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Previously on The West Wing: C.J. had a near-miss with the luscious mug of Agent Sunshine, which ended when he decided that making out with her might compromise him in a way other than the one they both had in mind. Charlie was asked to help find a lead secretary to replace Mrs. Landingham at long last, because if she hasn't been reanimated in the last year, it's probably not going to happen. POTUS excoriated Josh for a scheduling screwup crossing up the vote on an administration welfare bill and the Wars of the Roses benefit in New York, while Leo talked ominously about "options" on the subject of the Qumari defense minister, suspected of terrorism and on his way to town. Amy and Josh squared off over the marriage incentives contained in the welfare bill, and she unconvincingly painted herself as the sole traveler on the high road. Now, it's a Sorkin season finale, so I think it's frankly quite fair to ask: who will be eliminated tonight?
Fade up on the press room, where C.J. is on a giddy, crush-induced roll as she briefs the regulars about the evening's Shakespeare outing. The departure time, she explains, has been pushed back an hour, but other than that, everything is copacetic. She breezily apologizes to the citizens of New York for the motorcade that is now going to crush their skulls right in the middle of rush hour, but calls the delay "inevitable" -- and then scratches that and goes with "unavoidable." C.J.'s a bundle of twitchy energy as she continues to babble about the travel arrangements. She's got the press corps rolling in the aisle with hysterical laughter, although with all due respect to C.J., it's not at all clear why. They move on to the topic of the welfare bill. Asked for an update, C.J. confirms movement, but can't provide an up-to-date vote count. "It's close," she allows. How close? "Look at the color of Josh Lyman's hair," she suggests. Ah, yes. Josh Lyman. The guy who actually has to get the damn bills passed while everybody else goes to the prom. C.J. banters about the importance of the welfare bill, banters about whether Bartlet will meet with Ritchie in New York, and starts to exit the podium, still smiling in a carefree sort of way that's perfectly lovely, but doesn't really seem like her. Just as she's about to go, she's asked to explain the hour-long delay in POTUS's departure. She whips open her schedule, runs a well-manicured but short fingernail down the page until she finds what she needs, and tells the room that the President has a meeting with Qumari Defense Minister Abdul Shareef.
Credits. It would be a lot easier to see all the nice pictures in the credit sequence if they would move that big flag that keeps getting in front of the camera.