Dave Page #12

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ELLEN:

Nathan?... Hang on a second.

(to the aide)

Will you turn that thing up?

CLOSEUP - TELEVISION SET (THE McLAUGHLIN GROUP)

McLAUGHLIN GROUP - DAY

Part wrestling match, part news analysis, part Roman circus:

the most famous political talk show in America is well

underway:

MCLAUGHLIN:

Issue One:
'The New Bill Mitchell.'

Two weeks after his brush with death

the President is suddenly bounding

around the country with the energy of

a high school track star. Is this

merely overcompensation or the

indefatigable greatness of a truly

great man.

(turning to Kondracke)

Mor-ton...

MORT KONDRACKE:

Well, he looks pretty great to me. I

think the President is showing the

same strength of character he did when

he first got elected.

ELEANOR CLIFT:

You know, Mort, every time this guy has

a blip in the polls you start

genuflecting...

MORT KONDRACKE:

(defensive)

Hey -- I think he looks great.

CHRIS MATHEWS:

(cutting in)

Yeah, he looks great 'cause they're

makin' him look great. This puppet

show at the auto plant was the most

manipulative piece of political theater

I've ever seen.

FRED BARNES:

Oh, come on, Chris. You're just steamed

'cause he's doing well.

CHRIS MATHEWS:

I am not...

FRED BARNES:

Is he doing well?

CHRIS MATHEWS:

Well... Yeah... He's doing well...

MCLAUGHLIN:

(the final word)

Answer:
He's doing very well. We'll

get to predictions right after this.

The THEME MUSIC COMES UP as they go to commercial.

INT. FIRST LADY'S OFFICE - CLOSEUP - ELLEN - DAY

She stares at the set, skeptically...

CUT TO:

EXT. BALTIMORE MEMORIAL STADIUM - NIGHT

Dave stands at the edge of the grass in an Oriole's jacket

with "PREZ" on the back. The manager of the team hands him a

baseball while forty thousand fans stand cheering at their

seats.

PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCER (V.0.)

Ladies and gentlemen, throwing out the

ceremonial first pitch...

(pause)

The President of the United States.

Dave hops over the little railing that separates his box from

the field. The catcher stands a few feet away giving him a

target with the glove, but Dave shakes his head and waves him

over to the mound.

DIFFERENT ANGLE:

The catcher looks a little baffled as Dave strides across the

foul line with a grin on his face. The forty thousand fans

start to go wild as he climbs up on the mound, tucking the

ball behind his back.

REVERSE ANGLE - CATCHER

He stands at the plate sticking out his glove to give Dave a

bigger target. The President looks at him for a second,

then motions him into a crouch.

ANGLE - DAVE

He spits on the mound and spreads his fingers in a fork- ball

grip. The catcher sinks into a crouch as Dave goes into a

wind-up and busts off a perfect curve-ball. The catcher looks

at it astonished as it "breaks" into his mitt. The crowd

goes nuts...

CUT TO:

OMITTED:

"LARRY KING LIVE" - DAY A75

Larry sits at his desk with his famous stand-up mike in front

of him.

LARRY KING:

We're back with Oliver Stone, talking

about what seems like a pretty far-

fetched theory...

WIDER:

Oliver Stone sits across the desk.

OLIVER STONE:

There's something going on here, Larry,

and no one is telling us the truth.

LARRY KING:

Oliver, the guy had a little stroke.

He's enjoying life a little...

OLIVER STONE:

(leaning forward; half

whisper)

If you look at a photograph of Bill

Mitchell before the stroke, and another

one right after...

LARRY KING:

Aren't you being a little paranoid?

OLIVER STONE:

Have you compared the photographs?

Larry King looks at him and shakes his head...

CUT TO:

INT. DAVE'S ROOM - NIGHT

He lies on his bed, with the remote control in his hand, doing

a split-second tour of the channels. Dave looks toward the

French doors that lead to the fourth floor balcony.

EXT. BALUSTRADE - NIGHT

Dave tosses open the door and steps outside. He stretches

out his limbs, staring at the magnificent view of the city.

DIFFERENT ANGLE:

He looks off toward the other side of the White House; Ellen's

side. A single curtain billows out of an open window. Dave

can't help himself. He starts across the terrace.

FOLLOWING DAVE:

Dave reaches the open doorway and slides

quickly against the wall. Slowly,

carefully he bends his head and peeks

into the room.

INT. ELLEN'S BEDROOM - DAVE1S POV

She sits on her bed, surrounded by some work papers. In the

warm light of the room, through the billowing curtains, Ellen's

skin seems to glow. She stops reading for a moment and

brushes aside a loose strand of hair.

EXT. BALUSTRADE - WIDER

Dave stares at her, transfixed. Suddenly, a light comes on

in a nearby room causing Dave to jump back with a start. He

sneaks a final peek and hurries toward his room...

CUT TO:

INT. REED'S OFFICE - DAY

He sits at his white marble Italian desk, talking on the phone

when Bob comes storming into the room.

REED:

(checking his schedule)

Okay, let's see... you can have him on

Tuesday the 25th...

BOB (O.S.)

Are you out of your mind?

WIDER:

He bangs down a copy of the week's schedule, looking Reed in

the eye.

REED:

Uh, let me get back to you...

BOB:

You scheduled a whole day with the

First Lady?

REED:

(hanging up)

It's a homeless shelter.

BOB:

Oh. Excuse me.

REED:

It's gonna be great. 'Caring about

his wife.' 'Spending time on her

favorite issue...'

BOB:

I don't want him caring about his wife!

What about the Vice President!

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