The Ides of March Page #6

Stephen it's not funny.

Give me my phone. Hang up.

- I have a shotgun.

- Stephen, hang up the phone.

Why is the governor calling you

at 2:
30 in the morning?

Molly.

Why is the governor

calling you at all?

I'm in trouble.

With the governor?

What's going on?

I was working on the campaign

in Iowa.

There was a party in Ben's room

after the rally.

There was a party with you

and Ben and the governor?

- No, he wasn't there.

- Where was he?

I took him up a hard copy

of the polling numbers.

After the party?

It was around midnight.

I just stood in the doorway

with him,

just talking for a really long time.

He just reached behind me

and closed the door.

Jesus f***ing Christ.

Were you drunk?

Not that drunk.

- How many times?

- It was just that once.

- Just the once?

- Just once.

- Does anybody know?

- No one knows.

- Does anybody see?

- No.

- How could you know?

- I know.

Then why is he calling you

right now?

I called him first.

- Why?

- Because I didn't know who else to go to.

And l needed 900 bucks.

For what?

I can't go to my dad.

We're Catholic.

So, what should I do?

Stephen?

What's up?

What's our limit on petty cash?

- It's about 500. Why?

- I need everything we can get.

Everything okay?

- Need help with anything?

- Yeah. Don't put it on the books.

That's all.

- What should l put it down as?

- Don't put it down as anything.

- Ok, anything over a hundred

l gotta put down--

- Just do it!

Molly.

- Okay.

- I'll take it back.

That's all.

- Yes, lda?

- Stevie, off the record--

No, I cannot tell you

what happened in North Carolina.

That's not what l wanted

to ask you about.

- Okay. What?

- You met with Duffy.

- Who told you that?

- A little bird.

- Who?

- Did you meet with him?

Where are you?

I know you met him with

at a little bar in Cincy

just before the press conference.

- Duffy ordered buffalo wings.

- Who said that? Duffy?

Anonymous.

What happened with Duffy?

Ida, you're supposed to be my friend.

Why you wanna stick the fukin' knife in me

on a bullshit story?

- Well, is that what you thought, that we're friends?

- I've given you everything you ever wanted.

Everything. Every story, every scoop,

the entire profile on Paul.

You've given me a lot,

but let's get real here Steve.

The only reason you've treated me well

was that I work for the Times,

not because I'm your friend.

You give me what l want,

I write you better stories.

Don't pretend it's anymore than that.

Why'd you meet with Duffy?

Go f*** yourself.

Okay, l'll make it easier on you.

Forget duffy.

What happened

at Paul and Thompson's meeting?

Keep your voice down.

Do you have any idea

what this could do to me?

Of course I do,

that's why I'm giving you a choice.

I could get fired.

So it's not a difficult one, is it?

I've gotta file by 3 p.m. tomorrow.

You've got till then

to make up your mind.

- You motherf***er.

- Excuse me?

- You leaked it.

- Leaked what?

Don't bullshit me, Tom.

Bullshit you?

I have no idea what you're talking about.

- I just spoke to Ida Horowicz.

- Yeah?

She's threatening

to release the story.

- What f***ing story?

- That we met. That we f***ing met.

- How did she find out?

- Don't play dumb, Tom.

- You think I leaked it to her?

- Yeah. Who else?

- I didn't leak it to her, Steve.

- Well, l know I didn't, so that leaves you.

Okay. Well, what does

she know?

She knows whatever you told her.

I swear to Jesus

I did not leak it to her, Steve.

I don't want this story out

any more than you do.

- Well, too late.

- What did she tell you?

She knows where we met,

she knows when we met,

she knows you had

f***ing buffalo wings.

- She has a source?

- Yeah, she has a source.

And you have no idea

who it could be?

Yeah, you.

Well, for the record,

it wasn't me, and I didn't

have f***ing buffalo wings.

So it's gotta be someone else.

- Did you tell anyone?

- No. Did you?

- No.

- Did you admit to meeting with me?

- No.

- All right.

Then we stonewall her

and she's got nothing.

She's gonna take the story to Drudge

or to Roll Call or some sh*t like that.

You can't stop her?

She's trying to blackmail me.

She wants info about Thompson.

Well, then tell her

what she wants to know.

l can't do that.

- You can't let this story get out.

- l'm not gonna be blackmailed Tom.

You don't have much

choice here, Steve.

If l tell her about Thompson,

I'm gonna have to tell her

that he's endorsing you.

Then tell her. l can handle it

from my side if l start getting calls.

No f***ing way.

Paul told her we had Thompson in a bag.

It's gonna make him look like a fukin' fool.

He's gonna look like a fukin' fool anyway

when Thompson endorses us.

I can't do it.

You know,

you're on a sinking ship, Steve.

Tell her what she wants to know

and jump.

Come over to our side.

We can control this thing.

- Steve?

- I gotta go.

I'm up here.

You scared the sh*t out of me.

Here.

It's almost 1800 bucks.

You gotta make the appointment now,

like today, from a pay phone.

I'll take you to the clinic

and I'll pick you up, but no one else.

You understand?

Yeah.

Take the rest of the money

and buy yourself a ticket home.

Can't be here anymore.

We can't afford it.

Not with everything

that's gonna happen

in the next week.

And this situation,

just can't be here.

- You mean l can't be here.

- Right.

Stephen, I wouldn't tell anyone.

I hope not.

Then why?

Because you f***ed up.

- He and l both f***ed up.

- That's true.

But I have a responsibility to him and,

more importantly, I have a responsability

to this campaign.

I could go to North Carolina

and work on the campaign.

Molly, you gotta wake the f*** up.

This is the big leagues. lt's mean.

When you make a mistake,

you lose the right to play.

Make the appointment.

Tell me when

and where we have to go.

Listen to this.

I got the placement in the Times.

Bumped like 600 f***ing articles.

Tom Duffy, 2008:

"This is a matchup

between hope vs. fear.

Nine times out of 10,

the fear candidate tends

to be most experienced.

But in our presidential races,

the least-experienced candidate

almost always wins.

JFK vs. Nixon. Carter vs. Ford.

Bush vs. Gore.

I like our chances with

the new kid on the block."

End quote.

Thomas f***ing Duffy.

He's gotta be having

a stroke right now.

So just call me

when you can leave, okay?

I hate this sh*t.

I'm gonna come back,

and this is all gonna be over.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

There's no question about it.

Yeah, but we gotta think

broader strokes here.

Just rethink everything.

Uh... Well, yeah,

I know how to handle it.

Um, look, Stevie just got here.

Can I call you back in a few minutes?

Okay, bye.

Ahem. The governor.

We had a good long talk

on the way back.

He's up to speed

with everything.

How'd he take it?

Better than

I thought he would.

Still won't take

Thompson's endorsement.

Paul I gotta tell you something

I don't know how to tell you.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes