Governor Ritchie, many economists have stated that the tax cut, which is the centerpiece of your economic agenda, could actually harm the economy. Is now really the time to cut taxes?
You bet it is. We need to cut taxes for one reason - the American people know how to spend their money better than the federal government does.
Mr. President, your rebuttal.
BartletThere it is. That's the ten word answer my staff's been looking for for two weeks. There it is. Ten-word answers can kill you in political campaigns. They're the tip of the sword. Here's my question: What are the next ten words of your answer? Your taxes are too high? So are mine. Give me the next ten words. How are we going to do it? Give me ten after that, I'll drop out of the race right now. Every once in a while... every once in a while, there's a day with an absolute right and an absolute wrong, but those days almost always include body counts. Other than that, there aren't very many unnuanced moments in leading a country that's way too big for ten words. I'm the President of the United States, not the President of the people who agree with me. And by the way, if the left has a problem with that, they should vote for somebody else.
Now, I want people to work together in this great country, and that's what I did in Florida--I brought people together--and that's what I'll do as your President. End the logjam, end the gridlock, and bring Republicans together with Democrats, 'cause Americans are tired of partisan politics.
Bartlet
Actually, what you've done in Florida is bring the right together with the far right. And I don't think Americans are tired of partisan politics; I think they're tired of hearing career politicians diss partisan politics to get a gig. I've tried it before. They ain't buying it. That's okay, though...that's okay, though, 'cause partisan politics is good. Partisan politics is what the Founders had in mind. It guarantees that the minority opinion is heard, and as a lifelong possessor of minority opinions, I appreciate it. But if you're troubled by it, Governor, you should know, in this campaign, you've used the word 'liberal' 74 times. In one day. It was yesterday.
I'm not sure I can watch anymore...no, wait, I can. I can.
Bartlet
Ten words. Ten words.
We don't have them yet, Mr. President.
Bartlet
All right, let's do a drill.
Mr. President, despite a rise in tension around the globe, you've held up funding for a missile defense shield.
Bartlet
Too much money for too little protection.
Bartlet
Next.
Sir, you oppose a voucher system that would offer children a choice of better schools...
Bartlet
That would offer some children a choice of better schools, but I haven't given up the ghost on better schools for everybody, and vouchers drain money from that goal.
Mr. President, this next question is on capital punishment, which you oppose: If your youngest daughter Zoey was raped and murdered, would you not want to see the man responsible put to death?
Bartlet
First of all, it's important to understand the President doesn't make that decision, though he appoints the Supreme Court Justices who do so. What... any... um... All right, I'm not going to say that. I'll just go right to... No, I don't. I think you know that I'm opposed.... [sighs] Let's not do that. I haven't seen any evidence that it's a deterrent, and there are more effective... In my state...
Bartlet
What?
[to Leo] You weren't kidding. [to Bartlet] What's the matter with you? When I left you... I just mentioned your daughter being murdered, and you're giving us an answer that's not only soporific, it's barely human! Yes, you'd want to see him put to death. You'd want it to be cruel and unusual, which is why it's probably a good idea that fathers of murder victims don't have legal rights in these situations. Now, we're going back to school.
[There is a long pause of silence, then they all begin to laugh.]
Bartlet
Let's go-- ten bucks. Crisis of confidence. [to Leo] You did one square foot of real estate.
Bartlet
Ten bucks for you. [to Toby] And you-- You big bear, come to me. I'm going to kiss you right on the mouth.
Bartlet
Work hard.
[They walk out of the Oval Office]
[to Sam] Have a safe flight.
I'll see you in San Diego.
[to Toby] Sorry about that. It was the President's idea. He bet us you couldn't stay quiet if he gave a bad answer. What?
You want a glass of water?
You seem a little dry. Sure you don't want a glass of water?
BBartlet
No, I feel great.
Maybe I should get you a glass of water, just in case. You could hold it in your hand.
BBartlet
[pause] How'd you know?
You were off the prompter.
BBartlet
[A little teary] Just for a second, I couldn't see it.
It's all right. There are going to be more days like this. It starts now. It's going to be harder this time.
BBartlet
Yeah, I know. We can still have tonight, though, right?
[fighting tears; smiles] You've got lots of nights.
BBartlet
I don't want to intimidate you, but it turns out I'm the first Democrat in twenty years to make a clean sweep of the Plains states. And I'm not just talking about Iowa and Nebraska.
Are you trying to turn me on now?
BBartlet
I won the Dakotas, the Badlands, the Black Hills... But let's go down, way down, to the Deep South and the humid bayou of Louisiana and its nine electoral votes. What manner of man it must take to win the state, which, by the way, is the only one operating under the Napoleonic Code of France. And I still don't know what that's all about, but back to me...
Hon, this is like, nerd hot talk.
BBartlet
Who's your Commander in Chief?
Bartlet
[loudly] Debbie! First of all where the hell are you and where are my–?
[enters with glasses] Right here, Mr. President. And the Ipswitch clams in Chesapeake Bay can hear you bellowing right now.
Bartlet
Ipswich clams don't come from Chesapeake Bay, they come from Ipswich.
Bartlet
[to Leo] Have her beheaded for my birthday.
Bartlet
This meeting doesn't go in the Sit Room anymore, okay? I don't know why the hell it's here. This isn't a military operation.
Bartlet
My office is a secure room, too, isn't it? Please, somebody tell me it is or I gotta go pack some stuff.
Samuel Mudd set Booth's leg after he shot Lincoln. Doctors are liable in this country if they don't treat the patient in front of them.
BBartlet
Just for the record, this is why we don't talk about foreign policy, which we do, but you don't think we do enough.
BBartlet
Because Samuel Mudd was tried and convicted of treason for setting that leg.
So that's the way it goes. You set the leg.
Bartlet
You're going to campaign on prescription drugs?
Our prescription drug bill-- yes, sir-- and our Medicare reforms and the Bartlet Energy Plan.
Bartlet
Sam.
Bartlet
It's okay to run away from me when you need to.
I would never, Mr. President. I simply would never do that. That's not how I'm getting votes.
Bartlet
I appreciate that but that's not what I'm talking about. You disagreed with me on Medicare. I remember the meeting right here. Then you wrote a five-page
Bartlet
If you lose, you lose. But if you waste this, I'll kill you. I'll just kill you, Sam.
Bartlet
It's the curse of every daughter's father.
Bartlet
I don't like them, I don't like them at all.
Bartlet
What the hell happened with you two? It was perfect. I just kept you in the office all the time.
Well, she was unhappy that I was at the office all the time.
Bartlet
That was the point. If I was trying to make her happy, I'd buy her a Cabriolet.
The West Wing · 913 quotes
