- Leo has sets aside a day each year when selected members of the public with alternative ideas get access to the President's staff. This was introduced in #5 "Crackpots and These Women" and appeared again in #38 "Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail", We found someone who found the answer to the question about President Jackson and the big block of cheese, referred to on these occasions:
- The former website "Inside the Bartlet White House" found the information in the book Real Life at the White House: Two Hundred Years of Daily Life at America's Most Famous Residence by John and Claire Whitcomb (published 2000, New York: Routledge). The information on the cheese can now be found at http://www.bartlet4america.org/char/leo.html The information is in a footer at the bottom of the page.
- Lovely dialogue from this scene: provided by Sharon Templeton who posted it on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum:
- Toby: It's "Throw Open Our Office Doors To People Who Want To Discuss Things That We Could Care Less About Day"
Mandy: Well, that sounds goofy doesn't it?
Sam: It isn't so bad. You talk to them for a minute. You give them a souvenir pen with the Presidential seal on it.
--
Toby: Leo, wouldn't this time be better spent plotting a war against a country that can't possibly defend itself against us?
Leo: We can do that later, Toby. Right now I'm talking about President Andrew Jackson.
Sam: Actually, right now, you're talking about a big block of cheese.
Leo: And Sam goes on my list!
Sam: What about Toby?
Leo: I'm unpredictable. Jackson wanted the White House to belong to the people so from time to time he opened his doors to those who wished an audience.
Mandy: And then he locked the doors behind them and made them eat two tons of cheese.
Leo: It is in that spirit--
Sam:: Hang on! Mandy doesn't go on the list?
Leo: Mandy's new.
Sam: So it's just me -- on the list?
Leo: Yes.
Josh: Sorry, we're late. Is it 'Total Crack[l]pot Day' again?
Leo: Yes, it is.
Sam: And let us please note that Josh does not go on the list.
- Has anyone ever tried to build a highway for wolves?
- Well, it seems they often try to build a way to cross a highway for animals since over a million wild animals end up as road kill each year. The Washington Post had an article on Monday, June 2, 2003; called "Animals' Highway Crossings" says, "The idea is to give wild animals a chance
to cross a new New York highway
without ending up as road kill, so the state
is thinking about building special
underpasses and culverts so they can
travel at their leisure. The only problem is,
they don't seem to work." (the link to this article was posted by "kbfried" on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum
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Was there really a Big Block of Cheese in the Jackson White House?
