Truth Page #6

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34.

SMITH:

I don't know, I thought you Googled

them or something.

MARY:

We've arranged a clandestine

Whataburger rendezvous with a man

who wants to bring down the President

of the United States and we don't

even know what he looks like?

A RAPPING on Mary's window and she turns to see a very TAN

OLDER WOMAN standing there. Behind her is a taller gaunt

older man. COLONEL BILL BURKETT. Looks around, suspicious.

BURKETT:

Y'all stay in the car. In case

someone listened to our calls, we're

gonna go to a secondary location.

Mary gives Smith a look as Burkett heads back to his car...

INT. INDIAN SAM'S -- DAY

The foursome occupy a BOOTH. Colorful kids' placemats in

front of them. A birthday party in the background. Nicki

helps Burkett take sucks off an oxygen mask, as a WAITRESS

delivers four huge sodas to the table. When she's gone-

BURKETT:

I saw it with my own eyes. They put

the parts of Bush's file they didn't

like in a wastebasket.

MARY:

And do you have these documents?

NICKI:

Bill tried to talk about this in

2000 and someone ran us off the road

one night.

BURKETT:

I ain't scared of them-

NICKI:

Well, I am. I am scared.

She takes a deep gulp of iced tea. Nerves shot.

35.

BURKETT:

Let's say I have the documents. Why

should we show 'em to you? Why not

one of the newspapers-

MARY:

Because nobody reads newspapers.

Burkett blinks.

BURKETT:

One of the other networks then-

MARY:

I don't know if you've noticed, but

not many people actually do what we

do anymore.

(pause)

We're 60 Minutes. We're the gold

standard. And we can help you.

Look, you come on camera and we'll-

NICKI:

No. No cameras. Our name stays out

of this.

(to Burkett)

They will destroy us for this. Don't

you understand?

She looks at her husband, pleading. Mary stares at her.

MARY:

Nicki, listen. I know what it's

like to be bullied. To feel like

they're too strong, that you're small

and powerless. But you are not.

And doing this will show them that.

(pause)

I promise. We will protect you.

A beat. Nicki and Burkett exchange a glance. Like a weight

has shifted at the table. And then very slowly, Burkett

pulls out a photocopied piece of paper. The top reads

111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

And the date

01 August 1972

36.

Mary's eyes flit over different words and phrases

1st Lt. Bush be suspended from flight status due to failure

to perform to USAF/TexANG standards...

...No attempt to meet his training certification or flight

physical...

...Desire to transfer out of state including assignment to

non-flying billets...

Mary looks up at Burkett.

MARY (CONT'D)

This is signed by Jerry Killian.

Burkett hands them a second document.

BURKETT:

This too. First one says Bush made

no attempt to meet his training

certification - that's a big

difference than just missing his

physical. Second one refers to his

pilot position as "critical".

SMITH:

Bush said he stopped flying because

he was no longer needed as a pilot...

BURKETT:

This document would prove that

statement untrue.

MARY:

Can you think of anyone who would

want to fool you with these? Like a

political dirty trick?

Burkett blinks. The thought never occurred to him.

BURKETT:

I can't believe someone would hate

me that much.

SMITH:

Do you have the originals?

37.

BURKETT:

No, I was only given copies. And

don't ask me where, I'm not telling

you anything else. You get some

experts of your own to look at them.

Mary nods as Smith signals for the check.

MARY:

We will.

INT. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN -- NIGHT

Decked out with POLITICAL TRAPPINGS. Various reporters,

looking down at the speech occurring on the floor. On a

NEWSCASTER doing a stand up:

NEWSCASTER:

...Believe The Swift Boat ads coupled

with a usual post-Convention bump

could give the President as much as

a ten point lead over Senator Kerry...

SUPERIMPOSE -Republican National Convention

IN THE CBS BOOTH - Dan Rather holds a cell phone to his ear.

MARY (O.S.)

I said, we've got 'em!

INT. MARY'S CAR (MOVING) -- LATE AFTERNOON

Mary, driving, while scanning the documents. INTERCUT:

MARY:

They contradict Bush's official story,

the one he put in his autobiography,

the one he ran on-

SMITH:

Mary, could you not read, drive, and

talk on the phone at the same time?

MARY:

I got Lucy pulling together document

examiners, but we need to start

getting people on camera. What's

your schedule after the convention?

38.

DAN:

Hurricane Frances is supposed to

make landfall Friday-

MARY:

No, no, no-

DAN:

You know how I feel about hurricanes,

Mary. They are incredible displays

of nature's power-

MARY:

They're wind. I am asking you as a

friend, please do not go to this

hurricane-

The car POPS A CURB.

SMITH:

Mary!

Mary pulls over.

MARY:

I'm going to start talking to Josh

about timing.

DAN:

Good. I knew you could do this,

Mary.

Mary smiles. He hangs up. Breaks the connection. Mary

stows her cell phone and restarts the vehicle.

SMITH:

Back there, what you said to Nicki

Burkett about being bullied?

MARY:

What about it?

SMITH:

That was good. It didn't sound like

you just trying to close her. It

sounded real.

MARY:

Good.

39.

She puts the car in gear and drives...

INT. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN -- NIGHT

Dan stows his phone. On the convention floor GOVERNOR GEORGE

PATAKI is wrapping up the keynote address.

GEORGE PATAKI:

...He is one of those men God and

fate somehow lead to the fore in

times of challenge. And he is

lighting the way to better times, a

safer land, and hope.

(pause)

He is my friend, he is our President,

President George W. Bush!

The crowd explodes in applause as PRESIDENT BUSH makes his

way to the podium. High in the CBS Booth, Dan Rather watches.

EXT. MARY'S HOUSE -- DAY

Mary walks up her driveway, dodging Robert's toys, balancing

a cup of Starbucks and her phone to her ear.

MARY:

(into phone)

Our premiere is September 29th but

the story won't hold till then.

INT. 60 MINUTES OFFICES -- BULLPEN -- DAY

Josh, looks up at his SCHEDULE BOARD - the CBS schedule for

the next two months. Mary Murphy with him. INTERCUT:

MURPHY:

September 15th we don't have a show CBS

is running the Billy Graham

crusade.

MARY:

What about the 22nd?

JOSH:

Preempted again. Dr. Phil special.

MARY:

So our airdate is being decided by

an unholy confluence of Billy Graham

and Dr. Phil McGraw?

40.

JOSH:

News doesn't pay the bills.

MURPHY:

There is one more option. The 8th.

Mary takes a deep breath.

MARY:

As in five days from now?

JOSH:

If it can't be done-

MARY:

I'd need interviews, I'd need to get

my whole team to New York, I'd need-First,

I need Dan. Where is he?

CUT TO:

ON TELEVISION - Dan, screaming into a mic as he is POUNDED

by WIND AND RAIN.

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