The Special Relationship Page #2

it is my sincere hope

that you continue

the fight for peace.

Oh, peace in northern ireland

is at the top of my agenda.

I just don't think it's

reasonable in today's world

to carry on with

that kind of dispute.

If you need my help,

just pick up the phone.

Thanks, I will.

And don't be surprised if you feel

completely, totally overwhelmed

when you do get into office,

because in all that

time out on the road,

scrambling and fighting

to actually get that job,

no one briefs you on what

you do when you get there.

- - now you

seem a pretty quick study,

I bet you're going to

settle in just fine.

So we have a few minutes

before the press.

Did anyone around here

tell you to ask

about the moon rock?

Uh, they did, actually.

You know, sometimes when things

get stressful around here,

I just shut that door,

sit on the couch, hold that rock

and think, "we all just

gotta chill a little. "

a productive meeting, mr.

President?

Very. we discussed

a number of things

including the peace process

in northern ireland,

which is an article of faith

for me personally, as you know.

Do you think you've been talking to the

next prime minister of great britain?

Oh, come on. that's not

a diplomatic question.

Look. I just hope he's been talking

to the next president

of the united states.

Tonight bill clinton

proves his title,

"the comeback kid," after winning

an historic second term

in the white house.

Bill clinton is the first democrat

to win re-election since

franklin delano roosevelt.

- a labour

prime minister in #10

after 18 years of

conservative ruling.

this is a presidential

moment if ever there were one.

Look at them grabbing at h with

pason in their faces.

He's their man. what a moment.

Let's just listen to the

sound for a second.

tony blair and his

wife cherie led labour

out of the wilderness and back

into downing street.

the new prime minister promised

to work for all the people.

He said his government would

take practical measures

in pursuit of noble causes.

Hey, good to see you.

- hello.

- How are you?

Tony, president chirac on the line.

How do you want to do this?

In english or french?

- does it matter?

- Well, he speaks fluent english,

as you know,

but my guess is he'll

start in french,

thinking it'll give

him the upper hand.

- - I think you

should stand your ground,

do this in english.

I'll be listening in.

hello. -

thank you, jacques.

Let's hope so.

Well, I will do everything I can

to live up to that.

Tony. clinton, line two.

Uh, unfortunately, jacques,

I've got to go.

Sorry about...

Bill! how great of you to call.

Please hold for the president

of the united states of america.

right.

- your call, mr. president.

- Thank you. excuse me.

Is this tony blair I'm speaking to

or the new dictator

of great britain?

- congratulations, tony.

- Thank you.

A majority of 179.

It's unbelievable.

I'm gonna make a

prediction right now

and say that the 2nd of may, 1997,

is the day that

progressive politics

became the default setting

in western democracies.

So that's your name in the

history books right there.

And you won edgbaston...

the first labour victory

there ever...

and wirral south.

Tony, it's sensational.

Hey, listen. I've gotta go,

but we're gonna see each

other in about a month.

- yes, indeed. - all right.

We'll catch up properly then.

Hey, why don't we have dinner

one night, the four of us?

Sherry and hillary too.

Uh, cherie. I'd love that.

Okay, it's a date.

I'll let you pick the place.

We're easy. we'll eat anything.

Just no catfish or fried

green tomatoes, okay?

That's a promise.

See ya.

Did we win edgbaston?

Yes.

And wirral south?

Apparently.

He's got no business knowing that.

That's just showing off.

President clinton and first lady

hillary rodham clinton

made a detour to london to pay a flying

visit to tony blair today.

All the stops... -

a pair of postwar baby boomers

who came to power by moderating

the liberal tendencies

of their respective

political parties.

the meetings will be

closely watched for signals

as to what can be expected of the two men

who sm to have so much in common.

Are you sure I can't

offer you anything?

No, I'm good.

I suppose you know the awful term

"special relationship"?

It's something our foreign

office is always keen to promote.

Oh, I know it. every

country on earth claims it.

Although, in terms of actual

effect on u. s. foreign policy,

israel, china, saudi arabia,

and the irish republic are

the ones who merit it.

Still, every now and again

a situation arises where...

Personal chemistry

between the two leaders...

As well as the shared language,

shared history...

Is such that it could

actually have some currency.

You think this is one

of those moments?

I do actually.

You have to ask yourself: all.

When did it last happen that

two guys on the same team,

found themselves with their

hands on the joystick like this?

It's a unique opportunity.

- yes, it is.

- We take away the bullshit,

all the reasons that things

don't get done...

the same old excuses,

the same roadblocks

to progress that people have

been throwing up for years...

We could put right-wing politics

out of business for a generation.

Heck, maybe forever.

- the same with the old far left.

- Exactly.

Progressive, center-left

politics is the future.

What you're talking about is a...

Is a whole paradigm shift.

A new kind of politics

for the new millennium.

We build a global consensus

around our ideas,

there's nothing that

we can't tackle.

I mean, you look at the facts:

I've got three more years,

then al gore...

That's eight years right there.

And then in europe,

you're just getting started.

There's persson in sweden,

schroeder in germany.

Beyond that, there's cardoso

in brazil. you're right.

People are ready for this

and we're on the

right side ohistory.

It's a sladunk.

He understands the

limitations of power,

of what can be accomplished,

he just refuses to

be limited by them.

He's a visionary, a true visionary.

Well, before you develop

too much of a crush,

it's also worth remembering

that this visionary is

also the first president

of the united states

to be up on a sexual

harassment charge.

No, if you'd been there,

if you'd heard him,

you'd understand, you know,

what this could mean

- for me, for all of us.

- Well, I wasn't there, was I?

I was out entertaining

the visionary's wife.

So how was it with the first lady?

Oh, fine...

Until on the way

back from the theatre

she let slip how big her staff is.

She has her own policy advisors,

her own chief of staff,

a bloody airplane at her disposal,

if you please!

Darling, would it help if I sent

jonath out to buy you a filofax?

Ha ha.

- listening to her,

you realize...

yeah, effectively,

it's a co-presidency.

He takes her advice on everything.

- I take yours.

- Oh, bollocks.

I mean, it's all

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes