THE WEST WING
7x11 - "INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT"
WRITTEN BY BRADLEY WHITFORD
DIRECTED BY ANDREW BERNSTEIN

Transcribed by Soundman for www.twiztv.com. Send feedback to
sparticus1611@hotmail.com.

TEASER

FADE IN: INT. - RESTAURANT - NIGHT
      WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Danny Concannon is waiting at a table. C.J. walks up.

C.J.
Forgive me.

DANNY
For what?

C.J.
We should be drinking.

He gives her a kiss on the cheek.

DANNY
You look incredible.

C.J.
Stop.

DANNY
Well, you do.

C.J.
That's unnecessary.

DANNY
You okay?

C.J.
I'm just great.

DANNY
Have a seat.

C.J.
Thanks.

They sit.

DANNY
So, how's the President?

C.J.
Are we off the record?

DANNY
Please, yes.

C.J.
He's doing great.

DANNY
I wouldn't want that to get around.

C.J.
I'm surprised you called. I vaguely remember shunning you.

DANNY
Dignity's not my forte. [pause] So... they kept the kitchen open.

C.J.
We should order.

The waitress walks up and hands them some menus.

C.J.
Hi. Thank you.

WAITRESS
Mmm-hm. Would you like to hear the specials?

DANNY
Please.

WAITRESS
Well, tonight we're featuring New Zealand lamb...

C.J.
Is this from a list?

WAITRESS
I'm sorry?

C.J.
The specials, are they written down somewhere?

WAITRESS
Um, yeah, they're right here.

C.J.
Just give us that. We'll read. We're readers.

WAITRESS
Whatever you want.

C.J.
It's just easier that way, then you don't have to, you know, perform.

WAITRESS
Fine with me.

She walks away.

DANNY
Thanks.

They open their menus.

C.J.
A night out; this is like a week in Aruba.

DANNY
Except it's cold and dark.

C.J.
What?

DANNY
I was making a joke.

C.J.
Oh, you don't have to do that. Relaxing makes me nervous. It makes me feel
like I'm missing something.

DANNY
You want a drink?

C.J.
No. So, what's up?

DANNY
What's up?

C.J.
Why am I here?

DANNY
You really want me to...?

C.J.
Cut to the chase; I do.

DANNY
All right, well... I'm having a bit of performance anxiety here.

C.J.
Well, get yourself together. I'll look at the menu here.

DANNY
I wanted to see you.

C.J.
That's it?

DANNY
How am I supposed to... I know you've always had a thing about reporters.

C.J.
A thing?

DANNY
When you were Press Secretary, you had a thing.

C.J.
I wouldn't call it a thing.

DANNY
No?

C.J.
They ticked me off, is all. You want to know why?

DANNY
No, it's okay.

C.J.
They ticked me off because they care more about coming up with a good story
than they do about telling the truth.

DANNY
I see.

C.J.
So now I have to live in a culture where what's important doesn't matter
because we're too preoccupied by people who are more attractive than we are
playing musical genitalia in Hollywood.

DANNY
Wow.

C.J.
It's disgusting.

DANNY
I cover politicians.

C.J.
Most of them are homely, so no one cares.

DANNY
Well, that's true. Maybe if they made up for it with guts, we'd write
better stories.

C.J.
Maybe if we had the support of a well-informed constituency...

DANNY
As opposed to what, leading? You want to know why politicians tick me off?

C.J.
Can't wait.

DANNY
They're attracted to arenas of false heroics.

C.J.
I don't know what that means.

DANNY
Well, there are two places where you can see a pumped-up egomaniac slathered
with man tan talking about how great he is and how he's going to kick his
opponent's ass: one is a professional wrestling match, the other is a national
political convention.

C.J.
You can't do anything if you don't get elected.

DANNY
Your boss never has to get elected ever again. But you guys are content
to run out the clock with the same game of well-intention defense you've
always played.

C.J.
That's not true.

DANNY
You could do more in a day that most people could do in a lifetime.

C.J.
You think I'm not aware that I'm living the first line of my obituary now?

DANNY
So don't get hypnotized by complexity. Make it count. [pause] What are you
working on?

C.J.
Right now? I'm trying to keep China and Russia from annihilating the Northern
Hemisphere over oil in Kazakhstan. What are you working on?

DANNY
A couple of House races.

C.J.
Well, no good comes from that.

DANNY
No. [pause] Have you heard anything about Doug Westin?

C.J.
Yeah, it looks like the President's son-in-law might be the next Freshman
Congressman from New Hampshire.

DANNY
He's only down three points.

C.J.
Yeah, and I guess he doesn't care about being his own man anymore. He's
asking the President to fly up and stump for him in Manchester.

DANNY
Really?

C.J.
Yeah. Why?

DANNY
He's getting a lot of heat, a bunch of profiles, rising star crap. And I
was surprised because the one time I met him he seemed kind of...

C.J.
Unimpressive?

DANNY
Yeah.

C.J.
Are you implying the success in politics isn't a question of inherent value?

DANNY
No, I would never do that.

C.J.
Good. Okay, let's kind of move on here. Fish is a stupid thing to get in
a restaurant.

DANNY
I think he may be banging the nanny.

C.J.
I want a big slab of... what?

DANNY
I think the President's son-in-law may be banging the nanny.

C.J.
Is that a euphemism?

DANNY
No. Well, "banging" is, I guess. It's just a rumor. There's no official
corroboration but it's flying around pretty heavy up there and it could
break any minute. The President still has a lot of political enemies in New
Hampshire. They might want to create a circus or... just hurt him for spite.

C.J.
Gotcha. Great. Thank you.

She gets up to leave.

DANNY
You're what?

C.J.
I've got to go.

DANNY
Oh, shoot, I ruined the dinner.

C.J.
Tomorrow's a big day.

DANNY
You're hungry.

C.J.
It just got bigger.

DANNY
You've got to eat.

C.J.
Get the steak. Tell me how it was.

She starts walking away.

DANNY
Can I see you again?

C.J.
Sure, we're swell.

DANNY
When?

C.J.
As soon as we're out of office.

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

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. - HALLWAY - WHITE HOUSE - DAY

Kate and C.J. are walking and talking.

C.J.
How do we expect the people of Kazakhstan to come out and vote if we can't
guarantee the safety of our own election monitors?

KATE
It's going to diminish turn-out, no question.

C.J.
You think?

KATE
Ethnic Chinese want revenge. They're not looking for a referendum.

C.J.
Is there some kind of legitimacy threshold?

KATE
You mean participation?

C.J.
Yeah.

KATE
No.

C.J.
Chinese troops are holding on the border?

KATE
Yeah, but any further loss of life they'll have no choice. They'll have to
go in.

C.J.
Kazakhs understand that one hung over riot cop goes nuts and everyone gets
to live in a sarcophagus?

They have come into Margaret's office.

KATE
Tarimov understands the stakes. He's rattled, but he gets it.

C.J.
These people love their vodka.

KATE
Don't drink and play thermonuclear war.

C.J.
That's what I'm saying. Whatever communication we have with the Russians,
we need to emphasize that everyone needs to bury their dead and vote in peace.

KATE
Right.

C.J.
What do we know about these attacks in the Sudan?

KATE
The refugee camp in Darfur?

C.J.
Yeah.

KATE
Janjaweed warriors on camel and horseback attacked the camp along with
government troops out of Khartoum.

C.J.
This is new, right?

KATE
Attacking the camps is new.

C.J.
And it's directed by the government in Khartoum?

KATE
African peacekeeper unions say the Janjaweed and Sudanese government are
the same thing. Government helicopters were a part of the assault. There's
rape trauma in the camps, there's amputations, all the men are dead. We've
seen it before.

C.J. sees a spot on the TV about Doug. She grabs the remote and turns it up.

NEWSCASTER
The big question is, will there be another member of the Bartlet family
in the Capitol come next January. Mr. Westin, who has insisted from the
beginning on running as his own man...

KATE
They look good.

She turns the TV back down.

C.J.
So, the peacekeepers are overwhelmed?

KATE
Yeah. The minute it gets too dangerous, the humanitarian agents pull out
and we have genocide on smack.

C.J.
Let's move on this.

KATE
Really?

C.J.
I want to see if we can get a resolution through the U.N. There's a Security
Council meeting on the books, isn't there?

KATE
Yeah, next week.

C.J.
Let's chop the financial balls off these genocidal bastards in Khartoum.

KATE
How?

C.J.
We sanction their oil revenues.

KATE
I thought we agreed...

C.J.
To sit on our butts?

KATE
That China would veto; that's why we've never tried it before.

C.J.
China needs us now. They need an honest broker with the Russians to make
sure this election in Kazakhstan is legitimate.

KATE
Is this coming from the President?

C.J.
It's coming from me. I'm going to see what I can get and then take it to him.

KATE
If we can assure them their flow of oil in Kazakhstan is secure, then they
may be willing to sacrifice something in the Sudan.

C.J.
We trade pots of oil. They give up what they're getting in the Sudan, we
make sure they're getting it from Kazakhstan.

KATE
We don't want to jeopardize our neutrality in Kazakhstan.

C.J.
No, they can't know it's coming from us.

KATE
We find a proxy.

C.J.
Yeah.

KATE
France and Germany want us to let them sell arms to China again.

C.J.
Margaret!

Margaret comes in from her office.

C.J.
I need the French Ambassador.

KATE
He's over at State.

MARGARET
Will's here.

KATE
Will?

C.J.
Yeah. Send him in.

He comes in.

KATE
I'm going to take off.

C.J.
Great. Thanks.

Kate leaves.

MARGARET
Campaign coordination in the Roosevelt. Josh is waiting.

C.J.
That's a conference call.

MARGARET
Actually, he's in town so he wanted to do it in person. And Steve Lawson
called again from the Refugees' Rights Alliance. He wants five minutes this
afternoon. Actually, it's more like he demanded five minutes. I told him no.

C.J.
Squeeze him in.

MARGARET
Really?

C.J.
Why not?

Margaret leaves.

C.J.
You, I need. Come here.

WILL
What's wrong?

C.J.
Close the door.

WILL
I didn't do it.

C.J.
Close the door.

WILL
Toby did it.

C.J.
Shut up!

He goes and shuts the door. When he comes back to the desk, neither he nor
C.J. say anything for a few moments.

WILL
You gonna talk now? Seriously, I don't react well to this. It's like staring
at a dog.

C.J.
I think Doug Westin is having an affair with his nanny.

WILL
Jeez, I didn't want to know that. Why did you tell me that?

C.J.
Because you deal with the press and I don't want you to get blindsided.

WILL
Exactly! I work with the press. I do my best work when I'm the least-informed
person in the room. You taught me that.

C.J.
Suck it up.

WILL
I can't act. I'm a terrible actor.

C.J.
You were up in New Hampshire...

WILL
I don't like to pretend.

C.J.
...during the primaries.

WILL
So, what?

C.J.
So, find out if there's any truth to said rumor.

WILL
How?

C.J.
You'll figure it out.

WILL
Wow.

C.J.
You think? I've got the President flying up there next week to lend his
credibility to the alleged fornicator.

WILL
Really bad.

C.J.
And we've already lost a Vice President in a sex scandal. I feel like I'm
handing out towels in the Playboy mansion.

WILL
It's not your fault.

C.J.
Oh, really now? Open the door.

WILL
What?

C.J.
Open the door.

He does. They both attempt to leave at the same time and they bump into
each other.

C.J.
Did you take an awkward pill?

WILL
What? I'm always like this.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

Josh is seated at the table. C.J. and Will come in.

JOSH
Briefer boy, I caught you on C-SPAN. You look real cute in makeup.

WILL
Withering sarcasm, I love it.

JOSH
Those are some brutal briefings. It's like some sort of medieval wonk baiting.

WILL
Support me in public, that's all I ask.

C.J.
On Tuesday's call, we were talking about how many more Cabinet members you
want out on the trail.

JOSH
Yeah. Since I'm in town, I thought I'd nail down the President's availability
for the rest of the campaign. I'm back at 4:00 to sit with Cabinet Affairs
and work out a calendar.

C.J.
We're going to need some people left in the building to, you know, run
the country.

JOSH


Yeah, I don't care about that.

C.J.


But, we're going to do everything we can to support you in your targeted
media markets. And I talked to the President. He's fine doing the radio
address on deficit reduction. And I'm assuming you're going to keep hitting
Vinick on the impact of his tax cut, right?

JOSH


Yeah.





C.J.
What else?

JOSH
We're all looking at the same polling. Santos does better where people think
the country is moving in the right direction.

C.J.
Sure.

JOSH
Now, I don't want you to do anything you wouldn't be doing anyway.

C.J.
Of course not.

JOSH
But whatever you have in terms of research grants, infrastructure
initiatives... it's a waste to piddle it out in some Department of Commerce
press release. Let's highlight it: have the Secretary show up, create
some sizzle.

WILL
We've got some small-business loans and light rail stuff coming down the
pipe. We'll keep you posted.

JOSH
Thanks. Whatever you've got.

WILL
That's easy.

JOSH
I want it all.

C.J.
You will have it.

JOSH
I also want something big.

C.J.
Like?

JOSH
The molecular transport lab - the biotech chemical genome thing.

C.J.
What about it?

JOSH
It'd be nice to make the announcement in Texas next week.

C.J.
You just said you didn't want us doing something we weren't doing anyway.

JOSH
I don't. I just want you to move the announcement up. It'd be huge for us
in Texas. This could make the difference down there.

C.J.
The location hasn't been decided yet. It's still making it's way through
the agency review process.

JOSH
That's not what I hear.

C.J.
No?

JOSH
No. It's going to Austin, all 2 billion dollars of it.

He starts packing up his stuff.

JOSH
I've got to go. I'll be back at 4:00 to sit with Cabinet Affairs. You should
check that out.

He gets up and leaves.

WILL
How does he know we already made a decision?

C.J.
Maybe he doesn't. Maybe it's just a rumor.

They get up and start walking.

C.J.
Maybe it's wishful thinking and he's trying to jam it home on us.

WILL
If we announce that a 2 billion-dollar research investment is going to
Texas before the election, the senior Senator from Kentucky is going to blow
a gasket.

They walk into C.J.'s office and Margaret comes with them.

C.J.


Yeah, it's a good way to make an elder statesmen look like a doddering,
ineffectual fool.

MARGARET
The French Ambassador is in the Mural.

C.J.
Yeah.

MARGARET
He's fine. I gave him a beverage.

C.J.
Thanks.

WILL
Where did you leave it with the Senator?

They start walking toward the Mural Room.

C.J.
Bowles knows it's going to Texas. He's fighting for his life. His constituents
don't like his politics anymore, "shwing" with the federal purse is all
he's got.

WILL
He didn't promise them anything.

C.J.
All he's asking is that we hold off on the announcement until after the
election.

WILL
What'd you tell him?

C.J.
I told him we'd hold off until after the election. We're not risking a Senate
seat. [pause] You're doing it again.

WILL
Doing what?

C.J.
Just standing there in front of me.

WILL
I thought we were talking.

C.J.
That's over now. Go see what you can find out about the nanny.

WILL
I still don't understand how I'm supposed to...

C.J.
Walk away from me, now.

He turns and leaves.

WILL
I'm so proud to serve in these hallowed halls.

CUT TO: INT. - MURAL ROOM - DAY

C.J. is meeting with the French Ambassador.

C.J.
We are very concerned about the reports out of the Sudan.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR


The attacks on the internally displace peoples camps in Darfur; yes,
it's awful.

C.J.
We would like to turn off the financial spigot that is supporting the
government in Khartoum. There's no reason not to expect more mass killings
and more displacements.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Well, as you know, the European community has formally condemned this activity.

C.J.
Yes, and as you know, the perpetrators do not care.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Our students have launched a very effective divestiture campaign.

C.J.
Which we admire; we believe you have the domestic constituency to support
bold action.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Yes, that's true.

C.J.
We may be willing to support reopening your arms' sales to China.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
In exchange for what?

C.J.
A U.N. resolution sanctioning all oil revenues to Khartoum.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
The Chinese will veto it.

C.J.
They might.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
C.J., they will. Look, if it was up to me, NATO troops would have been on
the ground in the Sudan years ago.

C.J.
Are you offering French troops to a NATO peacekeeping effort?

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
The African union troops are clearly doing their best to protect the
camps. There's been improvement there.

C.J.
People are still dying.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
I know it's not a solution. But I believe an African problem will require
an Africa solution.

C.J.
We would all prefer an African solution, but it's not working.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
But you have to ask yourself, C.J., how did we get here. We saw it coming.

C.J.
We did.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Perhaps a murderous government with intelligence on international Islamic
terrorist organizations...

C.J.
...could provide the United States with crucial information, absolutely.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Perfectly understandable. But when we push things to the side often they
come back to haunt us.

C.J.
We all make calculations, Jacques.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
And your investors who continue to trade shares of the multinationals who do
business with these killers on the New York Stock Exchange; that's another
calculation, yes?

C.J.
And there's plenty of hypocrisy to go around.

FRENCH AMBASSADOR
Sure, sure. Unfortunately, C.J., we cannot afford to introduce a resolution
so obviously aimed at the Chinese. You are so fond of calling yourselves the
"leaders of the free world." So, lead.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE.
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. - WILL'S OFFICE - DAY

Will is sitting on his couch. C.J. comes in.

C.J.
What do you got?

WILL
Nothing.

C.J.
He didn't do it?

WILL
No, I mean I didn't get anything.

C.J.
I told you to...

WILL
To what, casually call people in New Hampshire and ask them if they think
the President's son-in-law is committing adultery with the nanny?

C.J.
You'll have to be a little more artful than that.

WILL
There is no art in trying to find out if somebody slept with someone else. You
ask it straight out, or you don't. Art?

C.J.
I didn't say it would be easy.

WILL
The segue hasn't been invented that takes us from "how's the weather" to
"Is Doug Westin hammering the nanny?".

C.J.
So you have nothing?

WILL
No. I found out it's really cold in New Hampshire.

C.J.
You're useless.

WILL
And that the Westin's 26-year-old nanny of three years was let go in August
and is now traveling in Europe.

C.J.
OK.

WILL
And there do seem to be a lot of reporters focusing on Doug, digging around.

C.J.
That doesn't mean he...

WILL
Sheila Jacobs, Tom Weller, Danny Concannon.

C.J.
Danny Concannon, yeah.

WILL
They're all talking to people off the record about Doug - non politicos.

He pulls a piece of paper with a picture on it out of a folder and shows it
to C.J.

WILL
And I pulled this picture of the whole family at a butter festival off the
Internet. That's the nanny right there, which makes me think he did it. I
mean, just look at her.

C.J.
What's that supposed to mean?

WILL
I'm just saying...

C.J.
Yeah, I can see your mouth moving. You're just saying what?

WILL
That she's really cute and he probably did it.

C.J.
They have children.

WILL
Sure. It'd be stupid to have a nanny if you didn't have kids. Especially
one that looks like that.

C.J.
Okay.

WILL
I'm just saying, if you're interested in the male perspective...

C.J.
Always. I find it raises the level of the discussion.

WILL
Can I give you one piece of advice before you ask me to leave my own office?

C.J.
What?

WILL
I don't know where you're going with this...

C.J.
I'm protecting the President.

WILL
Right. Whatever. This much I do know: there's only one thing worse than
telling the President of the United States his son-in-law is having an affair.

C.J.
What's that?

WILL
Telling the President of the United States his son-in-law is having an affair
and then finding out you were wrong.

She turns and leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - DAY

We see a group of people getting onto an elevator. On the wall is large
lettering indicating that this building is that of the Washington Leader. Among
the group of people we see Danny, whose phone is ringing.

DANNY
This is Danny.

C.J. [VO]
I know you're working on the story and we'll get to that later.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J. is at her desk. She is on the phone with Danny.

C.J.
But right now, I'm concerned with the President and I don't want to have to
walk your dumb-ass gauntlet of journalistic ethics, so I'll make this easy
for you: I'm going to say a sentence and if it's true, you just don't say
anything. Clear?

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
I don't say anything?

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
If you don't say anything, it means that what I said was true.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
Uh, okay.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
Got it?

DANNY [VO]
Isn't that kind of risky?

C.J.
What do you mean?

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

Danny has gotten onto an elevator.

DANNY
Well, what if you say something that's not true and my cell phone cuts out?

C.J. [VO]
That's not going to happen.

DANNY
I just got on an elevator.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
Well, get off now, mister!

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

Danny rushes to get off before the door closes.

DANNY
Whoa, whoa. Sorry.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Margaret comes, having heard C.J. scream.

MARGARET
Are you okay?

C.J.
I'm fine. I'm fine.

As C.J. ushers Margaret out, she pulls the phone toward the edge of the
desk. As the phone slides across, it pushes Gail's bowl off the edge of the
desk. C.J. rushes back to the desk and grabs the bowl before Gail or any
large amount of water gets out. Margaret rushes back in.

DANNY [VO]
Uh, C.J.

MARGARET
What the...?

C.J.
I'm holding the fish now.

DANNY [VO]
C.J.

MARGARET
You want your privacy, don't you?

C.J.
I really do.

Margaret turns to leave.

MARGARET
Steve Lawson from Refugees' Rights Alliance is out here.

C.J.
Give me a minute.

MARGARET
I'll do that.

Margaret leaves. C.J. puts Gail's bowl back safely on her desk.

DANNY [VO]
C.J., you okay?

She picks up the phone.

C.J.
You there?

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
Yeah. You okay?

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
I almost killed my fish.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
On purpose?

C.J. [VO]
Why would I do that?

DANNY
Well, you've been under a lot of pressure.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
Okay, listen up.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
I'll tell you anything you want to know if you have dinner with me tomorrow
night.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
What?

DANNY [VO]
I just want to see if we can get through an appetizer together.

C.J.
Okay.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
Same place?

C.J. [VO]
Sure.

DANNY
Great. Shoot.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
If I went to the President with the information you brought to my attention,
would I be making a mistake?

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS

DANNY
Nope, see you tomorrow night.

He hangs up before she has a chance to respond.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J. hangs up.

CUT TO: INT. - MARGARET'S OFFICE - DAY

Margaret is waiting at C.J.'s door. Steve Lawson is also waiting. C.J. comes
to the door and opens it.

C.J.
Steve. Come in.

He comes into her office and she shuts the door.

C.J.
It's good to see you.

STEVE LAWSON
Thank you.

C.J.
I'm glad we could make this happen.

LAWSON
Me too.

C.J.
Have a seat.

They sit.

LAWSON
You're aware of the situation in the Sudan?

C.J.
Yeah.

LAWSON
The attacks on the displacement camps, Janjaweed warriors backed by government
helicopters.

C.J.
Right.

LAWSON
Has there been any official response from this administration?

C.J.
We condemned it.

LAWSON
Well, what do you want to hear, C.J.? You want to hear the numbers first,
or the horror stories?

C.J.
Neither.

LAWSON
Well, I'll just run down the talking points real quick then: 3 million
displaced, 400,000 dead, children forced to watch their mothers raped and
their fathers killed, current death toll per month: 6,000. If the humanitarian
organizations are forced to pull out, 100,000 per month.

C.J.
Steve.

LAWSON
I have some photographs.

C.J.
I don't need to see photographs.

LAWSON
When the babies die, the mothers don't know how to put them down so they
carry them around - on this planet, on your watch.

C.J.
Yeah.

LAWSON
You remember the picture of the Vietnamese monk who lit himself on fire to
protest the war? I used to think that guy was nuts. Now, it seems like the
only logical response.

C.J.
It won't help.

LAWSON
We need strong preemptive action led by the Bartlet Administration.

C.J.
Overwhelming American military might? Followed by a decade of nation building
in a part of the world where many consider us infidels so that we might
bring forth a new and benevolent democracy?

LAWSON
Of course not. Come on, C.J. When did it become naive to try to put an end
to genocide?

C.J.
We are monitoring the situation carefully. Steve you don't need to...

LAWSON
I need my government...

C.J.
The President is fully aware...

LAWSON
...to assert what's left of its moral authority.

C.J.
Okay.

She stands and goes to the door. Lawson also stands.

LAWSON
I want five minutes with the President.

C.J.
This was your five minutes with the President. I'm sorry, Steve. I have
a meeting.

He leaves. C.J. walks into Margaret's office.

MARGARET
You've got the German Ambassador in the Mural when you come back.

C.J.
Doug Westin's in town. I need to see him tonight.

MARGARET
I'll track him down.

C.J.
Alone.

MARGARET
Alone?

C.J.
Alone.

She walks out.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

C.J. is walking through the Roosevelt Room. Josh catches up to her and starts
talking with her.

JOSH
I smell bacon.

C.J.
Hello, Josh.

JOSH
A heapin' helpin' of sizzling federal pork butt.

C.J.
I can't talk right now.

JOSH
Just perfect for a Texas barbeque.

C.J.
I have a meeting.

JOSH
I just finished up with Cabinet Affairs. I thought you might have some news.

C.J.
I don't.

JOSH
Cause it would be really helpful to make the announcement in Texas next week.

C.J.
We can't announce something we haven't decided yet.

JOSH
See, this is weird, because when the EPA did the environmental impact study
in Kentucky, they concluded it had to go to Texas.

C.J.
Oh, really now?

JOSH
Yeah. I have the data, plus the University of Texas has everything they need
in terms of research coordination. You know all this. You're playing with
me, right?

C.J.
I'm not. We haven't made a decision.

JOSH
You have bad information.

C.J.
I feel pretty confident about my information since I actually work here and
you actually don't. And now, I have a meeting.

JOSH
The President needs to fly down to Texas, stand next to the Congressman,
and make the announcement next week.

C.J.
It's not going to happen.

JOSH
It's going to come out before the election anyway, C.J. You can't keep this
kind of information quiet.The only question is: do you want the President
to be a part of the story or not. Think about it. I'm around.

She shuts the door in his face.

CUT TO: INT. - MURAL ROOM - DAY

C.J. is meeting with the German Ambassador.

C.J.
Please, have a seat.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
What can I do for you, C.J.?

C.J.
We've been monitoring these developments in the Sudan.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR


Disturbing. Tragic.

C.J.
As long as oil revenues continue to flow into Khartoum, the humanitarian
situation will continue to deteriorate.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Germany has completed a large deal and one of our companies is building a...

C.J.
A diesel-electric plant, yes, we are aware.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Good. I want to be honest with you. Good.

C.J.
We are looking for a U.N. resolution.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
From whom?

C.J.
From you.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
The Chinese will veto.

C.J.
They might.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
100% they will. 100%.

C.J.
This is something that the President needs.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Yes. You already made the same request of the French. We talk often. We
have a union now. If you want this resolution so bad, why don't you make
it yourselves?

C.J.
Because we're doing everything we can to avoid World War III in Kazakhstan. And
at the same time we would like to do everything that we can to prevent an
unnecessary and massive loss of human life.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
The focus on humanitarian needs. If we start mixing human rights with oil
exports, we'll all be riding bicycles.

C.J.
The Parliament of the European Union declared what was happening in Darfur
to be tantamount to genocide.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Tantamount, yes. Overwhelmingly.

C.J.
In exchange for your introduction of the resolution, we will drop our
opposition to your resumption of arms sales to China. And, of course, we
can assure you a sympathetic hearing at the next round of trade negotiations.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
There may be another construction project in conjunction with the
diesel-electric plant in Khartoum.

C.J.
It will be grandfathered into the sanctions.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Well, then how can I refuse you? You're very persuasive.

They stand.

C.J.
Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. The President will be thrilled.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
How will you avoid a veto from China?

C.J.
You just said it yourself, Hans.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR
Yeah?

C.J.
I can be very persuasive.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO.
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - DAY

Margaret is standing at C.J.'s desk with some papers in her hands. Santos
is on TV.

SANTOS [on TV]
You see, we are now at the point where the research disciplines can no
longer afford to function separately. Our understanding of our natural world
is beginning to inform our technological future and our understanding of
technology stands on the verge of revolutionizing our ability to detect and
treat countless number of illnesses.

Margaret walks into her office. Santos is on the TV in her office as well.

SANTOS [on TV]
That's why federal investments like the proposed molecular transport lab
are so important.

C.J. walks in.

SANTOS [on TV]
There's about to be another biotech explosion my friends, and let me tell you
this: I've looked closely at this project and I believe that in the next couple
of days, we're going to be hearing some good news for the great city of Austin!

C.J.
Son of a bitch! Dial Josh, now. Son of a bitch.

She walks into her office.

C.J.
You got him?

MARGARET [OS]
On two.

She picks up the phone and talks to Josh.

C.J.
Hello.

JOSH [VO]
Hey, what's up?

C.J.
I hate it when I make myself clear...

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

Josh is walking and talking to C.J.

JOSH
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait.

C.J. [VO] [cont.]
...and I'm not received.

JOSH
It's a done deal, C.J.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
This is not your call.

JOSH [VO]
He didn't announce it.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

JOSH [cont.]
He said that Austin was the most viable site. He didn't make any...

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
Don't make distinctions with me, Josh. I've known you too long.

JOSH [VO]
You're right.

C.J.
Way too long.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

JOSH
I understand that Calvin Bowles' Senate seat is a priority.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J.
Calvin Bowles...

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

JOSH
Yeah, you know: the pious old pork hog who votes like a schizophrenic.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Margaret walks in and shuts the door.

C.J.
You done?

JOSH [VO]
Yeah, go ahead.

C.J.
Calvin Bowles is a breathing Democrat.

JOSH [VO]
That's debatable.

C.J.
And we cannot afford to lose any more of those.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

JOSH
Since when does holding on to the White House fit into your plans?

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

MARGARET
I'm sorry. Doug Westin's here.

C.J.
Tell him I'll be right there.

Margaret leaves and shuts the door behind her. C.J. talks again to Josh.

C.J.
Listen up, Josh. I work for Jed Bartlet.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

C.J. [cont.][VO]
I wouldn't be doing my job if I wasn't trying to preserve his legacy under
all eventualities.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

C.J. [cont.]
The transporter announcement's off the table until after the election. Is
that clear? Now if you'll excuse me...

JOSH [VO]
C.J., C.J., listen to me.

CUT TO: INT. - SANTOS HQ - CONTINUOUS

JOSH [cont.]
You want to cover all eventualities? Have the President join us in Texas
for the announcement, then he and Santos will fly to Kentucky to stump for
Senator Bowles together. All your problems are solved.

C.J. [VO]
I have to go now.

She hangs up. Josh hangs up, looking frustrated.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - DAY

C.J., looking not a little peeved, goes to the door and shows Doug in.

C.J.
Come in, Doug.

DOUG
C.J., how you doing?

C.J.
I'm just great.

DOUG
Great. You know what the first thing I'm going to do when they declare me
the winner?

She shuts the door.

C.J.
What are you going to do, Doug?

DOUG
Ask for a recount.

He laughs.

DOUG
That's not my line, but I love it. It's great, isn't it?

C.J.
Yeah. Great.

DOUG
I am so jazzed about this event with the President next week. We are gonna
win this thing. I've never felt so strongly about anything in my life. But
until that last vote is counted, I'm going to operate under the assumption
that I'm going to lose; nothing for granted. But, I mean, look who I'm
talking to. You know exactly what I'm going through.

They sit. There is an awkward pause, in which I assume C.J. is trying to
figure out how to phrase the question she is about to make.

DOUG
Do not say it. Do not tell me the President needs to go to Zurich or something
next week to work on this Kazakhstan thing. Just don't tell me that.

C.J.
No, he doesn't.

DOUG
Good.

C.J.
I don't care what you do privately.

DOUG
OK.

C.J.
I really don't.

DOUG
I'm a little...

C.J.
But when you do something that affects my boss's ability to do his job,
that could embarrass him on a political trip to New Hampshire, and will
take attention away from urgent national and, at the moment, international,
issues, I begin to care very deeply. Right now, I'm trying to get the Chinese
Ambassador here to put an end to some unimaginable human suffering. So if
you have a problem with your zipper, get it out of my face, right now. Do
you understand me?

DOUG
I think I do.

C.J.
I think you do too.

DOUG
Yeah.

Margaret knocks and comes in.

MARGARET
Chinese Ambassador in the Mural Room.

C.J.
Thanks.

Margaret leaves.

C.J.
Here's what's going to happen now: you're going to walk up the hall to the
Office of Political Affairs. You will tell the people in that room that, on
second thought, you don't want to be overshadowed by your father-in-law. You
want to win this thing yourself, on your own merits.

She stands.

C.J.
And thanks but no thanks, you are withdrawing your request to have the
President appear with you in Manchester next week. Do that for me, will ya?

He says nothing.

C.J.
That'd be great.

C.J. leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - MURAL ROOM - DAY

C.J. is meeting with the Chinese Ambassador.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
It is an irresponsible moment for the Germans to propose sanctions on the
Sudan. Two nuclear powers are mobilized. We have troops massed on both
borders of Kazakhstan. We're standing on the edge of the abyss.

C.J.
I agree. The timing is odd.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
It is not appreciated.

C.J.
Yeah.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
And stupid. These Europeans: they're always pretending to have a significance
they no longer possess.

C.J.
I have spoken to them and I would like to make a proposal.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
What is it?

C.J.
You are interested in purchasing arms from the French and the Germans.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
We are interested in all markets.

C.J.
There have been no sales since Tiananmen, correct?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Israel, other countries have done business with us.

C.J.
Six months ago, the French and the Germans told us they would like to sell
to you again.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
They should. It's a meaningless restriction. They're simply losing money.

C.J.
We objected strongly.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
I was there.

C.J.
There may be some latitude now.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
With the arms sales?

C.J.
Yes.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Well, it would be difficult to justify closing off such a significant source
of oil. We're thirsty. We are trying to grow an economy.

C.J.
We're going to make sure your oil supply is preserved in Kazakhstan. You
can show yourself to be responsible members of the world community with a
simple abstention on the German resolution. It will allow us to put American
election monitors on the ground to ensure a fair vote there.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
That's it?

C.J.
That's a lot.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
I will disappear into my massive bureaucracy and see what I can do.

C.J.
Funny.

They stand.

C.J.
Thank you, Ambassador.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
You know what I think about a lot, when I'm having these kinds of discussions?

C.J.
What, sir?

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Capitalism vanquished communism, obliterated it. And here we are having a
discussion where you are trying to restrict our markets.

C.J.
We're trying to address a humanitarian situation in the Sudan.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Exactly. But you have always taught us that liberty is the same thing as
capitalism, as if life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness cannot be
crushed by greed. Your American dream is financial, not ethical.

C.J.
[pause] This is a good deal for the Chinese. I hope you'll consider it
carefully.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
Of course.

C.J.
Thank you.

CHINESE AMBASSADOR
No, thank you. You have taught us well.

They both say bid farewell in Chinese. He leaves, leaving C.J. to
contemplate. She walks out and meets Margaret, who has come down the hall
to talk to her.

MARGARET
The President needs you in the Oval and I have a yogurt.

C.J.
What for?

MARGARET
To eat.

C.J.
He's in there?

MARGARET
Yeah.

She turns to go.

MARGARET
And... he's grumpy.

CUT TO: INT. - OVAL OFFICE - DAY

Bartlet is seated at his desk. C.J. knocks.

BARTLET
Come in.

C.J. comes in and shuts the door.

BARTLET
How you doing, kid?

C.J.
Very good, sir.

BARTLET
I'm glad to hear it. Teddy Barrow just called from State. What the hell's
going on with this Sudan thing?

C.J.
I'm working on a Security Council resolution.

BARTLET
Sanctioning oil revenues?

C.J.
Yes, sir; to be introduced by the Germans.

BARTLET
And then vetoed by the Chinese.

C.J.
Not necessarily.

BARTLET
Probably.

C.J.
Could be.

BARTLET
I am trying to diffuse a nuclear stand-off. Why on Earth would we want to
antagonize the Chinese right now?

C.J.
We're not; this is coming from the Germans.

BARTLET
You don't think the Chinese are going to figure it out? We owe these people
$150,000 for God's sake. They're not stupid.

C.J.
We're out of time. We've all been hypnotized by the complexity of this thing
in the Sudan; the EU, the UN, State. This isn't a solution but it's a start.

BARTLET
I can't have anything compromising our neutrality in Kazakhstan.

C.J.
This won't. As far as China knows, this is Europe holding their feet to the
fire, not us. We're the ones brokering the face-saving deal. China would
owe us. This could even help us in Kazakhstan.

BARTLET
Is this about the Sudan or the fact that we're all about to get kicked out
of this building?

C.J.
[pause] When the babies die, the mothers carry them around for days. They
can't put them down.

BARTLET
Yeah. Keep working the resolution.

C.J.
Thank you, Mr. President.

She turns to leave.

BARTLET
Why is Matt Santos stomping on what's left of my goodwill up on the Hill.

C.J.
The transport lab...

Bartlet gets up and begins to get his things together to leave.

BARTLET
I got an irate phone call from the senior Senator from Kentucky.

C.J.
Right.

BARTLET
At least I think he was irate. He didn't have his teeth in so I'm not sure
what the hell he was talking about.

C.J.
The Santos campaign got some polling telling them a huge, federal investment
in Austin could help them win Texas.

BARTLET
Yeah.

C.J.
Which is why I think we should send you to Austin to announce the transport
lab with Santos, then we send you both to Kentucky to help stump for Bowles.

BARTLET
When's that going to happen?

C.J.
Thursday. Doug Westin withdrew his request to have you campaign with him in
New Hampshire.

BARTLET
Why'd he do that?

C.J.
I think he wants to prove he's his own man.

BARTLET
By losing?

C.J.
If that's what it takes.

BARTLET
Liz is going to kill him. Doug just changed his mind?

She nods.

BARTLET
Was there anything else?

She thinks for a minute.

C.J.
No, sir. Thank you, Mr. President.

He leaves.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE.
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. - BASEMENT HALLWAY - WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

C.J. and Kate are walking and talking.

KATE
When do you get an answer from the Chinese?

C.J.
I should know something over the weekend.

KATE
It's worth a shot.

C.J.
Yeah.

They have turned to go their separate ways.

C.J.
Hey.
They walk over to the side of the hallway.

KATE
What's up?

C.J.
I need to tell you something.

KATE
Are you all right?

C.J.
Doug Westin...

KATE
Yes?

C.J.
Doug Westin had an affair with his nanny.

KATE
Get out.

C.J.
It might break, it might not.

KATE
Is she cute?

C.J.
Who cares if she's...

KATE
I've spent my life surrounded by men in uniform.

C.J.
I don't...

KATE
Biology kicks Virtue's ass, in my experience.

C.J.
She's 26.

KATE
Yeesh. So she doesn't have to be cute.

C.J.
I'm...

KATE
It's disgusting.

C.J.
Yeah.

KATE
He should die. The bastard should just be dead. [pause] Did Liz leave him?

C.J.
I don't think she knows.

KATE
We should sic Special Ops on him. Make him a tragedy she can cry over.

C.J.
I made him withdraw his request to have the President appear with him in
Manchester next week.

KATE
And you're telling me this because...?

C.J.
I don't know if I should...

KATE
Tell her? No. No, no, no. Now's the time everybody just looks at her funny
until she figures it out.

C.J.
I know. I just don't know if I owe the President...

Margaret walks up.

MARGARET
Sorry. Liz Westin's in your office. She needs to talk to you.

KATE
Good luck.

C.J.
Okay.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - DAY

C.J. walks through the room on her way to her office. She seems to dread
what she knows is coming.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Liz is already seated at C.J.'s desk. C.J. walks in and shuts the doors.

C.J.
Hi, Liz.

LIZ
C.J., hi. I'm sorry to barge in on you. Are you busy?

C.J.
Well, you know, thermonuclear war, genocide...

LIZ
I don't mean to bother you.

C.J.
It's fine. It's good to see you.

LIZ
Have you seen Doug?

C.J.
He was here yesterday, right?

LIZ
Yeah. He marched into Political Affairs and told them he didn't want my
father to come up and do the event with us next week.

C.J.
I heard that.

LIZ
I can't believe it. Do you have any idea how long it took me to convince
him to let my father help?

C.J.
I know from the start that it was important to him to be his own man -
to win or lose this thing on his own.

LIZ
His father-in-law is the President. It's a fact. He can't run away from that.

C.J.
It's got to be hard to try and live up to the President.

LIZ
You can't.

C.J.
No.

LIZ
But he is the father of my children and I want them to be able to look up
to him...

C.J.
Sure.

LIZ
No matter what he's done.

Liz looks as though she knows what's going on with Doug.

LIZ
Do you understand what I'm saying, C.J.?

C.J.
I think I do.

LIZ
I think you do too. Talk to him. Tell him it's political suicide to run away
from Dad.

C.J.
I know you're trying to do what's best for Doug.

LIZ
Marriage is complicated, C.J. This isn't ideal, but it's the best thing for
my children.

C.J.
I understand.

LIZ
Good.

C.J.
But my job is to protect your father.

LIZ
My father would want to protect my children too.

C.J.
I'm sorry, Liz. We've given the date away.

LIZ
Already? You can't have.

C.J.
It's gone.

LIZ
So, on his own merits, we let the voters decide?

C.J.
I think it's best.

LIZ
Yeah.

She leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - ROOSEVELT ROOM - NIGHT

Josh and Will are seated at the table and they are going over some campaign
stuff.

JOSH
I need some schedule C's who might be willing to take some paid leave and
hit the road with the candidate.

WILL
I'll put together a list.

JOSH
The least humiliating public speakers possible.

C.J. walks in.

WILL
Right.

JOSH
Hey.

C.J.
I've cleared the President to fly to Austin on Thursday to announce that it
will be the home of the nation's first molecular transport lab.

Josh looks very smug as he is getting everything he wanted in the first place.

C.J. [cont.]
He will then fly to Kentucky to campaign for Senator Bowles. Would Congressman
Santos like to join him?

JOSH
I'll have to get back to you on that one.

C.J.
Go to hell.

She leaves.

CUT TO: INT. - C.J.'S OFFICE - NIGHT

C.J. is at her desk watching Steve Lawson on TV.

LAWSON [on TV]
I'm embarrassed. I'm embarrassed that my country is content to stand by and
let other countries take the lead when it comes to the key moral question
of our time - half a million dead. At what number do we say "Enough"? We've
called it what it is. It is genocide.

Kate walks in.

LAWSON [on TV]
But this is an unprecedented moment in American history where we've
acknowledged that systematic...

C.J. shuts the TV off.

KATE
U.N. delegation just notified State: there's a Security Council negotiation
on language for a Sudan resolution.

C.J.
Where are the Chinese?

KATE
They're in the room.

C.J.
Threatening to veto?

KATE
Not out of hand, no.

C.J.
They're talking?

KATE
They are.

C.J.
Huh.

KATE
It's a start.

C.J.
Yeah.

KATE
You want to get some food?

C.J.
I can't. I have a date.

KATE
You do not.

C.J.
What? I have a date.

KATE
With whom?

C.J.
With a guy I used to go out with.

KATE
Well, I'll walk out with you.

C.J.
You go ahead. I need to talk with the President. The Doug story is going to
break and it's going to be terrible for him and I want him to hear it from me.

Margaret walks in.

MARGARET
He's ready.

C.J.
Okay.

KATE
See you tomorrow.

C.J.
Yeah.

Kate leaves. C.J. gets up and walks to the door to the Oval. She stands for
a few minutes and then quietly knocks.

CUT TO: INT. - RESTAURANT - NIGHT

C.J. and Danny are having dinner again in the same restaurant.

C.J.
Men are like salmon - swimming upstream, hosing down the riverbed with their
indiscriminate seed...

DANNY
Indiscriminate seed?

C.J. [cont.]
...until they die...

DANNY
Did you just say indiscriminate seed?

C.J. [cont.]
...bloated and spent, belly up in the sun.

DANNY
Quit sweet talking me, baby.

C.J.
Unless they get taken out by a bear paw in a waterfall as they deserve.

DANNY
So you're struggling with trust issues.

C.J.
I'm struggling with reality.

The waitress from the beginning of the episode comes up to the table.

WAITRESS
What's your dessert policy?

C.J.
What?

WAITRESS
You want me to spare you the monologue?

C.J.
Oh, I really do.

WAITRESS
I figured. I'll get you some more water. Oh, gee, I'm sorry. I'll shut up
and leave now.

She walks away.

C.J.
She hates my guts.

DANNY
Yeah, she does - a little bit.

C.J.
I'm sorry about the other night.

DANNY
Why?

C.J.
Because, I was behaving like the type-A, career woman, freak automaton that
I so very much do not what to become.

DANNY
Please.

C.J.
I wanted to see you... and I haven't felt that in a long time and I just
got all awkward and antagonistic.

DANNY
That's okay, as long as you didn't kill our fish.

C.J.
But don't get me wrong: I don't want to see you again until after the
inauguration.

DANNY
You won't have to.

C.J.
I want to do my job. I want to suck every morsel of meat off this experience
before it's over.

DANNY
Just get something done, will ya?

C.J.
Well, that will come down to what it always comes down to.

DANNY
What's that?

C.J.
How dirty do my feet have to get without disappearing into the mud in order
to get an inch of what I really want done?

DANNY
It doesn't sound very heroic.

C.J.
It's not.

DANNY
So what's the deal? You still creeped out by reporters or what?

C.J.
Why? You got another unholy bomb to drop on me? Is that what these dates
are about?

DANNY
No. That was an attempt at a real date the other night.

C.J.
And this?

DANNY
Another attempt. Hey, if I'd have wanted to publish that story, I wouldn't
have given you the heads-up. I can't write that kind of crap anymore. I
don't... I don't even know if I want to be a reporter anymore.

C.J.
Really?

DANNY
Doug Westin's libido broke the camel's back.

C.J.
What do you want to do?

DANNY
I don't know. Can I ask you something?

C.J.
Yeah.

DANNY
Why'd you come here tonight?

C.J.
Because you made me promise to.

DANNY
Why'd you come?

C.J.
I wanted to see you.

He moves their plates to the side and somebody picks them up.

DANNY
Thank you.

C.J.
You going to do a magic trick?

DANNY
Uh, I'm flying a little blind here. I'm halfway through my life and I'm
never quite sure if I'm doing anything right until I'm completely done doing
it wrong.

C.J.
Work with it.

DANNY
So this may come out wrong.

C.J.
I forgive you.

DANNY
Incrementalism is not an option. I'm forced into a heroic posture.

C.J.
Heroic can be good.

DANNY
It feels funny.

C.J.
You can do it.

DANNY
Uh, we're both about to fall of a cliff and I don't know what I'm going to
do with the rest of my life except I know what I don't want to do. And on
Inauguration Day you're going to be released from that glorious prison on
Pennsylvania Avenue with...

C.J.
No human skills?

DANNY
Seems to me...

C.J.
I should punch you in the face, but yes.

DANNY
That's what I'm talking about.

C.J.
Keep going.

DANNY
So, if I'm going to jump off the cliff and you're going to get pushed off
the cliff, why don't we hold hands on the way down?

Right in the middle of this very sentimental atmosphere, C.J.'s pager goes
off. She scrambles to get it.

C.J.
Oh, shoot.

DANNY
Turn it off.

C.J.
I can't.

DANNY
Just for a couple of seconds.

She gets it out and looks at it. She is very worried at what she sees.

C.J.
Oh, my God.

DANNY
You okay?

C.J.
Oh, my God. I have to go.

DANNY
Okay.

C.J.
I have to go.

DANNY
Go, go.

She runs out.

DANNY
I'll se you later. [quietly] I'll see you later.

CUT TO: INT. - LOBBY - WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

C.J. walks into the White House. She walks around the corner, up the hallway,
and into the outer Oval Office where Kate and several other people are waiting.

C.J.
What's happening? Did China invade?

KATE
Kazakhstan is stable.

C.J.
What is it?

KATE
Some kind of nuclear accident.

C.J.
Oh, Lord. A weapon?

KATE
A power plant.

C.J.
Is it Russia?

KATE
San Andreo, California. They think it might blow up.

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

The West Wing episode 7.11 "Internal Displacement", original air date 15
January 2006.