State of the Union Page #11

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Where are you?

Fine, I'll come up

to your room.

Excuse me a minute.

Grant, I'll be right back.

I just wanted to tell you

the gang in the kitchen

are all listening in tonight,

Mr. Matthews.

Oh, oh, fine.

Fine, Emil, you do that.

Down there they say

you're not just another

one of those politicians.

You're not, are you,

Mr. Matthews?

No, I'm not.

I knew it.

Give it to them tonight,

Mr. Matthews. Give it to them.

I'm sorry Jim got a line

on what you're going

to say here tonight.

So am I. I was all pepped up

about that speech tonight.

You're not gonna change it?

I don't know.

Jim's only argument is

that this isn't the place

to say it. I've...

Do you think he's right?

It isn't whether

Jim's right or not.

It's just that

there is no such thing

as a little garlic.

You haven't

answered my question.

Grant, do you remember what

made the biggest impression

on that audience in Wichita?

It was when you said

the real wealth of the world

is not in coal or iron

or bank accounts.

It's in principle,

integrity, honesty.

Plain, ordinary,

garden-variety honesty.

Do you remember that?

Well, should I change it,

or should I not?

No, the world needs

honest men today,

more than it needs presidents.

Okay, let's go.

Come on, let's go...

Hold it a minute, Grant.

About your speech tonight.

Some of the smartest boys

in Washington got together

and prepared something

for you to say.

They know what they're doing.

"The palsied hand

of bureaucratic control

"must be removed

from the throttle of..."

What is this? A gag?

No. Why?

"Industry is not a felon.

It can no longer

be treated as one.

"The binding shackles

of government..."

Why, this is double-talk.

What you were planning

was trouble-talk.

Confound it, man!

Don't you want

to be president?

Yes, I want to be president.

Let me get you nominated!

How about letting

the people get him

nominated?

The people have

darn little to say

about the nominations.

You both lived

in this country

all of your lives.

It's time you get that

through your heads.

You're not nominated

by the people,

you're nominated

by the politicians.

Why? Because the people

are too darn lazy

to vote in the primaries.

Well, politicians

aren't lazy.

I'll put Grant

in the White House,

if you and he

give me half a chance.

Use your head, Grant.

We've got to bring you

into that Convention

without any enemies.

That's the whole strategy.

Nomination

or no nomination, Jim,

they've got to know

where I stand

before they vote for me.

Grant.

I hate to do this to you,

Grant, but there's

one more delegation.

Oh, no. Tell them I've left.

You can't do that.

They'll see you

on your way out.

These are important VIPs.

We're the guests of honor.

Yeah, I'll cut it short.

I'll go out and strew

the path with flowers.

Mary, I want

to tell you right now,

if Grant blasts

that group tonight,

he'll be blasting himself

out of any chance

for the White House.

He's got to take

professional advice.

Jim, let him alone.

He's just trying to

tell the truth as he sees it.

It doesn't matter whether

he becomes president or not.

Doesn't matter?

No, not that much.

I know that man

and I love that man.

And I tell you,

if you get him to compromise,

you'll destroy him.

Compromise will eat into him

like a worm. He won't be

Grant Matthews anymore.

I hate to be blunt,

but as a political advisor,

you are a wonderful

wife and mother.

And as a wife and mother,

I'd like to tell you

that Grant doesn't need

politicians like you.

You're trying to

make him believe that he does

so that you can ride in

on his coattails.

I know where you stand, Jim.

You and Kay Thorndyke

and Emil, the waiter here.

The man who elects

the presidents.

He knows where you stand, too.

He can smell a compromise

a mile off. Come in.

Let him alone.

Just let him tell the truth.

You got an honest man.

You don't know

how lucky you are.

I got your radio.

Had to steal it

from another room.

Yes, plug it in please.

Everybody wanted

a radio tonight.

So?

A big broadcast

from Hollywood.

Bob Hope and Jack Benny.

All set.

The elevator's waiting.

Fix your tie, Grant.

Listen in, Jim.

My bag, my bag. My...

What's that in your hand?

Oh, that's my bag.

May as well sit in here

and be comfortable.

I have a radio.

Dare I listen?

You can listen.

Are you sure?

You were only with him

a few minutes.

And Mary's had weeks, I know.

It wasn't hard, Jim.

All I did was to tell him

the things he wanted to hear.

But there is one question

on his mind you'd better

have the answer for.

What's that?

He's beginning to wonder

if there's any difference

between the Democratic party

and the Republican party.

That's a fine question

for a presidential candidate

to ask.

There's all the difference

in the world.

They're in and we're out.

Well, this is more like it.

These telegrams

aren't just from people.

You see what that speech did?

Boy, happy days

are here again.

Hey,

Brock from Missouri

and Tenebaum, Colorado.

Those birds

don't send telegrams unless

they're fishing for bids.

I thought they were Dewey men.

Not now. Hey, look at this.

Ed Lauterback wants

to talk turkey.

That puts the farm block

on our team. Thirty delegates,

if it means one.

Look here, Mary. Two state

and seven county chairmen.

Not just from people.

I don't want to hear anymore

about that speech last night.

These telegrams

prove that Jim is right.

He knows what he's doing.

He's a professional.

And I don't want to hear that

Henry Clay routine either.

He wound up

being neither right

nor president.

Emil, the waiter,

was listening in.

I can imagine

the look on his face.

Mary. Mary, you should

have faith in me.

I want to be president.

I know this country.

I know it inside out.

I know all of

its simmering hates.

I know the petty warfare

undermining our unity.

And I think I know

what causes it.

It's fear.

It's nothing but fear.

Fear of the future.

Fear of the world.

Fear of communism.

Fear of going broke.

Why didn't you make

that speech last night?

Because I want the nomination.

If I have to soft soap

a few idiots

like Sam Parrish to get it,

I'll soft soap them.

After I'm elected,

if you think I'm going off

the deep end,

come and tell me.

I'll listen to you.

But until then, lay off.

There's not going

to be any then.

Up until last night,

you had something to say.

You had courage.

You had a chance.

The people were for you.

But not anymore.

You've changed

and they'll know it.

I haven't changed.

Hey, boss,

we got company again.

Uh-oh.

James, you are about to become

an older and wiser man.

Ask Grant

if he's too old to fly.

Hey, boss, Rusty wants to know

if you're too old to fly.

You tell Rusty I'm busy.

And tell him if he knows

what's good for him,

he'll get down to that plant

and get busy himself.

Scram, fellas. The chill's on.

Uh-oh.

I amaze myself.

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