The American President (1995)

Anna Deavere Smith: Robin McCall

Photos 

Quotes 

• Lewis Rothschild : But we're not gonna stay at 41. The numbers are gonna go back up.

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : But they're gonna go back up.

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : All right George...

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : Congressman...

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : Congressman Jarrett...

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : Look George, listen to me... it's crunch time. It's personal. This is one of those moments. It's just you and the President. Now what's it gonna be? Yeah.

  [listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : Yeah.

  [shakes his head as he listens] 

  Lewis Rothschild : All right George, can I tell you something? We're gonna win this thing. We're gonna get the votes we need and we're gonna win this thing. And you know what I'm gonna do after that, I mean that very night, I'm gonna go to Sam & Harry's, I'm gonna order a big steak, and I'm gonna make a list of everybody who tried to *fuck*

  [smacks pop can off his desk with a fist] 

  Lewis Rothschild : us this week!

  Robin McCall : Lewis!

  Lewis Rothschild : [into phone]  Well just vote your conscience, you chicken-shit, lame-ass...

  [slams the phone down] 

  Lewis Rothschild : [continuing to Robin and Leon]  We lost Jarrett.

  Leon Kodak : [beat]  I hope so. 'Cause, you know, if that was an "undecided," then we need to work on our people skills.

• Robin McCall : [in his bedroom]  I think the important thing is not to make it look like we're panicking.

  President Andrew Shepherd : See, and I think the important thing is actually not to BE panicking.

• Lewis Rothschild : [in the President's limo]  I tell any girl I'm going out with to assume that all plans are soft until she receives confirmation from me thirty minutes beforehand.

  Robin McCall : And they find this romantic?

  Lewis Rothschild : Well, I say it with a great deal of charm.

• Robin McCall : [in the Oval Office]  Never gone wrong parading you around as a lonely widower. I can't believe I said that, Mr. President that was an completely thoughtless remark. I would never dream of insulting you or the memory of your wife.

• Robin McCall : It's Christmas.

  Lewis Rothschild : It's Christmas?

  Leon Kodak : [sarcastically, jokingly]  Yeah. You didn't get the memo?

• President Andrew Shepherd : [in the President's limo]  I want to buy her some flowers. That's what men do when they break a date.

  Robin McCall : That's not what men do. I know no men who do that.

• Robin McCall : [in the Oval Office]  How do you want me to handle the "Sydney issue"?

  [Shepherd looks up] 

  President Andrew Shepherd : The "Sydney issue"?

  Lewis Rothschild : We should have a consensus on how the White House is going to handle it.

  President Andrew Shepherd : Well I sure hope the "Sydney issue" refers in some way to a problem we're having with Australia, because if it's anything other than that...

  [Janie pokes her head in] 

  Janie : Mr. President? Ms. Wade is here to see you.

  President Andrew Shepherd : Send her in, please. I'm finished here.

  Janie : Yes, sir.

  President Andrew Shepherd : [to Lewis and McCall]  There is no "Sydney issue."

• Robin McCall : [in the Oval Office]  Buenas Dias, Senior Presidente.

  President Andrew Shepherd : Too tall McCall, how was Mexico?

  Robin McCall : I didn't truly appreciate it until I came back and discovered that America isn't a great society?

  Lewis Rothschild : He dumped a whole section.