The West Wing1999

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
Thanks for coming in.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
It's an honor, Sir.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
[gesturing for Mulready to have a seat] Please. I understand you and Judge Lang had a bit of a knock down, drag out.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
She wants to federalize law enforcement. I thought it was hasty.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
Not your brand of judge.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
Quite the opposite. I have not had that much fun in months.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
[surprised] Really?

Justice Christopher Mulready:
Use her if you can. I'm not sure what all this is about. I suppose a number of people are placated by a glimpse of someone like her, or someone like me in these halls. I'm most certainly here for that. But if there is any way that you can use her...

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
It's unlikely.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
Who's at the top of the list? [sees Bartlets hesitation] If I leaked it, would they believe me?

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
Brad Shelton.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
[hesitant] Really.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
You don't like him?

Justice Christopher Mulready:
He's a fine jurist. And in the event that Carmine, Lafayette, Hoyt, Clark, and Brannagan all dropped dead, the middle would still be well tended.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
[Chuckling] You want another Brady.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
Sure. Just like you'd like another Ashland, who wouldn't? The court was at it's best when Brady was fighting Ashland.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
Plenty of good law written by the voices of moderation.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
Who writes the extraordinary dissent? The one man minority decision whose time hasn't come but 20 years later, some circuit court clerk digs it up at 3 in the morning. Brennan rallying against censorship, Harlains jeremiad on Jim Crow.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
[half serious] Maybe you someday.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
[mildly dismissive] Hm. They can't put me on The Court. Just like you can't put Evelyn Lang on The Court. It's Sheltons from here on in.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
There are 4000 protesters outside this building, worried about who is going to land in that seat. We can't afford to alienate all of them.

Justice Christopher Mulready:
We all have our roles to play, Sir. Yours is to nominate someone who doesn't alienate people.

President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet:
[convinced]