you meet in a sound-proof room

[Charlie Wilson's War]
--------------------- At Joanne Herring's "party Friday night" somewhere in the wilds of Upper Class -- or, at least, upper-checkbook -- Texas, East Texas Representative Charles Wilson and his aide Bonnie Bach breathe the air at the shindig's edge...


Bonnie sees something, reads it -- a plaque or a booklet, and turns to Wilson:


"Oh my God, she is a Minuteman, Charlie...!"


Charlie -- (in his tone of automatic, low-key, pleasantly-blustering enthusiasm) "Yeah! -- she's a direct descendant of -- George Washington's sister!  Says she had a great uncle who was killed at the Alamo.  Former Miss Cotton Bowl.  Had her own local television talk show. ..."


He gestures toward another framed accolade on the wall nearby -- "Look, Pakistan's Honorary Consul to Houston, Texas.  How's that for a title, huh?"


Bonnie -- "This is an ultra-right wing group of anti-communist fanatics."
Wilson -- (soothingly) They're not ultra-right-wing.
Bonnie -- What are they?
Wilson -- Well -- (admitting it)...they're ultra-right wing.


-- What are you doing hanging around this woman?
-- Did you hear me say she was a former Miss Cotton Bowl?
-- You are unbelievable.
-- Oh come on, you're gonna love her.  And you know, one of the things she's trying to do over there is liberate the women. ...


--------------------------------------------


Joanne enters the scene, approaching them from out of the party-crowd and auction-audience, her two big slim dogs faithfully trailing in her wake.  She greets Congressman Wilson with a firm kiss on the mouth.





--------------------------- Joanne -- What did you think of the movie?


Charlie -- What, that thing we just saw?


Joanne -- The reason for the party, yes.


Wilson -- Well, I'm not an expert in the field or anything, but the production quality seemed amateurish to me.


-- Yeah, I'm not submitting the thing for a Golden Globe nomination, Charlie.  You know what I'm talking about.


-- Well, as a member of the Defense Subcommittee, did you think I wasn't aware that the Soviet Union's invaded Afghanistan?


-- Yes, I believe my government is aware, but I was wondering if they were thinking of doing anything about it, other than boycotting the Olympics, which I think you'll agree, was a fairly impotent response to the greatest national security threat we've faced since the Cuban Missile Crisis.


-- Well I don't think making more movies about it is gonna do the trick, if that's what you're asking.


Joanne -- It's not.  Exactly how much power do you have as a member of the Subcommittee?


-- Which one?  I'm on two.





-- What about the Defense Subcommittee?
-- Our budget is hidden.
-- It is also unlimited.
-- Ye-eah.


Joanne -- So, unless I'm wrong, and that would be unusual for me, you sit at the intersection of the State Department, the Pentagon and the CIA.


You meet in a soundproof room underneath the Capitol, and you preside over a secret and unlimited budget for the three agencies you would need


to conduct a covert war. 


Isn't that right?


-----------Charlie Wilson (looking fascinated and a little dumbfounded) -- "I also have seats at the Kennedy Center."


Joanne -- "Isn't that how you were able to double the CIA budget for black approps in Afghanistan just by sayin' so?"


-- Why are you only askin' me questions you already know the answers to?


-- Why is Congress sayin' one thing and doin' nothin'?


-- Well, tradition mostly.





{Charlie Wilson's War.  Mike Nichols - Aaron Sorkin - 2007 - Book by George Crile}


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