“And It's Surely to Their Credit” · Season 2
In this episode: Ainsley Hayes (4), Josiah Bartlet (3), Leo McGarry (3), Donna Moss (3), Tribbey (3)
Cut take.
Sorry, everybody. This is gonna be it. Four is my lucky number.
This is take five, sir.
Five is my lucky number. "Fifth-take Bartlet" - that's what Jack Warner used to call me.
Did you really know Jack Warner, Mr. President?
Yeah, because I used to be a contract player in Hollywood and I'm 97 years old.
Saturday morning radio address, take 21.
I have a really good feeling about this one, sir.
Is this still my first term?
You lied to me just then.
I'm a politician, Ainsley. Of course I lied to you just then.
This is Ainsley Hayes. She's scared of meeting you, so be nice.
The girl who's been writing the columns?
Yeah.
[to Ainsley] You're an idiot.
Oh God–
She's not an idiot, Lionel, she clerked for Dreifort!
Well, Dreifort's an idiot.
Dreifort's a Supreme Court Justice, Lionel, so let's speak of him with respect and practice some tolerance for those who disagree with us.
I believe, as long as Justice Dreifort is intolerant toward gays, lesbians, blacks, unions, women, poor people, and the first, fourth, fifth, and ninth amendments, I will remain intolerant toward him! [to Ainsley] Nice meeting you.
She's working for you, Lionel.
Excuse me?
She's working for you. The president asked me to hire her for your office.
The President of what, asked you to hire her for my office?
The United States.
Mr. Tribbey? I'd like to do well on this, my first assignment. Any advice you could give me that might point me the way of success would be, by me, appreciated.
Well, not speaking in iambic pentameter might be a step in the right direction.
He was okay with it?
He thinks it's a great idea. He can't wait to meet you.
Lionel Tribbey.
Yeah.
Lionel Tribbey thinks hiring me was a great idea.
Why are you surprised?
Well, because I am a Republican and Lionel Tribbey is... incredibly not.
Lionel Tribbey is the White House Counsel. He's a brilliant and fair-minded attorney, and he will accept you on his staff because he is... well, fair-minded and because...
You haven't told him yet!
I have, in fact, not told him yet, no.
So you lied to me just then.
I'm a politician, Ainsley. Of course I lied to you just then.
[storming into the Oval Office] Mr. President, have you lost what little was left of your mind? I can't possibly work like this!
Oh, dear God.
Cut!
I had it!
Excuse me, sir, is this a bad time?
It's a bit of a bad time, Lionel...
Well, forgive me, sir, but when you have a few moments, I would like to discuss the hiring of a blonde and leggy fascist whose knowledge does not include the proper order of the alphabet for positions of the White House Counsel's office.
And we will, Lionel, but right now I don't know if you noticed but there are thirty or forty other people in the room, many of whom have donated significant amounts of money to the Democratic Party, so perhaps you could put a tighter grip on your horses and we will talk about it later.
Yes. Well. Good morning, everyone! Thank you, Mr. President.
[walks out of the room in complete silence]
Well, obviously, Lionel Tribbey is a brilliant lawyer whom we cannot live without, or there would be very little reason not to put him in prison.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's The West Wing pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
