West Wing Wiki
Register
Advertisement
West Wing Wiki

MARLEE MATLIN REPRISES HER ROLE AND JOHN DE LANCIE GUEST-STARS; RE-CHARGED PRESIDENT GOES FOR BROKE -- A newly energized President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) bucks tradition and throws down the gauntlet when he names two Democrats -- both campaign finance reformers -- to the Federal Election Commission despite threats from his political opponents to introduce embarrassing legislation that would dare him not to sign. Early reactions to his announcement are not encouraging, especially from top-notch pollster Al Kiefer (guest star John de Lancie, "Star Trek: The Next Generation"). However, Kiefer's arrival means his attractive cohort, Joey Lucas (Oscar-winning guest star Marlee Matlin), accompanies him, and she again draws a smitten Josh's (Bradley Whitford) attention. Toby (Richard Schiff) agrees to seek out his ex-wife (guest star Kathleen York), a breezy congresswoman, to gauge her response to any future narcotics legislation that would emphasize prevention over enforcement. Leo (John Spencer), uncomfortably aware of his own brush with drugs, agrees to be the Chief Executive's front man for positioning the high-voltage issue of revising the drug laws.

Summary[]

In the opening scene, President Bartlet is giving a speech at a Washington hotel. He announces his choices for the Federal Elections Commission, which the Senate Majority Leader watches in his office, with his staff. The Chief of Staff, Steve Onorato, tells the Senator that it's coming despite the warnings there would be retaliation. The Senator calls Josh Lyman to reinforce what he threatened, to which Josh replies, "Hi, Senator. Why don't you take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass?"

C.J. gives the press briefing where she deflects the questions about the FEC nominees. Toby decides to bring in Al Kiefer (who is going to bring Joey Lucas ) to help with the polling they are going to do during the week. Toby gives the heads up to Josh so he is aware that Joey will be there.

Leo holds a breakfast meeting with the Senior Staff where they discuss the week ahead regarding the battle with Congress. Kiefer arrives and briefs the President, telling him that it is political suicide to pursue this. C.J. tells Mandy that she is not allowed in the meeting - that Leo is not comfortable with her anymore - because of the report she wrote.

Josh greets Joey and tries very hard to not show any emotion toward her. Josh comes to see Leo and Toby, and they tell Toby that he is going to meet with his ex-wife, Representative Andy Wyatt, to take her temperature on campaign finance reform. She tells him that Mandatory Minimums should be dropped, because they are racist. The meeting in the Oval Office breaks for lunch and Sam heads back to his office, where he finds Steve Onorato (the Senate Majority Leader's Chief of Staff), who asks Sam to eat lunch with him to plead his case.

Danny and C.J. have an argument about C.J. shutting him out - she is still angry about his having the report and writing about it. Leo has a meeting in the White House Press Room with aids to several members of Congress, all of whom work for Senators and Representatives who have had problems with drugs and/or crime. Leo wants them to get their bosses in line when the debate starts.

Sam and Toby come to see Josh. Toby tells Sam to tell Josh what Steve Onorato said. Josh and Toby laugh because they realize that Steve obviously knows about Laurie and is trying to move Sam out front so he can drop it on Sam. Sam is bothered by this and wants to do something about it. Josh stops by and sees Joey and tells her that he likes her.

An impromptu meeting takes place in the President's bedroom. The President tells them that they all had a good day and they are going to have some stumbles, but they should keep on. He also tells them that Mandy was just doing her job, it's time to let her out of the doghouse - he also specifically tells C.J. that Danny was only doing his job too.

Cast[]

Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
Moira Kelly as Mandy Hampton
Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
John Spencer as Leo McGarry
Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
and Martin Sheen as President Bartlet

Special Guest Star

Marlee Matlin as Joey Lucas

Recurring cast

Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon
Janel Moloney as Donna Moss
Suzy Nakamura as Cathy

Guest Starring

John de Lancie as Al Kiefer
Bruce Weitz as Senate Majority Leader
Kathleen York as Andy Wyatt
Bill O'Brien as Kenny Thurman
Paul Provenza as Steve Onorato

Co-Starring

Kathryn Joosten as Dolores Landingham
NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper
Chris Conner as Jack (Reporter)
Melissa Fitzgerald as Carol Fitzpatrick
Kris Murphy as Katie Witt
Kim Webster as Ginger
Devika Parikh as Bonnie
Charles Noland as Steve
Mindy Seeger as Chris
J.P. Stevenson as Jonathan
Diana Morgan as Jesse
Michael Luckerman as Stuart (Aide #1)
Paul Ehrmann as Dick (Aide)
Diane Nadeau as Aide
Karolyn Nishioka as Celia

Quotes[]

Hi, Senator. Why don't you take your legislative agenda and shove it up your ass
—Josh
Josh – (to Toby and Leo) So. Hey, Joey Lucas says she's not with Kiefer anymore
Leo – Well that's a load off our minds
Josh Lyman: I'd like to clear up that I don't have suits for days of the week. This is just a regular suit.
Sam Seaborn: It's a nice suit.
Donna Moss: Sure it's a nice suit, it's his Joey Lucas suit.
Josh Lyman: Donna!
Donna Moss: I'm beginning to regret not getting the waffles.
Leo McGarry: I am beginning to regret having hired any of you! We have a 42% job approval and you're talking about waffles and something with Josh I don't understand.
Donna Moss: He's wearing a special suit for Joey Lucas.
Leo McGarry: You got dressed up for a guy named Joey?
I'm sleeping better. And when I sleep, I dream about a great discussion with experts and ideas and diction and energy and honesty. And when I wake up, I think: 'I can sell that'
—President Bartlet

[1]

Trivia[]

  • Leo holds a breakfast meeting with senior staff at the Iron Gate Inn, as seen on the menus used in the scene. Although there is no “Iron Gate Inn” in Washington, DC, there is an “Iron Gate Restaurant” on N St NW, which has an outdoor patio similar to the fictional restaurant used in the scene. Directly across the street from the real Iron Gate Restaurant is the Tabbard Inn, which also features a visually similar outdoor patio eating area. It is very likely that the producers came up with the “Iron Gate Inn” name by merging these two restaurant names.

ERRORS

  • When Toby is walking back to his office from the press room with his ex-wife, the ex-wife's tag and chain keeps changing through the entire sequence. Sometimes it's over her jacket and the tag's just hanging or it's under the jacket and the tag is sitting just inside her jacket.[2]
  • The episode opens with the President giving a speech at the "Sheraton Centre Hotel" in Washington DC but there is no such hotel.
  • C.J. was actually correct to say that the President was under no legal obligation to appoint a Democrat and a Republican. Though 2 U.S.C. § 437c(a)(1) — which has since been editorially reclassified as §30106 of Title 52, Voting and Elections — does state that no more than three members of the FEC may be affiliated with the same political party, it does not require that all the members be either Republicans or Democrats. President Bartlet could have legally appointed someone affiliated with a third party to either or both of the open seats.[1]

Music[]

sympathique | PINK MARTINI
margaret + pencils

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "The West Wing" Mandatory Minimums at IMDb — Quotes and trivia copied from IMDb
  2. Movie Mistakes



EPISODES
I PilotPost Hoc, Ergo Propter HocA Proportional ResponseFive Votes Down
The Crackpots and These WomenMr. Willis of OhioThe State DinnerEnemiesThe Short List
In Excelsis DeoLord John MarburyHe Shall, from Time to Time...Take Out the Trash Day
Take This Sabbath DayCelestial Navigation20 Hours in L.A.The White House Pro-Am
Six Meetings Before LunchLet Bartlet Be BartletMandatory Minimums
Lies, Damn Lies and StatisticsWhat Kind of Day Has It Been?
II In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I)In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part II)The Midterms
In This White HouseAnd It's Surely to Their CreditThe Lame Duck CongressThe Portland Trip
ShibbolethGalileoNoëlThe Leadership BreakfastThe Drop-In
Bartlet's Third State of the UnionThe War at HomeEllie
Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to JailThe Stackhouse Filibuster
17 PeopleBad Moon RisingThe Fall's Gonna Kill You18th and PotomacTwo Cathedrals
III Manchester (Part I)Manchester (Part II)Ways and MeansOn the Day BeforeWar CrimesGone QuietThe Indians in the LobbyThe Women of QumarBartlet for AmericaH.Con - 172100,000 AirplanesThe Two BartletsNight FiveHartsfield's LandingDead Irish Writers
The U.S. Poet LaureateStirredEnemies Foreign and DomesticThe Black Vera Wang
We Killed YamamotoPosse Comitatus
IV 20 Hours in America (Part I)20 Hours in America (Part II)College KidsThe Red Mass
Debate CampGame OnElection NightProcess StoriesSwiss DiplomacyArctic Radar
Holy NightGuns Not ButterThe Long GoodbyeInauguration (Part I)
Inauguration: Over There (Part II)The California 47thRed Haven's on FirePrivateers
Angel MaintenanceEvidence of Things Not SeenLife On MarsCommencementTwenty-Five
V 7A WF 83429The Dogs of WarJefferson LivesHanA Constituency of OneDisaster ReliefSeparation of PowersShutdownAbu el BanatThe Stormy PresentThe Benign PrerogativeSlow News DayThe Warfare of Genghis KhanAn KheFull DisclosureEppur Si Muove
The SupremesAccessTalking PointsNo ExitGazaMemorial Day
VI NSF ThurmontThe Birnam WoodThird-Day StoryLiftoffThe Hubbert PeakThe Dover TestA Change Is Gonna ComeIn The RoomImpact WinterFaith Based Initiative
Opposition Research365 DaysKing CornThe Wake Up CallFreedoniaDrought ConditionsA Good DayLa PalabraNinety Miles AwayIn God We TrustThings Fall Apart2162 Votes
VII The TicketThe Mommy ProblemMessage of the WeekMr. FrostHere Today
The Al Smith DinnerThe DebateUndecidedsThe WeddingRunning Mates
Internal DisplacementDuck and CoverThe ColdTwo Weeks OutWelcome to Wherever You Are
Election Day (Part I)Election Day (Part II)RequiemTransitionThe Last Hurrah
Institutional MemoryTomorrow
Advertisement