Advise and Consent

A look behind the scenes at the wheeling and dealing that goes on in Washington to get things done. The ailing President nominates a controversial candidate (Robert A. Leffingwell) for Secretary of State. The film follows the public and private dealings as the Senate holds confirmation hearings on the nomination. Blackmail, smear tactics, political trade-offs and more highlight this movie. Senate majority leader Robert Munson of Michigan tries to steer Leffingwell toward confirmation, with his initial roadblock being Senate Pro Tem Seabright "Seab" Cooley-SC, a party member. But Munson bypasses overly-ambitious Wyoming senator Fred Van Ackerman to put Utah's Brigham "Brig" Anderson in charge of the committee vetting of Leffingwell. Cooley drags out an old acquaintance from the nominee's college days (Herbert Gelman) in an attempt to scuttle the appointment. Meanwhile, Van Ackerman sics a team of blackmailers on Anderson in an attempt to ensure the nomination, even though Anderson, Munson, and the president know Leffingwell has provided perjured testimony about his past. Anderson travels to New York and confronts his old army lover outside a gay bar, returning to the Capitol to slit his own throat in his Senate office. Chastened by Anderson's suicide, Munson and Cooley agree to disagree in a "nice" way, and the full Senate vote on Leffingwell's nomination ends on a 47-47 tie since Munson has shamed Van Ackerman into walking out of the chamber before his name is called to vote. Just as the voting ends, the Vice-president Harley Hudson, the Senate's presiding officer, is informed of the President's death. Knowing that Leffingwell has given false testimony under oath, Hudson refuses to honor his mentor's dying wish, and cast the deciding vote. Hudson leaves stating that as president-apparent, he'll nominate his own Secretary of State.