THE WEST WING
'MANDATORY MINIMUMS'
WRITTEN BY: AARON SORKIN
DIRECTED BY: ROBERT BERLINGER

TEASER

FADE IN: INT. SHERATON CENTER HOTEL, WASHINGTON D.C. - NIGHT
The camera pans up to Bartlet on a monitor. He is speaking in front of many
people.

BARTLET
I get nervous around laws that fundamentally assume that Americans can't be
trusted.
We'd better have mandatory sentencing, because judges can't be trusted to
disperse
even-handed justice.

The crowd applauds.

CUT TO: INT. SECLUDED AREA - CONTINUOUS
Toby and Sam are in a secluded area watching the speech on monitors. The
camera pans
over Toby's shoulder to look down on a crowd. Bartlet is standing at the
podium.

BARTLET
We better have term limits, 'cause voters can't be trusted to recognize
corruption.

There's another round of applause from the crowd.

BARTLET
Oh, and by the way... I say, by the way. When the playing field is leveled
and the
process is fair and open, it turns out we have term limits. They're called
elections.

More applause. The camera pans through the crowd.

CUT TO: INT. HOTEL PRESS AREA - CONTINUOUS
C.J. is circulating the room full of reporters.

CHRIS
The President ate his Wheaties this morning.

C.J.
As a matter of fact, the President had a bowl of oatmeal this morning. He
said it was
something he's always wanted to try. [walks around the room and brushes by
Danny]
Folks, listen up. In a moment or two, the President is going to say something
that's
sure to get you all shouting my name at once. There'll be a full briefing
tonight at
the White House.

C.J. circulates around the room. Danny approaches C.J.

DANNY
C.J., look....

C.J.
Yeah. You're not going to want to miss this.

The crowd applauds again.

REPORTER
C.J., what is this? What's going on in there?

C.J.
The President's going to throw his cap over the wall.

REPORTER
What does that mean?

C.J.
You're about to find out.

CUT TO: THE PODIUM - CONTINUOUS

BARTLET
My father was very fond of the analogy of the Irish lads whose journey was
blocked by
a brick wall, seemingly too high to scale. Throwing their caps over the wall,
the lads
had no choice but to follow. How many times in the great history of our
country have
we come to a wall seemingly too high to scale only to throw our caps to the
other side?

FADE TO: INT. A DARK ROOM - NIGHT
The Senate Majority Leader is inside with his staff. Steve Onorato is watching
Bartlet
from a TV screen.

SENATOR
This was given to me by a constituent who read in Time Magazine that I like
Cognac.
The problem is, that this is Brandy and not Cognac. Anyone know the
difference?

ONORATO
Senator?

SECRETARY
The Cognac is supposed to come from the...

SENATOR
...The Cognac region of France. That's right.

ONORATO
Senator?

SENATOR
Steve, sit down with us over here, would you? The man's not going to say
anything we're
interested in.

ONORATO
I think he is.

SENATOR
What are you talking about?

ONORATO
Listen.

BARTLET
[on T.V.] Tomorrow... tomorrow morning, we're going to begin to change the
way elections
are supervised in this country.

ONORATO
He's going to name two finance reformers to the F.E.C.

SENATOR
What the hell are you talking about?

ONORATO
Listen.

SENATOR
You said it wasn't going to happen.

ONORATO
I was wrong.

SENATOR
You were wrong?

ONORATO
He's going to name... damn it! Somebody....

SECRETARY
John Bacon...

ONORATO
John Bacon and Patty Calhoun.

SENATOR
You told him, they take on campaign finance reform, I roll out a legislative
agenda
that'll make his boss sit down and cry.

ONORATO
I made it very clear.

BARTLET
[on T.V.] I am proud to nominate John Branford Bacon and Patricia Calhoun
to the
Federal Election Commission.

SENATOR
Get him on the phone.

SECRETARY
Who?

SENATOR
Josh Lyman. Get him on the phone. I'm going to reach down his throat and
take out his
lungs with an ice-cream scoop.

CUT TO: INT. SHERATON HOTEL/MONITOR AREA - NIGHT
Josh, Toby, and Sam are all decked out in tuxes.

SAM
You're about to get a call.

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
Big call.

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
Powerful guy.

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
I'm just saying you're probably rocked back from your meeting last week.

JOSH
A little.

SAM
They threatened you with a legislative agenda.

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
They made you feel powerless and you're a little off your game.

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
A little gun shy.

In the background, a phone rings. Toby had sidled up by Sam.

TOBY
Leave him alone.

SAM
I'm bucking him up.

TOBY
Leave him alone.

SAM
You asked me to buck him up.

TOBY
Now, I'm telling you to leave him alone.

JOSH
Guys, I'm trying to watch this speech.

DONNA
Josh.

JOSH
The call?

DONNA
On the cell. [hands him the cell phone]

TOBY
Josh, if you need us, we're standing right here.

Josh turns away to answer the call.

JOSH
[into phone] Hi, Senator. Why don't you take your legislative agenda and
shove it up
your ass.

He closes the phone as the crowd applauds again. He turns back to everyone.

JOSH
Turns out I was fine.

He tosses phone to Donna, who catches it as we--

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

ACT ONE

FADE IN: INT. THE WHITE HOUSE BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT
C.J. is fielding questions from a roomful of reporters. They are all clamoring
for C.J.

REPORTER
C.J.? Is the White House concerned that the FEC will become a partisan
political football?

C.J.
I'd like to emphasize again that the President has nominated one Democrat
and one
Republican, which he was, certainly, under no legal obligation to do.

There's more clamoring.

C.J.
Jesse.

JESSE
In the past, the F.E.C. Commissioners were chosen...

C.J.
In the past, the F.E.C. Commissioners has been chosen by the President,
signing off on
whomever the Congressional Leadership pointed to.

STEVE
Was the Congressional Leadership aware in advance that the President would
be slipping
this announcement in his speech tonight?

C.J.
I think it's possible we forgot to tell them.

REPORTER
C.J., is the President declaring war on Congress?

CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Josh is watching the press conference on TV.

JOSH
Say it's a police action.

C.J.
[on T.V.] The President isn't empowered to declare war. The President is
empowered.
In fact, he's obligated to nominate Federal Agency Directors. I call it more
of a
police action.

JOSH
[chuckles] How 'bout that?

DONNA
[enters] Toby wants you.

JOSH
On the phone?

They walk out of the office into JOSH'S BULLPEN AREA.

DONNA
In his office.

JOSH
Do you know why?

DONNA
Polling.

JOSH
He's bringing in Al Kiefer?

DONNA
Let him tell you.

JOSH
Why can't you tell me?

DONNA
'Cause you're going to his office right now. And I've got 37 different things
to...

JOSH
[huffily] Fine.

He leaves and she follows into the HALLWAY.

DONNA
Josh.

JOSH
Yeah.

DONNA
Yes, he's bringing in Al Keifer.

JOSH
It's a big polling week, Donna. I figured he was bringing in Kiefer.

DONNA
Okay.

JOSH
That's what you were afraid to tell me?

DONNA
I wasn't afraid.

JOSH
Okay.

DONNA
The thing is, and it's going to be interesting to see how you react to this,
but Kiefer
wants to bring in a California expert.

JOSH
That's a good idea, cause... wait... [pause, looks]

DONNA
Yeah.

JOSH
Joey Lucas.

DONNA
She's coming out with Kiefer tomorrow.

JOSH
Okay... okay....

DONNA
By the way, that's what I was afraid to tell you.

JOSH
You... you shouldn't have been. You know why?

DONNA
It's no big deal.

JOSH
It's no big deal. And I'll tell you what else.

DONNA
You're a pro.

JOSH
I... I am a pro. But that's not what I was going to say.

DONNA
What were you going to say?

JOSH
That's what I was going to say.

DONNA
Yeah.

JOSH
But, both those things are true. I'm a pro and what was the other one?

DONNA
It's no big deal.

JOSH
That's right.

They walk into the COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE.

BONNIE
Rambo!

There's a small applause.

JOSH
You talking to me?

BONNIE
Nice phone call.

JOSH
That's how we do things in New England, my friends. [raises is arms in
victory]

BONNIE
In Indiana, we're not allowed to talk like that.

GINGER
In New Jersey, we encourage it.

JOSH
Where's Toby?

BONNIE
They're in Sam's office.

Josh enters SAM'S OFFICE. Sam is typing at his desk. Toby is standing looking
over Sam's
shoulder. Josh shuts the door and sits on a chair.

JOSH
Hey.

TOBY
[to Josh] Hang on. [to Sam] That's good... good... Okay... Sam?

SAM
Yeah.

TOBY
You're going to come to a verb soon, right?

SAM
Okay. You know what this is called?

TOBY
Bad writing?

SAM
Imagery.

TOBY
Well, you say potato... Josh, it's a big polling week. I'm bringing in Al
Kiefer.

JOSH
You've turned 180 degrees on Kiefer. You know that?

TOBY
I haven't turned on Kiefer at all. I don't want him advising the President. I
want him
bringing us numbers.

JOSH
Advising people is what pollsters do.

TOBY
He'll do what I tell him to do. Also....

JOSH
English as the National Language.

SAM
That's the first thing they're going to fight back with, Josh.

TOBY
We need Hispanics. You know what state has a large population of Hispanics?

JOSH
Uh... I want to say Maine, but uh...

TOBY
California.

JOSH
California. Damn, and I was only off by a continent.

TOBY
Josh.

JOSH
It's fine. Bring her out here.

TOBY
She'll be here tomorrow.

JOSH
This isn't a thing.

TOBY
Okay.

JOSH
I met her twice, Toby.

SAM
Yeah, but, one of those times, she broke your heart. You know the way women
can do.
Where they take your heart and they throw it on the floor and then they
stomp on it
with their big high heals. She's a very beautiful and interesting woman. I
can see why
a lot of guys would go for her. [pause] You know, there's nothing at all
I'm saying now
of any value. So, I think the thing to do is... I think I should just keep
writing.

JOSH
Okay. [gets up] We had a good night.

TOBY
Yeah.

JOSH
[at the door] C.J.'s doing great in there.

He leaves. Toby is still looking over Sam's shoulder.

TOBY
Any time you want to use punctuation, that'd be fine.

CUT TO: INT. BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT
The press clamors for C.J.

C.J.
I'm going to take one more question. Katie.

KATIE
The Federal Elections Commission's role has never been that much more than
symbolic...

C.J.
I wouldn't say the F.E.C. was merely symbolic, but if you're suggesting
they're
toothless, I'll agree with you.

KATIE
Given that, does the White House think that two new commissioners will make
any
difference?

C.J.
No.

KATIE
Then why do it?

C.J.
Symbolism. There'll be plenty more tomorrow. Everybody have a good night.

The reporters clamor for C.J. but she heads off to Carol near the door.

C.J.
Carol.

She whispers. Carol walks to a reporter, JACK, who is sitting in front of
Danny.

CAROL
Jack, C.J.'s inviting you back to follow up on a couple of things.

JACK
Me?

CAROL
Yeah.

JACK
She doesn't want me. [turns to Danny] She wants Danny.

CAROL
No, she asked for you.

JACK
Danny -- The Senior White House Correspondent. If there's going to be an
exclusive with
the Press Secretary...

DANNY
Go. She wants you.

C.J. glances at Danny before she leaves the room.

CUT TO: EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. STREET - DAY
TUESDAY MORNING
Sam and Toby are crossing a street.

SAM
Mandatory Minimums are racist.

TOBY
I understand that.

SAM
They're a red herring.

TOBY
I understand that, too.

SAM
It's a way of looking like you're tough on crime, without assuming the burden
of being
tough on crime.

TOBY
Everything you've said I understand.

SAM
I'm saying...

TOBY
We do things one thing at a time.

SAM
But I'm saying we don't have time to do things one thing at a time.

TOBY
We're talking about treatment.

SAM
I'm talking about treatment and I'm talking about Mandatory Minimums and
I'm saying it's
a red herring and I'm saying it's racist.

TOBY
When you talk to the President, I want you talking about treatment. I want
you talking
about treatment vs. enforcement and I don't want you to stray from that!

SAM
Toby, is this what you meant when you said, "Sam, you're completely in charge
of this"?

TOBY
Yes, I meant, you're in charge of this, in the sense that you're subordinate
to me in
every way. [stops walking and looks around] Where is this place?

SAM
What place?

TOBY
The breakfast place.

SAM
It's still on the last street.

TOBY
Why didn't you say anything?

SAM
We were having a nice conversation.

Toby looks a bit annoyed and heads back in the other direction.

CUT TO: INT. AN OUTDOOR PATIO - DAY
Leo is seated at a table and Margaret is standing beside him.

WAITRESS
Mr. McGarry, would you like some tomato juice while waiting for the others?

LEO
Thanks, Celia.

MARGARET is still standing fussing with some #2 pencils She sits down and
fusses a bit
with her place settings.

LEO
All set there?

MARGARET
Yeah.

Josh and Donna enter the patio area.

JOSH
Leo. We couldn't meet closer to the office?

LEO
I don't want people coming by the table.

JOSH
We couldn't meet in the office?

LEO
I was hungry.

JOSH
We couldn't have food ordered?

LEO
Oh, sit down, would you?

DONNA
You should notice that Josh has on a nice suit.

MARGARET
That is a nice suit.

JOSH
Donna.

DONNA
We'll call it his Joy Lucas suit....

JOSH
Donna.

DONNA
...you know from now on.

MARGARET
Joey Lucas is coming?

JOSH
We need a California expert and this is my regular Tuesday suit.

MARGARET
You assign your clothes days of the week?

JOSH
I'm saying there's no particular M.O. behind...

Toby and Sam enter.

SAM
Found it.

LEO
About time. Sit down.

SAM
Ah, Leo....

LEO
Hang on. [to Toby] Talk to me about drugs.

TOBY
We can make a case for treatment vs. enforcement and we're ready to go to
the President.

A cell phone rings.

SAM
We're also ready to go to the President with Mandatory Minimums on crack
versus powder
cocaine.

LEO
One step at a time.

SAM
That's what Toby just said.

LEO
Toby's right.

SAM
Yes, but does anyone remember that I was put in charge.

LEO
It was an honorary kind of thing, Sam.

MARGARET
Leo. [hands Leo the cell phone]

LEO
[into phone] Yeah.

WAITRESS
[to the others] Are you ready to order?

LEO
[to Margaret] Write these names down: Dalton, Dawson, Foxworthy, Greer,
Morgenthau,
Stackhouse, and Sugarbaker. [into phone] Thank you.

TOBY
What was that?

LEO
You know what that was.

MARGARET
Leo, what do you want me to do with this thing?

LEO
Hold on to them until I say so.

TOBY
It's exactly the right thing to do.

LEO
From anybody but me.

JOSH
I'd like to clear up that I... I don't have suits for the days of the
week. This is
just a regular suit.

SAM
It's a nice suit.

DONNA
Sure, it's a nice suit. It's his Joey Lucas....

JOSH
Donna!

DONNA
I'm beginning to regret not getting the waffles.

LEO
[exasperated] I am beginning to regret having hired any of you. We have a 42%
job
approval and you're talking about waffles and something with Josh, I don't
understand.

DONNA
He's wearing a special suit for Joey Lucas.

LEO
You got dressed up for a guy named Joey?

JOSH
Joey... Joey Lucas is a woman... and I'm not getting dressed up for her.

DONNA
It's his regular Tuesday suit.

LEO
My point is... we have to make it through the week without making any
mistakes.

JOSH
We will.

LEO
I'm saying that this is...

JOSH
I'm saying calm down.

LEO
I'm perfectly calm.

SAM
You're not calm, Leo. You're acting like a nervous hooleelia.

Everyone looks at Sam.

TOBY
A what?

SAM
It may not be a word. It may just be something my mother used to say.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE
* * *

ACT TWO

FADE IN: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - DAY
Toby, C.J., Josh, Sam, Leo, Bartlet, and Al Kiefer are sitting in various
seats.

AL
It's a huge mistake.

BARTLET
Al...

AL
It is a huge mistake, Mr. President. And possibly a fatal one. It'll doom
the midterms
in November. It'll haunt you at the convention. And if you manage to get
renominated,
which is far from a lock, there's no way you'll win reelection.

SAM
Al's Mr. Good News Happy Guy.

Bartlet smirks.

Al
Sam. For the first time, more voters disapprove than approve of the President's
job
performance, 42% approval. This is not the time to come out for legalization.

SAM
We're not coming out for legalization.

Mandy enters. Both C.J. and Toby move towards her. C.J. ushers Mandy out of
the Oval
Office.

CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

MANDY
It's going to be a long day.

C.J.
Mandy.

MANDY
Kiefer's just getting warmed up.

C.J.
Listen...

C.J. gives Mandy a knowing look.

MANDY
You're kidding.

C.J.
No.

MANDY
He doesn't want me in there?

C.J.
Leo's not comfortable with it.

MANDY
Leo's not comfortable with it.

C.J.
No.

MANDY
I want to talk to the President.

C.J.
You can't.

MANDY
C.J.

C.J.
You can't.

MANDY
It was just a memo.

C.J.
It wasn't just a memo.

MANDY
The fact that you guys....

C.J.
Do you have any idea how pissed people are at you?

MANDY
C.J.

C.J.
They're pissed at me, that's how pissed they are at you. They want to know
how the hell
I didn't know about the memo.

MANDY
I can be trusted.

C.J.
We'll see. There's plenty for you to do. Leo would feel more comfortable if
you stayed
out of this...

MANDY
Okay. Okay! [walks away in a huff]

CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - DAY

AL
You're coming...

SAM
Drug control...

AL
Mr. President.

SAM
Listen to me...

AL
Sir.

TOBY
Listen to Sam.

SAM
Drug control appropriations...

JOSH
...which total 17.6 billion...

SAM
...are divided into a ratio of 2/3 enforcement, 1/3 treatment. We want to
reverse that
ratio.

AL
Spend less money on drug enforcement?

SAM
So that we can spend more money on treatment.

AL
So, you're soft on crime.

SAM
Al...

AL
You don't care if kids shoot up on the playground at recess.

BARTLET
We don't care do we, Sam?

SAM
No, sir.

LEO
[enters] What'd I miss?

BARTLET
Kiefer's been here 45 minutes, he's already got me on the playground at
recess.

LEO
[to Al] Took you 45 minutes?

TOBY
Mr. President, Sam and I have been working with the Office of National Drug
Control
Policy, we have some numbers you should hear.

Charlie comes in and catches Josh's eye. Josh gets up and leaves.

BARTLET [OS]
Let's hear 'em.

SAM [OS]
5,642 Federal prisoners...

Josh and Charlie reach the OUTER OVAL OFFICE.

JOSH
What's up?

CHARLIE
Joey Lucas is here. She's waiting in your office.

JOSH
Okay.

CHARLIE
Okay.

As Josh closes the door, he looks at something on Mrs. Landingham's desk. He
notices
Charlie looking at him, smiling.

JOSH
What are you smiling at?

CHARLIE
Fine lookin' woman, Josh.

They start to walk out.

JOSH
Yes.

CHARLIE
I could help you out.

JOSH
Help me out with what?

CHARLIE
She's a fine looking woman.

JOSH
Stop saying that!

CHARLIE
I owe you a lot, Josh. You got me this job. I'd like to pay you back.

JOSH
By helping me out?

CHARLIE
By helping you out.

JOSH
What makes you think I need any help?

CHARLIE
She's a fine looking woman....

JOSH
Get away from me.

Charlie turns and heads back to the Oval Office.

CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Josh enters.

JOSH
Hey, Joey. Hey, Kenny. Good to see you. I got your desks set up out here. Why
don't you
come with me? [walks out]

JOEY
Hey!

JOSH
Yeah.

JOEY [KENNY]
My flight was fine, thank you.

They reach JOEY'S OFFICE.

JOSH
Joey, we're in a bit of a mode here and I think it's best if we just do
business. Plus,
this is the White House. I wouldn't expect candy and flowers on your arrival.

Margaret enters carrying some flowers.

MARGARET
Excuse me. Joey? These are from Leo McGarry. [presents her with flowers]
He says welcome and let him know if there's anything you need.

JOEY [KENNY]
Well, that's so sweet. Thank him for me.

MARGARET
I will. Did you have a good flight?

JOSH
[a bit sternly to Margaret] Go back to your office.

JOEY
They're carnations.

JOSH
This is your desk. You got a phone. You got a computer. You got access to
a staff.
I know how women like to personalize their desks with flowers, and plants,
and hand
lotion, but I prefer the place to be professional.

JOEY [KENNY]
Your staff likes to decorate their desks with hand lotion?

JOSH
Some of them might, and I'm saying we don't do that on my side of the
building.
[pause] I'm going to go back to this meeting and then I'll brief you on what
I need.

JOEY
Okay.

Josh leaves. Joey follows him out into the hall.

JOEY [KENNY]
I'm not sleeping with Al Kiefer anymore.

Josh abruptly stops in his tracks and turns to face Joey. The staffers all
stop and
gawk at Joey and Josh.

JOSH
Come here. [motions to Joey]

JOEY [KENNY]
Can I help you?

JOSH
Yes!

JOEY [KENNY]
How?

JOSH
By coming here!

He motions for her to approach him. She walks toward him.

JOSH
This is a place where solemn work is done. This is a place... this is a
place... let me
say this... this is not a place where one's personal things... where things
among people...
this is not a place... let's... This is a place where work is done and
nothing else.

JOEY
You bet.

JOSH
Okay. [turns to leave]

JOEY
Nice suit.

JOSH
[pauses to look at her] I'll... I'll be back.

C.J. suddenly catches up with Josh. They stop in the lobby.

C.J.
Josh, listen. I misspoke last night. I said the President nominated a Democrat
and a
Republican, even though he was under no legal obligation to do so. It turns
out he is.

JOSH
[sighs] C.J....

C.J.
I know.

JOSH
This from the White House counsel?

C.J.
Yeah.

JOSH
You sure?

C.J.
About what?

JOSH
You said he nominated a Democrat and a Republican.

C.J.
Even though he was under no legal obligation to do so. Yeah, I just looked
at the
transcript.

JOSH
All right. You'll fix it at the briefing?

C.J.
Yeah.

JOSH
Don't worry about it. [leaves C.J. standing in the lobby]

CUT TO: INT. PORTICO - DAY
Two Marine Guards salute each other. We follow one of them as he marches. The
camera
pans from outside into the Oval Office through the glass double doors.

CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

SAM
The American Medical Association says that addiction is a disease.

AL
You're not going to be able to sell that.

SAM
Al!

AL
You're not going to be able to sell it.

TOBY
The A.M.A. says it, why does it he have to sell it?

AL
Because...

TOBY
Drug addiction is a disease. It's a... it's... it's a... medical problem. It
can be
treated. This isn't ideological. It's science.

AL
It's science to you.

TOBY
[big sigh] Science is science to everybody, Al.

JOSH
[enters] What'd I miss?

BARTLET
Toby was just explaining to Al that science is science to everyone.

AL
And I believe that science is science to everybody. I just don't think you
can sell that.

JOSH
I'm sorry, Mr. President. While Al tries to come up with something easier
to sell than
science, would you mind if I spoke to Toby and Leo alone?

BARTLET
Go.

Before Josh leaves with Toby and Leo, he gives Al an odd look.

CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Josh, Toby and Leo enter.

JOSH
So...

LEO
Yeah.

JOSH
Hey, Joey Lucas says she's not with Kiefer anymore.

LEO
Well that's a load off our minds.

JOSH
Yeah... uh... C.J. misspoke last night during her briefing... uh, she'll
fix it when
she gets back in there.

TOBY
What did she say?

JOSH
She said the President nominated a Democrat and a Republican when he was
under no legal
obligation to do so.

LEO
He is under a legal obligation.

JOSH
She knows that now.

LEO
This is just the kind of dumb mistake we don't need right now.

JOSH
She knows that, too.

LEO
All right, what are you gonna do?

JOSH
How's it going in there?

LEO
Sam's just starting.

JOSH
You talked to him about the thing, yet? [pointing at Toby]

LEO
No.

TOBY
Me?

LEO
Yeah, listen....

JOSH
We want you to go to a meeting.

TOBY
With who?

JOSH
A prominent House Democrat who has a voice on Campaign Finance Reform and
if it was
someone on the Ethics Committee that'd be even better, cause then she could
answer some
of Leo's questions.

TOBY
[pause, smiles a bit] I used to be married to someone who fits that
description.

LEO
I set up lunch for the two of you.

TOBY
You set me up on a date with my ex-wife?

LEO
Yeah. Let her know the President's not going to ask the democrats to
unilaterally drop
soft money.

JOSH
Make that clear.

LEO
And also take her temperature on the ethics thing.

TOBY
Okay.

He looks back and forth at Leo and Josh before heading back to the Oval
Office.

JOSH
See ya later. [starts to leave but turns around] Leo, you had to send flowers?

LEO
It's a nice thing to do.

JOSH
Yeah, but I had this whole patter thing going... and then... the hell with
it. [exits]

LEO
Margaret!

MARGARET
[comes in] Yes.

LEO
The list of names I gave you before?

MARGARET
Dalton, Dawson, Foxworthy, Greer, Morgenthau, Stackhouse, Sugarbaker.

LEO
You didn't have to memorize them.

MARGARET
I couldn't help it.

LEO
Okay.

MARGARET
My mind works that way.

LEO
Yes, call their offices. I want to see one representative apiece at two
o'clock. I want
them as a group.

MARGARET
In the office?

LEO
In the press briefing room. [walks toward the door]

MARGARET
Leo.

LEO
Yeah.

MARGARET
What do those seven people have in common?

LEO
Don't worry about it.

He enters the Oval Office and closes the door.

FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO
* * *

ACT THREE

FADE IN: INT. JOEY'S OFFICE - DAY
Josh enters. Kenny tries to get Joey's attention of Josh's arrival.

JOSH
Hello.

JOEY
Hello.

JOSH
I see you're all settled in.

JOEY
Ah, yes, yes.

JOSH
Area looks good. Not too many personal items. Got your little clock, that's
fine.

JOEY
Thank you.

JOSH
Here's the story. The President announced last night, he's naming two Campaign
Finance
Reform minded nominees to the F.E.C. This will anger the Republican Leadership
to the
extent they'll retaliate. Retaliate, how? They'll introduce a series of
bills design to
put the President on the wrong side of public debates. The first will be a
law making
English the National language.

JOEY [KENNY]
I already know this, Josh. I've been working on it since Toby called me.

JOSH
Joey...

Joey's alarm clock rings.

JOEY
Lunchtime.

Kenny and Joey take off. Josh leans back in his seat.

CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - DAY

SAM
Over 30% of the entire Federal prison population are non-violent first time
offenders
in jail for drug related crimes.

AL
Sam...

SAM
At a cost, for those prisoners alone...

AL
Sam!

SAM
...of 2 million dollars a day.

TOBY
Mr. President, we can sell the public on the idea that 2 million bucks a
day can be put
to better use.

AL
Not if it's for treatment.

SAM
Yes, if it's for treatment. Yes, we can demonstrate that treatment is what
prevents
substance abuse.

AL
And yes, if you can get people to sit still long enough to hear that
argument. But, it
takes a lot less time to hear "Just Say No" And anyone on the other side is
soft on crime.

SAM
The A.M.A....

AL
Can't sell it!

BARTLET
Can't sell science?

AL
Mr. President.

BARTLET
I'm hungry and so far nobody has convinced me of anything.

LEO
Let's go eat lunch and meet back here in an hour.

SAM
Yes, sir.

TOBY and LEO
Thank you, sir.

Bartlet, Sam, Leo and Toby disperse in all directions, leaving Al alone in
the Oval
Office.

CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Sam leaves the Oval Office and meets up with Cathy.

CATHY
Hey, Sam. How's it going?

SAM
Uh, we're in the early stages.

CATHY
Do you know what you want for lunch?

SAM
That's an interesting question.

CATHY
Sam.

SAM
I could have turkey.

CATHY
Sam.

SAM
I could have some fish.

CATHY
Would you like to look at the menu?

SAM
A nice piece of fish never hurt anyone, Cathy.

Sam enters his office to find Steve Onorato waiting for him.

ONORATO
Hey, Sam.

SAM
Steve.

ONORATO
There was an O.M.B. meeting downstairs. I wanted to see you. They said you
were with
the President that I should wait here.

SAM
Yes. This is about the F.E.C. nominees?

ONORATO
Ah, look...

SAM
You don't want to see me, you want to see Josh.

ONORATO
I was hoping you and I could talk.

SAM
On the F.E.C., Josh is the guy.

ONORATO
Josh isn't quite himself lately.

SAM
Steve.

ONORATO
"Take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass"?

SAM
That sounds exactly like Josh to me.

ONORATO
My boss is ready to set the building on fire.

SAM
Then your boss will be arrested, as I'm quite sure that's against the law.

ONORATO
Look, don't mess with me Sam, I'm serious.

SAM
And I'm tired, and this isn't my thing. Go see Josh.

ONORATO
You gonna eat?

SAM
What?

ONORATO
Lunch. Are you gonna eat?

SAM
Yeah, but at my desk, I was just gonna get...

ONORATO
What are you having?

SAM
Turkey.

ONORATO
Get two.

He takes off his jacket and sits down. Sam looks a little off-balanced at
being ambushed
by Onorato.

CUT TO: INT. A PARK NEAR THE TIDAL BASIN - DAY
Congresswoman ANDREA WYATT is sitting on a picnic blanket. Toby is standing
nearby.

ANDREA WYATT
It's a beautiful day.

TOBY
Yes.

ANDY
This is nice. It's like a picnic.

TOBY
There are restaurants, you know, indoors, with waiters and tables.

ANDY
You should come sit next to me. [pats the blanket]

TOBY
I'm wearing a suit.

ANDY
So am I.

TOBY
I'm a responsible adult.

ANDY
I'm a member of the United States Congress.

TOBY
I rest my case.

ANDY
You know what I got?

TOBY
What?

ANDY
I got pie. [pulls out a Tupperware container from her bag]

TOBY
Andy.

ANDY
Toby, I've got really good pie. It's homemade. [takes a piece of the pie
and eats it]

TOBY
You baked a pie?

ANDY
No, I didn't mean I made it in my home.

TOBY
Let's go.

ANDY
[puts the Tupperware in her bag] This pie was baked for me by one of my
constituents.

TOBY
And you trust it?

ANDY
Well, that's why I was hoping you'd eat it first.

TOBY
Andy.

She gets up and picks up her blanket. Toby and Andy start to walk by the
Tidal Basin.

ANDY
Want to talk about the F.E.C.?

TOBY
The President's not gonna ask anyone to give up soft money unilaterally.

ANDY
You're still going to hear from Stadler and Ross.

TOBY
Yeah.

ANDY
Probably from McCovey, Lester, Brock...probably Klesko, Trask...

TOBY
Ritchie.

ANDY
Yeah.

TOBY
But we have your people in line?

ANDY
Yeah.

TOBY
What about drugs?

ANDY
That's a different story.

TOBY
Andy...

ANDY
Mandatory Minimums are racist.

TOBY
One step at a time.

ANDY
It's part of the same step.

TOBY
Treatment.

ANDY
I'm saying Mandatory Minimums...

They each try to talk over one another.

TOBY
I know what you're saying. I don't want to talk about Mandatory Minimums.

ANDY
The Sentencing Commissioners...

TOBY
Andy, I don't want to...

ANDY
...proposals regarding cocaine recommend that relative federal mandatory
minimums
sentencing crack users...

TOBY
This is what happens. This is what you do. I say I don't want to talk about
Mandatory
Minimums and we talk about Mandatory Minimums anyway. You hijack my ability
to make that
decision for myself, Andrea. And making decisions for myself is my birthright!

ANDY
Good to get that off you chest there, Pokey?

TOBY
Yes.

ANDY
Okay.

TOBY
You don't have a problem with what Leo's gonna do?

ANDY
No, but I want to be there.

TOBY
Why?

ANDY
Just for fun.

TOBY
It's not fun, Andy.

ANDY
Okay.

TOBY
It's not fun...

ANDY
Okay.

TOBY
Not everything is fun....

ANDY
Okay!

TOBY
If you want to be there, you can be there, but this is a serious thing.

ANDY
Can I bring my pie?

TOBY
Andy.

ANDY
I'm just saying it's a serious thing. There might not be any food there.

TOBY
Can you walk faster, please? I really don't like to be outdoors this long.

Andy speeds up her pace a bit to keep up with Toby.

CUT TO: INT. SAM'S OFFICE - DAY
Sam is arguing with Onorato while eating lunch.

ONORATO
The fact is we'll probably have to confirm your nominees.

SAM
[mouthful] Yeah.

ONORATO
They're too qualified.

SAM
They're too qualified?

ONORATO
Too qualified not to confirm.

SAM
That's a problem.

ONORATO
I'm saying, there's no political cover.

SAM
I understood what you're saying.

ONORATO
So my question is....

SAM
Steve, the F.E.C. nominees aren't my thing.

ONORATO
I'm not talking about the F.E.C. now. I'm talking about drugs. You're gearing
up to
announce a new drug policy.

SAM
We've been gearing up for 14 months.

ONORATO
Yeah, but now you're taking daylong strategy sessions in the Oval Office.

SAM
Yeah.

ONORATO
Drugs are obviously important to you.

SAM
Important to everyone.

ONORATO
I mean, particularly to you. You've been the point man at the White House.

SAM
Yeah.

ONORATO
So why do you want to trade it in for a move on campaign finance? It's not
going to get
you anywhere.

SAM
It's gonna get me somewhere and I'm not trading it in.

ONORATO
You are.

SAM
We're not bartering.

ONORATO
I'm saying without the F.E.C. nominations, there's room to work with us.

SAM
And with the nominations?

ONORATO
You can have all the strategy sessions you want. No one you need's gonna
take your phone
call. And you, Sam, can go back to writing speeches for when the President
meets the Girl
Scout who sold the most cupcakes.

Cathy knocks on Sam's door and enters.

CATHY
Sam.

SAM
[to Onorato] Cookies.

ONORATO
Huh?

SAM
[takes his jacket and heads out] Girl Scouts sells cookies, not cupcakes. And
it was a
pretty good speech, I wrote. It was about volunteerism.

ONORATO
Well keep up the good work, Sam.

SAM
[from outside his office] I will.

CUT TO: INT. LEO'S OFFICE - DAY
C.J. enters. Leo is signing something in his table.

C.J.
Leo.

LEO
Yeah.

C.J.
I was just coming to see you.

LEO
I don't have much time.

C.J.
You're people are here. They're in the press briefing room.

LEO
Okay. [heads out as C.J. follows]

C.J.
Carol's keeping the press in the northeast lobby. She'll wait for your high
sign.

LEO
I'll be over in a minute.

C.J.
We're telling anyone who asks why the press is out of there that it's a
special event.

LEO
Good.

C.J.
Leo, I don't know if you've heard...

LEO
Yeah, I did hear C.J. You want me to tell you how many different ways that
screw-up was
stupid?

C.J.
I know.

LEO
For one thing, don't pass yourself off as a legal authority. For another,
what the hell
are you doing using a phrase like "under no legal obligation"?

C.J.
Leo.

LEO
You're parsing at a time when the whole idea...

C.J.
I know.

LEO
So right out of the gate, we've got to go back.

C.J.
Yes.

LEO
These amateur mistakes make me crazy, C.J.

C.J.
Yes.

LEO
I'll be in there in a minute.

He exits through a door leaving C.J. alone in the hallway.

DANNY [OS]
That was bush league.

Danny, who was talking to several reporters down the hall, is now walking
towards C.J.
They head for her office.

DANNY
That was bush league what you did last night.

C.J.
We'll talk in my office.

DANNY
And why can't anyone go in the Press Room?

C.J.
There's a meeting in there.

DANNY
What kind of meeting?

C.J.
None of your business.

DANNY
It's the Press Room.

They walk by Carol's desk.

C.J.
Hi, Carol.

DANNY
Hi, Carol.

CAROL
Hi.

C.J. and Danny enter C.J.'S OFFICE. C.J. shuts the door.

C.J.
Don't talk to me like that in front of people.

DANNY
Look...

C.J.
No! I just got called amateur twice in 10 seconds. The White House Chief of
Staff can do
it to me wherever he wants. You don't do it in front of people.

DANNY
If I don't have access anymore, I don't have a job.

C.J.
I would think a man with your credentials...

DANNY
You think I'm kidding around?

C.J.
[yells] You think I am?!

DANNY
The memo was news.

C.J.
Says you.

DANNY
That's right. Says me -- says me, says my editor, says every paper who picked
it up the
next day. Says Time, says Newsweek...

C.J.
Congratulations, you're a movie star. You're also on the outside looking in
for a while,
so get used to it.

DANNY
Used to it? I'm paid for it, and what you don't understand....

C.J.
DON'T tell me what I don't understand! I'm not in my freshman year anymore. I
understand
more than you think.

CAROL
[knocks] C.J.?

C.J.
Yeah.

CAROL
Leo's on his way in.

C.J.
Thanks. [leaves]

DANNY
What's going on in the Press Room?

C.J.
Special event.

FADE OUT.
END ACT THREE
* * *

ACT FOUR

FADE IN: INT. PRESS ROOM - DAY
Seven people are sitting around. Leo enters. C.J. and Carol are guarding
the doors.

LEO
Good afternoon. I'll make this as quick and direct as I can. There's a
chance...

STUART
Why are we in the Press Room?

LEO
This will be pretty fast, Stuart. Faster still if I'm not interrupted. There's
a chance
that a debate is about to begin over the best way to fight the drug problem
in this
country. The White House, being among those, who believe more money should
be put into
treatment. The people you work for, being among those who believe we should
put more
money into prisons.

Andy and Toby quietly enter from the back and sit.

DICK
Leo, why the 7 of us?

LEO
Dick, in July of '96, your boss's son was arrested for carrying 25 grams of
cocaine.
That's a crime that usually carries... what Toby?

TOBY
Eight to 15 years.

LEO
And what did the Congressman's son get?

TOBY
Six months house arrest.

LEO
Lynn, your boss's husband was caught stealing Vicodin and Percocet from the
hospital at
which he served as Chief of Thoracic Surgery. Now, Vicodin and Percocet are
schedule-two
drugs in the same legal category as Opium. What was the blue-book value, Toby?

TOBY
Each stolen pill carries the penalty of one year in prison and a monetary
fine.

LEO
And what did we have for the Congresswoman's husband?

TOBY
He went to a pre-trial diversion program. There's no longer any criminal
record.

LEO
That's not bad.

STUART
Leo, I...

LEO
Stuart, yours is my favorite. Your boss has a daughter who was pulled over
with 31 grams
of coke and charged with intent to deliver. More over, she's just been
indicted by a
federal grand jury in Greenville, South Carolina, along with 18 other people
for
conspiracy to distribute. Toby...

TOBY
She paid a fine of $2800 and forfeited her car in which the drugs were found.

LEO
The President wants a lively debate.

Leo gives C.J. a signal. C.J. signals to Carol.

LEO
He wants to hear opposition, but he's not gonna stomach hypocrisy. We start
hearing
"soft on criminals", "soft on drugs" from any of the people you work for,
we've got 7
stories ready for page one.

C.J. and Carol let the press into the room.

STUART
You're saber-rattling.

LEO
Here comes the White House Press Corps. Let's find out.

STUART
We're done here.

All seven people get up to leave.

LEO
You play the full nine innings at this level, Stuart. Tell your friends
about it.

CAROL
[to the press] Take your seats, please. C.J. will start the briefing.

We follow Andy and Toby as they come out of the Press Room into the HALLWAY.

ANDY
[sighs] Can I tell you something?

TOBY
Listen.

ANDY
Watching you guys do that....

TOBY
Andy.

ANDY
It was a little fun.

TOBY
That was not fun.

ANDY
You should've had some pie.

TOBY
I have to get back to work. And you, being a Congresswoman... I'm sure you
need to be
back out there... you know, screwing the people.

ANDY
I should tell you something.

TOBY
What?

ANDY
In the interest of full disclosure.

TOBY
What?

ANDY
The other night, I was out on a date. We had a couple glasses of wine. He
pulled the
car up, bumped the guy ahead of us. The cop was there. He was going to give
him a
blood-alcohol test, but then he recognized me.

TOBY
That's fine.

ANDY
I'm just saying....

TOBY
You didn't say, "Officer, I'm a member of Congress, isn't there anything we
can do
about this?"

ANDY
No.

TOBY
Who were you out with?

ANDY
A guy named Victor Stipe.

TOBY
Executive advisor for the Orioles?

ANDY
Yeah.

They stop walking.

TOBY
You went out on a date with the executive advisor for the Baltimore Orioles?

ANDY
Toby, are you upset that I went out on a date? Or are you upset that I went
out on a
date with someone who plays in the same division as the Yankees?

TOBY
Honest to God, I'm not sure.

They enter TOBY'S OFFICE.

ANDY
Mandatory Minimums, Toby.

TOBY
What are you doing getting into cars with guys that have been drinking?

They start talking at the same time again.

ANDY
Cause I'm a grown woman....

TOBY
That's what taxicabs are for.

ANDY
And I will get into whatever car....

TOBY
And also, I can still do that.

ANDY
[stops and stares at Toby] You'd come pick me up with a date?

TOBY
If it wasn't an Oriole, absolutely. Or a Red Sock. In fact, just date the
National
League, would you?

He pauses as they stare at each other.

ANDY
Toby, I'm not kidding. Mandatory Minimums.

TOBY
Go away.

ANDY
It's good seeing you.

She plays a bit with Toby's lapels and gets ready to leave.

TOBY
Andy?

ANDY
Yeah.

TOBY
Let me have the pie.

Andy sighs and hands him the Tupperware with the pie and walks out the door
smiling
the whole time. Toby stands a bit at the door and watches her go.

CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
11:30 P.M.
Bartlet is asleep. Some books are scattered on the bed. There's a knock on
the door.
Leo enters the dark room.

LEO
Mr. President.

BARTLET
[groggily] Yeah.

LEO
Oh, you're in bed?

BARTLET
Yeah.

LEO
When I called, you were awake.

BARTLET
Well, yeah, that's cause I answered the phone. [turns on the lamp]

LEO
I was just coming by to talk. It can wait.

BARTLET
What's on your mind? [waves for Leo to come in]

LEO
You sure?

BARTLET
Yeah, I got to be up in four hours, anyway.

CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Josh is working at his desk. Charlie knocks and enters.

JOSH
Hey.

CHARLIE
Hey. What are you doing?

JOSH
F.E.C. Where's the President?

CHARLIE
He went to the residence about an hour ago. So, I couldn't help noticing
coming over
here that the light in Joey Lucas's office is on.

JOSH
She's still here?

CHARLIE
Yeah.

JOSH
Why are you telling me?

CHARLIE
She's a fine looking...

JOSH
Charlie.

CHARLIE
Okay.

JOSH
Have a good night.

CHARLIE
You give her a little something.

JOSH
Yeah.

CHARLIE
"Here this is for you, cause it's your first day. You don't know anybody." Bam
-- you
give it to her. You say something nice.

JOSH
[waves to Charlie] See you tomorrow.

CHARLIE
Take it easy.

He leaves as Sam and Toby enter.

SAM
Hey, Charlie.

CHARLIE
Hey.

TOBY
[to Sam] Tell him what you told me.

SAM
See... uh... I still don't understand.

TOBY
Tell him what you told me.

SAM
Steve Onorato came to see me this afternoon. We had lunch.

JOSH
Onorato came to you?

SAM
Yeah.

TOBY
Tell him what he said.

SAM
He said that if we dropped F.E.C., he could warm things up for drugs.

Josh and Toby start snickering.

SAM
I don't understand.

JOSH
He said that?

TOBY
He even pointed out to Sam that Sam was working on drugs for the White House.

JOSH
[grinning] You made the big time, Sam.

SAM
What's going on?

JOSH
He knows about Laurie.

SAM
What do you mean?

TOBY
He knows you're friends with a call girl.

SAM
What does that have to do with anything?

JOSH
He wants to move you out to the front of the field so he can drop Laurie on
you.

SAM
Are you serious?

JOSH
Yeah.

SAM
Are you serious?!

JOSH
It's okay, Sam. You haven't done anything wrong.

SAM
Oh, I know I haven't done anything wrong. Are you serious?

TOBY
[chuckling] We're serious. Don't worry about it.

SAM
He... are you saying, he... he tried to practice on my...

TOBY
...credulous simplicity?

SAM
Yeah.

TOBY
Yeah.

SAM
Alright. I want to know what I can do right now.

JOSH
Sam.

SAM
No, right now! At 11:35. I want to know what I can do.

JOSH
Take it easy.

SAM
I won't take it easy! Give me the phone. [reaches for the phone] I'm gonna
call the
Senator and I'm gonna tell him that he can shove his legislative agenda up
his ass!

Toby and Josh try to restrain the phone from Sam.

JOSH
I've already done that.

SAM
I'll do it again.

JOSH
You know what this is like? This is like The Godfather. When Pacino tells
James Caan
that he's gonna kill the cop. It's a lot like that scene, only not really.

TOBY
Did Leo go home?

JOSH
He's... he's still here somewhere.

SAM
He's in the Residence.

JOSH
It is like that scene. I'm James Caan. [to Sam] You're...you're Al Pacino.

TOBY
Let's go.

JOSH
Toby, you're the guy who shows Pacino how to make tomato sauce.

TOBY
[to Sam] Let's go.

They all leave JOSH'S OFFICE.

JOSH
I'll be right behind, I'm gonna pick up the late wires.

He pauses and stares down the hall toward JOEY'S OFFICE. He enters while
hiding
something behind his back.

JOSH
Hello.

JOEY
Hi.

JOSH
Hey, Kenny.

KENNY
Hey, Josh.

JOSH
I saw the light was on. You guys are here late.

JOEY [KENNY]
I wanted to give you first look analysis in the morning. There's really some
decent
models in Marin County and the Bay Area. But San Jose is a mess and so is
Orange County,
Long Beach, Anaheim, and San Diego.

JOSH
I brought you a coffee mug.

JOEY [KENNY]
Why?

JOSH
Just as a thing, cause you don't know anybody. It's got... uh... a picture
of the White
House. It says, 'The White House.' Seal of the President. It's a White House
coffee mug.

JOEY
Thank you.

JOSH
Kenny, can you give us a second?

KENNY
Oh, sure. [signing to Joey] I'm going to step outside. [walks away]

JOSH
I wore this suit, special today. This isn't my regular Tuesday suit.

JOEY
You have a regular Tuesday suit?

JOSH
No.

JOEY
For me?

JOSH
Yeah... So... Okay, I gotta go. [smiles wide as Josh leaves]

CUT TO: INT. THE PRESIDENT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Leo is sitting next to the President's bed.

LEO
So... I don't want to be Labor the point, though. I... I do think this is
understandable.
I feel a little self-conscience coming down the mountain on drugs two months
after I
announce I was a recovering drug addict. What do you think?

BARTLET
About what?

LEO
What I just said.

BARTLET
Well, I wasn't listening to a lot of it.

LEO
Sir...

BARTLET
Leo, if there's anyone qualified to talk about the benefits of treatment
vs. criminal
action, it's you. Is there anyone whose life would be better right now,
if you'd had
gone to jail instead of rehab?

LEO
No.

BARTLET
Thank you. Is there anything else?

Someone knocks.

BARTLET
Apparently there is.

C.J.
[enters] Mr. President.

BARTLET
Yeah.

C.J.
I'm sorry. I heard Leo was here, I assumed you were awake.

BARTLET
I am.

C.J.
I haven't seen you all day, I just... wanted to apologize for the gaffe at
the briefing
last night.

BARTLET
You fixed it this afternoon, right?

C.J.
Yeah.

BARTLET
Then let's move on.

C.J.
I do apologize, sir.

BARTLET
No need to apologize, but I accept your apology and now I'm ready, if not
eager, to
move on.

There's another knock. Sam and Toby enter.

SAM
Mr. President?

BARTLET
How you doin'?

SAM
You were sleeping?

BARTLET
Not for a little while now.

SAM
This is... I say, this is great, Mr. President, because usually you have a
hard time
getting to sleep before one or two.

BARTLET
Not tonight.

SAM
That's got to feel good.

BARTLET
Guys, let me tell you what I would like to have happen, right now.

JOSH
[enters] Good evening, Mr. President.

BARTLET
Josh walking in the door wasn't even close.

JOSH
How you doing, tonight?

BARTLET
I'm fine, thanks. How you doing?

JOSH
Good! I gave Joey Lucas a coffee mug. She doesn't know anybody here and
she's already
working hard. She's very committed. I think I did the right thing.

BARTLET
See, the part I don't understand is, I got like, 24 armed guards right
outside my
bedroom door...

SAM
Mr. President, after a day of meetings, are you any closer to a decision on
drugs?

BARTLET
I'm a day closer. There'll be more meetings tomorrow. In the meantime,
everybody calm
down. Leo's got your engines fired like you're running Daytona. That's
fine. Keep them
there. Guess what? Mistakes are gonna be made. Minimize them, fix them,
move on. Kiefer's
numbers got you scared? Listen to me. I have never lost an election in my
life. We do
this right, people are going to respond. You all had a good day.

JOSH
We should go and leave you now.

BARTLET
You guys should feel free to do this when my wife is here.

All chuckle.

SAM
Sir, something has come up and frankly, it's got me as hot as a
pistol. Apparently....

JOSH
Sam.

SAM
We can talk about this tomorrow.

BARTLET
Everybody. Mandy was doing her job. It's time to let her out of the doghouse.

LEO
That's me.

BARTLET
[to Leo] She was doing her job. C.J.?

C.J.
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
So was Danny.

C.J.
Yes, sir.

BARTLET
Good night.

Everyone says their good nights. Sam, Josh, and C.J. leave.

TOBY
Mr. President.

BARTLET
We were almost done.

TOBY
I... met with Congresswoman Wyatt today.

BARTLET
When you were married to her, did you call her Congresswoman Wyatt?

TOBY
No, sir.

BARTLET
Sometimes I call my wife, Dr. Bartlet.

TOBY
I call her Andy or uh... Andrea.

BARTLET
Okay.

TOBY
Mandatory Minimums.

BARTLET
You're whupped, my friend.

TOBY
Sir.

BARTLET
No, she's been talking to your for a year about Mandatory Minimums. You've
been saying
no. Looks like we know who wears the pants in the Ziegler family.

TOBY
You call your wife 'Dr. Bartlet'?

BARTLET
Just for the turn-on.

Leo smirks.

TOBY
Uh... the thing is, she's right.

BARTLET
Andy.

TOBY
Mandatory Minimums are considerably higher for crack than for powder cocaine.

BARTLET
Yes.

TOBY
The vast majority of crack users are black. The vast majority of drug users
are white.
The Mandatory Minimums are racist.

BARTLET
Yes, they are.

TOBY
It should be part of the discussion.

BARTLET
And it will be.

TOBY
Good... uh... good night.

BARTLET AND LEO
Good night.

Toby leaves.

BARTLET
[to Leo] I'm sleeping better. [beat] When I sleep, I dream about a great
discussion
with experts and ideas and diction and energy and honesty. And when I wake
up, I think,
"I can sell that."

LEO
Good night, Mr. President.

BARTLET
Good night.

Leo shuts off the room lights and closes the doors. Bartlet shuts off his
bed lamp and
goes back to bed.

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

The West Wing and all its characters are properties of Aaron Sorkin, John
Wells
Production, Warner Brothers Television, and NBC. No copyright infringement
is intended.

Episode 1.20 -- 'Mandatory Minimums'
Original Airdate: May 3, 1999, 9:00 PM EST

Transcript By: Susan Chang