KENNY

No way.

The President spins on him, unsure he heard correctly.

KENNY (CONT'D)

I'm not calling and cancelling on Daly.

You call and cancel on Daly.

THE PRESIDENT

You're scared to cancel on Daly.

KENNY

Damn right I'm scared.

The President pauses, looks at Bobby. Bobby shakes his head:

don't look at me.

THE PRESIDENT

Well, I'm not.

BOBBY

Then you'll call, right?

INT. HALLWAY - SHERATON-BLACKSTONE HOTEL - NIGHT

SUPER: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19TH. DAY 4

THEN SUPER: CHICAGO

Kenny threads his way through the host of SECRET SERVICE

AGENTS and ADVANCE MAN cramming the hallway on the floor of

the hotel they've taken over. From one of the rooms emerges

Salinger.

SALINGER

Kenny, all right. What's going on here?

There's rumors going around an exercise

in the southeast is related to Cuba.

I'm the Press Secretary. I can't do my

job if I don't know what's going on. So

what's going on?

KENNY

What are you telling them?

SALINGER

The truth: I don't know.

KENNY

(deadly serious)

Tell 'em you've looked into it, and all

it is is an exercise. And Pierre --

(beat, loaded)

The President may have a cold tomorrow.

Kenny stares at him, and the light dawns on Pierre.

Something big is going on and he's been cut out of it. He

stalks off.