The American President Page #3

- Our full support?

- Yes, he is.

The president's dreaming, A.J.

He has critically misjudged reality.

If he honestly thinks the environmental

community is going to whistle happily...

while rallying support around this

mockery of environmental leadership...

just because he's a nice guy and he's

done better than his predecessors...

then your boss is the

chief executive of Fantasyland.

Let's take him out back

and beat the sh*t out of him.

Good morning, Mr. President.

How are you today?

Couldn't be better.

My apologies for the interruption.

A.J. suggested I come by

and say hello.

You wouldn't be Sydney Ellen Wade

by any chance, would you?

Mr. President, I don't know what to say.

I'm speechless.

All evidence to the contrary.

Mr. President, I'm Susan Sloan.

I used to work with Congressman Myers.

I hope that this incident in no way

jeopardizes the good relationship--

- Yes, sir?

- Do you have a second?

Of course.

I thought maybe we might talk in private

someplace less intimidating.

- Janie?

- Yes, sir?

This is Janie Basdin, my personal aide.

Would you show Ms. Wade to the rec room?

- This way.

- I'll be with you in a second.

- Sorry to keep you waiting.

- Mr. President, l--

Is it all right

if I call you Sydney?

- Of course. Mr. President--

- Have you ever been in the Oval Office?

I've just been on the regular tour.

It didn't include--

- I hear it's pretty good.

- Mr. President...

what you saw in there

was just vanity run amuck.

I was showing off for a colleague

who doesn't think very much of me.

It would be an injustice to hold

the G.D.C. accountable for my behavior.

On top of which, I am monumentally sorry

for having insulted you like that.

- Do you think I'm mad at you?

- Well--

Seldom does a day go by

when I'm not burned in effigy.

Not by a professional political

operative 30 feet from the Oval Office!

I'll grant you that.

Did you know when the city planners

sat down to design Washington, D.C....

their intention was to build a city

that would intimidate foreign leaders?

- It's true.

- I didn't know that.

The White House is the single greatest

home-court advantage in the world.

I learned that one the hard way.

Sydney, this bill

is important to me.

Yes, sir.

I'll convey your message.

- But you don't believe me.

- The G.D.C. is asking for 20%, sir.

It's not gonna pass at 20%.

It's a long shot at ten.

How do you know until you put the weight

of the White House behind it?

Sydney, at 20%, we're 34 votes

shy in the House.

It can't be done.

But I'll tell you what.

I'll make you a deal.

If you can get 24 votes,

I'll get you the last ten.

Twenty-four votes?

If you can swing 24 votes

by the State of the Union...

I will promise you

full White House support.

Do I have your word on that, sir?

Absolutely.

Listen, are you hungry?

I skipped breakfast.

You want to have a doughnut?

Coffee or something?

Sir, I'm a little intimidated

by my surroundings...

and yes, I have gotten off

to a somewhat stilted beginning...

but don't let that diminish

the weight of my message.

The G.D.C. has been at every president

for the last decade and a half.

Global warming is a calamity...

the effects of which will be second

only to nuclear war.

The best scientists have given you every

reason to take the G.D.C. seriously...

but I'm gonna give you one more.

If you don't live up

to the deal you just made...

we're gonna go shopping

for a new candidate.

You can't do that, Sydney.

With all due respect,

who's going to stop me?

Well, if you go through that door,

the United States Secret Service.

That's my private office.

You have to go out

that door over there.

McSorley, McClusky and Shane know that

we're making our move on the crime bill.

They're circling the wagons

on the assault weapons.

- Should I meet with them?

- Let Lewis take a pass at them first.

Two-ball in the side.

- Nice shot, Mr. President.

- "Nice shot, Mr. President?"

You won't even call me by my name

when we're playing pool?

I will not do it playing pool.

I will not do it in a school.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam I am.

At ease!

- Would you get away from the pocket?

- I beg your pardon, sir.

Nine-ball in the corner.

Leo Solomon phoned. He said he was

thrilled with the deal you made.

- I forgot to tell you.

- It's a waste of time.

But it's not our time! G.D.C. makes

a big push to get the votes.

When they come up short,

we move in with a softer bill.

We get it passed.

We're everybody's hero.

- Three-ball in the side.

- Also, Sydney Wade called.

Sydney Wade?

She wanted to apologize

one more time for her behavior.

Excuse me, sir.

Three in the side.

- Did she say anything about me?

- Ms. Wade?

- When she called.

- Did she say anything about you?

It's just that we had

a nice couple of minutes together.

She threatened me.

I patronized her.

We didn't have anything to eat,

but I thought there was a connection.

- Excuse me, sir.

- Sure.

Thirteen in the corner.

She didn't say anything about me?

Well, no, sir, but I could pass her

a note before study hall.

Tell me this.

Hypothetically--

I feel a nightmare coming on.

What would happen if I called Sydney

Wade and asked her to be my date...

at the state dinner

on Thursday evening?

- You're not serious?

- Don't I sound serious?

The president can't just

go out on a date.

Why not? Jefferson did.

Wilson did.

Wilson was widowed during his first

term. He met a woman named Edith Galt.

He dated her, courted her

and married her.

And somewhere in there he managed

to form the League of Nations.

Mr. President,

this is an election year.

If you're looking

for female companionship...

we can make certain arrangements

that'll insure total privacy--

I don't want you to get me a girl!

What is this, Vegas?

No, this is the White House.

I'm talking about something that in

no way conflicts with my oath of office.

I'm a single adult. I met a woman

who I'd like to see again socially.

How is that different

from what Wilson did?

The difference is he didn't

have to be president on television.

You said it yourself

a million times.

If there had been a TV

in every living room 60 years ago...

this country does not elect

a man in a wheelchair.

- So what are you saying?

- I'm saying we'll take a hit.

- How big?

- Five points, maybe more.

- We're talking about five points?

- It could be more.

I drop five points when Wisconsin

doesn't make it to the Rose Bowl.

Five-ball in the corner.

Do you want me to have Kodak

put together some numbers?

Yeah-- No! I don't want

to check a polling sample...

Iike I'm asking permission

to stay out an hour past curfew.

This is not the business

of the American people.

With all due respect,

the American people have a funny way...

of deciding on their own

what is and what is not their business.

I like her, A.J.

Stop being my chief of staff

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