ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN VS. ALL THE FIRST LADY'S WOMEN -- The President's (Martin Sheen) and First Lady's (guest star Stockard Channing) staffs feud over rival agendas when her public statements about foreign child-labor abuse inspires a Congresswoman (guest star Amy Aquino) to attach an amendment that will surely torpedo a long-delayed international tariff bill favored by the President. What's more, when the revered chairman of the Federal Reserve dies, the President is under pressure to name the former head's top lieutenant as his successor -- the same handsome man who seriously dated the First Lady in college. Away from the White House, Zoey (guest star Elizabeth Moss) clashes with her boyfriend Charlie (Dulé Hill) when she suggests that they not step out together at an upcoming club opening at the request of the Secret Service which is concerned about recent hate letters concerning their interracial relationship. Josh (Bradley Whitford) asks opinionated Toby (Richard Schiff) to mind his manners prior to parleying with two important Congressmen.
Summary[]
As the episode opens, Mrs. Bartlet is preparing for a television appearance with Jeffrey, who started "The Children's Crusade," to combat child slavery. The First Lady's Chief of Staff then comes to Sam to ask for cooperation for an appearance by the First Lady with the President. As the two of them watch and discuss, Toby comes out of his office to announce that Bernard Dahl , Chairman of the Federal Reserve, has died of a heart attack - to which Sam tells her, "you just lost the news cycle." Leo comes to tell the President about Dahl's death and urges President Bartlet to announce Ron Erlich as Dahl's successor. Bartlet is not yet prepared to do that.
Sam and Toby discuss why the President is waiting a day to announce Ehrlich, without it looking like they are reconsidering Erlich. Sam tells Toby they are waiting out of respect. Josh comes to Toby's office to tell him that he has to go to the meeting with Congressmen about the Trade bill, a meeting Toby really does not want to go to. In the press room, C.J. tells the press about Dahl and she is questioned about Ron Erlich, including a question from Danny asking about the First Lady's preference for Ron Erlich. Sam goes to see Lilli and confronts her about it. C.J., Leo, and the President meet in the Oval Office regarding the wire piece regarding Ron Erlich and the First Lady. The President reminds the two of them that "no one handles my wife" or there will be some "punishment" for him later.
Zoey comes to visit with her father and he tells her about some letters they have been receiving. He asks her to be more careful and that Charlie cannot come to a nightclub party they were going to attend together. The President asks if she wants him to talk to him, but she says she will do it. The President tells her to make sure she tells him the truth. Zoey and Charlie have lunch and she tells him about the threats. Gina adds that it's just too dangerous.
C.J. comes to find Toby and Josh to tell them about the wire piece regarding Erlich and the First Lady. In the gym, Congresswoman Reeseman approaches Sam to tell him, as a courtesy, that she is planning to add an amendment on child labor to the Trade bill. Sam comes back to the West Wing to seek out Josh and Toby to tell them. Sam agrees to talk to Lilli Mays again, as he was already going to talk to her about the Erlich thing, he will also mention it to her to see if the First Lady can get Congresswoman Reeseman to back down and pull the amendment. Sam goes to see Lilli and is greeted by the First Lady instead. They have a conversation about how Lilli is trying to control the news feed. She agrees to talk to Congresswoman Reeseman and Sam will back off on Lilli.
Danny is outside the Oval Office waiting to meet with the president and he and Charlie have a conversation about how he should react to the problems with his dating Zoey. Danny then gets called into the Oval Office and President Bartlet desperately tries to get Danny to reveal who the sources were in the wire report. Danny refuses to give anything up and he gets out of it by telling the President that he just gave dating advice to Charlie.
The First Lady goes to the reception and gets Congresswoman Reeseman to pull the amendment. She then goes to the Oval Office and she and the President have it out over the Erlich issue. They resolve "their first Oval Office fight" and go off to the Michigan women event.
In the final scene, Charlie arrives at Zoey's dorm room to apologize and she invites him in. As Zoey closes the door behind her, Gina steps out of her room from across the hall for a cup of coffee. With a smile, she speaks into the mike on her sleeve: "Bookbag is in for the night."
Cast[]
- Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn[1]
- 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
Recurring cast
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Guest Starring
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Co-Starring
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Quotes[]
- 〉I get the oeuvre. I understand the basic mise-en-scene of what you're saying. I really don't understand anything〈
- —C.J.
- 〉Josh – This, right here, this is why you have a reputation as a pain in the ass
- Toby – I cultivated that reputation〈
- 〉I don't think the problem is you're black, I think the problem is you're stupid. A dozen bodyguards. Everyone wants to get close, everyone wants a thing. Plus, and I say this standing fifteen feet away from the Oval Office: life with father couldn't have been a real company picnic. If it was me, just for now I'd make sure I was the one guy who was hassle-free. But that's just me〈
- —Danny to Charlie
- 〉No, just be wrong. Just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong and get used to it〈
- —President Bartlet
- Abbey Bartlet: What was the problem with the interview?
- Sam Seaborn: There was no problem with the interview. Except it looked like you discovered there was a child labor problem in the world because a fourteen-year-old boy named Jeffrey just told you about it this morning.
- Abbey Bartlet: I do not believe that is true.
- Sam Seaborn: And I do not believe exercise is going to make me any healthier, but I didn't go to medical school. You did. You say so and I go to the gym.
- President Josiah Bartlet: Well, you put me in a bit of a spot there, Abigail. I name Ron Erlich now, which I was going to do anyway, and it looks like I'm taking instructions from my wife!
- Abbey Bartlet: Still it was wrong!
- President Josiah Bartlet: Are you talking about you or me?
- Abbey Bartlet: I'm talking about you. I'm talking about you sending people to me. And I'll tell you what else I'm talking about. I'm talking about you waiting a day to name a new Fed Chair, because thirty years ago the new Fed Chair was my boyfriend for six months
- President Josiah Bartlet: I'm talking about sending messages through the press, and staking out agendas on morning shows. We are not going to be these people, Abbey. I'm not gonna do it! I'll walk up to the hill right now, and I will give the Speaker of the House my resignation.
- Abbey Bartlet: The House isn't in session.
- President Josiah Bartlet: Do you want to see me get on the phone and put it in session?
- Abbey Bartlet: Don't raise your voice to me!
- President Josiah Bartlet: It was nine months, Abbey. Not six months. And I waited a day on Skippy, because the Fed Chair is a fairly important position, and I wanted to make damn sure my decision was right.
- Abbey Bartlet: You already made your decision!
- President Josiah Bartlet: How the hell do you know?
- Abbey Bartlet: You just said so. "I name Ron Erlich now, which I was gonna do anyway, it looks like I'm taking instructions... from... my... wife!"
- President Josiah Bartlet: Yes.
- Abbey Bartlet: Yes.
- President Josiah Bartlet: Yes.
- Sam Seaborn: She was inspired by the first lady. She thought this morning there were trumpets and she doesn't want you...
- Toby Ziegler: Trumpets?
- Sam Seaborn: The trumpet call, the trumpet sounds...
- Toby Ziegler: What the hell goes on in that gym?
Photos[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Moira Kelly does not appear in this episode