Palantine is not a Hubert Humphrey-type professional
bullshitter, and Travis' intense reply stops him dead in his
tracks. He is forced to fall back on a stock answer but tries
to give it some meaning.
pal: PALANTINE
Travis, what single thing would you
want the next President of this
country to do most?
trav: TRAVIS
I don't know, sir. I don't follow
political issues much.
pal: PALANTINE
There must be something...
trav: TRAVIS
(thinks)
Well, he should clean up this city
here. It's full of filth and scum.
Scum and filth. It's like an open
sewer. I can hardly take it. Some
days I go out and smell it then I
get headaches that just stay and
never go away. We need a President
that would clean up this whole mess.
Flush it out. (thinks)
pal: PALANTINE
(after a pause)
I know what you mean, Travis, and
it's not going to be easy. We're
going to have to make some radical
changes. (after a pause)
trav: TRAVIS
(turning the wheel)
Damn straight. (turning the wheel)
EXT. BARCLAY HOTEL
TRAVIS' taxi pulls up in front of the Barclay Hotel.
PALANTINE and AIDE get out of the cab. SECOND AIDE stays in
back seat a moment to pay TRAVIS.
PALANTINE looks in front window of cab momentarily and nods
goodbye to TRAVIS.
Travis' taxi departs.
PALANTINE and AIDES walk up carpet to the St. Regis.
CAMERA CLOSES IN on PALANTINE as he stops, turns back and
watches Travis' departing taxi.
PALANTINE turns back and ascends the hotel steps with his
AIDES.
pal: PALANTINE
Nice talking to you, Travis.
trav: TRAVIS
(calling back)
Thank you, sir. You're a good man,
sir. (calling back)
ON THE SIDEWALK
EXT. MANHATTAN STREET - EARLY MORNING
TRAVIS, dressed to the teeth, walks brightly down the
sidewalk. His face is frehsly shaved, his hair combed, his
tie straightened.
He pauses in a store window to check his appearance.
Under his arm he carries the gift-wrapped Kristofferson record
album.
OUTSIDE PALANTINE HEADQUARTERS
BETSY, smartly dressed, waves goodbye to another CAMPAIGN
WORKER and walks out the door to greet him.
A SHORT WHILE LATER, TRAVIS and BETSY are walking down
Broadway toward Times Square. BETSY does not let their bodies
touch as they walk although TRAVIS contemplates edging closer
to her.
Betsy has opened the package and is admiring the record -
or, rather, Travis' sentiment behind giving it.
Travis looks around himself with pride: This is a moment in
his life - one of the few.
Betsy notices that the seal on the record has not been broken.