Wag the Dog Page #5

ANGLE:

CAMERA TAKES THEM OUT INTO THE HALL.

BREAN LEANS CLOSE TO AMES.

BREAN:

Gimme twenty thousand dollars.

HE STARTS INTO THE HALL, FOLLOWED BY THE ENTOURAGE, AND THE CAMERA.

BREAN:

I'll be back within the hour. Now,

AMES:

(WALKS ALONG, SHAKING HIS HEAD)

It's going to be fine. It's going to be ... you

remember in 88, when...

AN AIDE COMES UP TO THEM, HOLDING A VIDEOTAPE.

AMES:

What is it...

AIDE WHISPERS TO AMES. WHO NODS, TAKES THE TAPE, AND BREAN, AND THE AIDE,

INTO A SIDE OFFICE.

INT SIDE OFFICE NIGHT.

AS THE AIDE PUTS THE TAPE INTO A V.C.R.

BREAN:

What is it?

AMES:

It's the rough-cut, the other side's new commercial.

THE PICTURE COMES ON, IT SHOWS THE PRESIDENT DOING SEVERAL PRESIDENTIAL

THINGS. THE COMMERCIAL WE SAW EARLIER.

BREAN:

That's our commercial.

(PAUSE)

I've seen it. That's our commercial.

AMES:

(TO AIDE)

Turn up the volume.

THE AIDE DOES SO, AND WE HEAR MAURICE CHAVALIER SINGING,

"Thank heaven, for Little Girls...."

ANOTHER AIDE ENTERS, SHEEPISHLY, HANDS A THICK PACKET TO AMES, WHO HOLDS IT

OUT TO BREAN.

BREAN:

What is this?

AMES:

Twenty thousand dollars.

BREAN:

(NODS, REMEMBERING IT)

Yeah, I'm gonna have to go to L.A.

INT BACKSEAT THE STATIONWAGON WE SAW AT THE WESTGATE. GEORGETOWN. NIGHT.

AMES IN THE BACKSEAT.

AMES:

I'm coming with you.

BREAN:

(SHRUGS)

Gemme a plane. Business Aviation, National, one hour.

Fly to Chicago. O'hare, LAX 6 A.M.

AMES:

I'll see you at National.

BREAN NODS, AND EXITS.

HOLD ON AMES.

HE HEARS SOMETHING, AND TURNS.

ANGLE:

HIS POV.

A YOUNG STAFFER, IN THE CORNER, SPEAKING SOFTLY ON THE PHONE.

STAFFER:

(ON PHONE)

Tell him, well, tell him we, I know we just signed it,

but we're going to cancel it.

(PAUSE)

Because, because we're not going to be staying here the

next four years.

(PAUSE)

Well, I can't tell you on the phone...

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