H. Con-172 - Season 3 - Episode 10
Charlie presents the President with a map of the Holy Land that he found at a flea market. The map does not depict Israel as it was drawn in 1709. The President wants to frame the map and hang it outside the Oval Office. Toby, C.J. and Leo convince him otherwise.
Copyright: Aaron Sorkin & NBC
Note: I had to disable the comments on this video due to some very violant anti-Israel comments. This video is a funny commentary on perceptions and is not about the rights or wrongs of an Israeli state.
SCENE 1.
BARTLET Weren’t you going to a flea market?
CHARLIE Yeah, I picked something up for you.
BARTLET You didn’t have to do that.
CHARLIE Yeah? It’s a map of the Holy Land that was drawn in 1709. It’s titled “Canaan, Palestine, or the Holy Land.”
BARTLET Nice sucking up.
CHARLIE Thank you, sir.
BARTLET Look at these topographical details. Seriously, I’m going to have this framed, this is great.
CHARLIE If you leave it here, I’ll send it out.
BARTLET No, I’m going to play with it some more.
LEO COMING IN Good morning.
BARTLET Look at this map. 1709. The Dead Sea, Jordan River, Mount Sinai.
LEO That’s beautiful.
SCENE 2.
BARTLET All right. Hey, you want to see something? Charlie gave this to me. It’s a map of the Holy Land, drawn in 1709. He got at a flea market. It’s hand-colored, copper engraved. I was going to put it in the outer office.
TOBY This outer office?
BARTLET Yeah.
TOBY No.
BARTLET Why?
TOBY Why?
BARTLET Yeah.
TOBY ’Cause some people are going to find it offensive.
BARTLET Why?
TOBY It doesn’t recognize Israel.
BARTLET It was drawn in 1709.
TOBY Yeah.
BARTLET There was no Israel. Israel wouldn’t happen for another 250 years.
TOBY Right.
BARTLET So, what’s the problem with the map?
SCENE 3.
BARTLET Wait. I want to show you this great map Charlie found.
C.J. Sir, I know about it. You can’t put it up in the West Wing.
BARTLETC.J. ?!
C.J. It doesn’t recognize Israel.
BARTLET There was no Israel in 1709.
C.J. That’s right.
BARTLET So, it’s not on the map.
C.J. Which is what some people are going to find offensive.
BARTLET That’s ridiculous.
C.J. You know what would be great?
BARTLET If I put it someplace else?
C.J. Yes.
BARTLET Leo has—in what used to be his house when he was married—a map of the United States. The first third of it is the 13 original colonies. The second third of it is the French territory of Louisiana. And the third third is Mexico. In this map of the United States, there is not a single state. That’s because when this map was made there was no United States.
CHARLIE knocks and enters.
BARTLET I am the President of the United States and I’m not offended by it.
C.J. Well, you’re bigger than ten men, sir. What do you say we put it out of the way?
BARTLET I’m having it enlarged and bolting it to the hood of my limo. They don’t want us to put up our map, Charlie. They’re philistines in the fight for freedom but that doesn’t bother us, does it?
CHARLIE Huh?
BARTLET Never mind.
C.J. It’s not like I’m agreeing with the people who are going to be offended. It’s just that you’re asking for a whole lot of pain, in exchange for which you get nothing but an old map.
BARTLET That’s the key. An old map. An old map. Spin that.
C.J. See, now you got me out there spinning things.
BARTLET Anything else?