THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT movie script excerpt - RELEVANT TODAY! Part 1 of 2

The brilliant Aaron Sorkin wrote the script for the movie THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT which came out at the theaters November 1995.  I find that there is a section of this movie/script that is just as relevant now as when he originally wrote those words.  I will be publishing this excerpt in three parts.  It is not in the exact script format but the words are what matter most.

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT; Aaron Sorkin

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT  12/15/94                                                               143.

LUCY

I mean, it really bothers a lot of people, and I 

don't know why you think it's okay.  I hear 

Senator Rumson talk, and some of the things he 

says sound right to me, and I think "God, am

I like Bob Rumson?!  I mean, Dad thinks he's a jerk.  

Dad hates this guy!  Why am I agreeing with him?"

And then I think, "Well, maybe I'm not like Dad 

either."  But the point is I'm the President's kid, 

and people pay attention to what I say, and if I say 

something different from what you say, it'll be

embarrassing for you.  So I can't just get up in

social studies class and say whatever I want.

SHEPHERD is silent ... totally blown away ... he had absolutely no idea . . .

He stands up slowly and moves toward her . . . LUCY doesn't know what's coming . . .

SHEPHERD

(quietly)

Stand up please.

LUCY gets up slowly . . .

She's never seen her father like this . . .

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

I want you to pay very close attention to what

happens now.

SHEPHERD kneels down, cups his daughter's face in his hands, and gently kisses her forehead.  He pulls her to him and holds her in a tight embrace . . .

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

In your lifetime, you will never embarrass me. 

It could never happen.  You're not the President's

daughter, Lucy; you're mine.  And no one's gonna

vote me out of that job.  You're my daughter, and

everything else is a distant second.

(more)

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT     1/11/95                                                                      144.

SHEPHERD (cont'd)

School is for you, Lucy.  You say what you

want.  The only thing you have to do to make

make me happy is come home at the end of

the day.

LUCY squeezes her dad tight . . . they hold the embrace for a long moment.

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

One more thing.  I don't dislike Senator

Rumson because of his political views.  And

even if you voted for everything he would vote 

for that wouldn't make you like him.  There's a

There's a fundamental difference between you

and the Bob Rumsons of the world.

LUCY

What's that?

SHEPHERD

The difference is that he says he loves America.

Saying you love America is easy.  What takes

character -- and this is what you have -- 

SHEPHERD trails off, realizing he's about to quote Sydney . . .

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

What takes character is loving Americans.

(beat)

And now its as if SHEPHERD is waking himself up from the longest nap of his life . . .

. . . he looks over at the T.V. monitor . . . "No comment" . . . "No, I don't know how many other ways I can say it.  The White House isn't getting involved in . . ."

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

Luce, I gotta go.

LUCY

Dad, is everything all right?

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT     1/3/95                                                           145***

 SHEPHERD (cont'd)

Everything's fine.  I'm just a little late for work.

He heads for the door, shouting out as he goes --

SHEPHERD

(continuing)

Somebody get my daughter some food!  The girl's

from Wisconsin, for cryin' out loud!

And he's gone as we . . .

                                                                                                                CUT TO:

110   INT. THE PRESS BRIEFING ROOM -- EARLY MORNING               110

ROBIN is on her last drops of energy and patience.

REPORTER #4

Robin, will the President ever respond to 

Senator Rumson's question about being a 

member of the American Civil Liberties Union? 

But instead of hands going up, the PRESS CORPS suddenly stands.  ROBIN turns to see SHEPHERD stride in and step up to the podium.

SHEPHERD

Yes, he will.  "Morning.

ROBIN

Good morning, Mr. President.

SHEPHERD takes the podium.  There's a palpable BUZZ in the room as video operators adjust their equipment, etc.  People start to stand.

SHEPHERD

That's all right, you can keep your seats.

For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson

has suggested that being president of this 

country was, to a certain extent, about character . . .

Part 2 coming shortly . . .