INT. LEO MCGARRY'S OFFICE.

Leo's leaning against the edge of his desk. Toby's in a seat by the door.

TOBY: Its two years ago all over again.

LEO: Yeah.

TOBY: A battle against a right-wing agenda put forth purely out of political spite instead of idealistic differences.

LEO: I know.

TOBY: Its two years ago all over again.

LEO: Toby...

TOBY: I don't know if we can get up for it this time, Leo.

LEO: Why not? Because this time we're not the ones who picked the fight?

TOBY: We didn't pick the fight. We won't pick the battleground. We'll just be the ones standing there taking fire, while our first term drains into the kind of muck we won't be able to extricate ourselves from come November.

LEO: I don't believe that.

TOBY: You're annoyingly optimistic, you know that?

LEO: That's because I'm older and wiser.

TOBY: Isn't age supposed to make you cynical?

LEO: Only if you let it.

Margaret knocks and enters.

MARGARET: Mrs Landingham called. Senator Rollins is in the OB.

LEO: Thanks Margaret.

Margaret nods, exits. Leo stands, straightening his jacket. Toby stands up too.

TOBY: You want me to go in with you?

LEO: No. I don't want any of you guys in the room.

TOBY: We can handle ourselves, Leo.

LEO: Like you said, they're gonna start shooting at us-

TOBY: And I want to be standing next to you when they do.

LEO: No.

Leo heads for the door, opens it. Toby turns away.

LEO(CONT'D): Toby?

TOBY: Yeah?

LEO: Thanks.

Toby nods. Leo goes through the door, opens another across the corridor and enters:

INT. THE OVAL OFFICE.

President Bartlet's standing behind his desk, making a few notes. He doesn't look up when Leo enters.

BARTLET: He's here.

LEO: Margaret just told me.

BARTLET: Bring him in.

Leo doesn't move, looks hesitant. Bartlet looks up.

BARTLET(CONT'D): Leo, bring him in.

LEO: Mr President...

BARTLET: What?

LEO: Are you planning on telling me just what you're going to say to him?

BARTLET: What are you? My mother?

LEO: Look, I'm not necessarily against bringing the Majority Leader in, or a good spanking, but-

BARTLET: I have it under control, Leo.

LEO: Do you, sir?

BARTLET: What's that supposed to mean?

LEO: There are a lot of things that make you lose your temper-

BARTLET: I have never-

LEO: But by far the most potent is someone coming after a member of your family, or your team. You tend to get crazy when that happens.

BARTLET: Leo. Do I look crazy?

LEO: No.

BARTLET: Then bring him in.

Leo hesitates for another second, then sighs and nods.

LEO: Yes, sir. (calls out) Charlie!

Door opens, and Charlie steps in.

CHARLIE: Yes?

LEO: Send him in.

Charlie nods, disappears for a second. Then Senator Rollins steps through, looking smug and also - underneath the smile - more than a little angry.

ROLLINS: Leo.

LEO: Senator.

They shake hands. Rollins turns to Bartlet, who extends his hand.

BARTLET: Cliff.

ROLLINS: Jed.

Bartlet freezes, the smile on his face tightening almost imperceptibly. Then he steps back.

BARTLET: Cliff, do me a favour... Look down at the carpet.

ROLLINS: Excuse me?

BARTLET: The carpet. Take a look.

Rollins looks down.

BARTLET(CONT'D): What do you see?

ROLLINS: Its a seal.

BARTLET: That is correct. The seal of-?

Rollins doesn't answer, just glances at Leo, who's no help.

BARTLET(CONT'D): Now, let's try that again.

He holds out his hand. Looking like he's pulling teeth, Rollins shakes.

ROLLINS: Evening, Mr President.

BARTLET: That's better. (beat) Sit down!

Rollins takes a seat. Leo sits too. The president's worked up, though, and remains standing.

BARTLET(CONT'D): Cliff, I brought you in here, so I could ask you one question - and one question only.

ROLLINS: Sir?

BARTLET: Where the hell do you get off?

ROLLINS: Excuse me, sir?

BARTLET: I said - where the hell do you get off? Going after Josh Lyman in some hackneyed attempt to embarrass me, with a stunt that - I'm sorry - might as well have been lifted straight out of a script for the Dukes of Hazard!

ROLLINS: Sir, there is absolutely no proof that I had anything-

BARTLET: Ah! When a politician starts talking about proof, that's how you know he's guilty. (beat) Leo, write that down.

LEO: Got it.

BARTLET: Where do you get off, Cliff?

ROLLINS: Did you bring me in here to scold me, Mr President? Because, need I remind you that while this is the Oval Office and you are the president, I am the leader of my party, and the senate, and I do not have to sit here and take it.

BARTLET: Oh, you're going to sit here, alright. Unless you think you can shove your way past five dress Marines and the Secret Service! Rollins leaps to his feet.

ROLLINS: Are you threatening me?

BARTLET: Sit down.

ROLLINS: How dare you? I am a member of-

BARTLET (yells): Cliff! SIT DOWN!

Charged silence as Rollins and Bartlet glare at each other. Then, with extreme effort, Rollins retakes his seat.

LEO: Okay, now that the niceties are out of the way...

BARTLET: Cliff, which president said, "It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It is not the responsibility of the government to support its citizens"?

Rollins blinks, confused. Leo sighs, and hangs his head.

LEO (mutters): Not this again...

ROLLINS: Excuse me?

BARTLET: I said, which president-?

ROLLINS: It was Grover Cleveland.

BARTLET: So explain to me, Cliff, why you make it your life's work to oppose everything this office tries to do?

ROLLINS: I don't think that's true.

BARTLET: Resolution 872 isn't a liberal law, Cliff. Its a necessary one. So says every scientist working on global warming today! (beat) Yet here you are, resorting to cheap political stunts to block any progress on this country's part in the fight to reverse the effects of global warming.

ROLLINS: I have constituents to think of.

BARTLET: No you have money to think of.

ROLLINS: I don't-

BARTLET: You're blocking 872 because a congressman, a senator and a governor from Michigan told you to.

ROLLINS: That's not true.

BARTLET: You were elected by the good people of Arkansas! What are you doing cow-towing to the demands of the Motown 3?

ROLLINS: Mr President-

BARTLET: When you came in here, you announced that you are the Senate Majority Leader and the frontman of your party, so my question to you, Cliff, is this... When did you become such a pansy-ass?

Rollins' face turns beet-red. Even Leo looks shocked. Bartlet stands firm, clearly fuming. Knock at the door.

BARTLET(CONT'D) (calls out): Come!

Charlie enters.

CHARLIE: Sorry to interrupt, but, Leo, Ainsley and the rest of the staff are out here. Ainsley says she needs to see you.

LEO: We're kinda busy right now, Charlie.

CHARLIE: I know. But she says it's important.

LEO (nods, stands): Sir, can you excuse me?

Bartlet nods, and Leo heads off.

BARTLET: Charlie, send in the rest of the staff.

CHARLIE: Yes, sir.

Charlie ducks out. A couple of seconds later, he comes back in with Josh, Toby, Sam and CJ. They take up various points around the room.

BARTLET: Guys, you all know Senator Rollins.

SAM: Yes, sir.

CJ/JOSH: Senator.

BARTLET: I'm about to propose something to the good senator that's going to cause him to flip his lid, and I want you here to counter any arguments he might have.

TOBY: A proposal, sir?

BARTLET: First, let's get this agenda of yours out of the way, shall we, Cliff?

Just then, Ainsley and Leo enter. Bartlet meets Leo's eye. Leo just smiles. Bartlet nods. Ainsley takes up station in the back of the room.

BARTLET(CONT'D): What was it you told Toby when he met with you today?

ROLLINS: Excuse me?

BARTLET: When you met with Toby today. What did you say to him?

ROLLINS: I don't remember exactly-

TOBY: That if we try to shove Article 43 down your throat, you're going to do a lot worse than you've already done.

BARTLET: That sound about right there, Cliff?

ROLLINS (finds his spine): Yes! (stands) And I meant it, too! You want to know if I'm the one responsible for Josh getting sent up, then yes, I am. And I'm not afraid to admit it. You know why?

LEO: Oh, please enlighten us.

ROLLINS: Because pulling me in here for a meeting in the middle of the night - trying to intimidate me - isn't going to work. It isn't going to change the fact that we are in the majority in the senate. That your budget - from national defense to your secretary's paperclips - has to go through us. So, yes, I did it. And I'll put him in front of a judge that'll send him up for real time unless you get this preposterous Bill off the table!

AINSLEY (mutters): God...

BARTLET: Ainsley, did you say something?

AINSLEY: No, sir.

BARTLET: Yes, you did.

AINSLEY: I'm sorry, sir.

BARTLET: Don't be sorry. Say what you want to say.

AINSLEY: It's the arrogance that gets to me, sir!

BARTLET: Whose arrogance?

AINSLEY: Senator Rollins, I know what you think of this White House...

JOSH: Is that, like, your catchphrase? This White House?

AINSLEY: When my friends and I used to sit around and discuss this administration-

SAM: As young, attractive people are wont to do.

AINSLEY: We used to rail against the perceived smugness. The arrogance. The feeling that everyone who works here is so entitled!

CJ: That's what you thought of us?

AINSLEY: Yes.

CJ: And why did we hire you again?

AINSLEY: But you know what I realized? That at least this White House is trying to get something done. While our party, Mr Leader - and yes, I am still a card-carrying Republican - our party is the one that is so arrogant it believes it has the right to block decent legislation because it can't get over the fact that President Bartlet wiped the floor with our candidate in the last election!

ROLLINS (fuming): Ainsley, that is the last time you speak to me like that.

AINSLEY: Even worse, it's acting out of abject fear that he's going to do the same thing in the next one!

ROLLINS: Your father, and your godfather, are good friends of mine, and that is the only reason I'm tolerating your presence right now!

BARTLET: There's another reason. She's a member of the White House Counsel's Office, and one of my most trusted advisors. So the only reason she's tolerating your presence right now is because I asked you here!

Rollins turns on the spot, glaring at each one of them in turn.

ROLLINS: This is a gang bust.

BARTLET: Do you need back-up? By all means... (to Charlie) Charlie, is the Leader's staff in the Mural Room?

CHARLIE: The Roosevelt Room.

ROLLINS: That isn't necessary.

BARTLET (ignores him, still to Charlie): Why don't you show them in here so the Leader doesn't feel quite so lonely?

ROLLINS: I said, that isn't necessary, sir!

BARTLET: Spell out your agenda.

ROLLINS: Excuse me?

BARTLET: The 'much worse than you've already done' - that plan you're going to come back at us with. Spell it out for me.

ROLLINS (splutters): Well... it's... it's very... comprehensive, and...

BARTLET: No matter. We know it already. Josh, their first salvo?

JOSH: English as the national language.

BARTLET: English as the national language! That's your first move, right? Rolling out English as the national language and forcing me to veto it, thereby costing me the Midwest in the next election. In your mind, anyway.

ROLLINS: Fine. You wanna play it like this, then yes. That's first up. English as the national language.

BARTLET: No, its not.

ROLLINS: Excuse me? You just said-

BARTLET: I know what I said, but you're not going to do it. Because if you do, you might gain the Midwest, but you'll lose the second largest voter block in the United States. That's the Latino vote, in case you didn't know. (beat) So there goes Florida, there goes California, there goes Texas and New Mexico and you just sewed up my re-election for me. Thank you very much for that, Cliff. (beat) What's next?

Silence. Rollins grits his teeth.

BARTLET(CONT'D): Josh, you wanna help him out?

JOSH: Gay rights.

BARTLET: Oh, yes! That's another banner one with your constituents, isn't it? (beat) You're familiar with Walter Nagle, aren't you?

Suddenly, Rollins looks like he wants to choke.

BARTLET(CONT'D): How about Jonathan Trott?

ROLLINS: They're... they're...

BARTLET: You're looking a bit under the weather there, senator. Is it because Walter Nagle and Jonathan Trott are senior members of your own party, representing Missouri and Tennessee, two of the most conservative states in the nation, and they got married in a secret ceremony in Canada? A lovely wedding, I understand. You were there. You gave them a gravy boat.

The staff all throw shocked glances at each other.

ROLLINS: How...? How did you...?

BARTLET: The FBI has me on speed dial, senator. (beat) What's next?

SAM: School prayer.

BARTLET: That's an easy one. Separation of church and state. What I'm basically going to do is take the Constitution and beat you over the head with it. (beat) What's next?

TOBY: School vouchers.

BARTLET: I'm going to pump tens of millions of dollars into the NEA to fund documentarians willing to go into our inner-city public schools to capture on video the fact that they resemble not so much schools, as war zones. And then I'm going to put them on the national broadcasting system in a loop until every parent and potential parent will come down on my side of school vouchers. (beat) What's next?

AINSLEY: Sir?

BARTLET: Yes, Ainsley.

AINSLEY: I think I have the nail, sir.

BARTLET: I'm sorry, the what?

AINSLEY: The nail.

JOSH: You broke a nail?

AINSLEY: I didn't break a nail. I have the nail.

JOSH: What nail?

AINSLEY: The one for his coffin! (beat) You know, the final nail in his coffin...

JOSH: You have to work on your references before we write our vows.

AINSLEY: Speaking of weddings, senator, you had a lovely ceremony. I know. My godfather has a copy of the wedding video. You, and your wife, Laura, were paraded through the town square on the back of a four horse carriage.

SAM: Really?

JOSH: A four horse carriage?

TOBY: Can anybody here spell pretentious?

ROLLINS: What is your point, Ainsley?

AINSLEY: Did you know that in Arkansas, its illegal to collar horses for any use other than plowing a field? (beat) And, being Arkansas, the penalty is rather severe. I'm sure that as Arkansas' representative to the Senate, you'll want to show that you, of all people, will stand by the laws of your great state, and thusly present yourself for prosecution.

Silence rings out like a bell. Rollins looks caught in the headlights. The staff struggle to keep victorious smirks off their faces.

ROLLINS: How did you-?

AINSLEY: Uncle Jeff just called me. He's a vicious fighter, but he'd like to win on the issues, not as a result of a cheap trick.

ROLLINS: I- I...

BARTLET: Cliff?

ROLLINS: I'll see to it that the charges against Josh are dropped.

BARTLET: Good. That's got that little issue out of the way.

JOSH: I'm sorry. Little issue?

BARTLET: Now... Article 43.

ROLLINS (through gritted teeth): Yes, sir.

BARTLET: To preface this, I'm going to quote a member of your own party, senator. (beat) "What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in, whether we shape the future in the image of our hopes, is ours to determine by our actions and our choices." (beat) Who said that? (when Rollins doesn't respond) Charlie? Wanna help him out.

CHARLIE: Richard Nixon, sir.

BARTLET: Richard Nixon. That's right. (beat) At six o'clock tomorrow, I'm sending Resolution 872 to the floor of the House, with an amendment to Article 43 of said Resolution.

ROLLINS: Yes, a 30% reduction. I know.

BARTLET: No.

ROLLINS: What?

BARTLET: I'm proposing a 35% reduction.

ROLLINS: Mr President...

BARTLET: A 35% reduction.

ROLLINS: Mr President!

BARTLET: And you are going to swallow it, Cliff. You know why?

ROLLINS: No, sir.

BARTLET: Not because I'll counter any legislative agenda you might throw at us, and not because we're both holding silly lawsuits over each other, and not because it'll be funny to see the faces of the Motown 3 when it passes.

ROLLINS: Then why, sir?

BARTLET: Because it's the right thing to do.

Rollins seems to deflate in front of them. He looks at each of the staff in turn, lingering on Ainsley. Then he turns to the president.

ROLLINS: Fine. You have my vote.

BARTLET: Thank you, Cliff.

ROLLINS: Mr President.

Bowing once, Rollins exits. The staff stare at each other for a long moment.

LEO: Well...

TOBY: That was...

CJ: Yeah.

AINSLEY (to Bartlet): Can I say it, sir?

BARTLET: Excuse me?

AINSLEY: Can I say it?

BARTLET: After the little performance you just put on, Miss Hayes - feel free.

Ainsley grins, and actually claps her hands.

JOSH: Gosh, you're too cute for words sometimes.

AINSLEY: You owe me, cowboy.

JOSH: Don't I know it.

AINSLEY: Okay, so I'm gonna say it.

BARTLET: Ainsley, could we possibly-?

AINSLEY: Yes, sir. (turns to the rest of the staff, takes a deep breath) Okay... (beat) What's next?

SLAM CUT TO:

CLOSING CREDITS.