The American President Page #10

- Can you give us names?

- My God.

- He's making this up as he goes along.

- I'm so sorry, Sydney.

I don't know what we call her.

The First Mistress?

Oh, man.

My father heard that.

He's just gonna have

to turn a deaf ear.

My father doesn't have a deaf ear.

He hears fine out of both.

So do l, my sister and my friends.

You're the only one who seems to--

I can't challenge the school bully

because he picks on my girlfriend.

I'm not asking you to.

I can take care of myself.

This isn't about me.

How can you keep quiet?

How do you have patience for people

who claim they love America...

but clearly can't stand Americans?

I have one election left.

I don't have the luxury

of losing my patience.

I want to say something to you...

but I'm gonna

fumble it a little bit...

so please just wait till

I'm done before you respond.

I am in love with you.

I'm certain of it, and I want

to be with you more than anything.

But maybe things would be better for you

if I just disappeared for a while.

Things will be better

when I pass the crime bill.

And if you disappeared,

I'd find you.

- Hi, Gill.

- Mr. President.

Militant women are out to destroy

college football in this country.

- Is that a fact?

- Yes.

Have you been following

the situation down in Atlanta?

These women want parity...

for girls' softball,

volleyball, field hockey--

If I'm not mistaken, Gill, the courts

ruled on Title 9 about 20 years ago.

Yes, sir, but now these women

want that law enforced.

- It's a world gone mad.

- Gill, merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas.

- Come meet some people.

- You see, the country has mood swings.

- Mood swings?

Nineteen postgraduate degrees

in mathematics...

and your best explanation of going from

a 63 to a 46 percent approval rating...

in five weeks

is mood swings.

I could explain it better,

but I need charts, graphs and an easel.

Fellas, we haven't

slept in three years.

Can't we forget work for one night

and enjoy each other as friends?

- It's Christmas.

- It's Christmas?

Yeah. You didn't get the memo?

Sydney. Merry Christmas.

- Hi, Esther.

- Hello, Sydney.

- Merry Christmas, A.J.

- Merry Christmas to you.

- Where you been?

- I got stuck on Du Pont Circle.

I can never remember

which lane I'm supposed to take.

Then I got cut off by this idiot

cab driver who starts screaming at me.

- Sydney, it's Christmas.

- Hiya, Syd.

Did you get stuck on

Du Pont Circle again?

It's not funny.

I hate that place.

- Declare it a federal disaster area.

- I'll look into it.

What were you doing

up on the Hill anyway?

I had a terrible meeting today.

I totally lost my cool with

McSorley, McCluskey and Shane.

- You went up to see the Motown Three?

- I pitched them the bill.

- On its merits?

- The woman has no fear.

She'd lobby the Carolinas

to the American Lung Association.

- It was a disaster.

- You're in good company.

A week ago they said there was nothing

on the president's domestic agenda...

they were more committed to defeating

than the crime bill.

Congratulations.

You're out of the cellar.

McSorley told me that the only thing

on the president's domestic agenda...

that they were more committed

to defeating than the crime bill...

was the fossil fuel package.

- You're kidding.

- No, I'm not kidding.

It's funny that

he used the same words.

The Pep Boys

don't know too many words.

I'm gonna get a drink

and shake this off.

When I come back,

I'll have some Christmas spirit.

- Are you okay?

- I'm fine, yeah.

- I'll lead the way.

- Thank you.

- Merry Christmas, Mr. President.

- Happy holidays, Bob.

Did what I think

just happened, just happen?

Did the G.D.C.'s political director just

tell the president and chief of staff...

that there are three votes

on the crime bill that can be bought...

by sticking the fossil fuel

package in a drawer?

The G.D.C.'s political director

didn't tell us anything.

Sydney Wade told her boyfriend and his

best friend that she had a lousy day.

It doesn't change the facts,

Mr. President.

If Sydney gets her 24 votes and we're

three votes shy, we need to maneuver.

- I made a promise.

- You made a deal.

- I made it with Sydney.

- You made it with the G.D.C.

It's all academic anyway.

We're not gonna need those three votes.

If your approval rating

continues to drop...

things are gonna get tight.

I'm hearing rumors that your boss

is wavering on the crime bill.

I wouldn't listen to rumors.

You know this town.

That's what I wanted to hear.

I'll tell you, though, my boss

is startin' to waver on the crime bill.

Sydney, everybody cares about

the environment during a phone survey.

On election day,

nobody gives a damn.

That's why you have a job.

Pennybaker, on election day, people

give a damn about what I tell them.

That's why I have a job.

She got Pennybaker.

Congressman, it was our understanding

we had your support.

Look, I like your boy.

Always have.

But for God's sake, kid,

does the woman have to spend the night?

We've got the full backing

of the White House, Catherine.

Yes, at 20 percent.

Three more votes,

the president sends it to the Hill.

Katie, ten years from now...

any car with an internal combustion

engine is a collector's item.

Come on board.

We'll make your Volvo a classic.

Congressman,

the assault weapons are gone.

- The bill is priced to move.

- The bill isn't the issue.

I'm facing a serious challenge

in November...

and the president's coattails

aren't what they used to be.

The president's coattails are gonna

have room for you. Leave that to us.

We left that to you, and now

the president's in a free-fall.

- I wouldn't say he's in a free-fall.

- Fellas.

I just can't give you my vote.

The well is dryin' up. The president's

gotta make a move, or we're gonna die.

What if I do a new poll,

detailed public opinion?

- And we put Sydney in the new model.

- Right.

A.J., it's meaningless

unless we ask him about Sydney.

All right, fine.

Let's do it.

It's delicious. Thank you.

- Is there any more?

- Tons. I didn't think you liked it.

You kidding?

Of course I did.

It's not for me. The agent who checked

the food thought it was delicious.

I told him I'd bring him some

if there was any left.

- So you didn't like it.

- No, I loved it.

- You're lying.

- No, I'm not.

You are. I can tell.

You do a thing with your face.

When have you ever seen me

do a thing with my face?

Two days before I met you...

you were giving a speech for the

Daughters of the American Revolution.

- I was there.

- You were?

- You remember the speech?

- Vaguely.

"Americans can no longer afford to

pretend they live in a great society."

There was supposed to be

something after that.

- How did you know that?

- I told you. The face.

Cheers.

Oh, wow!

What's the occasion?

You're lookin' at a lady who's

two votes shy of the promised land.

- Two votes?

- I got Pennybaker.

- That got me Cass and Zimmer.

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