WEST WING TRANSCRIPT: La Palabra (S6E19)

THE WEST WING
6x18 - “LA PALABRA”
WRITTEN BY ELI ATTIE
DIRECTED BY JASON ENSLER

Transcribed by Walking, Talking, And Yelling At Clouds
(kegofglory.blogspot.com)

TEASER

LA PALABRA

FADE IN: INT. - SANTOS CAMPAIGN AIRPLANE, PRESS SECTION – NIGHT

The camera pans across airplane seats, filled with reporters working away at their laptops or talking on their phones. We stop at one particular reporter, who is writing something on an orange. He puts the orange on the floor and rolls it up the aisle toward the front of the plane. It stops against a foot, and we see it is JOSH. He reaches down, picks it up, and looks at it. He then stands and starts walking back toward the press section. Written on the orange in black marker is:

Hoynes up 9 in CA

JOSH pulls the curtain aside that separates the press from the front of the plane. The reporters erupt into a frenzy, calling out questions.

JOSH
The only poll that matters, is on Super Tuesday. Off the record no way is Hoynes up 9 in California.

REPORTER 1
It’s an internal poll.

JOSH
Of what? John Hoynes’ living room?

REPORTER 1
His own polling says that he’s up -

JOSH
That you can rig these things any way you want. It’s four days til the California primary, this thing is wide open.

STEVE (as the reporters shout questions again)
Russell’s internals show him up in New York by five.

JOSH
He’s only campaigned there, what, 157 times? I think the guy has a hack license by now.

STEVE
Are you banking on the Latino vote, like you did in Arizona and New Mexico?

REPORTER 2 (VO)
What do your internals show?

JOSH
We’re not releasing those. I’m through talking about those.

STEVE
‘Cause you’re third in every one?

JOSH (beat)
‘Cause we’re here to talk about issues. This is a Presidential campaign, it’s not a statistics convention. But we got Hoynes up by a lot less than nine.

The reporters frantically take notes.

JOSH
You didn’t get that from me.

JOSH pulls the curtain shut, sighs heavily, and makes his way back to his seat across from RONNA.

JOSH
Been two days since the press asked me a policy question, I think that was about the no-smoking policy on the plane.

RONNA
Do you know about this bill in the California legislature to, bar illegal immigrants from getting drivers’ licenses?

JOSH
Yeah. We’re staying far away from it.

RONNA
The legislature just passed it. It’s on its way to the governor’s desk. You know the Congressman will want to denounce it.

JOSH
Of course. Third in the polls, why not champion the one group of Californians that can’t vote?

RONNA
You’ll talk to him?

JOSH (thinks)
Yeah.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS CAMPAIGN PLANE, FRONT CABIN – NIGHT

MATT and HELEN are sitting in their seats, MATT working on a binder and HELEN apparently doing a newspaper crossword.

MATT
I really liked those little bacon things they had at the, uh, fundraiser in Ohio.

HELEN
Mm, yeah, me, too. Except the fact it was Oregon.

MATT
Oregon, Ohio – it’s a plane to a minivan to a windowless hotel ballroom. You’re lucky I knew it was an ‘O’ state.

HELEN
Yeah, there really ought to be partial credit. (HELEN puts down the newspaper and moves to sit next to MATT) At this point, (referring to index cards) all I do is read the, uh, talking points they put in front of me, you know?

MATT (smiling at HELEN, picking up the index cards)
Miss, uh – uh, Santos! Pleasure to see you again, says here. (HELEN laughs) I had such a great time during our last conjugal visit that, uh – page two - (he switches index cards)

HELEN laughs and looks over her shoulder, making sure they are alone.

MATT (leaning in closer, quietly into HELEN’s ear)
My staff suggested I follow up and seek some additional -

HELEN (whispering)
Oh, yeah, well tell them that I maxed out in Oregon.

They are interrupted by the PILOT over the PA system.

PILOT (VO)
We’ll be starting our descent into Sacramento’s Franklin Field in a few minutes -

HELEN chuckles. There is a knock behind them.

JOSH
Excuse me, Congressman … 

PILOT (VO)
Now is a good time to put your tray tables in the upright position -

JOSH (sitting across from MATT and HELEN)
The California legislature just passed that bill to stop illegal immigrants from getting drivers’ licenses.

HELEN
Four days before the primary.

JOSH
‘Cause the Republicans in the legislature know it’ll divide us in half. You got the Latino vote on one hand – one-third of primary voters here – and the ever-popular notion of rewarding illegal behavior on the other.

MATT
Okay -

JOSH
No matter what the Governor does, he’s gonna be accused of screwing his own party. We can only lose here, I know you’re gonna want to speak out on this, just -

MATT
I don’t wanna speak out.

JOSH is stopped speechless.

HELEN
You don’t?

MATT
No.

HELEN and JOSH look at MATT.

PILOT (VO)
If you’ll fasten your seat belts -

JOSH
Okay.

PILOT (VO)
- and prepare for landing, we should be on the ground in just a moment.

MATT (fastening his seat belt)
Just remind me when we get to the hotel, I want to talk about our new internal poll.

JOSH fastens his seat belt.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

The camera zooms down the hallway toward the elevator door. BRAM, a new senior staffer for Santos, is standing there as the door opens, and JOSH, HELEN, MATT, RONNA, and a couple of other people step out.

SACRAMENTO, CA

JOSH
Congressman, you know Bram, he’s heading up California advance, he was with us on the Missouri-New Mexico swing.

MATT and BRAM shake hands.

BRAM
Montana-Arizona.

JOSH (as they walk down the hallway)
Right, the, uh, one with the, big hats.

BRAM (to MATT)
You’ll want to do a quick change, you got a handful of meet-and-greets, then a quick clutch, followed by a receiving line. 

HELEN
What’s the difference?

BRAM (handing an index card to MATT)
You met Backus in San Francisco at the Giants game. Daughter’s an honors student at Loyola. Congratulate him on his wife’s thyroid operation.

HELEN
So it was successful?

BRAM
Eh – don’t mention the thyroid operation. Ed Garcia’s waiting in your room, then we’ll do the home health care hit.

MATT (to JOSH)
Eddie’s here?

JOSH
Couple of last minute details about La Palabra’s endorsement.

BRAM
They’re huge in the Latino community, gonna be a great hit.

MATT
Are we gonna bump somebody off?

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL SUITE – NIGHT

The door opens and the group enters. Several staffers, visitors, and volunteers are inside, including ED GARCIA.

GARCIA (to HELEN)
Heeyyyyy!

HELEN (giving him a hug as he chuckles)
Hello, Eddie. How are you?

GARCIA
How’s my campaign widow?

HELEN
Oh, just, you know, knitting absentee ballots for Super Tuesday. (they laugh)

MATT (shaking hands as MATT, HELEN, and GARCIA head into the back room)
It’s good to see a friendly face. You know, everywhere I go now, it’s, uh, TV cameras and, uh, coded produce. That’s the way the press pass messages to us on the plane, they roll oranges.

HELEN
The news doesn’t get any better, but you really get your Vitamin C.

GARCIA
How long are you in California?

HELEN
Two days. Red-eying to Rhode Island, right after La Palabra’s endorsement.

GARCIA
We’re excited about that.

MATT (taking off his shirt)
Hey, we really appreciate that. (showing ties to HELEN) Honey?

HELEN (picking a tie)
Ah, this one. Good.

MATT (as HELEN walks out)
Thanks.

GARCIA
Matt – we’re concerned about this drivers’ license bill. It could be the beginning of a whole new wave of anti-immigrant legislation. We need you to denounce it in your speech to La Palabra tomorrow.

MATT (putting on a new shirt)
I, I don’t think I could do that, Eddie. It would define my whole campaign. I don’t want voters to see me as just the brown candidate.

GARCIA
Then I hope some of them have black-and-white TVs. (MATT laughs) The Governor wants to veto this, but he’s scared of it. Doesn’t want to be accused of torpedoing the Democrats’ chances, he needs cover.

MATT
The Governor’s already endorsed Hoynes.

GARCIA
This is a moral issue. Telling the poor immigrants they can’t drive and make a living?

MATT (putting on a tie)
Nothing I say tomorrow’s gonna make a difference, we need to focus on electing a progressive candidate. Then we can take on all the tough causes.

GARCIA (pointedly)
Now all we need’s a progressive candidate.

There is a silence as MATT continues to get dressed. GARCIA finally stands.

GARCIA (sighs)
Maybe you don’t see more friendly faces ‘cause your friends have trouble recognizing you.

MATT, putting on his jacket, is brought up short. He stares at GARCIA.

MATT
I can’t do it.

GARCIA
So you’ve said.

GARCIA slowly walks out as JOSH and BRAM appear in the doorway.

JOSH
How we doing?

MATT nods.

BRAM
You sat with Backus at the Giants game. Daughter’s getting honors at Loyola.

MATT pulls the index card out of his jacket to show BRAM. He grimly steps out of the room.

SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES.
END TEASER.
***

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

BRAM, MATT, and HELEN lead a group walking down the hall, with JOSH right behind.

BRAM
You’re meeting with the herbal medicine lobby in five minutes.

MATT
I thought it was one, a home health care ‘hit.’

JOSH
This is the pre-hit.

HELEN
Herbal medicine?

JOSH
They’re upset that our health care plan doesn’t cover – I don’t know – acoustic guitar playing, so we said that we’d do a meeting before the speech.

A group of reporters and photographers appears around the corner at the end of the hall, shouting out questions.

VOICE (VO)
Here he comes!

GORDON
The latest field polls say that if the election were held today -

MATT (walking through the group of reporters)
People would be surprised because it’s normally held on Election Day.

The reporters continue to call out questions. One, with a tape recorder, walks next to MATT.

REPORTER
Congressman – are you urging the Governor to side with the Hispanic community on the drivers’ license issue?

MATT
I’m not gonna tell him how to run his own state.

GORDON (as MATT, HELEN, and JOSH get to the elevator)
Does it worry you that Vinick’s sweeping the Republican primaries while the Democrats are still slugging it out?

MATT
Oh, they can have their coronation, the competition makes us tougher for the fall. And if you believe that -

The elevator door closes as the reporters laugh.

CUT TO: INT. - ANOTHER HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

As doors open and BRAM, MATT, and JOSH walk through, they meet RONNA heading the opposite way.

MATT (to RONNA)
Hey, Ronna, would you make sure that Helen’s got her speech folder?

RONNA
Sure.

MATT 
Thanks.

They leave RONNA behind as they make their way down the hall, past photographers and donors.

BRAM
We’ve got a few meet-and-greets positioned in the hall.

MATT (to JOSH)
I want to talk to you about this internal poll.

BOWEN (coming up to MATT)
Sue Bowen -

MATT
Hi.

BOWEN
Chris and I sat with you at the NRDC gala.

MATT
Oh, yes, so good to see you again.

BOWEN
Uh, how come I never hear you talk about global warming?

MATT (taking a pen and signing a hat for another man in the hall)
Oh, I gave two speeches on it last week.

BOWEN
Well, I never hear you talk about it -

STAFFER (leading BOWEN away)
Ma’am – this way.

MATT (giving the hat to the man)
There you go. (to another MAN 1 coming up the hall) Hi.

MAN 1 (shaking hands)
People tell me I look exactly like you.

MATT (chuckling)
Like looking in the mirror.

MAN 2
Good luck, Congressman.

MATT (shaking hands)
Hi. (back to JOSH) I think this internal’s really promising. (as MAN 3 pats him on the back) Hi.

MAN 3
Good luck.

JOSH
We’re – third in a three-way race, how’s that promising?

MATT
The issues, Josh. We’re beating Russell and Hoynes on, on health care, on education -

JOSH
No one’s covering the issues. All the press cares about at this point is polls, process, horse race.

MATT
Huh. Well, then, we’ve gotta get more disciplined about staying on our message, don’t we?

BRAM (leading MATT away)
Congressman, you remember the Ratners?

MATT
Yes, hi …

Another man, PAUL HICKMAN, has appeared next to JOSH.

HICKMAN
Excuse me.

JOSH
You want to, uh, meet the Congressman?

HICKMAN
I want to meet you. I’m your new finance director.

JOSH
You’re Hickman – the human cash register.

HICKMAN (chuckling)
Call me Paul.

JOSH
I should call you a cab, what are you doing in Sacramento? You should be at a phone bank somewhere, phone banking.

HICKMAN
Well, I wanted to deliver the news in person.

JOSH
Your job is to give me money, not news.

HICKMAN
And since we have no money, I thought I’d opt for news.

JOSH
By ‘no money,’ you mean …

HICKMAN hands over a stack of papers to JOSH. JOSH looks at them, unsmiling.

JOSH
So you’re going with the literal meaning, then.

HICKMAN
These Super Tuesday polls have really spooked our big donors. We’re still raising on the internet, but once we’ve paid all the vendors, our cash on hand will look more like an empty palm.

JOSH looks over the papers, considering.

JOSH
Give me a couple of hours to, figure out a plan. We’ll brief the Congressman tonight.

CUT TO: 

NEW YORK CITY

INT. - PLAZA HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT

RUSSELL, WILL, DONNA and other campaign personnel are striding through the lobby. As they reach the entrance to the ballroom, they find HOYNES standing there.

HOYNES (shaking hands with RUSSELL)
Mr. Vice President.

RUSSELL
John.

HOYNES
Well, if you want to drop the formalities -

RUSSELL
Oh, no. I have no intention of dropping them.

HOYNES
Well, enjoy them while you can. The most exquisitely tailored straitjacket known to man.

We hear the HOST making introductions inside the ballroom.

HOST (VO)
… here on their own (can’t make out this word) we’re pleased to welcome Vice President Bob Russell and former Vice President John Hoynes.

HOYNES steps out to applause. RUSSELL hangs back to share a word with WILL.

RUSSELL (whispering)
Guy just got endorsed by the governor of California, he looks like he’s been drinking out of the reservoir.

RUSSELL goes out behind HOYNES. WILL and DONNA turn as WILL starts dealing with some campaign staffers.

WILL
I need that education statement with CBO numbers, not OMB, CBO – believe it or not, these things aren’t interchangable.

DONNA
Will -

WILL
And tell the speechwriters to stop putting so many acknowledgements at the top of these stump speeches; the VP’s starting to sound like he’s taking attendance.

DONNA
Have you got a minute?

WILL (as they walk away from the staffers)
We’re not going to California.

DONNA
Tomorrow?

WILL
At all.

DONNA
I’m not sure if you’ve heard, there’s a primary there on Tuesday, they punch holes in these little rectangular cards -

WILL
Hoynes has the Governor behind him, which means he has the state party organization behind him, and now he’s announced that he’s spending the whole weekend there. We’re gonna focus on New York and Ohio, places we can win.

DONNA
Maybe this isn’t the best time to talk about my job.

WILL
Don’t go south on me now – or at least, make it southeast.

DONNA
No, I love what I’m doing – master of all tasks -

WILL (getting a statement handed to him by a staffer)
Mistress, really.

DONNA
Fine, I, I just wonder if I might be more useful doing something more specific, maybe my own issue area. I, I’ve learned these issues clockwise and sideways.

WILL (handing the statement to DONNA)
Read this out loud to me.

DONNA
If you think it’s too soon -

WILL
Read it out loud.

DONNA (sighs, then reading)
‘John Hoynes’ education plan has the wrong priorities for America, tripling funds for character education while leaving science instruction as flat as -’

WILL (gesturing to reporters gathered in the lobby behind DONNA)
Can I have the pool over here, please? (pointing at DONNA) Donna Moss has a statement.

WILL walks away. DONNA turns to find a group of reporters and photographers in her face.

DONNA
Hi.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

MATT, HELEN, and JOSH are walking back to the suite.

JOSH
Congressman, why are you trailing John Hoynes among suburban women?

MATT
Maybe ‘cause I don’t go around sermonizing about values, but I, uh …

JOSH
Just pivot to home base.

MATT
I was about to pivot, I gotta answer the question first.

JOSH
Don’t answer. Just pivot. ‘When they learn about my health care plan, which moves us step-by-step towards universal coverage, starting with all children, that gap will close.’

BRAM steps out of a door and joins them.

BRAM (to JOSH, quietly)
I just talked to Garcia about the rollout of the La Palabra endorsement.

JOSH
You realize it’s redundant to say ‘the’ and ‘la.’

BRAM
Oh. ‘La’ endorsement is off. Garcia says ‘la’ Congressman knows why.

JOSH looks at MATT and HELEN down the hall, as HELEN steps inside the suite. JOSH, perturbed, walks up to MATT.

JOSH
Garcia says La Palabra’s off?

MATT
He wants me to denounce the drivers’ license bill, I told him I wouldn’t do it. 

JOSH
It’s one of the biggest Latino groups in the country, this guy is your ticket to – You, you gotta … call him, straighten this out.

MATT
Now you want me to come out against the bill?

JOSH
You want to come in fifth in a three-way race?

MATT
He’s upset, but he’s not gonna stiff the first serious Latino to run for President.

JOSH (turning to go)
I’ll go see him in the morning.

MATT
Don’t promise anything on the bill.

CUT TO: INT. - PLAZA HOTEL LOBBY – NIGHT

DONNA is continuing her briefing with the reporters.

DONNA
I’m saying we trailed almost every country in every area tested last year: geometry, computation -

REPORTER
You think that argument can blunt Hoynes’ surge in California?

DONNA
This isn’t about blunting or surging, it’s about curing polio.

REPORTER
We cured polio.

DONNA
And let’s not be complacent about it. (beat, as BILL BREWER saunters up behind DONNA) No one wants to ask about science education?

BREWER
I do.

DONNA
You’re Bill Brewer.

BREWER
I am.

DONNA
I don’t take questions from Hoynes’ advisers.

BREWER
Well, that’s too bad - ‘cause I was gonna ask how Bob Russell can turn up his nose at character education when parents are out of their gourds trying to pass on the right values to their kids.

DONNA
We’re focusing on things they can’t pass on, like AP physics.

BREWER
See, this is why Russell can’t beat Vinick in the fall. He has no appreciation of middle-class values.

DONNA
Next time you rupture an appendix, which would you appreciate, a model citizen or a trained surgeon?

BREWER (chuckling)
I never said I had a single-issue appendix.

DONNA (smiling at BREWER; to the reporters)
Thanks, guys.

BREWER
Honestly, your education plan is closer to my taste.

DONNA
Really?

BREWER
Mm-hmm. Hoynes is on a bit of a values kick lately.

DONNA
Who wants the government legislating my kids’ values anyway? Whatever happened to my right to raise spoiled, selfish little jerks?

BREWER
So I take it you’re single?

DONNA
I don’t answer hypothetical questions.

BREWER
Well, have a drink with me tonight. We’ll get into specifics.

DONNA
No … I mean, you work for Hoynes. It’d be like, sleeping with the enemy. Not that we’d actually sleep together, I just – you know what I mean.

BREWER
So you’re the new spokesperson.

DONNA
I think this was kind of a tryout.

BREWER (smiling)
Nice try.

BREWER walks away. DONNA considers his offer.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS SUITE – NIGHT

MATT is pouring drinks while HELEN looks over some figures.

HELEN
Governor Tillman was elected with 71 percent of the Latino vote.

MATT
Popular guy.

HELEN
But 67 percent of Californians think it’s wrong to grant drivers’ licenses to people who are here illegally.

MATT (handing HELEN her drink)
Oh, well, nobody told him there’d be math.

HELEN (taking drink)
Thank you.

JOSH knocks at the door and peers inside.

JOSH
Can I take, five minutes?

MATT
Yeah, sure.

HICKMAN follows JOSH into the room.

JOSH
I don’t think you’ve met our new finance director.

MATT (shaking hands)
Phil, great to meet you in person.

HICKMAN
It’s Paul.

JOSH
We call him Hickman -

HICKMAN
Actually, I’d much rather be called Paul -

MATT
Shouldn’t Hickman be dialing for dollars back at headquarters?

JOSH
I’ll let him explain why he’s here.

HICKMAN (handing over some papers)
Um … Congressman. (and copies for HELEN) Mrs. Santos. As much as the press care about polls and the horse race, donors care about it more. Now … winning New Mexico and Arizona helped - but in the last few weeks, as Hoynes and Russell established leads in the Super Tuesday states, our fundraising’s dried up. Now, if, if you’ll look at the second page, we’ve made our media buy – but we still haven’t made outlays for direct mail, or payroll, or field, and at 800K, that pretty much zeroes out our cash on hand. 

HELEN
I thought we had an aggressive internet program.

JOSH
That’s mostly $10 and $20 checks.

HICKMAN
College campuses, local Democratic clubs, typical low-dollar activity.

MATT
What’s the punch line?

HICKMAN
If we don’t do something to beat expectations on Tuesday … I don’t see how we can continue the campaign.

The room falls silent. MATT flips over his paper.

JOSH
Russell’s just announced he’s not campaigning here. I want to cancel the Rhode Island-New York swing, focus all our resources here in California. We can’t overtake Hoynes, but maybe we can squeak by Russell, come in second.

MATT and HELEN let the news sink in.

MATT
Let’s do it.

JOSH
Great.

HELEN (to HICKMAN)
If we come in second here, you can definitely raise enough to keep going.

HICKMAN
Most likely.

HELEN
And what happens if we don’t?

JOSH
Let’s burn that bridge when we get to it.

HELEN
The Texas primary’s two weeks away.

MATT
Hickman, what are my backup options?

HICKMAN
Well … none. Even a bare-bones campaign in Texas would cost 300, 400 grand.

MATT
Can we borrow?

HICKMAN
That’s illegal. Federal election law prohibits any borrowing.

MATT
Except from the candidate himself.

HICKMAN
Well, technically, that’s right -

MATT
So technically, we can mortgage our house and loan the money to the campaign.

HELEN looks up in alarm.

HELEN 
Josh is right, let’s burn the, what he said -

MATT
And plan our Texas campaign on the back of a napkin? 

MATT and HELEN have a moment.

HICKMAN
Congressman … if you took on that level of personal debt, you’d be raising money to pay it off for years.

JOSH
The only way you can do that is by …

HELEN
By what?

JOSH
By going back to Congress.

MATT
‘Cause no one writes checks to retired politicans. (HELEN looks at MATT with concern) Have the lawyers draw up the mortgage papers. (pause) What, we don’t even want the papers as backup? If we come in second here, it’s moot anyway, right?

JOSH
Probably.

MATT
So let’s come in second.

HICKMAN
Thank you, Congressman.

JOSH
Thank you, sir.

JOSH and HICKMAN leave. HELEN stands silently, walks past MATT into the next room, and closes the door behind her.

CUT TO: INT. - WILL’S HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

NEW YORK 3:24 AM

DONNA knocks at the door and leans inside.

DONNA
Will? (she steps further into the dark room) Will? Will. Will. (she’s now next to the bed, WILL sleeping away) Hoynes wants to colonize Mars with non-violent drug offenders.

WILL (stirring in his sleep)
Recidivism. (mumbling incoherently)

DONNA picks up a glass of water from the nightstand and pours it in WILL’s face. WILL awakens, spluttering, looking at his watch.

WILL
It’s 3 am, what are you pouring on my head?

DONNA
I couldn’t sleep. I met Hoynes’ issues director, he invited me for a drink -

WILL
So you decided to pour it on my head?

DONNA
I said it was sleeping with the enemy, which, of course, I didn’t mean literally.

WILL
If you’re asking, should you have slept with Hoynes’ issues director, no, but – do what you want, you’re over 21.

DONNA
Hoynes was supposed to fly to California last night, he’s giving two big policy speeches in San Diego – why would his issues director be in New York, inviting me for a drink?

WILL
Something to do with this whole sleeping with the enemy thing?

DONNA
What if Hoynes isn’t spending three days in California? What if it’s a head fake so we won’t campaign there?

WILL
He could have left some staff here. He could have a sore throat.

DONNA
For Super Tuesday, you campaign from a gurney if you have to.

WILL realizes DONNA has a point. He rousts himself up, throws himself across the bed, turns on a light and grabs the phone. He dials, and after a short ring we hear a woman answer.

WILL
Hi, Susan, sorry to wake you. Uh, no, I’m calling from a fish trawler – yes, I know it’s 3 in the morning. I need to know if there’s been any middle-of-the-night change to Hoynes’ schedule, as silly as that sounds. (pause) No, of course. Thanks.

WILL hangs up and turns to DONNA.

WILL
Hoynes canceled his San Diego fundraiser, he’s spending a few more hours in New York. Apparently, it’s a sore throat. (as DONNA heads out) Wake up the research staff. If Hoynes isn’t going to California, what the hell are we doing in New York?

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. - SANTOS HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

SACRAMENTO 12:40 AM

MATT sits in a chair, fiddling with his watch, while HELEN starts to get ready for bed. There is an uneasy silence between them.

MATT
Aren’t you going to say something?

HELEN
About what, tomorrow’s weather forecast? Seasonably warm … they don’t even have seasons in California.

MATT (taking off his tie)
It’s just a backup, Helen.

HELEN
This is all about Texas, isn’t it?

MATT
What, we don’t even want a backup?

HELEN (scoffing)
Don’t do this to me. Here I am, trapped in a Tammy Wynette medley, like I’m supposed to quash your ambitions and force you to rake leaves all your life, I won’t -

MATT (tightly)
Good.

HELEN
Fine.

MATT
Great.

HELEN (turning on MATT)
Going back to Congress, Matt?

MATT
It’s a worst-case scenario.

HELEN
For who? For me? For your kids? For what’s-his-name, Rickman?

MATT
One two-year term, and we would retire all the debt.

HELEN turns away.

MATT
It’s only if we don’t come in second.

HELEN (getting a drink)
Second place. Like we’re betting everything on Papa’s Moustache in the fourth, which we are.

More silence. HELEN sits on one side of the bed, MATT sits on the other, facing in opposite directions. MATT takes off his shoes.

MATT
Hey, it’s your house, too. Tell me not to and I won’t.

HELEN shakes her head slightly, looks up, then turns to MATT.

HELEN
One two-year term and then what? You have no intention of running for President again?

MATT
Tell me not to and I won’t.

HELEN looks away with a wry smile, then stands. MATT remains sitting on the bed.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – DAY

MATT is posing with a couple of donors for a photograph in the hall. As they shake hands and split up, another MAN comes up to MATT.

MAN
Congressman, would you sign my hernia truss?

MATT
Uh, oh, boy, I, I don’t know …

MAN
No, I manufacture them. Fourth biggest wholesaler in the state.

MATT (signing the truss)
Okay … ‘Thanks for the support.’

BRAM (leading MATT away)
Let’s go, Congressman. Reporters are waiting.

MATT 
Okay -

MATT and BRAM head into separate hotel rooms.

CUT TO: INT. - JOSH’S HOTEL ROOM – DAY

JOSH is getting dressed, with newspapers, clothing, and a cell phone strewn on his bed. As he buttons his shirt there is a knock at the door.

JOSH
Come in.

HELEN comes through the door.

JOSH
Mrs. Santos.

HELEN
Oh, call me Helen, you make me sound like a grandmother. Or a shop teacher, or the grandmother of a shop teacher.

JOSH (putting on his belt)
The Congressman’s doing TV interviews, if you’re looking for him.

HELEN
No, I’m looking for you. I, um … want to talk about -

JOSH
Don’t sign those loan papers. There’s some bad trade-offs in this business, but I don’t -

HELEN
For the staff? Bad tradeoffs for the staff? Oh, those long hours must be dreadful, and the – fast food …

JOSH
I feel terrible about that meeting.

HELEN smiles without humor.

HELEN
What chance do we have of coming in second, Josh?

JOSH (sighs)
We have a chance.

HELEN
What chance?

JOSH
Pretty small one.

A pause as HELEN takes that in.

HELEN
Well, thanks for talking shop.

HELEN smiles tightly again, turns and walks away.

CUT TO: INT. - MEDIA INTERVIEW ROOM – DAY

MATT is taking his seat, with TV cameras, lights, and microphones set up in this hotel room. His seating area is arranged to look like a living room, with a false window behind him, light streaming through.

MATT
Where are the reporters?

BRAM
These are satellite interviews. You’ll hear the questions through your earpiece.

MATT (gesturing to the window)
Fake window?

BRAM
Adds psychological lightness.

MATT
Do they do, uh, home installations?

BRAM
We’re starting with KSEE out of Fresno.

MATT (to the technician who got him mic’ed up)
Thank you.

A montage of interviews begins. First we see MATT on a TV monitor, the KSEE logo in the corner.

MATT
Hi, Lisa, good to be with you. (pause) I think that there are more important things to focus on, like health care. 

The view cuts to a side shot of MATT.

MATT
I have a plan which moves us towards universal coverage -

Now MATT is on two monitors, one with a KNVN logo and one showing KGET.

MATT
- step-by-step, starting with all children.

BRAM (VO, as we see a TV camera lens)
KGET, Bakersfield.

MATT
Well, I think that when they see my health care plan, which moves us step-by-step -

As MATT adjusts his earpiece, we hear:

BRAM (VO)
KNTV, San Jose. 

MATT (on a monitor again, the NBC11 logo at the bottom)
Uh, that’s a decision the Governor has to make. I’m focused on national issues like health care.

BRAM (VO)
KSBW, Salinas.

MATT (chuckling)
Heh, heh, well, then, maybe I better do a better job about educating people about my health care plan.

Back to two monitors, one with an NBC 7/39 logo and one showing KSBW.

MATT
Uh, I’m sorry, Terry, I can’t hear the question.

Back to a side view of MATT.

MATT
But I will say that one issue at stake in this election is health care. 

A quick montage of MATT repeating the words ‘health care’ several more times.

CUT TO: INT. - GARCIA’S LA PALABRA OFFICE – DAY

JOSH steps into the office, finding GARCIA behind the desk.

JOSH
Eddie, good to see you.

GARCIA (standing to shake hands)
Josh, come in. Well, I have to hand it to you – you’ve taught Matt a lot about politics in just a few short months.

JOSH (sitting)
Well, it took us a while to get our sea legs.

GARCIA
More like concrete shoes. The Matt Santos I knew wouldn’t stay silent for three seconds on an anti-immigrant assault like this.

JOSH (pulling a paper out of his jacket pocket)
Bob Russell just came out in favor of the bill. He’s not even campaigning in California. (handing the paper to GARCIA) He could beat us on this alone.

GARCIA
How do you think voting rights polled in the 1960s? Jim Crow in the 1870s?

JOSH
You know the arguments. People use drivers’ licenses to buy guns, to board airplanes -

GARCIA
Then let’s come up with a better form of ID.

JOSH
These people are here illegally -

GARCIA
If illegality’s the issue, why don’t we take licenses away from murderers? Manson probably still has his.

JOSH
Charlie’s not exactly tailgating on the 405.

GARCIA
If we don’t give these people licenses, you think they’re going go back to Mexico? They’ll drive without insurance, we won’t be able to track them.

JOSH
This isn’t about the substance of the bill -

GARCIA
Because you know the bill is wrong.

MATT
‘Cause your old pal Matt Santos is trying to win in California. You want him on the losing side of a lose-lose issue?

GARCIA
My new pal John Hoynes has the guts to take the right side.

JOSH
John Hoynes?

GARCIA
Promised me he’d come out against it when he campaigns with the Governor tomorrow.

JOSH stares at GARCIA.

JOSH
Santos is the first viable Latino to even enter a Presidential. We both know you’re endorsing him.

GARCIA
Not unless he takes a stand in his speech to La Palabra. The Governor needs cover to veto this. If Hoynes provides it, we’ll endorse him.

JOSH
Having a Latino President doesn’t advance the Latino cause?

GARCIA
If he doesn’t stand up for Latinos? (JOSH reacts in frustration) You may have taught him to live by the polls, but when you’re off on the next campaign, he’s the one who’s gotta live with himself.

CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE/JOSH’S HOTEL ROOM – DAY

The phone rings. JOSH, in his hotel room, is calling LEO for advice. The scene cuts back and forth between them.

LEO (into phone)
Yeah.

JOSH (on phone)
It’s Josh.

LEO (into phone)
I’ve been reading that new biography of James Madison. (on phone) Know what his dying words were?

JOSH (lying on his bed, into phone)
‘I always talk better lying down.’

LEO (into phone)
It was a rough time to figure that out. How’s it going out there?

JOSH (on phone)
We’re stuck in third place, so we’re moving all our money to California. (into phone) Our base thinks we’ve sold them out – and Helen Santos thinks I’m playing Presidential primary Parcheesi with her kids’ college tuition.

LEO (into phone)
So about the same as ten minutes ago.

JOSH (on phone)
No, the middle thing’s new. (into phone) So, uh … Santos was reading our internals on the plane last night.

LEO (into phone)
Politician reads polls, film at 11.

JOSH (on phone)
He, barely looked at them before.

LEO (into phone)
You’ve been complaining about that for months.

JOSH (on phone)
I, I know, but the guy’s playing this to win. (into phone) Even when the numbers make you wanna … lie down.

LEO (on phone)
It’s your job to doubt. (into phone) It’s his job to believe. Just don’t let him do anything too loopy.

JOSH (on phone)
I’ll call you later.

The call disconnects.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – DAY

BRAM and MATT are walking down a hallway. MATT is examining a paper with a layout of something.

BRAM
The site diagram for the education event.

MATT
I’m assuming from all these arrows I’m going for a touchdown?

BRAM (pointing at the paper)
We’ve got fixed camera positions here and here, so if you stay within this area, the kids are always in the cutaway shot.

MATT
Which is good because … ?

BRAM
It doesn’t matter how the press report it; they can trash the whole event, as long as those kids are visible from every camera position, it’ll scream education.

As MATT and BRAM reach the elevator, JOSH catches up.

JOSH
Sorry I’m late, did you already - ?

MATT (looking at the diagram)
We’re screaming at, uh, camera positions here.

JOSH
Thanks, Bram.

BRAM 
Yep.

BRAM heads away as JOSH and MATT get on the elevator. JOSH takes a deep breath as the door closes.

JOSH
La Palabra wants to endorse John Hoynes.

MATT (surprised)
Hoynes?

JOSH
He promised to denounce the drivers’ license bill side-by-side with the Governor tomorrow. Let’s beat him to it.

MATT
If I denounce it, it’s a seven-second soundbite - ‘Latino comes out for Latinos.’

JOSH
Better than ‘Latino ignores Latinos.’

MATT
It would play right into the Republicans’ hands. You said it yourself. (beat) Plus no one would hear anything else I would have to say.

JOSH
It’s a bad bill. You should be who you are. I was wrong to push the politics on this.

MATT
I’m not taking a position.

JOSH
Garcia’s serious about going with Hoynes.

MATT
Maybe he should be, and not for nothing, Josh – Garcia can tell me if he thinks I’m not Latino enough. You can’t. Okay?

The elevator stops and the door opens. MATT walks out, leaving JOSH alone in the elevator as the door starts to close. JOSH holds out his arm to open the door again and exits.

CUT TO: INT. - PLAZA HOTEL HALLWAY – DAY

NEW YORK CITY

DONNA is knocking at BREWER’s hotel room door.

BREWER (VO)
Who is it?

DONNA
It’s Donna Moss, from the Russell campaign? You know, the ‘character doesn’t count’ people? (beat) Can I interest you in a late-morning drink? They say Manhattan has the champagne of tap waters.

BREWER (VO)
I’m not decent.

DONNA
I could’ve told you that yesterday.

BREWER (opening the door)
I’m busy cooking up ways to legislate your spoiled, selfish little kids into submission -

DONNA
I’d have to have the kids first.

BREWER
If that’s supposed to be a pick-up line … needs a lot of work.

BREWER swings open the door to allow DONNA to enter. He heads into the room as DONNA sees the clutter, clothes and newspapers strewn about, nothing packed.

DONNA
You’re not packed for California.

BREWER
Yeah, there’s some kind of delay. (DONNA turns and walks quickly out of the room) I’m not really sure what. Hey – housekeeping’s a phone call away. (DONNA starts to hurry down the hall) I’ve got the filet mignon of maid service here!

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL STAIRWAY – DAY

WILL is coming up the stairs as DONNA rushes down to meet him.

DONNA (breathlessly)
He’s just canceled his first policy speech and Brewer’s not packed and this isn’t a guy who throws things in a duffel bag and why would he be working on a press statement if they were physically go -

WILL
Whoa, slow down, I’ll lend you some punctuation.

DONNA
Hoynes is still here. I don’t think he’s going to California at all, and I think we should.

WILL
I don’t see how we take this to the VP, not unless we’re a thousand percent sure.

DONNA
Then we have to get the press to call him on it, they’re just sitting around buying the sore throat nonsense? If we can’t interest them in our education plan, maybe we can interest them in this.

WILL (reaching for his phone)
I’ve created a monster.

DONNA
Bad idea?

WILL (dialing)
No. Good idea. That’s what worries me.

WILL hands the phone to DONNA.

DONNA (into phone)
Alessandra? (beat) Got a teensy little tip for the paper of record. Don’t you think it’s strange that Hoynes lays out this great big California strategy and then fails to show up for it?

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - SCHOOLROOM – DAY

MATT and HELEN are having their education event, with a group of SCHOOLCHILDREN standing by their desks. BRAM, RONNA, and JOSH are standing in the back by the door. There are a number of reporters, photographers, and cameramen there as well.

SACRAMENTO 1:02 PM

SCHOOLCHILDREN
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Santos. Bye!

The SCHOOLCHILDREN smile and wave as they are escorted out of the room. The reporters start shouting questions.

REPORTER 1
Don’t you think that the Governor should just sign the drivers’ license bill? Won’t that deny Vinick the issue for the fall?

MATT
I think not enough kids read at grade level. We need higher standards, greater accountability in our schools.

RONNA (to JOSH)
He’s pivoting like a pro.

REPORTER 2
Are you worried that you’re still in third place in every state poll?

MATT
If our kids don’t read at grade level, how are they going to understand all these polls?

MATT and HELEN make their way to the door as BRAM steps up. In the background we hear a cacophony of cell phones ringing.

BRAM (to MATT)
Cutaway shot was perfect. Home run.

All the reporters are answering their phones, getting some kind of breaking news.

CUT TO: INT. - PLAZA HOTEL HALLWAY – DAY

DONNA is walking quickly down the hall, followed by a crowd of reporters shouting questions and holding tape recorders.

REPORTER 1
The Hoynes campaign says it’s his throat - 

DONNA
You guys are supposed to be journalists, so unless one of you has a throat swab -

REPORTER 2
Go over this one more time.

DONNA (stopping, turning to the crowd)
Okay, look – Vice President Russell was going to campaign in California. Then the Governor endorsed Hoynes and Hoynes practically announced he was moving there. But now that we canceled our trip, Hoynes is holed up in New York canceling his California events left and right like a Foghat reunion tour.

REPORTER 2 (as DONNA turns and starts away)
What do you think Hoynes is up to?

DONNA (exasperated)
Do I look like an investigative reporter? (as the elevator door opens behind her) The answer is I do not, and I can’t believe you’re just standing around when you should go do your jobs.

DONNA steps into the elevator, looking back at the crowd of reporters. As the door closes, she leans to the opening.

DONNA
Go!

The reporters dash back down the hall.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS CAMPAIGN PLANE – DAY

JOSH, MATT, and HELEN are getting settled in the front cabin of the plane.

MATT
Been looking at the Los Angeles schedule – are we doing enough free media?

JOSH
There’s a story coming out of New York, Hoynes might not be coming to California.

HELEN 
Not at all?

JOSH
That’s the rumor. His whole itinerary was a fake-out so that Russell wouldn’t campaign here. Hoynes puts his California lead in the bank, dukes it out with Russell back east.

MATT
If he doesn’t come here at all -

JOSH
Then he doesn’t have to take a stand on the drivers’ license bill. Doesn’t have to keep his promise to Garcia. We got about … five of our reporters working on it. They think he may be trying to draw us out.

MATT
Latino comes out for Latinos, and Hoynes attacks us for being weak on immigration and terrorism.

JOSH
Maybe.

HELEN
So, Matt’s the only candidate from either party who is here in California, and yet, he’s in third place.

MATT (writing something on an orange)
Now, how many reporters did you say we have on this story? Five?

JOSH
About.

MATT
Let’s try and make it ten.

He flips the orange to JOSH, who catches it and reads: ‘WHERE IS HOYNES?’

CUT TO: INT. - PLAZA HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

Now BREWER is the one leading a crowd of reporters and photographers down the hallway.

NEW YORK CITY 9:51 PM

BREWER (grimly, as the reporters chatter)
Vice President Hoynes has a mild cold, he’ll be flying to California and maintaining an aggressive schedule.

REPORTER 1
If it’s mild, why can’t he rest on the plane?

REPORTER 2
His three-day gambit’s looking more like a shell game.

BREWER (turning to face the reporters)
Look, John Hoynes is not a gambling man. And you shake hands with every pretzel vendor on Manhattan Island, see if you don’t come home with a great big germ cocktail.

REPORTER 1 (as the reporters clamor for attention)
Come on, Bill, be straight with me -

BREWER (frustrated)
I’d love to stay and chat, I’ve gotta go sit in my room and wait for your next hectoring phone call.

BREWER strides away from the reporters, a staffer by his side.

BREWER (to staffer)
Will you please find out what in Jane’s name are we still doing in New York City?

After a shot of a jetliner landing, CUT TO: INT. - LEO’S OFFICE – NIGHT

The phone rings and LEO answers.

LEO (into phone)
A full 13 and a half minutes. Where you been?

JOSH (on phone)
So, who cares that Russell’s making hay by saying illegals shouldn’t get licenses?

We go to JOSH, in his hotel room, on his cell. The scene cuts back and forth.

LOS ANGELES 4:10 PM

JOSH (into phone)
Who cares if Hoynes thrashes us on the issue? Don’t we score courage points for flying in the face of public opinion?

LEO (into phone)
He’s not wrong. He’ll marginalize himself. Latino backs Latinos, dog bites man, Madison takes a nap.

JOSH (into phone)
Fine, but now the guy’s talking about mortgaging his house, stirring up the press about Hoynes, (on phone) muzzling himself on issues I know he cares about, (into phone) and for what? A vain hope of a silver medal?

LEO (into phone)
I’ve seen this in tons of candidates. (on phone) Ride’s almost over. They want to hang on. The crowds, the adrenaline. You wait – he’ll even miss the bad headlines.

JOSH (into phone)
You think it’s almost over?

LEO (on phone)
I think you’ve done (into phone) a remarkable job. I think you’ve taken a junior House nobody and made him a national brand, a contender for the Vice Presidency, even.

JOSH (into phone)
He still believes he can win.

LEO (on phone)
It’s his job to believe – and if he keeps believing, it’s probably ‘cause he’s -

JOSH (into phone)
He got it from me. He believes it ‘cause I hammered it into him.

BRAM and RONNA come quickly into the room.

BRAM 
Josh!

JOSH (into phone)
I’ll call you later.

BRAM
Have you seen CNN?

RONNA
There must be 50 reporters in the lobby of Hoynes’ hotel in New York.

JOSH
I sent half of ‘em there.

JOSH (as the three watch TV news)
Shouldn’t the Congressman be doing meet-and-greets?

RONNA
Uh, they’re signing the loan papers first.

JOSH
You gave him the papers?

RONNA
Her, Helen, she asked for them.

JOSH rushes off.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HOTEL ROOM – DAY

JOSH walks in the door as MATT and HELEN are going over the mortgage paperwork.

HELEN
I don’t suppose, in addition to your many skills, that you’re a notary public?

MATT laughs.

JOSH
Don’t sign those.

MATT
We’re not sending them to the bank unless we have to. (signing) Just wanna make sure we’re … covered for Texas.

JOSH
It’s your financial future.

MATT
Which is why we’re gonna come in second.

JOSH (closing the door)
We can’t. There’s no chance. I’m sorry.

MATT (looking down)
We’ve got Hoynes staying in New York -

JOSH 
We’re not gonna, we’re not gonna win the nomination. I made myself believe it. You, too, but … you can’t risk everything for this.

HELEN and MATT look serious.

JOSH
You should go to La Palabra, make a strong statement against the drivers’ license bill. You should – remember who your friends are, not some names on an index card, but the people you’re going back to. And then you should take a bow … and you should step off the stage.

MATT (looking down)
Hmm.

HELEN stands, patting MATT on the shoulder, then exits, closing the door behind her. MATT takes a beat.

MATT
You know, when I got out of the Marines – I hadn’t been around my old neighborhood in Houston in a few years. I had just gotten this job offer from the Pentagon, and it required a full FBI background check. After a few weeks, the investigators, they came up to me and they said, ‘We can’t give you the job. We’ve interviewed all your old friends and neighbors. They can’t confirm anything. Not even your name.’ So I hop a plane, go back to the old block. I see my neighbor’s 11- and 13-year-old kids. They’re, they’re sitting on the stoop, same as always – and they see me coming, they start running towards me, and they’re shouting, ‘Tio Matt, Tio Matt’ - Uncle Matt - ‘Tio Matt … the Feds, they were here looking for you. We told ‘em we never heard of you.’ (MATT nods firmly, then laughs) Eleven and thirteen! (There is a pause, and MATT’s face turns serious) You’re not the only one who can read bad polls, Josh. I am running for President in that Texas primary. And those kids are gonna see me do that.

MATT stands.

MATT
And that’s the only statement about my skin color I intend to make in this campaign.

A silent pause. Then BRAM opens the door.

BRAM 
If you need a minute to -

MATT
I’m fine.

BRAM
You met Richter in Portland. He’s on DNC site selection. His son’s a -

MATT and BRAM together
Math major at Princeton.

MATT and JOSH exchange smiles as MATT puts on his suit jacket and exits with BRAM. HELEN steps back in as JOSH stands there.

JOSH
When you asked our chances before … you wanted to make sure the loan was ready if we lost here.

Suddenly RONNA rushes in behind HELEN.

RONNA
Something’s happened to Hoynes.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL STAIRWELL – NIGHT

NEW YORK 10:22 PM

HOYNES and a large crowd of staffers and security run down the stairs. As they enter the hotel lobby, a mass of reporters, cameramen and photographers shout out questions and take pictures.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – NIGHT

MATT and BRAM are meeting supporters when JOSH races up and grabs MATT’s arm.

JOSH
Excuse me, I need the Congressman for one second.

MATT (as JOSH pulls him away)
I’ve got five more supporters there.

JOSH brings MATT to a TV, with a news report onscreen.

ANCHOR 1 (on TV)
- featuring an exclusive interview with the former Senate staffer claiming that then-Senator Hoynes made inappropriate sexual advances toward her, which has to come as bad news to the Hoynes campaign so close to Super Tuesday.

The camera sweeps to another room, where HELEN and RONNA are watching a different news report.

ANCHOR 2 (on TV)
- the woman in question was still a Georgetown senior at the time, the daughter of a prominent Hoynes supporter. The campaign spent the day in New York, urging the tabloid not to run the story, excerpts of which appeared all over the internet this afternoon -

HELEN and RONNA walk into the room with MATT, JOSH, and BRAM watching the TV.

ANCHOR 1 (on TV)
- shocked his supporters, who believed such allegations were all in the past. A spokesman for the Hoynes campaign said -

JOSH
We just went from third to second.

ANCHOR 1 (on TV)
- he’s flying back to Washington to be with his family, and he is temporarily suspending his campaign.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. - HOTEL HALLWAY – DAY

LOS ANGELES 7:38 AM

JOSH, BRAM, RONNA and a couple of other staffers walk briskly down the hall.

JOSH
Tell the spokespeople to say the dynamic’s changed. Hoynes is dead, we’re neck-and-neck with Russell.

BRAM
Is it true?

JOSH
Could be. There’s no way to poll till the voting starts. 

They come around a corner to find a mob of reporters, shouting questions and flashing lightbulbs. JOSH quickly reverses course and sends his group back the way they came.

JOSH (to RONNA)
Anything from the Governor?

RONNA
His political director says he’s not discussing a new endorsement.

BRAM
He can’t be sticking with Hoynes, it’s a sleazoid tabloid nightmare.

JOSH (pushing the elevator button)
Okay, tell him Matt Santos is a candidate for President, if that doesn’t even warrant a phone call …

The group piles into the elevator right in front of the onrushing crowd of reporters.

JOSH (to reporters, as he steps into the elevator)
Thank you! Good to see you!

BRAM (as the doors close)
Watch your hands!

JOSH
Where are we on the Congressman’s schedule?

BRAM
Ah, we’ve gotten almost 300 press requests, all about Hoynes’ overcharged libido. I assume we want to ride the story?

JOSH
We’re not riding it, we’re not spinning it, the press may love it but the voters don’t. Accept as many of those press requests as you can jam on the schedule.

RONNA
Isn’t that a bit - ?

BRAM
Didn’t you just say - ?

JOSH
We have a message. It’s health care and education. It’s the only way he beats Russell.

RONNA
Every question will be about Hoynes.

JOSH
But none of the answers.

JOSH steps off the elevator.

CUT TO: INT. - AIR FORCE TWO – DAY

The press corps on the plane shouts out questions to DONNA as she walks past.

DONNA
I had no idea about the Senate staffers.

REPORTER
You’ve been pushing this for two days, you must have known something.

DONNA
The man locks himself in a hotel room, he could be shaving his legs. How am I supposed to know what he’s doing?

DONNA reads a note another staffer has given her. She turns and walks away as the reporters continue to shout questions. As she walks down the aisle, we see WILL sitting in a seat, talking on a phone.

WILL (into phone)
We’re going to be landing in California in a few hours. There’s nothing we can do on drivers’ licenses, we’ve already come out in favor of the bill. Hoynes is an embarrassment, Santos is a footnote, Governor, the Vice President needs you on this. Yes -

DONNA has moved down the corridor and is now at the door of RUSSELL’s office.

DONNA
You wanted to see me, sir?

RUSSELL
I’m sorry your name is in these stories. I realize you had no idea what this was about.

DONNA
No, sir.

RUSSELL
They’re just filling column inches. If I believed everything they wrote about me, I’d be voting for Pat Paulsen again. (chuckles)

DONNA stands there quietly.

RUSSELL
That was a joke. I never voted for Pat Paulsen.

DONNA
Will’s talking to the Governor of California.

RUSSELL
Yeah, ‘cause I wouldn’t call him myself. Even if these allegations are true, it’s none of anybody’s business.

DONNA
Yes, sir.

RUSSELL
You don’t agree?

DONNA
I think if he wanted it to be none of our business, he shouldn’t have talked about character education. Set a standard, you have to meet it.

WILL (entering)
The Governor says he’s not taking endorsement meetings. He’s yanking his support from Hoynes and feeling more than a bit burned by primary politics. We may be leading in California now, but Santos has been there for three days, and we’re not going to be there for another three hours. If the Governor endorses him, I don’t know what will happen. You have to call the Governor yourself, you have to make sure he endorses you, or no one at all.

RUSSELL (beat)
Get the Governor on the line.

CUT TO: INT. - BACK HOTEL STAIRWELL – DAY

JOSH, HELEN, and MATT enter the stairwell. JOSH looks up and down to make sure no one else is there.

MATT
So how we doing?

JOSH
We shut down all our field offices, squeezed out the money to air more health care spots. Our surrogates are blanketing every media outlet that’s got pencils, and unless your tongue’s got repetitive stress injuries -

MATT (smiling)
Keep scheduling interviews.

HELEN
Yeah, he’s never had so much press coverage in his life.

MATT
Hey, it’s either the sex scandal or my plan for premium reductions. What about the Governor?

JOSH
He’s not taking any political meetings. Looks like he’s not endorsing anyone. (MATT reacts, disappointed) This guy could have single-handedly delivered labor, half the county organizations -

MATT
What if we told the Governor we don’t want a political meeting?

JOSH
What are we supposed to meet about, citrus futures?

MATT
Uh, the party platform, uh, the Australian parliament – I will walk his dog if I can get five minutes with him.

HELEN
What about the drivers’ license bill?

MATT and JOSH exchange a look.

CUT TO: INT. - GOVERNOR’S LIMO – NIGHT

LOS ANGELES 8:12 PM

As the motorcade rolls down the street, we hear GOVERNOR TILLMAN talking to MATT.

TILLMAN
You understand why this meeting can’t be public.

MATT
All I need’s a little leg room, Governor.

TILLMAN
I can’t turn on the TV without seeing you spout the same three lines about health care. You ought to mix it up a bit.

MATT
Six and a half million Californians don’t have health insurance. They’d rather hear about John Hoynes’ boxer shorts?

TILLMAN
You know, Hoynes looked me in the eye and he told me all the womanizing had been flogged to death by the press.

MATT
It had. Those staffers were paid for their story, they were paid by a dimestore tabloid. I guess if we don’t give the hordes what they want, they find a way to get it.

TILLMAN
Well, I look like an idiot. And I’ve got hordes outside my office now. I scheduled this meeting so we could talk about the drivers’ license bill.

MATT
My understanding is that Hoynes promised La Palabra that he’d oppose it.

TILLMAN
He made that promise to me. (beat) The state Republicans timed this bill so they could wreak havoc in the Democratic primaries. I want a future in the party, too. You think I’d single-handedly blow our chance to beat Vinick in the fall?

MATT
What if I was there with you?

There’s a moment as TILLMAN looks at MATT.

TILLMAN
I told Russell I’m not going to endorse anybody. And you wouldn’t say one word against that bill till you needed my support.

MATT
I’m not gonna say a word against it now. (beat) And I’m not looking for your support.

TILLMAN
You’re not?

MATT
You veto the bill – I’ll be there standing right behind you. All the words will be your own … in front of about 50 cameras, all going live.

TILLMAN
And you’d be tagged with my veto, and you wouldn’t even get a bite on the news.

MATT
That’s right.

TILLMAN
Are you so desperate for the appearance of my support that you’d stand behind me while I strike down a bill - that you don’t oppose?

MATT
Oh, I think the bill is an abomination. We need to toughen our immigration laws, make our borders 50 times more secure. But if we’re not really willing to do that, it’s wrong to punish the people that we bring here to pick our avocados.

TILLMAN
Well, why don’t you just come out and say that?

MATT (sighs)
‘Cause people don’t need to hear it from someone who looks like me. They need to hear it from someone who looks like you.

CUT TO: INT. - GOVERNMENT BUILDING – NIGHT

TILLMAN bursts through a door and up to a podium, with a crowd of reporters shouting questions. MATT and a couple of other men, including GARCIA, follow him to the platform. JOSH is behind the reporters in the crowd.

TILLMAN
Moments ago, I vetoed SB67, the so-called drivers’ license bill. We have security problems in this country. We have immigration problems. We need to address them. But we shouldn’t prevent the poorest working people – the people who are here anyway – from making a living. It may make us feel better, but it doesn’t solve the problem. Thank you. (as if he suddenly remembered) Oh, I, I’d show you all the, uh, veto pen – but I’ve already given it to Congressman Matt Santos.

TILLMAN smiles at MATT, who smiles back, patting his jacket pocket. TILLMAN starts to lead his group back out the door as the reporters continue to shout questions.

TILLMAN (stopping before he exits)
You know what you should be writing about? The six and a half million Californians who don’t have health coverage. You ought to ask Matt Santos about that.

TILLMAN and the others exit as the reporters turn their attention to MATT.

CUT TO: INT. - HOTEL MEDIA ROOM – NIGHT

MATT and HELEN sit in front of TV cameras, doing another set of satellite interviews.

SUPER TUESDAY

MATT
I agree with Governor Tillman 100 percent. (pause) Thanks. (pause) Oh, uh, and don’t forget to vote, no matter who you vote for, uh … oh, what the hell, vote for me!

MATT and HELEN chuckle softly.

BRAM (VO)
That’s it, guys.

MAN (VO)
Okay, we’re good.

MATT (taking off his earpiece)
What’s next?

HELEN
Besides the mother of all throat lozenges? He’s done 100 interviews today.

JOSH
That is the last one. The California polls are closing, Russell’s won New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont, Hoynes is crumbling pretty much everywhere, we don’t know about California yet.

HELEN gives MATT a kiss and walks away.

MATT
Mmm. Thanks. (as JOSH hands him some paperwork) What’s this?

JOSH
It’s a campaign plan for Texas. I’ll sell my own house if I have to.

MATT
You’d be going to federal prison.

JOSH
Hmm. Well. Need to live someplace, won’t I?

JOSH walks away as MATT follows HELEN.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS SUITE – NIGHT

Campaign staffers mill about as coverage of the primary is shown on a TV.

ANCHOR (on TV)
Well, I can tell you that it’s been a long day; a tough, close fight here in a state that usually doesn’t see such hotly contested primary action -

RONNA walks up to JOSH and hands him a card.

RONNA
We got an exit poll.

JOSH (still looking at the TV)
I’ve never seen numbers like this. They need a margin of error for the margin of error -

JOSH reads the card as RONNA watches him intently.

ANCHOR (on TV)
- now that the polls have closed, we’re moments away from calling what has truly been a dogfight between Vice President Bob Russell and Congressman Matthew Santos. So we urge you to stay by the TV -

JOSH walks out of the room, into the next area where MATT and HELEN are watching a different news report.

REPORTER (on TV)
There are indications that while Santos has maintained -

JOSH (whispering, to MATT and HELEN)
I need you guys for one sec.

MATT and HELEN follow JOSH.

REPORTER (on TV)
- his rock-solid support in both the African-American and Latino communities, Bob Russell has actually picked up some of Hoynes’ -

As JOSH, MATT, and HELEN walk through the first room again, we hear the ANCHOR.

ANCHOR (on TV)
Well, we’ve just received the latest round of exit polls -

JOSH (whispering, to a couple of staffers in the hall)
Give us a sec.

The staffers walk away, as JOSH has MATT and HELEN alone in the hall.

HELEN
What is it?

MATT
What?

JOSH (his face blank, but his eyes welling up)
We won California.

HELEN and MATT are speechless. Noise erupts from the room behind them as the TVs announce the news, and BRAM and RONNA come into the hall to congratulate MATT. BRAM then leads MATT away, handing him an index card.

BRAM
Steve Gilbert, co-chair for LA County. Son’s big in the College Dems. Congratulations.

MATT, BRAM, RONNA, and HELEN continue down the hallway, greeted by reporters and photographers.

REPORTER 1 (amid shouted questions)
This is unexpected, how do you feel?

MATT (to another reporter)
Well, uh, you’re the experts on the horse race, but, uh, maybe folks took a look at my health care plan.

REPORTER 2
What about the Hoynes situation?

MATT
Uh, I can’t comment.

The noise of questions and clicking cameras grows as MATT and his group continue heading for the ballroom, with the mass of press in tow. JOSH is left standing by the doorway, watching in disbelief.

DISSOLVE TO: END TITLES.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
* * *

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The West Wing Transcript
Episode 6x18 – La Palabra
Original Airdate: March 9, 2005