Bud Wachtell is a moderate Democrat and member of the House of Representatives. After President Bartlet insulted Governor Ritchie's intelligence on a hot mic, Congresssman Wachtell went to Sam Seaborn to suggest the White House hold a bipartisan meeting on bipartisanship. Sam refused because the incident had nothing to do with partisanship, which was expected in an election year anyway, and he dismissed Wachtell's claim that moderates would desert the party. As a concession, Sam had the Republican Ainsley Hayes promoted from Associate White House Counsel to Deputy Counsel.