In This White House

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From NBC:
When a confident Sam (Rob Lowe) is outmatched by a novice Republican adviser, Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter) on a political point-counterpoint television program, an impressed President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) offers to hire her as assistant White House counsel despite her party affiliation-- a bold move that sends shock waves through the resentful staff. Elsewhere, Toby (Richard Schiff) and Josh (Bradley Whitford) attend a deadlocked White House summit between representatives of pharmaceutical companies and the leaders of AIDS-ravaged African nations to discuss the high price and availability of much-needed drugs. However, the President is concerned for the safety of President Nimbala (Zakes Mokae), the eloquent leader of one of the nations, after news spreads about a bloody coup back home in his country

[Joey Lucas]

From The Official Companion:

Sam’s going to be on the TV show Capitol Beat. He’s a regular but he’s on with someone he doesn’t know, Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter). The host Mark Gottfried (Ted McGinley) says she’s a young, blond, leggy Republican who’s never done TV. When he sees Ainsley, Gottfried advises her not to overreach. He says Sam usually wipes the floor with whomever is in her seat. She shouldn’t be scared. Sam says hello to Ainsley and the show gets going.

Gottfried asks Sam why the President’s $1.5 billion education package is a better bill than the Republican one Bartlet vetoed last year. Sam gives an example. He says it provides enough money to but textbooks for teachers in places like Kirkwood, Oregon. Ainsley argues that’s not true, Sam’s lying. She says the Republican package had plenty of money, but gave it to the communities to spend. Ainsley won’t let Sam answer. She says Sam’s right, textbooks are important. They’d help him realize Kirkwood is actually in California. The show goes to a break and Ainsley asks if she overreached. Sam knows he’s been stuffed.

SAM: Please . . . oh please, let them not be watching.
JOSH pops his head into TOBY’S office. It’s Christmas morning –
JOSH: Toby. Come quick. Sam’s gettin’ his ass kicked by a girl.
TOBY gets up and follows JOSH –
TOBY: (calling) Ginger, get the popcorn.

C.J. is briefing on a summit of African nations and drug companies about Africa’s twenty-six million AIDS victims. A questioner asks if the White House has declared war on the drug companies. Toby may have taken that into his own hands. He says a drug that costs ten dollars and eighty cents in Norway where nobody needs it costs ninety dollars in Burundi where everybody needs it. Sam’s been hearing it about Capitol Beat. C.J. asks him if Geneva’s in Switzerland or Oregon.

A new reporter introduces himself to C.J.: Billy Kelley, Cleveland Courier. He asks if she knows anything about Alamo Energy selling drilling equipment to Iraq. C.J. says she can’t tell him anything. Kelley says if they were doing that, wouldn’t they be violating sanctions? Grand jury investigations are secret, C.J. says. She can’t tell him any more.

Bartlet asks Leo if he saw Sam get pureed by Ainsley Hayes on TV. He says they should hire her. Leo says good joke, she’s a Republican, but Bartlet’s serious. He’s read three of her columns and he thinks she has a sense of civic duty.

Bartlet has a photo op with the African delegates. Someone asks President Nimbala (Zakes Mokae) what he wants to gain from the summit. “A miracle,” he says. Bartlet again tells Leo to hire Ainsley Hayes.

Two friends of Ainsley’s are watching a tape of her performance on Capitol Beat. They’re telling Ainsley she’s going to be a star. An agent’s going to call. Ainsley’s trying to figure out her caller ID when the phone rings. Her friend thinks it’s the agent but it’s not. Ainsley knows this number already: 202-456-1414. It’s the White House.

C.J.’s come to work late. She says she didn’t sleep at all for worrying about something. She can’t even muster the energy to have a dig at Sam’s geography skills. Leo brings Sam and C.J. out to the corridor. He says he wanted to tell them something where there were people so they wouldn’t scream. He’s offering Ainsley Hayes a job.

C.J.: Are you kidding?
LEO: No.
C.J.: Are you kidding?
LEO: No.
C.J.: Are you kidding?
LEO: No.
C.J.: WHAT THE HELL MADE YOU THINK I WOULDN’T SCREAM WHERE THERE ARE PEOPLE??!!!!

Josh gives Donna a primer. U.S. companies hold the patents on HIV medications. The drugs are so expensive, people in Africa buy them off the black market in violation of copyright treaties. Donna asks how much the drugs cost. “One hundred and fifty dollars a week,” says Josh. A police officer in Kenya makes $43 a month.

Damson, a drug company representative, is telling President Nimbala it’s not about profit, but Nimbala wants to know why one of his products is half the price in Norway it is in his country. Damson says prices are not the issue, and Toby interjects they should make it the issue. It’s getting uncomfortable. Josh asks how much it would cost to provide free drugs to three countries. Damson says they don’t know. They’re getting nowhere.

[Joey Lucas]

From The Official Companion (cont.):

In the third act, Ainsley comes to meet Leo. She’s nervous as hell and puzzled, excited, and terrified all at the same time. Ainsley thinks she’s been called in to be reprimanded for the job she did on Sam, but Leo surprises her by offering her a job. Ainsley misses the offer and Leo waits while Ainsley’s brain catches up.

LEO: Here it comes.
AINSLEY: Did you say “offer me a job”?
LEO: Yes. Associate White House Counsel. You’d report to the deputy White House Counsel, who reports to the White House Counsel, who reports to me.
AINSLEY: (pause) I’m sorry, a job in this White House?
LEO: You want a glass of Scotch?
AINSELY: Yes, please.

Ainsley tells Leo she’s always been a Republican. He says he knows, he has her FBI file. Ainsley says she loathes almost everything they believe in, but she’s wanted to work in the White House since she was two. Leo tells her Bartlet likes smart people who disagree with him and he’s asking her to serve.

Josh tells Toby to ease up. He says that half of Congress was elected by drug companies so the patent treaties will be enforced. Toby says the pills cost four cents. The second one, says Josh; the first one costs $400 million. Josh asks about Nimbala. Toby says he was a great commander and he’s a good President. He’s holding his country together with both hands. “Then let’s send him back with something,” says Josh.

Ainsley has until the end of the day to think about the job. She’s watching C.J. I the Press Room, and the new reporter who asked C.J. about Alamo is there. He thinks Ainsley is new, too. He tells her what he asked C.J. and she’s been weird about it. Ainsley is incredulous. “She told you there was a grand jury investigation?”

The drug summit has continued for four days. There are huge, fundamental differences. Damson says even if they gave away free drugs, it wouldn’t make any difference. The drugs have to be taken at precise times. Josh asks what the problem is. Toby pipes in quietly: they don’t have watches. And if the drugs are taken improperly, restraint strains of HIV could develop.

Ainsley sees C.J. in her office, cycling a stationary bike furiously in an effort to tire herself out. Ainsley introduces herself, and tells C.J. she’s not taking the job. She confesses she knows what C.J.’s worrying about. She tells her attorneys and jurors can be prosecuted for confirming that a grand jury had been impaneled, but she’s okay. Witnesses are free to say whatever they want.

Toby tells Nimbala he can put a deal together. They’ll drop prices if he tries to stop black market drugs. Nimbala says 35.8% of his adult population is infected, why should he care about patent law? Josh says Congress could stop all aid if he doesn’t. Toby says they might convince Congress to forgive their debt and get the Export-Import Bank to offer one billion for medication. Nimbala says, “It’s a terrible thing to beg for your life.”

Sam runs into Ainsley in a corridor. He tells her she forgot to mention that schools only got the money she talked about if they agreed not to distribute condoms. She says good, that’s the last thing we need. Josh comes by and recognizes Ainsley. She tells them she’s not taking the job. Ainsley says, “This White House feels government is better for children than parents and it loves the Bill of Rights, except the second one.” Sam can’t hold it in; he argues that Josh almost died. He’s so tired of the gun lobby talking about personal freedom. Ainsley says their administration just doesn’t like the people who like guns and they should think about that next time they make a redneck joke. The tension hangs but Sam and Josh know there was some truth to that.

There’s a great bustle in the Oval Office. Doors are opening and staffers are coming in and out. The military is there; something’s happened. The President tells Nimbala there was a coup in his country. Rebels have the capital, the radio station, the television station. Nimbala says he has to go home. Bartlet says he can’t he has to take asylum but Nimbala insists he has to go home. Bartlet is pleading: They’ll shoot him the moment he steps off the plane. Bartlet tells him his brother and sons are dead, his wife is in Kenya. From just outside the Oval Office, Ainsley is watching.

Later, Ainsley’s friends are gloating about her rejecting the job. One asks if she saw anyone who wasn’t worthless. Ainsley says they’re smug and superior, they like taxes, but don’t call them worthless. She says they have commitment, they are righteous, and they are patriots. “And I’m their lawyer.”

Saturday morning. The President’s in Toby’s office. Charlie comes in with a note. Bartlet and Toby both know what it’s going to say. Toby asks if it happened and Bartlet says President Nimbala was executed in the airport parking lot.