To Hope,
To Have Hope,
To Live in Hope --
is to form and hold a very particular personal opinion,
Freely & Consciously held
Intellectually, Philosophically,
Historically and Genealogically,
with respect to your relationships with/to
Your Family, and to/with World History --
"Fear.
Fear attracts The Fearful.
The Strong.
The Weak.
The Innocent.
The Corrupt.
Fear. Fear is My Ally."
— Darth Maul
What if Dreams came True, and you could Be Who You Wanted to Be, and you could Do What You Wanted to Do, and you could Help Who You Wanted to Help.
What if Dreams came True? And The World opened up, and YOU were never ever afraid.
What if Dreams came True?
But Dreams DO come True.
Don't They?
INT. THE BARTLET RESIDENCE, 1960s - NIGHT Young Jed is knocking on his father's office door - once, twice, three times.
DR. BARTLET [VO]
Come in.
Dr. Bartlet is sitting in an armchair reading a newspaper, as Jed enters and approaches the other chair.
DR. BARTLET
[reading]
"If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you will never learn."
Is this your quote?
JED
Dad, uh, I wanted to mention something to you that maybe you weren't aware of regarding salary acquisitions...
DR. BARTLET
Is this your quote?
"If you hide your ignorance, no one will hit you and you will never learn."
JED
It's actually Ray Bradbury.
DR. BARTLET
And you quoted Ray Bradbury?
JED
Yes.
DR. BARTLET
In an article you and your friends wrote, condemning Professor Loomis.
JED
[sits]
For banning certain books from The Library, yes.
DR. BARTLET
He is a Professor of Literature!
JED
He banned Henry Miller!
He banned D.H. Lawrence.
DR. BARTLET
Yes.
JED
"Giovanni's Room" 'cause it's too homosexual!
DR. BARTLET
Stop it right now.
You're a guest at this school.
JED
I'm a student at this school.
DR. BARTLET
Jed!
JED
He banned "Fahrenheit 451," which is about banning books!
DR. BARTLET
Was that supposed to be funny?
He stands, Jed stands after him.
DR. BARTLET
That word play you just did there, was that meant to be funny?
JED
That was supposed to...
Dr. Bartlet slaps him across the face.
DR. BARTLET
......Was there anything else?
JED
[quietly, looking away]
It's not a nondenominational service.
DR. BARTLET
Don't start with this.
[walks over to his desk]
JED
Catholics don't believe Man is Saved through Faith Alone.
Catholics believe that Faith has to be Joined with Good Works.
DR. BARTLET
You're the only one who seems to mind the service.
JED
I'm the only one who's Catholic.
DR. BARTLET
You're Catholic because your mother is, and you're at this school because I'm the headmaster.
How's that for clever with words?
[sits down]
But what was it you came in here to talk to me about?
JED
Nothing.
DR. BARTLET
Please close the door behind you.
Jed shuts the door to His Father's Office.
CUT TO: INT. THE OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT
President Bartlet closes the door behind C.J. in THE OVAL OFFICE.
Thunder roars. Bartlet walks to lean on his desk, places hands among the many pictures on it.
Suddenly, The Wind blows the veranda door wide open and rain pours in.
BARTLET
Ah... Damn it! Mrs. Landingham!
He turns away, realizing she won't Come to His Call, and then The Door opens...
MRS. LANDINGHAM
[walks in, small and resolute]
I really wish you wouldn't shout, Mr. President.
BARTLET
[beat, as he looks at her in disbelief]
The Door keeps blowing open.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Yes, but there's an intercom and you could use it to call me at my desk.
BARTLET
I was...
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You don't know how to use the intercom.
BARTLET
It's not that I don't Know How to Use It,
it's just that I haven't learned yet.
She looks at him and he smiles shyly, as if he's been caught lying.
BARTLET
I have MS, and I didn't tell anybody.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
Yeah...
So, you're having a little bit of a day!
BARTLET
You're gonna make jokes?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
God doesn't make cars crash, and you know that.
Stop using me as an excuse.
BARTLET
[motions her to sit and sits down]
The Party's not going to want me to run.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
The Party'll come back.
You'll get ‘em back.
BARTLET
I've got A Secret for you, Mrs. Landingham —
I've never been the most popular guy in The Democratic Party.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
[sits opposite from him]
I've got A Secret for you, Mr. President —
Your Father was a prick who could never get over the fact that he wasn't as smart as his brothers.
Are you in a Tough Spot? Yes.
Do I feel sorry for you? I Do Not.
Why? Because there are people way worse off than you.
BARTLET
Give Me Numbers.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
I don't know Numbers.
You give them to me.
BARTLET
How about a child born this minute has one in five chance of being born into poverty?
MRS. LANDINGHAM
How many Americans don't have health insurance?
BARTLET
44 million.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
What's the number one cause of death for black men under 35?
BARTLET
Homicide.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
How many Americans are behind bars?
BARTLET
Three million.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
How many Americans are drug addicts?
BARTLET
Five million.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
And one of five kids in poverty?
BARTLET
That's 13 million American children.
President Bartlet is talking, and the opposite chair is empty.
BARTLET
3.5 million kids go to schools that are literally falling apart.
We need 127 billion in school construction, and we need it today!
MRS. LANDINGHAM
To say nothing of 53 people trapped in an embassy.
BARTLET
Yes.
MRS. LANDINGHAM
You know, if you don't want to run again, I respect that.
[stands up]
But if you don't run 'cause you think it's gonna be too hard or you think you're gonna lose - well, God, Jed, I don't even want to know you.
Mrs. Landingham walks out and gently closes the Oval Office door behind her. President Bartlet stands, walks into the open door onto the veranda and lets the rain wash over his face.
CHARLIE [VO] Mr President!
Charlie appears with a coat that he's holding unwrapped.
CHARLIE Mr. President, it's time.
Bartlet avoids the coat and walks into another door. Charlie follows him. At his desk, he leaves the coat and takes off his own as well.
The song 'Brothers in Arms' by Dire Straits plays softly.
These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me, But my home is the lowlands And always will be. Some day you'll return to Your valleys and your farms And you'll no longer burn To be brothers in arms...
Leo joins the President walking. Josh, Sam and Toby follow.
CUT TO: INT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT - NIGHT C.J. is on the podium in front of a filled room.
C.J. And he'll be speaking to that just as soon as he gets here. [Reporters clamoring.] Uh, Frank, then Leslie.
CUT TO: INT. LIMOUSINE - NIGHT The President is in the limo.
Through these fields of destruction, Baptisms of fire, I've witnessed your suffering As the battles raged higher. And though they did hurt me so bad In the fear and alarm, You did not desert me, My brothers in arms...
CUT TO: INT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
FRANK Has there been any discussion of a Special Prosecutor?
C.J. Tomorrow morning, the President will direct the Attorney General appoint a Special Prosecutor, yes. [Reporters clamor.] I can't see. Joan!
CUT TO: INT. LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS The limo is driving in the rain, guards all around it. Leo looks at Bartlet worriedly.
CUT TO: INT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
C.J. A list of three prosecutors is given to a three-judge panel. The prosecutors, as well as the judges, were all appointed by Republican presidents.
Reporters clamor, as Donna and Margaret, pale and dressed in coats, tear through the crowd and stand at a distance.
C.J. Please, I can only answer 14 or 15 questions at once. Hal!
CUT TO: INT. NATIONAL CATHEDRAL - CONTINUOUS A janitor is washing the floor and stumbles upon a cigarette. He lifts it and looks outside as sirens announce the President's passing. Limos and lights are seen through open doors of the Cathedral.
There's so many different worlds, So many different suns, And we have just one world But we live in different ones...
CUT TO: INT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
C.J. I can't comment on a witness list that doesn't exist, but I imagine subpoenas will be issued to most Senior White House Staff including myself.
Reporters clamor.
CUT TO: EXT. THE STATE DEPARTMENT - CONTINUOUS The President arrives in the rain, slowly walks in. Everyone follows him, no umbrellas are in sight.
Now the sun's gone to hell And the moon's riding high, Let me bid you farewell - Every man has to die...
Bartlet is given a towel and he wipes his face with it, as he, followed by Charlie, Leo, Toby, Sam, Josh, and several Secret Service agents, heads for the conference room.
CUT TO: INT. THE PRESS CONFERENCE - CONTINUOUS
C.J. Again, I can't comment on what kind of hearings Congress has in mind. I'm sure there'll be one but you'd have to talk to Congress.
Carol gives her a slight nod as she spots the President approaching.
C.J. Okay, here now, the President of the United States.
Everyone stands in silence as Bartlet walks up to the podium. He passes C.J.
C.J. [quietly] First row on your right.
But it's written in the starlight And every line on your palm We're fools to make war On our brothers in arms...
Bartlet looks over the room. He sees Lawrence Altman, waiting to be called. Instead, he points to the center of the room.
BARTLET Yes, Sandy.
C.J. watches in shock.
SANDY Mr. President, can you tell us right now if you'll be seeking a second term?
BARTLET I'm sorry, Sandy, there was a bit of noise there, could you repeat the question?
SANDY Can you tell us right now if you'll be seeking a second term?
Charlie, C.J., Josh and Sam, Donna and Margaret, Toby and Leo all watch. Leo turns to the monitor.
LEO Watch this...
They are all waiting, watching, as Bartlet slides his hands off the podium, puts them in his pockets, looks away and smiles.
