SEASON PREMIERE RESUMES FROM LAST YEAR'S FINALE AS SEARCH GOES ON FOR PRESIDENT'S ABDUCTED DAUGHTER WHILE RIVAL AGENDAS CLASH; JOHN GOODMAN and ANNABETH GISH GUEST-STAR -- Resuming from last season's cliffhanger, the world watches the desperate search for the President's (Martin Sheen) abducted daughter while rival administrations form an uneasy alliance as they weigh options that might include a preemptive military strike at terrorist targets -- a move that could doom the victim. After President Bartlet invoked the 25th Amendment, House Speaker Walken (guest star John Goodman) addresses the nation after the news breaks about Bartlet's assassination of a Qumari terrorist leader last year, more anti-American violence occurs overseas and the weary President gathers his family at the White House -- but faces losing their respect after news reports of the Qumari incident.
Summary[]
Opening - Hour Seven[]
The nation, the White House, and staff are still reeling from President Bartlet's decision to recuse himself from the powers and duties of the presidency, leaving Speaker of the House Walken (R-MO) as acting president. The staff are watching televisions around the West Wing - Donna questions about what Walken will do and what else may happen. C.J., Leo and others are wondering when the ransom note will be released to the media - they understand they need to do it first. Leo walks around the West Wing, making his way to the Oval Office - both Margaret and Josh tell Leo the Democratic leadership wants to come to the White House. Leo enters the Oval Office to talk with the Acting President.
Act I - Hour Eight[]
The Bartlets are in the residence awaiting news. C.J. is preparing for her briefing and is bombarded with questions upon entering the room. Agent Casper joins C.J. and takes some of the questions. In the Roosevelt Room, Toby, Will, and Josh are watching the briefing. Josh believes they may have made the wrong decision to let President Bartlet step aside.
After leaving the briefing, Danny confronts C.J. about their deal (that he wait on his story). She tries to get him to wait, but he is angry at losing the exclusive. He tells C.J. to find out if the White House wants to comment before he posts the story about Shareef.
In the Situation Room - President Walken enters and is briefed on the situation. Fitzwallace is proposing bombing targets in Qumar - Nancy is calling for restraint.
Act II - Hour Nine[]
Leo arrives in the residence to speak with the Bartlets. Leo tells President Bartlet that Danny is planning to run the Shareef story. Bartlet does not want to comment on the story and asks some things of Leo that Leo is uncomfortable telling him.
C.J. comes to see Leo about Danny's story - Leo tells her that Bartlet has no comment. C.J. asks Leo if he asked Walken about it. The Senior Staff gather to meet with Walken in the Oval Office. They are lamenting the plans to elect a new speaker and rumors that Walken wants to nominate a Vice President.
They go into the Oval Office and Walken asks Leo how the meeting should progress. C.J. brings up Danny's story to Walken. Walken tells them to release the story before Danny has a chance to file it. In her office, Danny comes to see C.J. She tells Danny the White House does not wish to comment on his story - but she looks right at him and tells him to post the story, right now.
Act III - Hour Thirteen[]
Josh comes to see Toby and Will with some ideas for a VP, while Leo meets with the Democratic leadership in the Roosevelt Room. Josh tries to tell Leo they should be doing more about this - the leadership has a right to be upset. Leo doesn't want to make it about politics.
C.J meets up with Walken to go in to the Press Room so Walken can announce to the Press about the Shareef assassination. Watching the Press Conference, the Senior Staff are impressed by Walken. In the residence, the Bartlet women (Abbey, Elizabeth, and Ellie) are watching the news, stunned that President Bartlet had ordered this and how it may have contributed to Zoey's kidnapping. Abbey and Jed argue about it.
Act IV - Hour Sixteen[]
Margaret wakes Leo, who has been resting in his office. She tells him the Secretary of State has been trying to reach him and the latest economic figures are out. Josh and Will are talking with Ed and Larry about the numbers as well.
Donna finds Josh to tell him the Republican leadership has arrived - presumably to announce the election of a new Speaker. They turn to the TVs which is showing the aftermath of a bombing in Turkey. In the Situation Room, Walken is getting a briefing on the bombing. Walken decides they are going to bomb Qumar - Leo expresses his concern that the kidnappers may kill Zoey - Walken responds that they are going to kill her anyway. Walken sends Leo to tell Bartlet about the plans for Qumar.
Donna comes to get Josh to make him go home for a few hours of rest. Leo comes to Toby's office and tells Toby and Will to get started on two speeches. After Leo leaves - Will asks, what two speeches. Toby responds somberly - one if they find Zoey alive, one if they don't.
The First Family travels to a church for a private service as Josh and Donna leave the White House - which has been adorned with well wishes from people over Zoey. In the Situation Room, Leo monitors the attack on Qumar - Walken sits outside the Oval Office on the portico.
Cast[]
- Stockard Channing as Abigail Bartlet
- Dulé Hill as Charlie Young
- Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg
- Joshua Malina as Will Bailey
- Janel Moloney as Donna Moss
- Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler
- John Spencer as Leo McGarry
- Bradley Whitford as Josh Lyman
- and Martin Sheen as President Bartlet
Special Guest Stars
- Timothy Busfield as Danny Concannon
- John Goodman as Glen Allen Walken (uncredited)
- with John Amos as Admiral Fitzwallace
- and Lily Tomlin as Deborah Fiderer
Guest Starring
- Nina Siemaszko as Ellie Bartlet
- Anna Deavere Smith as Nancy McNally
- Clark Gregg as Special Agent Casper
- Annabeth Gish as Elizabeth Bartlet
- Geoff Pierson as Senator Triplehorn
- Zeljko Îvanek as Steve Atwood
- Steven Eckholdt as Doug Westin
- NiCole Robinson as Margaret Hooper
- Charlotte Colavin as Sheila Fields
- Thomas Kopache as Bob Slattery
- Ben Guillory as Jackson
Co-Starring
- Melissa Fitzgerald as Carol Fitzpatrick
- Kim Webster as Ginger
- Peter James Smith as Ed
- William Duffy as Larry
- Richard F. Whiten as Winston
- Timothy Davis-Reed as Mark O'Donnell
- Charles Noland as Steve
- Mindy Seeger as Chris
- John Colella as Reporter #2
- Hira Ambrosino as Reporter #3
- Ivan Allen as Roger Salier
Quotes[]
- 〉Find her and find her fast. But if Zoey Bartlet turns up dead, I'm going to blow the hell out of something, and God only knows what happens next〈
- —President Walken
- 〉Donna – Will he get his own portrait? What about a presidential library?
- Josh – He wont be here that long... He looks so small〈
- 〉All the things we wanted to do, Leo. All the things we believed in and wanted to fight for.... He's going to bomb, isn't he?〈
- —President Bartlet
- Leo McGarry: I need you to start two speeches.
- Toby Ziegler: I already started working on the first one today.
- Leo McGarry: Go home tonight, get some rest. Come back fresh in the morning - both of you. I need you at your best tomorrow.
- Toby Ziegler: You going, too?
- Leo McGarry: Yeah, uh, absolutely. I'm beat.
- [He turns and walks out of the office. Will steps further into the office.]
- Will Bailey: Why two?
- Toby Ziegler: One if they find her alive, the other if they don't.
Trivia[]
- Admiral Fitzwallace mentions the 1986 US bombing of Libya, which suggests a Ronald Reagan Presidency.
- Admiral Fitzwallace says that they will attack terror camps using AGM-88 missiles. The AGM-88, however, is an anti-radiation missile designed to be used against ground-based radar and SAM systems. The more likely weapon to be used would be the land-attack version of the AGM-84
- St. Joseph's Catholic Church is located on Capitol Hill.
Links[]