mobilization meeting
When the enemy attacked, you ran away.
That's treason.
Now it's time to splatter your brains everywhere.
Please! Please, don't kill me!
Shut up! Die like a man!
But I have a wife and family.
That's what happens to cowards.
Hey, shh, shh, shh! You have to keep it down.
There's an important meeting going on. - Sorry.
I'll set you up in the copy room.
You won't be in the way there.
This is gonna be a close vote.
Most of your colleagues are not gonna wanna spend
this amount of money in just 25 districts.
Try persuasion first.
Talking points are in your packets.
And if you want more detailed information...
research, statistics... you can contact Gillian or myself.
And when it comes to doling out favors, talk to Doug.
If favors don't work, come to me directly. Peter.
I'll be campaigning in Pennsylvania.
All my events this week
will be in counties within the watershed,
so I'll be working the media angle.
But if you need me to get on the phone with anybody,
reach out to Christina.
She'll work it into my schedule.
I have to say, Frank,
$200 million is going to be a hard sell.
The natural gas lobby's already putting up a big fight.
We need to make this about jobs.
But the drilling industry
can offer far more jobs than this bill can.
This bill doesn't threaten those jobs,
it just makes sure the drilling is done responsibly.
It adds more jobs on top of that.
I've already been approached by Sancorp with reelection funds.
I have too. They offered me a donation package
from eight different drilling companies.
Remy Danton? - Yep.
How many of you been approached by Remy?
Look, I know it's not easy to turn down money.
But if the Republicans control redistricting in Pennsylvania,
we lose the house next election,
and all of you lose your committee chairmanships.
This is a feather that we need in Peter's hat.
A loss on this bill endangers his chance of winning,
and we are fighting to keep our majority here.
Any other concerns?
I want a first vote count by 4:00 tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you all very much.
interview about watershed bill
You ever been to Allentown before? - I have not.
What do you think?
Compared to New York, the parking is easier.
Finding a decent bagel, not so much.
We make up for it with the cream cheese.
Shall we? - Ready when you are.
Your watershed bill.
You've ticked off the Republicans, oil, gas...
Sometimes you gotta upset a few people to do the right thing.
Not just a few.
There's a sizable coalition that wants to see your bill fail,
including environmentalists from your own party.
Don't think the bill does enough.
We wanted a passable bill.
That's why we aimed for middle ground...
Do you actually care about the Delaware river?
I don't sponsor legislation I don't care about.
Until recently, you hadn't sponsored any legislation at all.
I spent my time in congress focusing on things
that were important to my constituents.
The shipyard.
Kept it open as long as I could.
Okay. That's one thing. What are the others?
I'd love to provide you a list
of all the things I've done in congress,
but we've got 15 minutes...
Your opponent has linked your inactivity
to your fondness for single-malts.
I've been very open about my past,
and I've done everything I can to overcome it
in a responsible, permanent way.
And I preferred vodka to scotch.
You should get your facts straight.
Is your watershed act
just a ploy to jump into the spotlight
and pad your transcript while you apply for Governor school?
It's real money.
It's real jobs.
And when the Delaware river is less
polluted than it's been in 50 years...
it's holding up a real glass of its water
and seeing how clear it is.
That's what my bus tour is about.
The vice president is joining you later? - Correct.
Why has it taken him this long to endorse you?
He didn't think I was worth it.
But then he heard I had a one-on-one with the New York Times,
and, boom, he was on board.
I might print that.
The more of my words, the fewer of yours,
the better off we'll both be.
If I didn't think you were such a liability to yourself, congressman,
I might even like you.
If your circulation was as high as the Wall Street Journal,
I might like you back.
Hit me. Next question.
facing ramy danton
I have to put up a fight, Frank.
Tell them they're wasting their money.
It's gonna pass. - Are you sure?
When was the last time I got a count wrong?
If you were certain, you wouldn't be trying to neutralize us.
Well, Sancorp has been good to me.
I'm just trying to do you and them a favor, Remy.
Then why propose the legislation in the first place?
You must've known they would oppose it.
The regulatory restrictions are minimal.
There's a bigger battle here, Frank.
Sancorp is against any step toward regulaion,
no matter how small.
Russo's planted his feet on the wrong side of the fence.
How much are you giving his opponent?
Check the F.E.C. filings.
How much are you actually giving?
This is a ten-billion-dollar industry, Frank.
There's money to spend.
If the democrats lose Pennsylvania,
you know what that means.
We don't want you to lose leadership,
but that's up to you, not us.
You don't have the same kind of relationship
with the republicans that you have with me.
Then we'll adapt.
We both have votes to count. Good luck.
You tell Sancorp they're being foolish.
I'm not gonna do that.
Well, then, you're being foolish.
Come on, Frank.
Let's not make this personal.
I can't compete with Sancorp's war chest.
My only option is asymmetrical...
to pick off the opposition one by one
like a sniper in the woods.
There will come a time to put Remy in my crosshairs,
but not right now.
peter lay cards on the table
Congressman Russo. He says it's urgent.
Fine.
Good morning, sir.
I'd like to talk about how the tour's going.
Well, let's talk on the bus. Don't we have an event at 11:00?
There won't be any events until we talk.
You're hijacking the microphone.
You're contradicting everything I say.
We need to be promoting the watershed act.
Well, I appreciate your being so forthright.
Let me tell you what I don't appreciate.
The D.N.C. is running a man with zero track record,
except for substance abuse, to fill my shoes.
I realize you don't want to be here, sir,
but it seems like you're deliberately trying to sabotage my campaign.
Despite my better judgment, I'm trying to save it.
I know the people of this state better than you, Peter.
They don't want to hear about watersheds.
They want to hear about jobs.
Well, this week, they need to hear both.
Well, then, maybe I should just stand quietly beside you at the podium
and watch you lose.
You don't think I can win, do you? - I'm not optimistic.
You lost the first two times you ran for Governor.
The third time, nobody thought you had a chance.
By September, you were 15 points down.
You were out of money.
You had to mortgage your own house
just to keep your staff on payroll.
I'm well aware of what I did. I was there.
My point is you kept going.
You hit 67 counties in less than 20 days,
and you proved everyone wrong.
Like it or not, it's my name on the ticket this time,
and I got the shot, and I'm gonna prove everyone wrong.
Just like you did. Including you, sir.
I would like your support, but if you won't give it, fine.
It won't stop me.
You think it's easy for me to be here?
I left the Governor's mansion right in my prime.
To be what? Vice president.
I thought that was a step up. But you know what?
I don't have a fucking shred of real influence.
I'm trotted around like a goddamn mascot,
and this is my home state.
I'm offering you influence, sir.
I'd like your guidance and your expertise.
But if that's not on the table, then, well...
With all due respect