The West Wing s07e05 Episode Script
Here Today
THE WEST WING Original air date: 10/23/2005 You would not believe the day I've had.
I'd tell you about it if I could talk about it, but a bunch of stuff happened today that I can't talk about so I guess I should stop talking about it.
But the truth is I'm so strung out and wired on caffeine I can't even tell what room I'm in.
- C.
J.
- Let's open that bottle of champagne you gave me for my birthday.
Maybe the alcohol will balance out the caffeine.
C.
J.
, the leak Let's have a toast.
One final toast before I leave the White House for my perp walk in leg irons.
Here, you open it.
I'll put your eye out.
- C.
J.
- Fine, I'll open it.
But just, uh, listen to what I have to say.
Leo's in trouble.
I know.
You do? I got a lawyer.
What? I got a lawyer.
I did it.
Call the White House Counsel's office, send someone over immediately.
I just didn't want you to think We really can't have any further conversation without Counsel present.
Oh, excuse me.
I was told to come right in.
Mike, is it? Uh, sorry.
Mike Wayne, Associate Counsel.
Mr.
Ziegler.
Toby, would you tell Mike what you just told me.
I was the one who leaked the information about the classified military space shuttle to Greg Brock of the New York Times.
Where is Oliver Babish? Out to dinner.
I'll need the key to your office.
Where are you going? The key's on my desk.
I'll have to ask you to accompany me directly to the Roosevelt Room.
You'll need to wait there quietly while I retrieve your key, lock your office, and post a uniformed Secret Service agent at the door.
That needs to happen right now.
We're going to need the room.
There was nothing on the schedule.
Yeah.
We're going to be needing the room.
Sure.
Absolutely.
I'll be back as quickly as I can.
I'll have to ask you not to speak to anyone, about anything, in my absence.
Every conversation you have from this point forward only increases the witness list.
Watch a movie.
We land in 40 minutes.
Watch part of a movie.
I have to eat my vegetables.
It's something we can do together.
Our own machines, our own headphones; how are we doing it together? It'll be a shared experience.
You remember those? I have to scan the stump speech for racial code words.
Really? Yeah.
This black professor's saying the section on immigrants "who do work Americans won't do" is code for "the black underclass is lazy.
" - He's got a point.
- No, he doesn't.
You're not going to solve interracial sensitivity in the next 40 minutes.
Honey, I have to do this.
All work and no play.
Are you calling me a dull boy? I'm sorry, were you saying something? Just try not doing that in front of the electorate.
Come on, the headphone thing should be a plus.
You hate in when I get loud.
You're just going to get louder.
You're not going to fool me.
I thought you liked it when I got loud.
In this, as in all things, context is king.
Fine.
Try not doing that in front of the voters either.
Charles.
Commander.
You're a hard man to find.
You can't be too careful.
You can, actually.
Whom will I be addressing in the Situation Room? That would be no one.
You're not going in the Sit Room.
You're going to tell me what you have to say, then I'm going in.
But first, you can't stalk the White House Chief of Staff.
She wouldn't return my calls.
She's a little busy helping to run the free world.
I doubt she calls her mother back.
Her mother is dead and her father's Alzheimer's so bad, you'd have no idea whether she called or not.
Do you try to come off this creepy? 'Cause, I've got to tell you, as a strategy for getting people to take you seriously, it leaves a bit to be desired.
Do you have any idea how thoroughly I could get you bounced over this? I was right, wasn't I? "Thank you, Commander Harper, for letting me keep my job, which means everything to me, as you can tell by the way I dress.
" I was right.
Before we discuss how right you are, were, or have ever been, I need a solemn vow you will never ambush a senior White House official again.
I'm waiting.
Fine.
Thank you.
Now, let's discuss this assassination in Kazakhstan.
I reached Oliver Babish.
He says you owe him a raspberry panna cotta cheesecake.
He'll live.
Longer, probably.
It's morning in Jerusalem.
You wanted to call about the Farad funeral.
Right, right.
So, you want me to Yeah, let's do that.
I didn't want to.
I tried not to say anything.
I'm sorry? The Committee.
I hope my testimony didn't do anything to make things more difficult for you.
Don't worry about it.
If I caused you any problems I'm sure you didn't.
I'll place that call.
Toby, you got a minute? No.
We just wanted to get your take on these OMB numbers.
Go away.
- Ok.
Alright, we'll leave them on your - Go! What's wrong with the word vigorous? It sounds like we're taking a shot at Bartlet.
We're not running against Bartlet, we're running against a Methuselah Republican.
Vigorous isn't the opposite of old, it's the opposite of vigor-less ness.
It's going to come off like we're referencing the MS.
That's a win-win in my book.
Look, Arnold Vinick isn't some old feeb, doddering from one campaign stop to the next.
He's got more energy than I do.
He is inconveniently spry.
- Use that.
- What? Spry.
It's a word that's only used to describe old people.
Ever hear of anybody under the age of 70 being called spry? It says "old guy versus young guy" without even mentioning age.
We just got the new tracking numbers.
Nine and holding.
Couple weeks ago you were doing cartwheels about being only nine down.
Well, that was a couple weeks ago.
With the margin of error it could really be just six.
When the polls spit out the same numbers, day in and day out, it's time to stop talking margins of error.
Nine points is nine points.
That's what I thought then, but you were all so happy.
So, basically, you've been wrong about this twice now.
Alana.
Toby Ziegler.
As my attorney, you should probably know that I just confessed to C.
J.
Cregg that I was behind the leak.
I'm about to be debriefed by White House Counsel.
You left him in a room with a phone? I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Toby.
Oliver.
Who were you talking to? My attorney's voice mail.
My instructions were that you sit quietly.
I'm pretty sure I used my indoor voice.
Who else have you called or spoken to since Mike's been gone? No one.
Ed and Larry.
Who? They stuck their heads in, wanted to run something by me, I told them to go away.
Did you discuss the leak or the investigation in any way? We didn't discuss anything.
I was curt and dismissive, as instructed.
Yeah, I'm going to need their full names and extensions.
They were here maybe ten seconds.
Mike's going to need to speak with them.
Thanks.
You're in some trouble.
Um and I'm personally truly sorry about that.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, that is of incidental concern in my capacity as White House Counsel.
You've put this administration into some difficulty.
So my immediate professional concern is whether you put the President into jeopardy as well.
So I'm gonna have some questions for you.
Get comfortable.
We're going to be here a bit.
Were you the sole individual involved in leaking this? Yes.
Did anyone instruct you to leak this information? No.
Anyone suggest you leak it? No.
Hint? No.
Nudge, wink? Did anyone employ nonverbal means of any kind to suggest in an explicit or implicit fashion that you leak this information? No.
It was conceived and executed solely on my own.
Did you tell anyone you were planning on leaking this? No.
Discuss that you were considering doing so? No.
Did you speculate to anyone that an individual might be inclined to contemplate making such a leak? - We're going to be here for quite a while, aren't we? - I need you to answer the question.
No.
I didn't speak to anyone at anytime of any scenario involving myself or someone else thinking, planning, dreaming, or having an out-of-body experience related to the making of this sort of leak.
That's cute, the out-of-body thing, but I don't recommend it with the FBI, the Congressional Committee, the Federal Prosecutor, or any of the people who'll be following me.
That was lovely.
Hmm.
I have to call Zahavy.
I don't blame him for not wanting to go to Farad's funeral.
I wish you didn't have to go.
Isn't that what Vice Presidents are for? No.
Then what good are they? The two I've had, and enduring mystery.
God, I'm exhausted.
You haven't forgotten that Ellie and Vic are coming by? No.
Our daughter's getting engaged to the fruit fly guy.
He's a research scientist.
Stop making him look like something out of a horror film.
Did you know that fruit flies reproduce at a prodigious rate? Well, you've been whining about more grandchildren.
I meant that they're more than just unusually enthusiastic.
All right.
In fact, they make bunnies look like dysfunctional prudes.
That's our daughter you're talking about.
Indeed.
Yeah, how about that? Are you? A little, how about you? Astonished, actually.
Why? Did you and she never discuss? Oh, no.
There are some things that are outside even the mother-daughter bond, at least for us.
Did you and she? We always adhered to a strict "Don't ask, don't tell" policy; clung to it, actually.
She is one's daughter.
And she wants her to be happy in whatever.
Of course, true to herself.
There's nothing wrong with that inclination.
Nothing, whatsoever.
But God Herself strike me dead, it is not to be denied that I am not unhappy that my daughter is straight after all.
At least straight enough to be marrying the fruit fly guy.
Someone in the Texas AG's office has obtained the complete medical records of 120 women who had abortions in three of the clinics there.
Please tell me one's not in Houston.
And in San Antonio.
The pretext is looking for unreported cases of sexual abuse and statutory rape.
But it's an obvious smokescreen.
We fooled with some language.
- We're not commenting.
- We have to.
This is a state matter.
From the Congressman's home state.
I'm familiar with the bio, thanks.
- It violates the spirit of Roe.
- How important is Texas? - Pretty important.
- No, not pretty important.
With Vinick's lock on California, this is the whole b.
o.
w.
Ball of wax.
Why wade into an issue that's not going to get us any voters who weren't going to vote for us already? Because all it costs us is people who weren't going to vote for us anyway.
We don't need those people to vote for us.
We need them to stay home.
Single-issue pro-lifers don't like Vinick anymore than they like us; why energize them? Let's let this particular sleeping dog lie.
That's crazy.
We're Democrats; we have to come out strong on a woman's right to choose.
Have you ever had an abortion? That's a little personal, don't you think? Don't talk to me about what we have to do on this subject.
Whatever you say.
I was thinking while you were asleep.
I wasn't asleep.
Oh, really? With the drooling, the twitching, and muttering to yourself, which might otherwise be described as schizophrenic episode, I go with "You were sleeping.
" Okay.
The campaign's stagnating because the poll numbers are.
Doldrums, horse latitude; it's still mid-August.
Wind'll pick up.
You and I need to be a stiff wind that blows through the staff and carries a bunch away.
Way to stick with the meteorological metaphor.
Still, it's a little hysterical.
This group isn't cutting it.
We're fine.
Last week the Advance team went to Springfield, Illinois for an event in Springfield, Missouri.
Every campaign has a few bumps.
We need more experienced hands.
Look around you; we're a little heavy on the wide-eyed and dewy.
We've got a young staff.
Guess what: we're Democrats.
Well, Vinick's got grownups.
We're running a children's crusade.
It got a virtual unknown the Democratic presidential nomination.
Well, now it's got him consistently tracking nine points down which is, I believe, a loss and not a small one.
We start firing people, it's going to look like the campaign's in trouble.
The campaign is in trouble; it'll look like we noticed.
First pass of the staff list.
That's a lot of names.
Anyone you want to fight for? Ned.
He's not built for this.
He's been with the Congressman forever.
Santos will never let me can him.
That's why he's got to go: it'll kill morale if you fire all these people and keep him.
So we don't fire anyone.
Keep whistling past the graveyard, but it'll be your future gets buried when you preside over a 49-state wipeout.
Can't leave before the boss leaves.
You? Time and assassinations wait for no one.
Pithy.
I'm thinking about putting out a line of twisted samplers.
When's your turn? With the committee? Supposedly Friday, but if they took all day with you I'm really looking forward to things getting back to normal around here.
Did you have any private conversations with the President regarding the existence of a military shuttle? No.
Participate in any group discussions on that subject that included the President? No.
Did you have any internal White House conversations with anyone at any time about the United States possessing a classified military space shuttle? Yes.
With whom? Who did you talk about it with? C.
J.
Cregg.
Frost thinks Yeah.
I know what Frost thinks; about everything.
If it rains on a picnic, Frost thinks Al Queda seeded the clouds.
Why do you keep him in the job? He's a good analyst.
Good analysts spend a lot of time being wrong.
Funny, at Defense Intelligence we like our guys to be right.
Different strokes.
Are there Islamic extremists who dream of a new China-to-Spain caliphate? Sure.
Do we think they're going to start by assassinating the Palestinian Chairman and the president of Kazakhstan? I mean, come on.
Margaret, will you call Leo for me? When you spoke to Greg Brock of the New York Times, you were aware you were speaking on the record? I'm the White House Communications Director.
I have a rough understanding of the protocol involved when speaking with journalists.
So that'd be a yes? That would be an of course.
And your intention in conveying this information to Greg Brock was for it to be published in his newspaper? Yes.
You were aware this information was classified? Excuse me? Answer the question.
You're asking me if I knew the military space shuttle was classified; one of the most closely held pieces of information I've experienced in my seven and a half years in the White House, which no one would so much as hint at, much less acknowledge, much less ever actually discuss, which revelation of same caused a governmental security crisis, international consternation and the launching of three separate investigations; you're asking me if I realized it was classified? Yeah, I had a vague inkling.
Were you personally authorized to have this information? Alana Waterman, Mr.
Babish.
I'm Mr.
Ziegler's attorney, and as such I must inform Counsel that my client will not be answering any further questions.
It's okay, thanks.
No, it's most certainly not okay and you're not to say anything else.
You know, I'm really getting fed up to here with lawyers ordering me around.
You probably should have considered that before passing state secrets to New York Times reporters.
Which brings up, did you leak to anyone other than Greg Brock? Do not answer that.
No.
If I may have a word in private with my client.
I'll be right outside.
I really appreciate your concern but I am taking full responsibility and I am prepared and ready to face the consequences.
Well that's very noble and very stupid.
Thank you.
You have to listen to me now.
If you were truly the only one involved - I was.
- Well, then that's unfortunate because it means that you have no bigger fish to turn over to the prosecutor which is what he and the Congress will be looking for and obviously would have been the best and fastest way to make a deal.
I don't care about that.
Well, it's my job to.
And we're not starting with a lot of bargaining chips and we have less every time you open your mouth.
- I'm not looking to cut a deal.
- Oh, really? Because the last time I checked, the sentencing guidelines, even for someone who is a first-time offender, were 63 to 78 months jail time.
How do they come up with those numbers; pick out of a hat, dartboard? - You have an obligation to - Please don't bring up my kids! When you hire somebody like me you take on a responsibility to my reputation.
If you decide you want to go down in some quasi-orgasmic blaze of self-pity and self-destructive self-aggrandizing attempted glory, all anyone's going to say is "How did Alana Waterman, that smart, tough, savvy Washington infighter, let her client do something so crushingly, boneheaded moronic as to get himself six years in jail?"! Now, you have a decision to make.
If you want me to continue as your attorney, when the White House Counsel reenters the room, you either decline to answer any further questions or you watch me walk not only out of this room, but off the case.
Who was it that first informed you of the existence of a classified military space shuttle? I decline to answer on the advice of counsel.
Please wait here.
Well, you certainly earned your fee today.
I'm deeply gratified that you decided to heed my guidance.
No, I just meant it was the first time tonight he used the word "please.
" If you gentlemen are done for the night you should probably go home.
C.
J.
Catch me up.
Commander Harper has been entertaining us - well, given the hour, I'm not sure "entertaining" is the right word - with her theory on this assassination in Kazakhstan.
Mr.
Secretary, through no fault of your own, your customary default acerbity, which some might characterize as snide but which I never fail to find delightful, is, perhaps, not the right tone for my particular mood this particular evening.
Now would you catch me up? Assassination's been a historic tactic of Russian security services.
I feel there is reason to look in their direction.
The Russians and Kazakhs are allies.
Kazakhstan has been cozying up to Beijing.
They recently announced the establishment of a strategic partnership.
This is on top of the oil pipeline the Kazakhs have already agreed to build to China.
When they announced this alliance, they took pains to stress that it wasn't directed at any third party.
Doth protesting, perhaps a bit much.
Are you buying this? We're catching her up.
Moscow's not thrilled with this budding relationship.
Not only is it competitive with Russia's own oil interests, but it's emblematic of China's growing dominance in the region.
Who takes over in Kazakhstan with Issanov dead? Constitutionally, Prime Minister Tarmov.
Who has ties that go back to Moscow from the USSR days.
It's Russia's interests that are most directly served by removing the sitting President.
What will the Chinese do? That's the question.
Russia and China, eyeball-to-eyeball in Central Asia? Over oil.
With 900 U.
S.
Marines stuck right in the middle.
Oh, God! This is so scary.
Congressman, you got a minute? Yeah, sure.
What's she watching? The latest Rob Zombie film.
She seems to be enjoying it.
I guess.
You a big Rob Zombie fan? I prefer his earlier, funnier movies.
Lou and I have been discussing the staff.
What about it? Making some changes.
Are you kidding me? She's not talking to you.
The campaign's not hitting on all cylinders.
It could be time for a mid-course correction.
How many people are we talking about? About 45.
You can't be serious.
You can't do that.
It's a lot of people.
It'll look like panic.
We can bring in more operatives with experience and savvy.
Have we been turning them away? "I'm sorry, you can't work for us.
You have too much experience and savvy.
"? We need to make some changes.
Are we panicked? No.
Of course not.
Well, you're running this thing.
It is a big layoff and it's going to get noted in the press, but if you think it's needed I do.
One of the people is Ned Carlson.
What? I know he's been with you a long time.
I'm sure he was a real asset in the Congressional office.
You can't fire Ned.
But he is not cut out for this: the pace, thinking fast on your feet.
Send him back to the Congressional office and we will get him something in the administration once we're in.
Matt.
Anyone not getting the job done is going to go.
Do you want to be the one to tell him? You can take care of it.
Mrs.
Santos.
That's as far as I got before his attorney intervened.
Do you feel you got the whole story? Toby mentioned he discussed the existence of military shuttle with you.
He did.
Did you direct him to leak the information? I did not.
Urge it? No.
Subtly hint? Absolutely not.
Why, did Toby give any indication that I had? Nope.
His account matches yours.
It's important that everyone's stories are in sync.
They are.
That's because it's the truth.
Have you discussed this with anyone since Mike and you last spoke? No.
No comment about what's been going on in the Roosevelt Room or Toby's office? Of course not.
And others you've encountered will so testify? Yes.
Spoken to anyone outside the building? No.
And the White House phone logs will so confirm? I placed a call to Leo McGarry.
For what purpose? For what purpose, C.
J.
? I didn't reach him.
But had you, was your intention to discuss the fact that Toby Ziegler was the White House leak? I didn't reach him.
He and you should be very glad about that.
What, if any, message did you leave? I told Margaret not to leave any, that it wasn't anything important.
Were those your exact words? I don't know, I I may have said not to even mention that I had called.
You have between now and tomorrow morning, when I imagine the first question will come about this, to consider whether you had a particular reason to phone Leo McGarry this evening other than discussing courses of action in dealing with this news regarding Toby Ziegler, which might, to outsiders, appear to be consideration of a cover-up.
It's time to tell the President.
What will be the recommendation of the Counsel's office? The same as yours.
Congratulations.
Oh, I want to see that ring.
Oh, its lovely.
You don't think it's too big? There's no such thing, dear.
Almost got you a rebate there.
I only wish I could have afforded an even bigger one.
Well, I want to hear all about the proposal.
Tell me everything.
We went for a mountain bike ride to a secluded spot in Rock Creek Park.
We did it there.
- Oh.
- Or, I did it there.
Romantic.
Very.
The two of us and my Secret Service detail.
When are you thinking about having the wedding? As soon as possible.
We don't want to distract from the election, of course, but anytime after that could work.
A White House wedding at Christmas? I don't think she wants that.
What? To do it here.
- What could be more wonderful? - Oh, no.
Undoubtedly a White House wedding would be very beautiful and terribly romantic, but inevitably it would be quite a bit of a spectacle.
And of all of us, Ellie has been the one to shy away from the spotlight.
Why don't you consider having the wedding after your father has left the office entirely? Sure, if you want to turn your back on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Hopefully, the wedding is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
You would seriously consider not getting married in the White House? Well, you could do something very private at the farm.
Where, at the moment, is the less pressing concern.
There's another consideration that may need to take precedence as far as scheduling goes.
And you know why we might not want to wait.
Oh.
Well, we should probably get right on to scheduling that, then.
Sorry for the interruption Mr.
President, ma'am, Ellie.
Nancy, this is our new son-in-law to be, Vic Faison.
Nice to meet you.
Congratulations.
Thank you, thank you so much.
Sir, C.
J.
and Oliver Babish would like to speak with you.
Of course.
Excuse me, please.
Self-aggrandizing and self-destructive? I was trying to make a point.
Quasi-orgasmic might have been a bit much.
A little colorful rhetoric; occupational hazard.
Why'd you do it? To save lives.
Your brother was an astronaut.
Astronaut's lives in the short term.
Start a discussion about whether we want to extend mankind's capacity for warfare into the heavens.
The weaponization of space.
I believe in an open society.
You debate these things in the light of day.
That's what's supposed to happen in a democracy.
Yes, global pacifism, freedom of information; these are things that people will rally around.
We can get a lot of lefty support; college campuses, Hollywood Good, help defray my legal expenses.
I'm serious.
So am I; I know what you charge.
A couple of well-placed editorials, some cable news spots, public demonstrations; this could be very helpful.
Certainly not going to hurt, huh? Will it keep me out of jail? There's a lesser criminal statute, which makes it a misdemeanor to disobey a regulation set forth by the NASA administrator.
The penalty is likely a fine, no more than a year's jail time.
Yeah, I know.
It's a little pie-in-the-sky around the edges.
Keep thinking, counselor.
It's what you're good at.
Toby? Is it possible to be astonished and, at the same time, not surprised? I've debriefed him, sir.
It seems to have involved no one else.
Obviously there'll be a partisan push to probe past Toby and cause us and the Santos campaign more difficulty.
The fact that there's no there there should limit the other side's ability to get traction.
The political fallout is not my first concern.
We should move quickly, sir.
Oliver's pointed out that not only do we not want the appearance of a cover-up, we don't want the appearance of, even for a moment, having considered anything but full and immediate disclosure.
I'll make a statement.
And Toby I'll take care of that, sir.
No.
Bring him here.
Respectfully, Mr.
President, you should not be in the same room with Toby Ziegler.
He's radioactive, sir, potentially toxic to the Presidency.
Thank you for your counsel, but I have to do this myself.
Then I'm going to have to insist on being present.
Give me a moment.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you, sir.
God! See, this is what puts people off: lurking.
No one likes a lurker.
How'd it go in there? For your theory? Not well.
I think there's a better one.
It can't be better if it's wrong.
Good night, Charles.
The pattern is so patently obvious children, even kindergartners would see it.
I'm trying to save everyone's jobs, okay? What?! All right, your theory; what is it.
Tell me.
It's a pretty scary scenario, actually.
It leads to Russia and China on the brink of confrontation; two neighboring nuclear power, India and Pakistan forced to pick sides; Japan and the United States being drawn in against their will.
It's your basic horror show, World War III nightmare.
Very cool.
You want to grab coffee? Ned, hang on a minute.
What's up? Am I in trouble? You know, this kind of thing is never easy but we've decided to make a change.
Sorry? We're shaking up the staff and you're one of the people we're going to let go.
I'm sorry.
You're joking.
I'm not.
You're firing me? It's reassignment; back to the Congressional office.
No, um, you don't fire me.
Does the Congressman know about this? He signed off on it, yeah.
Well, due respect, I'm really going to have to hear it from him.
He's going straight to the meet-and-greet, and then, I really hope, straight to bed.
Well, he's going to need to find some time.
Listen to me.
Talking to the Congressman is not going to change anything.
I want to thank you for all your hard work.
Screw you.
You know, you can fire as many of us grunts as you want, but if you want to know why this campaign is floundering, look in the mirror.
C.
J.
, did something break in the leak investigation? Since I'm supposed to heading it I can't talk about this right now.
I feel like I owe you an apology.
You don't.
And I really can't discuss this right now.
The President wants to see you.
Just Toby.
I'm afraid I have a problem with that.
I'm sure I didn't just hear you invite yourself into the Oval Office.
You're hearing me request that the courtesy of an invitation be extended to Mr.
Ziegler's attorney or my clients not going anywhere.
It's okay.
Toby! It's all right.
Go home.
Yeah.
Mr.
President.
Toby.
I was hoping we would be able to speak in private.
Your actions have pretty much made that impossible.
I haven't had much time to absorb this news, so I'll apologize in advance if I express any half-formed thoughts.
But the one thought that hits the hardest is that this was somehow inevitable; that you've always been heading for this sort of crash-and-burn.
That self-righteous superiority; not that you were smarter than everyone; that you were purer, morally superior.
Due respect, sir, I don't think I'm morally superior to everyone.
No, just to me.
Sir, I've drawn up a letter of resignation.
What is that, the third one? Rip it up.
Sir? I can't accept your resignation.
I have to fire you.
For cause.
You'll need to turn in your credentials.
A guard will come to escort you from the building immediately.
You may not take anything out with you.
All of your personal effects will be sent to your home after Counsel's staff has cataloged the contents of your office.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Toby.
When you walk out of here, there'll be people out there, perhaps a great many, who'll think of you as a hero.
I just don't for a moment want you thinking I'll be one of them.
Hey.
Is he in? C.
J.
Cregg to see you.
Thanks.
- Hey.
- Hey, what's up? I'm offering - well, not so much offering as dragooning you to be the new White House Communications Director starting immediately.
Congratulations.
I'll smooth things over with the VP but first you should know the President's making a statement in, uh, three or so minutes in which he'll announce that Toby Ziegler has been fired for an egregious national security violation.
Toby.
Said termination taking place within an hour of Mr.
Ziegler's confession of responsibility for this act.
Uh, does the President want me to help with the statement? I think he's got a pretty good handle on what he's going to say.
White House Counsel sealed Toby's office so feel free to use Annabeth's old one for the time being, which, come to think of it, used to be yours.
Funny how things work out.
Not so funny, really.
Yeah, not so much.
Rough in there.
To be expected.
I thought he'd thank you for your service.
He's angry.
Someone should thank you for your service.
Mr.
Ziegler.
I'll need your hard pass, sir.
If you'd come with me.
Good evening.
Less than an hour ago White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler confessed to making an unauthorized disclosure of classified national security information to a reporter from the New York Times newspaper.
This admission was promptly brought to my attention and Mr.
Ziegler was immediately fired from his position in this administration effective at once.
He's been relieved of his credentials
I'd tell you about it if I could talk about it, but a bunch of stuff happened today that I can't talk about so I guess I should stop talking about it.
But the truth is I'm so strung out and wired on caffeine I can't even tell what room I'm in.
- C.
J.
- Let's open that bottle of champagne you gave me for my birthday.
Maybe the alcohol will balance out the caffeine.
C.
J.
, the leak Let's have a toast.
One final toast before I leave the White House for my perp walk in leg irons.
Here, you open it.
I'll put your eye out.
- C.
J.
- Fine, I'll open it.
But just, uh, listen to what I have to say.
Leo's in trouble.
I know.
You do? I got a lawyer.
What? I got a lawyer.
I did it.
Call the White House Counsel's office, send someone over immediately.
I just didn't want you to think We really can't have any further conversation without Counsel present.
Oh, excuse me.
I was told to come right in.
Mike, is it? Uh, sorry.
Mike Wayne, Associate Counsel.
Mr.
Ziegler.
Toby, would you tell Mike what you just told me.
I was the one who leaked the information about the classified military space shuttle to Greg Brock of the New York Times.
Where is Oliver Babish? Out to dinner.
I'll need the key to your office.
Where are you going? The key's on my desk.
I'll have to ask you to accompany me directly to the Roosevelt Room.
You'll need to wait there quietly while I retrieve your key, lock your office, and post a uniformed Secret Service agent at the door.
That needs to happen right now.
We're going to need the room.
There was nothing on the schedule.
Yeah.
We're going to be needing the room.
Sure.
Absolutely.
I'll be back as quickly as I can.
I'll have to ask you not to speak to anyone, about anything, in my absence.
Every conversation you have from this point forward only increases the witness list.
Watch a movie.
We land in 40 minutes.
Watch part of a movie.
I have to eat my vegetables.
It's something we can do together.
Our own machines, our own headphones; how are we doing it together? It'll be a shared experience.
You remember those? I have to scan the stump speech for racial code words.
Really? Yeah.
This black professor's saying the section on immigrants "who do work Americans won't do" is code for "the black underclass is lazy.
" - He's got a point.
- No, he doesn't.
You're not going to solve interracial sensitivity in the next 40 minutes.
Honey, I have to do this.
All work and no play.
Are you calling me a dull boy? I'm sorry, were you saying something? Just try not doing that in front of the electorate.
Come on, the headphone thing should be a plus.
You hate in when I get loud.
You're just going to get louder.
You're not going to fool me.
I thought you liked it when I got loud.
In this, as in all things, context is king.
Fine.
Try not doing that in front of the voters either.
Charles.
Commander.
You're a hard man to find.
You can't be too careful.
You can, actually.
Whom will I be addressing in the Situation Room? That would be no one.
You're not going in the Sit Room.
You're going to tell me what you have to say, then I'm going in.
But first, you can't stalk the White House Chief of Staff.
She wouldn't return my calls.
She's a little busy helping to run the free world.
I doubt she calls her mother back.
Her mother is dead and her father's Alzheimer's so bad, you'd have no idea whether she called or not.
Do you try to come off this creepy? 'Cause, I've got to tell you, as a strategy for getting people to take you seriously, it leaves a bit to be desired.
Do you have any idea how thoroughly I could get you bounced over this? I was right, wasn't I? "Thank you, Commander Harper, for letting me keep my job, which means everything to me, as you can tell by the way I dress.
" I was right.
Before we discuss how right you are, were, or have ever been, I need a solemn vow you will never ambush a senior White House official again.
I'm waiting.
Fine.
Thank you.
Now, let's discuss this assassination in Kazakhstan.
I reached Oliver Babish.
He says you owe him a raspberry panna cotta cheesecake.
He'll live.
Longer, probably.
It's morning in Jerusalem.
You wanted to call about the Farad funeral.
Right, right.
So, you want me to Yeah, let's do that.
I didn't want to.
I tried not to say anything.
I'm sorry? The Committee.
I hope my testimony didn't do anything to make things more difficult for you.
Don't worry about it.
If I caused you any problems I'm sure you didn't.
I'll place that call.
Toby, you got a minute? No.
We just wanted to get your take on these OMB numbers.
Go away.
- Ok.
Alright, we'll leave them on your - Go! What's wrong with the word vigorous? It sounds like we're taking a shot at Bartlet.
We're not running against Bartlet, we're running against a Methuselah Republican.
Vigorous isn't the opposite of old, it's the opposite of vigor-less ness.
It's going to come off like we're referencing the MS.
That's a win-win in my book.
Look, Arnold Vinick isn't some old feeb, doddering from one campaign stop to the next.
He's got more energy than I do.
He is inconveniently spry.
- Use that.
- What? Spry.
It's a word that's only used to describe old people.
Ever hear of anybody under the age of 70 being called spry? It says "old guy versus young guy" without even mentioning age.
We just got the new tracking numbers.
Nine and holding.
Couple weeks ago you were doing cartwheels about being only nine down.
Well, that was a couple weeks ago.
With the margin of error it could really be just six.
When the polls spit out the same numbers, day in and day out, it's time to stop talking margins of error.
Nine points is nine points.
That's what I thought then, but you were all so happy.
So, basically, you've been wrong about this twice now.
Alana.
Toby Ziegler.
As my attorney, you should probably know that I just confessed to C.
J.
Cregg that I was behind the leak.
I'm about to be debriefed by White House Counsel.
You left him in a room with a phone? I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Toby.
Oliver.
Who were you talking to? My attorney's voice mail.
My instructions were that you sit quietly.
I'm pretty sure I used my indoor voice.
Who else have you called or spoken to since Mike's been gone? No one.
Ed and Larry.
Who? They stuck their heads in, wanted to run something by me, I told them to go away.
Did you discuss the leak or the investigation in any way? We didn't discuss anything.
I was curt and dismissive, as instructed.
Yeah, I'm going to need their full names and extensions.
They were here maybe ten seconds.
Mike's going to need to speak with them.
Thanks.
You're in some trouble.
Um and I'm personally truly sorry about that.
Thank you.
Unfortunately, that is of incidental concern in my capacity as White House Counsel.
You've put this administration into some difficulty.
So my immediate professional concern is whether you put the President into jeopardy as well.
So I'm gonna have some questions for you.
Get comfortable.
We're going to be here a bit.
Were you the sole individual involved in leaking this? Yes.
Did anyone instruct you to leak this information? No.
Anyone suggest you leak it? No.
Hint? No.
Nudge, wink? Did anyone employ nonverbal means of any kind to suggest in an explicit or implicit fashion that you leak this information? No.
It was conceived and executed solely on my own.
Did you tell anyone you were planning on leaking this? No.
Discuss that you were considering doing so? No.
Did you speculate to anyone that an individual might be inclined to contemplate making such a leak? - We're going to be here for quite a while, aren't we? - I need you to answer the question.
No.
I didn't speak to anyone at anytime of any scenario involving myself or someone else thinking, planning, dreaming, or having an out-of-body experience related to the making of this sort of leak.
That's cute, the out-of-body thing, but I don't recommend it with the FBI, the Congressional Committee, the Federal Prosecutor, or any of the people who'll be following me.
That was lovely.
Hmm.
I have to call Zahavy.
I don't blame him for not wanting to go to Farad's funeral.
I wish you didn't have to go.
Isn't that what Vice Presidents are for? No.
Then what good are they? The two I've had, and enduring mystery.
God, I'm exhausted.
You haven't forgotten that Ellie and Vic are coming by? No.
Our daughter's getting engaged to the fruit fly guy.
He's a research scientist.
Stop making him look like something out of a horror film.
Did you know that fruit flies reproduce at a prodigious rate? Well, you've been whining about more grandchildren.
I meant that they're more than just unusually enthusiastic.
All right.
In fact, they make bunnies look like dysfunctional prudes.
That's our daughter you're talking about.
Indeed.
Yeah, how about that? Are you? A little, how about you? Astonished, actually.
Why? Did you and she never discuss? Oh, no.
There are some things that are outside even the mother-daughter bond, at least for us.
Did you and she? We always adhered to a strict "Don't ask, don't tell" policy; clung to it, actually.
She is one's daughter.
And she wants her to be happy in whatever.
Of course, true to herself.
There's nothing wrong with that inclination.
Nothing, whatsoever.
But God Herself strike me dead, it is not to be denied that I am not unhappy that my daughter is straight after all.
At least straight enough to be marrying the fruit fly guy.
Someone in the Texas AG's office has obtained the complete medical records of 120 women who had abortions in three of the clinics there.
Please tell me one's not in Houston.
And in San Antonio.
The pretext is looking for unreported cases of sexual abuse and statutory rape.
But it's an obvious smokescreen.
We fooled with some language.
- We're not commenting.
- We have to.
This is a state matter.
From the Congressman's home state.
I'm familiar with the bio, thanks.
- It violates the spirit of Roe.
- How important is Texas? - Pretty important.
- No, not pretty important.
With Vinick's lock on California, this is the whole b.
o.
w.
Ball of wax.
Why wade into an issue that's not going to get us any voters who weren't going to vote for us already? Because all it costs us is people who weren't going to vote for us anyway.
We don't need those people to vote for us.
We need them to stay home.
Single-issue pro-lifers don't like Vinick anymore than they like us; why energize them? Let's let this particular sleeping dog lie.
That's crazy.
We're Democrats; we have to come out strong on a woman's right to choose.
Have you ever had an abortion? That's a little personal, don't you think? Don't talk to me about what we have to do on this subject.
Whatever you say.
I was thinking while you were asleep.
I wasn't asleep.
Oh, really? With the drooling, the twitching, and muttering to yourself, which might otherwise be described as schizophrenic episode, I go with "You were sleeping.
" Okay.
The campaign's stagnating because the poll numbers are.
Doldrums, horse latitude; it's still mid-August.
Wind'll pick up.
You and I need to be a stiff wind that blows through the staff and carries a bunch away.
Way to stick with the meteorological metaphor.
Still, it's a little hysterical.
This group isn't cutting it.
We're fine.
Last week the Advance team went to Springfield, Illinois for an event in Springfield, Missouri.
Every campaign has a few bumps.
We need more experienced hands.
Look around you; we're a little heavy on the wide-eyed and dewy.
We've got a young staff.
Guess what: we're Democrats.
Well, Vinick's got grownups.
We're running a children's crusade.
It got a virtual unknown the Democratic presidential nomination.
Well, now it's got him consistently tracking nine points down which is, I believe, a loss and not a small one.
We start firing people, it's going to look like the campaign's in trouble.
The campaign is in trouble; it'll look like we noticed.
First pass of the staff list.
That's a lot of names.
Anyone you want to fight for? Ned.
He's not built for this.
He's been with the Congressman forever.
Santos will never let me can him.
That's why he's got to go: it'll kill morale if you fire all these people and keep him.
So we don't fire anyone.
Keep whistling past the graveyard, but it'll be your future gets buried when you preside over a 49-state wipeout.
Can't leave before the boss leaves.
You? Time and assassinations wait for no one.
Pithy.
I'm thinking about putting out a line of twisted samplers.
When's your turn? With the committee? Supposedly Friday, but if they took all day with you I'm really looking forward to things getting back to normal around here.
Did you have any private conversations with the President regarding the existence of a military shuttle? No.
Participate in any group discussions on that subject that included the President? No.
Did you have any internal White House conversations with anyone at any time about the United States possessing a classified military space shuttle? Yes.
With whom? Who did you talk about it with? C.
J.
Cregg.
Frost thinks Yeah.
I know what Frost thinks; about everything.
If it rains on a picnic, Frost thinks Al Queda seeded the clouds.
Why do you keep him in the job? He's a good analyst.
Good analysts spend a lot of time being wrong.
Funny, at Defense Intelligence we like our guys to be right.
Different strokes.
Are there Islamic extremists who dream of a new China-to-Spain caliphate? Sure.
Do we think they're going to start by assassinating the Palestinian Chairman and the president of Kazakhstan? I mean, come on.
Margaret, will you call Leo for me? When you spoke to Greg Brock of the New York Times, you were aware you were speaking on the record? I'm the White House Communications Director.
I have a rough understanding of the protocol involved when speaking with journalists.
So that'd be a yes? That would be an of course.
And your intention in conveying this information to Greg Brock was for it to be published in his newspaper? Yes.
You were aware this information was classified? Excuse me? Answer the question.
You're asking me if I knew the military space shuttle was classified; one of the most closely held pieces of information I've experienced in my seven and a half years in the White House, which no one would so much as hint at, much less acknowledge, much less ever actually discuss, which revelation of same caused a governmental security crisis, international consternation and the launching of three separate investigations; you're asking me if I realized it was classified? Yeah, I had a vague inkling.
Were you personally authorized to have this information? Alana Waterman, Mr.
Babish.
I'm Mr.
Ziegler's attorney, and as such I must inform Counsel that my client will not be answering any further questions.
It's okay, thanks.
No, it's most certainly not okay and you're not to say anything else.
You know, I'm really getting fed up to here with lawyers ordering me around.
You probably should have considered that before passing state secrets to New York Times reporters.
Which brings up, did you leak to anyone other than Greg Brock? Do not answer that.
No.
If I may have a word in private with my client.
I'll be right outside.
I really appreciate your concern but I am taking full responsibility and I am prepared and ready to face the consequences.
Well that's very noble and very stupid.
Thank you.
You have to listen to me now.
If you were truly the only one involved - I was.
- Well, then that's unfortunate because it means that you have no bigger fish to turn over to the prosecutor which is what he and the Congress will be looking for and obviously would have been the best and fastest way to make a deal.
I don't care about that.
Well, it's my job to.
And we're not starting with a lot of bargaining chips and we have less every time you open your mouth.
- I'm not looking to cut a deal.
- Oh, really? Because the last time I checked, the sentencing guidelines, even for someone who is a first-time offender, were 63 to 78 months jail time.
How do they come up with those numbers; pick out of a hat, dartboard? - You have an obligation to - Please don't bring up my kids! When you hire somebody like me you take on a responsibility to my reputation.
If you decide you want to go down in some quasi-orgasmic blaze of self-pity and self-destructive self-aggrandizing attempted glory, all anyone's going to say is "How did Alana Waterman, that smart, tough, savvy Washington infighter, let her client do something so crushingly, boneheaded moronic as to get himself six years in jail?"! Now, you have a decision to make.
If you want me to continue as your attorney, when the White House Counsel reenters the room, you either decline to answer any further questions or you watch me walk not only out of this room, but off the case.
Who was it that first informed you of the existence of a classified military space shuttle? I decline to answer on the advice of counsel.
Please wait here.
Well, you certainly earned your fee today.
I'm deeply gratified that you decided to heed my guidance.
No, I just meant it was the first time tonight he used the word "please.
" If you gentlemen are done for the night you should probably go home.
C.
J.
Catch me up.
Commander Harper has been entertaining us - well, given the hour, I'm not sure "entertaining" is the right word - with her theory on this assassination in Kazakhstan.
Mr.
Secretary, through no fault of your own, your customary default acerbity, which some might characterize as snide but which I never fail to find delightful, is, perhaps, not the right tone for my particular mood this particular evening.
Now would you catch me up? Assassination's been a historic tactic of Russian security services.
I feel there is reason to look in their direction.
The Russians and Kazakhs are allies.
Kazakhstan has been cozying up to Beijing.
They recently announced the establishment of a strategic partnership.
This is on top of the oil pipeline the Kazakhs have already agreed to build to China.
When they announced this alliance, they took pains to stress that it wasn't directed at any third party.
Doth protesting, perhaps a bit much.
Are you buying this? We're catching her up.
Moscow's not thrilled with this budding relationship.
Not only is it competitive with Russia's own oil interests, but it's emblematic of China's growing dominance in the region.
Who takes over in Kazakhstan with Issanov dead? Constitutionally, Prime Minister Tarmov.
Who has ties that go back to Moscow from the USSR days.
It's Russia's interests that are most directly served by removing the sitting President.
What will the Chinese do? That's the question.
Russia and China, eyeball-to-eyeball in Central Asia? Over oil.
With 900 U.
S.
Marines stuck right in the middle.
Oh, God! This is so scary.
Congressman, you got a minute? Yeah, sure.
What's she watching? The latest Rob Zombie film.
She seems to be enjoying it.
I guess.
You a big Rob Zombie fan? I prefer his earlier, funnier movies.
Lou and I have been discussing the staff.
What about it? Making some changes.
Are you kidding me? She's not talking to you.
The campaign's not hitting on all cylinders.
It could be time for a mid-course correction.
How many people are we talking about? About 45.
You can't be serious.
You can't do that.
It's a lot of people.
It'll look like panic.
We can bring in more operatives with experience and savvy.
Have we been turning them away? "I'm sorry, you can't work for us.
You have too much experience and savvy.
"? We need to make some changes.
Are we panicked? No.
Of course not.
Well, you're running this thing.
It is a big layoff and it's going to get noted in the press, but if you think it's needed I do.
One of the people is Ned Carlson.
What? I know he's been with you a long time.
I'm sure he was a real asset in the Congressional office.
You can't fire Ned.
But he is not cut out for this: the pace, thinking fast on your feet.
Send him back to the Congressional office and we will get him something in the administration once we're in.
Matt.
Anyone not getting the job done is going to go.
Do you want to be the one to tell him? You can take care of it.
Mrs.
Santos.
That's as far as I got before his attorney intervened.
Do you feel you got the whole story? Toby mentioned he discussed the existence of military shuttle with you.
He did.
Did you direct him to leak the information? I did not.
Urge it? No.
Subtly hint? Absolutely not.
Why, did Toby give any indication that I had? Nope.
His account matches yours.
It's important that everyone's stories are in sync.
They are.
That's because it's the truth.
Have you discussed this with anyone since Mike and you last spoke? No.
No comment about what's been going on in the Roosevelt Room or Toby's office? Of course not.
And others you've encountered will so testify? Yes.
Spoken to anyone outside the building? No.
And the White House phone logs will so confirm? I placed a call to Leo McGarry.
For what purpose? For what purpose, C.
J.
? I didn't reach him.
But had you, was your intention to discuss the fact that Toby Ziegler was the White House leak? I didn't reach him.
He and you should be very glad about that.
What, if any, message did you leave? I told Margaret not to leave any, that it wasn't anything important.
Were those your exact words? I don't know, I I may have said not to even mention that I had called.
You have between now and tomorrow morning, when I imagine the first question will come about this, to consider whether you had a particular reason to phone Leo McGarry this evening other than discussing courses of action in dealing with this news regarding Toby Ziegler, which might, to outsiders, appear to be consideration of a cover-up.
It's time to tell the President.
What will be the recommendation of the Counsel's office? The same as yours.
Congratulations.
Oh, I want to see that ring.
Oh, its lovely.
You don't think it's too big? There's no such thing, dear.
Almost got you a rebate there.
I only wish I could have afforded an even bigger one.
Well, I want to hear all about the proposal.
Tell me everything.
We went for a mountain bike ride to a secluded spot in Rock Creek Park.
We did it there.
- Oh.
- Or, I did it there.
Romantic.
Very.
The two of us and my Secret Service detail.
When are you thinking about having the wedding? As soon as possible.
We don't want to distract from the election, of course, but anytime after that could work.
A White House wedding at Christmas? I don't think she wants that.
What? To do it here.
- What could be more wonderful? - Oh, no.
Undoubtedly a White House wedding would be very beautiful and terribly romantic, but inevitably it would be quite a bit of a spectacle.
And of all of us, Ellie has been the one to shy away from the spotlight.
Why don't you consider having the wedding after your father has left the office entirely? Sure, if you want to turn your back on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Hopefully, the wedding is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
You would seriously consider not getting married in the White House? Well, you could do something very private at the farm.
Where, at the moment, is the less pressing concern.
There's another consideration that may need to take precedence as far as scheduling goes.
And you know why we might not want to wait.
Oh.
Well, we should probably get right on to scheduling that, then.
Sorry for the interruption Mr.
President, ma'am, Ellie.
Nancy, this is our new son-in-law to be, Vic Faison.
Nice to meet you.
Congratulations.
Thank you, thank you so much.
Sir, C.
J.
and Oliver Babish would like to speak with you.
Of course.
Excuse me, please.
Self-aggrandizing and self-destructive? I was trying to make a point.
Quasi-orgasmic might have been a bit much.
A little colorful rhetoric; occupational hazard.
Why'd you do it? To save lives.
Your brother was an astronaut.
Astronaut's lives in the short term.
Start a discussion about whether we want to extend mankind's capacity for warfare into the heavens.
The weaponization of space.
I believe in an open society.
You debate these things in the light of day.
That's what's supposed to happen in a democracy.
Yes, global pacifism, freedom of information; these are things that people will rally around.
We can get a lot of lefty support; college campuses, Hollywood Good, help defray my legal expenses.
I'm serious.
So am I; I know what you charge.
A couple of well-placed editorials, some cable news spots, public demonstrations; this could be very helpful.
Certainly not going to hurt, huh? Will it keep me out of jail? There's a lesser criminal statute, which makes it a misdemeanor to disobey a regulation set forth by the NASA administrator.
The penalty is likely a fine, no more than a year's jail time.
Yeah, I know.
It's a little pie-in-the-sky around the edges.
Keep thinking, counselor.
It's what you're good at.
Toby? Is it possible to be astonished and, at the same time, not surprised? I've debriefed him, sir.
It seems to have involved no one else.
Obviously there'll be a partisan push to probe past Toby and cause us and the Santos campaign more difficulty.
The fact that there's no there there should limit the other side's ability to get traction.
The political fallout is not my first concern.
We should move quickly, sir.
Oliver's pointed out that not only do we not want the appearance of a cover-up, we don't want the appearance of, even for a moment, having considered anything but full and immediate disclosure.
I'll make a statement.
And Toby I'll take care of that, sir.
No.
Bring him here.
Respectfully, Mr.
President, you should not be in the same room with Toby Ziegler.
He's radioactive, sir, potentially toxic to the Presidency.
Thank you for your counsel, but I have to do this myself.
Then I'm going to have to insist on being present.
Give me a moment.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you, sir.
God! See, this is what puts people off: lurking.
No one likes a lurker.
How'd it go in there? For your theory? Not well.
I think there's a better one.
It can't be better if it's wrong.
Good night, Charles.
The pattern is so patently obvious children, even kindergartners would see it.
I'm trying to save everyone's jobs, okay? What?! All right, your theory; what is it.
Tell me.
It's a pretty scary scenario, actually.
It leads to Russia and China on the brink of confrontation; two neighboring nuclear power, India and Pakistan forced to pick sides; Japan and the United States being drawn in against their will.
It's your basic horror show, World War III nightmare.
Very cool.
You want to grab coffee? Ned, hang on a minute.
What's up? Am I in trouble? You know, this kind of thing is never easy but we've decided to make a change.
Sorry? We're shaking up the staff and you're one of the people we're going to let go.
I'm sorry.
You're joking.
I'm not.
You're firing me? It's reassignment; back to the Congressional office.
No, um, you don't fire me.
Does the Congressman know about this? He signed off on it, yeah.
Well, due respect, I'm really going to have to hear it from him.
He's going straight to the meet-and-greet, and then, I really hope, straight to bed.
Well, he's going to need to find some time.
Listen to me.
Talking to the Congressman is not going to change anything.
I want to thank you for all your hard work.
Screw you.
You know, you can fire as many of us grunts as you want, but if you want to know why this campaign is floundering, look in the mirror.
C.
J.
, did something break in the leak investigation? Since I'm supposed to heading it I can't talk about this right now.
I feel like I owe you an apology.
You don't.
And I really can't discuss this right now.
The President wants to see you.
Just Toby.
I'm afraid I have a problem with that.
I'm sure I didn't just hear you invite yourself into the Oval Office.
You're hearing me request that the courtesy of an invitation be extended to Mr.
Ziegler's attorney or my clients not going anywhere.
It's okay.
Toby! It's all right.
Go home.
Yeah.
Mr.
President.
Toby.
I was hoping we would be able to speak in private.
Your actions have pretty much made that impossible.
I haven't had much time to absorb this news, so I'll apologize in advance if I express any half-formed thoughts.
But the one thought that hits the hardest is that this was somehow inevitable; that you've always been heading for this sort of crash-and-burn.
That self-righteous superiority; not that you were smarter than everyone; that you were purer, morally superior.
Due respect, sir, I don't think I'm morally superior to everyone.
No, just to me.
Sir, I've drawn up a letter of resignation.
What is that, the third one? Rip it up.
Sir? I can't accept your resignation.
I have to fire you.
For cause.
You'll need to turn in your credentials.
A guard will come to escort you from the building immediately.
You may not take anything out with you.
All of your personal effects will be sent to your home after Counsel's staff has cataloged the contents of your office.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Toby.
When you walk out of here, there'll be people out there, perhaps a great many, who'll think of you as a hero.
I just don't for a moment want you thinking I'll be one of them.
Hey.
Is he in? C.
J.
Cregg to see you.
Thanks.
- Hey.
- Hey, what's up? I'm offering - well, not so much offering as dragooning you to be the new White House Communications Director starting immediately.
Congratulations.
I'll smooth things over with the VP but first you should know the President's making a statement in, uh, three or so minutes in which he'll announce that Toby Ziegler has been fired for an egregious national security violation.
Toby.
Said termination taking place within an hour of Mr.
Ziegler's confession of responsibility for this act.
Uh, does the President want me to help with the statement? I think he's got a pretty good handle on what he's going to say.
White House Counsel sealed Toby's office so feel free to use Annabeth's old one for the time being, which, come to think of it, used to be yours.
Funny how things work out.
Not so funny, really.
Yeah, not so much.
Rough in there.
To be expected.
I thought he'd thank you for your service.
He's angry.
Someone should thank you for your service.
Mr.
Ziegler.
I'll need your hard pass, sir.
If you'd come with me.
Good evening.
Less than an hour ago White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler confessed to making an unauthorized disclosure of classified national security information to a reporter from the New York Times newspaper.
This admission was promptly brought to my attention and Mr.
Ziegler was immediately fired from his position in this administration effective at once.
He's been relieved of his credentials