The West Wing s03e03 Episode Script
Ways and Means
Previously on The West Wing: Just don't say anything for Just don't say anything for The sooner you get I know what I'm talking about the sooner your world gets better.
If we announce in two weeks, that's when the first round will be handed down.
Screw it.
It's game time.
Let's go.
There he is! Mr.
Rollins, can you tell us when subpoenas will be issued? - I can't.
- Can you say if subpoenas will be issued? No, I can't.
- We've shown nothing but good faith.
- Mr.
Babish.
- You wanna speak privately? - Why am I reading about subpoenas? - Your office is leaking like a rowboat.
- Got a complaint? Yes, I filed it in U.
S.
District Court.
That's not what I'm talking about.
The leaks aren't from the jurors.
They don't know.
You can impanel a grand jury without telling them why? Voir dire was entirely fair.
If anything, favored the subjects.
You've been reading the work of a few overzealous and irresponsible members of the conservative press in minor media outlets.
It's The Wall Street Journal.
The White House has been cooperating fully.
We'll hand over everything a subpoena covers.
My staff is working around the clock organizing documents.
If you feel something's protected by executive privilege? What if the president considers waiving executive privilege? Is he waiving attorney-client privilege? Spousal privilege? How about doctor-patient privilege? They have shown nothing but good faith.
I can't give out extra credit for that.
Let's go.
Good morning.
My name is Clement Rollins.
I'm the special prosecutor appointed by the U.
S.
attorney general in the matter of docket CRSP-00101.
With your permission, and on your behalf I would like to issue the first round of subpoenas.
These subpoenas compel both testimony and production of documents by the individuals named herein.
They are as follows: "Josiah Bartlet, Abigail Ann Bartlet, Elizabeth Bartlet Westin Eleanor Emily Bartlet, Zoey Patricia Bartlet Leo Thomas McGarry, Joshua Lyman, Claudia Jean Cregg Samuel Norman Seaborn, Toby Zachary Ziegler .
" - Donna? - Yeah? What's going on? One of these boxes is the president's private schedules.
One is his publicly issued schedules, to see if there are inconsistencies.
- Were you here all night? - Is it daytime? - It's 7:30.
- When I stay up all night I can pass a 19th-century English literature midterm.
Josh? - Yeah? - I'm not gonna have to take one, am I? - No.
- In one of these are memos pertaining to the president's new teachers initiative since it's a major policy launch after his suspected MS attack.
- Can I ask you something? - I had a plan.
- When you say,"In one of these boxes" - I had a plan.
Each box is numbered.
There's a piece of paper with a number describing the contents of each box.
Well, where's the piece of paper? - It's in one of these boxes.
- I had a plan.
- I grew up on a farm.
- You grew up in a condo.
I grew up near a farm.
I was cute, peppy, and I always did well on my 19th-century English midterm until you sucked me into your life of crime.
- Hey, I'm not the - White-collar crime boy! You know what they'd do to me on that cellblock? - I've seen those movies.
- Yeah, me too.
I'll bet you have.
Sell my farm-girl ass for a carton of Luckys.
- Seriously, you need to sleep for a while.
- I can't yet.
In one of these boxes are records for any gifts or packages sent to senior staff.
In one of these boxes is a piece of paper which says which box it's in! - I'll be in the office.
- Down a corridor, 200 feet from here.
- Don't commit any felonies on the way.
- I'll do my best.
Donna's, like, two, three days away from unspooling.
It's fun to watch, but can you loan me senior assistants from Communications? Yeah.
There's a fire in Yellowstone Park.
- Put it out.
- I'm not a professional firefighter though I had wanted to be.
- When? - When I was 4.
When I was 4, I wanted to be a ballerina.
- Yeah? - I don't like to talk about it.
It was a dry lightning strike in a lodgepole pine forest.
The fire spread to 500 acres, but it's inside a resource benefit zone.
- Is it under control? - As a matter of fact last night, the park superintendent, consulting with Bill Horton and deputies from the Interior Department decided to let it run its course.
- They're letting it burn? - Not necessarily policy to put them out.
Putting out fires isn't necessarily our policy? Fire is good for the environment under some circumstances.
Forests have a natural cycle that requires purging burns to reinvigorate growth.
- Someone just said that to you, right? - Yeah.
- What do we do? - The president talks with the governor.
- Why? - So the president can say they talked.
- I'll take care of it.
- Ballerina? - I'd like that not to get around.
- No chance of that.
- Emphasize that it's not like being served.
- How is it not like it? A subpoena is a legal agreement to produce testimony in documents.
Like a mugger uses a gun to produce wallets? You say we're cooperating fully.
You say subpoenas don't indicate otherwise.
Say they're a commonly used legal tool to define the scope of the inquiry.
Oliver, political reporters don't care about the scope of inquiry.
They hear"subpoenas.
" My trouble with your spin is we won't get anywhere acting calm.
We need to pick a fight.
- Why? - In politics, if you're not on offense you're on defense.
- Your problem there is that Clem Rollins doesn't foam at the mouth.
He's a good guy and he comes off as a good guy.
Plus, he was appointed by your attorney general.
Tough to fit him for a black hat.
Let me think for just a second.
- What do Republicans say about him? - We don't all hang out at a little club.
- What do they say about him? - He's well-respected, deliberate.
He takes his duties seriously, wants to get the truth and he wants to avoid any appearance of impropriety or partisanship.
Excuse me.
Where are you going? We need a different enemy.
- When do you meet on the estate tax? - Five minutes.
- With Toby? - Yeah.
Just remember it's a compromise, Josh.
It's done.
You may not like it, but - It's a compromise.
- When you two dislike something, you - Show displeasure.
- Piss people off.
That's a bad rap.
I'm sweet as pecan pie.
- Yeah? - I hate these people, Leo.
When this thing is done, I'm gonna screw them with their pants on.
- Excuse me.
- Hey, C.
J.
Leo.
Giselle.
- I'm out of here.
- Got a second? - Yeah, walk with me.
- Oliver Babish and Ainsley Hayes were just in my office.
- On spin? - What you got? - Nothing.
Know why? - Rollins likes us.
- He doesn't hate us.
Well, that's just because he doesn't know us.
We need to be investigated by someone who wants to kill us just to watch us die.
We need someone perceived by people to be irresponsible, untrustworthy partisan, ambitious and thirsty for the limelight.
Am I crazy or is this not a job for the U.
S.
House of Representatives? - They'll get to it sooner or later.
- Make it sooner.
Make it now.
Rollins is driving them crazy, moving too slow.
He won't talk to the press.
They're ready to jump.
I swear to God, I think we can move the show.
- You got a briefing now? - Yeah.
- Show me what you're starting with.
- Yeah.
- I'm leaving now.
- You need this.
- Leaving for this meeting.
- You don't need this.
- This meeting where I will compromise.
- You have 10-60? Yes, I do.
Why do we compromise? Because we are ordered to.
Because compromising on the estate tax prevents Republicans from going for a bigger tax cut, which would help wrest the White House from our compromising hands.
So I go to this meeting.
- You need this.
- The estate tax which Republicans cleverly dubbed the"death tax.
" There's nothing that Republicans do better than naming things.
So I go to this meeting, because I agree with Republicans and Congress America is about self-sufficiency, lifting yourself up by your bootstraps as long as your children's children never have to work.
So I go to this meeting.
- Toby? - He's rolling.
I go to this meeting, Ginger.
I compromise, throw a line in the sand to ensure that only multimillionaires, not billionaires, are exempt from the tax.
Re-elect the president, he's for the millionaires, not billionaires.
Toby, they canceled the meeting! - What do you mean? - It's the chairman's office.
- They're canceling.
- Why? They canceled the meeting.
Bonnie's got him on the phone.
What's going on? They say it's his daughter's wedding.
- That's on Saturday.
- They say he wants to leave early.
- They're lying.
- I know.
What's going on? - I think they wanna take it off the table.
- And do what? White House is weak.
What would you do? You think they want to repeal the estate tax? - Good morning.
- Are you concerned about the subpoenas? No.
In fact, we've already sent over Eighty cartons of documents that weren't even subpoenaed and we intend to continue cooperating with him fully.
- Why were subpoenas necessary? - They're a common legal tool to define the scope of the inquiry.
Steve? - What about congressional hearings? - We don't think they're necessary but that's not for us to say.
We take a different view than congressional Republicans do of the special prosecutor's performance.
We believe he's thorough and impartial, and should be allowed to finish his work.
You say,"a different view.
" Is Congress unhappy with the special prosecutor? You'd have to ask Congress that.
Mark.
C.
J.
, can you comment on the contents of the 80 cartons already sent? - You still don't know my name, do you? - It's Gertrude.
- It's not.
- Calls? I need to talk to you.
This estate-tax repeal out of committee is gonna be a thing.
- I got another thing.
- They canceled the meeting yesterday.
We think the House Republicans are gonna try to repeal the tax.
The Pacers played the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.
- Really? Who won? - Indiana by five in double overtime.
Now the repeal of the estate tax seems somehow insignificant.
- Can I stick this in? - Yeah.
- You paying attention? - Yeah.
- Does this thing work? - No.
Okay.
If it did, you'd see Victor Campos sitting courtside with Buckland.
- Campos took some courtside seats? - He traveled from L.
A.
to Indianapolis to watch Cleveland and Indiana.
They don't travel from Cleveland to Indianapolis to watch that.
I don't care if they let Campos play point guard.
He loves the president.
He got the California primary for him.
- He's dating Buckland now.
- Because they went to a game? The president's Community Empowerment Board? It runs the president's initiative to steer private investment jobs to inner cities? - Yes.
- This commission is his dream come true.
- We gave him a seat on it.
- And he turned you down.
He turned you down.
- When? - Shortly after The game ended in double overtime.
Damn it! - Margaret! - Margaret.
Margaret.
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, Jamie, I have to get off.
Thanks.
- The fire's at 1500 acres.
- Sam, Victor Campos had a meeting with Jack Buckland, then he passed on the Community Empowerment Board.
- Really? - Yeah.
What do you think he's doing? Can you set up a meeting for me? - I want one of my people with him.
- Why? - Because I do.
- Sam can do this.
I want one of my people there to make sure I get the story straight.
Sam will report back.
Sam will have the meeting, one of my people will be there and they will report back.
Time to distinguish the White House from the campaign.
- Sam does this for us.
- Does he do it right? - Oftentimes.
- You guys know I'm sitting here, right? - We're gonna set up a meeting.
- Okay.
And we might want to think about putting this fire out.
- Donna? - Don't touch that stack over there.
- I heard you need help.
- That logs all visitors who saw Charlie.
You feel like being fixed up with a hot guy? - What did you say? - Cliff Calley.
- We went to law school together.
- Where does he work? - He's cute as hell.
- Where does he work? - House Ways and Means.
- Minority counsel's office? - Not exactly.
- Where? Well, he works with the minority counsel's office.
- Ainsley.
- For the majority counsel's office.
- He's a Republican.
- We are the majority.
- By a very small margin.
- He works in Ways and Means? - Josh is in a fight with them.
- If you're not comfortable Josh, who picked me out of nowhere, who works day and night and who hates these people.
- I don't know, is he funny? - Yeah.
- Should I tell him to call you? - If he wants.
Phone rings, I answer it.
Could be anybody.
Don't touch that stack! I was coming to see you.
I'm putting you on Capitol Beat.
- The subpoenas.
-"Clem Rollins is running" Listen.
"Clem Rollins is running a thorough, fair and impartial investigation.
- He's a man of integrity.
" -"We're willing to cooperate with him.
" "We're eager to cooperate with him.
" Don't oversell it.
I need to bring Campos out here.
What do you got? They'll introduce racial profiling.
Campos has 48 pictures in the Rose Garden.
Trade agreements between U.
S.
and Brazil.
Campos can discuss his objections to the president.
I don't want to remind people that Campos objects.
What else? - The unveiling of the HELP initiative.
- HELP? Hispanic Education Longevity Program.
It lowers the Latino dropout rate.
- You have a killer body, you know that? - In fact, I do.
Good morning.
Before I forget Victor Campos has been added to the guest list for the unveiling of HELP.
That's Thursday, day after tomorrow.
Mark? Is the White House filing complaints over leaks from the special prosecutor's office? - Not that I know.
Oliver Babish and Mr.
Rollins have had productive conversations about that.
- Do they speak often? - They're old friends.
What was the compromise that was on the table? If your estate's worth less than a million, you're exempt.
The Republicans wanted 5 million, settled on 2 1 /2.
- Seems reasonable.
- It wasn't reasonable.
Wasn't in driving distance of reasonable.
These people have paid taxes on this money already.
They paid it in income tax, property tax, capital gains.
They gotta pay - Don't say it.
- A death tax? Ninety-eight percent of estates pay no taxes at all.
These people are loaded.
They can afford the tax so it should be levied? If we spend millions on tax breaks, we should spend it on people who don't have millions.
- Million dollars isn't what it used to be.
- They don't make good yachts anymore.
- What did they say? - The meeting won't be rescheduled.
- How do they know? - Legislative Affairs has it from three rural House Democrats that Ways and Means is trolling for votes.
- On a complete repeal? - Yeah.
Screw it.
We went from a million to 2.
5.
What if we throw in? I'm saying, maybe we expand the compromise - They won't reschedule.
- How do we know? Because it's not about the estate tax.
They want what they want, and they can get what they want now.
The meeting's not gonna be rescheduled.
- What do you think? - I can tell you what he thinks.
He thinks we roll with it.
He thinks a president can't be against tax cuts in an election year.
Since our key districts have farms that are gonna be inherited, we have to .
He thinks we roll with it.
I think he should take out the A-bomb.
He's gotta do something he's never done before.
Think I'm weak? How about I shove Article 1, Section 7 up your ass? Screw the compromise.
I think he's gotta veto.
Toby, I just don't know on how many fronts we can fight a war.
You wanna find out? Yeah.
C.
J.
! We had a meeting at OEOB.
We were gonna come by and see you.
- There's some concern on the Hill.
- About what? The last couple of days, the press has been soft on Rollins.
Particularly with regard to his relationship to the White House.
- And there's concern? - Democrats worry Republicans will use this as an excuse to start their own hearings early.
We're saying, if the White House could seem less eager to cooperate a little less confident in his integrity.
- Yeah.
And if you could, downplay his friendship with Babish.
- Have a good night.
- You too.
- How'd the call with the governor go? - Not well.
- Why not? - He's demanding we put the fire out.
The president tried to calm him, but he accused us of advocating "fringe environmental policies.
" - Are we? It's not clear.
But, for the moment, "they had a productive conversation.
He'll monitor with the Secretary of the Interior.
" Excuse me.
You need a haircut.
- Shouldn't you be keeping me out of jail? - I'm on break.
- You wanted to see me? - You did well on Capitol Beat.
Babish and Rollins wrote a paper together for the Yale Law Review.
- You should get it out there.
- Yeah, the problem is I can't just make copies.
- What do you need? Get with one of your friends in the press room from a conservative paper.
- You think we have a secret handshake? - Do you? - Yes.
- Get along with this guy.
Off the record say you can't believe the president claims to waive executive privilege yet reserves the right to withhold documents.
Can you do that? "I can't believe the president claims to waive executive privilege yet withholds certain documents.
" - Do it quietly.
Kind of shake your head.
"I can't believe the president claims to waive executive" - Just shake your head at the beginning.
-"I can't believe how" - Okay, but think about - I've got it.
Charlie.
- Yes, sir.
- Are we out of pens? That's a good pen.
I need an everyday pen.
- I've got pens.
- You got crappy pens.
I need a solid pen that feels good in my hand but it's not so formal I feel like a dandy.
I'm making some trips to pen stores, aren't I? I used to have the perfect pens every day in my pocket.
I loved those pens.
Balance.
Great action.
Paper soaked up the ink.
What happened to those? Do they make them anymore? - I kept that company in business.
- Sir, when do you think you'll interview to replace Mrs.
Landingham? - I haven't gotten to it.
- The office would set the meetings.
- Maybe we'd bring in a headhunter - Is there a rush on this? - You need a secretary, sir.
- I have five to say nothing of the Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury and Education.
Things are getting missed.
Everyone's been trying to cover but things get missed.
- Things have been fine.
I'll have dinner and be back in the office after.
- You getting dinner? - In the mess.
I'll see you later.
- Mr.
President? - Yeah? She put the pen in your pocket.
Every morning, she slipped it in there.
- How you doing? - Good.
How about you? Good.
The thing about me is, I'm a brilliant political mind.
- Yeah? - Ph.
D.
in political economy from Oxford.
Not easy.
Bruno and Doug know I can handle tough meetings.
That's why they're sending me with you to meet Campos.
- I have an exceptional mind.
- But? - I don't know who Victor Campos is.
- Yeah.
Look, pal, I went to Oxford, okay? Which is in England.
- You weren't kidding about that mind.
- Sam.
- England's in Europe, right? - Sam.
He's the head of the AFSE: American Federation of Service Employees, Local 1262.
He's the head of a local? And he rates a meeting with a senior staffer? A Democrat can't get elected in California without him.
He can pick up the phone and have 5000 people at your rally.
He's got state-of-the-art voter mobilization and plays massive room with computer banks tracking voter registration.
With his endorsement comes 350,000 calls, callbacks, mailings and e-mails.
Is there anything in particular I should do at this meeting? Don't get in my way.
Taxi! Excuse me.
Are you Donna Moss by any chance? - Yeah.
- I'm Cliff Calley.
- I'm sorry I'm late.
- No, that's all right.
- Were you waiting long? - No, no, like .
- It was like an hour and a half.
- There are these boxes - I'm sorry? - There are these boxes that l - Doesn't matter.
You were leaving.
- No, I'm stretching my legs.
- You shouted for a cab.
- I like to test them.
I usually look a lot better than this.
I mean, I can look good.
I have no trouble believing that.
But listen, it sounds like maybe you're having problems with boxes and I know how that can be.
So if you'd rather - Will you buy me a drink? - Sure.
C.
J.
, can you clear up whether the special prosecutor can compel the president's staff to disclose conversations about his MS? Executive privilege protects all communications necessary to enable a president to do his job.
But, as I said, the president's waiving it.
Excuse me.
I need to follow up on that.
How can he claim to waive executive privilege yet withhold certain documents? Isn't he just trying to protect himself? He's trying to protect the office of the presidency.
- Information about national security.
- Stop being coy, C.
J.
- I was born this way.
- Mr.
Rollins won't be angry if the White House omits documents? If you wanna know what Rollins thinks, read his writings on the subject.
He was a University of Chicago Law School professor, and I'm not sure you can check me on this, but I think he was editor of the Yale Law Review.
That's a full lid, everybody.
Have a good night.
C.
J.
, governor of Wyoming's been on TV.
- Is he mad at us? - Pretty irate.
- Good irate or? - He's irate.
Circulate a memo to anyone who's gonna see a microphone.
"The National Fire Plan is based on recommendations from five agencies.
It clearly states that 80 years of fire suppression hasn't worked.
For centuries, wildfires have been a part of forest ecosystems.
" When things catch fire, it's not our policy to put it out? That's what they shouldn't say.
Put that on the memo with a circle and a line through it.
- C.
J.
- Oliver.
Thank God for LexisNexis.
How long until they find the paper I wrote with Rollins? About an hour.
They'll make their deadlines.
- You know - Yeah? I was gonna say you took a beating the last few months.
I was wondering if you're trying to get back in the game with one swing.
Is that what you were wondering? Anything else? No.
- What do you know? - We spent a few hours with the minority whip and some deputies.
- They have the votes for a repeal? - They have 218 without breaking a sweat.
- It's 290 to override.
- Where are they getting them? Republicans are calling in all hands.
We assume they get the full 226, plus Fayette, Genesee and Trent.
- California - The state I begged you to let secede.
The entire California delegation wants a compromise otherwise, they vote to repeal.
We lose about another 13 votes from rural districts maybe three would switch back if it was close but they'd get killed next November, and I wouldn't ask them to do it.
That's 283.
Where are the other seven votes against us? - That's the thing.
- It's from inside the Black Caucus.
That's where the seven votes are.
I want you two to see Mark Richardson in the morning.
- Already set up.
- We'll make a recommendation to the president.
He'll make his decision to fight or live to fight.
These are members of the Black Caucus.
Can you think of a reason why they'd oppose the estate tax? - Sure.
- What? First generation of black millionaires is about to die.
- Leo.
- Is he back? - Yeah.
- Thanks.
Charlie, I'm expecting a call from Bill Horton.
I left the National Fire Plan in the dining room.
- I'll run up and get it.
- Thanks.
Good evening.
The Governor of Wyoming was 11 /2 inches away from calling me a pyromaniac tonight.
That's surprising, because we really had respect for him before.
I'm saying somewhere out there is a registered voter who's thinking: "I thought I liked this Bartlet fellow.
But now I see he's in favor of fire .
" He thinks it's gonna affect tourism.
It's the end of the season, and the fire isn't anywhere near tourists.
Letting it burn is good for the environment.
- You know how I know? - How? Because smart people told me.
Please, God, Leo, let them be right.
- When are you talking to Horton? - Any minute.
You want me in on the call? - Yeah.
- I'll be in my office.
- Why are you a Republican? - I'm sorry? - Why are you a Republican? - Because I hate poor people.
I hate them, Donna.
They're all so poor.
And many of them talk funny and don't have proper table manners.
My father slaved at the Fortune 500 company he inherited so I could go to Choate, Brown and Harvard and see that this country isn't overrun by poor people and lesbians.
No.
I'm Republican because I believe in smaller government.
This country was founded on freedom.
Freedom stands opposed to constraints.
The bigger the government, the more the constraints.
- Wow.
- You agree with that? - No, it's crap, but you're really cute.
- Yeah, I know.
I had a hunch you did.
- Listen, you know who my boss is, right? - I do.
He's one of the point men on this fight over the estate tax.
- The death tax.
- He doesn't call it that.
- We've been ordered to.
There's a memo.
- Right.
Anyway, not to editorialize but since we're fighting for ordinary people while you protect the grotesque wealth of a few I wasn't sure if you felt awkward.
- Listen, Robin Hood - It's not a good tax? - It was, in 1916 when wealth was concentrated and we wanted to prevent the emergence of an aristocratic class.
However - Says Choate, Brown, Harvard.
- Wealth is now spread among farmers, small-business owners, farmers, merchants And did I mention farmers? So a second date wouldn't be awkward for you? This is my last week working for Ways and Means.
- Really? - I've been traded.
- Where? - House Government Oversight.
- What did they trade you for? - Some toner, I think.
- No, I mean why? - I don't know.
We got a call from the majority leader's office.
They wanted another litigator at Government Oversight.
They didn't .
- They didn't say why.
- Maybe it was just an oversight.
Oh, come on.
"Maybe it was just an oversight"? I don't even get a courtesy laugh? - The boxes.
- What about them? I have to say good night now.
You didn't bring me out from L.
A.
to talk about HELP.
Victor, I was wondering why you passed on the commission.
You didn't bring me out here to talk about HELP or the commission.
You didn't go to Indiana to watch basketball.
- It was a good game.
- Don't get cute.
- Watch your mouth.
- I don't think I will, Victor.
We fought a war together.
What happened? - You tell me.
- You know what? The president said he'd ban permanent striker replacement workers, and did.
Thank you.
So the jobs he isn't shipping overseas will be safe.
Who else was for prenatal care for illegal immigrants in lowa? - That's not where it's needed.
- He put an empowerment zone in Pacoima and no one has worked harder to raise minimum wage.
Lowest Latino unemployment in history, small-business loans for Hispanics the biggest drop in Latino poverty.
That's what I got in the last election.
What do I get in this one? - What happened to loyalty? - Can't deposit it in a savings account.
- What do I get? - What do you want? The Hispanic dropout rate is higher than that of African-Americans.
We'll double funding for the High School Initiative.
Children who came to the U.
S.
after welfare reform - A major push on Hispanic children.
- What's major? He's gonna mention it in the State of the Union.
What else? - Complete amnesty.
- No way.
- Victor.
- Complete amnesty for all undocumented immigrants from the Americas: Mexico, Chile, El Salvador.
The Legal Amnesty Fairness Act is in the Senate now.
We can't back a bill that treats Hispanic immigrants any differently than - We can't do it.
- Sure, we can.
- I'm sorry? - We can do it.
We really can.
Would you excuse us just a second? - Hi.
- When I said"stay out of my way" - It'll cost you some independents - So he can expand union membership? And the Democratic Party.
Millions of illegal immigrants out of hiding.
Millions of potential voters who are going to vote for you.
Three million in California.
That's 13 percent of the vote, and 19 in Arizona.
You know the Republican Party will try to outflank us on this.
It's right for the president.
Why give him a hard time? - He's giving me a hard time.
- He's supposed to.
You're weaker than you were three years ago.
Have a little humility.
Suck it up and give him what he wants, which will help you in the long run.
Victor? - What do we get? - Excuse me? If I go to the president, what do we get? California and its 435 delegates.
- I shouldn't have blown up before.
- Nobody will know.
Yeah? Loyalty.
Josh, you think the Black Caucus votes in a block and they only care about the system.
- Surely, congressman the African-American community has better ways to spend 28 billion dollars than a tax break that benefits fewer than 1000 black families.
You're doing it again.
The African-American community doesn't think one way about anything.
It's a few members of the Caucus.
- That was pretty surprising.
- A few members who feel that African-American homeownership is at its highest level ever that more African-Americans are opening small businesses than ever.
If they can't pass it on, how will they build power, clout and self-sufficiency as a community? - A few black millionaires justifies a multibillion-dollar boondoggle? As long as there's a Congress, there will be multibillion-dollar boondoggles.
We'd like to share in them a little bit, please.
We're bleeding here, Mark.
- What? - We're bleeding here, for God's sake.
You can work with us or be ignored by a Republican president.
Your choice.
- How bad is it? - Buckland's coming after us.
- He's been meeting with Victor Campos.
- While you guys defend yourselves against special prosecutors and Jack Buckland what about the people who got you here? Who are you talking to, Mark? We won't forget failing schools in central cities.
We won't forget after-school care, healthcare for uninsured kids.
We won't forget drug treatment, urban redevelopment or community policing.
- Yeah? - You can't forget that we're bleeding.
The Black Caucus doesn't vote as one mind.
I can't promise anything.
The veto's an awfully big risk to take if you can't promise anything.
Then the veto's an awfully big risk to take.
- Has the fire abated at all? - Not yet.
- How far has it spread? - 6500 acres.
- So it's closing in on the boundary? - Yes, sir, Mr.
President.
- Not too late to reverse your decision.
- Think he should? - No.
- Why? A cold front's moving in from Alberta with a 50 percent chance of showers.
Temperatures have started to drop.
If the rain reaches Yellowstone by tonight, it'll be enough to quell the fire.
If not, we put it out and the president looks like an idiot for waiting this long.
But we'll make sure he looks like an idiot too, right? Yeah.
Wyoming's going to have to have some faith that the Department of the Interior knows what it's doing.
- Thank you, Mr.
Secretary.
- Thank you, Mr.
President.
- Josh.
- Yes, sir.
- A ballerina? - I didn't know what it was at the time.
- I liked the word.
- We'll go with that for now.
Mr.
President, we recommend you threaten to veto any repeal of the estate tax.
- Really? - Yes, sir.
- What happened with Richardson? - No guarantees.
He wants to see what we're gonna do next.
- Let's make the threat.
- You like this? - Yes, sir.
- I thought you don't oppose a tax cut in an election year.
- Well, let's be clear.
We're not talking about opposing a tax cut.
We're talking about vetoing one.
Your first veto ever.
- That's shooting the moon.
- I'll say.
I like the bold gesture.
I think you gotta get out the stamp.
You sign it.
You don't do it with a stamp.
- I thought it was a stamp.
- Stamp it, then sign it.
Who gives a damn, sir? This is a tax cut that benefits only 4500 families.
It doesn't matter if most voters don't benefit.
They all believe that some day they will.
That's the problem with the American dream makes everyone concerned for the day they're gonna be rich.
The governors of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Utah with the Senate majority leader and the speaker of the house are calling me a fringe environmentalist because I'm listening to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture along with the U.
S.
Forest Service, chief ranger and park superintendent.
They say letting it burn is good for the environment and I'm betting on a weather report of all things.
It's just one of those times.
- Do you have a bottle opener? - No.
- Some men carry those pocketknives.
- I don't.
You screwed with a legal proceeding, and used one of my deputies to do it.
- I worked the press.
- You know there was irony in that Clem Rollins was right for the job.
- Think I care? - You think because the White House feels more comfortable in an ugly fight that means we'll win it? - Anybody have a bottle opener? - Josh? - Yeah.
- Which committee had jurisdiction? - For the hearings? - Was it Judiciary? Thomas' committee wanted it, so the majority leader - Thomas' committee is? - Government Reform and Oversight.
- Volume! - Next year's an election year and in some states, the voting starts in a few months.
People deserve answers now and not at the snail's pace of Jed Bartlet's handpicked prosecutors.
I am announcing that the Reform and Oversight Committee will be gaveled to session to conduct immediate hearings of possible use of taxpayer resources - Come and get us.
- to defraud the public.
It is time to put an end to this White House's abuse of power.
It is time for this White House to answer the American people.
If we announce in two weeks, that's when the first round will be handed down.
Screw it.
It's game time.
Let's go.
There he is! Mr.
Rollins, can you tell us when subpoenas will be issued? - I can't.
- Can you say if subpoenas will be issued? No, I can't.
- We've shown nothing but good faith.
- Mr.
Babish.
- You wanna speak privately? - Why am I reading about subpoenas? - Your office is leaking like a rowboat.
- Got a complaint? Yes, I filed it in U.
S.
District Court.
That's not what I'm talking about.
The leaks aren't from the jurors.
They don't know.
You can impanel a grand jury without telling them why? Voir dire was entirely fair.
If anything, favored the subjects.
You've been reading the work of a few overzealous and irresponsible members of the conservative press in minor media outlets.
It's The Wall Street Journal.
The White House has been cooperating fully.
We'll hand over everything a subpoena covers.
My staff is working around the clock organizing documents.
If you feel something's protected by executive privilege? What if the president considers waiving executive privilege? Is he waiving attorney-client privilege? Spousal privilege? How about doctor-patient privilege? They have shown nothing but good faith.
I can't give out extra credit for that.
Let's go.
Good morning.
My name is Clement Rollins.
I'm the special prosecutor appointed by the U.
S.
attorney general in the matter of docket CRSP-00101.
With your permission, and on your behalf I would like to issue the first round of subpoenas.
These subpoenas compel both testimony and production of documents by the individuals named herein.
They are as follows: "Josiah Bartlet, Abigail Ann Bartlet, Elizabeth Bartlet Westin Eleanor Emily Bartlet, Zoey Patricia Bartlet Leo Thomas McGarry, Joshua Lyman, Claudia Jean Cregg Samuel Norman Seaborn, Toby Zachary Ziegler .
" - Donna? - Yeah? What's going on? One of these boxes is the president's private schedules.
One is his publicly issued schedules, to see if there are inconsistencies.
- Were you here all night? - Is it daytime? - It's 7:30.
- When I stay up all night I can pass a 19th-century English literature midterm.
Josh? - Yeah? - I'm not gonna have to take one, am I? - No.
- In one of these are memos pertaining to the president's new teachers initiative since it's a major policy launch after his suspected MS attack.
- Can I ask you something? - I had a plan.
- When you say,"In one of these boxes" - I had a plan.
Each box is numbered.
There's a piece of paper with a number describing the contents of each box.
Well, where's the piece of paper? - It's in one of these boxes.
- I had a plan.
- I grew up on a farm.
- You grew up in a condo.
I grew up near a farm.
I was cute, peppy, and I always did well on my 19th-century English midterm until you sucked me into your life of crime.
- Hey, I'm not the - White-collar crime boy! You know what they'd do to me on that cellblock? - I've seen those movies.
- Yeah, me too.
I'll bet you have.
Sell my farm-girl ass for a carton of Luckys.
- Seriously, you need to sleep for a while.
- I can't yet.
In one of these boxes are records for any gifts or packages sent to senior staff.
In one of these boxes is a piece of paper which says which box it's in! - I'll be in the office.
- Down a corridor, 200 feet from here.
- Don't commit any felonies on the way.
- I'll do my best.
Donna's, like, two, three days away from unspooling.
It's fun to watch, but can you loan me senior assistants from Communications? Yeah.
There's a fire in Yellowstone Park.
- Put it out.
- I'm not a professional firefighter though I had wanted to be.
- When? - When I was 4.
When I was 4, I wanted to be a ballerina.
- Yeah? - I don't like to talk about it.
It was a dry lightning strike in a lodgepole pine forest.
The fire spread to 500 acres, but it's inside a resource benefit zone.
- Is it under control? - As a matter of fact last night, the park superintendent, consulting with Bill Horton and deputies from the Interior Department decided to let it run its course.
- They're letting it burn? - Not necessarily policy to put them out.
Putting out fires isn't necessarily our policy? Fire is good for the environment under some circumstances.
Forests have a natural cycle that requires purging burns to reinvigorate growth.
- Someone just said that to you, right? - Yeah.
- What do we do? - The president talks with the governor.
- Why? - So the president can say they talked.
- I'll take care of it.
- Ballerina? - I'd like that not to get around.
- No chance of that.
- Emphasize that it's not like being served.
- How is it not like it? A subpoena is a legal agreement to produce testimony in documents.
Like a mugger uses a gun to produce wallets? You say we're cooperating fully.
You say subpoenas don't indicate otherwise.
Say they're a commonly used legal tool to define the scope of the inquiry.
Oliver, political reporters don't care about the scope of inquiry.
They hear"subpoenas.
" My trouble with your spin is we won't get anywhere acting calm.
We need to pick a fight.
- Why? - In politics, if you're not on offense you're on defense.
- Your problem there is that Clem Rollins doesn't foam at the mouth.
He's a good guy and he comes off as a good guy.
Plus, he was appointed by your attorney general.
Tough to fit him for a black hat.
Let me think for just a second.
- What do Republicans say about him? - We don't all hang out at a little club.
- What do they say about him? - He's well-respected, deliberate.
He takes his duties seriously, wants to get the truth and he wants to avoid any appearance of impropriety or partisanship.
Excuse me.
Where are you going? We need a different enemy.
- When do you meet on the estate tax? - Five minutes.
- With Toby? - Yeah.
Just remember it's a compromise, Josh.
It's done.
You may not like it, but - It's a compromise.
- When you two dislike something, you - Show displeasure.
- Piss people off.
That's a bad rap.
I'm sweet as pecan pie.
- Yeah? - I hate these people, Leo.
When this thing is done, I'm gonna screw them with their pants on.
- Excuse me.
- Hey, C.
J.
Leo.
Giselle.
- I'm out of here.
- Got a second? - Yeah, walk with me.
- Oliver Babish and Ainsley Hayes were just in my office.
- On spin? - What you got? - Nothing.
Know why? - Rollins likes us.
- He doesn't hate us.
Well, that's just because he doesn't know us.
We need to be investigated by someone who wants to kill us just to watch us die.
We need someone perceived by people to be irresponsible, untrustworthy partisan, ambitious and thirsty for the limelight.
Am I crazy or is this not a job for the U.
S.
House of Representatives? - They'll get to it sooner or later.
- Make it sooner.
Make it now.
Rollins is driving them crazy, moving too slow.
He won't talk to the press.
They're ready to jump.
I swear to God, I think we can move the show.
- You got a briefing now? - Yeah.
- Show me what you're starting with.
- Yeah.
- I'm leaving now.
- You need this.
- Leaving for this meeting.
- You don't need this.
- This meeting where I will compromise.
- You have 10-60? Yes, I do.
Why do we compromise? Because we are ordered to.
Because compromising on the estate tax prevents Republicans from going for a bigger tax cut, which would help wrest the White House from our compromising hands.
So I go to this meeting.
- You need this.
- The estate tax which Republicans cleverly dubbed the"death tax.
" There's nothing that Republicans do better than naming things.
So I go to this meeting, because I agree with Republicans and Congress America is about self-sufficiency, lifting yourself up by your bootstraps as long as your children's children never have to work.
So I go to this meeting.
- Toby? - He's rolling.
I go to this meeting, Ginger.
I compromise, throw a line in the sand to ensure that only multimillionaires, not billionaires, are exempt from the tax.
Re-elect the president, he's for the millionaires, not billionaires.
Toby, they canceled the meeting! - What do you mean? - It's the chairman's office.
- They're canceling.
- Why? They canceled the meeting.
Bonnie's got him on the phone.
What's going on? They say it's his daughter's wedding.
- That's on Saturday.
- They say he wants to leave early.
- They're lying.
- I know.
What's going on? - I think they wanna take it off the table.
- And do what? White House is weak.
What would you do? You think they want to repeal the estate tax? - Good morning.
- Are you concerned about the subpoenas? No.
In fact, we've already sent over Eighty cartons of documents that weren't even subpoenaed and we intend to continue cooperating with him fully.
- Why were subpoenas necessary? - They're a common legal tool to define the scope of the inquiry.
Steve? - What about congressional hearings? - We don't think they're necessary but that's not for us to say.
We take a different view than congressional Republicans do of the special prosecutor's performance.
We believe he's thorough and impartial, and should be allowed to finish his work.
You say,"a different view.
" Is Congress unhappy with the special prosecutor? You'd have to ask Congress that.
Mark.
C.
J.
, can you comment on the contents of the 80 cartons already sent? - You still don't know my name, do you? - It's Gertrude.
- It's not.
- Calls? I need to talk to you.
This estate-tax repeal out of committee is gonna be a thing.
- I got another thing.
- They canceled the meeting yesterday.
We think the House Republicans are gonna try to repeal the tax.
The Pacers played the Cleveland Cavaliers last night.
- Really? Who won? - Indiana by five in double overtime.
Now the repeal of the estate tax seems somehow insignificant.
- Can I stick this in? - Yeah.
- You paying attention? - Yeah.
- Does this thing work? - No.
Okay.
If it did, you'd see Victor Campos sitting courtside with Buckland.
- Campos took some courtside seats? - He traveled from L.
A.
to Indianapolis to watch Cleveland and Indiana.
They don't travel from Cleveland to Indianapolis to watch that.
I don't care if they let Campos play point guard.
He loves the president.
He got the California primary for him.
- He's dating Buckland now.
- Because they went to a game? The president's Community Empowerment Board? It runs the president's initiative to steer private investment jobs to inner cities? - Yes.
- This commission is his dream come true.
- We gave him a seat on it.
- And he turned you down.
He turned you down.
- When? - Shortly after The game ended in double overtime.
Damn it! - Margaret! - Margaret.
Margaret.
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, Jamie, I have to get off.
Thanks.
- The fire's at 1500 acres.
- Sam, Victor Campos had a meeting with Jack Buckland, then he passed on the Community Empowerment Board.
- Really? - Yeah.
What do you think he's doing? Can you set up a meeting for me? - I want one of my people with him.
- Why? - Because I do.
- Sam can do this.
I want one of my people there to make sure I get the story straight.
Sam will report back.
Sam will have the meeting, one of my people will be there and they will report back.
Time to distinguish the White House from the campaign.
- Sam does this for us.
- Does he do it right? - Oftentimes.
- You guys know I'm sitting here, right? - We're gonna set up a meeting.
- Okay.
And we might want to think about putting this fire out.
- Donna? - Don't touch that stack over there.
- I heard you need help.
- That logs all visitors who saw Charlie.
You feel like being fixed up with a hot guy? - What did you say? - Cliff Calley.
- We went to law school together.
- Where does he work? - He's cute as hell.
- Where does he work? - House Ways and Means.
- Minority counsel's office? - Not exactly.
- Where? Well, he works with the minority counsel's office.
- Ainsley.
- For the majority counsel's office.
- He's a Republican.
- We are the majority.
- By a very small margin.
- He works in Ways and Means? - Josh is in a fight with them.
- If you're not comfortable Josh, who picked me out of nowhere, who works day and night and who hates these people.
- I don't know, is he funny? - Yeah.
- Should I tell him to call you? - If he wants.
Phone rings, I answer it.
Could be anybody.
Don't touch that stack! I was coming to see you.
I'm putting you on Capitol Beat.
- The subpoenas.
-"Clem Rollins is running" Listen.
"Clem Rollins is running a thorough, fair and impartial investigation.
- He's a man of integrity.
" -"We're willing to cooperate with him.
" "We're eager to cooperate with him.
" Don't oversell it.
I need to bring Campos out here.
What do you got? They'll introduce racial profiling.
Campos has 48 pictures in the Rose Garden.
Trade agreements between U.
S.
and Brazil.
Campos can discuss his objections to the president.
I don't want to remind people that Campos objects.
What else? - The unveiling of the HELP initiative.
- HELP? Hispanic Education Longevity Program.
It lowers the Latino dropout rate.
- You have a killer body, you know that? - In fact, I do.
Good morning.
Before I forget Victor Campos has been added to the guest list for the unveiling of HELP.
That's Thursday, day after tomorrow.
Mark? Is the White House filing complaints over leaks from the special prosecutor's office? - Not that I know.
Oliver Babish and Mr.
Rollins have had productive conversations about that.
- Do they speak often? - They're old friends.
What was the compromise that was on the table? If your estate's worth less than a million, you're exempt.
The Republicans wanted 5 million, settled on 2 1 /2.
- Seems reasonable.
- It wasn't reasonable.
Wasn't in driving distance of reasonable.
These people have paid taxes on this money already.
They paid it in income tax, property tax, capital gains.
They gotta pay - Don't say it.
- A death tax? Ninety-eight percent of estates pay no taxes at all.
These people are loaded.
They can afford the tax so it should be levied? If we spend millions on tax breaks, we should spend it on people who don't have millions.
- Million dollars isn't what it used to be.
- They don't make good yachts anymore.
- What did they say? - The meeting won't be rescheduled.
- How do they know? - Legislative Affairs has it from three rural House Democrats that Ways and Means is trolling for votes.
- On a complete repeal? - Yeah.
Screw it.
We went from a million to 2.
5.
What if we throw in? I'm saying, maybe we expand the compromise - They won't reschedule.
- How do we know? Because it's not about the estate tax.
They want what they want, and they can get what they want now.
The meeting's not gonna be rescheduled.
- What do you think? - I can tell you what he thinks.
He thinks we roll with it.
He thinks a president can't be against tax cuts in an election year.
Since our key districts have farms that are gonna be inherited, we have to .
He thinks we roll with it.
I think he should take out the A-bomb.
He's gotta do something he's never done before.
Think I'm weak? How about I shove Article 1, Section 7 up your ass? Screw the compromise.
I think he's gotta veto.
Toby, I just don't know on how many fronts we can fight a war.
You wanna find out? Yeah.
C.
J.
! We had a meeting at OEOB.
We were gonna come by and see you.
- There's some concern on the Hill.
- About what? The last couple of days, the press has been soft on Rollins.
Particularly with regard to his relationship to the White House.
- And there's concern? - Democrats worry Republicans will use this as an excuse to start their own hearings early.
We're saying, if the White House could seem less eager to cooperate a little less confident in his integrity.
- Yeah.
And if you could, downplay his friendship with Babish.
- Have a good night.
- You too.
- How'd the call with the governor go? - Not well.
- Why not? - He's demanding we put the fire out.
The president tried to calm him, but he accused us of advocating "fringe environmental policies.
" - Are we? It's not clear.
But, for the moment, "they had a productive conversation.
He'll monitor with the Secretary of the Interior.
" Excuse me.
You need a haircut.
- Shouldn't you be keeping me out of jail? - I'm on break.
- You wanted to see me? - You did well on Capitol Beat.
Babish and Rollins wrote a paper together for the Yale Law Review.
- You should get it out there.
- Yeah, the problem is I can't just make copies.
- What do you need? Get with one of your friends in the press room from a conservative paper.
- You think we have a secret handshake? - Do you? - Yes.
- Get along with this guy.
Off the record say you can't believe the president claims to waive executive privilege yet reserves the right to withhold documents.
Can you do that? "I can't believe the president claims to waive executive privilege yet withholds certain documents.
" - Do it quietly.
Kind of shake your head.
"I can't believe the president claims to waive executive" - Just shake your head at the beginning.
-"I can't believe how" - Okay, but think about - I've got it.
Charlie.
- Yes, sir.
- Are we out of pens? That's a good pen.
I need an everyday pen.
- I've got pens.
- You got crappy pens.
I need a solid pen that feels good in my hand but it's not so formal I feel like a dandy.
I'm making some trips to pen stores, aren't I? I used to have the perfect pens every day in my pocket.
I loved those pens.
Balance.
Great action.
Paper soaked up the ink.
What happened to those? Do they make them anymore? - I kept that company in business.
- Sir, when do you think you'll interview to replace Mrs.
Landingham? - I haven't gotten to it.
- The office would set the meetings.
- Maybe we'd bring in a headhunter - Is there a rush on this? - You need a secretary, sir.
- I have five to say nothing of the Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury and Education.
Things are getting missed.
Everyone's been trying to cover but things get missed.
- Things have been fine.
I'll have dinner and be back in the office after.
- You getting dinner? - In the mess.
I'll see you later.
- Mr.
President? - Yeah? She put the pen in your pocket.
Every morning, she slipped it in there.
- How you doing? - Good.
How about you? Good.
The thing about me is, I'm a brilliant political mind.
- Yeah? - Ph.
D.
in political economy from Oxford.
Not easy.
Bruno and Doug know I can handle tough meetings.
That's why they're sending me with you to meet Campos.
- I have an exceptional mind.
- But? - I don't know who Victor Campos is.
- Yeah.
Look, pal, I went to Oxford, okay? Which is in England.
- You weren't kidding about that mind.
- Sam.
- England's in Europe, right? - Sam.
He's the head of the AFSE: American Federation of Service Employees, Local 1262.
He's the head of a local? And he rates a meeting with a senior staffer? A Democrat can't get elected in California without him.
He can pick up the phone and have 5000 people at your rally.
He's got state-of-the-art voter mobilization and plays massive room with computer banks tracking voter registration.
With his endorsement comes 350,000 calls, callbacks, mailings and e-mails.
Is there anything in particular I should do at this meeting? Don't get in my way.
Taxi! Excuse me.
Are you Donna Moss by any chance? - Yeah.
- I'm Cliff Calley.
- I'm sorry I'm late.
- No, that's all right.
- Were you waiting long? - No, no, like .
- It was like an hour and a half.
- There are these boxes - I'm sorry? - There are these boxes that l - Doesn't matter.
You were leaving.
- No, I'm stretching my legs.
- You shouted for a cab.
- I like to test them.
I usually look a lot better than this.
I mean, I can look good.
I have no trouble believing that.
But listen, it sounds like maybe you're having problems with boxes and I know how that can be.
So if you'd rather - Will you buy me a drink? - Sure.
C.
J.
, can you clear up whether the special prosecutor can compel the president's staff to disclose conversations about his MS? Executive privilege protects all communications necessary to enable a president to do his job.
But, as I said, the president's waiving it.
Excuse me.
I need to follow up on that.
How can he claim to waive executive privilege yet withhold certain documents? Isn't he just trying to protect himself? He's trying to protect the office of the presidency.
- Information about national security.
- Stop being coy, C.
J.
- I was born this way.
- Mr.
Rollins won't be angry if the White House omits documents? If you wanna know what Rollins thinks, read his writings on the subject.
He was a University of Chicago Law School professor, and I'm not sure you can check me on this, but I think he was editor of the Yale Law Review.
That's a full lid, everybody.
Have a good night.
C.
J.
, governor of Wyoming's been on TV.
- Is he mad at us? - Pretty irate.
- Good irate or? - He's irate.
Circulate a memo to anyone who's gonna see a microphone.
"The National Fire Plan is based on recommendations from five agencies.
It clearly states that 80 years of fire suppression hasn't worked.
For centuries, wildfires have been a part of forest ecosystems.
" When things catch fire, it's not our policy to put it out? That's what they shouldn't say.
Put that on the memo with a circle and a line through it.
- C.
J.
- Oliver.
Thank God for LexisNexis.
How long until they find the paper I wrote with Rollins? About an hour.
They'll make their deadlines.
- You know - Yeah? I was gonna say you took a beating the last few months.
I was wondering if you're trying to get back in the game with one swing.
Is that what you were wondering? Anything else? No.
- What do you know? - We spent a few hours with the minority whip and some deputies.
- They have the votes for a repeal? - They have 218 without breaking a sweat.
- It's 290 to override.
- Where are they getting them? Republicans are calling in all hands.
We assume they get the full 226, plus Fayette, Genesee and Trent.
- California - The state I begged you to let secede.
The entire California delegation wants a compromise otherwise, they vote to repeal.
We lose about another 13 votes from rural districts maybe three would switch back if it was close but they'd get killed next November, and I wouldn't ask them to do it.
That's 283.
Where are the other seven votes against us? - That's the thing.
- It's from inside the Black Caucus.
That's where the seven votes are.
I want you two to see Mark Richardson in the morning.
- Already set up.
- We'll make a recommendation to the president.
He'll make his decision to fight or live to fight.
These are members of the Black Caucus.
Can you think of a reason why they'd oppose the estate tax? - Sure.
- What? First generation of black millionaires is about to die.
- Leo.
- Is he back? - Yeah.
- Thanks.
Charlie, I'm expecting a call from Bill Horton.
I left the National Fire Plan in the dining room.
- I'll run up and get it.
- Thanks.
Good evening.
The Governor of Wyoming was 11 /2 inches away from calling me a pyromaniac tonight.
That's surprising, because we really had respect for him before.
I'm saying somewhere out there is a registered voter who's thinking: "I thought I liked this Bartlet fellow.
But now I see he's in favor of fire .
" He thinks it's gonna affect tourism.
It's the end of the season, and the fire isn't anywhere near tourists.
Letting it burn is good for the environment.
- You know how I know? - How? Because smart people told me.
Please, God, Leo, let them be right.
- When are you talking to Horton? - Any minute.
You want me in on the call? - Yeah.
- I'll be in my office.
- Why are you a Republican? - I'm sorry? - Why are you a Republican? - Because I hate poor people.
I hate them, Donna.
They're all so poor.
And many of them talk funny and don't have proper table manners.
My father slaved at the Fortune 500 company he inherited so I could go to Choate, Brown and Harvard and see that this country isn't overrun by poor people and lesbians.
No.
I'm Republican because I believe in smaller government.
This country was founded on freedom.
Freedom stands opposed to constraints.
The bigger the government, the more the constraints.
- Wow.
- You agree with that? - No, it's crap, but you're really cute.
- Yeah, I know.
I had a hunch you did.
- Listen, you know who my boss is, right? - I do.
He's one of the point men on this fight over the estate tax.
- The death tax.
- He doesn't call it that.
- We've been ordered to.
There's a memo.
- Right.
Anyway, not to editorialize but since we're fighting for ordinary people while you protect the grotesque wealth of a few I wasn't sure if you felt awkward.
- Listen, Robin Hood - It's not a good tax? - It was, in 1916 when wealth was concentrated and we wanted to prevent the emergence of an aristocratic class.
However - Says Choate, Brown, Harvard.
- Wealth is now spread among farmers, small-business owners, farmers, merchants And did I mention farmers? So a second date wouldn't be awkward for you? This is my last week working for Ways and Means.
- Really? - I've been traded.
- Where? - House Government Oversight.
- What did they trade you for? - Some toner, I think.
- No, I mean why? - I don't know.
We got a call from the majority leader's office.
They wanted another litigator at Government Oversight.
They didn't .
- They didn't say why.
- Maybe it was just an oversight.
Oh, come on.
"Maybe it was just an oversight"? I don't even get a courtesy laugh? - The boxes.
- What about them? I have to say good night now.
You didn't bring me out from L.
A.
to talk about HELP.
Victor, I was wondering why you passed on the commission.
You didn't bring me out here to talk about HELP or the commission.
You didn't go to Indiana to watch basketball.
- It was a good game.
- Don't get cute.
- Watch your mouth.
- I don't think I will, Victor.
We fought a war together.
What happened? - You tell me.
- You know what? The president said he'd ban permanent striker replacement workers, and did.
Thank you.
So the jobs he isn't shipping overseas will be safe.
Who else was for prenatal care for illegal immigrants in lowa? - That's not where it's needed.
- He put an empowerment zone in Pacoima and no one has worked harder to raise minimum wage.
Lowest Latino unemployment in history, small-business loans for Hispanics the biggest drop in Latino poverty.
That's what I got in the last election.
What do I get in this one? - What happened to loyalty? - Can't deposit it in a savings account.
- What do I get? - What do you want? The Hispanic dropout rate is higher than that of African-Americans.
We'll double funding for the High School Initiative.
Children who came to the U.
S.
after welfare reform - A major push on Hispanic children.
- What's major? He's gonna mention it in the State of the Union.
What else? - Complete amnesty.
- No way.
- Victor.
- Complete amnesty for all undocumented immigrants from the Americas: Mexico, Chile, El Salvador.
The Legal Amnesty Fairness Act is in the Senate now.
We can't back a bill that treats Hispanic immigrants any differently than - We can't do it.
- Sure, we can.
- I'm sorry? - We can do it.
We really can.
Would you excuse us just a second? - Hi.
- When I said"stay out of my way" - It'll cost you some independents - So he can expand union membership? And the Democratic Party.
Millions of illegal immigrants out of hiding.
Millions of potential voters who are going to vote for you.
Three million in California.
That's 13 percent of the vote, and 19 in Arizona.
You know the Republican Party will try to outflank us on this.
It's right for the president.
Why give him a hard time? - He's giving me a hard time.
- He's supposed to.
You're weaker than you were three years ago.
Have a little humility.
Suck it up and give him what he wants, which will help you in the long run.
Victor? - What do we get? - Excuse me? If I go to the president, what do we get? California and its 435 delegates.
- I shouldn't have blown up before.
- Nobody will know.
Yeah? Loyalty.
Josh, you think the Black Caucus votes in a block and they only care about the system.
- Surely, congressman the African-American community has better ways to spend 28 billion dollars than a tax break that benefits fewer than 1000 black families.
You're doing it again.
The African-American community doesn't think one way about anything.
It's a few members of the Caucus.
- That was pretty surprising.
- A few members who feel that African-American homeownership is at its highest level ever that more African-Americans are opening small businesses than ever.
If they can't pass it on, how will they build power, clout and self-sufficiency as a community? - A few black millionaires justifies a multibillion-dollar boondoggle? As long as there's a Congress, there will be multibillion-dollar boondoggles.
We'd like to share in them a little bit, please.
We're bleeding here, Mark.
- What? - We're bleeding here, for God's sake.
You can work with us or be ignored by a Republican president.
Your choice.
- How bad is it? - Buckland's coming after us.
- He's been meeting with Victor Campos.
- While you guys defend yourselves against special prosecutors and Jack Buckland what about the people who got you here? Who are you talking to, Mark? We won't forget failing schools in central cities.
We won't forget after-school care, healthcare for uninsured kids.
We won't forget drug treatment, urban redevelopment or community policing.
- Yeah? - You can't forget that we're bleeding.
The Black Caucus doesn't vote as one mind.
I can't promise anything.
The veto's an awfully big risk to take if you can't promise anything.
Then the veto's an awfully big risk to take.
- Has the fire abated at all? - Not yet.
- How far has it spread? - 6500 acres.
- So it's closing in on the boundary? - Yes, sir, Mr.
President.
- Not too late to reverse your decision.
- Think he should? - No.
- Why? A cold front's moving in from Alberta with a 50 percent chance of showers.
Temperatures have started to drop.
If the rain reaches Yellowstone by tonight, it'll be enough to quell the fire.
If not, we put it out and the president looks like an idiot for waiting this long.
But we'll make sure he looks like an idiot too, right? Yeah.
Wyoming's going to have to have some faith that the Department of the Interior knows what it's doing.
- Thank you, Mr.
Secretary.
- Thank you, Mr.
President.
- Josh.
- Yes, sir.
- A ballerina? - I didn't know what it was at the time.
- I liked the word.
- We'll go with that for now.
Mr.
President, we recommend you threaten to veto any repeal of the estate tax.
- Really? - Yes, sir.
- What happened with Richardson? - No guarantees.
He wants to see what we're gonna do next.
- Let's make the threat.
- You like this? - Yes, sir.
- I thought you don't oppose a tax cut in an election year.
- Well, let's be clear.
We're not talking about opposing a tax cut.
We're talking about vetoing one.
Your first veto ever.
- That's shooting the moon.
- I'll say.
I like the bold gesture.
I think you gotta get out the stamp.
You sign it.
You don't do it with a stamp.
- I thought it was a stamp.
- Stamp it, then sign it.
Who gives a damn, sir? This is a tax cut that benefits only 4500 families.
It doesn't matter if most voters don't benefit.
They all believe that some day they will.
That's the problem with the American dream makes everyone concerned for the day they're gonna be rich.
The governors of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and Utah with the Senate majority leader and the speaker of the house are calling me a fringe environmentalist because I'm listening to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture along with the U.
S.
Forest Service, chief ranger and park superintendent.
They say letting it burn is good for the environment and I'm betting on a weather report of all things.
It's just one of those times.
- Do you have a bottle opener? - No.
- Some men carry those pocketknives.
- I don't.
You screwed with a legal proceeding, and used one of my deputies to do it.
- I worked the press.
- You know there was irony in that Clem Rollins was right for the job.
- Think I care? - You think because the White House feels more comfortable in an ugly fight that means we'll win it? - Anybody have a bottle opener? - Josh? - Yeah.
- Which committee had jurisdiction? - For the hearings? - Was it Judiciary? Thomas' committee wanted it, so the majority leader - Thomas' committee is? - Government Reform and Oversight.
- Volume! - Next year's an election year and in some states, the voting starts in a few months.
People deserve answers now and not at the snail's pace of Jed Bartlet's handpicked prosecutors.
I am announcing that the Reform and Oversight Committee will be gaveled to session to conduct immediate hearings of possible use of taxpayer resources - Come and get us.
- to defraud the public.
It is time to put an end to this White House's abuse of power.
It is time for this White House to answer the American people.