entire industry.
This is about protecting investments.
The next few years,
every major oil and gas company
will be spending
more and more token money
on alternative energy and safe drilling.
Billions of ad dollars will be spent
to cleanse their images.
And we'll make sure that
you're in the center of it all.
A hero.
But you're not just asking me
to change my energy position.
You're asking me to turn my back
on the claims process.
Look at it this way,
if it's not you,
we'll find someone else.
Chris Wilcox is not going to win.
You can bet on that.
What makes you think I'd do this?
You're standing here.
You want to know how I rationalize it?
I ask myself,
would I rather that claims money
be in the hands of a bunch
of podunk fishermen
or invested back into the economy
by a corporation who's been creating jobs
down here since before I was born.
As for a moratorium,
that is just not
economically sound for anyone.
Thank you for your time.
You know what I always found
most interesting about politicians
is that they're so blinded
by delusions of grandeur
that they forget who they really are.
In your case, the only thing anyone
is going to remember about you
is that you fucked a fisherman's wife.
Most people won't even remember that.
You're going to need
someone like me, Colin.
I know.
I know what you're thinking.
It's really not my place.
I'm not going to work with him, Kate.
Then why take the meeting?
Because I at least needed to...
Hear him out? Why?
Even if I never resigned, I still
wouldn't have won that Senate seat.
They were always maneuvering me.
I was in denial.
That's not true.
You stand for something.
Will you stay for a couple more days?
I wish I could.
But unfortunately I have work and...
children. So...
Well, what would you think about me
coming up there to visit you soon?
I could spend time with your kids.
I'm not divorced yet, Colin.
And neither are you.
You know damn well it's right with us.
What about your career?
Do you have any idea
what this would look like?
We've already been incredibly reckless.
This feels real to me.
And if it means
I can't run for office again,
so be it.
I thought I was taking you
to the airport.
I called a cab.
I figured I'd let you sleep.
Folks, the grant was given to us
for claims we already submitted.
Are any of you existing clients?
Meaning people
we worked with in the past?
All right, who's next?
We had to treat
your father's alcohol withdrawal
to maximize the safety of his surgery.
Detox.
Detox was kind of rocky for him.
Both emotionally and physically.
We're going to take him
into the OR about 40 minutes.
The surgery should take
five to seven hours.
Take your time with him until then.
- Thank you.
- Yeah.
Heard you were in the middle
of a class action.
I didn't think you'd be here.
I postponed the depositions,
but I have to get back
to the office during surgery.
He's my father, too.
I'll be outside.
How are you feeling?
Ask me that in seven hours.
You're going to be okay.
You know, I was thinking
about something on the ride over.
You remember that speech
you gave during the '69 campaign
about the anti-discrimination
ordinance, you remember?
You were shouting, pounding your fist,
spitting like a mad dog.
I was too young to understand
much of what you were saying,
but I did understand it was about race.
Blacks and whites, right and wrong.
- And I never...
- Do...
Do me a favor, Colin.
What?
Don't feel sorry for me.
Oh, Christ.
All right.
Close the damn shades.
The sun is hurting my eyes.
You've been sleeping
with your consultant.
That's none of your business.
Another disaster waiting to happen.
What does it matter to you anyway?
It's difficult to stop
caring about someone
you've spent 25 years of your life with.
But you did.
I apologize.
I'm willing to admit that...
I've been wrong. And I'm sorry.
What are you talking about?
I don't want to sign.
If you fall on one issue,
you make that sacrifice,
we can accomplish
everything we've worked for.
You won't be able
to make this on your own terms.
Not this time.
500,000.
That's how many people
have filed with the GCCF.
I'd be responsible for all of them.
It won't change a thing,
and you know it.
Why are you doing this?
I love you.
Whether you take the deal or not.
Do me a favor.
Don't come back here after the surgery.
You've reached Kate Haber,
you can leave me a message...
City and state, please.
Arlington, Virginia. Katherine Haber.
Hello?
Kate.
Why are you calling me at home?
Can we talk for a minute?
This isn't a good time.
Just call the office tomorrow
and we can talk then.
I miss you.
Honey, we're starting the movie.
Can... I just need a minute.
I'll just be a minute.
That was your husband.
We've decided to try
and work things out.
Were you going to bother telling me?
Yes, of course I was.
But it just happened and...
I...
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
But what did you think
was going to happen?
That I'd campaign with you?
That I'd stand up there
on that podium by your side?
You weren't giving up politics
to be with me.
And if you did,
you would have been miserable.
You would have resented me.
Maybe not at first,
but what about in six months?
Or a year?
Do you love him?
Oh, Colin, tell me that I'm wrong.
Tell me that I'm wrong.
I'm sorry to have called so late.
You have a good night.
Colin?
Colin, open the door.
Colin. Colin.
Open the door.
Unlock the door.
Colin.
You've always been a decent man, Colin.
But that's not why I married you.
I married you because I knew
you had it in you to be a great man.
And great men,
men who build legacies,
they aren't always decent.
They understand that people...
they need someone
to tell them what to remember.
And what to forget.
They need great men
to insulate them from frailty.
What's good, what's bad.
Because only great men know how to make
people's powerlessness tolerable.
My mother grew up a couple miles
east of here in Metairie.
My father grew up in the city.
I was raised in Broadmoor.
Graduated Jesuit High.
My parents had friends
who worked at this plant.
I had friends whose parents
worked at this plant.
And I have friends now
who work at this plant,
some of you are here today.
So I understand
the problems that we face.
I understand our frustrations.
And I am here to be the solution.
We must not let ourselves forget
the 11 men who died
on that Transocean rig
or the impact the spill
has had on the Gulf Coast.
But we also can't allow tragedy
to force us into making foolish decisions.
Instead of wasting our energy
vilifying the oil industry
and the GCCF, we need to be patient.
We need to work together.
Because the fact of the matter is,
we need each other.
Good legislating
is the art of compromise.
Good business is the art of compromise.
Life will forever be
the art of compromise.
Chris Wilcox doesn't understand
that around here people go
from seafood to oil field
and from oil field to seafood.
He doesn't understand that
a permanent ban on drilling
will devastate our local economy.
He doesn't understand that
you cannot afford to send
hard-earned American dollars
to the Middle East.
I am running for Senate
to move things forward,
not only for this
great state of Louisiana,
but for this great country.