Episode Report Card M. Giant: B | 0 USERS: N/A YOU GRADE IT Crushed Velvet
By M. Giant | Season 6 | Episode 1 | Aired on January 13, 2007
After the call, Wayne gets up to stare out his window and soliloquize that he thought he understood the job, having spent so much time with David watching him make impossible decisions. But now he's wondering if he's the right guy for the job. Aw, Wayne, don't beat yourself up. You learned everything David had to teach you, which basically consisted of making morally and strategically questionable decisions and then whining about it. David would be proud. As for Tom, he declines the pity-party invitation, saying that Wayne is the president, and that he will lead the country, whether he wants to or not. Tom says that sacrificing Kiefer is not a mistake, and that Wayne's brother would be doing the same thing. But how can both those statements be true? Wayne obviouses that it's still not right. Hey, Wayne, maybe you should discuss this dilemma with Ryan Chappelle. Oh, wait, you can't. Tom has no interest in right and wrong in this situation: "It's our only option. Bauer has to be sacrificed so this country can survive."
After delivering this dose of tough love without the love, Tom exits the Oval Office to find that Karen has been lying in wait for him. She confronts him with the rumor that he's authorized the National Guard to set up detention centers at convention centers in Detroit, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles (cities with high Muslim populations all, she doesn't add). Tom shrugs, confirms that he did, and starts to head off, but she points out that that contradicts Wayne's order from earlier. Tom condescendingly agrees to this as well, and makes to escape again, but Karen's not letting it drop. Tom claims that he's not actually implementing anything -- just "positioning" in order to be ready when Wayne inevitably changes his mind. Karen continues hounding him: "In plain English, you're second-guessing the President." Uh, yeah, Karen. That's what happens on this show. Try to keep up. Tom weasels, "Plain English does not allow for the nuances that my job requires, Karen." She makes the mistake of turning it into a policy debate instead of pursuing the issue of Tom's insubordination, saying that she worries about innocent people getting rounded up. He bitches, "Like I said before, security has its price. Just get used to it, Karen." He ducks into his office, squinting in annoyance at the fact that his office doesn't have direct connection to the Oval Office like Leo McGarry's always did so that he can avoid conversations like this.