Cynthia Straus

[Molly and Martin are sitting at a conference table inside Air Force One]

Martin Fox: [pandering] So... you're gonna have some story to tell your friends.

Molly Johnson: [no-nonsense] I read about you in the paper. They say you've never lost an election.

Martin Fox: That's right! You can learn a lot from reading a newspaper.

Molly Johnson: They also said you don't believe in anything anymore and that you'd do anything to win. Even if it meant selling your mother's soul.

Martin Fox: No, see... no, see that's libelous. Because my mother is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful woman.

[Molly simply sips through a juicebox]

Martin Fox: [beat] If you'd met my mother, you'd understand.

[Bud begins the Last Debate between President Boone and Donald Greenleaf]

Bud Johnson: Mr. President, Mr. Greenleaf. I'd like to thank you for your hospitality. It's been real interesting. I've said a lot of thing I didn't mean. and you both made a lot of promises... you probably won't be able to keep. To be honest, the last 10 days have felt like a weird dream. What was once kinda funny, isn't anymore. From what I've read, I've... well, I've scared the hell out of America. I know that the world is watching, maybe even laughing. people on my own TV, are saying that America, somehow, deserves this moment. Guess that means me. I can't say that I've been much of anything most of my life. It's sorta like somewhere along the way... I checked out and it's not like I had big dreams to begin with. but I had something once. I had something close to faith or hope or whatever... whatever word you want to use for how good life could be. But then, the years start moving quicker and all of a sudden... what's going good out there for every else isn't going so good for you. But, tonight I feel... embarrassed. I've had my chances, more than most. I've grown up in a country where if I decided to do more with my life than just drift and drink that I could be standing where... where maybe you stand tonight. Instead, I've taken freely and I've given nothing. I'm ashamed in front of my daughter. And my country. I've never served or sacrificed. The only heavy lifting I've been asked is simple stuff, like... pay attention. Vote. For America has a... if America has a true enemy tonight, I guess it's me. Tonight a below average man is going to choose between two exceptional men. Tomorrow, one man's vote is going to make a difference... 'Cause tomorrow we're gonna have a President. And not just someone to fill a chair in Washington. We need someone who's bigger than their speeches. The kind of President we learned about in school. America needs a big thinker. You know, like a giant, really. Someone who has the good sense to get in front of our problems. Somebody who has the wisdom to lead to us a place where we're at peace with ourselves and the world. And just for the record, I want you both... I want you both to know that I think a hell of lot of you. Tonight, I am going to speak for people I have never met... whose letters touched me in a way I didn't think was possible. My first question comes from... Peter Manthis, in Henderson, Kentucky. "Dear Mr. Johnson... my wife and I have three little girls. We both work two jobs just trying to make ends meet. And some weeks, we don't make it. When you work hard and you still can't take care of your family... you start to question yourself as a provider, as a man. I know I am one. I fought for my country and I'm proud of it. But it scares me to think about what would happen if one of my kids got sick. Can you ask the candidates, if we are the richest country in the world... how come some many of us can barely afford to live here?"