Richard Schiff as Toby Ziegler NBC Photo

Written by: Aaron Sorkin , Directed by: Thomas Schlamme

Takes Place: Four weeks starting at the point the second season ended

Broadcast: October 10, 2001

Query: What was a 12 Ball doing on a pool table after a game of nine ball?

Query: What was the song heard while Charlie beat Toby in a game of nine-ball?

Query: Is there an Air Force Base at Pease?

Last season ended with a Press Conference where the President was asked, "...can you tell us right now if you will be seeking a second term?" He answers that question with:

"Yeah," he says, "and I'm going to win."

This causes problems for the staff who weren't informed beforehand that he planned to give an answer at this time. It also puts a strain on the First Couple's marriage and the staff knows it. Toby asks Leo how the First Lady is and Leo tells him:

"You know, I think that with everything on our plates, we don't need to be marriage counselors right now."
"No, we should 'cause you and I would be really good at it," the divorced Toby tells his divorced boss.

The White House counsel advises Charlie to get a lawyer: something Charlie doesn't want to do. Finally Charlie asks a question that has been bothering him:

"How much?"
"Assuming you saw nothing wrong, heard nothing wrong and did nothing wrong, about $100,000."

Meanwhile, there is a crisis in Haiti and then the FDA decides to approve RU-486, and Josh is still trying to hang the tobacco companies out to dry. Things heat up. And everybody's tired after only a few days of constant pressure. But it is C.J. who is dealing with the outside world through a persistently questioning press. She finally stumbles badly and like everyone else who heard her, she knows just how bad the stumble was. Soon it becomes clear that she is considering her options in continuing on with all this.

The events following the President's answer on running and the next week or so become interspersed with events flying to and being at/near the Bartlet home in New Hampshire four weeks later where the President has gone to make his official announcement. Nothing seems to be going well although there are hints that at least the Haiti crisis was resolved. But when this part ends we aren't sure how it will play out. At least another week to find out if the Bartlets can work our their differences, if the writers will ever come up with a speech everyone can agree on, and if C.J. will quit her job!

For anyone interested in guest stars of this episode (as well as more information),
let us recommend the West Wing Episode Guide.

Background from Bravo: What you need to know from past episodes.