There's a Korean word, Han. I looked it up. There is no literal English translation. It's a state of mind. Of soul, really. A sadness. A sadness so deep no tears will come. And yet, still, there's hope.
S5Han
Leo tells me you have a strong view on this?
Yes sir, for one thing sending him back would seem to be illegal.
Our hand's not legally forced unless he tells anyone.
C.J. He's told us. He's asked the President of the United States for asylum. Are we saying he'd have been better off asking some cab driver?
You know the rationale for sending him back.
So the Iranians don't wake up one morning and decide, hey, it's a good day to nuke Israel.
C.J. Sir, seven North Korean nuclear scientists defected through China last year, we helped pay for it. Are we saying, if this kid were more valuable to us we'd accept him?
Is that such an unreasonable distinction? But this isn't your real argument.
Sending him back will play as a disaster in the press if it ever gets out.
[shakes head] That's not your real argument either.
No sir, it's not. This young man's asking for freedom. It's what this country was built on; everyone's from somewhere else, some place less free. That's my argument.
The President wants altitude.
As befits this vertiginous choice? [Toby stands up] Distinguished is as high as we go; you have to be high to go loftier. Here's what it should be. [Will begins typing] In a triumph of the middling, a nod to mediocrity, and with gorge rising, it gives me great nausea to announce Robert Russell — Bingo Bob, himself — as your new Vice President.
This lapdog of the mining interests is as dull as he is unremarkable...
...as lackluster as he is soporific.
Good.
This reversion to the mean...
This rebuke to the exemplary...
...gives hope to the millions unfavored by the exceptional...
Yes.
The Vice Presidency, being famously once described as not being worth a warm bucket of spit; let's now hock a big loogie for Bob Russell. Not the worst. Not the best. Just what we're stuck with.
Amen.
You look great.
Thanks, so do you.
Everyone looks great in a tux; chimps look great.
With none actually present I'll have to settle for you.
So listen, umm, Ryan of all people asked me straight out about our relationship, and I couldn't have avoided the subject more if I had faked a stroke.
Cheeky little brat.
That's not the point, even if I'd wanted to answer him, I wouldn't have known what to say. It's like what C.J. said today about the economy; by refusing to put language to it we're trying to pretend it doesn't exist, but it's something... even if we don't know what to call it. I just think it's time to start thinking about a language plan for whatever it is we're doing too.
S5Constituency of One
I need to see my bed, I'm thinking of carrying a picture of it in my wallet.
He's a Democrat from Idaho. They use Democrats for target practice up there. Sometimes he's got to lean to the right.
You're leaving the party because of me?
CCarrick
I'm not leaving the party because of you - but you made it a whole lot easier.
I admire speech writers. They have to have the tendency to doubt and the capacity to believe in equal measure.... I'm playing with a handicap.... Spare tire on the automobile of government. Heartbeat away from having a heartbeat.... I may need more help than that dead guy you got elected in Orange County, Will. I may need some political life support myself.... I'd like you to be my Communications Director.... I know I'm not the best politician, but here I am Vice President of the United States.
Sir, I'm a special assistant to the President.
Chief strategist and senior counselor to the Vice President.
Are we playing poker?
I'm showing you my hand.
You're looking for your own Toby Ziegler.
I'm looking for someone who can beat Toby....
Thank you, sir, but I'm not interested.
I like loyalty, Will. I respect loyalty. But you can run out the clock on a Bartlet Presidency that in effect is over. You can finish something that you never started in the first place.... Or you can shape the next presidency from the ground up. Total access. Coach of the team.
It's a missile defense system that can't hit missiles.... when were you promised–?
CCarrick
Seven years ago.
Under the last President?
CCarrick
Right.
Okay, a bunch of things have fallen by the wayside since then, like Communism....
S5Disaster Relief
Schadenfreude?
You know, enjoying the suffering of others. The whole rationale behind the House of Representatives.
When I write my political memoir, this will be the character building funny part.
I thought I was the character building funny part.
He hates me.
Oh, yeah. The way you hate the girl you ask to the prom who says, 'No thanks, I already have a date.' You made a choice. Now own it.
I'm just trying to see around the corner so I don't get bit in the ass.
Are you going around the corner ass-first?
Vast and violent vacuum cleaner, uprooting everything in its path.
It's a funnel cloud.
Vast and violent vacuum cleaner.
It's a vacuum cleaner and a funnel cloud. See, men? Peace on earth.
You thought I was cooked.
I did not.
You thought I was gone, and so were you. You were already cleaning out your desk. Mentally kicking dirt on my grave.
No, now I'm doing that.
Confirm my dinner with Wilcox tomorrow. Make sure I have my usual table.
That's good. You're getting out. A man about town.
Set up a meeting with Ted Davis at the Democratic Strategy Group and one with the Security Policy Working Group.
Crack some heads, Let 'em know you're riding herd. I'm not helping.
It's a blip, Donna. When I write my political memoir, this will be the character-building funny part.
I thought I was the character-building funny part.
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