Episode Report Card M. Giant: A- | 0 USERS: N/A YOU GRADE IT Manning Down
By M. Giant | Season 6 | Episode 4 | Aired on 2007.01.15
In the Oval Office, Wayne is taking a meeting with the ambassador of some unnamed Middle Eastern country. Karen, Tom, and several other staffers are also in the room. Wayne is quick to get to the point, asking if the Ambassador thinks Assad is telling the truth about wanting to hang up his bombs and enter negotiations. The Ambassador thinks so. Tom wonders if Assad has enough pull to bring many organizations into line. The Ambassador says, "Assad's reputation is such that many of them -- not all of them, by any means, but a substantial number -- would follow his lead." Even though most terrorists don't recognize Assad when they're riding in a tiny little car with him. End of meeting. After the Ambassador has been shown out, Karen advises Wayne that they need to lock in Assad's cooperation. Tom, on the other hand, leans more in Curtis's direction: "I have a problem forming a partnership with a man who has been responsible for the deaths of so many innocents," he speechifies. Because Tom would much prefer it if "so many innocents" were simply locked up. Wayne thinks for a second, and then asks them to get Kiefer on the phone.
While still riding with Curtis and Assad, Kiefer answers his cell phone. Wayne warms up by asking if they have any leads on the suitcase nuke yet. Kiefer says that they're working on one. The small talk thus dispensed with, Wayne says that he wants to come to an agreement with Assad. Kiefer hands the phone back to Assad, saying, "The President wants to speak with you." Curtis is silent as Assad takes the phone and calmly answers, "Yes, Mr. President," but his eyes are rolling around in his head like those of a panicked horse. Wayne gets right to it, offering Assad protection and a full pardon, under certain conditions: namely, that he continues looking for Fayed, and commits to a broader peace. In other words, stuff Fayed was doing already. Wayne asks whether Fayed is cool with this. "In principle, yes," Fayed answers, but asks for the deal in writing. Curtis is silently freaking, even without being able to hear Wayne tell him, "You'll have it within the hour." Without being told, everyone else leaves the Oval Office to go look for one of the several hundred Pardon Pads located at strategic spots throughout the building. I suspect they can be found near all fax machines, exit signs, and fire extinguishers. Wayne tells Fayed to give the phone back to Kiefer. Wayne pretty much begs for Kiefer's approval of his decision. Kiefer allows, "I'm glad it's a call I didn't have to make, sir." Of course, if he strongly disagreed, he wouldn't be going along with it, so this faint assent is good enough for Wayne. After Kiefer hangs up, Assad asks Kiefer whether he thinks Wayne is honorable. Kiefer considers a number of responses, but it's really just a yes/no question, so he simply goes with the former. Curtis still hasn't said a word, but he's clearly having his doubts.