The Candidate Page #6

I'm beginning to wonder.

Yes, my lord?

Jarmon has agreed to a debate.

That's fantastic!

I want nothing coming in

for 15 minutes.

But the board's plugged through.

Get Harry to replug it.

And close the curtains.

Whatever you say.

I'll go negotiate tomorrow. We've got

to pick a panel of questioners.

You've got to be sitting down.

- I've got to find out about lighting--

- Why sitting down?

The man comes on like your father.

We've got to avoid him trying

to make you look like a kid.

I don't give a damn!

I don't want a panel, either.

I just want to say what I came to say.

You can't say too much on TV.

The point was to say what I wanted.

The right way at the right time.

We never discussed a right time.

We never had to because you know--

Don't tell me what I know!

Don't make me!

Let's get this straight. I want to know

what the hell this campaign is!

We've come up 14 points

since we began.

That's why he's debating you.

The man is scared!

For the first time in this campaign

you're getting through.

It's not the beginning any more

and it's not my job...

...to explain everything to you.

I must avoid having you look...

...like you're sitting on Jarmon's lap.

If I'm not doing my job...

...then just tell me and I'll shove off.

Anytime.

Did you get Spivak?

No, hold on.

Bob? Hold on.

From here on out, no promises.

I never asked you to make promises.

Will you get Fleischer for an 11 o'clock

briefing? Did you hear that, Cory?

Phone Klein and tell him to

earn his money.

Have a nice afternoon in San Diego.

We're going to disembark

through the front exit.

Then we'll proceed

to the south parking lot.

It's stuck.

Is Jarmon taking unfair

advantage of the backlash?

Excuse us, please.

I've got to talk to you.

I'm sorry, but you can't come in here.

What's going on?

This isn't any cocktail lounge.

Don't even mention an ad like that.

As far as the Oakland shooting goes...

...you have compassion,

but you're waiting to hear the details.

You're vulnerable because you haven't

established yourself on crime.

You have to leave.

- This is Bill McKay.

- I don't care if it's Henry Fonda!

This is your crime program.

You have to get this

in your lunch speech today...

...and get it in the debate

tomorrow night.

Whatever they ask,

give them our answers.

- Crime isn't an issue, it's a symptom.

- That's a good line.

For when you write your book.

Now, hit the five-point prevention

and enforcement stuff...

...part of "The Better Way."

Better way to screw them all!

15 minutes to air.

Let's get the lighting.

- It's okay on the health insurance?

- Terrific.

Jarmon will be left nowhere

if you say it like that.

It's number 23. You want to check it?

You want to go over it again?

Give them our answers no matter what

the questions are. Let's change ties.

Why? Never mind.

Otherwise you smudge the makeup.

You'll be sitting camera right. While

Jarmon is talking, keep looking at him.

Jarmon talks, you look at Jarmon.

Keep your eyes steady.

Whatever you do, don't look up at all...

...because your eyes are glazed

and you'll look like a moron.

- Unless gesturing, interlace fingers.

- Who's that?

You got that?

- I'm just trying to help.

- I can do it.

5 seconds...4 seconds....

We're on the air.

Tonight, Senator Crocker Jarmon...

...faces William McKay, challenger...

...in the race for U.S. Senate

from the state of California.

The Jarmon-McKay Debate.

Good evening,

I'm Van Amberg, ABC.

I'll be tonight's moderator.

Three of California's best-known

broadcast journalists...

...are on our panel tonight.

They are Rollin Post, Ken Jones

and Maury Green.

We'll begin our questioning

now with Maury Green.

Mr. McKay, at the beginning of your

campaign, you favored busing...

...to integrate the schools.

Lately you seem to be against it.

Which is it?

For or against?

A school bus can't carry

all the burdens of our society.

The main problem is still how do we get

a first-rate education for each child?

We can't afford inferior schools

anywhere. We must try to preserve...

...the idea of neighborhood

schools in achieving this.

Is pollution...

...a political issue, or is this one

subject you both can agree on?

Of course it's not political.

Let's look at that oil spill

that fouled our beaches.

I warned about that oil spill.

I testified.

I hollered for stronger regulation.

But we needed the oil...

...and we weren't careful enough

about how we got it.

So I end up in the shower

like everybody else...

...trying to scrub the oil

out of my old, gray hair.

When it comes to smog...

...we're bucking the dream...

...of every private citizen

in his own automobile.

So we had to take on

the battle of installing devices.

And we are gradually seeing...

...that shift-over take effect.

In fact, I think we can now say,

as a result of our Herculean labors...

...that we are turning the corner

on smog here in California.

We can't even see the corner.

I won't say it's a matter of

Republicans or Democrats...

...but it's politics, all right,

when the politicians...

...put the polluters

over the needs of the public.

We have the money to do this job.

We don't have to raise taxes one cent.

We just need the leadership...

...to get the job done.

What do you think

of legalizing abortion?

This is a matter that not only

concerns women, but all of us.

Leadership cannot shut

its eyes to the problem.

It deserves a lot more study

than it's been getting.

I'm an old-fashioned guy

when it comes to this.

I say that human life is sacrosanct.

It is God-given...

...and we must have control

over just how and when...

...we let people take it away.

Until recently the polls have shown

Senator Jarmon substantially ahead...

...but you are catching up,

although you're still behind.

What effect will the public

opinion polls have on your campaign?

I'm the underdog, so I don't believe in

polls, don't believe in them anyhow.

You can't trim what you say

to suit someone's poll.

Mr. McKay, your opponent has implied...

...that you have nothing to say

about crime. Do you?

I have put out a five-point program

on prevention and enforcement...

...and that program details...

...the training and equipment

of the men who enforce the laws.

We must give them the means to handle

crimes against person and property...

...with speed, effectiveness and safety.

We've also got to devise a system...

...that can stop crime

before it has a chance to start.

Of course, it's very easy for anyone

to come into it at this time...

...and say anything to capitalize...

...to pretend that

you have all the answers.

A situation that you...

...may have helped encourage.

Indirectly, that is.

Where do you draw the line?

For some people, their idea of getting

tough is longer suspended sentences.

Let's think where crime comes from.

Studies have proved that it's

this whole attitude of permissiveness.

Let's face it.

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