Nixon Page #13

NIXON (ON T.V.)

I, unlike Senator Kennedy, have a plan

to end the war. But not for peace at

any price, but peace with honor!

EXT. LA COSTA COUNTRY CLUB - ESTABLISHING - DAY

EXT. LA COSTA COUNTRY CLUB - PRIVATE PATIO - DAY

J. EDGAR HOOVER (60's), short and fat, covered with steam

room sweat, looks like a Roman emperor, as he watches

television intermittently, taking pictures of CLYDE TOLSON

(50's), his long-time friend and associate. Tolson has a

towel around his waist and one over his head.

TOLSON:

(sarcastic)

What do you think this plan is, Edgar?

A nuclear attack?

HOOVER:

He's lying, Clyde. Always has.

That's why Nixon's always been useful.

Hold still. And take your hand off

your hip.

JOAQUIN, a very young, near-naked Hispanic boy, comes in

with refreshments: orange slices, fruit, and pastel drinks

with parasols.

INTERCUT TO:

INT. TV STUDIO - DAY

RON ZIEGLER checks his scripts as NIXON continues on the

other side of the glass.

DIRECTOR:

(turns)

Who's next?

ZIEGLER:

The Negro. We gotta have a Negro.

A BLACK MAN appears on the monitors.

BLACK MAN:

Mr. Nixon ...

NIXON:

Yes, sir!

BLACK MAN:

You've made a career out of smearing

people as Communists. And now you're

building your campaign on the

divisions in this country. Stirring

up hatred, turning people against each

other ...

Ziegler and HALDEMAN are apoplectic.

HALDEMAN:

What the f***'s he doing? He's making

a speech.

ZIEGLER:

Cut him off!

DIRECTOR:

I can't cut him off! This isn't

Russia!

The Black Man turns to the studio audience.

BLACK MAN:

You don't want a real dialogue with

the American people. This whole

thing's been staged. These aren't

real people. You're just a mouthpiece

for an agenda that is hidden from us.

HALDEMAN:

(screaming)

Go to commercial!

DIRECTOR:

There are no commercials. You bought

the whole half-hour, baby ...

The Black Man is walking down the aisle toward Nixon.

BLACK MAN:

(impassioned)

When are you going to tell us what you

really stand for? When are you going

to take the mask off and show us who

you really are?

Close on Nixon's upper lip, sweating.

Haldeman watches intently.

HALDEMAN:

It's a high hard one, chief. Park it.

Nixon gathers himself, looks firmly at the Black Man.

NIXON:

Yes, there are divisions in this

country ...

BLACK MAN:

Who made them -- you made them!

NIXON:

... but I didn't create them. The

Democrats did! If it's a dialogue you

want, you're more likely to get it

from me than from the people who are

burning down the cities! Just think

about that ... The great Doctor King

said the same things. You know, young

man, who a great hero is -- Abraham

Lincoln. Because he stood for common

ground, he brought this country

together ...

The audience applauds. Haldeman punches Ziegler's arm.

HALDEMAN:

I love that man!

(then)

Fire the sonofabitch who let that

agitator in!

ZIEGLER:

(relieved)

Okay, go to the little girl. Can he

see the little girl?

DIRECTOR:

She's right down front.

NIXON:

I don't know if you can see her, but

there's a little girl sitting down

here with a sign. Could you hold that

up, sweetheart?

ZIEGLER:

Bag the guy. Take the sign!

The Camera cuts to a LITTLE GIRL holding a hand-lettered

sign.

NIXON:

The sign has on it three simple words:

"Bring us together!" That is what I

want, and that is what the great

silent majority of Americans want!

The audience loves it. APPLAUSE signs light up.

NIXON (CONT'D)

(shouts over)

And that's why I want to be president.

I want to bring us together!

EXT. LA COSTA COUNTRY CLUB - PRIVATE PATIO - DAY

Like a lizard, HOOVER eyes JOAQUIN, the Hispanic boy.

TOLSON:

... give me a break, Mary.

NIXON (V.O.)

You all know me. I'm one of you, I

grew up a stone's throw from here on a

little lemon ranch in Yorba Linda ...

HOOVER:

(mimics)

It was the poorest lemon ranch in

California, I can tell you that. My

father sold it before they found oil

on it.

NIXON (V.O.)

It was the poorest lemon ranch in

California, I can assure you. My

father sold it before they found oil

on it.

TOLSON:

(mimics)

But it was all we had.

NIXON (V.O.)

... but it was all we had.

HOOVER:

You're new. What's your name?

JOAQUIN:

Joaquin, Mr. Hoover.

Hoover selects an orange slice, puts one end between his

teeth. Wiggles it. Joaquin bends over, bites off the

other end. Tolson looks peeved.

NIXON (V.O.)

My father built the house where I was

born with his own hands. Oh, it

wasn't a big house ...

HOOVER:

Turn this crap off, Clyde. It's

giving me a headache ... You may go,

Joaquin.

He takes a drink off Joaquin's tray as Clyde turns off the

TV. Joaquin vanishes.

HOOVER (CONT'D)

I want to see him tomorrow, Clyde.

TOLSON:

Edgar, think twice. He works in the

kitchen.

HOOVER:

Not Joaquin, you idiot. Nixon. Did

you hear what he said in Oregon?

About me having too much power.

TOLSON:

It's between Nixon and a Kennedy

again, Edgar ... Who do you want?

HOOVER:

Kennedy -- never. He'll fry in hell

for what he did to me. But Nixon

doesn't know that, which is why I'm

gonna have to remind him he needs us a

helluva lot more'n we need him.

EXT. DEL MAR RACETRACK - STARTING GATE - DAY

THOROUGHBREDS explode out of the chutes.

EXT. DEL MAR RACETRACK - CLUBHOUSE - DAY

A private box just above the finish line. HOOVER raises

his binoculars, watching the race. He is wearing a white

tropical suit, Panama hat, white shoes. CLYDE is dressed

similarly.

JOHNNY ROSELLI, white hair, deep tan, sharp dresser, sits

with him in the box, spots someone ...

ROSELLI:

Your boy's on his way up ... I met him

years ago. In Havana.

ON THE TRACK:
TWO HORSES are in a terrific stretch drive.

HOOVER watches impassively.

ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

(frantic)

And down the stretch they come! It's

Sunday's Chance Son and Olly's Boy

duelling for the lead ...

CLOSE:
OLLY'S BOY puts a nose in front of SUNDAY'S CHANCE.

HOOVER:

He's folding, Johnny.

ON THE TRACK:
Sunday's Chance is tiring, falling behind

Olly's Boy.

ROSELLI:

You just wait a second.

CLOSE:
On Olly's Boy bandaged front legs. Then, Olly Boy's

right foreleg snaps. It sounds like a rifle shot.

Olly's Boy goes down over his shoulder. The JOCKEY is

thrown across the track.

The CROWD is stunned. Sunday's Chance wins easily.

Hoover turns to Roselli.

TOLSON:

A bit extreme, isn't it?

ROSELLI:

It's the drama.

(gestures to the crowd)

The crowd loves that sh*t. Hey!

There's Randolph Scott. You might

like that guy, friend of mine. Wanna

meet him? Edgar?

SHOUTING and CHEERS behind them. They turn. NIXON is

making his way down the aisle, waving to the crowd. He is

followed by HALDEMAN.

Hoover passes Roselli a ticket.

HOOVER:

Not now, Johnny. Cash this for me,

would you?

ROSELLI:

It's a two-dollar bet, Edgar. You got

thousands coming on this ... what the

f***?

HOOVER:

I told you, just cash it, Johnny. And

don't swear around me ...

A beat. Roselli crosses Nixon, who enters the box.

NIXON:

Edgar, wonderful to see you. Clyde

... hi.

TOLSON:

Mr. Nixon.

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