Grassroots Page #7

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Who does?

You know what?

Forget it.

You know what they say about

bedfellows in politics.

[ Hangs up ]

[ Telephone rings ]

Hello?

Phil?

Phil?

Here's my list

for when I'm elected,

things I'm gonna compromise on

and things I'm gonna fight for.

I'm trying to get a handle

on what I can really do

on the council,

you know, think

pragmatically here.

It's time to face

the reality of this, Phil,

'cause I'm not gonna give up.

I'm gonna grow up.

Okay,

what brought this on?

A dream.

I was at

the top of a building,

a tall, tall building,

and I jumped.

The sidewalk rushing in on me

and I knew that I was dead.

I knew it was the end for me,

and just as I was about

to hit the concrete,

right at that last second,

I look up toward the sky

one last time,

and suddenly...

I was flying.

I mean, it was like

an omen, man,

an omen of hope

and possibility,

and I knew as clear

as the mountains and the sky...

We're gonna win

this thing, Phil,

and we're gonna win it big.

All right, grant,

let's go.

Many are calling your

campaign overly militant.

You have sued the city,

someone on your staff

has vandalized city hall,

and this is all in an effort

to oust the only major African

American representative

we have in Seattle.

Well...

I can't be black,

if that's what

you're asking,

but the real question

should be

can my opponent give you a better Seattle

than I can?

He likes to call me a

single-issue candidate,

but what

he doesn't realize

is that I've carefully

analyzed the situation

and the single best way

to bring real change

to Seattle

is with the monorail.

It will unify us,

rich and poor.

It will diminish

pollution

because it runs

on electricity.

It'll enhance

the neighborhoods

that it sails over

because it's beautiful.

And once that

is finished,

then I'll get back

into what needs to be...

it's all fine and good

to have a dream, grant,

and to attack those of us

who have been

in the trenches for years

trying to do good

by this city.

But we are trying to build

a mass transportation system

and we're trying to do it

in the real world.

Oh, the real world.

That's what you call it?

Where hard-working

poor people

are walled off from

the good jobs downtown

because

they don't have a car?

Where low-income housing

is demolished

so the big boys

can build a life-sized

train set?

Or a highway that runs

over the water

that'll dump enough muck

to sterilize every variation

of salmon for 200 Miles?

No, I'm sorry,

Mr. McIver.

That's not the real

world that I live in.

And if somebody wants

to call me militant

for speaking

the way I do,

then I'll take it

as a compliment.

Mr. McIver?

Frankly, I don't know

how to respond to that.

I have been fighting

body and soul

for this city for 15 years.

I'll stand on my record.

All right,

I'll tell you what.

We're almost out

of time as it is.

I'm gonna give you

each 20 seconds.

What is it that you want the

voters to know, Mr. Cogswell?

I'm a grassroots

activist.

My opponent is running

an insider campaign.

He's got

a political consultant

and a P.R. and a host of lobbyists.

So please come out

and vote.

Vote, vote, vote,

always vote.

And we need volunteers

and we need money

because my opponent is

also out-spending me 10-1

because he's getting the

big $600 contributions

that he voted in to raise

the contribution limit!

Councilman McIver,

you have 20 seconds as well

to wrap this up.

You know, Tate, I...

I love this city.

I've given my life to it.

All right.

Well, it is Richard McIver

and grant Cogswell.

They are running in a race

that is just too close to call

for city council

position number eight.

I'll tell you

what we're gonna do.

We're gonna take

a quick break.

For another position

here on weekday on KUOW.

I blew that motherf***er

out of the water,

out of

the f***ing water!

Yeah, you did, grant.

He's so entangled in his own

bureaucratic intestines,

he couldn't even find

his own a**hole.

Do you hear what he

said when I told him...

why didn't you

shake his hand?

He's the bad guy, Phil.

You don't shake hands

with the bad guy.

And we're the good guys?

Yeah, of course.

Why? Why? Because

we sued the city,

broke into offices,

spun 9/11 our way,

and now we're gonna beat

the big bad black guy?

Why didn't you

shake his hand?

I want an answer.

I told you my answer.

That's not good enough.

That's not good enough because

what happens if we do win?

Huh? What are you

gonna do then?

You gonna insult your way

into getting a monorail built?

Wearing a polar bear outfit,

threatening to jump off a bridge

if you don't get your way?

F*** it.

I'm ready for...

Hey, grant, grant, grant.

I've got some great news

from queen Anne.

Wait, wait, wait,

wait, wait, wait. No! No!

To bring me back

I will lay here quiet

honey, don't leave me

out here all night

no, it ain't right

the way I talked

and walked

and left you far behind

but I saw your face

all day, all night

if we don't talk

I won't mind

'cause it's the only way

excuse me, sir.

You're gonna have to go

through the metal detector.

To get along sometimes

take everything out

of your pockets.

Don't forget the button.

Everything metal.

Here you go.

Now that I'm old

I am not the way

the way I thought

I was

Mr. Campbell?

Yes?

I know it's hard

but you know

we'll make it,

my darling

if we don't talk

I won't mind

'cause it's the only way

to get along sometimes

sir.

I was surprised.

Me, too.

Have a seat.

So what's so important,

other than getting to

the voting booth tomorrow?

Well, the campaign,

we never apologized

for the break-in.

We spun it,

but we didn't say

we were sorry.

I'd say that was politics.

I guess.

Besides,

kids do what they do.

Lord knows, mine did.

Grant should have

shaken your hand.

I'd say that

was politics, too.

And that makes it right?

[ Laughs ]

I don't know.

Maybe sometimes there

are things more important

than simply being

right or wrong.

[ Chuckles ]

How do you feel

about being his proxy?

Yeah, I need

all 30,000 names

re-contacted

before 10 P.M. tonight.

Yes, I'm serious.

Yes, just do it.

All right, guys. Are

we doing this or what?

Where you guys headed?

[ Overlapping conversations ]

All right, guys,

5,000 names left.

We're gonna make this

4,000 names left.

We will make this.

Oh, dear God,

if I got to talk to one more

special interest nut job

wanting a law protecting

their leg hair.

This is grant Cogswell.

Guys, shh! Shh!

Shut up!

Wow.

Yes, thank you, sir.

I'd appreciate that

very much.

I would enjoy that.

I would.

I think some good might

come of that, too, yes.

Yes, for everyone.

Okay.

Who was that?

Grant,

what's going on?

That was McIver.

What?

He's not pressing charges.

He had the city council

write a letter to the FBI.

Wayne's off the hook.

We all are.

[ Cheering ]

He wants to drive me to

the polls tomorrow to vote,

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