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- Subplot of the Pilot: Josh's Problems with What He Said on the Talk Show, "Capital Beat" which is referred back to from the beginning to the end of the episode.
Bradley Whitford as Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman
-- © NBC Photo: Kevin Foley
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- Josh ventures a question about whether the President said anything
about a comment Josh made on a morning talk show and Leo says:
- "The President is pissed as hell at you, Josh, and so am I."
Josh tries to explain that he doesn't think they need all the people on the Christian right.
"Well I think there shouldn't be instant replay in football, but that's not my call now, is it?"
"It was stupid," Josh admits.
"Damn straight."
"I was right, though," Josh has to put in as Leo walks away.
"Like I don't know that." Leo mumbles to himself.
- Donna brings Josh coffee. A first for her. He can give her no reassurance that he won't be fired.
- "You won that election for him. You and Leo and C.J. and Sam.... And him." The last pronoun is in reference to Toby who is knocking at the door.
- Toby wants to help Josh save his job, but:
- "I don't want this gesture to be taken as an indication that I like you."
"I understand."
- When Josh hesitates when asked to make nice with some of the Christian fundamentalists, Toby blows up:
- "I'm in charge of the message around here. It's my job to tell the President that the best thing he can do from a P.R. standpoint is to show you the door."
- When talking about a Senator forming an exploratory committee to
investigate running against the President, Josh asks Leo who he thinks the Senator would get:
- "You."
"I've got a job."
- "For - The - Moment," Leo says with emphasis.
- Josh meets Mandy for lunch. She is now working for Senator Russell who Mandy says Josh should get to know. Josh responds:
- "I have enough friends."
"Not these days you don't."
- Later C.J. tries to ask Leo what the President will do about Josh. But Leo refuses to speculate:
- "You know the President."
"So do you," he responds.
"You know him better."
"I've known him for 40 years... and all I can promise you is, on
any given day, there's really no predicting what he's going to choose to care about."
- The a reporter asks C.J.
- "Has the President had any reaction to Josh on the show?"
"None that I am aware of."
- Leo tries to smooth things over with a religious leader who is
complaining the President and the White House staff, demonizes the whole
Christian right:
- "Your group has plenty of demons,"
Leo responds.
"Every group has plenty of demons."
"You don't have to tell me about it, Reverend. I'm a member of the
Democratic Party."
- The Reverend accuses the White House of not taking the situation
seriously.
- "Twenty-four hours ago, the President ordered me to fire Josh Lyman. I've been trying to talk him down from that ever since.... It's 6 to 5 and pick 'em whether Josh still has a job. Now, I don't know how much more seriously we can take it."
- When Toby, C.J. and Josh finally meet with some of the Christian right, Josh apologizes:
- "My remarks were glib and insulting. I was going for the cheap laugh and anybody willing to step up and debate ideas deserves better than a political punchline."
- Someone representing family values claims:
- "The First Commandment says, 'Honor Thy Father'."
"No, it doesn't," Toby states.... "Honor thy Father is the Third Commandment."
"Then what's the First Commandment?"
A voice answers from off screen, sounding like's it's from 'on high', "I am the Lord your God. Thou shalt worship no other God before me. Boy those were the days, huh?" Turns out the answer came from the President who limps in.
Note: Turns out that the Commandment about Honoring one's parents is the Fifth Commandment. Everybody was wrong!
- When it's all over Toby explains that part of what made him mad was
their demands:
- "I'm not empowered to auction off the Bill of Rights."
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Josh & the Religious Right
