[while jogging] There was a reckless deregulation of the S&L industry by a Democratic Congress, it was flooded with S&L donations. A disaster which nearly collapsed the banking industry and cost the taxpayers 500 billion dollars.
What's your point?
We're no better with the money than they are.
Tell me about it.
Three-quarters of all soft money coming to the Democratic party isn't coming from labor unions, it's coming from corporations.
Yes, I know.
Over a hundred businesses gave both parties in excess of $125,000 in the last election.
I know.
They gave it to both parties! This isn't free speech or political values, Mr. Vice President. I don't know how we've done it, but we've legalized bribery.
Yup.
So, now what we've got is two corporate parties - one pro-life, one pro-choice.
Josh, like I said, what's your point? I mean, what's your point?
We've noticed the sudden increase in racquetball and late-night poker games with democratic opponents of campaign finance reform.
Come on, Josh, this is Washington, DC. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Democratic opponent of campaign finance reform.
Can we stop running for a second? [They stop running] You're backing the wrong horse. You read the same polls I do. President's gone up nine points in three weeks. 51% job approval - big deal. But he's going on national television tonight, that's going to be another 5 that's 56%, a 14-point bump in a month.
Look, Josh...
Hang on. If we bring this pilot back home alive, that's another 10 points. And then we're off to the races with a job approval rating in the high 60s. Now every Democratic congressman in a tight race is looking to get his picture taken with the president, and you're looking around the racquetball court, saying, "Where did everybody go?" You've had some experience battling Jed Bartlet when he's right, and you've had some experience battling him when he's popular. Why in the world would you want to try it when he's both at the same time?
You know something, Josh, sometimes I wonder if I'd listened to you two years ago, would I be President right now? Do you ever wonder that?
No sir, I know it for sure.
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