"Gin." "Gin!" "Gin." "Here's the doc." "What's the verdict, Doc?" "Can't last another 24 hours." "Any chance of us making the early edition?" "He'd want to." "What about some pictures, last-moment stuff?" "No." "Good afternoon, Miss Thorndyke." "Your father..." "I heard your verdict, Dr. Crane." "That's the daughter." "She's tougher than the old man." "Get out." "But, Mr. Thorndyke, I..." "Out!" "Out, I say." "Stupid nurses, doctors." "Oh." "How are you feeling, Sam?" "Oh, this blasted thing's eating my guts away." "Did you see that editorial in the Albany paper?" "That fella won't take orders." "Fire him." "I did." "That's my girl." "The White House called to ask about you." "He should call." "If those Republicans hadn't knifed me, he wouldn't be in the White House." "I'd be dying there." "Well, well, well." "What else?" "Longstreet called." "Longstreet?" "That buzzard." "Made me an offer for the papers." "Willing to keep my name on the masthead, he says." "I'll keep it there, Sam." "You don't need Longstreet or anyone else." "Kay, I used to hate you for being a girl." "I always wanted a son like me." "But you're bigger than any son." "A woman's body with a man's brains." "My brains." "Use them." "You'll make the White House, Kay, one way or another." "The Republican Party owe us that." "Don't forget it." "I won't forget it." "That's my girl." "Men are weak, vain, idealistic." "Can't stand pain." "Can't stand pain any longer..." "Sam." "Women are the only realists." "Until they get sentimental." "Don't you ever get sentimental, Kay." "I never have." "Yeah." "Er..." "Goodbye, girl." "I guess I'll call it a day." "You're the chief from herein." "I'm gonna miss you, Sam." "Yeah, yeah." "You'll be all right." "You'll be all right." "Make those heads roll." "Make those heads roll." "Don't go in there." "But, Miss..." "Oh, good heavens!" "Oh, Doctor!" "Doctor!" "Call the police!" "Congratulations." "Congratulations." "Fifty-one." "Oh, Doctor." "Lose your stomach, Mr. MacManus?" "Mr. Hawkins' office, please." "First door to your right." "Thank you." "Hi, Scylla." "Hi, Charybdis." "Well, if it isn't the poor man's Drew Pearson." "Hey, new talent." "You better go in before we have a new columnist." "Wait a minute." "Who's in there with the lion-tamer?" "Team secret." "Came in through the fire escape." "Tailored?" "Mmm-hmm." "Tailored politician?" "Hmm." "Tailored Republican politician?" "What else?" "Tailored worried Republican politician?" "All politicians are worried today." "Jim Conover." "Announce me." "Spike MacManus." "Send him in." "If I had your number, I'd call you and tell you who's gonna be the next President of the United States." "I know." "Truman." "You want the walls to cave in around here?" "I'll see you later." "Hello, boss." "Hello, Jim, what's cooking?" "You'll be." "If one word of my being here gets out." "Hey, boss, the freedom of the press." "If you must grace your column with my name, it's Conover." "C-O-N-O-V-E-R." "You've spelt it "Canover", "Can opener", everything but Conover." "Don't squawk, I haven't spelt it "Conniver" yet." "Let's skip the jokes." "Jim, you know the Republican Convention this year can end in a deadlock." "I don't know anything." "My uncle with the two heads does." "Spike." "He tells me they're following the usual Republican policy:" "The Tafts, Deweys, Stassens, and Vandenbergs may knock each other out of the running even before the Convention." "Thus providing a perfect track for a dark horse." "Which leaves you, Mr. Conover, a fight manager looking for a good heavyweight who can punch." "Jim, I think I have your man." "Yeah, you and everybody else." "This is Kay Thorndyke, not everybody else." "I'm sorry, Kay, it's just that you have to show me." "I'm from Missouri." "Ha!" "If you were from Missouri, you'd have a job in Washington." "Lay off, Spike." "All right, let's have it, Kay." "Who's your man?" "Item one: born in Nevada." "But there's never been a western president." "There are Americans out there, too." "Item two: self-made, sold newspapers, worked his way through school." "Item three: good war record." "Partisaned Lafayette Escadrille WWI, decorated by three governments." "Ancient history." "Item four: started the two-by-four airplane factory and ran it into the biggest thing in aviation today." "Look at me when I'm talking to you." "First industrialist to introduce labor-management plant administration." "He's never even been threatened with a strike." "He'd have labor in one pocket, big business in the other." "Are you interested?" "No." "What's Horatio Alger look like?" "Women have been crazy about him all his life, if that's what you mean." "Well, that lets me out." "And men?" "Part owner of a ball club." "Ever run for office?" "Not even for dog catcher." "Hates politics." "Then what's given him this presidential yen?" "Oh, he hasn't got it yet." "You're going to give him that." "On the newsstands tomorrow." ""Our planes have wings but not our ideas."" "You could make him the next president, Jim." "Kay, I'm not terribly impressed." "I never am by amateurs." "But if you and Grant Matthews happen to be in Washington, and knock on my door to get out of the rain..." "But I have been trying to make this clear all afternoon." "I don't want to be President of the United States." "Guess the job isn't big enough for him, boss." "President." "Holy smoke." "Why, when I was a kid, my dad took me on a two-day trip just to look at President Taft." "On a clear day you could see him for a couple of hundred miles." "Yeah, you sure could." "After he passed, my father slapped me right across the face." "When I asked him what that was for, he said," ""Just so you'll never forget the day you saw the President of the United States."" "Well, Mr. Conover, I've listened to some pretty tall reasons around here why I could run for president." "Self-made man, friend of labor, dark horse and all that stuff." "All very flattering, I might add." "But, could I ask you, a professional politician, to give me one good reason why me, Grant Matthews, should run for the biggest and the best job in the world when there are 10,000 other men..." "Wait a minute." "Let's understand each other." "I'm not telling you you should be President." "I was under the impression that Kay Thorndyke brought you down here to sell me on the idea, not for me to sell you." "Now let's not get childish, nobody's trying to sell anybody anything." "Kay, the man doesn't want the job, and hundreds of others do." "We're wasting our time." "That's right, Kay." "He's right." "We're wasting his time." "I'm not interested in politics or politicians." "And I don't like airplanes." "That makes us even." "Although I could get to like you, Mr. Conover." "Mr. Matthews, it's no skin off my nose, but just for my private files, you made a speech in Cleveland that hit the front pages all over the country." "Even the New York Times with that stuff about," ""Either we pull together or get pulled apart."" "Every Republican leader wishes he'd made it." "So?" "I'm trying to get it through my lame brain, if you have no interest in politics, why did you make that speech?" "Oh, now, wait a minute." "I can be interested in the country without being interested in politics." "That'll surprise Jim Conover." "I don't care who it surprises." "Don't get the idea that I'm not interested in what's going on." "I like this country, Mr. Conover." "It's been darn good to me." "I started with a screwdriver and a monkey wrench and two years of high school, and built the Matthews Aircraft." "Did you ever fly an airplane?" "Oh, no, you don't like airplanes, do you?" "You better not elect me President then, because I'd make it a law for every politician to spend at least 100 hours in the air." "This year, most of us are up in the air all the time." "Well, the next time you're up there, Mr. Conover, look down." "Look down on Pittsburgh, for example, what do you see?" "Smoke." "That's right, smoke." "From the steel mills." "Miles and miles of steel mills." "But you see something else, too, don't you?" "Farms, factories, lumber, mines, railroads, business, management, labor." "Not one able to exist alone, but together, working together with courage and imagination." "That makes America." "That's a great picture from the air." "Yeah, but come down to earth and walk into one of those meetings like that one in Cleveland, and what do you find?" "Farmers, cattlemen, lumbermen, business, labor, they were all there." "All working together?" "In a pig's eye." "All scared to death, all fighting each other." "Each out for the biggest bite in the apple." "Well, there aren't that many bites in the apple." "That's what I was talking about in Cleveland and that's why I'm surprised that you asked me here." "Why surprised?" "Because you politicians, instead of pulling the country together are helping pull it apart, just to get votes." "To labor, you promise higher wages and lower prices." "To business, higher prices and lower wages." "To the rich, you say, "Let's cut taxes"." "To the poor, "Soak the rich"." "To the veterans, cheaper housing." "To the builders, uncontrolled prices." "There's no halo around my head, Mr. Conover, but that's what keeps men like me out of politics." "Hurray!" "You didn't ask me to make this speech, did you?" "You just asked me what I said." "Let that be a lesson to you." "Mr. Matthews, you've just created the ideal political platform." "Drown the politicians." "Very funny." "Mr. Matthews, now, if you really believe those things and weren't just spouting to hear yourself talk, you've just given yourself several reasons to run." "That's my whole point." "The only way to correct those evils is to get into politics." "Get into the White House where you can do something about it." "But, Kay, you just don't get into the White House, millions of people have to vote for you." "You're not afraid of the job, are you?" "What do you mean, I'm afraid?" "Of course I'm not afraid" "I'd make a darn good president." "What am I saying?" "You've got me doing it now." "I would like to pause at this moment and take a one-man Gallup poll." "What chance do you think Mr. Matthews here really might have, Jim?" "I don't know." "Any native-born American over 35 has a chance." "Jim, on Tuesday Grant starts a tour of his plants." "Everywhere he's going he's been invited to speak." "Wait a minute." "I'm going to be pretty busy, you know." "I've got problems in all those plants." "Grant, you've got to go along with us that far." "Try it out." "At least you get a few things off your chest." "Spike, you're going along with him." "You've been telling everyone for years how to run a campaign." "Now we'll see if you can really run one." "Fine, I'll go over to the White House and tell the Trumans to start packing." "Yes, Norah, what is it?" "Norah!" "Do you know a man named Mac?" "Mac who?" "He's calling from New York." "He just said to say, "Mac."" "Oh, Mac." "Hello?" "Yes, I've been waiting to hear from you." "Oh?" "Oh, wait a minute." "I'll take this call in another room." "I'll hang up as soon as you're on." "Do you mind?" "Might get a little Drew Pearson blood." "I thought it was agreed we'd all trust each other." "Only when we're in the same room." "Jim, I've been waiting for you..." "Just a minute, Congressman." "I've got a call to answer." "I don't get this." "If he's really serious about me as a possible candidate, the Republican Party must be pretty desperate." "The party isn't desperate, just Conover." "If he doesn't personally select the Republican candidate this year, he may as well turn, if you'll pardon the expression, Democrat." "Are you on?" "All right, I'll hang up." "Kay, put that down." "Wait a minute, what?" "They've had someone looking you up." "They picked up some gossip about you and me." "Uh-oh." "No." "There's been some talk about Mary." "Mary and some major." "Who's Mary?" "Mrs. Matthews." "Oh!" "A major?" "What's his name?" "I can't..." "What does it sound like?" "A major!" "Did you see what that so and so wrote about me today?" "Well, isn't it true?" "Hey, it's 5:00 already." "Spike, you may have trouble finding a taxi at this hour." "If you want to talk privately, why don't you say so?" "I just did." "Mr. Matthews, you and I might take time to finish our drinks." "Do you mind, Miss Thorndyke?" "Jim, I want you to know that Grant and I trust you implicitly." "Thank you." "I'm very happy about this, Grant." "Miss Thorndyke." "You might as well wait, too." "That's what I was going to talk about." "Close the door, Spike." "Do you mind being seated?" "Naturally, Mr. Matthews, when your name first came up, I made some enquiries." "It seems there's been some talk about you two." "There's been that kind of gossip about every candidate except Herbert Hoover." "They didn't pull it on Hoover 'cause nobody would've believed it." "There are no grounds for talk." "Mr. Matthews and I are very good friends." "Period." "You see, Mr. Matthews, while Miss Thorndyke happens to be single, you are a married man, with two children." "If you consider that a major..." "A vital factor." "I guess that ends it." "What's the answer, Jim?" "It isn't my problem." "But if it were, you two wouldn't be seen together from now on." "Now wait..." "You can't get to first base against a whispering campaign." "Could I get a word in here?" "Perhaps Kay's friendship means more to me than all this political..." "That's all I wanted to hear, Grant." "Jim's right." "We don't see each other from now on." "I knew she'd feel that way about it, and I'm sure she'll agree with me on the next step." "I think Mrs. Matthews should be down here with her husband." "And I'd like to see her make this trip with him." "Now, Jim." "Brother Conover, that does it." "You have just ended the shortest political campaign on record." "If my wife knew that I was even thinking of myself as President of these United States, you just don't know my wife." "She'd call me Nappy every other minute. "Nappy"?" "Nappy." "That's short for Napoleon." "That's what she calls me when I get a little too big for my britches, which is quite often." "I know what Grant means." "The world is full of wives who devote their time to clipping their husbands' wings." "Now Kay, that isn't quite fair to Mary." "Mr. Conover, I don't want you to get the wrong impression about my wife." "She's a very attractive woman and a very bright one." "It's just, you know, a man can just take so much criticism." "If you become a candidate, you'll have to take a lot of criticism." "Yeah." "Your wife might be good training for you." "Toughen you up." "We've got to kill this gossip, Mr. Matthews." "The American people want to see a candidate and his wife campaign together." "It's an American tradition." "Otherwise you can forget the whole thing." "I warned you I had no talent for politics." "I wouldn't think of using my wife as a smoke screen." "Would she have to know?" "In answer to your question, yes." "That's what I said." "You know, I haven't quite made up my mind about you." "Mr. Conover, I'm going to tell you something." "As things now stand, I'm not too sure that my wife would go out and have dinner with me, much less make a trip like this." "But I still say, I would've made a darn good president." "Shall we dance?" "Now what?" "Senator Fosdick is here." "Ex-Senator Fosdick." "Blast, what does that lame-duck want now?" "Lame?" "The last election broke both his wings." "Put him somewhere." "He may get elected again sometime." "My room's the only one that's not full up." "I can be out of mine in 20 minutes." "No, no, no." "Give him a drink, we'll get him settled later." "Politicians seem to think there's a law against paying hotel bills." "Getting back to your wife, Mr. Matthews, she's over 21." "Don't you think the fairest thing would be to let her decide herself?" "Grant knows what's fair and what isn't." "Besides, he has a much more important call to make." "Remember?" "My boy's birthday!" "I should've phoned long ago." "May I use that?" "Please." "Thank you." "What's the number here?" "District 6530." "Use the private phone." "This one?" "That's right." "This is district 6530." "I'm calling Greatwood, Long Island." "Yeah, the number is 247." "Please." "The little guy is eight today." "You'll talk to Mary, Grant." "You want me to?" "I want anything that will get you where you belong." "Invite her to stay here, of course." "No way for a fellow to be elected president without his wife knowing about it, is there?" "Hello?" "Hello, Swenson." "Hello, Buck, how are you?" "Put Mrs. Matthews on." "What's all the noise?" "Oh, the birthday party." "Hello?" "Hello, Joyce!" "How are you, sweetheart?" "It's my daughter, she's 10." "Hmm." "Hello, Butch, is that you, son?" "How are you?" "Happy birthday!" "Well, uh, I can't sing it now." "Yeah, Butch." "Hello?" "Hello, Mary." "Mary, could you get the kids off the other phone?" "Mary, I can't sing it here." "Yeah." "Now don't call me Nappy." "No..." "Okay, okay." "You'll love this." "Happy birthday to you" "Happy birthday to you" "Truman's gonna get the musical vote." "Happy birthday, dear Grant" "Happy birthday to you" "Flat?" "I was not flat." "Look, Mary, I'm here in Washington, D.C., and I'm going to make a tour of the plants." "Hello, Butch..." "Look, Mary, Mary, it's a little too tough over the phone." "Could you come down here, do you suppose?" "Yeah." "We'll stay with Jim Conover." "Conover!" "He's a sort of a ham." "I'll send you the address, Mary..." "Mary, come please, will you?" "All right, dear." "Yes, yes, Butch." "Yeah, yeah, I know." "Yes, Joyce." "Goodbye, sweetheart." "Goodbye." "She's coming?" "Yes, yes, heaven help me." "And when she gets here, she's to be told the whole story." "If she decides to change her mind and go back home, nobody is to interfere with her." "Is that understood?" "Funny world." "I want you to be President, so I go back to New York and you tour the country with your wife." "Politics make strange bedfellows." "Come in." "Hello, Grant." "How's the people's choice?" "This fantastic notion had me thinking about myself so much," "I forgot there were others." "Just talking home on the phone did that to you?" "Mary and the kids can't be dismissed with a wave of the mind, Kay." "Still dragging around some of those little chains, aren't you, Grant?" "What chains?" "Those little chains of middle-class morality that've kept big men down, all through the ages." "Nothing's dragging me down." "I just want everything out in the open." "No more hiding in the dark." "No more playing both ends against the middle." "And no White House." "No, Kay, no White House." "Sounded like a pipe dream, anyway." "No pipe dream to me, Grant." "I believe in you." "I know you do, Kay." "And I know just what you've meant to me." "But..." "But, sit down." "Look, Grant." "Don't you suppose I knew what was going to happen to me if you ran for president?" "Don't you suppose I knew there had to be a Mary if there was going to be any White House?" "Your knowing it doesn't make it easier." "Have I asked for it any easier?" "I'm the corner of this triangle that'll take the beating." "I'm not going to let you take that beating." "Yes, you are!" "Go after the biggest and the best there is." "You'll make a great president." "And if somebody suffers, if I suffer, so what?" "As my father used to say, "Life is war, don't count the casualties."" "Look, Grant, I think I know you." "And I know I love you." "If you're in the White House, I'll be in the White House, whether I'm in New York or on the Moon." "You're a great gal, Kay." "Come in." "Oh?" "Conference?" "I'll be back." "No, no, no, come on in, Jim." "I think I'll go down and inspect the plumbing at the White House." "I'll see you later." "There's a mighty big man, Jim." "Yes." "Mighty big man, with a mighty small chance." "Oh?" "Kay, do you mind if I let my hair down?" "It's your hair." "Look, with no Roosevelt to run against, it's green pastures again for Republicans." "So I dig up enough money to rent this house for two years and think I'll angle myself back into politics." "Do I get a bid from Dewey, Taft, Vandenberg, and Stassen to manage their campaigns?" "I do not." "Harding-gang stink is still on me, they say." "So this house becomes a boarding house for political has-beens who can't get on any bandwagon, and you come along with your airplane builder." "And me, the best political brain in this country outside of Jim Farley," "I'm now nursing a rank amateur like Grant Matthews." "A mixed up guy who sees ideals out of one eye and ambition out of the other." "A guy who hates politicians, you heard him." "A guy with a busted-up home that'll be poison at the polls." "Jim." "Wouldn't you like to become Chairman in the Republican Party?" "I'd give my right arm up to here to become Chairman of the Republican..." "Say, are you making commitments for him?" "Get that hair back up again." "What's the matter with you?" "You getting old or something?" "Keep that stomach in, chin up." "Why do you think I brought Grant to you?" "Because I know you're the best politician in the country." "Kay, a stubborn rank amateur." "Wilke was a stubborn rank amateur." "Get that political brain of yours working." "This is the year of the dark horse." "The best we could go into that convention with would be a small handful of delegates." "Communists have taken over whole countries with a small handful of delegates." "This guy worries me." "The way he shoots his mouth off." "He'll make enemies." "I'm sending Spike along for just that." "Spike?" "I need Spike like I need a hole in the head." "Jim, The Thorndyke Press needs a new vice president, a sort of silent partner to advise on political matters." "Good salary, expense account that might include a four-year lease on this house." "Win or lose?" "Win or lose." "Well, the dark horse is getting whiter." "Kay, just so I don't stumble over things in the dark, what's your stake in all this?" "I want nothing." "No." "People who want nothing worry me." "The price isn't right." "You know, I know about your father and the Republican Party." "You also know that they've given me the beautiful brush-off ever since." "On occasions they've even seen fit to describe the support of my newspapers as the "kiss of death"." "I thought if I could present the country and the Republican Party with the next President of the United States, it would give me more than a little pleasure to see certain heads roll." "If they're the same heads I'm thinking about..." "They are." "Let's put this thing over, Jim." "He's the ideal man." "He's the rare combination of sincerity and drive that the common herd will go for." "They think he's one of them." "He thinks he's one of them." "But is he the kind of man we can handle?" "Will he play ball?" "He's in love with me, Jim." "You can lead a dark horse to water with that love stuff, but can you make him drink?" "A moment ago, you very shrewdly observed that Grant saw ideals out of one eye and ambition out of the other." "You were dead right." "But wait till that presidential bug really bites him." "Wait till he sees the White House out of both eyes." "Then he'll drink." "And so will I." "The White House." "My, my, hallowed ground." "Just think." "All of the presidents since Adams have occupied that noble edifice." "Needs painting." "I beg your pardon?" "I say, it needs painting." "Needs painting?" "Sir, you're the kind who'd whitewash the dawn." "What colors would you add to a desert sunset or to the cool green of the sea, or the blue of the sky?" "Does the goddess of liberty need make-up?" "Do you know who lives in this historic mansion?" "Yeah." "The spirit of all those who fought for human dignity lives there." "Moses, Buddha, Confucius," "Christ, Paul, Saint Francis," "Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, Joan of Arc," "Martin Luther, Plato, Homer," "Dante, Shakespeare, Michelangelo," "Pasteur, Newton, Galileo," "Edison, Franklin, Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson," "Crispus Attucks, Lafayette, Garibaldi," "Bolivar, Kosciusko." "The martyrs, the saints, and the poets." "Civilizations past and present." "Man's whole history." "His evolution from worm to animal to Einstein, his long search for God, all those things live in that noble dwelling, but I still say it needs painting." "Sir, may I buy you a glass of beer?" "With pleasure." "Could you bring my bags in for me?" "Thank you." "Check with Leith before you print that one." "The rest of..." "Jess, no more good stuff from now on, just the cheap stuff." "If that's a long-distance call, you'll pay for it yourself." "Mr. Conover, Mr. Conover, Mrs. Matthews is here." "Mrs. Matthews?" "Already?" "Jim, don't faint now, but what if she won't make this trip?" "She's got to make it." "Jess, the good stuff for Mrs. Matthews and put a bottle of champagne on ice." "Yes, sir." "Where'll I put her?" "Put her in Mr. Matthews' bedroom." "Take care of her bag." "Remember that phone call's on your own." "I'll mail everything in from now on." "Right." "I hope it doesn't inconvenience you, my flying down tonight." "I'm delighted, I'm only sorry you didn't get here earlier." "Spike, this is Mrs. Matthews." "Mr. MacManus." "Oh, the writer?" "How do you do, Mr. MacManus?" "And you're very beautiful." "How are you, Mrs. Matthews?" "I'll take this." "Where's my husband got to?" "A politician's smoke-filled room's got too much for him." "Oh, you're that Mr. Conover." "I'm afraid I am." "Grant went for a walk." "He didn't expect you until tomorrow." "I sent him a wire." "The fact is, Mr. Conover, I was so excited about this trip," "I couldn't bear to wait." "Oh, is this my room?" "No, this is Grant's room." "I'm getting you another." "Leave the bags here a minute." "You're moving Senator Fosdick." "Again?" "Put him in the south bedroom with Mr. Godfrey." "But the Commissioner's in there with Mr. Godfrey." "Commissioner?" "He can have the pool table." "That's nonsense." "Don't move Senator Fosdick." "Grant and I can stay here." "Here?" "It's all right." "We're really married." "Unless the rest of the Senate is in here with Grant." "No, no, he's in sole possession." "Good, I'll stay here." "After all, Senator Fosdick was an isolationist." "I think he should be isolated." "Shall I unpack for you, ma'am?" "Don't bother." "I'll do it later." "This is very pleasant." "Now I can boast that I've really been behind the scenes in Washington." "You certainly can." "The Republican Party has been behind the scenes for 15 years." "But that's over now." "We've won Congress and there'll be a change in the White House after the next election." "Has Mr. Truman heard about this?" "I'm gonna like you." "I'm a good Republican." "The voters do control the lease on the White House, don't they?" "Not just the Republican Party." "Your husband's been lecturing me along the same lines." "Then I'd better change the subject." "Grant can be very outspoken." "But not by anybody I know." "May I fix you a drink?" "I'm a very inexpensive guest." "I don't drink." "You'll make history in this house." "Has she moved in there?" "She's established a beachhead." "Tell Jim it's all right to convince the world there's nothing between me and Mr. Matthews, but not to bother convincing Mrs. Matthews." "I thought that was the idea." "Don't be naive, Spike." "I want her against me." "I want her fighting for him." "That way she'll do everything possible to get him elected." "Women." "Goodbye, Mr. MacManus." "Goodbye." "Bye." "Oh, thank you." "Mrs. Matthews, I have a great admiration for your husband." "Look at that." "What did you say?" "I say, I have a great admiration for your husband." "I'm many years ahead of you on that, Mr. Conover." "The whole country will feel as we do after hearing the speeches he's going to make on this trip." "Speeches?" "Is he gonna make speeches?" "Yes, in several places." "Oh, dear, I should've packed my earmuffs." "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." "Grant makes a very good speech, but public appearances for me..." "Would it be considered bad form, if I just stayed quietly at the hotel and listened to him over the radio?" "I'm afraid it would." "It would defeat the whole purpose." "Purpose?" "What purpose?" "For a man who may become a political figure, people like to know his wife, like to see what she looks like, and most important of all, they like to see the two of them together." "Oh." "I see." "That explains Grant's inviting me to make this trip with him." "No, no, no, Grant wants you to go along." "These public appearances, they're my idea." "Just an old politician's habit of cashing in on an opportunity." "It all fits a little too neatly, Mr. Conover." "I don't know whether you know, or perhaps you do, that Grant and I haven't been very close recently." "Wouldn't you prefer to create a contrary impression?" "Then you do know." "Let's be open about this, Mr. Conover." "These public appearances that Grant and I are going to make, are they designed to kill off any talk about my husband and Kay Thorndyke?" "There's that kind of talk about every important man." "If there are any rumors about your husband, this would be a good chance to kill them." "You see..." "No, may I use your telephone?" "Certainly." "On the night table." "Thank you." "I want to get back to New York tonight, if I can." "Airport..." "Executive 2345." "Thank you." "Mrs. Matthews?" "I think any man who has a chance to become President of the United States deserves that chance." "President of the United States?" "Yes." "Don't you think he'd make a good president?" "Yes, I do." "A fine president." "Then you see how this goes beyond personal considerations." "We can't think of this just in terms of you and Grant." "And Kay Thorndyke." "And Kay Thorndyke." "I'm sure you'll go along with this." "You're a good citizen." "Right now, Mr. Conover, I'm not feeling like a good citizen." "I'm feeling like a woman." "All right, as a woman, then." "As a woman, no, I resent being used." "This evening has been quite a kick in the teeth to me, Mr. Conover." "I was hoping that" "Grant's call meant no more Miss Thorndyke." "It'd be fine to kill these rumors." "It'd be even finer to kill Kay Thorndyke." "Let's think of this in terms of the country." "That's what I've had to do." "Frankly, your husband is not the answer to a politician's dream." "I've been wondering why any political party should choose Grant, knowing the things he stands for." "I want the country to make the choice, and I know the choice they'll make." "Take my word." "Your husband is a pretty big man." "There's no argument about that." "I know he's a big man." "You know he's a big man." "My bad days are when he knows he's a big man." "You don't suppose there's any way of Grant's being elected president and keeping it a secret from him, do you?" "It wasn't as funny as all that." "Yes, it was." "Your husband asked me almost the same question." "He wondered if he could be elected without a wife knowing about it." "Poor Grant." "Is he speaking in Seattle?" "Yes." "Why?" "We were married in Seattle." "When I think of him speaking there as a candidate for president..." "He's not speaking now as a candidate." "That's a deep, dark secret." "The whole idea of this trip is to create the demand." "Oh." "That clears up something you just said." "He's to be your choice first, then the people's choice." "Well, I'm a citizen." "I have the right to a choice." "Long distance calling, Mr. Conover." "Thank you, Norah." "May I take it here?" "Am I in the way?" "Not at all." "This will take just a minute." "Hello." "Yes." "How are you?" "Yes, I'm sorry, too, Joe." "You should have carried that district." "Advice?" "My advice is to change your whole campaign this year." "How many Poles have you got down there?" "That many?" "Tell them not to believe what they read in the papers." "Tell them we love Poland and we're going to lend them a lot of money." "Oh, they don't feel that way about it?" "Well, tell them Poland won't get one red cent out of us." "The Democrats have beaten us to that?" "Well, promise them something else." "They must want something, just promise them!" "You swing that district and they'll have to give you that Veterans' Hospital." "Otherwise, no dice." "Call any time." "Thanks." "Sorry for the interruption." "I'm grateful for it." "It gave me a chance to change my mind." "I'll make this trip with Grant." "Well, that's fine." "That pleases me very much." "That's our first big campaign contribution." "To you, my dear, the loveliest plank in your husband's platform." "That's a heck of a thing to call a woman." "Still, you did say loveliest." "Think of any more words like that, don't repress them." "Don't tell me you'd fall for a politician's sweet syrup." "Mister, you're looking at a mighty dry waffle." "I don't know." "This trip may kill more than one rumor." "Is there someone I don't know about?" "There have been some rumors about you." "About me?" "Hmm." "About you and a certain major." "That's wonderful." "That's the best news I've heard in weeks." "Does Grant know?" "Not as far as I know." "You're going to tell him, aren't you?" "No." "I deserve something out of all this." "I was hoping he'd told you." "No, I have a little intelligence service of my own." "I wish Grant had." "The places I've dragged that poor, nice major, just in the hopes that Grant would see us." "I'm beginning to feel like a new woman." "I think I'll put a new face on the new woman." "And I feel like a new man and I think I'll give the new man a drink." "How about it?" "We have even champagne here." "Don't ever tempt me that way." "The results can be disastrous." "No!" "Has Grant told you we haven't seen each other in nearly four months?" "No." "Our last encounter was something to remember." "Kay has quite a technique with husbands." "Other women's, that is." "She's a great builder-upper." "Grant was getting the inflation treatment that night." "Which, by the way, he doesn't mind at all." "So, I inflated myself a little, too, starting with martinis." "And told her off." "Off and out of my house." "I played right into her hands." "I acted like a fishwife." "It's the olive in the martinis." "That's what does this." "No, things were simmering before that." "Grant needs a lot of room to stretch in." "He likes to get up on those mountain tops and slap the hurricanes down." "He can do it, too." "He began to feel that I was sort of small potatoes and holding him back." "I was, I guess." "I'm a sort of a cozy corner person, Mr. Conover." "I like those quiet valleys." "I'm afraid I even have a weakness for small potatoes." "I've got two wonderful ones at home." "Yes, happy birthday." "There we were." "Grant had a bad case of the mountains and I became stubborn about small potatoes, and she stepped into the picture as the beautiful mountain guide." "Now I have no way of knowing how far things have gone." "How do you mean?" "There are three stages in a man's, whatever you want to call it, to Kay Thorndyke." "First he follows her with his eyes, then with his feet, then on his knees." "My trouble is, I don't know whether Grant is still in stage two or if the boat has sailed." "Jim." "Mary gets in tonight." "I got this telegram downstairs..." "Hello, Grant." "Mary." "I didn't expect you until tomorrow." "I couldn't bear to wait." "I'd have met you." "How are you?" "Fine." "You look fine." "I'm certainly glad you came." "I've got a lot of things to tell you." "Have you got a room set up for her yet?" "I'm in here with you." "In here?" "Mr. Conover, Governor Dunn has just arrived." "Ex-Governor." "That old windbag didn't even carry his own county." "Where am I going to put him?" "He snores, too." "That's an occupational disease of governors." "Grant, I couldn't wait." "I told Mrs. Matthews all about it." "Well, I'm awfully glad you came." "I said that, didn't I?" "How are the kids?" "Fine." "Anxious to see you." "Same here." "Why don't you laugh?" "You should." "Why, Grant?" "I've just been for a walk." "You know, it's a funny thing, Mary," "I've been in Washington a thousand times in the past few years, but I never really saw it until today." "It isn't a city." "It's an atmosphere." "It's alive with giants." "Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Adams." "Giants, Mary." "I'm not in their league." "I'm for you, Grant." "I think you'd make a wonderful president." "Do you really mean that?" "I've never meant anything more." "That's the nicest thing you could've said." "It isn't only that you've got the brains for it." "The important thing to me, Grant, is that you've always tried to be honest." "Tried to be?" "You've cut some corners here and there, just to get where you wanted to." "But I will say, you've always had the decency to be unhappy about it." "Yeah, with a little help from you." "And don't call me Nappy." "Yes, Nappy." "I want you to know, Mary, that I felt a little bit of a heel, asking you to make this trip at all under the circumstances." "I told Conover that it was entirely up to you, that I wouldn't..." "It's all right, Grant." "I made the decision myself." "You know, Mary, you deserve something better than me." "Well, I guess, I'd better get out of these." "I'd better see Jim about getting me another room." "Haven't you heard?" "Even the pool table's booked." "I guess I can find a room in a hotel, all right." "In Washington?" "Grant?" "Grant!" "Huh?" "We should call the kids tomorrow." "Yes, yes." "Well, I'll call them around dinnertime, then I can talk to both of them." "I had Buck pack some of your fishing things." "Oh, wonderful." "Thought maybe when we were in Seattle..." "Yeah, fine." "Might be able to run up to Victoria for a couple of days." "We haven't been there since our..." "Not since our honeymoon." "No." "That's right." "Which of the plants are we going to first?" "Minneapolis." "What are you speaking about there?" "I'm not going to speak there." "That's Stassen territory." "Conover thought I might just stir up trouble." "Uh-huh." "Good politics, I suppose." "What other decisions does Conover make for you?" "Wait a minute, Mary." "I made that decision." "I'm making all the decisions." "I've told Conover exactly where I stand." "See, the American people today face too many problems..." "Grant." "Huh." "Take it easy." "I'm going to vote for you." "No, wait a minute." "I want to straighten you out on this thing, too." "Yes?" "Could I turn the bed down now?" "Yes, indeed." "You may." "When you're ready for breakfast just press that buzzer," "I'll have it right up." "Thank you." "I've got a pretty tough day tomorrow." "I'm sorry to be so late with this." "It's all right." "I'll help you with it." "Thank you." "Just as I started up, we got another guest." "Gracious!" "Where did you put him?" "He's on a cot in Mr. Conover's room." "That makes me feel very guilty." "Don't you worry, Mrs. Matthews." "A cot's good enough for most of them." "They just come down here to get something out of Mr. Conover." "Why, Norah!" "Not the people we put in this room." "This room is for special guests." "We even had a Democrat in this bed one night." "Oh, dear." "I wish you hadn't told me that." "He wasn't a Roosevelt Democrat." "Did he leave these as a souvenir?" "How did those get in here?" "That Miss Thorndyke hunted all over for those." "Miss Thorndyke?" "Yes, she forgot them when she left tonight." "I know what it is to be without glasses." "I'll mail them right back to her." "You wouldn't know her address, would you, ma'am?" "Are you sure these are Miss Thorndyke's?" "Yes." "They're them Chinese kind." "See?" "What some women won't do, won't they?" "Yes, won't they?" "Mr. Matthews will know the address." "Grant, can you come out here a minute?" "Norah needs some information." "Yeah, sure." "I'll be right out." "Yeah, Norah, what can I do for you?" "Miss Thorndyke left her glasses." "I just wanted to know where to mail them back to her." "1276 Park Avenue." "Would you like me to write it down for you?" "No, I can remember it." "1276." "76, that's the year of the Revolution, and 12, that's for the 12 Commandments." "Well..." "Goodnight." "Goodnight." "Now how do you suppose those got in here?" "Why did she leave?" "We could all have had a lovely weekend here together." "Mary, what do you think you're doing?" "Mary, stop that nonsense and make up this bed again." "Now hang it all." "Look here, I'm not going to have you do this." "You wouldn't get one wink of sleep down there on the floor, and I wouldn't sleep, lying up here worrying about you." "Goodnight, Mr. President." "You mean Mr. Vice President, don't you?" "Look." "We put this bird across, and you know what it means to us." "We got to work fast but we've got to be smart about it." "Here's a list of guys who might play ball." "Er, Bluckner." "You feel out Bluckner." "He's committed to Dewey." "Go on to the second ballot." "He'd back Stalin if it'd cut the Governor's throat." "There's your long-distance call." "You work on that angle, will you?" "Hello, J.L. Is your group committed yet?" "Now quit worrying, I've got the man, but I'm not ready to announce his name yet." "He's brand new." "Hates politicians." "What?" "For those few measly Arizona delegates?" "I should say not." "Okay, you'll hear from me." "How about Trenley?" "No, you can't trust Trenley." "You can't trust Trenley?" "What do you think, Senator?" "I don't trust Trenley and I don't like the smell of this." "Why not?" "I don't like anything that starts with The Thorndyke Press." "Those three papers in your state can ensure your re-election." "I'll have to take my chances on that, Jim." "Goodnight." "How did he get in here?" "He's honest." "Let's forget about him." "What about Sylvester in Philadelphia?" "Fine." "Good man." "What's so funny?" "I was just wondering how the floors are in the White House." "I'll take the floor there." "I know my place." "Grant?" "Are you still in stage two or have you made stage three now?" "What do you mean?" "Never mind." "Do you want a divorce?" "Do you?" "That's not fair." "I asked you first." "The world thinks I'm a very successful man." "Rich, influential, happy." "You know better, don't you, Mary?" "You know that I'm neither happy nor successful, not as a man, a husband, or a father." "You want to know something else?" "I'm glad I'm down here on the floor." "It's where I belong." "I knew that tonight when we started to talk about going back to Victoria." "Mary, you won't believe this, but I don't know how those glasses got in here, but I'm glad you found them." "I started to tell you, it was Kay who brought me down here, but I lost my nerve." "I guess I was afraid it would send you home." ""There are moments in the life of every man when he glimpses the eternal."" "You read that to me, remember?" "I've had moments like that, Mary." "A couple of them." "When I was up in a plane alone." "Moments when the earth and the sky and the plane and me all seemed to fuse together into something that would live forever." "And I had a moment like that today, Mary, when I was alone with all those great men." "They were happy men, Mary." "Do you know why?" "They had a cause." "They had a cause they could die for." "Some of them did." "I have no cause, Mary." "Beating your competitors." "No cause to die for." "Really isn't very much to live for." "Always me first and everybody else second." "But, way down deep in my gizzard, I..." "Maybe this trip, maybe this whole absurd idea of Conover's..." "Well, anyway," "I'm going to stay on the floor through the whole trip." "And maybe when it's all over," "well, one way or another, everything should be clean and honest between us, right?" "Well, you've answered one question." "What?" "You're still not in stage three." "There, mon cher monsignor Matthews, is something to gladden the heart of every citizen west of the Rockies." "What is it?" "The Seattle speech." "A masterpiece of rhetoric, if I do say so." "Who's going to make it?" "You are, of course." "Really?" "I thought maybe they set up a change and you were the candidate." "No, I'm saving myself for '52." "Well, you better save the speech, too." "How do you like that?" "What do I do?" "Just sit around here with egg on my face?" "I'm the expert that keeps you from climbing out on limbs." "That's where the big red apples are." "Where?" "Out on the limbs." "Mama." "All right, all right, if you don't want to be President." "You just line up the babies for me to kiss, son, and I'll be a cinch." "That reminds me, do I know any babies in Seattle?" "Hey, boss, we got company." "Huh?" "Who?" "Joe and Rusty!" "Joe Crandall, manager of our Cleveland plant." "He's a wonderful guy." "Just flew up to see us." "He's hooked onto us!" "Rusty at the controls." "Joe and Rusty!" "Here's where I make some money." "I'm going to take over." "You're not going to fly this thing." "You got to learn sometime, come on, shove over there." "Shove over." "Aren't you going to stop him?" "I suggest you better strap yourself in." "What for?" "Just do what Mama tells you." "If you have any loose teeth, hang on to them," "Rusty's our chief test pilot." "He and Grant like to play." "I'm not going to like this." "Look at those guys." "Kind of close." "They came up to play." "What do we got up here?" "3210." "Oh!" "I got it." "Okay." "How you doing, Rusty?" "Hi, boss." "I'm testing the new plane-to-plane radio." "It's coming along fine." "What's the matter with you?" "You getting scared?" "Can't get any closer?" "Hey, boss, can you still fly?" "I can pat your ears down anytime." "You got any dough?" "I'm loaded." "A buck I lose you." "Put your money where your mouth is, brother." "Okay, you're on." "Hey, you're hooked up?" "Yes." "Hang on!" "Mary, what's he doing?" "You better stay away from me, I'll cut your tail off." "Hello?" "Where is he?" "There he is." "If your husband must have a hobby, why can't he play the piano, like any normal president?" "Come on, Rusty, do something!" "Uh-oh, a loop." "What's the matter, Spike, can't you take it?" "Kid, you're in a rut." "You're running out of stunts, aren't you?" "Boss, you're not going to spin this thing?" "Why not?" "I built it." "Hope the wings stay on." "So do I." "Did they stay on?" "I'm afraid to look." "Not bad for an old man." "Never mind the "old man" stuff." "That's a buck you owe me." "We're over the airfield." "Five more says I beat you down." "Make it 10 and you've got a deal." "Get your money ready." "I'll take half of it." "What's going..." "Hey." "Why, the son of a gun pulled a jump on me." "Take it over." "Get me right over it." "Grant!" "Boy, am I glad to see you." "Sit down, pal." "What do you think of that?" "Say, that was swell fun." "Enjoyed every minute of it." "Grant, don't you think it..." "What do you think of that, fella?" "I got a $10 bet with him." "Yeah, but don't you think..." "Now, what?" "Coming over." "Cut down that left engine." "Give my love to Conover." "Grant!" "Mary, he fell out!" "Did you happen to notice was he wearing a parachute?" "Parachute?" "You mean he did that for $10?" "Did it open?" "Did it open?" "Did it open?" "Yeah, it opened." "We're a cinch to get the screwball vote." "Well, well." "The fourth estate, what goes?" "Another war?" "Hi, Jim, stuffed any ballot boxes lately?" "You're to go right in, Mr. Conover." "Could it be we're in politics, gentlemen?" "Looks that way." "What's the convention out there?" "My editors." "I had them fly in." "But some of them recognized me." "Don't worry, Jim, we're in business." ""'Public response to my line of guff astounding." ""'lf I throw my hat in rings, does my head go with it?" "' Grant Matthews."" "Well, the bug's beginning to bite, huh?" "You're so right." "Now, we can really go to work." "My reports on him have been terrific." "What've you heard?" "Nothing." "Goes over with the mob, no doubt about that." "Who told you that?" "Made a big hit in the Northwest." "Los Angeles was fine, too." "Of course, that's a push-over town." "It's the Mid-West that..." "I know." "He's in Wichita this noon, big labor rally." "Detroit tonight." "Big business banquet." "That's it." "Got my fingers crossed." "If he gets by those two, we are in business." "How do your political friends feel about him?" "Well, now, that's what I want to talk to you about." "Ed Lauterback wants in." "Well?" "Wanted to see if you'd stand for Lauterback." "We'll stand for anyone if they've got delegates." "Even Bill Hardy?" "You're dragging them out from under the rocks, aren't you?" "Those are the ones who do the work, the hungry ones." "Okay, Jim, Bill Hardy, too." "Good." "Send them in, Helen." "Yes, ma'am." "Would you come over here, Jim?" "Hmm." "Good morning, Miss Thorndyke." "Good morning." "Sorry to have kept you gentlemen waiting." "You know Mr. Conover, our new political advisor?" "Gentlemen." "First of all, I'd like to thank you all for the very fine job you've done." "You haven't always followed my advice in the past." "You've been very lenient, considering your boss is a woman and still under 60." "I've asked you all to come here today because in this matter, at least, there can be no deviation from my instructions." "I want the Republican Convention deadlocked." "Who are we working for, the Democrats?" "You're working for The Thorndyke Press and The Thorndyke Press will have its own candidate." "That's why that Convention must be deadlocked." "And it won't be unless the leading candidates are so sore at each other that they won't combine forces." "Is that clear?" "I want Dewey sore at Taft, Taft sore at Vandenberg, Vandenberg sore at Stassen and all of them sore at Eisenhower and MacArthur!" "Use their wives, their kids, their Aunt Marthas, but get them sore." "Dig up anything you can." "And if you can't dig it up..." "Chief, I've got nothing against your candidate." "We all know who it is." "And I'll work for him in any way that I legitimately can." "But that's as far as I can go." "Mr. Bradbury, would you feel happier working for some other newspaper?" "Yes, I think I would." "I think that can be arranged." "Anyone else?" "Now is the time." "On this issue, I'm quite prepared to replace all of you." "Miss Thorndyke, you're mad." "You're as mad as your father." "You can accept my resignation right now." "That goes for me." "That's exactly the way I feel." "All right, get out, all of you." "Editors like you are a dime a dozen." "Yes?" "It's for Mr. Conover, Wichita calling." "That'll be Brander." "I had him fly out to hear Grant." "Hello J.B., how are you?" "Wait a minute, there must be some mistake." "Take my word for it, everything'll be all right." "J.B., now, wait a minute." "He hung up." "What happened?" "I don't know." "According to Brander," "Grant's blown his top on labor." "Yes?" "Mr. MacManus from Wichita." "Spike, what happened?" "Grant just lost the labor vote." "I sent you along to prevent just that." "I couldn't help it." "He's gotten away from me." "You're a great campaign manager." "Didn't you look at that speech before he made it?" "No, and I'll tell you why." "I touted him off that labor stuff in Denver." "She knew he'd change his mind, and started throwing those harpoons into him." "You mean, his wife?" "I don't mean his Aunt Tilly." "You sent the wrong dame on this trip, that's all." "And I talked him into taking her along." "What's he talking about in Detroit tonight?" "How would I know?" "I lost my Ouija board." "I told you we couldn't trust him." "He's believing his own stuff." "If he blows his top on business, like on labor, well, I'll blow mine." "That woman's got to him." "She's been feeding him that "to thine own self be true" diet." "Get out to Detroit as fast as you can." "Spike, Jim's flying out." "Book Cadillac Hotel." "Got it?" "I'm very sorry boys, we're way behind schedule." "You can see Mr. Matthews after his speech tonight." "You need a shave, don't you?" "My feet." "My ears." "Those police sirens." "No more motorcycle escorts, Spike." "We might kill somebody." "I'll arrange that for you on the way to the banquet." "Where do you want these?" "Mary, pick your room." "Wonderful country." "You have to take the police along to break the speed laws." "This is a nice room." "You can put those in there." "This is 2419." "Send up a barber right away." "Mary, look at these." "Those can wait." "In one hour, you're on the air, coast to coast." "You have to eat, dress, shave, and interview most of Detroit in the meantime." "Oh, these are wonderful, Grant." "All about the Wichita speech." "Yeah." "You never had anything like this before." "What do you want to eat?" "Anything but chicken." "Yeah, look, pinfeathers." "Hello, Room Service?" "Hey, babe, what's with the service?" "You'll get your box of candy." "Here's somebody who didn't like it." "Who's that?" "Executive Secretary, Local 301." "I turned on the radiator, opened the window." "Oh, all right, thank you." "Hello?" "Room Service?" "Thank you." "This is 2419, will you rush up three hamburgers, please?" "Wait a minute." "Onions?" "Onions?" "No!" "One with onions." "Two without." "Grant, who's Madman Muntz?" "Don't you know?" "Uh-uh." "I'm expecting a lot of people for Mr. Matthews." "Will you shoot them up to 24th floor, Parlor B and tell them to wait?" "Right." "Want a barber?" "Not at the moment." "Yes!" "Oh, for Mr. Matthews." "Come in." "Good evening." "Good evening." "Good evening." "Mary did you see this?" ""Matthews is obvious presidential timber", you read that?" "Mr. Matthews." "I knew that Wichita speech would ring the bell." "Yeah, the kid here tried to talk me out of it." "Dream on, Macduff." "I told you not to be afraid of shooting the works." "That's how they want to hear you talk." "Wait 'til you hear me on industry tonight, I'm really going to let loose." "Grant, let's not stop." "Let's keep going." "Let's do it all over again." "You want to know something?" "I think this trip's agreed with you." "You have no right to look so pretty, a woman of your age." "Oh, Grant." "When you were standing at the airport in Denver," "I had the strangest sensation." "What sensation?" "Mr. Matthews," "I represent 800 members of the League for the Abolition of Taxation." "The Government should earn its own money." "Like the rest of us." "Abolish taxation." "Thank you..." "There is no justice in this great..." "Looks a little like your brother Dick." "Go on, Grant." "Hmm?" "What sensation?" "Oh, well, you were standing there at the airport in the moonlight." "And the wind from the propeller was blowing your hair." "And your dress..." "Will I get your other bags now?" "Yes, now, just go." "Go on, Grant." "Hmm?" "Go on with what you were saying." "Where was I?" "Looking at her with the wind blowing her dress, mannaggia, I'America!" "Well, that's the end of that." "I should have married a barber." "Mary." "Mary, what I was going to say..." "Hey, you should be getting dressed." "There are people coming..." "I love you, Spike, but sometimes I wish you'd drop dead." "Too late for apologies." "I could sleep for a week." ""Matthews obvious presidential."" "That's no solution." "I beg your pardon?" "That's no solution." "What's that?" "You, make a new presidente." "You got a better solution?" "My wife, she got." "Your wife?" "Sure." "Last night she say, "Pasqua," ""all of the men and all of the governments" ""in all of the world should be put in jail"." "I said, "Maria, what for you talk like a Communist"?" "She's, like, "Shut up!" ""Do you know why we got no peace?" ""Because we got no woman in the government"." "She said, "Put two roosters together." "What happens?" ""Roosters got no brains, they fight." ""Put 15 roosters together, what happens?" ""15 fight," ""but put 15 hens together what do you got?" ""15 eggs"." ""Fight in the Congress", she say," ""fight in London," ""fight in France, fight here, fight there." "Why?" ""No hens in the government"!" "So you want to become a president?" "That's no solution." "Your wife." "That's a solution." "Mannaggia!" "Grant." "Yoo-hoo." "Mr. Candidate?" "Mr. President?" "Yes?" "That got him." "I just had the darndest dream." "All candidates have that dream." "On your toes, Matthews." "That man is here." "Jim!" "Hello, Jim!" "What are you doing here?" "Hello, Grant." "I thought I'd come and bring you up to date on things." "Take my wife's solution." "His wife's what?" "He thinks Mary should run for president." "Oh, that's silly." "No woman could ever run for president." "She'd have to admit she was over 35." "Politics certainly agrees with you, Grant." "You're looking very fit." "I'm feeling very fit." "And I mean very fit." "Oh, dear, I wonder if anything will fit." "You don't have much time with Grant, Jim." "I've got people lined up for him to see." "Due any minute." "Want to read some of these?" "Grant, what are you talking about here tonight?" "This is the last speech, Jim, it's got a little bit of everything." "Anything controversial?" "Not for anyone who agrees with him." "You've got to get dressed, Grant." "Yeah, yeah." "While you're dressing, have you got a copy of the speech I could glance at?" "Well, it really isn't a speech." "I'm just going to talk from notes." "I turned off the radio." "And you put up the window, that's fine, son." "Good night and thank you." "You'd make a good secretary of the Treasury." "Good night." "Say, if you really want to read something, Jim, read this editorial." "And all those telegrams." "All of these?" "They're just from people." "Just from people?" "Yeah, you didn't find any of them signed State Chairman, did you?" "Grant, you're going to be late." "You know after I'm President, you're going to have to quit shoving." "See what I mean?" "I told you, you sent the wrong dame along." "Yeah, it's a crime." "Boys in the Northwest, and along the coast were behind him." "Then they had to stick out his chin in Wichita." "How much damage has he done?" "We may have lost labor." "I must've had 30 calls after that last speech." "In New York, Kay'll straighten him out." "She's got the Indian sign on him." "But that doesn't fix us up for tonight." "What're you afraid of tonight?" "I don't know." "Only she's too doggone happy." "I think it's a good sign, Jim coming down here." "Afraid somebody else will get his place on the bandwagon." "Yeah, don't tell him what you're talking about tonight." "Why not?" "I don't know," "I don't like Jim turning up all of a sudden like this." "Don't underestimate this guy, Jim." "People don't just come up and shake hands with him." "They're up there with a light in their eyes." "If he gets away from us, you may be heading a "Stop Matthews" movement." "I don't want to stop him." "I know this Convention's gonna be a rat race." "I think we can nominate him." "If we can keep him in line." "Well, now I've got some good news for you." "The guy's vulnerable, Jim." "He's got the bug." "How bad's he got it?" "He's seeing himself on statues already." "Then I think we'd better tell him the facts of life." "Yeah, you do that, Jim." "Dinner!" "Spike, you just sang a symphony." "Grant, leave your hall door open, will you?" "I got a lot of people coming in." "Okay." "Oh, you can eat mine, Jim." "Okay, here we go with the first bunch of patriots." "Remind Grant they've got votes." "Spike does take the nobility out of a crusade, doesn't he?" "Am I supposed to be noble?" "On my salary?" "Mary, I can't go to this banquet tonight, it might start talk." "What is the boy orator giving out with tonight?" "I have a much better idea." "Hello." "Hello, would you have a radio sent up to 2419 right away?" "Thank you very much." "You better be good tonight, Grant, Jim will be listening in." "Say, are you Grant Matthews?" "Yeah." "Let me shake your hand." "Your speech was swell." "The best I ever read." "What's your name?" "Emil." "Emil Breakesby." "I'm glad you're with us." "Been here long?" "Yeah, long time, I inherited the job from my father at the old Cadillac." "Married?" "Yeah, four kids." "Kind of expensive these days." "Yes, it is." "Yes, it is." "You're right about that." "Give it to them tonight, Mr. Matthews." "All right, Emil, I will." "Hey, Grant, if you want to rehearse that, try it out on me." "Well, I'll give you the start of it." ""Ladies and members of the Industrial Council of Detroit." ""What is the biggest single question" ""facing the American public today?"" "Who's with onions?" "I guess I'm with onions." "Grant, your public is waiting." "My hamburger is waiting." "Hamburgers don't vote." "These are dairy farmers." "Just a little talk, cows, butter, American cheese." "What do I know about American cheese?" "Walk this way and meet three perfect specimens." "And remember, Grant, they've got votes." "Now I'll set them up in the other alley." "Well, Jim, what's the State of the Union?" "What are your reports on Grant?" "First, let me give you my reports on you." "You've done a great job." "I want to congratulate you." "I'd like to admit something." "I've enjoyed it, every minute of it." "Jim, Grant's got something." "Don't try to take it away from him." "When he's just cockeyed drunk with sincerity, people can't resist him." "Sounds as though you couldn't either." "Oh, no." "The state of our union is strictly political." "I thought I saw Grant throw you a look or two tonight that wasn't entirely political." "You're a bachelor, aren't you, Jim?" "Theoretically." "Why?" "Well, if you were married, you'd know that there were little things that sort of..." "Well, for instance, when Grant found out once that the girls at school used to call me Maizie." "He knew I hated it." "So sometimes, he used to call me Maizie just to tease me." "Well, Maizie doesn't live here anymore." "Another thing, he always hated to hear me swear." "Whenever I let go with something, he used to smack me on my sitter, hard." "I've done a lot of swearing on this trip." "And no smacks?" "It's a small request, but I'd give anything for one good smack on my south end." "I certainly wish that I could do something about that." "Well, how's the farmers' choice?" "Say, after the beautiful things I've just said about cows," "I certainly feel guilty eating this hamburger." "It's like eating one's dearest friend." "Back to the pasture." "Wipe off your feet and come in to meet the A.F. of L." "You give me time to eat!" "Yeah, let him eat." "This is a crisis." "I have to know you're holding the A.F. of L. in there while I sneak the C.I.O. into the other bedroom." "Well, put them both in the same room, and I'll talk to them." "Little boy blue, haven't you heard?" "They ain't keeping steady company anymore." "I'm serious about that." "You tell those fellows in there the C.I.O. are coming in, then I'll come in and talk to both of them at the same time." "You're just asking for trouble." "I don't mind you having your head in the clouds but I wish you'd keep your feet in the voting booth." "Those men are the kind who are responsible for the wildcat strikes." "If I can make them see something bigger than their own jobs as head of their own locals and what power they get from that..." "There may be..." "You shut up!" "Keep out of this." "That's one of the things I came to talk about." "Your Wichita speech killed off most of the labor leaders." "I know, 'cause I talked to them." "Why?" "What did I say to them?" "I just said when the members stop running the unions, the unions start running the members." "Good heavens, Jim, I'm for labor!" "Sure." "Everybody's for labor." "That's like saying you're against sin." "The labor leaders don't think you're for them." "Not after that crack that they're responsible for the Taft-Hartley Law." "No dice." "They're even mad they're in the same hotel together." "That makes me mad." "Watch out for the little guy they call "Mac"." "Now for some counter-espionage." "Jim, how can you say that Grant offended labor?" "That Wichita audience was full of cheering union men." "Union members might cheer, but it's the leaders that swing the delegates and they're sore." "Don't you want Grant to be a good president?" "Mary, a good president is one who gets elected." "The Eastern Front's ready." "C.I.O. still in there?" "And in what I call an ugly mood." "Jim, turn your back." "This way, gentlemen." "You know, Grant might be able to unite the United Nations." "Open up, in there!" "Open up there!" "Where is that Grant Matthews guy?" "Who're you?" "My name is..." "My name is Sam Parrish," "Chairman of Banquet Committee, bosom friend of Grant..." "Mary!" "Sam." "Bless your heart." "You're just as pretty as ever." "I could eat you with a spoon." "Why, Jim Conover, you old son of a gun." "Hi, Sam." "What're you doing here?" "Take it easy." "You're the only man in Detroit who knows I am here." "Can't you wait outside?" "Excuse me." "What's going on here, anyway?" "Say, darn it, I might've known." "Jim, you're psychic." "I was primed to come to Washington to sell you the idea we need a businessman like Grant in the White House." "You beat me to it." "Where is Grant?" "That's a date, and bring cash." "Sam." "Grant!" "When the walls started to shake, I knew you were here." "Still alive?" "Yeah, I'm still alive." "So are they." "Matter of fact, the A.F. of L. just invited the C.I.O. to have a glass of beer." "Under whose jurisdiction?" "The Midtown Bar and Grill." "You got everything ready for tonight, Sam?" "Ready?" "Why, there'll be more money per square inch at that banquet than there is in the Mint." "Mary, you go right home and start packing." "You're moving into the White House." "I never was so happy in my life." "Looks like our turn's come again." "Wait till you hear my speech tonight." "You may not be so happy." "What do you mean by that?" "Last time I was in New York," "Grant and I had a knock-down, drag-out fight about tax reduction and inflation." "Is that what you're talking about tonight?" "Grant talks like a radical." "But any man who's made as much money as he has is a good sound American." "Well, see you later, fella." "Tell you what." "Take another good sock at labor tonight, you'll make a real hit." "Doggone it, Mary." "I'll be telling people I knew you when." "Who're you?" "Well, my name..." "Let me out of here." "Hey, wait, going down?" "Mary." "Spike, don't you dare do that." "All right, I can starve." "But that's the way to make communists." "I wonder what a hot hamburger tastes like." "Grant, you expect me to run your campaign for you?" "Have I any choice in that?" "You certainly have." "But if I'm to stay in the picture," "I want to know what you're planning to say here tonight." "I have a right to know." "Why, Jim, you can know." "I'm going to tell them that they do a lot of yapping about communism but as long as they think about high profits instead of high production, they're playing the communists' game." "High production is the way to kill high prices." "They want high prices." "High prices mean inflation." "Inflation today means depression tomorrow." "And a depression in these United States is exactly the ace card Moscow is waiting to draw." "They don't want to hear these things." "They're gonna hear them." "They're gonna hear that capitalism itself is being challenged." "If it doesn't survive, it's because men like themselves haven't the guts or imagination to make it survive." "You can't talk to that crowd this way." "You'll antagonize them." "All right." "So what?" "So I'll antagonize them." "I yelled my head off about labor and its responsibilities." "I'm going to lay it right on the line for industry, too." "Now, look here, Jim, you know just as well as I do that there are men at that banquet who'll be rooting for a depression, just so they can slap labor's ears back." "And I suppose you have a few well-chosen words to say about tax reduction." "You better not worry so much about tax reduction until we accomplish some of the things we have to accomplish." "I'm going to tell them that the wealthiest nation in the world is a failure unless it's also the healthiest nation in the world." "That means the highest medical care for the lowest income groups." "And that goes for housing, too." "One thing this nation is not rich enough to afford is not having a roof over our heads." "And I'm going to tell them that the American Dream is not making money." "It is the well-being and the freedom of the individual throughout the world from Patagonia to Detroit." "We can't be an island of plenty in a world of starvation." "We have to send food, clothing, machinery, and money to the bitter, impoverished people of the world." "Try to recreate their self-respect." "Give them the desire again for individual freedom." "And I'm gonna tell them that as long as dictatorships remain in the world, we better remain well-armed." "Because the next time, we're not going to get two years to get ready." "They're gonna jump us overnight." "And I'm gonna tell them that there's only one government which is capable of handling the atomic control, world disarmament, world employment, world peace, and that's a world government." "The people of 13 states started the United States of America." "I think the people of that many nations are now ready to start a United States of the World." "With or without Russia." "And I mean a "United" States of the World." "With one Bill of Rights." "One international law." "One international currency." "One international citizenship." "And, I'm going to tell them that the brotherhood of man is not just an idealist dream, but a practical necessity if man is going to survive." "And I'm..." "Where're you going?" "I'm going out to get pie-eyed, then I'm going back to Washington." "You're walking out on me?" "If you're going to climb out on a limb like that and saw it off behind you." "Let me remind you." "Up to now, you haven't got one pledged delegate to that Convention." "You know how many you need to be nominated?" "About 550." "Think that over." "You've already scared off big labor and if you scare off big business, you're a dead duck." "They've got to know where I stand." "I told you that at the start." "I've got to be on record, nomination or no nomination." "All right, but not here!" "Not tonight." "Not when you're on a radio hook-up." "Give it sometime when you're out in Nebraska or Oklahoma." "It's for you, Jim." "I'll go air out Parlor B." "Hello." "Oh." "Hello, how are you?" "Where are you?" "Fine, I'll come up to your room." "Excuse me a minute." "Grant, I'll be right back." "I just wanted to tell you the gang in the kitchen are all listening in tonight, Mr. Matthews." "Oh, oh, fine." "Fine, Emil, you do that." "Down there they say you're not just another one of those politicians." "You're not, are you, Mr. Matthews?" "No, I'm not." "I knew it." "Give it to them tonight, Mr. Matthews." "Give it to them." "I'm sorry Jim got a line on what you're going to say here tonight." "So am I. I was all pepped up about that speech tonight." "You're not gonna change it?" "I don't know." "Jim's only argument is that this isn't the place to say it." "I've..." "Do you think he's right?" "It isn't whether Jim's right or not." "It's just that there is no such thing as a little garlic." "You haven't answered my question." "Grant, do you remember what made the biggest impression on that audience in Wichita?" "It was when you said the real wealth of the world is not in coal or iron or bank accounts." "It's in principle, integrity, honesty." "Plain, ordinary, garden-variety honesty." "Do you remember that?" "Well, should I change it, or should I not?" "No, the world needs honest men today, more than it needs presidents." "Okay, let's go." "Come on, let's go..." "Hold it a minute, Grant." "About your speech tonight." "Some of the smartest boys in Washington got together and prepared something for you to say." "They know what they're doing." ""The palsied hand of bureaucratic control" ""must be removed from the throttle of..."" "What is this?" "A gag?" "No." "Why?" ""Industry is not a felon." "It can no longer be treated as one." ""The binding shackles of government..."" "Why, this is double-talk." "What you were planning was trouble-talk." "Confound it, man!" "Don't you want to be president?" "Yes, I want to be president." "Let me get you nominated!" "How about letting the people get him nominated?" "The people have darn little to say about the nominations." "You both lived in this country all of your lives." "It's time you get that through your heads." "You're not nominated by the people, you're nominated by the politicians." "Why?" "Because the people are too darn lazy to vote in the primaries." "Well, politicians aren't lazy." "I'll put Grant in the White House, if you and he give me half a chance." "Use your head, Grant." "We've got to bring you into that Convention without any enemies." "That's the whole strategy." "Nomination or no nomination, Jim, they've got to know where I stand before they vote for me." "Grant." "I hate to do this to you, Grant, but there's one more delegation." "Oh, no." "Tell them I've left." "You can't do that." "They'll see you on your way out." "These are important VIPs." "We're the guests of honor." "Yeah, I'll cut it short." "I'll go out and strew the path with flowers." "Mary, I want to tell you right now, if Grant blasts that group tonight, he'll be blasting himself out of any chance for the White House." "He's got to take professional advice." "Jim, let him alone." "He's just trying to tell the truth as he sees it." "It doesn't matter whether he becomes president or not." "Doesn't matter?" "No, not that much." "I know that man and I love that man." "And I tell you, if you get him to compromise, you'll destroy him." "Compromise will eat into him like a worm." "He won't be Grant Matthews anymore." "I hate to be blunt, but as a political advisor, you are a wonderful wife and mother." "And as a wife and mother, I'd like to tell you that Grant doesn't need politicians like you." "You're trying to make him believe that he does so that you can ride in on his coattails." "I know where you stand, Jim." "You and Kay Thorndyke and Emil, the waiter here." "The man who elects the presidents." "He knows where you stand, too." "He can smell a compromise a mile off." "Come in." "Let him alone." "Just let him tell the truth." "You got an honest man." "You don't know how lucky you are." "I got your radio." "Had to steal it from another room." "Yes, plug it in please." "Everybody wanted a radio tonight." "So?" "A big broadcast from Hollywood." "Bob Hope and Jack Benny." "All set." "The elevator's waiting." "Fix your tie, Grant." "Listen in, Jim." "My bag, my bag." "My..." "What's that in your hand?" "Oh, that's my bag." "May as well sit in here and be comfortable." "I have a radio." "Dare I listen?" "You can listen." "Are you sure?" "You were only with him a few minutes." "And Mary's had weeks, I know." "It wasn't hard, Jim." "All I did was to tell him the things he wanted to hear." "But there is one question on his mind you'd better have the answer for." "What's that?" "He's beginning to wonder if there's any difference between the Democratic party and the Republican party." "That's a fine question for a presidential candidate to ask." "There's all the difference in the world." "They're in and we're out." "Well, this is more like it." "These telegrams aren't just from people." "You see what that speech did?" "Boy, happy days are here again." "Hey, Brock from Missouri and Tenebaum, Colorado." "Those birds don't send telegrams unless they're fishing for bids." "I thought they were Dewey men." "Not now." "Hey, look at this." "Ed Lauterback wants to talk turkey." "That puts the farm block on our team." "Thirty delegates, if it means one." "Look here, Mary." "Two state and seven county chairmen." "Not just from people." "I don't want to hear anymore about that speech last night." "These telegrams prove that Jim is right." "He knows what he's doing." "He's a professional." "And I don't want to hear that Henry Clay routine either." "He wound up being neither right nor president." "Emil, the waiter, was listening in." "I can imagine the look on his face." "Mary." "Mary, you should have faith in me." "I want to be president." "I know this country." "I know it inside out." "I know all of its simmering hates." "I know the petty warfare undermining our unity." "And I think I know what causes it." "It's fear." "It's nothing but fear." "Fear of the future." "Fear of the world." "Fear of communism." "Fear of going broke." "Why didn't you make that speech last night?" "Because I want the nomination." "If I have to soft soap a few idiots like Sam Parrish to get it," "I'll soft soap them." "After I'm elected, if you think I'm going off the deep end, come and tell me." "I'll listen to you." "But until then, lay off." "There's not going to be any then." "Up until last night, you had something to say." "You had courage." "You had a chance." "The people were for you." "But not anymore." "You've changed and they'll know it." "I haven't changed." "Hey, boss, we got company again." "Uh-oh." "James, you are about to become an older and wiser man." "Ask Grant if he's too old to fly." "Hey, boss, Rusty wants to know if you're too old to fly." "You tell Rusty I'm busy." "And tell him if he knows what's good for him, he'll get down to that plant and get busy himself." "Scram, fellas." "The chill's on." "Uh-oh." "I amaze myself." "But I'm disappointed." "Okay, Jim, I've made my decision." "From now on, it's your show." "I'll talk turkey with Lauterback." "I'll play ball with anybody who'll help me get the nomination." "Is that clear?" "And money's no object." "I'll spend $1 million if I have to." "Grant, watch us go from here." "Where's Lauterback, in Washington?" "Yeah." "Get him on that phone." "Ed, you know Grant will never fight the farm block." "It's too powerful." "I don't beat about the bush, Jim." "I'm anti Cuban sugar, anti Mexican cotton, anti Argentine beef, anti Canadian wheat, anti free-trade of any kind." "Are you for anything?" "Yes, I'm for Ed Lauterback, same as you're for..." "Grant Matthews." "Yes." "How many delegates can you deliver?" "Deliver?" "None." "I only influence." "Well, how many can you influence?" "Perhaps none." "Let's have it, Ed." "What do want to nick us for?" "I name the Secretary of Agriculture." "You have delusions of grandeur." "You want my support?" "And we'll pay for it." "You can approve the appointment, but you can't make it." "Good enough." "Right of vetoes, good enough." "Have you talked to Bill Green, Phil Murray, or John L. Lewis?" "We're talking to you now." "Which isn't easy because I don't like you, Bill Hardy." "That's mutual." "Who cares who likes who?" "How many men in your union?" "700,000 in my locals, scattered over four states." "Pivotal states." "And they vote in the primaries." "Can you work out a deal with Jim?" "I can always make a deal with Jim." "Well, work it out." "Can you deliver delegates from the foreign-born sections?" "Let me handle things and I can." "These people never vote for anything." "They vote against something." "They've carried hatreds around for centuries." "The trick is to play on these hatreds, one nationality against the other, keep them voting as blocks." "We know how you do it." "You're a powerful woman." "What's your price?" "Patronage." "Lots of patronage." "I dish it out to my friends." "That's my price." "To Republicans or Democrats." "I need a little air." "You work it out with her, will you?" "Yeah, I could do with a little ozone, too." "Those are the posters and these are the ads for the broadcast." "They'll be in 30 newspapers." "It'll be the biggest send off any candidate ever had." "Radio, television, newsreels, the press, the works." "No use having dough and not spending it." "Excellent idea, doing it all from his own home." "A fireside chat from the next president." "To say nothing of the next president's wife and kids." "No one'll top us for corn." "Where does this Thorndyke dame fit in the picture?" "What do you mean by that?" "Let's not start kidding each other, there's a rumor around..." "Ridiculous, an old wives' tale." "What rumor?" "Kay Thorndyke and Matthews." "I've heard it twice." "Bill, I'm surprised at you spreading a foul story like that." "I'm spreading nothing." "But I want to be sure there's nothing to spread." "Now, look, everything's got to be kosher." "I thought he was a family man." "There's nothing to it." "Believe me." "Would I lie to you?" "Yeah, would he lie to you?" "Don't make me answer that question." "I tell you, Kay Thorndyke is a friend of the family." "She and Mrs. Matthews are just like that." "Will she be at the broadcast?" "Why, of course, she will." "Mrs. Matthews has already invited her." "Well, I'll be glad to see her there." "I've never met Miss Thorndyke." "Let's get back to this campaign." "I've got some work to do here." "Is Mrs. Matthews in?" "Spike MacManus." "Oh, you're Spike." "Come on in." "Buck Swenson, I'm the butler around here." "Excuse my appearance." "This happens every Saturday." "The kids and their packages for Europe." "You're quite a heavy contributor, I see." "Yeah." "Sir, you'd better hang on to this, if you don't want some Belgian farmer wearing it." "I'll call Mrs. Matthews." "I was just going upstairs to get my swimming trunks on." "Let the kids swipe my pants later on." "Hi." "Hi, what's going on out there?" "Operation Bread Basket, they call it." "While you're busy feeding the world, would there be a loose cup of coffee for me?" "I've been up three nights running working on that broadcast." "You look as if you could stand something stronger." "Lady, you twisted my arm." "Say, who was that character who let me in?" "Buck?" "He's the world's worst butler and the world's nicest guy." "He was Grant's first grease monkey." "Grant used to try to fire him, but he gave that up years ago." "Speaking of characters, how's Mr. Conover and company?" "Oh, just straight, please." "Oh, he's busy making friends and influencing delegates." "And I might add, delivering some." "I don't believe that." "You can't deliver the votes of a free people." "Mary, in Conover's eyes, the lazy people, ignorant people, and prejudiced people are not free." "Spike, are all politicians like Conover?" "No." "Thank heavens, he almost makes me a Democrat." "That wouldn't help you any." "The Democrats have their Conovers, too." "In spades." "Here's to us wise guys with all the answers." "All right, wise guy, give me one answer." "What changed Grant in Detroit?" "Detroit, that's so many hotels..." "Spike, please, what made Grant change that speech at the last minute?" "Oh, Mary, wouldn't you rather hear how someday I'm going to buy a country newspaper and yell my head off?" "95% of the newspapers are in small towns." "That's America, lady." "That's where the real freedom of the press is." "Yeah." "All right, Spike." "What really made you leave the tobacco smoke, this fine sunny day?" "Mary, a crisis hath arisen." "A crisis, that's good." "What about?" "The big broadcast." "Oh." "There's a story going around Republican headquarters and Democratic headquarters about you getting plastered one night and throwing" "Kay Thorndyke out of your house." "Yeah." "If it isn't nipped in the bud, Grant's political goose might be cooked." "Well, that's a true story." "What am I supposed to do about it?" "It isn't true, and the only way you can prove it is to invite Kay here to the broadcast." "Here to my house?" "Be photographed with her." "Make it clear that she's a friend of the family." "Not just of Grant's." "Has Grant heard about this?" "No, he doesn't know anything about it." "This is Conover's idea." "And sounds like him, if you..." "Mom!" "Yeah?" "Mom, we need more bubblegum." "Bubblegum?" "Goes in every package." "This is my daughter, Joyce." "Spike, Mr. MacManus." "Hi." "Hi, you don't have any bubblegum, do you?" "Not on me, no." "Run and ask Buck." "I think he got some yesterday." "Buck!" "Mom!" "Mom!" "Yeah." "We're stuck." "We haven't got any more comic books." "Comic books?" "They go in every package, too." "This is Mr. MacManus, Grant." "Hi." "You haven't got any comic books, have you?" "Of course, he hasn't." "He is a very distinguished newspaper man." "Oh, I don't know." "I have my hidden vices." "Oh boy, I haven't read this one." "Okay, scram." "They're pretty swell kids." "Yeah, they're pretty swell kids." "You can tell Conover no." "This may be a stable to the dark horse, but it's still home to me." "Besides, I think Kay would be more comfortable in a kennel." "Then you won't let her come." "I certainly won't." "I agreed to let Conover have this house for the broadcast." "I agreed to say whatever he wanted me to say." "I even agreed to let him use the kids." "Even though I don't believe that gang of parasites could elect a rat catcher." "Even though I know they're killing Grant." "Slicing him up silver by sliver until there's nothing." "And now they want me to invite that woman to this house and pose with her?" "Not me." "They're not going to slice me up, too." "Besides which, that particular day happens to be my wedding anniversary." "Ouch." "You can tell Mr. Conover no." "Okay." "No is what I'll tell him." "And my apologies, lady." "I only do that to people I like very much." "Spike!" "Hello, boss." "Come on in." "Where's Mary?" "She's upstairs, dressing the kids." "I've got my fingers crossed for tonight." "I can handle her." "And Grant?" "He's making an appearance over at the local Matthews For President Club." "The boys from Life went along with him." "Come on in, I want to show you something." "Well, how do you like it?" "Radio, 200 stations coast to coast." "Televisions, two cameras, complete coverage for the whole Eastern Seaboard." "The Four Blue Notes Quartet." "They came out with Grant's campaign song." "The club band and the local yokels, all the trimmings including the press." "Wonderful." "Really wonderful." "I could've gotten a bigger turnout for someone who didn't want to be president." "Blink, what about the Matthews speech?" "I think there's been some changes." "Everybody in there has made at least three changes already." "Hasn't this Matthews any mind of his own?" "Blink Moran, the Network producer, Miss Thorndyke." "How do you do?" "Is anything wrong?" "Don't mind Blink, he's got ulcers." "You listen to politicians night after night." "You'll have ulcers, too." "Mr. Matthews is no politician." "I've read this lady, he is for my dough." "In the library, I think we can be among friends." "Coca Cola." "Well, speak of the devil." "Am I glad to see you, I was afraid you were going to be late." "Not tonight, Jim." "I've waited too long for this." "Bill Hardy's waiting to meet you." "Bill Hardy, Miss Thorndyke." "How do you do?" "Nobody told me not to dress." "Why, Mr. Hardy, you and I are going to stand out." "It was sheer wizardry, the angle you used on those Boston Irish." "Thanks." "Martini for her." "Very dry." "Does Mary know she's here?" "She invited her." "Have you ever been in a hurricane?" "No." "You will be." "Double whammy on her." "And, Mr. Hardy, with you on our team, nobody can accuse us of being Wall Street, can they?" "No." "The Judge and Mrs. Alexandar are coming here tonight." "Do you know how to mix a Sazerac?" "Sazerac?" "Yeah, it's a absinthe and..." "It's a form of suicide but don't sample one because it will light up your vest buttons." "That's all she drinks, and drinks." "The Judge takes straight bourbon." "Spike, don't think I'm forgetting your contribution to this great moment." "Secretary of the Treasury, that's all I ask." "Nobody's gonna get sore about this Matthew's speech." "He's for everything except sin." "He must be bowlegged from straddling." "Couple of months ago, he made some good speeches." "What happened to him?" "Spike!" "Here he is now." "Spike." "Spike." "Later, boys." "We'll get that later." "Hello, boss." "Everything all right?" "Fine, biggest news since V.J. Day." "Did you get the speech timed?" "Time's all right." "What kind of a crack is that?" "That's a joke." "Come on." "What happened?" "Got that before-the-big-game..." "No, I'm all right." "Just want to be sure there's no slip-ups." "How's the audience?" "They were cold." "I couldn't warm them up." "You know a man's never a hero..." "Yeah, in his own home town." "Is everybody here?" "Yeah, in the library." "Sam Parrish is on his way." "The Judge and Lulubelle are due any minute." "They like to be sure the bar's open." "Yeah, I'll be right down." "Hi, Dad." "Want to hear our radio speech?" "Mom just helped." "What's the idea of this getup?" "Our band." "It's on the show." "Whose idea was that?" "Yours, Grant." "Oh." "Oh, Hello, Mary." "Keep out from underfoot, don't be getting in people's hair." "Mary, I want you to know I realize this is not going to be too easy for you." "And you're nice to do it for me, and I appreciate it." "Nonsense, Grant, I hope it's everything you want it to be." "Oh, I almost forgot." "These are for tonight." "I didn't think he even remembered." "Remembered the what?" "Oh, the anniversary." "My error." "Larranagas." "It's the only kind Jim Conover smokes." "Is she here?" "Yeah." "Where is she?" "In the library." "Well, here we go." "You know something, Spike?" "What?" "To quote your friend Conover, I'd give my right arm up to here for a drink." "Oh, no, Mary, please." "Not tonight." "If there's one thing we don't want, it's too much frankness." "All right, Spike." "I'll be good." "Hey, Mom, you look swell." "Thank you." "Oh, my carpet." "Now, I'd like to propose a toast." "To the lovely lady who picked Grant out of the pile in the first place." "Thank you, Jim." "Hello, Mary." "It was nice of you to ask me." "Hello, Kay." "You're just in time for a cocktail." "Thank you." "You're looking very pretty tonight." "Mary is going to be the best-looking first lady we've ever had." "Let's get a nice picture there." "Shall we?" "I'm sorry I wasn't here to welcome you." "Face this way." "This is the first broadcast my children..." "Big smile, that's right." "Shoot it." "That's good." "...broadcast my children have ever been on." "They're very excited." "Mary, Bill Hardy." "Mr. Hardy the labor man." "How do you do?" "Nobody told me not to dress." "I am glad you did dress." "Men are much too lazy today about dress." "Ed Lauterback." "The farm expert." "How do you do?" "Your husband talks well but you're prettier." "Thank you very much Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Matthews." "Mrs. Matthews, you should be seen more in public with your children." "Foreigners like children." "Doesn't everybody?" "Grace, let's not get started on politics right away." "You're in for a very bad evening." "No, politics is new to me, but I'm very interested." "You've got the "very" in the wrong place, Mary." "Interested but very new." "Jim means I haven't..." "Thank you." "He means I haven't lost my amateur standing." "You're learning, I hope." "That's a dangerous hope." "You politicians have stayed professionals only because the voters have remained amateurs." "Anybody home?" "Hello, Judge." "I am Spike MacManus, remember me?" "Indeed I do." "It's a great pleasure seeing you again, sir." "This is Mrs. Alexandar." "How do you do?" "Mrs. Matthews, Judge and Mrs. Alexandar." "An honor to be here, Mrs. Matthews." "It's my duty to sentence your husband to four years in the White House." "And I think I can safely promise the votes of at least five Southern states." "In the election?" "I said "Southern states", ma'am." "In the Republican Party, we count only in the convention, which reminds me:" "when I was a small boy..." "Well, I'll see you later, Judge." "It has been a pleasure seeing you again." "Who is he?" "He is a newspaper man, a friend of my husband's." "Bourbon for you, sir?" "You read my mind." "I bet he can't read my mind." "Sazerac, I believe." "Lulubelle, your reputation is getting too well-known." "You know how to make a Sazerac?" "I think so." "If he only thinks so, Jeff, you better make that Sazerac." "Yes, indeed, sugar pie." "That's my job." "I'm especially glad you were able to come tonight, Mrs. Alexandar." "Won't everyone sit down?" "I'm afraid we women are going to be outnumbered." "When I go out with the Judge's Republican friends," "I am always outnumbered." "I make it a point to tell my hostess right off that while Jeff's a Republican, I am a Democrat." "But you can speak freely." "You Republicans can't say anything about the Administration mean enough for us Democrats down South." "Would you like a little martini?" "Mmm-mmm." "Just an idea." "Hello, Grant." "Where've you been?" "Hello, everybody." "I am sorry, I am late." "You been rehearsing your speeches?" "Hello, Bill." "Nobody told me not to dress." "On you it looks good." "Well, Judge." "Grant?" "You're not going to drink that thing, are you?" "You're in the program, you know." "Mary, you should know..." "Grant, this is Mrs. Alexandar." "Hello, Mrs. Alexandar." "Mr. Matthews." "Handsome, isn't he?" "You're the first good reason I've ever seen for voting Republican." "I told your wife I was a Democrat." "I understand they're a necessary evil." "Well, you know us Southerners, we vote Democratic down home but we've got an awfully good Republican record in Congress." "One minute to go." "Is Sam Parrish here yet?" "No." "Why isn't he?" "What's the matter?" "Can't you do your job?" "Something's got to be said about the South tonight." "You take Richmond..." "Do I have to take it again?" "Jeff?" "Yes." "This is the best Sazerac I've ever had." "Fix me another one, honey, right away." "All right." "Hello, Kay." "Ready to go?" "Destination White House." "Yeah, well, we can hope, can't we?" "How many people listening tonight?" "Between 15 and 20 million." "Is that all?" "Well, it's enough." "Stand by, everybody." "Twenty seconds." "Tell them 20 seconds." "Twenty seconds." "All right, everybody." "Now on your toes." "Nothing must go wrong." "Good luck, Grant." "Thank you." "Good luck, Grant." "Hold it." "Five seconds." "Ladies and gentlemen, we invite you to history." "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a paid political broadcast." "Paid for, not by any political group or organization, but by thousands of public spirited citizens who have taken this method of insuring that their voice, the voice of the people shall be heard." "Jeff, honey, if I've got to listen to speeches, you better fix me another Sazerac right away." "Yes, honey." "...in factories, in schools." "Voicing his opinions of the problems besetting our nation and frankly outlining his ideas of how they should be met." "No politician, this, selling a bill of goods, no candidate for any office, instead a private citizen fulfilling what he saw as the duty of a citizen." "The result: a stirring demonstration of democracy in action." "All over the country spontaneously, unsponsored, hundreds of Matthews for President Clubs sprang up overnight." "And tonight, in more than 400 American cities, men and women are gathered together in the American way in halls, tents, town squares, in their own homes..." "Where's Grant Matthews?" "Where's our next president?" "Who are you?" "They have contributed their dimes and their dollars to pay for this telecast." "This is their program." "This is, in truth, the voice..." "Where's your speech?" "Right here." "Relax, fella." "All you gotta worry about is a third term." "Where's Mary?" "She's in the library." "Hello, everybody!" "Sam." "Late as usual." "Mary." "Sam." "I could eat you with a spoon." "Nobody told me not to dress." "Isn't that what you're after, Bill?" "Put evening clothes on labor and let the rest of us go without." "Gosh, no." "Don't give me anything." "I have been celebrating all afternoon." "Great gosh Almighty." "Do we have to listen to Ed Lauterback?" "That's better." "Hello, Miss Thorndyke." "Where did you get to that night in Detroit?" "I looked all over the banquet hall for you." "I didn't go to the banquet." "I thought that's why you were in Detroit, to hear Grant's speech." "Were you in Detroit when we were there, Kay?" "You must've seen her, Mary." "She was on her way up to your suite." "I'd just left you, remember?" "No, I didn't see Kay in Detroit." "You must've dropped in to talk to Grant about his speech on big business." "Well, what Grant said about big business that night was all right." "Especially about high tariff, eh, Bill?" "Yeah." "So you changed Grant in Detroit?" "Sam, did you get that finance report I sent you?" "Yes, and it's a rotten job." "You let me handle money matters from now on." "Hello, Judge." "You drinking with both hands now?" "Hello, Sam." "These are for Lulubelle." "Sam, you're on." "How am I doing?" "I am so hungry for some good Republican talk I brought you two." "Jeff, you're an angel." "I'll take one of those, Judge." "Mary, what are you doing with that?" "If we're going to have a high tariff, I might as well get a little high myself." "For Pete's sake, those are liquid dynamite." "Too bad I didn't have some in Detroit." "Jim, there's something I want..." "Jeff, darling, make me another one right away." "Yes, honey." "Would you make another one for me, too?" "Yes, sugar." "I mean, ma'am." "My, my." "They're very strong, aren't they?" "Surely." "What's in them?" "I don't know." "You've been drinking these for years and you've no idea what's in them?" "Never bothered to ask, but it makes you feel good." "That's all I know." "I do hope Mr. Matthews is including those paragraphs" "I gave him about the Italians." "Their vote is so important." "If you favor Italy, won't that loose you the Abyssinian vote?" "There are about 17 Abyssinians in the United States." "And only three of them vote." "Good." "Then we don't need to worry about justice for the Abyssinians." "Abyssinia?" "That's up north, isn't it?" "Where did those come from?" "Mary, remember you have to go on the air." "If this weren't my house, I could tell her some place she has to go to, too." "Of course, in this election, the Polish vote will be the most important." "I thought the Poles voted in Poland." "We are talking about Polish-Americans." "Can you be both?" "More power to you, honey." "Thank you." "They are full of it, aren't they?" "Surely." "For Grant Matthews has long known and loved the clean, rich smell of fresh turned Earth." "His hands have labored in the soil." "And helped it bear rich fruit." "Grant Matthews, like another great Republican, Abraham Lincoln, is of the earth and of the people." "He has not forgotten either." "He knows that a prosperous and protective and productive agriculture..." "All right, Mrs. Draper, here's your big moment." "We're ready." "Anyway, for president." "Mary, have a heart." "You've to be ready." "You're gonna miss Grant on the air." "I am different from Grant." "I'd rather be tight than be president." "You're on a spot." "You have to be ready to do some quick thinking." "Don't worry about me." "I'm a very thick quinker." "Oh, brother." "Honey, you got twisted up on that one." "I did?" "Sure." "I didn't." "What did I say?" "You said "thick quinker"." "I think I presented the farmers' case if I do say so." "Indeed." "Who can speak for the farmer better than you, Mr. Lauterback." "Thank you, Mrs. Matthews." "Not at all." "Who else could make hay in the Capitol lobby?" "I thought it was funny, too." "Oh, my dear." "I haven't enjoyed myself so much since Huey Long died." "What's the matter, honey?" "Oh, Lulubelle, I don't know what's the matter with me." "I don't want to do any more." "I just want him..." "Kay, you better get in this." "Bill's holding a pistol at my head." "What do you mean?" "He's welching." "I am not welching." "You want me to go on that radio to support Matthews?" "Certainly." "Then I name the labor members of the National Labor Board." "Grant made no such deal." "Jim and I did." "We did not." "You misunderstood me." "I said you could veto the appointments." "You're next, Mr. Hardy." "Not till I get this settled, get Matthews." "Never mind Matthews." "You can't have that." "Labor as a whole must make those appointments." "If I support Matthews, I am labor as a whole as far as he is concerned." "If Hardy gets what he wants, then I name Agriculture." "Hold on, I've got a stake here." "Butt out, Parrish." "We don't need kibbitzers." "Kibbitzers?" "I am raising the money here, and money still talks." "Hardy, one minute to go." "You better get Matthews in here." "Hold it, Spike." "You wouldn't be here if you could've made a better deal anywhere else and you're staying until the end of the ride." "When the time comes, I'll take care of the details." "I want to hear that from Matthews." "He's the candidate." "As far as you're concerned, I'm the candidate." "You'll do as I say." "So help me, I'll break you in my newspapers." "Twenty seconds." "Make up your mind." "All right." "I'll go." "I'll go." "As for the rest of you, you'll stick to your bargains." "Grant's not to be bothered." "If you've any problems, come to me." "I'll say one thing for you, Kay." "You have the courage of your convictions." "You've had a wonderful evening, wise-cracking, clowning, but now, you've got to get a grip on yourself." "Get some black coffee." "In a few minutes, you have to introduce your husband to the country." "Mom!" "Come on in." "The man said we make our speeches next." "He said not to be nervous." "I'm not nervous, Mom." "Are you?" "Judge, your big moment." "Okay." "Relatives listening." "Grandpappy staying up to hear." "Put the children to bed." "They're not making any speech." "But Mommy?" "What are you talking about?" "Wait a minute." "Great gosh Almighty, Mary." "They're not going on." "Mary, what's the matter?" "What's happened here?" "And I am not going on either." "What?" "I am not tight, Kay." "Not anymore." "Not after watching you vultures picking at Grant's dead body." "And if that wasn't enough to sober me up, the sight of my children did." "Mary..." "I am not going on." "I can't." "To millions of people I am suppose to say" "I know my husband to be honest, uncompromising, fearless." "I could've said that once and meant it, but not anymore." "Not after he met up with you, Jim Conover, and you, and you, and you, and you, Kay Thorndyke." "You and your mad ambition." "Catering to his conceit, dealing and double-dealing." "You were going to make a big man of him, weren't you?" "You couldn't see that he was a big man." "You killed him." "That won't be Grant Matthews those people hear tonight." "It'll be a shadow, a ghost, a stooge mouthing words that aren't yours, thoughts that aren't your own." "You've killed Grant Matthews, and he's a party to his own murder." "Well, I won't be." "You wanted a cause, you've got one." "A cause of lies, fear, and corruption." "Hallelujah." "There goes the ball game." "She's gone crazy!" "She called us a lot of crooks." "What did you expect her to say?" "It's the truth." "What do you mean..." "We don't have to kid ourselves, do we?" "She has the right to say what she thinks." "That's how I want her to be." "I'm going after the nomination." "That's what we've all been working for." "Where's Mary?" "The kids are on next." "The kids aren't going on." "Neither is Mary." "Tell that quartet to sing again." "Come on, sit down here." "You're going on in Mary's place." "One of the kids is sick." "You're a friend of the family." "Emergency." "You've stepped in to read Mary's speech." "Change the word... here." "Don't let Kay take your place now." "Leave me alone, Spike." "You love Grant Matthews." "That big mug is your whole life." "You know you do." "If you don't get in there now, you're going to lose him." "Spike?" "Spike?" "Mary, take it from a guy who knows his horseflesh." "Grant Matthews loves you." "Deep down, he loves you." "He's just run into a blind spot, that's all." "Spike MacManus." "Kay's being stupid." "She's trying to put Grant into the White House." "The one place she can't follow him." "And you, you're trying to keep him out of it." "Out where the hunting is open, out where Kay can grab him." "Be smart, Mary." "If Grant is elected, you'll be the first lady in more ways than one." "Are you going to throw that out of the window?" "It's too late, Spike." "Okay, Mary." "I had the idea you were still in love with him." "Looks like the old MacManus crystal ball finally cracked." "All right, read it." "Like any mother, Mrs. Matthews thinks a sick child more important than any broadcast." "She's remaining upstairs with her daughter." "Her speech will be read by a friend and neighbor." "This is what Mary Matthews wanted to say." "Great, every woman in America will be bawling." "Grant, you follow me." "Give it everything you've got." "Does anybody listen to me?" "Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Grant Matthews." ""This is Mary Matthews." ""I am prejudiced in my husband's favor naturally." ""Though I know he has his faults." ""He likes the morning paper all to himself at breakfast" ""and a toothache becomes a world crisis." ""I guess he's much like all husbands in that."" "She's marvelous, Grant." ""But all in all, he's quite a man, Grant Matthews." ""A good father and a good husband," ""but I see in him more than that." ""I see a man who is honest, uncompromising," ""fearless, a man of great vision and enormous courage."" "Mary?" ""Above all, my Grant..." "Mary, stop it!" "Stop it!" "Stop it!" "What happened to you?" "What changed you?" "I thought you were going to stay honest." "we'll resume from the Matthews' home..." "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Grant Matthews." "I am sorry to interrupt but I can't take any more of this." "Don't you shut me off." "I am paying for these broadcasts." "Don't cut him off." "Give him a chance." "It'll cost me my job." "Ladies and gentlemen, that speech you just heard Mrs. Matthews make, she doesn't believe a word of it." "When she told you I was a good husband, a man of courage and the rest of that tripe, the words were choking in her throat." "A few minutes ago, she told me what she really thought of me." "She called me a coward and said that I had sold out my ideals to a gang of corrupt politicians, and she was right." "Then she was telling me the truth." "Stop him." "I have as much right to run for president as a gutter rat." "Cut him off!" "Cut him off!" "Let him talk!" "That squealing you hear, that's from the politicians." "Those fearless patriots you heard supporting me on the air tonight." "Now, they are hurt." "They are hollering." "They are trying to shut me up." "And I don't blame them." "You can't call me corrupt and get away with it." "Your dirty company union fake." "Give me that microphone!" "There it is." "Go on." "Take it." "Tell them how you bragged you could deliver those 700,000 union votes of your men if I made you the big shot of labor." "Go on, your men will be interested to hear that." "Tell them I was sucker enough to believe that you could deliver any votes." "Wait until I get through with your plants." "You won't do a thing to my plants." "Put him on the front page, boys." "Are there any of the rest of you characters who'd like to use this microphone to speak a little truth into it?" "You any better than they are?" "A man just stepped up and asked me if I was any better than the rest of them." "No, I am not." "As a matter of fact, I am worse than they are." "They're after all they can grab." "They're one-way guys." "But not me." "I was going to play both ends against the middle." "I sold out to them, but get this straight," "I am no lamb led to the slaughter." "I ran to it." "I had the right idea when I started to talk to you people of America." "The idea that you voters, you farmers, you businessmen, you working men, you ordinary citizens of whatever party are not the selfish scum that venal politicians make you out to be." "I thought I could speak my piece straight out and forward." "I thought I could tell you that this country of ours is young." "It's not old." "That we've just begun to grow." "That all we need is courage." "And from out of that courage will come a greatness greater than we ever dreamed." "I wanted to tell you that we Americans are the hope of the world." "And the secret of our great plenty is freedom." "And we've got to share that secret and that plenty with the other nations of the world." "And I wanted to tell you that we face a great problem." "Because when people are cold and hungry and scared, they gather together in panicky herds, ready to be led by communists and fascists who promise them bread for freedom and deliver neither." "Those are the things I wanted to say you." "But I lost faith in you." "I lost faith in myself." "I was afraid I wouldn't become president." "I forgot that the one thing you've got to do is speak your piece no matter what." "So with the help of this gang of parasites," "I convinced myself that the way to be elected was to play down to your lowest common denominator instead of up to your highest." "To cater to the hatred of every class and race." "To appeal to the worst in you, not the best in you." "I used my wife, my kids, my friends." "My whole campaign was a fraud." "This is no simple fireside broadcast paid for by your dollars and dimes." "This is an elaborately staged professional affair." "I have spent $200,000 in exploitation and publicity on "Matthews for President" campaigns." "I thought I could hijack the Republican nomination." "I became an Al Capone of politics, but I forgot one thing." "I forgot how quickly the Americans smell out the double dealers and the crooks." "My wife knew, and I knew tonight." "When I attended a meeting right here in Greatwood." "They were all my friends there." "People who had known me for years and liked me." "But they didn't like me anymore." "They were on to me." "They knew I was a phony." "Well, I guess that's the story, ladies and gentlemen." "And it certainly isn't one I am proud of." "I am the guy who screamed for a warrior's courage to face the simple private battles of everyday life." "I am the guy they meant when they said," ""Physician, heal thyself."" "And so, here and now I withdraw as a candidate for any office, not because I am honest, but because I am dishonest." "I want to apologize to all the good, sincere people" "who put their faith in me." "And" "I want to apologize to my wife." "Grant." "This is where I came in." "About that job, Kay, still win or lose?" "Then I lose, Jim." "I saw a man on the cover of Newsweek that I think you and I..." "Mr. Matthews, Republican headquarters called." "They want to know if this means you're out of politics." "No, I am just getting into politics." "I am going to the Republican Convention and I am going to the Democratic Convention." "I am going to open doors, break down windows, let in fresh air." "I am going after every candidate who compromises and I am going after every lazy voter who doesn't vote." "Take that gosh darn microphone." "Maizie!" "Fired?" "Fired." "Hired?" "Hired." "Matthews is our man!"