The American President Page #4

for one minute.

Give her a call.

She didn't say

anything about me?

She did say you were taller

than she thought you'd be.

Well, that's something.

- Yes, sir?

- I need you to find a phone number.

Richard, it wasn't funny.

I acted like a college freshman

at a protest rally.

Tell him the part

about walking out the wrong door.

Oh, God, I forgot about that.

Oh, God, I forgot about that.

No, Richard, I don't want to hear

your Andrew Shepherd imitation.

- I want to hear it.

- I'm hanging up now, Richard.

Tonight I was gonna go to bed early and

wake up where there's a new president.

The president must think

I'm a third-rate jerk.

If he thinks you're a jerk, I'm sure

he thinks you're a first-rate jerk.

I tell you one thing, boy.

I regrouped.

You gotta give me that.

I pulled it together at the end.

I stood in the middle of the Oval Office

and made it absolutely clear...

that he who doesn't take the G.D.C.

seriously, does so at his peril.

And then you walked out

the wrong door.

Are you gonna be throwing that

back at me the rest of my life?

That's my current plan.

That's gonna be Leo Solomon.

He said he'd call at 9:00.

- Hello?

- Yeah, hi. Is this Sydney?

- Leo?

- No, this is Andrew Shepherd.

Oh, it's Andrew Shepherd.

Yeah, you're hilarious, Richard.

You're just a regular riot.

No, this isn't Richard.

This is Andrew Shepherd.

Oh, well,

I'm so glad you called...

because I forgot to tell you today

what a nice ass you have.

I'm also impressed that you got

my number since I don't have a phone.

- Good night, Richard.

- This isn't Rich--

This used to be easier.

- I don't believe this.

- Do you want me to deal with him?

No. I may choke in front of Shepherd.

Richard Reynolds I can handle. Hello?

- Sydney?

- Are you learning impaired?

Listen, do me a favor.

Hang up the phone.

- What?

- Hang up the phone...

then dial 456-1414.

When you get

the White House operator...

give her your name and tell her

you want to speak to the president.

Oh, my God.

This isn't happening to me.

What's going on?

No, it's not possible

I did this twice in one day.

Good evening,

the White House. Hello?

Hi. My name's Sydney Allen Wade.

I'd like to--

The president's expecting your call.

I'll put you right through.

- Hello?

- Mr. President.

I'm sure there's an appropriate

thing to say at this moment.

Probably some formal apology for

the nice ass remark would be in order.

I just don't quite

know how to word it.

It's my fault.

I shouldn't have called you at home.

- Should I call you at the office?

- No, of course not.

I mean, yes.

You can call me anytime you want.

This is fine. Right now is fine.

When I said of course not, I meant--

You know what? The hell with it.

I'm moving to another country.

What did you mean when you said

that you didn't have a phone?

I just moved to Washington over the

weekend, and my apartment isn't ready.

This is my sister's apartment.

How did you get this number?

How did I get the number?

That's a good question.

I don't know.

Probably the FBl.

Oh, the FBl? Sure!

'Cause if you want to find someone and

you're the president, you call the FBl.

- You know who else is good at that?

- Uh, CIA?

Well, yeah, but I was thinking

of the lnternal Revenue Service.

You know, they have these

computer files that--

Well, I should stop stalling.

As you probably know, the French

have elected themselves a new president.

We're having a formal

state dinner at the White House...

and I was wondering--

and you're under no obligation--

but I thought it might be fun, and I was

wondering if maybe you wanted to go...

with me.

That's it.

That's why I was calling.

- Congress doesn't take this long.

- Mr. President.

You have asked me to join you

in representing our country.

I'm honored. I'm equal to the task.

I won't let you down, sir.

Sydney, this is just dinner.

We're not gonna be doing espionage.

No, of course.

I'm a little--

What do I do?

I mean, where do I go?

Will you meet me?

- Should l--

- I'll have Marsha Bridgeport call you.

She's the White House social secretary.

She'll help you with anything you want.

Now, when she calls you and tells you

her name is Marsha Bridgeport...

it'll help if you give her

the benefit of the doubt.

- Of course.

- I'll see you Thursday night.

Mr. President,

thanks for asking me, really.

This is a first for me.

Me too.

Okay, who's on lndiana?

Excuse me. I can't remember your names.

Raise your hands if you're on lndiana.

Put your hands down.

You're on Illinois.

- We got Jarrett.

- What?

George Jarrett.

He's ours. Solid yes.

I don't believe it.

You, new guy.

Jarrett, democrat, Minnesota.

Slide his name on over to yes.

His name was laminated to "undecided."

How'd you get his butt off the fence?

I wish I could take credit for it.

He says, "I support the president 100%."

Not the bill, the president.

We're gonna win this in a walk.

You know, it's like a kissing booth.

Give us a vote,

get a photo op with number 63.

- We should've gone after the handguns.

- We gotta do one thing at a time.

There's no time for one thing at a time.

Hi. It's David

in Sydney Wade's office.

Yeah, I'll hold.

It's David in Sydney Wade's office.

I want to confirm her lunch

with the congressman.

We could do with

a little party leadership.

I mean, is the majority whip

taking a break?

Congress is in session, right?

I'm not wrong about that?

I just got off with Luther Simons.

Brock's on board.

Terrific.

Well, have him get back to me.

You okay, Syd?

Sure. Why?

I don't know.

You seem a little tense.

What do you mean?

Big date tonight?

- Senator Rumson, can I have a moment?

- Certainly.

I'm standing here with

Senate Minority Leader Robert Rumson...

one of the many guests arriving at what,

for the next few hours at least...

will be a nonpartisan White House.

Senator, the latest public opinion

surveys show the president...

with approval ratings that would make

him all but unbeatable come November.

Is there a republican who can mount

a serious challenge, and are you him?

Well, Lloyd, it's a long time

till next November.

- I'm looking forward to this evening.

- Thank you, Senator.

That's a little tight, Luce.

It's supposed to be tight.

It's supposed to make you look regal.

Is it supposed to cut off

the blood flow to my face?

All done.

Well, that's not bad.

- Where'd you learn how to do that?

- Social studies.

Very funny. No, really,

where'd you learn that?

I don't know. I guess

I just picked it up somewhere.

Sweetie, did Mom teach you

how to do that?

Yeah.

Lucy, is this okay?

My having dinner with a lady?

- Dad, it's totally okay.

- You sure? lf you want to talk about--

Dad, it's cool.

Just go for it.

I'm a little nervous.

You'll be fine.

Just be yourself.

Be myself, huh?

Yeah, and compliment her shoes.

- Her shoes?

- Yeah. Girls like that.

Okay. Thanks.

- Thank you.

- Miss Wade?

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