The thing is, Acheson's right. Talk
alone won't accomplish anything.
Kenny considers the President, his face straight as he says:
KENNY
Then let's bomb the shit out of them.
Everyone wants to, even you, even me.
(there's a point)
It sure would feel good.
The President sees what Kenny's saying: it'd be an emotional
response, not necessarily the intelligent one.
BOBBY
Jack, I'm as conniving as they come, but
a sneak attack is just wrong.
KENNY
He's right. And things are happening
too fast. It smells like the Bay of
Pigs all over again.
Bobby picks up some reconnaissance photos on the coffee
table.
BOBBY
As if dealing with the Russians wasn't
hard enough, we gotta worry about our
own house.
THE PRESIDENT
Tonight, listening to Taylor and
Acheson, I kept seeing Burke and Dulles
telling me all I had to do was sign on
the dotted line. The invasion would
succeed. Castro would be gone. Just
like that. Easy.
The President is rendered mute by a wave of pain. Kenny and
Bobby aver their eyes. When it passes, the President is
hushed, grave.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)
There's something...immoral about
abandoning your own judgement.
Kenny nods, moved. The President reaches out for the
reconnaissance photos Bobby's flipping through. Bobby hands
them to him. The President looks them over. And when he
speaks, there's humility. And resolve.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT'D)
We can't let things get ahead of
themselves. We've got to control what
happens.
We're going to do what we have to make
this come out right. EXCOM is our first
weapon.
(beat)
We'll resort to others as we need 'em.
EXT. AIRPORT - BRIDGEPOINT, CONNECTICUT - DAY
SUPER: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17TH. DAY 2
A LONG SHOT of an ENORMOUS CROWD thronging a bunting-trimmed
platform. The President, barely recognizable at the
distance, and a cluster of political VIPS wave from it,
smiling.
Kenny steps INTO FRAME, back here at the fringes of the
crowd.
THE PRESIDENT (O.S.)
Doesn't anybody in Connecticut have to
work today?
The crowd goes nuts. Kenny paces, checks his watch,
impatient to be done with the necessary diversion. Kenny
gazes off to his right and spots Scotty Reston, along with
half the White House press corps suckered along. Scotty
catches Kenny's look.
Kenny turns away, but Scotty comes weaving over. The
President continues on, but all we hear is Scotty and Kenny.
RESTON
Kenny! What happened? They didn't let
me up front, said the President was on
the phone the whole time.
KENNY
He was.
RESTON
Yeah? Who was he talking to? Acheson?
Come on, O'Donnell, everyone's wondering
what's going on. What's Acheson doing
in town? And don't give me some
bullshit about DNC think tanks.
Acheson's Mr. Cold War.
KENNY
Why don't you ask him yourself? You can
have him on the way home.
RESTON
I'm giving you a chance here: talk to
me. You can influence how this thing
unfolds.
But Kenny stands there, mute. Reston just shakes his head,
knowing for sure something's up. He turns and heads back for
the press corps.
EXT. STAIRS TO AIR FORCE ONE - DAY
Kenny and the President climb the stairs to the Presidential
plane, the crowd cheering him. He gives a final wave.
THE PRESIDENT
Let's get out of here.
KENNY
Cheer up, you've neutralized the entire
White House Press Corps for a day.
INT. GEORGE BALL'S CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
EXCOM meets in George Ball's small conference room at the
State Department. Bobby, in shirtsleeves, paces at the head
of the table, very, very alone. All eyes are on him.
BOBBY
No. No. No. There is more than one
option here. If one isn't occurring to
us, it's because we haven't thought hard
enough.
McNamara squirms. The others react in frustration. CIA
chief JOHN MCCONE, sharp, tough, conservative, is harsh.
MCCONE
Sometimes there is only one right
choice, and you thank God when it's
clear.
BOBBY
You're talking about a sneak attack!
How'll that make us look? Big country
blasting a little one into the stone
age. We'll be real favorites around the
world.
ACHESON
Bobby, that's naive. This is the real
world, you know that better than
anybody. Your argument is ridiculous.
MCCONE
You weren't so ethically particular when
we were talking about options for
removing Castro over at CIA.
And there's nothing Bobby can say to that. He props himself
up on the table, stares at it as if there's an answer in its
shiny surface somewhere. There is only the reflection of his
own face.
BOBBY
I can't let my brother go down in
History like a villain, like a Tojo,
ordering another Pearl Harbor.
McCone, Acheson, and Taylor share a look. The last
resistance to airstrikes is crumbling. Finally, Bobby looks
up at McNamara.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Bob. If we go ahead with these air
strikes...
(beat)
There's got to be something else. Give
it to me. I don't care how crazy,
inadequate or stupid it sounds.
(beat, pleading)
Give it to me.
McNamara suffers under the gaze of everyone at the table,
weighing the situation out. And finally he ventures.
MCNAMARA
Six months ago we gamed out a scenario.
It's slow. It doesn't get rid of the
missiles. There are a lot of drawbacks.
(beat)
The scenario was for a blockade of Cuba.
SUPER: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18TH. DAY 3
INT. OVAL OFFICE - DAY
Kenny enters the office from his side door in the middle of a
debate. Military uniforms dominate the room: General Taylor,
General Sweeney, and a host of briefing officers.
GENERAL TAYLOR
The situation is worse than we thought.
We count 40 missiles now, longer range
IRBMs. They can hit every city in the
continental U.S.
The President stares out the window at the Rose Garden, his
back to Air Force Chief of Staff GENERAL CURTIS LEMAY, 60.
Beetle-browed, arrogant, the archetypal Cold War general.
Yet there is something about him, his intelligence perhaps,
that suggests he's playing a role he knows and believes in.
The only other civilians in the room are Bobby, Bundy and
McNamara. The pressure from the military is almost physical.
LEMAY
Mr. President, as of this moment my
planes are ready to carry out the air
strikes. All you have to do is give me
the word, sir, and my boys will get
those Red bastards.
The President continues staring out the window. Kenny eases
over to the desk, leans on it, arms folded, interposing
himself between the President and the soldiers. Bobby joins
him, side-by-side.
THE PRESIDENT
How long until the army is ready?
GENERAL TAYLOR
We've just begun the mobilization under
cover of a pre-arranged exercise, sir.
We're looking at another week and a
half, Mr. President.
LEMAY
But you can begin the strikes, now. The
plans call for an eight-day air
campaign. It'd light a fire under the
army's ass to get in place.
That makes the President turn around, stare at LeMay.
THE PRESIDENT
General LeMay, do you truly believe
that's our best course of action?
LEMAY
Mr. President, I believe it is the only
course of action. American is in
danger. Those missiles are a threat to
our bomber bases and the safety of our
nuclear deterrent. Without our
deterrent, there's nothing to keep the
enemy from choosing general nuclear war.
It's our duty, our responsibility to the
American people to take out those
missiles and return stability to the
strategic situation. The Big Red Dog is
digging in our back yard, and we're
justified in shooting him.
Taylor steps in softly, smoothly: good cop to LeMay's bad.
GENERAL TAYLOR
Sir, we have a rapidly closing window of
opportunity where we can prevent those
missiles from ever becoming operational.
The other options...
He spares a look at McNamara, who watches the fireworks, arms
folded, serious.
GENERAL TAYLOR (CONT'D)
...do not guarantee the end result we
can guarantee. However, the more time
that goes by, the less reliable the
choice we can offer you becomes.
The President, partially defused, looks from Taylor to
McNamara. LeMay steps forward, softer now, sincere.
LEMAY
Mr. President, the motto I chose for SAC
is 'Peace is our Profession.' God
forbid we find ourselves in a nuclear
exchange. But if launched, those
missiles in Cuba would kill a lot of
Americans. That's why I'm being such a
pain in the ass about destroying them.
Destroying them immediately. Hell, even
Mac agrees.
Bundy is uncomfortable. Everyone turns to him. He nods.
Kenny realizes he's been co-opted by the military. McNamara
does too, lets out a deep breath. The President eyes Bundy,
then paces out from behind his desk, walks up to LeMay.
THE PRESIDENT
General, what will the Soviets do when
we attack?
LEMAY
Nothing.
Kenny, Bobby and the President look at each other, unable to
believe what they just heard.
THE PRESIDENT
Nothing?
LEMAY
Nothing. Because the only alternative
open to them is one they can't choose.
His pronouncement hangs there in the air: ominous, dangerous.
THE PRESIDENT
Those aren't just missiles we'll be
destroying. We kill Soviet soldiers,
and they will respond. How would we
respond if they killed ours? No, they
will do something, General, I promise
you that. And I believe it'll be
Berlin.
INT. WEST WING HALLWAY - DAY
LeMay walk out of the Oval Office with Taylor, Carter and
their staffers.
LEMAY
Those goddamn Kennedys are going to
destroy this country if we don't do
something about this.
There are dark looks on the faces of the other officers.
They agree.
INT. KENNY'S OFFICE - DAY
As the meeting next door disperses, the President rummages
through Kenny's jacket which hangs on Kenny's chair. Kenny,
bemused, holds out the package of cigarettes the President is
looking for.
KENNY
I was hoping LeMay pushed you. I
wouldn't mind going a few rounds with
him.
The President glances up, takes the proffered smokes.
THE PRESIDENT
We knew it was coming. I tell you,
Kenny, these brass hats have one big
advantage. We do what they want us to,
none of us will be alive to tell 'em
they were wrong.
Bobby, Rusk and Sorensen enter from the hall.
SORENSEN
Mr. President, Gromyko should be on his
way by now.
RUSK
We need to go over what you're going to
say.
BOBBY
There's still no sign they know that we
know about the missiles. Been a lot of
cloud cover; probably think we aren't
getting any good product.
THE PRESIDENT
We keep 'em in the dark as long as we
can. But I sure as hell am going to
test him.
INT. WEST WING HALL - DAY
Kenny comes out of the bathroom, and is buttonholed by the
crewcut, bullet-headed Press Secretary, PIERRE SALINGER, in
the crowded, busy hallway.
SALINGER
Kenny, I'm getting funny questions from
the guys in the press office. As Press
Secretary, I need to know. What's going
on?
Kenny wheels back into his office. It's filled with people.
But he bends confidentially to Pierre's ear.
KENNY
They're planning to shave you bald next
time you fall asleep on the bus.
(off Pierre's get-serious look)
Sorry, Pierre, Gromyko just arrived.
INT. KENNY'S OFFICE - DAY
The Press Corps throngs Kenny's tiny office, pushing and
shoving for a vantage at the side door to the Oval Office,
waiting for the Gromyko photo-op. Kenny stands shoulder-to
shoulder with Reston and Sorensen near the door.
RESTON
Are they going to discuss the military
exercises going on in Florida?
Kenny doesn't even blink, but Sorensen does a poorer job at
hiding his reaction.
KENNY
Come on, Scotty. This meeting's been on
the books for months. It's just a
friendly talk on U.S.-Soviet relations.
Fortunately, the conversation is cut short as a dozen
FLASHBULBS suddenly go off on a dozen cameras as the
reporters crush in on the Oval Office, and Reston is swept
forward.
KENNY'S POV:
over the reporters. The President, unsmiling, enters the
room beside Soviet Foreign Minister, ANDREI GROMYKO. Gromyko
pauses for the photos: grim, dark haired, saturnine.
RESUME
Kenny reacts. At last, the face of the enemy.
INT. OVAL OFFICE - NIGHT
The CAMERA picks up the darkened windows: the meeting has
gone long. The CAMERA MOVES PAST Kenny and Sorensen standing
in the doorway to Kenny's office, FINDS the President in his
chair across from Gromyko on the sofa. Rusk, Ambassador
ANATOLY DOBRINYN, and two INTERPRETERS around them.
THE PRESIDENT
So that there should be no
misunderstanding, the position of the
United States, which has been made clear
by the Attorney General to Ambassador
Dobrynin here, I shall read a sentence
from my own statement to the press dated
September 13th.
(beat, reading)
Should missiles or offensive weapons be
placed in Cuba, it would present the
gravest threat to U.S. national
security.
The President stares at Gromyko as the translator finishes
translating. Gromyko sits there, enigmatic, cold,
unreadable. The translator finishes, and Gromyko stops him
with a gesture so he can answer in his own accented English.