Dave Page #14

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CLOSER (SWITCHING CAMERAS)

KOPPEL:

Later on tonight, we'll talk with Dr.

Henry Mueller who is an expert in the

psychological effects of a mid-life

health crisis... and to Gail Sheehy,

who has just co-authored a book on

male menopause.

CUT TO:

EXT. WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

The sound of a MAN HUMMING "Hail to the Chief" plays O.S.

DAVE - Rev. 7/22/92 63.

INT. PRESIDENT'S BATHROOM - NIGHT

Steam billows up in the shower while Dave scrubs shampoo into

his hair. He massages it vigorously into his scalp while the

humming continues.

DAVE:

`Bum, bum da dum...'

He rinses it out and reaches for the soap. It's a small

soap on a rope" designed to look like the Presidential seal...

WOMAN:

I can't believe you'd do something

like that. Not even you.

WIDER:

The door to the shower swings open as

Ellen materializes. No queen of England

ever looked more regal than Ellen

Mitchell in her cloud of steam.

DIFFERENT ANGLE:

ELLEN:

How could you?

Dave jumps with a start, then turns away from her quickly,

bashfully facing the tile. He looks back at Ellen over his

shoulder.

DAVE:

... How could I what?

ELLEN:

Oh, come on, Bill. Don't patronize

me. I'm not one of your little...

(beat)

Turn around. I'm talking to you!...

Turnaround!

Dave steels himself then turns slowly around to face her. He

strikes a "stoic" pose.

ELLEN:

(trembling slightly)

... You know, if you want to be the

same old bastard, that's fine. I can

handle it. But don't pull

this 'man of the people' bullshit and

then do something like this.

DAVE:

(frozen; feeling - very

exposed)

I don't understand.

ELLEN:

(exasperated)

That's not just a works bill you vetoed --

that would have given these kids

homes...

(losing it a little)

... When I think about that little

spectacle you pulled with those muppets

and that magic trick...

DAVE:

What's wrong with a magic trick?

ELLEN:

You made their funding disappear!

Dave recoils a little.

DAVE:

Look. If there was some mistake...

ELLEN:

(in a rage)

There's no mistake, Bill. If you

veto their funding, it's not a mistake.

If you hurt someone intentionally,

it's not a mistake.

She turns and leaves through the steam disappearing as suddenly

as she came. Dave hesitates for an instant, then starts right

after her.

INT. HALLWAY

Duane is seated at his regular post when Ellen comes stalking

out of Dave's suite. He looks up in amazement as Dave runs

out a moment later. He's dripping wet and clutching a bath

towel around his waist.

DAVE:

(turning to Duane)

Call Bob and Reed. Tell them I need

them immediately.

DUANE:

But it's ten-thirty at night.

Dave turns and gives him a "Presidential" glare.

DUANE:

(backing off)

Yeah, sure. You got it.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

Dave is seated at his desk, hair still wet, dressed in the

Presidential jogging suit. The door bursts open. It's Bob

and Reed.

BOB:

What the hell is this?

DAVE:

What the hell is this ?

Bob and Reed cross over toward the desk as Dave slams down a

copy of rolled up newspaper.

BOB:

(looking at it)

The Washington Post.

DAVE:

(pounding his finger on

the front page)

No...

Bob glances at the paper then hands it to Reed.

REED:

(looking at it; shrugging)

President vetoes works bill?

DAVE:

We vetoed that?

BOB:

(a slow boil)

No!... WE didn't anything...

REED:

(interceding)

Dave, these things get awfully

complicated sometimes...

DAVE:

That shelter was in this bill.

BOB:

(losing it)

Alan

DAVE:

Lots of shelters were in this bill.

BOB:

(moving toward him))

Listen, you little...

REED:

(cutting in)

Dave, the budget's a very complicated

thing. Even I don't understand it

sometimes. Now occasionally we have

to make some cuts and...

DAVE:

But we went there. We saw those kids.

BOB:

Yeah. And if you can find a way to cut

THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS

from the federal budget, then you can

keep your lousy shelters, okay.

Dave just looks at him for a moment.

EXT. WHITE HOUSE - DAY

A small Ford Escort with a Thrifty rent-a-car sticker pulls

up to the East Gate of the White House. It stops just short

of the guard station, then rolls forward a few feet and stops

again.

ANGLE - MURRAY

He leans out of the window, squinting into the sun. Murray

holds a mangled map of Washington in his hand.

MURRAY:

(terrified)

I'm here to see... the President?

The guard looks at him without responding.

MURRAY:

He asked me to come.

The guard reaches for the phone and dials a few numbers.

Murray jiggles nervously in his seat.

INT. OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT

He sits in the exact same chair that Dave occupied on his

arrival. Murray stares across the Oval Office with a terrified

look on his face.

MURRAY:

(urgent whisper)

I'm serious, Dave -- you could get in

a lot of trouble for something like

this.

DAVE:

It's fine.

MURRAY:

They could put you in jail.

DAVE:

Why would they do that. They hired

me.

Murray just stares at him.

DAVE:

It's kind of a national emergency thing.

I can't really talk about it...

(confidentially)

Paying me big money too. C'mere.

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