The West Wing s02e04 Episode Script
In This White House
Previously on The West Wing: -I don't know these people.
-You will.
-Which one is T oby? -I am.
-Which one are you? -I'm Josh.
-My name is Charlie Young.
-Donna Moss.
You? I'm just guessing.
I'm pretty drunk.
Which one is Josh? -C.
J.
Cregg.
-Toby Ziegler, C.
J.
Cregg, Sam Seaborn.
-Yeah.
-You gotta be impressed I got those names right.
-Sam.
-Mark.
-You done? -Yeah.
-It's not gonna be Wengland.
-What happened? -He's stuck in Denver.
-I wanted Wengland.
-Did you get Stackhouse? -Couldn't get him or Santana, Monroe-- -Who'd you get? -A woman named Ainsley Hayes.
-Aimsley? -Ainsley, with an N.
-I don't know her.
-A new producer brought her in.
-T ell me she's not-- -She is.
-I thought that was over.
-No, it's not.
She's got blond hair, long legs, she's a Republican, so she's-- She's in show business.
A young, blond, leggy Republican.
-I thought they didn't know anything.
-They don't.
-Sam.
-Yeah.
-Ainsley? -Yes.
-Mark Gottfried.
-Ainsley Hayes.
We'll be starting here in about a minute.
-I understand you've never done TV.
-No, not as such.
No.
-"Not as such"? What does that mean? -lt means, no, I haven't done TV.
-Can I give you a little friendly advice? -Yes, I would appreciate it.
-Don't overreach.
-Don't overreach? Don't try to do too much, don't try to know more than you do.
My show is not the place for you to become a star.
You'll be opposite Sam Seaborn.
He wouldn't keep coming if he didn't wipe the floor with everyone.
-I've seen him.
-Don't be scared.
-I'll try.
-I'll step in, take punches for you if it gets out of hand, but if you don't go far from the points, you'll be fine.
Thirty seconds.
-We start with the education package? -Yeah.
-You owe me 20 bucks on the Skins.
-ln the Green Room, man.
-I'm Sam Seaborn.
-Ainsley Hayes.
-Twenty seconds.
-You bet with George on the Skins? -Over/under.
-How's Josh? -He's good.
-Ten seconds.
-Here we go.
Remember what I said.
-Yeah.
In five, four, three.
Capital Beat, with Mark Gottfried.
Tonight, from the right, Republican political analyst Ainsley Hayes.
And from the left, White House senior advisor Sam Seaborn.
With Chris Eisen at the Pentagon and Marjorie Clark in New York.
Good evening.
Before we get to Chris and Marjorie tonight on the Capital Beat, the House is expected to vote next week on President Bartlet's $ 1.
5-billion education package.
Sam Seaborn, why is this bill better than its Republican counterpart that the president vetoed last year? Because it buys things that teachers need, like textbooks.
In a fairly comprehensive study, an alarmingly high number of teachers 40 percent of the teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon, for instance and Kirkwood being a fair model for public school districts in the country 40 percent of teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon do not have sufficient textbooks for students.
The package offered by the Republican-controlled Congress offered zero dollars for new textbooks.
-Ainsley Hayes, is that true? -No, it's not.
-ls Sam Seaborn lying? -" Lying " is an awfully strong word.
-Do you--? -Yes, he's lying.
And we should tell the truth about education.
-lf you're gonna call-- -The bill had money for textbooks.
Also, computer literacy, school safety, physical plant.
The difference is we wanted to give the money to communities and let them decide how to spend it on the off-chance the needs of Lincoln High in Dayton are different from - Crenshaw High in South Central L.
A.
-Why did the president veto the bill? Because it guaranteed by law that 95% of the money go into the classroom and bypass the pork-barrel buffet, which troubles the president because he doesn't work for the students.
-That's untrue.
-He doesn't work for the parents.
He works for the teachers union.
The bill contained plenty of money for textbooks and anyone who says otherwise is lying.
We should tell the truth about this.
T extbooks are important.
If for no other reason than they accurately place Kirkwood in California, not Oregon.
And we' re in business.
We'll be back with more Capital Beat after this.
We' re out.
I' m sorry, did I overreach? -Hey, Sam.
-Yeah.
-This one might know something.
-Yeah.
Please let them not be watching.
T oby.
Come quick.
Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl.
Ginger, get the popcorn.
There'll be a photo op in a half-hour with President Bartlet and President Nimbala of the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu who's representing African nations.
Is it the goal of the summit to get drug companies to lower prices or is the goal to get African countries to honor U.
S.
patents? The goal of the summit is to get a step closer to solving 26 million African AlDS victims.
We' re counting on the drug companies, on African nations on the global health community.
They' re counting on us for a solution.
Will the White House declare war on drug companies? It sounds like you have.
If we need a button man, we'll call you.
Thank you.
Half-hour in the Mural Room.
Carol, they'll need to be in three groups.
You know what you might have mentioned? A 1 4-minute briefing, and I get reviews? The same drug that is $1 0 in Norway, where nobody needs it costs $90 in Burundi, where everybody needs it.
Nothing keeps these people here but goodwill.
They can charge what they want.
It sounded like we will be soft on drug companies.
Nobody expects us to be anything but tough on -American companies showing a profit.
-Damn right.
Where was the ' 92 World Copyright Conference? -Geneva.
-Thank you.
I really admire the way you came to work this morning head held high.
I appreciate you being the only one not to heckle me.
No problem.
There's a bunch of women, why don't you ask where Geneva is.
Go to my office.
Me and you, 20 questions, general knowledge test.
-Go.
-I'll spot two questions.
-For how much money? -Go to my office.
I' m going to his office.
-She's making the chicken sound now.
-Go to my office.
A drug they gotta buy from us for $4 they can get generic from Pakistan for 40 cents.
That's not the only bargain in Pakistan.
My friends and I go for spring fashions.
It shows.
-C.
J.
-He made a dig about my clothes.
That'll be with me for the day.
I wanted to introduce myself.
I'm Bill Kelley from the Cleveland Courier.
They' re breaking me in -to cover for T om Johnson.
-Welcome.
Can I ask you something? Do you know anything about Bonamo Energy selling drilling equipment to lraq? I won't wave you off the story, but I can't tell you anything.
If they were selling them, that would be in violation of sanctions, right? Grand-jury investigations are secret, I can't tell you any more.
-I understand.
Nice meeting you.
-Nice meeting you.
-Bill? -Yeah.
Nothing, just nothing.
Then you've got guys like Mbeki who say that AlDS isn't linked to HlV it's linked to poverty.
-lt is.
-Do you want a list of dead millionaires? He was saying prostitutes, migrant laborers, the ill-educated and victims of sexual abuse are more likely-- Leo, AlDS is caused by HlV.
You named a group of people that have a higher mortality rate.
-Morning.
-Good morning, sir.
-Where are we? -They' re all set.
Thank you.
The health minister was clarifying his comments.
They have a health minister who doesn't think AlDS is connected to HlV.
He was clearing up the comments.
Did you see Sam get puréed last night on Capital Beat? I didn't see it, but I have heard tell.
He got diced and sliced by a woman named Ainsley Hayes.
She's been writing some columns.
I had Charlie pull them for me.
Where's she been? -She was clerking for Dreifort.
-We should hire her.
-That'd be funny.
-No, I mean it.
-Mean what? -We should hire her.
You mean, as a joke on Sam? Not as a joke.
We should hire her as a reality.
We should hire her.
-She's a Republican.
-So's half the country.
That half lost, so-- She's smart, not just carping.
She feels a sense of something.
-Of what? -Mr.
President? Of duty.
Of civic duty.
-How many pieces by her did you read? -Three.
-You' re sure of her sense of civic duty? -I can sense civic duty a mile away.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
Good morning, everybody.
-Good morning, Mr.
President.
-Good morning, sir.
You can tell your caption editors, Bartlet's the third guy from the right.
Thank you, sir.
Presidents Bartlet and Nimbala will take questions.
-President Bartlet? -Katie.
This is a summit among leaders of American pharmaceutical companies and AlDS-ravaged African nations that President Nimbala is representing here.
Is there a political upside to having President Nimbala here and not the pharmaceutical companies? Yes, l' m trying to shore up the sub-Saharan vote.
Mr.
President, are you considering asking Congress to forgive existing debt? It's an international health crisis, there's nothing l' m not considering.
-Arthur.
-President Nimbala, what's the best you hope to come away with from this summit? What's a home run? A miracle.
There are people who make miracles in the world.
One of them lives right here in the U.
S.
He realized that vital elements could be harvested from the stalk of the wheat.
In his hands, lndia, which at the time had been ravaged by drought and overpopulation in his hands, their wheat crop increased from 1 1 million tons to 60 million tons annually.
That's right.
His name is Norman Borlaug, by the way and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1 970.
Thank you, Mr.
President, President Nimbala.
Thank you, everyone.
I think you're absolutely right about the kind of miracle we need.
I think we're gonna make a lot of progress in the next couple of days.
I hope so, Mr.
President.
My country's dying.
It was called dwarf wheat, which produces heavy yields without its stalk falling over from the weight of the grain.
Was it a hybrid? What am l, Farmer Bob? There was more wheat than there used to be.
And hire that girl.
-What girl? -Ainsley Hayes.
-No.
-Why? This is a thing you' re excited about at breakfast that you forget you told me to do by lunch.
-Not one of those.
-lt is one of those.
Hard as you might try, the Republican Party isn't going anywhere.
We don't know that, they could move to Vancouver.
-I don't think so.
-Me neither.
But being in power means everybody else can take a seat for four years.
Charlie, I wanna hire a woman whose voice would fit in nicely around here.
She's a conservative Republican, you think I should do it? Absolutely, Mr.
President, because l' m told that theirs is the party of inclusion.
See? Charlie just made a joke to you in the Oval Office.
-That's how bad an idea it is.
-Leo-- Seriously, Mr.
President, if you wanna do this, it's not an uninteresting notion just do it in a high-profile place.
-Put a Republican in the Cabinet.
-We might.
A hundred million Republicans, we might hire as many as two of them.
-But for now, hire this girl.
-T o do what? I don't know.
She's a lawyer, put her in counsel's office.
-You really want me to do this? -Yes.
-What if she doesn't wanna work here? -Appeal to her sense of duty.
Smooth it over with the staff.
I don't wanna hear from them.
-She can always have my job.
-Yes, she can.
-Thank you, Mr.
President.
-Thank you.
-Charlie? -Yes, sir.
When they close the book on me and you it will say at this moment, you were not there for me and for that there'll be punishment.
Well, you could sing Puccini for me again, Mr.
President.
We'll call it even.
--and anyone who says otherwise is lying.
-Here it comes.
-Does anybody know--? Textbooks are important.
If for no other reason than they accurately place Kirkwood in California, not Oregon.
Oh, I could watch that a hundred times.
Does anybody know how to work caller lD? How can you not know how to use a phone? -My attention's been elsewhere.
-Pay attention to that because - Bruce's friend is gonna call you.
-The agent? I don't need an agent, I need a caller lD tutorial.
You need an agent, you' re gonna be a star.
Used to be you had to sing and dance.
You are gonna get a lot of work ripping these people to shreds and looking good doing it.
That's an actual job now? That's him.
Let's see.
I push this button the phone number appears.
Ainsley? Is that the agent? It's the White House.
-Hey, Sam.
-Excuse me? -What? -Did you say something to me? -I said, " Hey, Sam.
" -Really? It sounded like you might have made a wisecrack about Oregon and California.
Sorry.
Out of luck.
-Hey, C.
J.
-Hi, Donna.
-Just getting here? This is late for you.
-I got lost.
-Where? -On the way to work.
-When? -Now! This morning.
-You got lost on your way to work? -Good morning, Carol.
-Good morning, Sam.
It's 8: 1 5.
-We'll do messages in a minute.
-Lost on your way to work.
-Don't make fun.
-I wouldn't worry about that.
-I didn't sleep much.
-How much did you sleep? -None, not at all.
You slept none, not at all? I am today excited about you being the president's spokesperson.
Let me ask you something.
I was talking yesterday to a reporter who's new in the room and he asked me a question, and in my answer.
Let me ask you something.
You know you haven't asked me anything yet, right? -Yeah, listen, never mind.
-C.
J.
? -Forget it.
-What is it? The two of you.
Come take a walk with me.
-What's going on? -I wanted to tell you with people -around so you wouldn't scream.
-Scream? The woman who was on Capitol Beat with Sam Sunday.
-What about her? -l' m offering her a job.
-Where? -Here.
-Are you kidding? -No.
-Are you kidding? -No.
-Are you kidding? -No.
What the hell made you think I wouldn't scream where there are people? -I took a shot.
-Leo! Outside.
I haven't honed in on this.
-A lot of people in Africa with HlV.
-Right.
American companies hold the patents on medicines they need.
Most people in most of Africa can't afford them so they buy them -off the black market-- -Violating U.
S.
patents and treaties.
How prohibitively priced are the drugs? -About 1 50 bucks a week.
-That's not totally off the charts.
A police officer in Kenya makes $43 a month.
Do good in there.
-This isn't about profit-- -Sir.
-This isn't about profit-- -Sir, you have interrupted me again.
My apologies, Mr.
President.
How can you tell us this isn't about profit maximization? You sell Emperex for half the price in Norway than you do in my country.
-That's not the issue.
-Let's make it the issue.
Let's make it the issue for the moment.
You can't compare prices worldwide.
Sir, excuse me, sir.
I was the one who asked the question I'd appreciate it if you directed your answer to me.
President Nimbala, when you sell to small pharmacies as we do in Norway, a different price is set.
Norway.
Norway, $1 0 per unit U.
S.
My country, $23 per unit U.
S.
Retail markups, taxes, pharmacy discounts, these things vary widely.
Not to mention we don't know if the drugs are getting to your citizens.
You' re implying corruption and incompetence.
We do have reports of that, Mr.
President.
You talk to me about corruption? What are your annual sales of fluconazole alone? -A billion dollars.
-I don't understand your point.
I think President Nimbala's saying there's more money in giving a white guy an erection than curing a black guy of AlDS.
Sir, my company has given away over $1 20 million worth of free drugs a year including free doses of Xyclacinth, which is one of two drugs in your country curing eye infection right now.
They're not dying from eye infections, Alan.
They' re not dying because of me either, T oby.
I'd like not to be talked to this way.
If it was 26 million Europeans dying, we'd have had a solution yesterday.
How much would it cost for you to provide free drugs to the Sahelese Republic, Kenya and the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu? I have no idea.
Why not? We' re talking about three times a day, every day, what's the X factor? We don't know how long they'll live.
We' re nowhere.
Let's take a break.
-She's here.
-Good.
-Should I send her in? -Yeah.
-You want me to stay here? -Why? -ln case something should happen? -What would that be exactly? -I'll bring her in.
-Thank you.
-Ainsley? -Mr.
McGarry.
-Leo's fine.
-Yes, sir.
Were you offered coffee or something to drink? The woman out there, who I imagine is your secretary, offered me coffee.
She was also kind enough to ask for my coat.
-Excellent.
-She seems to be a very good secretary.
Well, she'll be happy to hear that, she's standing right outside the door.
So I have to tell you I've never seen Sam Seaborn get beat the way you beat him on Monday.
Yes, well, Mr.
McGarry-- -Leo.
-Yes, sir.
I've been thinking about that since your office called and I have something to say.
I understand if you won't let me, but I would appreciate if you did.
I didn't really follow that, but whatever.
It is wrong for a man in your position to summon someone to reprimand them for voicing opposition.
I think that is wrong, and it is inappropriate.
It's inappropriate, and I'll tell you what else-- It's wrong? That's fine, except you weren't summoned to be reprimanded.
Then why was I summoned? You have an interesting conversational style, you know that? -It's a nervous condition.
-I used to have a nervous condition.
-How did yours manifest itself? -I drank a lot of Scotch.
-I get sick when I drink too much.
-I get drunk.
-Well, Mr.
McGarry-- -Leo.
Yes, sir.
I'll ask again.
For what purpose was I brought here today? So I could offer you a job.
It is not fair that I be expected to play the role of mouse to the White House's cat in a game of-- -You know? -Cat and mouse? Yes.
And it's not like I'm not, you know.
The fact that I may not look like the Republicans who have crossed your path does not mean that I am any less inclined toward-- Here it comes.
-Did you say, " Offer me a job"? -Yes.
Associate White House counsel.
You'd report to the deputy White House counsel who reports to the White House counsel, who reports to me.
I' m sorry, a job in this White House? -You want a glass of Scotch? -Yes, please.
C.
J.
? See a sleep doctor.
T ake a pill.
Do something.
I rode the Lifecycle this morning for an hour and a half.
If it was a real cycle, I'd have been in Belgium by now.
What did you wanna ask me the other day? -lf I tell, you could be subpoenaed.
-Don't worry.
-lt could cost you-- -Don't worry about it.
I do worry about it.
There's no problem.
I just need some sleep.
What can I bring into the room about the conference? The sessions are productive.
Progress is being made.
These kind of things take time.
All the parties are optimistic.
Are any of the parties optimistic? -No.
-Okay.
C.
J.
? -Did you say something to me? -No.
Because I thought you might have said something.
I have always been a Republican.
My father is a Republican.
His father was state chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.
When I was young, I was a Young Republican.
Even if you hadn't already told me this many, many times I would know it anyway because I have this FBl file.
You have my FBl file? I can't believe that.
You have my FBl file? I have an FBl file? -Ainsley-- -Mr.
McGarry, I loathe -almost everything you believe in.
-Where you going? I' m standing up, which is how one speaks in opposition in a civilized world.
-You go, girl.
-I find this administration smug and patronizing and under the impression that those who disagree are less than them, and with colder hearts.
That's not true.
How many people on your staff assumed that I was ambitious, mean and stupid? None.
C.
J.
Cregg thinks you kill your pets.
You don't do that, do you? No, I don't kill my pets.
I don't have any pets.
I was thinking about getting a pet-- The point is-- -Ainsley.
-Yes, sir.
-Don't you wanna work here? -Oh, only since I was 2.
-Okay, then.
-lt has to be this White House? -Ainsley-- -Mr.
McGarry-- The president likes smart people who disagree with him.
He wants to hear from you.
The president's asking you to serve.
And everything else is crap.
Think about it overnight.
Come back here at 6:00 tomorrow and give me your answer.
Margaret! How you doing? Show Miss Hayes out, would you, please? This way.
You're listening, but you're not understanding.
I disagree with you.
That doesn't mean I'm not listening to you or understanding what you're saying.
You gotta get out of their face.
They can leave.
We don't have anything they need.
-Patent treaties need to be enforced.
-They will be.
The drug companies got half the House of Representatives elected.
Congress is gonna get serious.
The pills cost 4 cents a unit to make.
You know that's not true.
The second pill cost 4 cents.
The first pill cost them $400 million.
They also enjoy unprecedented tax breaks, foreign tax credits research exemptions and expensing of research expenditures.
And business is pretty good, so they' re gonna cover their bet.
-T ell me about Nimbala.
-They had no cheese.
It's boysenberry.
-A boysenberry Danish? -It's new.
T ell me about Nimbala.
He's a good president, Josh.
A great soldier, brilliant commander.
He led his people for 28 years, he can't get ahead of the curve.
He's cursed by geography.
If the ground won't grow anything, you don't have an economy.
But still he stands in a room and he talks about Norman Borlaug.
He came here himself, Josh.
He didn't send delegates.
I think it's because he doesn't have any.
I think he's holding his country together with both hands.
Then let's make sure we send him back with something, is my point.
-Fellas? -Yeah.
They're ready.
Yeah.
Folks, please take your seats.
Good afternoon.
Guess what? The audit figures released yesterday by the Senate Finance Committee confirmed earlier reports released by the Congressional Budget Office regarding the increased budget surplus projections.
The CBO's projection increased the surplus from 2 trillion over the next 1 0 years to 2.
2 trillion.
This exceeds even the most optimistic estimates published last year by the White House Budget Office of 300 billion.
And the CBO's projection last quarter of 900 billion.
Needless to say, these figures.
-Are you new too? -Excuse me? -Are you new too? It's my fourth day.
-No.
Maybe you can help me.
I' m trying to find out about drilling equipment that might've been sold by Bonamo Energy to the lraqis in violation of sanctions.
I asked C.
J.
about it, and she said there's a grand-jury investigation and she's not allowed to talk.
If you ask me, she was acting a little bit, I don't know.
I hear she hasn't slept and maybe that's-- She told you there was a grand-jury investigation? -Yeah.
-Miss Hayes? -Yeah.
-This way.
--responsible and put a large portion of the surplus to debt reduction.
An update on the summit? With regards to the progress made here at the summit for African AlDS relief all parties are optimistic that an agreement will be reached soon.
I think there's a more fundamental problem than marginal cost.
We've been at this for four days, and I think we haven't talked about the fundamental misunderstanding in Africa over the basic facts of AlDS.
There's no misunderstanding.
A week ago you people stood up and said that AlDS has only a casual relationship to HlV.
I' m not certain to whom you' re referring when you say, "You people.
" But it was President Mbeki of South Africa who said that and not anyone in this room.
I think Mr.
Damson has brought up a hard truth that should be faced.
What's that? If tomorrow we made AlDS medication free to every patient in your country as much as they needed for as long as they needed it, it would likely make very little difference in the spread of the epidemic.
Why? Anti-HlV drugs are a triple cocktail.
It's a complicated regimen that requires 1 0 pills to be taken every day at precise times.
Two protease inhibitors every eight hours two combination RTl pills every 1 2 hours.
What's the problem? They don't own wristwatches.
They can't tell time.
We agree that something must be done, but we don't think we're culprits and we don't think there is an easy or obvious solution.
And we think you should be aware of the dangers involved in some of the proposals made here today.
Mr.
President, may we speak with you alone, please? Ainsley.
Could l--? Could you give me just a moment, please? -Sure.
-Thank you.
Excuse me.
I was going to see Leo McGarry.
He asked me to come back and see him again at the end of the day.
-l' m Ainsley Hayes.
-It's good to meet you.
I'm not taking the job, C.
J.
Well.
Okay.
I just wanted to-- Okay.
C.
J.
, Rule 6E of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure says you can be prosecuted for even confirming a grand jury's been impaneled.
How did you know? A reporter in your press room, who hasn't read Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Well, someone's gonna tell him eventually.
Who told you? One of the witnesses who was called.
What could happen? Eighteen months, medium security.
C.
J.
, l' m kidding.
You didn't break the law.
Attorneys and jurors are under a gag order.
Witnesses are free to say what they want.
And anyone is free to repeat what they've said.
You know, l' m not sure that laying low and hoping nobody noticed was the best strategy here.
Next time you should really run it by someone in the counsel's office.
-Anyway, I should go see Leo.
-Yeah.
President Nimbala.
I' m gonna put a deal together and I want you to agree to it.
-What am I agreeing to? -I can get them to lower their prices.
But you have to commit your military, your Customs Bureau and your Ministry of Health.
You have to commit them to stopping the influx of black-market HlV drugs from Korea and Pakistan and from wherever else they' re coming.
of our adult population is infected.
Sixty percent of our hospital beds are occupied by people who are HlV-positive.
Our lnstitute of Policy Analysis says in the coming decade 50 percent of all households in my country will have at least one member infected with HlV.
T o think I care about international patent law at a time like this is unrealistic.
Mr.
President, the U.
S.
Department of Commerce will put your country on a watch list.
That's the first step toward trade sanctions.
Our Congress could end all aid to your country.
Or you can agree to what we' re saying.
In exchange for which we believe we can get Congress to forgive the debt on all your past development loans, and we believe the Export-lmport Bank will offer a billion dollars in loans to finance the purchase of American AlDS medication.
-Congress won't approve the loan.
-Congress won't have to, sir.
The Treasury and the State Department will review it but if we spread the loans out over several countries in your region and if none of the loans exceed $1 00 million we don't need congressional approval.
That law might change soon.
It's a terrible thing to beg for your life.
T errible.
My father.
"Proud.
" Proud.
My father was a proud man.
He built homes.
He wouldn't like what I came here to do.
Yes, he would, Mr.
President.
I swear to God he would.
Thank you, sir.
Go tell Leo.
Hi.
Hi.
Something you forgot to mention about the 95 percent of the money going into the classroom past the pork-barrel buffet was that the school only got money if they did not distribute condoms.
That's a reason to veto it.
The thing our public schools need more than anything are free condoms.
I'd definitely make that priority one.
-Where's Leo? -He's not here.
You look familiar to me.
You're Aimsley Hayes.
-Ainsley, with an N.
-She works here now.
-What? -Leo hired her.
-What? -Leo hired her.
He told me and C.
J.
, he was waiting to tell you and T oby.
-What was he waiting for? -How the hell do I know, Josh? Waiting until he hired me, which he hasn't done -because I'm not taking the job.
-You're not? No.
But thank you for talking to me instead of about me.
Hang on, I'm back on he offered you the job, but you're not taking the job? Why participate in the process when you can get a job commenting on it? You think I don't want to work here because I can get a better gig on Geraldo? Gosh, let's see if there could possibly be any other reason why I wouldn't want to work in this White House.
This White House that feels government is better for children than parents.
That looks at 40 years of degrading and humiliating free lunches handed out in a failed effort to level the playing field and says, " Let's try 40 more.
" This White House that says of anyone, that points that out that they are cold and mean and racist and then accuses Republicans of using the politics of fear.
This White House that loves the Bill of Rights.
Except the second one.
This is the wrong place to talk about guns right now.
-I thought your column was idiotic.
-lmagine my surprise.
But for a brilliant surgical team and 2 centimeters of a miracle this guy's dead right now, from bullets fired from a gun bought legally.
They bought guns.
They loaded them.
They drove from Wheeling to Rosslyn.
Until they pulled the trigger, they did not commit a crime.
I am tired of the gun lobby tossing around words like " personal freedom" and nobody calling them on it.
It's not about personal freedom, and it has nothing to do with safety.
It's just that some people like guns.
Yes, they do.
But you know what's more insidious than that? Your gun control position doesn't have anything to do with public safety and it's certainly not about personal freedom.
It's about you don't like people who do like guns.
You don't like the people.
Think about that the next time you make a joke about the South.
Where's Leo? -What? -Where's Leo? We don't know.
Charlie, you seen Leo? We got a situation.
-Six hundred? -Yes, sir.
-T elevision and radio? -They have them.
When do I see pictures of what I'm looking for? T en minutes in the Situation Room.
I want Fitzwallace and Nancy.
We' re getting in the early ClC report.
-Donna, tell C.
J.
it's an open lid.
-She knows, they' re coming back.
Leo? Excuse us.
Excuse me, everybody.
Could we have the room a moment, please? Sam.
Mr.
President, three hours ago there was a coup in your country.
The AFRC has taken the capital.
-And my children? -We' re finding out.
The information's coming very quickly from our people in Angola and Sudan.
Mr.
President, I think you should sit.
No, thank you.
I'll go now.
No, no.
Sir, my State Department is offering you asylum in the U.
S.
Thank you, Mr.
President, but I have to go home.
You can't go home.
You can't go home.
-I'm their leader.
-They have the capital.
They have the radio station, they have the television station.
-Are there Americans on the ground? -l' m evacuating the embassy.
-Have they closed the airport? -Yes.
They'll want to arrest me.
They'll want to put me on trial.
You should trade my return for the safe departure of the Americans.
I don't need to trade you.
If they won't give me the Americans, we'll go in.
-They know that and they'll let them go.
-I'd like to call my embassy.
Your embassy is in exile, Mr.
President.
They will shoot you the moment you step off the plane.
Thank you.
Please tell me what is in that message.
We think your brother and your two sons are already dead.
We think your wife is being hidden in Kenya.
You understand, don't you, why I can't offer military assistance? Yes.
Sit with me for a moment.
Sit down, sir.
And you know they just wanted to hire her so they could say they did.
" Look at us, we hired a Republican, look how bipartisan we are.
We didn't even notice that she looks like a Gap dancer.
" That's right.
-Ainsley.
-Hey.
-Bruce was telling me.
-I couldn't resist.
-So they tried to hire you? -How did McGarry's face look? -What? -When you said no.
I couldn't see him.
He had to.
-He was called into-- -What's wrong? Nothing.
He had to.
Something happened-- I wanted you to say it to his face.
I wanted to see-- I hate these people.
Did you meet anyone there who isn't worthless? -Don't say that.
-Did you meet anyone there--? I said, don't say that.
Say they' re smug and superior.
Say their approach to public policy makes you wanna tear your hair out.
Say they like high taxes and spending your money.
Say they want to take your guns and open your borders.
But don't call them worthless.
At least don't do it in front of me.
The people that I have met have been extraordinarily qualified.
Their intent is good.
Their commitment is true.
They are righteous.
And they are patriots.
And l' m their lawyer.
You ever read Paul Ehrlich's book? -The Population Bomb? -Yeah.
He wrote it in 1 968.
Ehrlich said that it was a fantasy that lndia would ever feed itself.
Then Norman Borlaug comes along.
The problem was that wheat is top-heavy.
It was falling over on itself and it took up too much space.
The dwarf wheat.
Guys, it was an agricultural revolution that was credited with saving 1 billion lives.
Thanks.
It happened? They executed him in the airport parking lot.
Okay.
I'll see you Monday.
-You will.
-Which one is T oby? -I am.
-Which one are you? -I'm Josh.
-My name is Charlie Young.
-Donna Moss.
You? I'm just guessing.
I'm pretty drunk.
Which one is Josh? -C.
J.
Cregg.
-Toby Ziegler, C.
J.
Cregg, Sam Seaborn.
-Yeah.
-You gotta be impressed I got those names right.
-Sam.
-Mark.
-You done? -Yeah.
-It's not gonna be Wengland.
-What happened? -He's stuck in Denver.
-I wanted Wengland.
-Did you get Stackhouse? -Couldn't get him or Santana, Monroe-- -Who'd you get? -A woman named Ainsley Hayes.
-Aimsley? -Ainsley, with an N.
-I don't know her.
-A new producer brought her in.
-T ell me she's not-- -She is.
-I thought that was over.
-No, it's not.
She's got blond hair, long legs, she's a Republican, so she's-- She's in show business.
A young, blond, leggy Republican.
-I thought they didn't know anything.
-They don't.
-Sam.
-Yeah.
-Ainsley? -Yes.
-Mark Gottfried.
-Ainsley Hayes.
We'll be starting here in about a minute.
-I understand you've never done TV.
-No, not as such.
No.
-"Not as such"? What does that mean? -lt means, no, I haven't done TV.
-Can I give you a little friendly advice? -Yes, I would appreciate it.
-Don't overreach.
-Don't overreach? Don't try to do too much, don't try to know more than you do.
My show is not the place for you to become a star.
You'll be opposite Sam Seaborn.
He wouldn't keep coming if he didn't wipe the floor with everyone.
-I've seen him.
-Don't be scared.
-I'll try.
-I'll step in, take punches for you if it gets out of hand, but if you don't go far from the points, you'll be fine.
Thirty seconds.
-We start with the education package? -Yeah.
-You owe me 20 bucks on the Skins.
-ln the Green Room, man.
-I'm Sam Seaborn.
-Ainsley Hayes.
-Twenty seconds.
-You bet with George on the Skins? -Over/under.
-How's Josh? -He's good.
-Ten seconds.
-Here we go.
Remember what I said.
-Yeah.
In five, four, three.
Capital Beat, with Mark Gottfried.
Tonight, from the right, Republican political analyst Ainsley Hayes.
And from the left, White House senior advisor Sam Seaborn.
With Chris Eisen at the Pentagon and Marjorie Clark in New York.
Good evening.
Before we get to Chris and Marjorie tonight on the Capital Beat, the House is expected to vote next week on President Bartlet's $ 1.
5-billion education package.
Sam Seaborn, why is this bill better than its Republican counterpart that the president vetoed last year? Because it buys things that teachers need, like textbooks.
In a fairly comprehensive study, an alarmingly high number of teachers 40 percent of the teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon, for instance and Kirkwood being a fair model for public school districts in the country 40 percent of teachers in Kirkwood, Oregon do not have sufficient textbooks for students.
The package offered by the Republican-controlled Congress offered zero dollars for new textbooks.
-Ainsley Hayes, is that true? -No, it's not.
-ls Sam Seaborn lying? -" Lying " is an awfully strong word.
-Do you--? -Yes, he's lying.
And we should tell the truth about education.
-lf you're gonna call-- -The bill had money for textbooks.
Also, computer literacy, school safety, physical plant.
The difference is we wanted to give the money to communities and let them decide how to spend it on the off-chance the needs of Lincoln High in Dayton are different from - Crenshaw High in South Central L.
A.
-Why did the president veto the bill? Because it guaranteed by law that 95% of the money go into the classroom and bypass the pork-barrel buffet, which troubles the president because he doesn't work for the students.
-That's untrue.
-He doesn't work for the parents.
He works for the teachers union.
The bill contained plenty of money for textbooks and anyone who says otherwise is lying.
We should tell the truth about this.
T extbooks are important.
If for no other reason than they accurately place Kirkwood in California, not Oregon.
And we' re in business.
We'll be back with more Capital Beat after this.
We' re out.
I' m sorry, did I overreach? -Hey, Sam.
-Yeah.
-This one might know something.
-Yeah.
Please let them not be watching.
T oby.
Come quick.
Sam's getting his ass kicked by a girl.
Ginger, get the popcorn.
There'll be a photo op in a half-hour with President Bartlet and President Nimbala of the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu who's representing African nations.
Is it the goal of the summit to get drug companies to lower prices or is the goal to get African countries to honor U.
S.
patents? The goal of the summit is to get a step closer to solving 26 million African AlDS victims.
We' re counting on the drug companies, on African nations on the global health community.
They' re counting on us for a solution.
Will the White House declare war on drug companies? It sounds like you have.
If we need a button man, we'll call you.
Thank you.
Half-hour in the Mural Room.
Carol, they'll need to be in three groups.
You know what you might have mentioned? A 1 4-minute briefing, and I get reviews? The same drug that is $1 0 in Norway, where nobody needs it costs $90 in Burundi, where everybody needs it.
Nothing keeps these people here but goodwill.
They can charge what they want.
It sounded like we will be soft on drug companies.
Nobody expects us to be anything but tough on -American companies showing a profit.
-Damn right.
Where was the ' 92 World Copyright Conference? -Geneva.
-Thank you.
I really admire the way you came to work this morning head held high.
I appreciate you being the only one not to heckle me.
No problem.
There's a bunch of women, why don't you ask where Geneva is.
Go to my office.
Me and you, 20 questions, general knowledge test.
-Go.
-I'll spot two questions.
-For how much money? -Go to my office.
I' m going to his office.
-She's making the chicken sound now.
-Go to my office.
A drug they gotta buy from us for $4 they can get generic from Pakistan for 40 cents.
That's not the only bargain in Pakistan.
My friends and I go for spring fashions.
It shows.
-C.
J.
-He made a dig about my clothes.
That'll be with me for the day.
I wanted to introduce myself.
I'm Bill Kelley from the Cleveland Courier.
They' re breaking me in -to cover for T om Johnson.
-Welcome.
Can I ask you something? Do you know anything about Bonamo Energy selling drilling equipment to lraq? I won't wave you off the story, but I can't tell you anything.
If they were selling them, that would be in violation of sanctions, right? Grand-jury investigations are secret, I can't tell you any more.
-I understand.
Nice meeting you.
-Nice meeting you.
-Bill? -Yeah.
Nothing, just nothing.
Then you've got guys like Mbeki who say that AlDS isn't linked to HlV it's linked to poverty.
-lt is.
-Do you want a list of dead millionaires? He was saying prostitutes, migrant laborers, the ill-educated and victims of sexual abuse are more likely-- Leo, AlDS is caused by HlV.
You named a group of people that have a higher mortality rate.
-Morning.
-Good morning, sir.
-Where are we? -They' re all set.
Thank you.
The health minister was clarifying his comments.
They have a health minister who doesn't think AlDS is connected to HlV.
He was clearing up the comments.
Did you see Sam get puréed last night on Capital Beat? I didn't see it, but I have heard tell.
He got diced and sliced by a woman named Ainsley Hayes.
She's been writing some columns.
I had Charlie pull them for me.
Where's she been? -She was clerking for Dreifort.
-We should hire her.
-That'd be funny.
-No, I mean it.
-Mean what? -We should hire her.
You mean, as a joke on Sam? Not as a joke.
We should hire her as a reality.
We should hire her.
-She's a Republican.
-So's half the country.
That half lost, so-- She's smart, not just carping.
She feels a sense of something.
-Of what? -Mr.
President? Of duty.
Of civic duty.
-How many pieces by her did you read? -Three.
-You' re sure of her sense of civic duty? -I can sense civic duty a mile away.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
-Good morning.
Good morning, everybody.
-Good morning, Mr.
President.
-Good morning, sir.
You can tell your caption editors, Bartlet's the third guy from the right.
Thank you, sir.
Presidents Bartlet and Nimbala will take questions.
-President Bartlet? -Katie.
This is a summit among leaders of American pharmaceutical companies and AlDS-ravaged African nations that President Nimbala is representing here.
Is there a political upside to having President Nimbala here and not the pharmaceutical companies? Yes, l' m trying to shore up the sub-Saharan vote.
Mr.
President, are you considering asking Congress to forgive existing debt? It's an international health crisis, there's nothing l' m not considering.
-Arthur.
-President Nimbala, what's the best you hope to come away with from this summit? What's a home run? A miracle.
There are people who make miracles in the world.
One of them lives right here in the U.
S.
He realized that vital elements could be harvested from the stalk of the wheat.
In his hands, lndia, which at the time had been ravaged by drought and overpopulation in his hands, their wheat crop increased from 1 1 million tons to 60 million tons annually.
That's right.
His name is Norman Borlaug, by the way and he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1 970.
Thank you, Mr.
President, President Nimbala.
Thank you, everyone.
I think you're absolutely right about the kind of miracle we need.
I think we're gonna make a lot of progress in the next couple of days.
I hope so, Mr.
President.
My country's dying.
It was called dwarf wheat, which produces heavy yields without its stalk falling over from the weight of the grain.
Was it a hybrid? What am l, Farmer Bob? There was more wheat than there used to be.
And hire that girl.
-What girl? -Ainsley Hayes.
-No.
-Why? This is a thing you' re excited about at breakfast that you forget you told me to do by lunch.
-Not one of those.
-lt is one of those.
Hard as you might try, the Republican Party isn't going anywhere.
We don't know that, they could move to Vancouver.
-I don't think so.
-Me neither.
But being in power means everybody else can take a seat for four years.
Charlie, I wanna hire a woman whose voice would fit in nicely around here.
She's a conservative Republican, you think I should do it? Absolutely, Mr.
President, because l' m told that theirs is the party of inclusion.
See? Charlie just made a joke to you in the Oval Office.
-That's how bad an idea it is.
-Leo-- Seriously, Mr.
President, if you wanna do this, it's not an uninteresting notion just do it in a high-profile place.
-Put a Republican in the Cabinet.
-We might.
A hundred million Republicans, we might hire as many as two of them.
-But for now, hire this girl.
-T o do what? I don't know.
She's a lawyer, put her in counsel's office.
-You really want me to do this? -Yes.
-What if she doesn't wanna work here? -Appeal to her sense of duty.
Smooth it over with the staff.
I don't wanna hear from them.
-She can always have my job.
-Yes, she can.
-Thank you, Mr.
President.
-Thank you.
-Charlie? -Yes, sir.
When they close the book on me and you it will say at this moment, you were not there for me and for that there'll be punishment.
Well, you could sing Puccini for me again, Mr.
President.
We'll call it even.
--and anyone who says otherwise is lying.
-Here it comes.
-Does anybody know--? Textbooks are important.
If for no other reason than they accurately place Kirkwood in California, not Oregon.
Oh, I could watch that a hundred times.
Does anybody know how to work caller lD? How can you not know how to use a phone? -My attention's been elsewhere.
-Pay attention to that because - Bruce's friend is gonna call you.
-The agent? I don't need an agent, I need a caller lD tutorial.
You need an agent, you' re gonna be a star.
Used to be you had to sing and dance.
You are gonna get a lot of work ripping these people to shreds and looking good doing it.
That's an actual job now? That's him.
Let's see.
I push this button the phone number appears.
Ainsley? Is that the agent? It's the White House.
-Hey, Sam.
-Excuse me? -What? -Did you say something to me? -I said, " Hey, Sam.
" -Really? It sounded like you might have made a wisecrack about Oregon and California.
Sorry.
Out of luck.
-Hey, C.
J.
-Hi, Donna.
-Just getting here? This is late for you.
-I got lost.
-Where? -On the way to work.
-When? -Now! This morning.
-You got lost on your way to work? -Good morning, Carol.
-Good morning, Sam.
It's 8: 1 5.
-We'll do messages in a minute.
-Lost on your way to work.
-Don't make fun.
-I wouldn't worry about that.
-I didn't sleep much.
-How much did you sleep? -None, not at all.
You slept none, not at all? I am today excited about you being the president's spokesperson.
Let me ask you something.
I was talking yesterday to a reporter who's new in the room and he asked me a question, and in my answer.
Let me ask you something.
You know you haven't asked me anything yet, right? -Yeah, listen, never mind.
-C.
J.
? -Forget it.
-What is it? The two of you.
Come take a walk with me.
-What's going on? -I wanted to tell you with people -around so you wouldn't scream.
-Scream? The woman who was on Capitol Beat with Sam Sunday.
-What about her? -l' m offering her a job.
-Where? -Here.
-Are you kidding? -No.
-Are you kidding? -No.
-Are you kidding? -No.
What the hell made you think I wouldn't scream where there are people? -I took a shot.
-Leo! Outside.
I haven't honed in on this.
-A lot of people in Africa with HlV.
-Right.
American companies hold the patents on medicines they need.
Most people in most of Africa can't afford them so they buy them -off the black market-- -Violating U.
S.
patents and treaties.
How prohibitively priced are the drugs? -About 1 50 bucks a week.
-That's not totally off the charts.
A police officer in Kenya makes $43 a month.
Do good in there.
-This isn't about profit-- -Sir.
-This isn't about profit-- -Sir, you have interrupted me again.
My apologies, Mr.
President.
How can you tell us this isn't about profit maximization? You sell Emperex for half the price in Norway than you do in my country.
-That's not the issue.
-Let's make it the issue.
Let's make it the issue for the moment.
You can't compare prices worldwide.
Sir, excuse me, sir.
I was the one who asked the question I'd appreciate it if you directed your answer to me.
President Nimbala, when you sell to small pharmacies as we do in Norway, a different price is set.
Norway.
Norway, $1 0 per unit U.
S.
My country, $23 per unit U.
S.
Retail markups, taxes, pharmacy discounts, these things vary widely.
Not to mention we don't know if the drugs are getting to your citizens.
You' re implying corruption and incompetence.
We do have reports of that, Mr.
President.
You talk to me about corruption? What are your annual sales of fluconazole alone? -A billion dollars.
-I don't understand your point.
I think President Nimbala's saying there's more money in giving a white guy an erection than curing a black guy of AlDS.
Sir, my company has given away over $1 20 million worth of free drugs a year including free doses of Xyclacinth, which is one of two drugs in your country curing eye infection right now.
They're not dying from eye infections, Alan.
They' re not dying because of me either, T oby.
I'd like not to be talked to this way.
If it was 26 million Europeans dying, we'd have had a solution yesterday.
How much would it cost for you to provide free drugs to the Sahelese Republic, Kenya and the Republic of Equatorial Kuhndu? I have no idea.
Why not? We' re talking about three times a day, every day, what's the X factor? We don't know how long they'll live.
We' re nowhere.
Let's take a break.
-She's here.
-Good.
-Should I send her in? -Yeah.
-You want me to stay here? -Why? -ln case something should happen? -What would that be exactly? -I'll bring her in.
-Thank you.
-Ainsley? -Mr.
McGarry.
-Leo's fine.
-Yes, sir.
Were you offered coffee or something to drink? The woman out there, who I imagine is your secretary, offered me coffee.
She was also kind enough to ask for my coat.
-Excellent.
-She seems to be a very good secretary.
Well, she'll be happy to hear that, she's standing right outside the door.
So I have to tell you I've never seen Sam Seaborn get beat the way you beat him on Monday.
Yes, well, Mr.
McGarry-- -Leo.
-Yes, sir.
I've been thinking about that since your office called and I have something to say.
I understand if you won't let me, but I would appreciate if you did.
I didn't really follow that, but whatever.
It is wrong for a man in your position to summon someone to reprimand them for voicing opposition.
I think that is wrong, and it is inappropriate.
It's inappropriate, and I'll tell you what else-- It's wrong? That's fine, except you weren't summoned to be reprimanded.
Then why was I summoned? You have an interesting conversational style, you know that? -It's a nervous condition.
-I used to have a nervous condition.
-How did yours manifest itself? -I drank a lot of Scotch.
-I get sick when I drink too much.
-I get drunk.
-Well, Mr.
McGarry-- -Leo.
Yes, sir.
I'll ask again.
For what purpose was I brought here today? So I could offer you a job.
It is not fair that I be expected to play the role of mouse to the White House's cat in a game of-- -You know? -Cat and mouse? Yes.
And it's not like I'm not, you know.
The fact that I may not look like the Republicans who have crossed your path does not mean that I am any less inclined toward-- Here it comes.
-Did you say, " Offer me a job"? -Yes.
Associate White House counsel.
You'd report to the deputy White House counsel who reports to the White House counsel, who reports to me.
I' m sorry, a job in this White House? -You want a glass of Scotch? -Yes, please.
C.
J.
? See a sleep doctor.
T ake a pill.
Do something.
I rode the Lifecycle this morning for an hour and a half.
If it was a real cycle, I'd have been in Belgium by now.
What did you wanna ask me the other day? -lf I tell, you could be subpoenaed.
-Don't worry.
-lt could cost you-- -Don't worry about it.
I do worry about it.
There's no problem.
I just need some sleep.
What can I bring into the room about the conference? The sessions are productive.
Progress is being made.
These kind of things take time.
All the parties are optimistic.
Are any of the parties optimistic? -No.
-Okay.
C.
J.
? -Did you say something to me? -No.
Because I thought you might have said something.
I have always been a Republican.
My father is a Republican.
His father was state chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party.
When I was young, I was a Young Republican.
Even if you hadn't already told me this many, many times I would know it anyway because I have this FBl file.
You have my FBl file? I can't believe that.
You have my FBl file? I have an FBl file? -Ainsley-- -Mr.
McGarry, I loathe -almost everything you believe in.
-Where you going? I' m standing up, which is how one speaks in opposition in a civilized world.
-You go, girl.
-I find this administration smug and patronizing and under the impression that those who disagree are less than them, and with colder hearts.
That's not true.
How many people on your staff assumed that I was ambitious, mean and stupid? None.
C.
J.
Cregg thinks you kill your pets.
You don't do that, do you? No, I don't kill my pets.
I don't have any pets.
I was thinking about getting a pet-- The point is-- -Ainsley.
-Yes, sir.
-Don't you wanna work here? -Oh, only since I was 2.
-Okay, then.
-lt has to be this White House? -Ainsley-- -Mr.
McGarry-- The president likes smart people who disagree with him.
He wants to hear from you.
The president's asking you to serve.
And everything else is crap.
Think about it overnight.
Come back here at 6:00 tomorrow and give me your answer.
Margaret! How you doing? Show Miss Hayes out, would you, please? This way.
You're listening, but you're not understanding.
I disagree with you.
That doesn't mean I'm not listening to you or understanding what you're saying.
You gotta get out of their face.
They can leave.
We don't have anything they need.
-Patent treaties need to be enforced.
-They will be.
The drug companies got half the House of Representatives elected.
Congress is gonna get serious.
The pills cost 4 cents a unit to make.
You know that's not true.
The second pill cost 4 cents.
The first pill cost them $400 million.
They also enjoy unprecedented tax breaks, foreign tax credits research exemptions and expensing of research expenditures.
And business is pretty good, so they' re gonna cover their bet.
-T ell me about Nimbala.
-They had no cheese.
It's boysenberry.
-A boysenberry Danish? -It's new.
T ell me about Nimbala.
He's a good president, Josh.
A great soldier, brilliant commander.
He led his people for 28 years, he can't get ahead of the curve.
He's cursed by geography.
If the ground won't grow anything, you don't have an economy.
But still he stands in a room and he talks about Norman Borlaug.
He came here himself, Josh.
He didn't send delegates.
I think it's because he doesn't have any.
I think he's holding his country together with both hands.
Then let's make sure we send him back with something, is my point.
-Fellas? -Yeah.
They're ready.
Yeah.
Folks, please take your seats.
Good afternoon.
Guess what? The audit figures released yesterday by the Senate Finance Committee confirmed earlier reports released by the Congressional Budget Office regarding the increased budget surplus projections.
The CBO's projection increased the surplus from 2 trillion over the next 1 0 years to 2.
2 trillion.
This exceeds even the most optimistic estimates published last year by the White House Budget Office of 300 billion.
And the CBO's projection last quarter of 900 billion.
Needless to say, these figures.
-Are you new too? -Excuse me? -Are you new too? It's my fourth day.
-No.
Maybe you can help me.
I' m trying to find out about drilling equipment that might've been sold by Bonamo Energy to the lraqis in violation of sanctions.
I asked C.
J.
about it, and she said there's a grand-jury investigation and she's not allowed to talk.
If you ask me, she was acting a little bit, I don't know.
I hear she hasn't slept and maybe that's-- She told you there was a grand-jury investigation? -Yeah.
-Miss Hayes? -Yeah.
-This way.
--responsible and put a large portion of the surplus to debt reduction.
An update on the summit? With regards to the progress made here at the summit for African AlDS relief all parties are optimistic that an agreement will be reached soon.
I think there's a more fundamental problem than marginal cost.
We've been at this for four days, and I think we haven't talked about the fundamental misunderstanding in Africa over the basic facts of AlDS.
There's no misunderstanding.
A week ago you people stood up and said that AlDS has only a casual relationship to HlV.
I' m not certain to whom you' re referring when you say, "You people.
" But it was President Mbeki of South Africa who said that and not anyone in this room.
I think Mr.
Damson has brought up a hard truth that should be faced.
What's that? If tomorrow we made AlDS medication free to every patient in your country as much as they needed for as long as they needed it, it would likely make very little difference in the spread of the epidemic.
Why? Anti-HlV drugs are a triple cocktail.
It's a complicated regimen that requires 1 0 pills to be taken every day at precise times.
Two protease inhibitors every eight hours two combination RTl pills every 1 2 hours.
What's the problem? They don't own wristwatches.
They can't tell time.
We agree that something must be done, but we don't think we're culprits and we don't think there is an easy or obvious solution.
And we think you should be aware of the dangers involved in some of the proposals made here today.
Mr.
President, may we speak with you alone, please? Ainsley.
Could l--? Could you give me just a moment, please? -Sure.
-Thank you.
Excuse me.
I was going to see Leo McGarry.
He asked me to come back and see him again at the end of the day.
-l' m Ainsley Hayes.
-It's good to meet you.
I'm not taking the job, C.
J.
Well.
Okay.
I just wanted to-- Okay.
C.
J.
, Rule 6E of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure says you can be prosecuted for even confirming a grand jury's been impaneled.
How did you know? A reporter in your press room, who hasn't read Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Well, someone's gonna tell him eventually.
Who told you? One of the witnesses who was called.
What could happen? Eighteen months, medium security.
C.
J.
, l' m kidding.
You didn't break the law.
Attorneys and jurors are under a gag order.
Witnesses are free to say what they want.
And anyone is free to repeat what they've said.
You know, l' m not sure that laying low and hoping nobody noticed was the best strategy here.
Next time you should really run it by someone in the counsel's office.
-Anyway, I should go see Leo.
-Yeah.
President Nimbala.
I' m gonna put a deal together and I want you to agree to it.
-What am I agreeing to? -I can get them to lower their prices.
But you have to commit your military, your Customs Bureau and your Ministry of Health.
You have to commit them to stopping the influx of black-market HlV drugs from Korea and Pakistan and from wherever else they' re coming.
of our adult population is infected.
Sixty percent of our hospital beds are occupied by people who are HlV-positive.
Our lnstitute of Policy Analysis says in the coming decade 50 percent of all households in my country will have at least one member infected with HlV.
T o think I care about international patent law at a time like this is unrealistic.
Mr.
President, the U.
S.
Department of Commerce will put your country on a watch list.
That's the first step toward trade sanctions.
Our Congress could end all aid to your country.
Or you can agree to what we' re saying.
In exchange for which we believe we can get Congress to forgive the debt on all your past development loans, and we believe the Export-lmport Bank will offer a billion dollars in loans to finance the purchase of American AlDS medication.
-Congress won't approve the loan.
-Congress won't have to, sir.
The Treasury and the State Department will review it but if we spread the loans out over several countries in your region and if none of the loans exceed $1 00 million we don't need congressional approval.
That law might change soon.
It's a terrible thing to beg for your life.
T errible.
My father.
"Proud.
" Proud.
My father was a proud man.
He built homes.
He wouldn't like what I came here to do.
Yes, he would, Mr.
President.
I swear to God he would.
Thank you, sir.
Go tell Leo.
Hi.
Hi.
Something you forgot to mention about the 95 percent of the money going into the classroom past the pork-barrel buffet was that the school only got money if they did not distribute condoms.
That's a reason to veto it.
The thing our public schools need more than anything are free condoms.
I'd definitely make that priority one.
-Where's Leo? -He's not here.
You look familiar to me.
You're Aimsley Hayes.
-Ainsley, with an N.
-She works here now.
-What? -Leo hired her.
-What? -Leo hired her.
He told me and C.
J.
, he was waiting to tell you and T oby.
-What was he waiting for? -How the hell do I know, Josh? Waiting until he hired me, which he hasn't done -because I'm not taking the job.
-You're not? No.
But thank you for talking to me instead of about me.
Hang on, I'm back on he offered you the job, but you're not taking the job? Why participate in the process when you can get a job commenting on it? You think I don't want to work here because I can get a better gig on Geraldo? Gosh, let's see if there could possibly be any other reason why I wouldn't want to work in this White House.
This White House that feels government is better for children than parents.
That looks at 40 years of degrading and humiliating free lunches handed out in a failed effort to level the playing field and says, " Let's try 40 more.
" This White House that says of anyone, that points that out that they are cold and mean and racist and then accuses Republicans of using the politics of fear.
This White House that loves the Bill of Rights.
Except the second one.
This is the wrong place to talk about guns right now.
-I thought your column was idiotic.
-lmagine my surprise.
But for a brilliant surgical team and 2 centimeters of a miracle this guy's dead right now, from bullets fired from a gun bought legally.
They bought guns.
They loaded them.
They drove from Wheeling to Rosslyn.
Until they pulled the trigger, they did not commit a crime.
I am tired of the gun lobby tossing around words like " personal freedom" and nobody calling them on it.
It's not about personal freedom, and it has nothing to do with safety.
It's just that some people like guns.
Yes, they do.
But you know what's more insidious than that? Your gun control position doesn't have anything to do with public safety and it's certainly not about personal freedom.
It's about you don't like people who do like guns.
You don't like the people.
Think about that the next time you make a joke about the South.
Where's Leo? -What? -Where's Leo? We don't know.
Charlie, you seen Leo? We got a situation.
-Six hundred? -Yes, sir.
-T elevision and radio? -They have them.
When do I see pictures of what I'm looking for? T en minutes in the Situation Room.
I want Fitzwallace and Nancy.
We' re getting in the early ClC report.
-Donna, tell C.
J.
it's an open lid.
-She knows, they' re coming back.
Leo? Excuse us.
Excuse me, everybody.
Could we have the room a moment, please? Sam.
Mr.
President, three hours ago there was a coup in your country.
The AFRC has taken the capital.
-And my children? -We' re finding out.
The information's coming very quickly from our people in Angola and Sudan.
Mr.
President, I think you should sit.
No, thank you.
I'll go now.
No, no.
Sir, my State Department is offering you asylum in the U.
S.
Thank you, Mr.
President, but I have to go home.
You can't go home.
You can't go home.
-I'm their leader.
-They have the capital.
They have the radio station, they have the television station.
-Are there Americans on the ground? -l' m evacuating the embassy.
-Have they closed the airport? -Yes.
They'll want to arrest me.
They'll want to put me on trial.
You should trade my return for the safe departure of the Americans.
I don't need to trade you.
If they won't give me the Americans, we'll go in.
-They know that and they'll let them go.
-I'd like to call my embassy.
Your embassy is in exile, Mr.
President.
They will shoot you the moment you step off the plane.
Thank you.
Please tell me what is in that message.
We think your brother and your two sons are already dead.
We think your wife is being hidden in Kenya.
You understand, don't you, why I can't offer military assistance? Yes.
Sit with me for a moment.
Sit down, sir.
And you know they just wanted to hire her so they could say they did.
" Look at us, we hired a Republican, look how bipartisan we are.
We didn't even notice that she looks like a Gap dancer.
" That's right.
-Ainsley.
-Hey.
-Bruce was telling me.
-I couldn't resist.
-So they tried to hire you? -How did McGarry's face look? -What? -When you said no.
I couldn't see him.
He had to.
-He was called into-- -What's wrong? Nothing.
He had to.
Something happened-- I wanted you to say it to his face.
I wanted to see-- I hate these people.
Did you meet anyone there who isn't worthless? -Don't say that.
-Did you meet anyone there--? I said, don't say that.
Say they' re smug and superior.
Say their approach to public policy makes you wanna tear your hair out.
Say they like high taxes and spending your money.
Say they want to take your guns and open your borders.
But don't call them worthless.
At least don't do it in front of me.
The people that I have met have been extraordinarily qualified.
Their intent is good.
Their commitment is true.
They are righteous.
And they are patriots.
And l' m their lawyer.
You ever read Paul Ehrlich's book? -The Population Bomb? -Yeah.
He wrote it in 1 968.
Ehrlich said that it was a fantasy that lndia would ever feed itself.
Then Norman Borlaug comes along.
The problem was that wheat is top-heavy.
It was falling over on itself and it took up too much space.
The dwarf wheat.
Guys, it was an agricultural revolution that was credited with saving 1 billion lives.
Thanks.
It happened? They executed him in the airport parking lot.
Okay.
I'll see you Monday.