The American President

Liberty's moving.

The 10:
15 event's been moved inside

to the lndian Treaty room.

10:
15 is American Fisheries?

Yes, sir. They're giving you

a 200-pound halibut.

Janie, make a note.

We need to schedule more events...

where somebody gives me

a really big fish.

- Yes, sir.

- Janie, I'm kidding.

- Hey, Cooper.

- Morning, Mr. President.

Mr. Rothschild asked to have

a moment with you this morning, sir.

Is he upset

about the speech last night?

He seemed concerned.

It wouldn't be a Monday morning

unless Lewis was concerned...

about something I did Sunday night.

- You skipped a whole paragraph!

- And Monday morning it is.

"Americans can no longer afford to

pretend they live in a great society--"

And then you dumped

the whole handguns paragraph.

This is a time

for prudence, Lewis.

But, sir, that was

the kick-ass section.

Well, I thought what with being

president and all--

I didn't mean to imply--

I thought you'd be turning

cartwheels this morning, Lewis.

- 63% job approval.

- That is good news, sir.

- Morning, Mr. President.

- Morning, Charlie.

Sir, the press is gonna need

an explanation.

- For what?

- Because you dumped the whole section.

- Now we've got this thing hanging out.

- There's this thing hanging out?

"Americans can no longer afford to

pretend they live in a great society--"

And then nothing.

No explanation, no context.

- It's just this thing.

- And it's hanging out?

- Yes, sir.

- Maria.

- Good morning, sir.

- I'm gonna need--

Overall consumer spending

and not just first homes?

- We'll have it for you in 15 minutes.

- Thanks.

Mr. President, I really feel--

However much coffee you drink,

I want you to reduce it by half.

- I don't drink coffee, sir.

- Then hit yourself with a baseball bat.

- Yes, sir.

- Happy birthday, Laura.

- Laura, happy birthday.

- Thank you, sir.

- I should send her some flowers.

- You already did, sir.

- Good morning, Mr. President.

- How are you today, Mrs. Chapil?

Fine, sir. Mr. Kodak left a detailed

breakdown of the approval poll for you.

He seemed to indicate

that it was very good news.

Sixty-three percent of it,

at any rate.

Lucy called just a moment ago.

You forgot to sign her permission slip.

Ah, the museum trip.

I'll go get it, sir.

- What time is she getting home?

- 3:
20.

- How's my afternoon look?

- Very crowded.

Schedule some time at 3:45.

Too-tall McCall!

So how was Mexico?

I didn't appreciate it

until I came back...

and discovered that America

isn't a great society.

He dumped a whole section.

Now there's this thing

hanging out?

Not a great society, sir?

With you out of the country, it wasn't.

Now that you're back, we're great again.

There's a pressroom full of people

saying, "What did he mean by that?"

- A.J., did you get one of these?

- The letter from Solomon at the G.D.C.?

It appears to be a letter

from the entire environmental community.

- These people are out of control.

- Well, they're frustrated.

Are they blaming the president

for global warming?

They don't think he caused it.

I'm on the phone with them twice a week.

I honestly don't know

what they want at this point.

They want a 20% reduction

in fossil fuel emissions.

- It won't pass at 20%.

- Well, we haven't really tried.

McSorley, McClusky and Shane

hold too many markers.

If we try to push this through and lose,

there will be a very loud thud...

and that's not what you want

in an election year.

Talk to the G.D.C. again.

Tell them the president

resents the implication...

he's turned his back

on the environment.

I'll send 455 to the floor,

but I'll ask for a 10% reduction.

If they want to pull

their support, fine.

With a 63% job approval rating, I don't

need their help to get a bill passed.

- Good deal.

- Let's get going. Where's Leon?

John, call Mr. Kodak

and tell him the president's waiting.

Sorry. My fault.

Never mind, John.

Excuse me.

Good morning, Mr. President.

- Are you all right?

- They keep moving that big ficus plant.

We're all here, Mr. President.

First of all, I wanted to say

congratulations.

Three years ago, we were elected by one

of the narrowest margins in history...

and today, Kodak tells us...

63% of registered voters

think we're doing a good job.

Wait a second.

You wanted me to poll registered voters?

The poll also tells us

what we already know.

If we don't get our crime bill

through Congress...

those numbers

are gonna be a memory.

So starting today,

we're shifting it into gear.

Can I tell my morning press gaggle

that gun control--

"Crime control," Robin.

"Gun control" means we're soft on crime.

Well, hang on. Are we not putting back

the handgun restrictions?

No, we're leaving them out.

Mr. President,

we campaigned on this issue.

We took them out when we were in the

40s, but we could push it through now.

After the elections, Lewis.

We may never have

an opportunity like this again.

Sir, let's take this 63% out for a spin.

Let's see what it could do.

We can't take it out for a spin.

We need it to get reelected.

For reasons I don't understand, people

do not relate guns to gun-related crime.

Robin, you can brief the press

this afternoon.

As of today, the crime bill is priority

one on the president's domestic agenda.

- Got it.

- Leon, you're gonna run the war room.

We'll need projections for all the

target districts by the end of the week.

Oh, and don't be the sweet,

nice guy from Brooklyn on this one.

- Do what the N.R.A. does.

- Scare the sh*t out of them?

- Exactly.

- I can do that.

We want you to be legislative liaison.

You're gonna run the show on the Hill.

Can I just say, to return

to the subject for one moment...

that it might be easier to fight drugs

if we weren't arming drug dealers?

We gotta fight the fights

we can win, Lewis.

- Yes, sir.

- We want to announce the crime bill...

at the State of the Union,

which is 72 days from today.

Last count put us

18 votes short.

Eighteen votes in 72 days.

Thank you, everyone.

- What's next?

- Security briefing, sir.

"Global Defense Council"

Good morning. Global Defense Council.

You wanted to see me?

- I just spoke with A.J. Maclnerney.

- Did the president read the letter?

The president's pissed as hell.

That letter was a stupid move.

It was aggressive, and I think

we should stand by every word--

This isn't the guy who needed our help.

He's incredibly popular.

He's gonna win reelection, and

he could give a sh*t what we stand by!

If the president passes history's most

important environmental legislation...

despite our negative endorsement,

our future political weight...

will rank somewhere below

the Save the Spotted Owl Society.

I'm bringin' in some help.

We don't need another environmental

expert to confirm what every other--

Not an environmental expert.

A professional political strategist.

We're playing hardball with Andrew

Shepherd, and we need a heavy bat.

- Who?

- Syndey Ellen Wade.

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