The Contender Page #11

- Hello, Freshman.

Senator, I just wanted

to steal a couple of seconds.

What? See what whores do

on their time off?

Listen,

I know the things I've done.

They may not have been nice

or considered politically savvy...

but they have served the greater good

and they have been honest.

Okay.

Look, I know

you're not a whore.

- I'm not gonna talk about it.

- I know. You're not talking about it.

Somebody else

has come forward.

Somebody else from the night

of the incident sent me this letter.

They didn't send it to me.

They sent it to the committee.

I just happen to be in charge

of all the correspondence.

I don't think you can keep quiet

about what's in there.

Mr. Runyon has a copy,

and now so do you.

I beg you, Senator,

to deal with this.

- How long is this flight?

- About an hour and 40 minutes.

POTUS is scheduled to address

the American Legion on the third.

- American Legion? Who approved that?

- I don't know.

- I thought he had the D.A.R. Dinner

that night. - We have a five-hour window.

- Hey, Chuck.

- Hey, Kermit.

Did you get the AP reports?

- What's that?

- POTUS's poll numbers are down 23%.

- And Hanson's in the low 30s.

- Get in there. I'll talk to you in a minute.

- Are you Willomina?

- Yes, sir.

You asked to see me?

- Is this your handiwork?

- Yes, sir.

- How many people have seen this?

- I gave it only to the director.

- And who have you talked to about this?

- Nobody.

Not a husband? Boyfriend?

- Grandma in Kalamazoo?

- No, sir. Nobody.

- Keep it that way.

- Yes, sir.

You did a good job,

Special Agent.

Sir! Uh, sir, I just... I just wanted

to ask, ask you. Um, well...

Are you gonna dump her?

Sir, this may be really,

really inappropriate...

but if that's what you guys

are thinking...

Please, you can't do it.

She's hope.

Hope that the standards...

That there is no double standard.

Hope that the goals

can be the same.

You know what?

You're goddamn right.

That was absolutely inappropriate.

Robertson.

I wouldn't take it too hard.

It's not exactly fair

when six foxes and one chicken...

are voting on

what to have for dinner.

Well, that's not

playing fair. I'll give you that.

You want an oatmeal cookie?

- Trevor?

- I'm getting them, sir.

I find these giant raisins...

Well, you'll see.

Taste like grapes.

Shelly, you really made

a mess of things for me.

You sure did clobber me.

Isn't it possible, sir,

that I was... that I was acting...

- in the best interests of the United States?

- No.

It's not possible.

That's what pisses me off. It's all

about retribution for Hartford.

Thank you, Trevor.

That'll be all.

- Go ahead. Try this. It's wonderful.

- No.

I may have taken the presidency

from you, but you one-upped me.

You took away my legacy.

I look at her and I see someone who

has proven the capacity for disloyalty.

Or the capacity

for seeing the light.

We're both sticking

to our guns.

The difference is...

mine are loaded.

Look, it doesn't matter, does it?

She's not being confirmed.

We can talk for days

about greatness and leadership...

but Laine Hanson

will not be confirmed.

I have seven from your side

who are giving her the ax.

Oh, indeed, the ax?

We can go through

the process of a vote.

You can waste time...

and suffer the humiliation,

or... or we can just move on.

- There's a lot of good folk to choose from.

- Who?

Who can I be certain

you'll confirm?

The man you wanted in the first place:

Jack Hathaway.

Shelly.

Good man.

Okay, Shelly...

I'll give you Governor Jack Hathaway,

but I wanna make damn sure...

- you'll give him a smooth ride.

- My word. There's a reason they call me Honest Shell.

Irony, Shelly.

I want an insurance policy.

I want a piece of the rock.

I wanna make sure...

you're not gonna pull

some kind of baloney out of your hat...

and make a mockery

of my administration again.

Listen. This is

what I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna ask Mrs. Hanson and

Mr. Hathaway up to the Oval Office...

before the D.A.R. Banquet

tomorrow night.

I want you there as well,

but, Shelly...

before then, I need you

to marry yourself to this guy.

I need you to make a public statement

that makes his sinking your sinking.

- Otherwise...

- But I'm not sure I can...

Let's make this confirmation

fast and furious.

- Help me save face on this one.

- Okay.

Oh, man. Mr. Runyon,

prefer I take you around back?

- No, I'll be fine.

- Yes, sir.

How do you respond to the rumors

that Mrs. Hanson has withdrawn her name?

That is a rumor

I've not yet heard.

Have you heard about the possibility

of Governor Hathaway...

- returning to the list of vice presidential...

- Governor Hathaway is a fine man.

Will he have a smoother ride

than Mrs. Hanson?

Let me go on record

as saying...

that in my opinion there is

no man alive... no Democrat alive...

who could bring...

more integrity

to the office of the vice presidency.

I would stake my career...

on Governor Hathaway's, uh,

smooth and efficient confirmation.

As for Laine Hanson...

- Got everybody, Glenda?

- Yes, sir. He says you can go in whenever you're ready.

- Great. Hello, Jack.

- Kermit.

- Fiona, you're looking particularly fetching this evening.

- Thank you, sir.

- I believe this is the first one of these affairs for you, right?

- Yes.

- My 37th.

- You look great.

- Hello, Shelly.

- Newman.

Everybody would understand if you

wanted to delay for two weeks.

I'm not sure I could stomach

another two weeks.

Oh, Jack.

- Jerry. Good.

- How are you?

Mr. Hanson.

- Gentlemen. Jack.

- Mr. President.

There he is! Shelly!

Hello, Mr. President.

Uh, you know what?

Before we get started...

I can't stomach the idea...

of touching that chichi food we always

get served at these state dinners.

- Glenda?

- Yes, sir?

Could we put together a grilled

cheese sandwich? Muenster on rye.

Right away.

Oh, sorry. Where are my manners?

You guys want anything?

- No, thank you, sir.

- Shelly?

Jesus, uh, Shell,

those were some...

very nice things

you said about Jack.

Jack, there. I understand

that you two have never met.

- Laine Hanson, Jack Hathaway.

- It's a pleasure.

- I'm quite in awe of you.

- Thank you.

Mr. President?

- Yes, Glenda?

- Sir, the kitchen's all out of Muenster.

Really? Wow.

Well, um, let's get on that.

We don't want the wheels

coming off the wagon.

This is, uh...

This is quite an event.

Here we are. Quite a sad event.

- Mr. President, if I may?

- Yes, please.

A short while ago, you told me that you

thought I might be the future of the party.

I know that these

are tough times...

and the future is uncertain...

but I'm very pleased to think that I might

be able to help make things a little smoother.

The future, yes.

Well, there is one thing...

quite certain

about the future.

- What's that?

- Sir?

- You have the right to remain silent...

- Fred.

- I have to read him his rights.

- Fred, the governor, he knows his rights.

You know your rights, right, Jack?

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