Advise and Consent Page #2

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- Van Ackerman's looking for a horse to ride. | - He won't get it from me.

He won't care. | He doesn't belong here, Bob.

- You'll have to cut him off the vine. | - He'll fall off.

- Morning, Bess. | - Morning, senator. Your calls.

- First, see if you can get me Leffingwell. | - Yes, sir.

Sir, 219 telegrams so far.

- Most of them favorable to Leffingwell. | - Good.

- Good morning, senator. | - Morning.

- Leffingwell residence. | - Senator Munson calling Mr. Leffingwell.

Senator Munson? Wait a minute.

- Dad, it's Senator Munson on the phone. | - What?

The phone. It's Senator Munson.

- Tell him I've gone out. | - Why?

Because he'll want me to do things | that might obligate me.

Why do you want me to lie? If you're in, | you're in. If you're out, you're out.

Son, this is a Washington, D.C. | kind of lie.

That's when the other person knows you're | lying, and also knows you know he knows.

- Follow? | - No.

- Senator Munson will understand. | - Okay, if you say so.

He's not here. He went out.

- Do you know where I might reach him? | - No, ma'am.

- He didn't leave a forwarding address. | - Oh, I see. Well, thank you.

- I can't reach Mr. Leffingwell, senator. | - All right, Bess.

- I'll take these calls down the line. | - Yes, sir.

Wouldn't you think he'd know | we'd know he's dodging us?

He might become the best | secretary of state we'll ever have.

Want me to make you one of these?

- Thanks just the same. | - It's good.

- Don't you wanna be secretary of state? | - Think I should want to?

- Big job. | - That's a fact.

- I think you ought to want it. | - Why?

Well, you know. All that trouble, | and war and stuff like that.

Maybe you could do something about it.

- I'd like to try. | - That's the way I'd figure it.

It's worth a try.

As you get to the top of the stairway, | look at the painting on the right.

This painting portrays one of the worst | conflicts of the Mexican War.

In this painting, it's interesting to note...

that Lieutenants Lee and Grant | fought side by side.

They were classmates at West Roint, | as you know.

The skylight came from Rhiladelphia. | It was placed there in 1859.

The medallions in the skylight | are hand-painted.

They were done by Gibson and Company | and placed there in 1859.

- Good morning, Max. | - Miss Harrison, Lady Maudulayne.

- Good morning, Maxwell. | - Max, this is Madame Barre.

Her husband is the new French ambassador.

- Welcome to the Senate, madame. | - Thank you.

- Good morning, Lady Maudulayne. | - Good morning.

- Good morning. | - Good morning.

Bob. How are you?

Good morning, Orrin. | Everything all right?

Bob, it's going around the Leffingwell | hearing might be set for tomorrow.

That's rushing things, isn't it?

As we need a secretary of state, | I wouldn't say it's rushing.

Senator Strickland, wouldn't you say | that's sudden?

Senator Munson's party is going to be | strongly divided on Leffingwell.

Perhaps the senator would push it through | before that division ruptures.

I wonder if the minority leader is qualified | to speak for the majority party.

On the right of that aisle is the minority, | and on the left is the majority.

All of those are left?

- Does America have so many leftists? | - Oh, no, darling. It's purely geographical.

I mean, they're all Republicans or Democrats. | No communists or anything of that sort.

They do have liberal types, | but they don't necessarily sit on the left...

conservatives don't necessarily | sit on the right.

Boys.

- Bill. | - Aaron, nice to see you.

That man, the one on the dais, | Harley Hudson.

He's the vice president | of the United States.

- He's very attractive. | - Yes, dear. Harley's very sweet.

He's from one of those | odd little states, isn't he?

He was governor of Delaware, you mean.

- He's the president of the Senate, Celestine. | - But you said he's the vice president.

It's confusing. We'd call him Lord | High Chamberlain or something sensible.

It's very sensible. His job, | as vice president of the country...

is to preside over the Senate, | which makes him its president.

- Then he's also a senator. | - No.

He presides over the Senate, | but he's not a senator. He can't even vote.

He can vote in case of a tie.

The Senate will come to order.

The chaplain will now offer prayer.

Our Father, in these days | of stress and strain...

when men are called upon | to bear great burdens...

give this Senate the strength | and charity...

to ascertain of each who would serve | his nation his true nature and purpose...

lest through inadvertence | and oversight...

there slip into seats of power, | those who would misguide...

and mislead this great people.

Even the parson is getting into | the Leffingwell act.

Your blessings, O Lord, | and help them to serve in your ways.

Amen.

Mr. President.

Recognize the senior senator | from Michigan.

I ask unanimous consent that the journal | of yesterday's proceedings be approved.

Without objection? So ordered.

Mr. Rresident, I suggest | the absence of a quorum.

Absence of a quorum suggested.

- Clerk will call the roll. | - Mr. Abbott...

Finish your story. Bob's got the Linotype. | Somebody's bound to pop on Leffingwell.

Call to the post early, huh?

Better wake up, Senator McCafferty.

- Senator, quorum call. | - Opposed, sir. Diametrically opposed.

No, no, senator. It's a quorum call.

Mr. Ardell.

- Mr. Ashley. | - Here.

- Take over for a few minutes? | - Oh, sure.

Mr. Bellingham?

- Mr. Bender of California? | - Present.

- Bob? Where's Seab? | - Oh, he'll make an entrance pretty soon.

- Can I help with Leffingwell? | - Can't think of a thing. We'll just mark time.

I'll gladly talk to anybody you want me to.

- Excuse me. | - Tom August came from the White House.

- In the cloak room. | - Sit in for me.

- What's going on, Stan? | - Oh, hi, Harley. Looks like a bumpy day.

I was asking Bob if I could do | anything to help.

Filling up, huh?

Funny how they can always | smell gunpowder.

Yeah.

Did I tell you I murdered my wife last night, | buried her under a kumquat bush?

Oh, well... Easy come, easy go.

What? What did you say?

I said I might as well get up there | and let the tourists rubberneck at me.

- I'm sorry, Harley. | - All right. Forget it. Forget it.

- Excuse me. | - Sure.

- Hello, Bob. | - Morning, Tom.

The president wants a closed hearing.

That's impossible.

Cooley would find a way to open it up | if he had to use a can opener.

That's what I told him.

We'll have to name a subcommittee | and let it go at that.

- Who do you have in mind to chair it? | - I thought Powell Hanson.

It'll look like you're rigging it | for Leffingwell.

Put him on the committee, | but not as chairman.

It's got to be somebody | who can handle Cooley.

What would you think | of Fred Van Ackerman?

Caught you too, huh?

- Got me out of bed this morning. | - Well?

I don't know.

The man has no tact.

Of course, he could cope with Seab.

So could Brig Anderson over there.

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