Thanks for the input everyone. After wracking my brain trying to extend the scene, I’ve got a few more potential solutions, but it seems like most people are happy with it as is, so I’ll just put the MEGA links to the most recent version below, as well as list the wacky ideas for completion’s sake:
Leia’s Demand to the Senate 8
Color Corrected
Dialogue Only
Music Only
Idea 1: Return 3PO to the scene:
“Should we contact the Resistance?”
“Immediately. Our future may depend on it.”
“Yes, of course General!”
“I need you to go to the Senate right away. Tell them I insist the Republic take action against the First Order.”
“Full respect…do you really think they’ll listen?”
“Not all the senators think I’m crazy. (smile reaction) Or maybe they do. I don’t care.”
“Oh my. This is a catastrophe.”
I doubt that this would work better than the scene as it is now, since it adds no new information.
Idea 2: Add to the joke (and plot).
“Not all the senators think I’m crazy.”
(Cut to Caluan Ematt in the shot from the deleted scenes where he says ‘all fighters clear for takeoff, all fighters clear’, except he’s dubbed to say something over the intercom like ‘General, the Senate has blocked all Resistance transmissions’.)
"…Or maybe they do. I don’t care."
(smile)
This idea is definitely weirder, but I kind of like it since it makes explicit the problem with the Republic, and it’s not for want of trying on the part of the Resistance.